Reviews with content warning for Religious bigotry - The Once and Future Witches

Reviews tagging 'Religious bigotry'

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow

73 reviews

benditlikebecka's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad 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? No

5.0

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_teacher_spice_'s review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

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

4.5

I so wanted to rate this a 5-star review, but I feel first, that the youngest sister was short-changed and the end just let the story fall where it lay without really allowing the dust to settle and for her own "true" ending. Also, without a sequel to fill in gaps/answer questions/complete stories, I find that I am left with my heart still broken in spite of some reassurance at the end. As a sister of three deeply invested in the bonds between sisters, I struggled with Juniper's ending and no definitive reunion and continuation of their sisterhood. Regardless, this book was beautifully written and such a journey for the heart.

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lira_the_recluse's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
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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xcelxdx's review against another edition

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dark hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Overall enjoyed the concept and thought it was cool how they tied together the threads of a lot of different folklore stories. This book did fall prey to the standalone fantasy catch-22 where it became somehow too detailed/long-winded and superficial; due to the cramming of perhaps too many intricate plot points into 500 pages. I struggled to really connect with the characters and thought on the whole that their characters and respective romances and backstories could have been fleshed out a bit more. There were also some aspects where I felt the emotional journey the characters went on was perhaps too quick in the sense that it took about a sentence to process and come to a conclusion, but the author also used this to good effect in some instances.

The plague element felt a bit random in the book and it wasn’t properly concluded: what happened to the sick people, how did Eve get better? If it was due to GH’s death, did everyone get better? How is it spread… though perhaps as the book was published in 2020 this was something they wanted to diminish

all of that said I loved how they intertwined all these folk tales into one adapted and connected

but actually not really

narrative that cummulated

into a message of internal power and an almost rejection of fate. Injecting agency into a world where women have such little. I do feel the race aspect could have been explored further beyond the singular allusion of the non-inclusivity of the suffragist movement to woc

. Overall I really enjoyed the concept but it simultaneously felt a little like a slog to get through and left me with questions wanting more

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alanahcw's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense

5.0

Absolutely in love with this one! Messy, magical, queer, and full of rage against the patriarchy; it made me wish we had some words and ways to help fuel change today.

I can't believe I waited so long to read Harrow's work - it's incredible ❤

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lildark1's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

I had been hearing a lot about this book and decided to pick it up.

I wish I had picked it up sooner. This is one of the best books I've read in a very long time.

The world building in this story is some of the best I've seen. I love how Harrow takes what is familiar (nursery rhymes and children stories) and gives them more meaning and gravitas and fits them into this world flawlessly. The three sisters were so well flushed out and flawed and lovable. Their character arcs of not only coming into their own power, but their power of being sisters, was a huge part of the book, though the outside forces that kept trying to stop them was equally dangerous.

The diversity of this book was also extremely refreshing. There are different races, sexuality, and walks of life. Since this takes place back in the 1800s there is quite a bit of racism, homophobia, and the sisters have to deal with their own privileges and thoughts challenged and they grow from this.

Despite the fantasy and alternate reality setting of the story, a lot of it still rings true for now. The desire to come into one's power, a want for better for yourself and your loved ones, and being constantly ground down by people (more often then not men) in higher power who only are looking out for their own gains.

This story left me with a feeling of hope and a desire to find my own ways and circle.

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ali_k0's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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

4.0

The Once & Future Witches reports to follow three sisters bringing back the age of Witching. However, it's better told to be about a movement of women across the world who held onto the words and the ways so that those with the will could fight there way through life back to a time when they had power.

In the ashes of Old Salem is New Salem, a city free from witches and where every street is named after a saint, and hidden in those streets are women who have held on to the dying dregs of witchcraft by weaving it into their quilts and whispering it in each other's ears. All dream of a time where they have more then penny pinching and abusive husbands, but with the exception of low level house magic there is little left for them to use.

But the sufferage movement has women organizing, talking out of shadows, and the winds have blown three sisters back into the city. The sisters alone won't be enough to bring back the Lost Way, but with their new sisters (and romances) they'll find the way.

This book is for every spitfire with a habit for finding trouble, girls who draw their circles large enough for only themselves, anyone whose ever dreamed of being a magic librarian (I know I'm not the only one) or anyone looking for a story about organizing, finding a way when there's a will, and the power of intersectional allyship.

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