Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Weyward by Emilia Hart

106 reviews

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

mels_reading_log's review

dark emotional inspiring medium-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? It's complicated

4.5

This book tells the stories of three women along the same family line, separated by hundreds of years. Each of the women were extra connected to nature, able to connect with animals, bugs and birds as well as heal with herbs and other plants. Each one of them had to deal with difficult people, cruel men, and heartbreaking situations. Of course there were accusations of witchcraft. Men need to be happy women are just looking for equality and not revenge, because we have suffered so much over the years.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Alcohol, Blood, Death, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Rape, Domestic abuse, Medical content, Toxic friendship, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Sexism, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, and Violence

Minor: Car accident

d_owens's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Death, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Blood, Car accident, Death of parent, Abortion, Grief, Animal death, Child abuse, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, 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

nehaanna's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Blood, Gaslighting, Infertility, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Rape, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Sexual content, Car accident, Child death, Confinement, Death, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Abandonment, Vomit, and War

sunshinemonarch's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense slow-paced

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

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Car accident, Sexual harassment, Blood, Pregnancy, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Rape, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Classism, Miscarriage, and Gaslighting

roseknows124's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Death, Gaslighting, Gore, Murder, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexism, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Car accident, Dementia, Sexual violence, Abortion, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Blood, Sexual assault, Pandemic/Epidemic, Alcohol, Grief, Infertility, Miscarriage, Animal death, Confinement, Misogyny, War, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, and Physical abuse

kate_swarb's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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

4.0

Not my usual thing but I really enjoyed this. I loved all the characters, especially altha

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Miscarriage, and Rape

vineyivy's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Miscarriage, Violence, Gore, Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Gaslighting, Abortion, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Sexual violence

This book needed lots of CONTENT WARNINGS at the beginning. It was especially upsetting to me that the author uses , and if I had known that, I wouldn't have read it. It really seems like the author is using it as a way to link the characters, make things hard for them, and create drama. It wasn't handled with care and trauma-recovery in mind.

hematthews's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Miscarriage, Murder, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Pregnancy, Rape, Blood, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Child death, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Dementia, Stalking, Confinement, Death of parent, and Car accident

Minor: Child abuse, Suicide attempt, War, and Vomit