Reviews tagging 'Murder'

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow

67 reviews

_teacher_spice_'s review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Cursing

fuzzibehr_reads's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny lighthearted mysterious 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder

beckkopp's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.5

For not being a big fantasy reader, I loved this book! I really enjoyed each sister and how fully built out each one was. I feel like the ending was a bit drawn out, but otherwise I highly recommend!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent and Murder

Moderate: Racism and Kidnapping

Minor: Homophobia, Sexual assault, and Transphobia

littki's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment

Moderate: Physical abuse, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Murder, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Animal death, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Transphobia, Violence, Xenophobia, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

zyxtasaurus's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting

Minor: Cursing, Death, Physical abuse, Racism, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Stalking, Murder, Lesbophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

lemonwrlds's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring 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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Abandonment, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

calicat42's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicide, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

jgalla's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

craftysnailtail's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

I could see a certain type of person really loving this book, but it absolutely wasn't for me. The neverending tragic backstory reveals felt incredibly tropey. Show me a woman in this novel and she will be "strong" because she survived so much abuse. Everything in this book was traumatic, depressing, and often ended poorly for all the women involved. I understand the fight against injustice, but it felt too heavy handed for me. 

3.5 stars because the plot was interesting (though far too drawn out), and I enjoyed how magical knowledge is passed down through generations. I even liked the sisters themselves. But for a book with witches and lesbians, I thought I would've enjoyed it much more than I did.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Homophobia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Grief, Abortion, Murder, Outing, Abandonment, Alcohol, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

abicaro17's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad 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

5.0

This may be the best book i've ever read. I laughed, I cried, I felt seen. This book is what it's like to be a woman. Anything you do is demonized but when a man does it he's praised. Alix E. Harrow writes about how "behind every witch is a woman wrong." (445) and creates beautifully complex characters like Agnes that show a true beauty and a true darkness in femininity. Juniper is a feral, selfish, and damaged girl but

her final act is to do something so selfless it saves all future witches. She bears the burden so that the future of her niece and all other mothers and daughters won't have to.

I could spend hours describing my love and adoration for this book. The emotional and storied complexity for even minor characters like Jennie and Mr. Blackwell are so outstanding and enriching. I think Harrow needs all the awards and I'm devastated i'll never be able to read this book for the first time again. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic