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oflawandlibraries 's review for:
Motheater
by Linda H. Codega
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
3.75 stars out of 5.
Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for for the free copy of this book and the opportunity to read it before release.
Motheater is one of those books you pick up because you like the cover, and the synopsis sounds intriguing enough for you to hope for a hidden gem of a story. On many points the book does deliver exactly this; a fantasy and horror with a lot of folklore elements set against an Appalachian backdrop with a lot of important themes discussed and shown as the story progresses.
When Bennie’s best friend dies in Kire Mountain, Bennies decides to take matters into her own hand and find out what’s killing the miners. During one of her expeditions to uncover more clues, she finds a half-drowned woman in a dirty mine slough and brings her with. Simply because it’s the right thing to do. Instead it brings yet another mystery to Bennie’s front door, as the woman can’t remember her true name, nor how she’s gotten there. All that is known to her, is the name Motheater, that she is a witch and that she has a connection to the mountain. Suddenly uncovering the deaths of Kire Mountain isn’t just about getting justice for the lost, but also about uncovering Motheater’s memories.
In many ways Motheater is very good at creating an atmosphere and a culture I would expect in a smaller, disconnected town. It’s hard to say how realistic it is, because my cultural reference point is different to the American one, but as an outsider looking in, I think the book does a very good job at not being too shallow in its intended audience, while still having things strewn in, I would assume, would be smaller love letters to the area the book is set in. It unfortunately never really connected with me.
I have a big love for the usage of flashbacks and the current setting, and the parallels it creates in the story. The theme of industry vs. nature, and to some degree the environmentalism and connection to folklore works really well, and makes for a rich story with a lot to offer.
Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for for the free copy of this book and the opportunity to read it before release.
Motheater is one of those books you pick up because you like the cover, and the synopsis sounds intriguing enough for you to hope for a hidden gem of a story. On many points the book does deliver exactly this; a fantasy and horror with a lot of folklore elements set against an Appalachian backdrop with a lot of important themes discussed and shown as the story progresses.
When Bennie’s best friend dies in Kire Mountain, Bennies decides to take matters into her own hand and find out what’s killing the miners. During one of her expeditions to uncover more clues, she finds a half-drowned woman in a dirty mine slough and brings her with. Simply because it’s the right thing to do. Instead it brings yet another mystery to Bennie’s front door, as the woman can’t remember her true name, nor how she’s gotten there. All that is known to her, is the name Motheater, that she is a witch and that she has a connection to the mountain. Suddenly uncovering the deaths of Kire Mountain isn’t just about getting justice for the lost, but also about uncovering Motheater’s memories.
In many ways Motheater is very good at creating an atmosphere and a culture I would expect in a smaller, disconnected town. It’s hard to say how realistic it is, because my cultural reference point is different to the American one, but as an outsider looking in, I think the book does a very good job at not being too shallow in its intended audience, while still having things strewn in, I would assume, would be smaller love letters to the area the book is set in. It unfortunately never really connected with me.
I have a big love for the usage of flashbacks and the current setting, and the parallels it creates in the story. The theme of industry vs. nature, and to some degree the environmentalism and connection to folklore works really well, and makes for a rich story with a lot to offer.