Reviews tagging 'Vomit'

Slewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery by Brom

9 reviews

honeygore's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This story definitely falls under the category of "good for her" I absolutely enjoyed every single second of this book with only one exception (animal death). Other than that it was twisted and gruesome and lovely! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexism, Torture, Body horror, Bullying, Blood, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, Gore, Misogyny, Violence, and Gun violence

Moderate: Animal death, Classism, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, and Colonisation

Minor: Animal cruelty, Alcohol, Vomit, Sexual content, and Death of parent

mariecaat02's review against another edition

dark mysterious

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Violence, Murder, Animal death, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Xenophobia, Cannibalism, Torture, and Self harm

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Cannibalism, Blood, Misogyny, Torture, Violence, Self harm, Death, Classism, Body horror, Physical abuse, Murder, Colonisation, Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Animal death

Minor: Sexism, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, and Torture

killmoore_'s review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

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

3.0

Whelp. That was a story. 

Good for her. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Animal death, Cultural appropriation, Violence, Animal cruelty, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Death, Gore, Torture, Alcohol, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Racial slurs, Sexism, and Suicidal thoughts

asipofcozy's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I wanted to add something a little spooky to my reading list for this October, and while it wasn't as spooky as I thought it would be it was still quite enjoyable. I loved the conversations and issues that Brom raises not only on past history but current society today. Especially the notion that if it doesn't "fit" society's box, it's considered not right, unordinary, witch-craft, devilry, unorthodox. He also touches on women and how easily they are casted into the shadow of "witchery" and what men defined women throughout history. 

The one thing I would call out, is the pacing. It took well over 100 pages for the plot to pick up speed. There was a lot of information at the beginning that I just didn't care much about. It wasn't until around page 150 (well over half the book) where the plot really became intriguing and I flew through the last 100 pages. For such a short book and a stand-alone, the beginning could have done without a lot of unneeded information.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, Death, Animal cruelty, Gore, Murder, Animal death, War, Vomit, Torture, Religious bigotry, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Genocide, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, Blood, and Body horror

hownoveljo's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Fire/Fire injury, Body horror, Blood, Death, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Violence, Vomit, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gore, Murder, Torture, and Toxic relationship

solypoly's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Animal death

Moderate: Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Gore, Murder, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Torture, Genocide, and Sexism

dragonaion's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I thought this book would be more of a historical fiction, taking place in a real world scenario with hints of local folklore, and while technically true, it was not as accurate as I was hoping for. I also was hoping this to be a "witch/witchcraft positive story", which was not the case, and was more of a Christian horror fantasy. The ending was disappointing, as it painted witchcraft and "magic" still aligning with devilry and other evil Christian concepts, and how redemption was still needed and sought for, despite how contrary that was made earlier in the book. It is, however, a gripping horror fantasy and once I set my own (many) disappointments aside, enjoyed the read. Also, you will want a physical copy for the artwork included, they're absolutely gorgeous!  
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Only two examples in the story are 100% accurate to the Native American/Indian folklore of the Pequot (which are referenced and are the local tribe the Puritan village takes place near)... 

the description of the Pukwudgies, their antagonizing behavior towards humans, and the portrayal of the Hobomok (although perhaps not the "widjigo" being another name)

... one is ~75% related with another being arguable...

the word for "net maker" in Algonquin is mamunappeht, but only relates to a spider and there is not a folk entity named so. The mention of an opossum-based creature can be argued, as they are a totem animal of the Pequot, however the portrayal is not a perfect match with the traditional folklore

... and the rest appear to be a mix from other cultures around the world, including the Druidic faith...

the stag and horned god, however even this is misinterpreted as he is not a creature of life and death

... Greek... 

the river Lethe

... and Japanese. 

Creek is best described as a youkai, the Ningyo

Looking for references of Slewfoot as well, what pops up as a primary example is this book. So considering the harshness of the very real Puritan mindset and the reality of the world they were living in, having almost every page be wild fantasy was disappointing.

The botany was at least a little more accurate, but not by much; the Pequot tribe were in the Connecticut area, where the pawpaw tree and mountain ash (rowan) can actually grow together.  The irony, however, is the pawpaw and rowan trees in folklore was used for protection against witches, so the folklore attached to the botany is also inaccurate. 

As a practicing Wiccan, I also find the examples of witcraft and "magic" (arguably not magick at all) to be biased with a Christian lense, such as the year the story takes place in 1666 (666, a little stereotypical), the snake being used as a symbol of the temptor and a sexual metaphor (while also being Mother Earth) and flying on a broom, to the point of being fantastic "flights" of pure fantasy.

In all, a good spooky read, but I would not put any stock on it being an accurate story. 

Edit: Review lowered from 4.0. I reviewed the artwork and realized the characters

Samson

and Slewfoot were two entities to start, and were combined into becoming the Devil, by his own words. Considering

Samson also declared himself as the horned god and a god of life and death in the same breath

, that is innacurate and is a choice the author made that is Christian-biased, not even out of ignorance. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Torture, Death, Gore, and Misogyny

Moderate: Animal death, Religious bigotry, Violence, Ableism, Bullying, Physical abuse, Vomit, Toxic friendship, and Animal cruelty

Minor: Sexual content, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Cursing, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Self harm, Blood, and Genocide

This is a heavy Christian-based novel, discussing the norms of the Puritan lifestyle, which include a lot of moments that would displease a feminist reader. There is also gore, blood work in witchcraft, horror, and other darker themes.

kumquats87's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Abandonment, Gaslighting, Gore, Misogyny, Classism, Death, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, and Torture

Moderate: Grief, Racial slurs, Fire/Fire injury, and Cultural appropriation

Minor: Vomit, Slavery, and Colonisation

erynlasbelin's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Excrement, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Police brutality, Violence, Gore, Physical abuse, and Torture

Moderate: Vomit, Racism, Sexual content, Colonisation, Racial slurs, Alcohol, and Death of parent