Reviews tagging 'Police brutality'

Slewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery by Brom

12 reviews

klsreads's review against another edition

challenging dark funny sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This book was not what I expected, but I had a fun time so ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.  The 1600's protagonist read like a modern woman, and the pacing was a bit odd. It is horror, so there is gore and explicit torture/violence. I was really excited for the last 20% of the book and it delivered. Beyond that, the discussions on ecocide and spirituality/religion really hit, as well as the rumination on the nature of evil. I loved the intermingling of Native American folklore, fairy tales, and Christianity.

Consider checking the cws/tws. The art in the book is super spooky and cool. I think it added a lot to the experience!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Blood, Murder, Police brutality, Grief, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Animal cruelty, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, and Violence

Moderate: Death of parent, Child death, Sexual content, and Colonisation

Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic

gudrqa's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

3.0

First part of the book was enjoyable and I'd rate it 4.5 even but then it started dragging out quickly. Not a lot of magic for a tale of bewitchery.

The problems for me started when it became a torture porn. The whole second part of the book felt like a kink. The constant mentions of hair and torture. A lot of it was repeated all the time. I either wish it wasn't so graphic/maybe less victims OR that it was more inventive.

 

I might've enjoyed it more if I didn't pick up an audiobook version. I didn't like the voices the lector was making.
I couldn't really care for the characters except one

the pastor's wife

. A lot of plot points didn't feel impactful enough. The main character never felt at risk really after the first two plot points

the beginning with the goat and then her husband's death. After that the first encounter with the Father happened and immediately we knew she would be safe with him.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Violence, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Colonisation, Cursing, Death, Excrement, Gore, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Child death

sizzlesteaks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Forced institutionalization, Animal death, Gore, Gun violence, Animal cruelty, Excrement, Murder, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Police brutality, Violence, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture

cuddlygryphon's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Gore, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Blood, and Animal death

Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, Torture, Cursing, Animal cruelty, Gun violence, Body horror, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Sexism, Blood, and Confinement

Minor: Death, Religious bigotry, Racism, Child abuse, Grief, Trafficking, Fire/Fire injury, Police brutality, Death of parent, Sexual content, Bullying, Colonisation, and Murder

emilywemily6's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.25

This book was so interesting and nothing like I have ever read before.  The vibes would be great for the fall, especially with the climax of the story taking place in October I think. I felt the feminine rage and had to take a break or two from reading because of it. But the ending was so satisfying! I wish it was a little shorter, especially in the middle. And I wish both the magic system and Slewfoot were more flushed out and dynamic.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Gore, Murder, Physical abuse, Torture, Religious bigotry, Violence, Animal cruelty, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Police brutality, Grief, and Sexual content

Minor: Alcohol

scifi_rat's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Misogyny, Torture, Body horror, Gore, Racism, Death of parent, Blood, Death, Police brutality, Gun violence, Sexism, Sexual violence, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Violence, Xenophobia, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Physical abuse, Animal death, Bullying, and Colonisation

judassilver's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Murder, Racism, Sexism, Animal death, Body horror, Cultural appropriation, Sexual violence, Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Excrement, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Violence, Xenophobia, Animal cruelty, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Torture, and Blood

Moderate: Alcoholism and Child death

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

---

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

rionstorm's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-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

3.0

This book is a bit sluggish and a bit repetitive - it could have been shorter and accomplished the same more effectively. 

It reminded me of The VVitch, so if you're in the mood for pilgrim themed horror that is not really scary you may enjoy.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Colonisation, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Gore, Torture, and Blood

Moderate: Gaslighting, Police brutality, Gun violence, Animal death, Bullying, Death of parent, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Alcoholism

marcellemml's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

Eu não sei o que falar, só sentir, e os sentimentos são: amor pela Abitha, Samsom e seus aliados, e ódio por todo o resto. Tem duas pequenas coisas que me incomodaram um pouco, achei os xingamentos meio contemporâneos demais e

a Abitha aceita rápido o pacto final com o Samsom, não foi tão bem construído assim

. O resultado final seria aquele, mas uns 3 parágrafos de construção ajudariam. Mesmo assim, 5 estrelas por ter apresentado uma personagem tão incrível quanto a Abitha. Ela é sensata, decidida, batalhadora, e mesmo sendo religiosa, não entra na visão extremista da religião. Infelizmente, por mais que tenham bons seguidores de religião no livro, no geral, só foi mais um reforço pra minha convicção de que religião e comportamento de manada são atrasos para a humanidade. Tudo bem que a intenção do autor é mostrar que não há seres 100% bons ou maus (tirando o Wallace e o Ansel, morram, pragas), mas metade dos problemas do livro seriam resolvidos se os personagens não fossem Puritanos (passando todos os panos pro Samsom).

Esse foi o primeiro livro que li do autor, e gostei da forma como ele construiu a história. Tudo começa simples, mas à medida que a trama avança, os temas de fantasia/folk e horror/crueldade (tem descrições de tortura e morte de animal) vão se intensificando gradualmente. Mas a melhor parte é mesmo Abitha e Samsom, tanto isoladamente quanto a relação de companheirismo deles. Os dois estavam perdidos, ela, sem saber como conseguiria fazer o que era o certo, e ele, sem saber quem era e seu propósito. Os dois se encontram, e ao se ajudarem, não apenas conseguem respostas, como conseguem suporte e acolhimento, algo que não tinham.

Pra quem apoia os direitos e os erros das mulheres, quer terminar o livro pensando "que bom pra ela", recomendo demais essa leitura. Dizem que vale a pena ouvir o audiobook, e estou considerando.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Violence, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, and Sexism

Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death