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supernova_reader's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Well done. I picked it up because I was told it is an interesting and insightful portrayal of female friendships and how they evolve with age and though life. I wasn’t let down in the slightest. Also pleasantly surprised at the serious topics covered in the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Animal death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Torture, Homophobia, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Dysphoria, Colonisation, Child death, Violence, War, Sexism, Racism, Outing, and Infidelity
meliroo's review against another edition
dark
tense
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Misogyny, Murder, Death, Homophobia, Racism, Sexism, and Transphobia
haylzno's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.75
This book perfectly satisfied my need for a witchy book. I absolutely loved this novel.
Low/urban fantasy: set in our world but add in some ✨magic✨
I loved the array of creatures they sprinkled throughout and the realistic integration of witches and warlocks with the "mundanes".
Great queer rep. Lots of bad ass witches.
There are quite a few POVs but I think it served the plot well. You're able to get a better sense of the characters thanks to the POVs.
Massive cliff hanger right at the end! I can't wait for the next book.
Low/urban fantasy: set in our world but add in some ✨magic✨
I loved the array of creatures they sprinkled throughout and the realistic integration of witches and warlocks with the "mundanes".
Great queer rep. Lots of bad ass witches.
There are quite a few POVs but I think it served the plot well. You're able to get a better sense of the characters thanks to the POVs.
Massive cliff hanger right at the end! I can't wait for the next book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Grief, Child abuse, Transphobia, Violence, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Death, Murder, and Homophobia
utopiastateofmind's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
TW: misgendering
Her Majesty's Royal Coven is a story about systems and freedom. About ingrained systems that are held up, institutions, over time and which - in some ways - resist change. This idea that they are exclusionary, not listening or acknowledging voices, like marginalized ones. It's about these systems of power and also to celebrate voices and forces of change. Of people who are able to see when to speak out, and those who have made spaces of their own. It's a multiple POV story surrounding this core of friends who have drifted apart.
I enjoyed watching the character's lives unfold, specifically as they began to intersect more and it was clear they were keeping things from each other. But I do feel like some perspectives took more of the center stage. Maybe that's because of the ending and how it's set up for this series, but I felt like some of my favorite characters didn't get as much time as I would have liked. Even more than that, one of the characters is incredibly transphobic.
I am not trans and so I cannot speak to these comments, but I can say that it was incredibly difficult to read. I realize that these sentiments are those shared by some people within our society - this TERF sentiment that pervades certain spaces - but it just felt like in a story which is supposed to feature a trans minor at the heart of it, that it was difficult to read. The story of her search for recognition and specifically as a girl is so central to the plot of the story and so this POV felt even more hostile.
TW: misgendering
Her Majesty's Royal Coven is a story about systems and freedom. About ingrained systems that are held up, institutions, over time and which - in some ways - resist change. This idea that they are exclusionary, not listening or acknowledging voices, like marginalized ones. It's about these systems of power and also to celebrate voices and forces of change. Of people who are able to see when to speak out, and those who have made spaces of their own. It's a multiple POV story surrounding this core of friends who have drifted apart.
I enjoyed watching the character's lives unfold, specifically as they began to intersect more and it was clear they were keeping things from each other. But I do feel like some perspectives took more of the center stage. Maybe that's because of the ending and how it's set up for this series, but I felt like some of my favorite characters didn't get as much time as I would have liked. Even more than that, one of the characters is incredibly transphobic.
I am not trans and so I cannot speak to these comments, but I can say that it was incredibly difficult to read. I realize that these sentiments are those shared by some people within our society - this TERF sentiment that pervades certain spaces - but it just felt like in a story which is supposed to feature a trans minor at the heart of it, that it was difficult to read. The story of her search for recognition and specifically as a girl is so central to the plot of the story and so this POV felt even more hostile.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Transphobia, Sexism, Homophobia, and Deadnaming
carireadsbooksandtarot's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
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? It's complicated
5.0
Her Majesty’s Royal Coven- Juno Dawson. 5 Stars.
I really don’t understand why this book isn’t getting more hype in the bookish community. I don’t remember where I heard about it but I became intrigued. I don’t read a lot of fantasy and am very particular about what kind of fantasy I enjoy so I was skeptical about this book. It turned out to be far beyond what I expected.
The story takes place in modern-day UK, non-magical people (referred to as “mundanes”) are unaware of the existence of witches. We follow four characters, Helena, Elle, Leonie, and Niamh, who have been bound together since childhood as they are among the dwindling number of witches left in the world. Inducted into Her Majesty’s Royal Coven at a young age, the women survive a war together and 8 years later have chosen individual paths. Helena is now High Priestess of HMRC, Leonie has started her own coven that is more open and accepting of marginalized witches, Niamh is a small-town veterinarian, and Elle is happily living as a housewife.
Helena, Niamh, Elle, and Leonie are all brought back together when a prophecy warns of a child who will bring rise to Leviathan, a demon defeated and imprisoned in the earth centuries ago. This child is identified as a terrified teenager named Theo, who has unusually strong powers. Helena thinks the best way to protect the coven is to imprison or destroy Theo, but agrees to allow Niamh the chance to train him and try to avoid the prophecy. Soon, all four friends are pulled into the fray, trying to do the right thing for witches, the world, and Theo.
I was completely hooked from the start. Dawson has created a unique magical world that is complex and believable. She does such an excellent job drawing the reader in, feeding bits of information, so that I always wanted to know more and never felt confused or overwhelmed. All the characters have unique personalities, even as the chapters switch between the four characters, I never felt lost or forgot which character I was following. Most brilliant of all, Dawson brings in modern-day social issues around race and gender in a way that doesn’t feel forced or dramatic.
If you are a fan of any kind of fantasy, you’ll likely enjoy this. If you are more of a fantasy sceptic like myself but enjoy the occasional magical romp, choose this book. Love Harry Potter? This is right up your alley if you’ve been looking for something to fill that void. If you like seeing more diversity in fantasy, and books in general, Dawson has you covered. I keep thinking about what kind of witch I would be in the world of HMRC. I think I’d be a healer or sentient, an air witch. If you read, or have already read, this book, what kind of witch are you? I want someone to talk about this book with!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Transphobia, Homophobia, War, and Death
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