Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Le temps des sorcières by Alix E. Harrow

66 reviews

msbarnesela's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• 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

5.0

I had moderate-to-low expectations for this book because I was really disappointed by Harrow’s previous book (which I had high expectations for), but I was pleasantly shocked by how much I enjoyed this. The twists in classic fairytales and nursery rhymes and children’s songs were fascinating, and I found these characters to be very compelling. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Violence, and Misogyny

Moderate: Blood, Confinement, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, Outing, and Pregnancy

ka_ke's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful inspiring mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

Once and Future Witches is a fine book. Best for people who prefer books with minimal world building or character growth. The cast of characters is diverse which is one of the best things there is to say. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Torture, and Violence

Minor: Abortion, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Outing

mothman19's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Sexism, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Physical abuse, Violence, Death, Murder, and Suicide

Moderate: Confinement, Grief, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, Slavery, and Torture

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Vomit

torrentsofhayl's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Abandonment, Child abuse, Violence, Transphobia, Torture, Pregnancy, Outing, Murder, Death of parent, Blood, and Animal cruelty

Minor: Abortion, Police brutality, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Racism, Misogyny, and Vomit

plethorian's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, and Child abuse

Moderate: Abortion, Sexual violence, Rape, Police brutality, Racism, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Homophobia, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, and Death of parent

Minor: Animal cruelty, Blood, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Religious bigotry, Self harm, and Torture

melaniereadsbooks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark slow-paced

• 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

4.5

This book is so good. The lore woven throughout is definitely my favorite part. Turning fairy tales and nursery rhymes into spells is such a cool idea! I loved the other fairy tale elements woven throughout. This is definitely a story of feminism and magic and taking back what is owed. 

I loved the three sisters and the supporting cast of characters. I especially loved Juniper!

This is a great book and I definitely recommend it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Homophobia, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Torture, Blood, and Violence

aliyyah's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring medium-paced

• 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

5.0

”There’s still no such thing as witches. But there will be.”

This book was amazing. I loved it so much.

It is 1893 and witches do not exist anymore. But three sisters in New Salem begin to pursue forgotten words and ways, turning a women’s movement into a witch’s movement.

I loved the plot of this book. The storyline was executed so well and I was wrapped up in these words from the very first page.

Each of the Eastwood sisters has a special place in my heart. Beatrice Belladonna is the wise sister. Agnes Amaranth is the strong sister. James Juniper is the wild sister. The Crone, the Mother and the Maiden. Yet they are so much more than that. I adored the dynamics between the sisters. I love a good complex relationship between siblings and this book definitely delivered on that front. The sisters start off estranged at the beginning of the novel but by the end it is very clear that they will do anything for each other. I adored the development of their relationship after they found each other again. Their love for each other was the heart of this book.

The writing was perfect. I highly enjoyed the way the story was told. It was very atmospheric and definitely felt fairytale like at times. I really love the way this story was told.

The Once and Future Witches touched my heart and made me feel so much. I loved every single thing about it. I cannot recommend it enough. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Racism

Minor: Abortion

beulah_devaney's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.5

It took me a long time (at least a couple of months) to get into this book. I'd pick it up, read a few pages, and then put it down again, convinced that something horrible was about to happen to the three sisters. By the time I realised that they weren't going to be put through the parade of torture and mistery most books about the witch trials deal with, I was almost halfway through and couldn't put it down.

All of this isn't to suggest that The Once and Future Witches sanitizes the treatment of women. There's a palpable sense of menace hanging over the heads of the three Eastwood Sisters. They represent the Crone, the Mother and the Maiden, with all the danger and trauma those archetypes encounter. But in this alternative timeline (when witchcraft was real) there's also a sense of joy and wonder as women discover their forgotten spells and power.

While this isn't a comfortable or easy read, it's easy to get lost in the world of New and Old Salem.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Pregnancy

afion's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Abortion, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Death of parent, Death, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Torture, Transphobia, and Violence

accovino's review against another edition

medium-paced

3.0

I enjoyed a lot of the ideas in this, but there were just too many places it bugged. I'm sick of reading about Salem, I'm bored by "what if [Historical Figure] but GENDER SWAPPED" and "what if [Historical Figure] but SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT NAME" and

the expendable character being the one who didn't fall in love

and the badass Black *supporting* character… Also it took me way too long to get into it, and WAY too long to remember who was who. I like that the tower is

a library

. I like that there is a trans character, minor though she is. I like that there is at least a mention of White women's history of one-sided "solidarity" and magic hidden in the open simply because women's work is never taken seriously. I just... I feel like someone needed to come in hard with the red pen and whip this into shape. I feel like "set in our world so I don't have to explain everything, but also everything is different" is a cop-out and a really irritating one for some reason? But mostly I just.. I really wanted to like this more than I did.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abortion, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, and Grief

Minor: Medical content, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Misogyny, and Racism