Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

The Familiars by Stacey Halls

17 reviews

bybookandbone's review against another edition

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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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samijean's review against another edition

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

3.0

This book was definitely a good-not-great kind of thing for me. I was definitely invested and I read the whole thing, but something about it was just kind of flat. I was expecting more outright witchiness; it was much more subtle than I thought it would be. I can't say I was super attached to any of the characters, but I did definitely feel for them. Wouldn't read it again, but I don't regret getting it.
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julietejames's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful lighthearted mysterious fast-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No
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btrz7's review against another edition

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slow-paced
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

2.0

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theoracle_ofdelfi's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful tense medium-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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zoenne's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional informative sad medium-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

A gripping story with an endearing protagonist. Nonetheless, I feel that the author tried too hard to stay close to historical accounts of the Pendle Witch trials, and as a result some events seem a bit forced. 
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flopsiful's review against another edition

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5.0

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