Reviews tagging 'Murder'

The Manningtree Witches by A.K. Blakemore

12 reviews

tsapparelli's review against another edition

dark informative sad 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

3.0

A lot of the writing in this was really beautiful. I found it hard to put down. However I didn’t connect with the characters. I felt it was too surface level and didn’t delve into the characters’ thoughts and feelings enough.

I felt moved by the passage where Rebecca described what she imagines her mothers death would have been like, and I wish there was more of that in the rest of the book. I also found the ending where she finds Judith on the boat a bit unbelievable and it took me out of the story a bit.

But overall I thought this was a good book and I would read more by this author.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Murder, Misogyny, Death of parent, Sexism, Death, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Violence

quiet_reader's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Death, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Murder, Blood, Alcohol, Animal death, Sexism, Confinement, Religious bigotry, Violence, and Child death

Moderate: Infidelity, Sexual content, Grief, Slavery, Trafficking, Torture, and War

candeegirl's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A

4.75

I found that I really enjoyed how Blakemore represented each woman she wrote about, I could find pieces of myself or those I love in each of them. How she dissected Hopkins and Edes and their role in this story and torture of women was also so interesting and rang true, it reignited a love I've had for the witch trials since I was young and im so thankful for that. this was such an intelligent and immersive read.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Murder, Rape, and Miscarriage

anastasiamakes's review against another edition

challenging dark informative tense slow-paced

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

2.0

If you liked The Crucible, I think you'll like this. It follows a fictionalised account of real occurances and characters during the 'Witch Craze' of the English Civil War, and has a very "classic" style of writing - which didn't work for me but I'm sure some people would love. You can definitely tell the author is a poet.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Confinement, Religious bigotry, and Sexism

Moderate: Death of parent, Blood, Child death, Classism, and Terminal illness

Minor: Pregnancy, Suicide, War, Miscarriage, Slavery, Sexual content, and Animal death

ashlyntalksbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny informative mysterious reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Blood, Animal cruelty, Murder, Violence, Religious bigotry, and Animal death

Moderate: Fatphobia, Death, and Child death

aimsro's review against another edition

dark 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Murder

issyfrp99's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective sad tense slow-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? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Animal death, Misogyny, Murder, and Confinement

Moderate: Blood

savvylit's review against another edition

dark informative sad slow-paced

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

3.0

In this novel, Blakemore expertly explores the particular misogynist menace of the witch-hunt. This book is clearly thoroughly researched and based on an abundance of facts. The primary villain, Matthew Hopkins, is a fictionalized version of a real 17th-century witch-hunter with the same name. In the pages of this novel and in real life, many women were accused of witchcraft for purely arbitrary reasons. The only common denominator seems to have been that they were all poor or otherwise living on society's margins. What a dark and awful time in world history.

I readily admit that the subject of Manningtree Witches is fascinating. The execution of the story itself, however, left a bit to be desired. For a book about witches and Puritanical fervor, there is little... excitement. Instead, there is a lot of incredibly period-appropriate sad detail. While reading, I frequently found myself bored. After making it to the end, all I could think was "that's it?!" I wanted more characterization of the accused women beyond Rebecca, the protagonist. I also would have loved a little bit more paranormal activity.

Ultimately, I'm not upset to have read this book - which is very beautifully written. I'm just reminded of how historical fiction is not one of my favorite genres.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Violence, Animal death, and Murder

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Rape, and Classism

amelreads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Murder, Misogyny, Classism, Confinement, Medical content, Medical trauma, Trafficking, Violence, Torture, Religious bigotry, Racism, Death of parent, and Death

Moderate: War and Child death

Minor: Miscarriage

epellicci's review

challenging dark sad slow-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? It's complicated

4.5

Blakemore has created a fantastically immersive story with The Manningtree Witches. The book is slow-paced and I felt it took a while for the story to get going, however Blakemore catches every little detail, and when the book does pick up the pace, I was grateful to the extent the writing had gone to at earlier stages to bring Manningtree and its characters to life. Full of personality, twists, and heartbreak, this book has brought to life in vibrant colour the history of a 1600's Essex and the feverous spirit of the witch trials and the misogyny, fear, and powerful men that fulled them. I was surprised at the moments of tender hope, and warmed by the strength and voice that embodies Blakemore's female characters.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Child abuse

Moderate: Violence, Child death, Gaslighting, and Murder

Minor: Slavery and Miscarriage