Reviews with content warning for Grief - The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches

Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

62 reviews

dev921's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful mysterious fast-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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teabrewer's review against another edition

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funny hopeful lighthearted fast-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

3.0

I chose this book because I needed a cozy lighthearted romance for a stressful week that was to come. This book was, mostly, cozy, lighthearted and romantic. The kids were funny, the love interest is a grumpy, but good, person who is raising these kids. It talked about some interesting topics like the difference between being nice and being good, the different ways people deal with trauma, particularly parental negligence, and feeling alone in the world. There was no gender essentialism and consent is very respected throughout the book, and not only in romantic situations, so it escaped my most common pet peeves in this genre. I liked the magic system. Magic is palpable and a bit personified and witches have actual conversations with it to use magic. It also interacts back with the witches. I know it has become a more common thing in this kind of book but seeing the casual representation of a lesbic couple made me happy and they felt like very natural characters. I also liked seeing an older gay couple, it is good to be reminded queer people can be alive and happy for that long. That being said, there were a few things I didn't like in this book. Ian trying to force Mika and Jamie's relationship felt, well, forced. The references to witchcore and TikTok at the beginning of the book felt out-of-touch. The main characters were all only a step away from stereotypes, and although that's not always necessarily a bad thing, in some cases it took me away from the book. Ian was the biggest offender but they all had dialogue that made me grimace at least once. The

forest

make out scene was cute and full of want but the sex scene

in the house

was clunky and weird. It felt more like a list of actions than someone's perspective. It also felt a bit out of place in the context of this book.

The sudden "we buried a dead body in the garden" felt extremely out of place, like the author had planned that at first but forgot about it while writing the book and had to cram it in there somehow afterwards. And the "secret identical twin" twist just after that felt like a lazy, cliché band-aid, especially since before it appeared the plot was going in a way more interesting and relevant direction. I don't understand why that was included, there was no hole to be covered. A plot-hole was actually created because of it and had to be addressed with an even lazier excuse, that is the pictures with Lilian in them always being blurry.

Lastly, what was, for me, the biggest elephant in the room: Maybe I'm expecting too much of a cozy lighthearted romance, and maybe having read Babel by R.F. Kuang recently affected my expectations and tolerance for this specifically.

But it was a choice to include how the children, and the main character, were taken from their birth countries. How they were stripped of their original names raised by white people while completely isolated from anyone from their original cultures. How there were other witch societies in those countries and Primrose and Lillian had contact with them but still did all that. I don't understand why make that choice if you never planned to address the subject properly.

With these last 4 topics, The Super Secret Society of Irregular Witches' problem is that it bites more than it could ever swallow being what it is. It didn't have to have a spicy scene, a "mystery" or to mention xenophobia and colonialism, but it did and couldn't do them all and the actual plot of the book at once.

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rexpostfacto's review against another edition

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adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

5.0

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auteaandtales's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious relaxing fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I absolutely loved this! Found family is one of my favourite tropes, if not my number one favourite, and it was executed flawlessly here. I loved that it was multigenerational all within one home, too, this is something I don’t come across in things that I read and I always adore it when I do. It was incredible wholesome, cutesy and with the best setting - a little isolated house with a library and a garden?! Yes please.

I connected and enjoyed every single main character. The romance was cute, although I would have liked it to be a little more in depth. With everything going on, though, it did make more sense for it to be more of a subplot.

I don’t re-read books very often but I suspect I will be returning to this again in the future, especially when I want something comforting. The book equivalent of drinking a hot chocolate with rain pouring outside in the peace and quiet, cozy on a sofa with a blanket.

I did have some issues with it, despite my five star rating. These were that we were told about what was happening and what the characters were feeling, which was off putting. I like to be shown and not told, or spoon fed things that I can figure out myself. Another thing was that it was jarring to be in something so cute and wholesome and fluffy and then suddenly there was swearing and sex? Which I don’t particularly mind reading about, but it was so…out of place? It didn’t feel like it fit here, at all.

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lisavandonselaar's review against another edition

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emotional funny mysterious relaxing sad 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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rwsmith's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing 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

truly, i could not put this book down. it just got better and better the more i read. a wonderful and heartwarming story.
i loved the worldbuilding of the magic - just as you expect, and it aligns with all the familiar fairy tales, but with a touch of uniqueness to this fictional world.
the romance was also SO GOOD. ive never been into the romance genre, and i wouldnt say this is necessarily a romance novel, but the romantic plot was incredibly well done - relatable, funny, emotional, perfectly paced, and incredibly satisfying.
the representation in this book is lovely as well. the different races of the characters are simply stated, but the differences between each are acknowledged and deemed important at the same time.
anyone who loves love, magic, and silliness - and a happy ending - should give this book a read.

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