Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow

60 reviews

third_bookworm's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful tense 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

5.0

This was a delight! From the description I expected a particular brand of white feminism, but I was pleasantly surprised by the politics. This book manages an interesting and delicate balance of personal and political. The characters are wonderfully complex while still being sympathetic. The focus on the relationship between the sisters was sweet and enjoyable.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Slavery, Outing, and Classism

marleywrites's review against another edition

adventurous tense 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

4.0

My favorite character was Juniper.

I really thought she was gonna take over Hill’s familiar as her own. But the crow also makes sense and suits her.

She is such a badass character and I love her spirit. 

From reading reviews, I thought I wouldn’t like Agnes. But truly, I really enjoyed her character. I don’t usually relate to mothers or the whole “maternal bond” thing, but I really felt like Agnes did a good job of balancing her loyalty to her sisters and her child.

And I am obsessed with her relationship with August.

Bella was also a great character. I’m fond of lesbians and I’m fond of librarians, so this was just a wonderful character for me overall. I think I relate to Bella the most, with the anxiety yet fierce loyalty to her sisters. 

I don’t have a sister, but reading this book made me feel like I do. These characters had me wrapped up in their little family with them. And their extended family in the witching community was just beautiful. 

This book was a bit slow at first, but once it picked up I was IN IT! I think I’m going to recommend it to anyone looking for a witchy read.  I’m a big fan of Alix E. Harrow and have read two other books by her. I’ll definitely keep reading her work and I look forward to her next project!

Side note, I loved the LGBTQ+ rep in this book. Amazing. 

Side note to the side note: am I the only one who felt terrible for Hill’s dog? 😭

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Medical content, Murder, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Confinement, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal death, Sexual content, and Death of parent

lady_valhella's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-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? No

5.0

This story was great but it was not easy read, emotionally.  Yes witches are burned and what is heart breaking is that it’s always only women. This universe has witching, it is common, it is known. Men have witching. But it is the same BS. Women want to be treated as humans, with equity. When they are beaten and molested and constantly under attack the moment they use anything to protect themselves and their abusers are no longer successful out come the pyres and torches. It’s this reality that makes it hard to read this book but the story is great. The bond of the women in this book is great. The men who believe them, they are present but they aren’t in the spotlight. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Hate crime, Misogyny, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Racism, Abortion, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

therainbowshelf's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

5.0

I wasn't sure if this would be a good book for me. I anticipated it might be a little dull or a little too intense, but I wound up loving it! I especially liked the adaptation of fairy tales and other well-known works as the hidden words of spells. This was just the book I needed this month.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Moderate: Miscarriage, Transphobia, and Abortion

Government sanctioned removal of children from target group of people

ingridmaria's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring 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? No

5.0

I could see myself in all 3 of the sisters in the beginning of this; in Bellas fear, in Junipers anger and in Agnes' walls. I grew with them, into sisterhood and love and community – and I loved every part of it

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Violence, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Racism, Abortion, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Sexual assault, Slavery, and Sexual harassment

sneakysnam's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Police brutality, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Grief, Abortion, Lesbophobia, and Colonisation

Minor: Animal cruelty, Confinement, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

immovabletype's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Hate crime, Racism, Sexism, Torture, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Police brutality, Abortion, and Murder

Minor: Transphobia

lilithreads's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death, Confinement, Torture, Violence, and Blood

Minor: Sexism, Transphobia, Kidnapping, Grief, and Sexual harassment

mel_s_bookshelf's review against another edition

dark reflective slow-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Suicide, Blood, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Homophobia and Abortion

escapismforlife's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Racism, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, and Classism