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helenaramsay's review against another edition
hopeful
mysterious
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I didn't mind or dislike this book at all, but it didn't really get me invested or excited. The protagonist was a bit pathetic at times and had some questionable mothering skills, and some other characters had some interesting backstories but you were halfway through the book before you heard them, and they were simply dropped on you and not really explored again. Also the "magically remembering your past" bit is not very convincing in my opinion. The mystery at the heart of the plot was the same; could have been really something but ebbed along not doing much, then had a sudden surge and fizzle out before the end. The last hour of the book could have been a completely different novel.
The way Cornwall and its eccentric residents were written was very nice though, and its pagan history is fascinating.
The way Cornwall and its eccentric residents were written was very nice though, and its pagan history is fascinating.
Content Warnings
Minor: Abandonment, Rape, Child abuse, Murder, and Violence
kari_f's review against another edition
4.0
A darkly spellbinding story taking place in a seaside village, The White Hare tells the story of three generations of women, the old house they have fled to after a shocking secret was revealed, and a long-held village secret. The setting is atmospheric and eerie, the main characters are flawed and secretive, and the house has a tragic history that is slowly unraveled.
Things I enjoyed:
⁃ Mother/daughter relationships are examined from multiple perspectives, with some generational trauma thrown into the mix. The relationships felt realistically flawed as mothers and daughters struggled to understand each other.
⁃ Real Cornish folklore fits beautifully into this fictional tale of a seaside locale with a complicated history.
⁃ Some of the side characters were beautifully quirky and provided a support system to this family who desperately needed it.
⁃ The atmosphere was done beautifully, with a perfect blend of loveliness and haunting eeriness.
A few things I wished:
⁃ There are several instances where the young child character speaks in a way that feels far beyond what a five year old would say, and I wish parts of it felt more accurate to a real five year old. (Some of this is explained in the book, but there were instances outside of this explanation.)
⁃ There was a section of exposition near the 3/4 mark that felt forced in how it was explained to the reader. I loved what was revealed but not how it was revealed.
Overall I enjoyed the quiet magical realism of this story and the unraveling of all of the secrets!
Thanks so much to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the advanced readers copy!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Murder, and War
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