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heather_harrison's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Forced institutionalization
msnikkiwilks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
5.0
The weaving of generations of women is powerful.
Thanks for the rec, Camille!
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Incest, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Car accident, Rape, Death, Grief, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship
opie_azvuc's review against another edition
- 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
0.25
I'm really concerned for the author of this book. I don't know if men did something to her, or she's just chronically online or something, but she HATES men so MUCH. Every single male character in this book is an absolute monster save exactly one who's only kind of okay until the very end where he's a hero. To be fair, two of the three "protagonists" are incredibly bad at it.
Misandry aside, this book is not that well written. Each chapter takes around 5-10 minutes to read and less than that in the first third or so of the book. Each chapter follows around one of three women in three completely different time periods and ends on a cliffhanger. The first few chapters are only around 6 pages each, so it's very jarring and disconnected and feels like the author may have written it while guzzling espresso and shooting cocaine.
The first person we follow is Altha, a woman accused of witchcraft in the 1600's and literally the only protagonist to have any sort of backbone or agency despite the face her situation is the most dire. She avoids prosecution and immolation and goes on to rescue the wife of an abusive husband by causing said abusive husband to be attacked by woodland creatures Loony Tunes style.
The second protagonist, Violet, is a sixteen year old girl with an abusive father and a brother off at boarding school during World War 2. Her cousin, a soldier, comes to stay with the family on leave, date rapes Violet, and the father finds out and sequesters her in this cabin in the woods where it turns out he had her mother interred there where all sorts of horrible things happened to her by men. She learns how to give herself an abortion using noxious weeds and realizes she has the power to chase her father away with woodland creatures Loony Tunes style.
The third protagonist is Kate in 2019 who is running from an abusive boyfriend she has been with for 5 years and has had multiple chances to get away from but chose not to until she decided to flee to the countryside, at no point contacting the police, battered women's shelter, lawyer, or anything that makes sense. She doesn't even bother to get a gun or ask any of her new acquiaintances to look out for her. When the boyfriend tracks her down because of the script, she realizes she also has the power to chase her boyfriend away with woodland creatures Loony Tunes style.
Graphic: Physical abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Child death, Miscarriage, Self harm, Abortion, Blood, Body shaming, Car accident, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Body horror, Dementia, Medical trauma, Grief, Gaslighting, Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Rape, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Stalking, Suicide, Gore, Bullying, Classism, Medical content, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, and Violence
theonlyjthom's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence, Domestic abuse, Rape, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Miscarriage, Medical trauma, and Abortion
Moderate: Infertility, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Car accident, Child death, Death of parent, and Incest
Minor: Cancer, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Alcohol, Death, and Sexism
imyerhero's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Rape, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Miscarriage, Murder, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Adult/minor relationship, and Confinement
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
prairieraven's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Moderate: Abortion, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Medical content, Murder, Rape, Confinement, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Death of parent, Animal cruelty, Blood, Child death, Body shaming, Car accident, Infidelity, Classism, Sexual harassment, Death, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Sexism, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship
hannahcstocks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Child abuse, Classism, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Abortion, Pregnancy, Rape, Suicide, Vomit, Grief, Incest, Infertility, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, War, Murder, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Addiction, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Panic attacks/disorders, Body horror, and Pedophilia
Minor: Infidelity
luisaroesch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Rape, Physical abuse, Abortion, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Death, Domestic abuse, and Sexism
Moderate: Vomit, Forced institutionalization, Infertility, Medical content, Confinement, Medical trauma, and Misogyny
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Torture, War, Dementia, Cancer, and Car accident
livlamentloathe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
These women were all seen going THROUGH IT. At the worst moment of their lives. But they fought back. They may not have been remarkably heroic. But they were brave and compassionate and wondrous for each time period. Altha was calm, brave, protective. She knew when to fight back. She was careful. And she never *let* them tell her how to live. Violet was curious and feisty. She sought the truth and craved an education—stealing it when it wasn’t available to her. And Kate was growing, gaining strength, love, and confidence (etc).
I thought the entire story was beautiful. Despite my arachnophobia, I was thrilled by the natural connections. It was a folksy dream. The perfect level of mystical and magical without being overly magic. It straddled the line well. Powerful—about how women help and protect one another.
TW: Sexual violence, r*pe, sexual assault, physical abuse, domestic abuse, abortion, misogyny,
Graphic: Abortion, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Alcoholism, Murder, Confinement, Blood, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Stalking, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, and Miscarriage
Minor: Animal cruelty, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Animal death, Incest, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent
literary_bug's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Abortion, Death of parent, Grief, Rape, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Gore, Car accident, Death, Gaslighting, Alcoholism, Body horror, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Blood, Animal death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship