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muhm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
murrayc3's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy
sejalpr's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, and Abortion
Minor: Miscarriage and Car accident
lizziejacklyn's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Blood, Car accident, and Abortion
ilkjen's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Miscarriage, Rape, Abortion, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Suicidal thoughts, and Blood
Minor: Child death, Confinement, Car accident, and Death of parent
ej_trask's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Blood, Medical trauma, Abortion, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Confinement, Dementia, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
Minor: Murder
julesdmuells's review
2.5
I was surprised at how little I felt like I knew or cared by one third, one half, two thirds of the way through. For instance, this is a book about witches, and it says so on the cover; yet two thirds of the way through this book, a main character (who's a witch) is starting to connect the dots about her special abilities, and then it says, "Anyway, she was being ridiculous. Witches weren't real." Man, and I thought the book was finally about to start.
Another reviewer said that although she felt sympathy for the characters - CONTENT WARNING: almost every woman in this book is raped and unwillingly impregnated, usually miscarrying or aborting - she didn't necessarily feel attached to them, and I feel the same. I just kept wondering when it would feel like the plot was starting.
My biggest gripe, honestly, was the writing style. Contemporary fiction is often written to reflect the way people talk, even if it's not proper writing, sure, but the amount of short, choppy, incomplete sentences in this book drove me crazy once I noticed the pattern.
"Then she knows. She didn't imagine it. It was real... Early childhood. Sun on her face, the brush of wings on her palm, that feeling in her chest... She squeezes her eyes shut, tries to pull it closer, but she can't bring it into focus. Somehow, though, she is left with the odd sense that this has happened before. The villagers' gossip echoes in her mind. One word, ringing louder than the rest. Witch. She has to know the truth. About the Weywards. About herself."
So isochronal and choppy, like riding with a driver who keeps hitting the gas and the breaks in heavy traffic.
I have to admit, although it's harder to articulate what I liked about the book, it wasn't hard for me to pick back up and read. When I got into the weeds in a different read and felt leaden, I would turn to this because I knew the pages would turn quickly.
I don't get the hype, y'all.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Stalking, Car accident, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
kelseyaconner's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Rape, Blood, Car accident, Abortion, and Pregnancy
yas_azizam's review
- 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? No
4.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Miscarriage, Car accident, and Abortion
ashley_mrose530's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I can't remember why I put this on my tbr shelf, but I definitely should have read the synopsis again before trying it out.
This was very similar to The Apothecary, a book I DNF'd in 2023 I believe. They both had the back and forth timeline between different characters who lived at different times and somehow they connect and they also both focused heavily on female empowerment after oppression and abuse with an added magical element.
These types of books are very much the tip of the iceberg when it comes to feminism which some people do need, but that's not me. They also make it very obvious that's what they're about and I prefer plots like that to be more subtle and make you think a little more deeply.
Because of all of this, I was mostly bored with the whole book. I also guessed all of the supposed mysteries right away. Although I don't think they were really mysteries at all because they were so obvious. But still, I felt like I knew the whole book before I ever read a word of it.
Unfortunately it was a largely forgettable book for me and I definitely should have DNF'd it.
Graphic: Body horror, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail