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joliebean's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
bee12345's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Blood, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Miscarriage, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
thereadingbanshee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
I really love the first part of this book.
It focused on characters, our MC mostly, took its time in a very pleasant way. The writing itself is lovely, and really set the scene and the atmosphere of the story. And i loved every part of these first 150-200 or so pages, the atmosphere was immeculate to me.
Then, the middle part was confusing me a bit, and I slowly (and much to my dismay) started to slowly lose interest.
The plot was moving along, but the pacing was a bit off, and i didn't enjoy some parts of the developments.
(Also, the issues that bothered me so much in the last part of the book that i mention below were starting to appear.)
And the last part... well the last 100 pages or so i skimmed so that is telling.
But even before then, the pacing just was completely off. We went from having all the detail of the MC's feelings and thoughts, to not having them when they were crucial for the developments to make sense.
The biggest issue for me was the "big" twist. I saw it coming miles away, and this could have not bothered me if the elements letting you know of this weren't so obvious but completely ignored by the MC.
AND i hate the kind of trope that twist was based on, and hoped it would at least be done in a original way and was sorely disappointed.
In short, i think the premise and a ton of element of this book were very interesting, but sadly didn't get the execution they deserved.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Gore, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Pregnancy
sophs_mood_reading's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
After the forest takes the story of Hansel and Gretel and explores the story beyond the children’s escape. We meet the children two decades after the escape the clutches of the witch in the forest. But this isn’t the happily ever after we all expected. Hans has gambled away the siblings money and Greta is avoided by many villagers for her strange ways “what child kills and old woman!”
Greta finds herself turning to the book she stole from the old woman’s gingerbread house to try and save the family from ruin. But with suspicion already surrounding the siblings, a new stranger in town and people mysteriously being killed. Greta finds herself under more and more scrutiny as she uses more and more magic to try and save those around her.
This was a fantastic reimagining of such a classic tale, I loved how the author wove new magic and characters into the original story, making it her own.
Some parts of the story needed a bit more or seemed like a quick add on such as the Mira/Rob relationship but overall a beautifully well thought out book with mystery, magic and some big surprises that I did not guess at all.
Graphic: Death, Violence, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Moderate: Child death, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, and Self harm
Minor: Sexual content