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A review by miasantos
The Burning of Arbor by J.L. Brown
Did not finish book.
DNF - 20%
I don't find myself in the right to actually rate this book because i did not finish it but imma review it anyways.
SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS!
so the thing is, I requested this book at netgalley because it sounded amazing! witches, gay, polyamorous relationships, etc etc.... i just couldn't.
the characters are interesting, I'll give it that (well from what i read at least bc I couldn't get past the 20% mark, it was just so goddamn painful).
the plot follows a witch called Evangeline, everyone in the village hates her and her mother because not only they're witches but her mum is queer (and so is she apparently, tho i really think it's not well done at all)
at some point Evangeline meets this guy (Alexander) and they have the briefest interaction in history. later on, Alexander saves her from getting raped. now don't get me wrong here, it was absolutely right that he did it, it was obviously what you would expect anyone with decency to do. and he cared to help her and check if she was okay which is logically the way to go. but there's a line, and this really makes no sense to me at all, where he tells her he just wants her to be safe and okay. problem being, this leaves you wondering BASED ON WHAT?! he shows so much care and concern, offers to drive her home and acts like her life is his absolute priority and most precious possess and yet again you question BASED.ON.WHAT.?! there's no build up to this moment whatsoever, there's only (like i said before) a short scene where the two characters meet, said scene doesn't give us more than them introducing to eachother so, when he shows all this concern it comes across as forced and lowkey fake.
now, you'd think that this is my only problem with this scene right? no, I'm only getting started.
let's recap: Evangeline was just assaulted in the street, nearly raped and also beat up and it was not the first time something like this happened to her. so, you'd think after having such a traumatic experience MORE THAN ONCE she would not be comfortable with being touched, especially by yet, another man or at least that's the normal reaction we always get told about whenever rape is mentioned right? no. apparently not.
immediately after this incident, and I mean minutes after, this Alexander dude caresses her face she, and I quote, "reaches out and lays her face on his hand". now, i know different people react different to traumatic situations, but this is by far the worst thing I have ever read, and I've read a lot.
following this we get interactions like: "I guess you're my hero" followed by "i am no hero, Evangeline. but i must ensure your safety" which besides being really poor writing wise, makes no sense whatsoever at this point in the narrative because like i said before and will repeat as many times as given the chance THEY DON'T KNOW EACH OTHER. now, have i read enough to know that this isn't "prophetic" and that the reason he wants to protect her is because he has to? no, i have not. but this is played off in a way that the reader is just supposed to go with the flow and nod and consider it given. Evangeline does not wonder about this man's intentions or motivations at any point (at least from what i read).
boy, i have so many things to say about this book (or what i read of it).
ah, before I forget. this girl gets home, tells her family about almost getting raped, goes to the bathroom, casts a healing spell or something and just like that *poof* all's good. no. just no. it's so offensive, I get that she's a witch. i get that she has all this powers but i found this so offensive? there are bazillions of people dealing with PTSD and trauma after going through situations like this, they go to therapy - all kinds of therapy, they get depression and anxiety, they go through actual hell while trying to recover. and this "spell" thing fixing it is, in my opinion so goddamn diminishing of that?
also, and to wrap this up because I'm getting tired. Evangeline keeps saying that she's strong and capable of taking care of herself, but just in the bit i read she gets her ass saved so goddamn often that it's almost sad. and the way she reacts everytime just makes it worse, because instead of being humble and admitting she could use a hand, she always says something among the lines "i was about to...." which is frankly annoying. i am 100% for women power and for women not needing to be saved but, the way it's written here does not portrait Evangeline as powerful or selfreliable, it makes her come across as arrogant and annoying.
now for the pros: the first two chapters are actually really entertaining, we get introduced to this world and to Evangeline's past + how she interacts with a great part of the village she lives in. we get to know this characters and animals she lives with and it's sweet and even funny. i loved what i read from Adelaide and one day, if I am feeling really really inspired, I might even give this one a second shot just so I can get more of her but, for now I just don't have the strength.
all in, it's a great concept but poorly executed, I do not remember if this was already the definitive version that's gonna be published but i honestly hope not. I hope it still has some reviewing to go, i hope some of this issues are fixed and, if they are, I will be more than willingly to give it another shot.
I don't find myself in the right to actually rate this book because i did not finish it but imma review it anyways.
SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS!
so the thing is, I requested this book at netgalley because it sounded amazing! witches, gay, polyamorous relationships, etc etc.... i just couldn't.
the characters are interesting, I'll give it that (well from what i read at least bc I couldn't get past the 20% mark, it was just so goddamn painful).
the plot follows a witch called Evangeline, everyone in the village hates her and her mother because not only they're witches but her mum is queer (and so is she apparently, tho i really think it's not well done at all)
at some point Evangeline meets this guy (Alexander) and they have the briefest interaction in history. later on, Alexander saves her from getting raped. now don't get me wrong here, it was absolutely right that he did it, it was obviously what you would expect anyone with decency to do. and he cared to help her and check if she was okay which is logically the way to go. but there's a line, and this really makes no sense to me at all, where he tells her he just wants her to be safe and okay. problem being, this leaves you wondering BASED ON WHAT?! he shows so much care and concern, offers to drive her home and acts like her life is his absolute priority and most precious possess and yet again you question BASED.ON.WHAT.?! there's no build up to this moment whatsoever, there's only (like i said before) a short scene where the two characters meet, said scene doesn't give us more than them introducing to eachother so, when he shows all this concern it comes across as forced and lowkey fake.
now, you'd think that this is my only problem with this scene right? no, I'm only getting started.
let's recap: Evangeline was just assaulted in the street, nearly raped and also beat up and it was not the first time something like this happened to her. so, you'd think after having such a traumatic experience MORE THAN ONCE she would not be comfortable with being touched, especially by yet, another man or at least that's the normal reaction we always get told about whenever rape is mentioned right? no. apparently not.
immediately after this incident, and I mean minutes after, this Alexander dude caresses her face she, and I quote, "reaches out and lays her face on his hand". now, i know different people react different to traumatic situations, but this is by far the worst thing I have ever read, and I've read a lot.
following this we get interactions like: "I guess you're my hero" followed by "i am no hero, Evangeline. but i must ensure your safety" which besides being really poor writing wise, makes no sense whatsoever at this point in the narrative because like i said before and will repeat as many times as given the chance THEY DON'T KNOW EACH OTHER. now, have i read enough to know that this isn't "prophetic" and that the reason he wants to protect her is because he has to? no, i have not. but this is played off in a way that the reader is just supposed to go with the flow and nod and consider it given. Evangeline does not wonder about this man's intentions or motivations at any point (at least from what i read).
boy, i have so many things to say about this book (or what i read of it).
ah, before I forget. this girl gets home, tells her family about almost getting raped, goes to the bathroom, casts a healing spell or something and just like that *poof* all's good. no. just no. it's so offensive, I get that she's a witch. i get that she has all this powers but i found this so offensive? there are bazillions of people dealing with PTSD and trauma after going through situations like this, they go to therapy - all kinds of therapy, they get depression and anxiety, they go through actual hell while trying to recover. and this "spell" thing fixing it is, in my opinion so goddamn diminishing of that?
also, and to wrap this up because I'm getting tired. Evangeline keeps saying that she's strong and capable of taking care of herself, but just in the bit i read she gets her ass saved so goddamn often that it's almost sad. and the way she reacts everytime just makes it worse, because instead of being humble and admitting she could use a hand, she always says something among the lines "i was about to...." which is frankly annoying. i am 100% for women power and for women not needing to be saved but, the way it's written here does not portrait Evangeline as powerful or selfreliable, it makes her come across as arrogant and annoying.
now for the pros: the first two chapters are actually really entertaining, we get introduced to this world and to Evangeline's past + how she interacts with a great part of the village she lives in. we get to know this characters and animals she lives with and it's sweet and even funny. i loved what i read from Adelaide and one day, if I am feeling really really inspired, I might even give this one a second shot just so I can get more of her but, for now I just don't have the strength.
all in, it's a great concept but poorly executed, I do not remember if this was already the definitive version that's gonna be published but i honestly hope not. I hope it still has some reviewing to go, i hope some of this issues are fixed and, if they are, I will be more than willingly to give it another shot.