Reviews tagging 'Infertility'

The Familiars by Stacey Halls

17 reviews

raemow's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child death, Confinement, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Infertility, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Vomit

andrea_carroll123's review against another edition

dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Alcoholism, Blood, Death, Infertility, Infidelity, and Miscarriage

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death of parent, Medical content, Pedophilia, Confinement, and Gore

buckinghambattleship's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative mysterious medium-paced

3.0

Would not recommend but I kept reading to know the end

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Miscarriage, Infidelity, and Infertility

laurenparham's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.25

Hate a husband redemption story but I did still enjoy this book!! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, and Pregnancy

lillyhill's review against another edition

adventurous emotional medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility and Miscarriage

Moderate: Misogyny

nataliaf4's review

dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

5 stars! This book gripped me from cover to cover. I adored the characters and gothic setting and the main friendship in this is one of my favorite literary female/female friendships to date!

TW: descriptions of miscarriage and stillbirth, animal death, gaslighting, blood, and mentions of sexual abuse of a minor.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Murder, Blood, Animal death, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Gaslighting, Sexism, Misogyny, and Infertility

Minor: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, and Pedophilia

bybookandbone's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad slow-paced

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

4.5

I don't think I have the words to describe everything I loved about The Familiars. Fleetwood is an incredibly sympathetic character. Just as I was getting irritated with her inaction, we discover that she is only 17, been married for four years and is pregnant with four miscarriages behind her. That's just so much for a young person to take. Plus the childhood neglect and abuse... absolutely horrific. 

Throughout the book, Fleetwood has to deal with being seen as nothing more as an interactive uterus in an expensive dress. 
I don't want to say much more than that without spoiling the story, though I wish it had ended with the violent murder of her husband, Richard, and his friend Rodger.

Alice is one of the women accused of witchcraft and Fleetwood's only friend, as well as the only midwife who has actually helped her with her difficult pregnancy. 
Don't be fooled into thinking this book is about the Pendle trials, it's set around them but at the end of the day, it's Fleetwood and Alice's story.

I still wish they ran off together

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Misogyny, and Sexism

Moderate: Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, and Infertility

Minor: Abandonment, Body horror, and Confinement