Reviews tagging 'Incest'

Weyward by Emilia Hart

142 reviews

suttonhowell's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

2.5

this book is very hard to review because my usual star ratings focus primarily on if i am entertained or more specifically just not bored, and this book was not boring, but also not necessarily what i wanted from it. every woman in this book has a horrific and often violent backstory, through which they find their agency. 
i understand the idea of trying to tie the stories of the ancestors together by similarly lived traumas, but I just don't think it does what the author thinks it does. the graphic depictions of the crimes against these women were not at all necessary to understanding the direness of this situation, and all of them using those traumas as pillars of their motivations felt icky. reading this book made me feel like i was violating these fictional women too. i think this was supposed to be empowering??? maybe???? it definitely missed the mark with that one.

and a nit-picky thing: the reference to the yellow wallpaper was such low hanging fruit that the fruit began dragging the ground and rotted

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Rape, Sexual violence, Incest, Miscarriage, Child death, Abortion, Violence, Misogyny, Murder, Death, and Blood

Moderate: Pregnancy

Minor: War and Suicidal thoughts

sydemorr's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

5.0

Made me feel such a wide range of emotions throughout. I’ve never seen read such a magical, well-constructed tale of the connection to nature. The “witchcraft” through the family was so interesting because it’s typically depicted with spells but the subtle deep down to connection to nature was so much more powerful. It was so frustrating but real how men’s abuse of power, domestic abuse, and rape was and still is dominating women’s lives. It was hard to keep going and definitely had to take breaks at times when it became too much. A heartbreaking but beautiful, beautiful, beautiful book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Suicide attempt, Rape, Sexual assault, and Domestic abuse

cohanlon's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Abortion, Mental illness, Abandonment, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Vomit, Alcohol, Child death, Incest, Physical abuse, Death, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence

basil_touche's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

I wasn't quite sure I'd enjoy this when I started listening to it, but it turns out I found it engaging, if a little repetitive with the descriptions (you could make a shot game out of the times that kate's heart pounds). 

I like that with the audiobook the three women were narrated by three different narrators; helped them feel like distinct characters. Altha was my favourite. Her voice felt very of the period (1619), and her personality felt very distinct from Violet and Kate. The way that their stories linked up over the centuries was well done, though perhaps a tad too contrived at points (especially how Violet is linked with a certain event in the last chapter). The book is filled with heavy subject matter, but I think that it is treated with care. Fair warning that it does get very graphic at times. I did feel that most of the antagonists were a bit one note/dimensional

with the exception of Fredrick

(a little like the man bad woman good trope, this book can get a bit gender essentialist at times)

I'm not sure if I'm fully happy with how all their plot threads end

(The fact they feel like their obligated to carry on the Weyward legacy by getting pregnant bothered me, especially in regards to Altha, just kinda robbed her of some of her agency)

, although I do like how understated the magical elements are, how it's mainly a connection to the animals and insects.

Overall I enjoyed this, probably won't read it again or other books similar to it. Kinda feels like if you've read one, you've read them all

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Vomit, Stalking, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Confinement, Blood, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Violence, Incest, Infertility, Medical trauma, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Abandonment, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Miscarriage, and Murder

Minor: War, Animal death, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicidal thoughts

hannahnickle's review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infertility, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Abortion, Miscarriage, Gaslighting, Misogyny, and Rape

martinisj13's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Emotional abuse, Abortion, Blood, Incest, Domestic abuse, and Gore

Moderate: Death of parent

adventurouspotato's review against another edition

dark sad slow-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? No

3.0

It's good, just really wasn't prepared for the content in this book based on the synopsis. Don't read this before reading the content warnings. Also don't read this if you hate pregnancy. This book isn't full of magic, it's full of female trauma.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Abortion, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Car accident, Death of parent, Incest, Rape, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Miscarriage, Alcoholism, and Medical trauma

beth_s98's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.0

This was a really interesting story. I really enjoyed how the three story lines were wound together. I love the girl power and sense of family through generations you may not have ever met. There are some very dark moments, though, so it could be triggering to some people. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Sexual assault, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Abortion, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Miscarriage and Murder

There are a LOT of dark moments through all three plot lines. Many of them stem from domestic abuse. Truly it is hard to avoid if that is something that may be triggering for you.

dkamada's review against another edition

emotional inspiring mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Blood, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Incest, Misogyny, and Rape

maggiemcgrath's review against another edition

emotional inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

Awesome book. I loved the 3 generation layout, and the magic that was both childlike in wonder and adult in use. Really beautiful descriptions. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Rape, Abortion, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Incest, Sexism, Car accident, Confinement, Death, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, and Suicide attempt