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chopspy's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
A mystery horror thriller with themes of witch trials and family. As well as the inescapable passage of time.
The mystery itself had me hooked and I only understood it when the story wanted to.
It blends multiple character perspectives really well and overall is well paced.
The characters themselves feel human, especially those that make mistakes and grow from it. Talking about you Liv
The mystery itself had me hooked and I only understood it when the story wanted to.
It blends multiple character perspectives really well and overall is well paced.
The characters themselves feel human, especially those that make mistakes and grow from it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Murder, Toxic relationship, Death, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, and Vomit
elizabethwebb's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Cancer, Car accident, Chronic illness, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Violence, Death, Alcohol, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Murder, Rape, Sexual harassment, Torture, and Vomit
wordsandnocturnes's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
5.0
The Lighthouse Witches follows three narratives and three different timelines. The first is Liv in the past when she brings her three daughters to a secluded island for a painting job; the second is a book Liv's oldest daughter Sapphire reads about the witch burning past of the island; the third is Liv's second daughter Luna in the present, where she finds her younger sister who went missing many years ago but still maintains the body of a child.
While there are three different points-of-view, the voices are clear and distinct, and even the time jumps between the narratives are not jarring. Instead, they slip into each other to build an overall seamless narrative. The points-of-view build on each other, revealing more and more as it goes on, which I found refreshing (for I am one of those guilty readers who skips forward to read certain characters' points-of-view before begrudgingly returning to read the rest).
The prose is simple and straightforward, free of flowery descriptions, but still capable of establishing personality, setting, and most importantly, atmosphere. The simplicity of the prose makes it easy to focus on the story - what is happening, who is speaking, without detracting from the surroundings. It doesn't sound dry either, as it is clear what the characters are seeing and what they feel.
It can be easy to distance ourselves from the cast of supporting characters, mainly because the heavy atmosphere thick with mystery and doubt makes one wonder "what happens next? Who can I trust?", becomes an overarching question that occupies most of the book. This is no big deal, because these questions are naturally part of what makes a thriller or mystery exciting to read. The main cast, namely Liv and her daughters, have reasonable issues, which make them interesting to read about and gradually easy to root for. The more we root for certain characters, the more invested we are in their stories, and the more we want them to triumph. However, it isn't that simple in Gothic fiction, where elements of horror can run rampant.
The author mentioned taking inspiration from Scottish witch trials, which is grisly piece of history, but I believe information about witch hunts and witch trials should be more well-known as it reflects some issues still present in these days. Back then, women weren't allowed to speak up for themselves when being accused as a witch, and they were tortured until their mind is exhausted and any legible, practical thought is shattered. ( Trigger warning: this book contains non-graphic mentions of physical, mental, and sexual abuse, of which the subject, mood and tone may be triggering for some. )
I enjoyed this book greatly, and it brought me immense satisfaction upon finishing it, which is an experience I haven't had for quite some time (due to an unexpected reading slump). Best of all, this book lingered in my mind and made me think and marvel over its many details as many good books often do (though perhaps bad books have a tendency to linger as well, but not for the same reasons). I kept thinking of the different characters, how love and loneliness can affect a person, how the narration links together wonderfully...
If you like mystery, intrigue and a little heartbreak, perhaps you should give this book a try.
Received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Netgalley, HarperCollins and C.J. Cooke for the chance to read this delightful ARC.
From Words & Nocturnes
While there are three different points-of-view, the voices are clear and distinct, and even the time jumps between the narratives are not jarring. Instead, they slip into each other to build an overall seamless narrative. The points-of-view build on each other, revealing more and more as it goes on, which I found refreshing (for I am one of those guilty readers who skips forward to read certain characters' points-of-view before begrudgingly returning to read the rest).
The prose is simple and straightforward, free of flowery descriptions, but still capable of establishing personality, setting, and most importantly, atmosphere. The simplicity of the prose makes it easy to focus on the story - what is happening, who is speaking, without detracting from the surroundings. It doesn't sound dry either, as it is clear what the characters are seeing and what they feel.
It can be easy to distance ourselves from the cast of supporting characters, mainly because the heavy atmosphere thick with mystery and doubt makes one wonder "what happens next? Who can I trust?", becomes an overarching question that occupies most of the book. This is no big deal, because these questions are naturally part of what makes a thriller or mystery exciting to read. The main cast, namely Liv and her daughters, have reasonable issues, which make them interesting to read about and gradually easy to root for. The more we root for certain characters, the more invested we are in their stories, and the more we want them to triumph. However, it isn't that simple in Gothic fiction, where elements of horror can run rampant.
The author mentioned taking inspiration from Scottish witch trials, which is grisly piece of history, but I believe information about witch hunts and witch trials should be more well-known as it reflects some issues still present in these days. Back then, women weren't allowed to speak up for themselves when being accused as a witch, and they were tortured until their mind is exhausted and any legible, practical thought is shattered. ( Trigger warning: this book contains non-graphic mentions of physical, mental, and sexual abuse, of which the subject, mood and tone may be triggering for some. )
I enjoyed this book greatly, and it brought me immense satisfaction upon finishing it, which is an experience I haven't had for quite some time (due to an unexpected reading slump). Best of all, this book lingered in my mind and made me think and marvel over its many details as many good books often do (though perhaps bad books have a tendency to linger as well, but not for the same reasons). I kept thinking of the different characters, how love and loneliness can affect a person, how the narration links together wonderfully...
If you like mystery, intrigue and a little heartbreak, perhaps you should give this book a try.
Received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Netgalley, HarperCollins and C.J. Cooke for the chance to read this delightful ARC.
From Words & Nocturnes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexism, and Child abuse
Minor: Sexual assault
More...