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klaartjesmits's reviews
195 reviews
Pardalita by Joana Estrela
4.0
A very honest, quiet and at times funny sapphic coming-of-age, slice-of-life graphic novel with a really creative layout. I loved reading about Raquel's inner world and rooted for her. The ending was done so well and made me emotional! I only wish a little less time was spent on some random information - about Raquel's school, for example - and a little more on Raquel's bond with her friends and with Pardalita.
Content warnings: divorce (mentioned), homophobia, racism, xenophobia
Content warnings: divorce (mentioned), homophobia, racism, xenophobia
Content Warnings
Moderate: Xenophobia, Racism, and Homophobia
Sanctuary by Valentina Cano Repetto
5.0
In 1933 Sibilla and her engineer husband, who are expecting their first child, move to an abandoned villa with a mill in the Italian countryside. But when they begin renovating Sibilla starts hearing strange voices... In 1596 the mill is occupied by Maddalena and her family, who recently moved there from Genova. Being a folk medicine practitioner Maddalena is often sought after for her ability to cure ailments. But this is not the city, where alchemy and herbalism are popular, and soon rumours start spreading that Maddalena is a strega...
Picture an Italian villa painted with frescoes of forests, a creepy mill, dark woodlands, herbalism and at the center two women across time whose lives are very different yet linked in many ways. Together with curses and ghastly apparitions this makes for a haunting, tense and emotional read - exactly what I'm looking for in gothic horor. The alternating POV chapters that often end on a cliffhanger help even more to keep the tension high.
But the story isn't just well-crafted atmosphere and vivid imagery. Repetto uses the gothic elements to explore topics such as grief, revenge, our relationship with the land, classism, domestic abuse, misogyny and witch persecution - all portrayed in a thoughtful way that often made me very sad or angry.
What I love most is how multi-faceted the women are allowed to be: Sibilla isn't only portrayed as timid and anxious because of her abusive husband, just as Maddalena isn't reduced to an assertive woman with a kind, supportive husband. They also aren't flawless, and much could be said about some of their actions, especially Maddalena's. I enjoyed comparing and contrasting the two characters as the story progressed.
I wholeheartedly recommend Sanctuary to lovers of gothic horror, haunted houses, historical fiction, folk medicine and complex female protagonists!
Thank you to the author, to CamCat Books and to BookSirens for the free eARC.
Content warnings: ableist language, animal cruelty, animal death, blood & gore, cheating, childbirth, classism, consumption of alcohol, contagion, death of a child, grief, gun violence, intimate partner abuse, miscarriage (talking of), medical procedures, misogyny, murder, physical illness, physical injury, poisoning, pregnancy, sexism, suicide
Picture an Italian villa painted with frescoes of forests, a creepy mill, dark woodlands, herbalism and at the center two women across time whose lives are very different yet linked in many ways. Together with curses and ghastly apparitions this makes for a haunting, tense and emotional read - exactly what I'm looking for in gothic horor. The alternating POV chapters that often end on a cliffhanger help even more to keep the tension high.
But the story isn't just well-crafted atmosphere and vivid imagery. Repetto uses the gothic elements to explore topics such as grief, revenge, our relationship with the land, classism, domestic abuse, misogyny and witch persecution - all portrayed in a thoughtful way that often made me very sad or angry.
What I love most is how multi-faceted the women are allowed to be: Sibilla isn't only portrayed as timid and anxious because of her abusive husband, just as Maddalena isn't reduced to an assertive woman with a kind, supportive husband. They also aren't flawless, and much could be said about some of their actions, especially Maddalena's. I enjoyed comparing and contrasting the two characters as the story progressed.
I wholeheartedly recommend Sanctuary to lovers of gothic horror, haunted houses, historical fiction, folk medicine and complex female protagonists!
Thank you to the author, to CamCat Books and to BookSirens for the free eARC.
Content warnings: ableist language, animal cruelty, animal death, blood & gore, cheating, childbirth, classism, consumption of alcohol, contagion, death of a child, grief, gun violence, intimate partner abuse, miscarriage (talking of), medical procedures, misogyny, murder, physical illness, physical injury, poisoning, pregnancy, sexism, suicide
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Classism, Domestic abuse, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexism, and Suicide
Moderate: Alcohol and Miscarriage
Minor: Ableism
Country Roads by Colin Leonard
4.0
In this folk horror novel we follow Luke and Sophie, a young couple who have just moved from Dublin to the countryside with their baby. They're looking forward to the calmer small town life and living next to Luke's friend Declan, a local Garda. But lately strange things have been happening near the Twisted Tree where people leave offerings to cure them of ailments. The countryside might not be so quiet after all...
The first two chapters are incredible and immediately pulled me into this very unsettling, eerie tale! There's a constant sense of foreboding as the author gradually reveals more about the dangers lurking in the shadows of the countryside and the inhabitants of the town, some of whom are genuinely terrifying as well. Leonard writes interesting, nuanced characters that feel very distinct and real - even those who don't get much 'page time'.
I won't spoil what the horrors are precisely, but I love that they are based on Irish folklore. I have a thing for books inspired by mythology and folklore, especially in the horror genre. Creatures and other elements in horror books are often much more frightening and fascinating to me when they're based on stories tied to a certain place, as was the case here. Leonard conjures up some very disturbing imagery I won't quickly forget!
I had hoped, though, that there would be a bit more information about the folklore behind the creatures, but that's just my personal preference. The ending also left me wanting more and doesn't tie everything together as much as I anticipated, but that does make me very interested in a sequel!
Overall I really enjoyed this horror debut and would recommend it to all lovers of folk horror, folklore, complex characters, countryside settings and terrifying creatures!
Thank you to the author, to Brigids Gate Press and to BookSirens for the free digital copy.
Content warnings: alcohol consumption, blood & gore, body horror, cheating, death, drug use, misogyny, police brutality, pregnancy, sexual harassment (off-page & talking of), violence
The first two chapters are incredible and immediately pulled me into this very unsettling, eerie tale! There's a constant sense of foreboding as the author gradually reveals more about the dangers lurking in the shadows of the countryside and the inhabitants of the town, some of whom are genuinely terrifying as well. Leonard writes interesting, nuanced characters that feel very distinct and real - even those who don't get much 'page time'.
I won't spoil what the horrors are precisely, but I love that they are based on Irish folklore. I have a thing for books inspired by mythology and folklore, especially in the horror genre. Creatures and other elements in horror books are often much more frightening and fascinating to me when they're based on stories tied to a certain place, as was the case here. Leonard conjures up some very disturbing imagery I won't quickly forget!
I had hoped, though, that there would be a bit more information about the folklore behind the creatures, but that's just my personal preference. The ending also left me wanting more and doesn't tie everything together as much as I anticipated, but that does make me very interested in a sequel!
Overall I really enjoyed this horror debut and would recommend it to all lovers of folk horror, folklore, complex characters, countryside settings and terrifying creatures!
Thank you to the author, to Brigids Gate Press and to BookSirens for the free digital copy.
Content warnings: alcohol consumption, blood & gore, body horror, cheating, death, drug use, misogyny, police brutality, pregnancy, sexual harassment (off-page & talking of), violence
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Blood, Body horror, Death, Misogyny, Police brutality, and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol and Drug use
Minor: Pregnancy and Sexual harassment