A review by ruthmoog
The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

challenging reflective sad slow-paced

3.25

This kicks off right away with a racial slur that's continued throughout the book... the historical note at the end really hits hard because the racial element is a side note to the stories of the women in the book, and it's just harrowing tbh. And the Samí are still being sidelined by Norway today.

Having said that, all the action happens in the last few chapters. After the storm at the beginning - the very interesting premise! - it plods slowly through the life of a timid protagonist... Over half way through the book I felt like nothing had happened.

But given that it's based on actual events in Vardø ther 's only so much you can do to stay true to the story of a village devastated by a storm.


edit: after reading other reviews I would note, I had no idea this was based on true events or about witch trials when I started, I only knew about the storm leaving a village of women be ind
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