Reviews with content warning for Suicide - Cunning Women

This is a pretty decent book, well-researched and very easy to read. Cunning Women was unlike the usual kind of stuff I read but I still enjoyed it, the world was very vivid and the mix of Old English with modern English was well-done and easy to understand. I also really liked how the author managed to effortlessly weave the characters’ reality and beliefs into the story, so magic could be real or not in this novel. I don’t know.

The romance aspect was pretty sweet, however I do think Daniel was too selfless and was giving up too much for Sarah from the get-go; much like Peeta did in the first Hunger Games book. I just don’t see this trope as realistic or healthy, and it gives young readers the idea that a girl being rude to a guy is just evidence that she’s wildly attracted to him and he should just be more smothering and insistent. Also, the cunning folk in this story work with the devil, and I’m pretty sure cunning folk are not demonic in real life so I found that aspect of the story disappointing.

But as I said this isn’t the usual kind of stuff I read, and I still thought it was an enjoyable novel. If you like romance, history, and folklore, you’d probably enjoy Cunning Women.

Edit: I was right! Sources and evidence from the appropriate time periods show that Cunning folk practised Christianity, and even called upon saints in the conjuring of folk magic. There has been some popular arguments originating from the Victorian era that say that accused witches had been practicing pagans, and even that the devil is a Christian reimagining of a pagan deity. I think these are the theories that Cunning Women was based upon, but most modern historians don’t believe the surviving paganism theory to be true and I don’t either.

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lalabeths's review

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dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

Pace was a bit slow at times. Phrasing / grammar was a bit awkward. I didn’t know what to expect going into this but agree with others that this is more of a historic fiction definition of witch than the magical fantasy type. Great book but don’t go in with the hope of everything being wrapped up nicely in the end. The big events of the book didn’t happen until the end and I wish there had been a bit more pages in that bit to really send home the feelings and message. Felt rushed, never really got pulled in to experience that “movie as you’re reading” feeling. The end felt unresolved and made me ask “that’s it?” Made me want to throw it across the room because ugh the potential is there! Still worth a read.

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taylahmay's review

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tense slow-paced

1.0

PLEASE NOTE: this review is for my own reflection and I in no way aim to offend with my rambling thoughts.

While the story has intriguing characters, not much is done with them. There’s a lot of teasing re the source of their magic and even the actions of the mother in the past that we never get a full explanation of. With a slow burn to start and a rush of events to end, it struggled to keep my attention and interest.

However, the historical world that’s built is wonderful and feels well fleshed out. With historical references to day to day life, celebrations, society, and beliefs, it puts you in the environment of the story and aids understanding of the characters.

I felt let down with the end after hoping for strong character development of the main male character, just to have him half heartedly own up for a portion of his actions and simultaneously act as a martyr which seemed unnecessary. Without spoiling it, I felt there was a way for all of them to leave. Or at least have that option voiced and considered and then dashed if need be.

My biggest gripe is the tag line of “feminist tale”. Yes, the main character is a female and it deals greatly with her station in life as a result, but the story doesn’t call negative attention on the sexism of the time or have any character voice it. Actually, the sexism and misogyny of the characters become more outspoken and dangerous towards the end. This doesn’t make the book bad, but considering I chose to read this book under the assumption I would be met with a strong female character making waves or at least having her strength make an impact, I felt doubly disappointed. I was met with

female characters turning on each other and pointing fingers, extreme jealously that turns dangerous, a matriarch who wants to protect but actually ignores all logic and pleas to place her family in direct danger and then ultimately weakens to the point of becoming a ward herself, male characters sexually assaulting female characters and getting away with it completely with no mention of their crime except the derision pointed towards the women (at least one of which is a child), and and a main character who ultimately holds her tongue in the end so as to save her family and get by in a mans world

. I think the feminist tag line is not appropriate. Actually, the more I think on it, the more I feel lied to, & the angrier I get.

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amethyst1551's review

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dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

2.0

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