Reviews with content warning for Sexism - Maldición

Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

Maldición by Jenni Fagan

18 reviews

booksjessreads's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.5

Admittedly when first reading this, I did not quite understand what was happening, but then around 2-3 chapters in, I just felt completely immersed in this story. You can really feel the authors rage, whilst simultaneously having characters that are written tenderly and so beautifully. It is a wonderful ode to Geillis Duncan.

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an0987's review against another edition

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dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

A compelling, jarring and powerful novella. By focusing on this small slice of Duncan’s life, Eagan manages to paint a vivid picture of the injustice and terror of the witch trials. Despite this book’s strengths, I found the language and conversations a bit unbelievable and stilted at times. Perhaps this was purposeful (a la Dostevysky) but I don’t think it quite landed. Instead I found myself doing double takes because of the absurdity of the conversation. The attempts to make more direct links between the witch trials and the modern female experience felt forced. Overall, a poetically written and moving story that weaves magic and realism together in a unique and impactful way. The book left me with a strong feeling that lingers.

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annemaries_shelves's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.0

An absolutely perfect (albeit dark) read while on vacation in Edinburgh this summer.

It's dark and violent and sad, as we spend 100 pages with Geillis Duncan, a witch imprisoned in 1591 for witchcraft, as she meets with a witch named Iris from the future. Fagan packs a lot in about womanhood, gender expectations and roles, classism and power dynamics, religion, and the culpability of society in allowing these witch burnings to happen. As expected, it gets a little heavy-handed at times, but considering the limitations of a novella (and the beautiful writing), I'm fine with it.

I really appreciated Geillis and Iris's dynamic and relationship - it was lovely to read.

Definitely recommend as a short, dark read about the realities of witch hunts.

CW: graphic descriptions of torture (including rape), imprisonment, death by hanging.

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emolr's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

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crazytourists_books's review against another edition

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dark sad tense medium-paced

3.0

A very sad book that leaves a huge weight on your chest..
The idea to let Geillis Duncan tell her story had so much potential, but I think the writer wanted so badly to pinpoint the cruelty, the injustices, the violence of men against women of all time, that it got too didactic, and made the narration weaker...
And let's not forget; we are the daughters and grandaughters of the women they didn't manage to kill, to break, to burn...

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