Reviews

Das begabte Kind by Juno Dawson

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hheatherfeather's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

anouk_k05's review against another edition

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adventurous dark medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

matasatan's review against another edition

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1.0

Oh my fucking god. I'm so tired of the nagging about people being terf. stop the nonsense please.

I wanted strong female characters, a book about witches. Not a political smear about trans women, terf and a reflection of twitter's endless hatred of so-called cis women.

Why can authors just let trans people be part in a book, without the political points?

I will definitely not read the other books. And somehow it makes me sad

wiestli's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

beccaperson's review against another edition

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A third of the way through and I didn't feel the author gave me any reason to care about the characters or their actions, or how some of them are even connected to the plot. Lots of telling about characters misc likes and dislikes and very little telling of a story.

eswinbanks's review against another edition

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5.0

As five young girls, begire taking their oath as witches, Niahm and her sister Ciara, Helena, Leonie and Elle make a pact with each other, and a decades long friendship is born.

Years later, fighting for Her Majesty's Royal Coven in a war which cost Niahm her fiance and her sister (though Ciara went dark rather than dead) and Helena lost her husband Stef, the women emerge facing new challenges.

If it wasn't for their childhood together at Hebden Bridge, it's unlikely they would've been friends as adults.

Elle the nurse and mother, caring for her grandmother Annie Device, Niahm the vet and mentor who left the HMRC, Leonie the black lesbian, Helena the entitled, rich woman and new High Priestess of HMRC.

All disparate but still connected.

Leonie, the only woman of colour in their small group, founded Diaspora, her own coven for all those women of colour ignored or not seen by the HMRC. And Helena is angry.

On top of that, there is a prophecy of the Sullied Child who would bring forth Leviathan.

Helena will stop at nothing to make sure that doesn't happen.

There's a lot of discussion within the action and story arcs about BIPOC rights, LGBTQIA+ community and the crap women have put up with for centuries. But Niahm has it right when she talks about identity and one character being trans;

"Our magic, the thing that defines us has no sex, and I think you know it.’"

This book, as well as having terrific characters, lots of story strands and many surprises along the way, is a powerhouse of strength for all women.

It recognises the inherent power of these witches, how the prejudice Leonie faces is different to that of say Niahm or Helena, and it's full of those "nasty women" derided so recently.

And I loved it.
Just as much as I loved the narrative hooks for book two.
It's magical - literally and metaphorically - hilarious, sweet, romantic, angry and tragic.

And more than anything, it is strikingly beautiful.