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A review by cdiamante
Slewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery by Brom
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Slewfoot follows the classic narrative of the Puritan witch, a woman who is perceived as dangerous for her differences, who finds solace in none other than the devil. It takes mythology from various belief systems, not sticking strictly to Christian principles of witchcraft.
I found myself enthralled in the narrative from the start. As a protagonist, Abitha was incredibly likable and sympathetic, having human flaws while still being the innocent that the narrative required her to be in order to work. The book balances revenge and mercy with a perfect amount of nuance, it is incredibly satisfying to see how characters get their just desserts, for better and for worse. The side characters all had appropriate depth, and even the antagonists feel well developed.
The one thing that didn’t fully feel resolved to me is the horror aspect, apart from the beginning, I didn’t find Samson threatening, and I didn’t find the ambiance overly eerie, so I treated the book more as a novel than a horror story.
Overall I was incredibly invested in the story, and I found it very well written, I would recommend this book to anyone, horror lover or not, so long as gore is not an issue for them.
I found myself enthralled in the narrative from the start. As a protagonist, Abitha was incredibly likable and sympathetic, having human flaws while still being the innocent that the narrative required her to be in order to work. The book balances revenge and mercy with a perfect amount of nuance, it is incredibly satisfying to see how characters get their just desserts, for better and for worse. The side characters all had appropriate depth, and even the antagonists feel well developed.
The one thing that didn’t fully feel resolved to me is the horror aspect, apart from the beginning, I didn’t find Samson threatening, and I didn’t find the ambiance overly eerie, so I treated the book more as a novel than a horror story.
Overall I was incredibly invested in the story, and I found it very well written, I would recommend this book to anyone, horror lover or not, so long as gore is not an issue for them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Misogyny, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail