Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Her Majesty's Royal Coven by Juno Dawson

44 reviews

katharina90's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

I enjoyed the themes, like the politics and dynamics at play among the covens and witchy parts of society, but the plot really didn't wow me. It was a little boring. 

The book has LGBTQ and BIPOC rep but I would have liked for Theo to play a bigger, more active part in the story.

I listened to the audiobook and Aiofe McMahon is a favorite narrator so that helped get me through the book when the story dragged.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Fatphobia, Racism, Violence, Religious bigotry, and Murder

Minor: Ableism, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Abandonment

sulaasg's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I love this book. Absolutely one of the best witchy books I've ever read. The magical lore feels tangibly real. The female power focus is compelling, the smaller consequences of power (such as most sentients being veggie/vegan). I appreciate that the female characters are proper three dimensional people, each with their own flaws and blind spots, though they're still lovable. The author doesn't shy away from the characters responsibility for their own actions and fate. 
The development of each character from their first introduction to where the end the books feel believable. 
Thank god I came to this book after the second had already been released, otherwise I'd be furious at the wait. 
I know some people have found the book politically 'in your face' but I actually enjoyed that about this book. It's feminist, and about female empowerment from an international standpoint and it made the book all the more enjoyable and empowering for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexism, and Transphobia

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Racism, War, and Injury/Injury detail

There are several chapters written from the point of view of a TERF. This is unpleasant reading, but crucial to the story. It's worth reminding yourself the book is written by a trans woman.

fae_sarelfi's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

The description is misleading.  The story is less about in-fighting and more about intersectional feminism/inclusivity/bigotry.  It surprised me, and I was THRILLED.  In the end, I think we don't get to know the Chosen One character as much as I would like, and I also think it doesn't stick the landing in the climactic moment as far as the integrity of its themes.  Arguably, theme development depends a little too much on preaching and not enough on fruition.  But the plot is developed well and the writing is mostly good.  Characters are unique individuals, but many feel flat.  The magic is fun, a little lacking in pizzazz.  I look forward to the sequel.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia

Moderate: Animal death and Death of parent

Minor: Death, Domestic abuse, and Self harm

withlivjones's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This was a fun read. I liked the exploration of the complicated nature of childhood friendships and sisterhood, especially when friends grow up and their fundamental beliefs start to clash. I also liked the explorations of topics like grief and motherhood. The story was gripping, even if it took some time for it to get really good. I feel like this would be a good read for people who loved the world of Harry Potter but want to read something with more LGBTQ+ representation and/or that is not written by a TERF. 

That said, it’s definitely not a perfect book. As I mentioned, it does take a while for the story to get going and the beginning is quite slow-paced. I found Helena as a character to be fairly one-dimensional compared to the others, the way her transphobia consumed her entire personality and motivations - when imo more of a focus should’ve been on her desire for control and unwillingness to be wrong driving her towards these beliefs and actions - felt quite heavy-handed. Even if her being an abuse victim had been explored further than just being vaguely mentioned, that would’ve fleshed out her character quite a bit. She served her purpose in the story but I think she could’ve been an even more interesting character (while still being a nasty TERF). 

The rest of my criticisms were pretty much contained in the final 50 pages of the book, hence the spoiler warning. First, I felt like Theo’s “metamorphosis” felt really… neat? Like it was such a quick resolution for her character and kind of sends a message that trans people who don’t pass or haven’t started their transition are somewhat lesser than trans people who do pass? I’m not trans so I don’t have any authority on the subject whatsoever and I would be really interested to hear opinions on the scene from actual trans people, but personally something about scene just didn’t sit right with me. Secondly, I did NOT like the complete 180 that Snow does in her final scene. I get that grief can radically change people but I still don’t think it could’ve made Snow go from being supportive of Theo when she first talks about her to Helena to straight up calling her a slur in that last scene? Finally, the ending frustrated me - it just felt like an unnecessary cliffhanger when there were already enough unanswered questions to lead to a sequel. Overall, though, the other 90% of the book was really enjoyable and a lot of fun.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Transphobia, and Murder

Moderate: Sexism and Outing

Minor: Domestic abuse and Racism

readingelli's review

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Transphobia, Murder, and War

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Racism, and Violence

sassyykassie's review

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Transphobia

Moderate: Animal death, Misogyny, Sexism, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Child death, Domestic abuse, Outing, and War

frecklyfreak's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional slow-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Disappointing. Would have been 4 stars, I genuinely enjoyed most of the book, but I hated the ending. It was frustrating and I know it was setting up for the sequel but I felt like it undermined the end of the story and didnt allow for any feeling of closure.
*spoiler*
I also wasn't prepared for the rampant transphobia by one of the characters but at least she was the bad guy I guess

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia

Minor: Domestic abuse

readingqueerly's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

It has been a long time since a book has been able to surprise me multiple times. But this one did. I legit slapped a hand over my mouth for all of the last chapter. This book left me GAGGED y'all. 
The characters were incredible. I love an ensemble cast, and this was done so well. I could feel these women. I was yelling and crying and cheering and booing at them. 
A truly magical (ha!) story about sisterhood, betrayal, and beliefs with surprisingly great rants on white feminism, racism, intersectional identities, queerness, etc. Basically, this whole book has a great message of what it means to be a woman, but how women (especially those with privilege) have a very rigid idea on this; and how the system upholds this rigid idea since it benefits them under the guide of tradition. It includes, of course, a lot of representation for WOC, LGBTQ+ people, and disabled people. 
I cannot wait to read the second one. I might actually go buy it asap because holy shit this was good. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Domestic abuse and Sexual content

atamano's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Misogyny, Sexism, Transphobia, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Homophobia, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Cursing, Domestic abuse, and Abandonment

lorriss's review against another edition

emotional mysterious

• 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual content, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Infidelity, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Vomit, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism

Minor: Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Abortion, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, and Pandemic/Epidemic