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A review by kaitie_reads
Strange Folk by Alli Dyer
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I have some mixed feelings about this one.
On one hand, I did find the story very absorbing. I enjoyed the writing style and the development of the story. I like the overall message of healing by returning to your roots and embracing your "strange."
On the other hand, I didn't connect with any of the characters; they are almost all very toxic, and there is a lot of trauma and substance abuse. At times, the story feels choppy, and I feel like it crosses the bridge a little too far between magical realism and outright fantasy without really fitting into either category. Some resolutions felt too easy or convenient.
I loved the overall witchy vibe, but some of the "folk magic" practices and spells just went a little too far for me.
There were some twists and turns I didn't see coming, and I did find the story very readable as I finished it within a day or two. The scene setting in this book was excellent, and it does have a lot of charm.
I would also warn that it dives into some pretty heavy topics without much forewarning.
𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓴𝓼 𝓽𝓸 𝓝𝓮𝓽𝓰𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓮𝔂 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓐𝓽𝓻𝓲𝓪 𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴𝓼 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓪𝓷 𝓐𝓡𝓒 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓫𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓲𝓷 𝓮𝔁𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓰𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓪𝓷 𝓱𝓸𝓷𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀.
On one hand, I did find the story very absorbing. I enjoyed the writing style and the development of the story. I like the overall message of healing by returning to your roots and embracing your "strange."
On the other hand, I didn't connect with any of the characters; they are almost all very toxic, and there is a lot of trauma and substance abuse. At times, the story feels choppy, and I feel like it crosses the bridge a little too far between magical realism and outright fantasy without really fitting into either category. Some resolutions felt too easy or convenient.
I loved the overall witchy vibe, but some of the "folk magic" practices and spells just went a little too far for me.
There were some twists and turns I didn't see coming, and I did find the story very readable as I finished it within a day or two. The scene setting in this book was excellent, and it does have a lot of charm.
I would also warn that it dives into some pretty heavy topics without much forewarning.
𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓴𝓼 𝓽𝓸 𝓝𝓮𝓽𝓰𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓮𝔂 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓐𝓽𝓻𝓲𝓪 𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴𝓼 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓪𝓷 𝓐𝓡𝓒 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓫𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓲𝓷 𝓮𝔁𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓰𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓪𝓷 𝓱𝓸𝓷𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Murder
Minor: Pedophilia and Sexual assault