Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Outlawed by Anna North

36 reviews

rozereads's review against another edition

adventurous dark fast-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

3.5

Enjoyable for a change of pace!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Gun violence, and Infertility

Minor: Gore, Self harm, and Mental illness

haseki_sultana's review against another edition

adventurous fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

This book is a pretty quick read, with engaging descriptions and an interesting plot. The plot focuses almost fully on the main character; she goes through the most growth and the most focus is placed on her. The side characters get some focus which helps to explain their personalities and make them distinct, but there is no growth for them - they remain static in the narrative (which is absolutely fine; it suits the story being told - these are not the type of people to change much anyway). 

As for the plot, it takes place in an alternate reality from 1894-1895, where religion has put an even greater emphasis on women having children and being domestic - in this reality, people are so obsessed with children that there are many holidays concerning pregnancy and childbirth, Jesus is depicted as a baby, and women are routinely executed for not conceiving. The story follows Ada, a year into her marriage, when she and the people of her town realize that she is infertile. They run her out of the town and she has to find her own way in the world, at some point joining an all-female (but various gendered) outlaw gang. There's more to Ada's story and what drives her, but that's all spoilers. 

I would have given this book five stars, except sometimes there were passages about events that went by rather swiftly, leaving the reader wanting more. For the most part, the fast-paced writing style of North works really well, but I personally felt that certain scenes needed to be lingered on yet were instead passed over in mere sentences. 

Also, I feel it is worth mentioning: there are a number of LGBT characters; they are all treated with respect and handled well. However, one side character is killed off and technically counts as Bury Your Gays. For anyone who dislikes this trope, be aware that you'll come across it in this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Infertility, Infidelity, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racism, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual content, and Suicide

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Animal death and Murder

bury your gays trope for side character

kirbybeaton's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Grief, Hate crime, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, and Suicide

randeegleas's review against another edition

adventurous reflective medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Body horror, Hate crime, Medical trauma, Homophobia, Racism, and Sexism

Moderate: Blood, Chronic illness, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Homophobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Murder, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

hollyenchanted's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark hopeful medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Abortion, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Medical trauma, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, and Sexual content

The world North created is brutal and all-to-recognizable. Which makes the outlaws all the more heroic and interesting.

gabibrose's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny reflective fast-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

A fiercely feminist, action-packed Western was something I didn’t know I needed until I read Anna North’s Outlawed. Set in an alternate America in the year 1894, our teenage heroine Ada is forced to flee the safety of home when she is unable to become pregnant after a year of marriage. In Outlawed’s reality, women are prided in society for their ability to bear children and hanged as witches if they prove to be barren. Ada finds solace by joining the infamous Hole in the Wall Gang - a group of outlaws pillaging their way across the land. Led by an enigmatic, nonbinary figure known as the Kid, the gang is compiled of women who, like Ada, were ousted from their communities due to their inability to conform to societal standards. The diverse band of outlaws features gender nonconforming and queer characters who aim to upheave and dismantle the patriarchy and fight for an equitable existence. 

North draws on the themes of race, relationship to religion, fertility, and gender roles/identity to craft a fully realized dystopian society. The pacing of the novel is quick and brimming with action that forces readers to continue turning the pages to find out which direction the plot will turn. If anything, I wish we could have spent more time getting to know the individual members of the gang, some of whom tended to blend together due to their similar backstories and quirks. As a whole, North’s clever ingenuity churns out a modern-day tale built on the foundation of a historical setting that feels both familiar and uniquely singular all at once. 

Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury USA for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, and Suicidal thoughts