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joshdeena's review
5.0
First and foremost, thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing me with and eARC for an honest review. My honest review is that this is an incredible debut novel that constantly makes you consider how far you'd go for the ones you love. Venus asks herself this question constantly, and with the twists and turns of the novel, it seems that the answer is always changing.
I loved the world that Bethany Baptiste built for these characters to inhabit. Mixing fantasy and modern day elements isn't necessarily new, but this case is one of the best examples I have seen in a long time with this concept. The way that this also works incredibly well to provide a new layer to themes of racism, poverty, and the false promise of the American dream makes the world of witchers and humans feel extremely grounded.
On top of the world itself, Baptiste's characters are well crafted, believable, and make you want to continue reading to see how their relationships develop. Venus and her family all feel as though you peer into a dynamic that is natural and has already existed. That is where much of my praise for the characters comes from. Unfortunately, I do think some of the development for characters like Presley, Nisha, and Matrika was a bit lacking at times, but did work well to serve as a part of Venus's story and honestly just made me want to read stories with other characters from this world as the main character.
Overall, I think this is already up for contention for my book of the year!
I loved the world that Bethany Baptiste built for these characters to inhabit. Mixing fantasy and modern day elements isn't necessarily new, but this case is one of the best examples I have seen in a long time with this concept. The way that this also works incredibly well to provide a new layer to themes of racism, poverty, and the false promise of the American dream makes the world of witchers and humans feel extremely grounded.
On top of the world itself, Baptiste's characters are well crafted, believable, and make you want to continue reading to see how their relationships develop. Venus and her family all feel as though you peer into a dynamic that is natural and has already existed. That is where much of my praise for the characters comes from. Unfortunately, I do think some of the development for characters like Presley, Nisha, and Matrika was a bit lacking at times, but did work well to serve as a part of Venus's story and honestly just made me want to read stories with other characters from this world as the main character.
Overall, I think this is already up for contention for my book of the year!
black_boysread's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
catsbooks_uk's review
5.0
I'm absolutely loving the current influx of writers of colour, telling their stories with all the fierceness and magic that has been largely missing from bookshelves in the past.
This is a heartfelt tale of family and magic, with allegories of racism and discrimination that are handled exceptionally well. It feels determined rather than heavy-handed, and the protagonists react and manage their situations as well as can be expected; we feel for them with every challenge they must face. It reminded me of when I first saw the X-Men cartoons: no matter how it appears, hate is something to be fought against, as personal power is reclaimed. The author shows the battles that must be fought within a magical context, and the messages are clear and proud, completely engaging from the first pages. I also had to smile at the backhanded nods to 'real world' discrimination (the 'WASP' acronym being reclaimed in particular!).
I'm pretty sure I'm not the target audience here (white middle-aged British woman!), but I'm absolutely recommending this book. My niece - an amazing young woman of colour - openly challenged her English teacher as to why they didn't study books that featured people like her. This would be a fine addition to any curriculum or library, as I've no doubt that while traditional teachers would approve of the writing quality, smart young readers will hold it close to their hearts for the story and characters.
Thankyou, Bethany Baptiste.
This is a heartfelt tale of family and magic, with allegories of racism and discrimination that are handled exceptionally well. It feels determined rather than heavy-handed, and the protagonists react and manage their situations as well as can be expected; we feel for them with every challenge they must face. It reminded me of when I first saw the X-Men cartoons: no matter how it appears, hate is something to be fought against, as personal power is reclaimed. The author shows the battles that must be fought within a magical context, and the messages are clear and proud, completely engaging from the first pages. I also had to smile at the backhanded nods to 'real world' discrimination (the 'WASP' acronym being reclaimed in particular!).
I'm pretty sure I'm not the target audience here (white middle-aged British woman!), but I'm absolutely recommending this book. My niece - an amazing young woman of colour - openly challenged her English teacher as to why they didn't study books that featured people like her. This would be a fine addition to any curriculum or library, as I've no doubt that while traditional teachers would approve of the writing quality, smart young readers will hold it close to their hearts for the story and characters.
Thankyou, Bethany Baptiste.
penkay's review
4.0
I read the origins of this story at the beginning of the book, and I was like, I really like where this might take me. I was not disappointed in any way where that was concerned. One thing I will point out is that this leans more towards the young adult, and I really am not a fan; I suppose I’m getting too old. LOL! However, that aside, this is a well-written book about Venus suddenly thrust into taking care of her sister and using her magic to do that. I love morally gray characters, and this delivered. I also enjoyed the subtle inferences about the current political…climate, and I like it wasn’t a hammer to your head. I think that author will go far, and I’ll pick up another book by her in the future if it leans more away from YA. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.
cairavel's review
adventurous
challenging
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
faerietrails's review
4.0
I picked this up after a recommendation on Twitter from the author herself, the day after the 2024 US presidential election. Ya boy needed some catharsis. I did not expect to like this as much as I did, part because a lot of authors don't know how to write teenage characters, and part because contemporary fantasy is a hard genre to nail down. I'm happy to report that The Poisons We Drink did both beautifully.
This honestly might be one of my favorite magic systems ever. It's very clear-cut, easy to understand, and has intertwined social hierarchies that make sense. The new terms and explanations could have been a little more drawn out, instead of mostly dumped in the first chapter, but in hindsight, I didn't notice the glossary in the back of the book. All witchers have basic "birthright" magic - your telekinesis, spellcasting, etc. - and a calling (a superpower, basically). And then, there are witcher-exclusive "jobs" (such as Venus' as a brewer) that are learned skills that come with their own rules and regulations. But there's no bioessentialism (i.e. you were born with this magic you must do this thing)!!
Bigotry toward witchers doesn't represent any one real-world group, but realistic aspects of it show up throughout how witchers navigate a world that frequently wants them dead. Systemic oppression toward magic-users can be a difficult thing to justify in fantasy, but drawing from these real-life groups and building a world that has the power to do so strengthens the allegory so much.
Venus...oh Venus my beloved. She tries SO hard because of everyone's expectations of her while fighting her inner demons and being forced to do things all for her family. Anger often gets the better of her and she makes mistakes! She's a teenage Black girl who had to grow up too fast, and as someone with a younger sister- I've felt that kind of parental pressure. I like the relationship she had with her deviation, It, how it developed as she accepts and gives in to her feelings, then empowers herself with them.
The other characters are fleshed out really well, with their own understandable motivations and flaws. I LOVE some complex characters and relationships, and it makes for a JUICY plot. Arguably one of the twistiest stories I've ever read, as Venus unravels and reckons with her entire life.
While the layers deserve lots of praise, at some point I felt like there were enough layers, and some twists were just there to make the reader gasp, instead of contribute to the plot. At some point I forgot why characters were doing what, because there were so many reveals that I lost track. Just kind of had to accept that things were happening even if I couldn't parse why. The villain reveal negated a lot of characters' moral complexity in relation to the plot. I was ready to accept that all these characters were just like that. There were so many chances to lay the trail to them, but all we got was a clue the page before said villain revealed themselves. Oh well.
Any other small criticisms and nitpicks aside, I loved this book a lot. Enjoyment was a 5/5.
This honestly might be one of my favorite magic systems ever. It's very clear-cut, easy to understand, and has intertwined social hierarchies that make sense. The new terms and explanations could have been a little more drawn out, instead of mostly dumped in the first chapter, but in hindsight, I didn't notice the glossary in the back of the book. All witchers have basic "birthright" magic - your telekinesis, spellcasting, etc. - and a calling (a superpower, basically). And then, there are witcher-exclusive "jobs" (such as Venus' as a brewer) that are learned skills that come with their own rules and regulations. But there's no bioessentialism (i.e. you were born with this magic you must do this thing)!!
Bigotry toward witchers doesn't represent any one real-world group, but realistic aspects of it show up throughout how witchers navigate a world that frequently wants them dead. Systemic oppression toward magic-users can be a difficult thing to justify in fantasy, but drawing from these real-life groups and building a world that has the power to do so strengthens the allegory so much.
Venus...oh Venus my beloved. She tries SO hard because of everyone's expectations of her while fighting her inner demons and being forced to do things all for her family. Anger often gets the better of her and she makes mistakes! She's a teenage Black girl who had to grow up too fast, and as someone with a younger sister- I've felt that kind of parental pressure. I like the relationship she had with her deviation, It, how it developed as she accepts and gives in to her feelings, then empowers herself with them.
The other characters are fleshed out really well, with their own understandable motivations and flaws. I LOVE some complex characters and relationships, and it makes for a JUICY plot. Arguably one of the twistiest stories I've ever read, as Venus unravels and reckons with her entire life.
While the layers deserve lots of praise, at some point I felt like there were enough layers, and some twists were just there to make the reader gasp, instead of contribute to the plot. At some point I forgot why characters were doing what, because there were so many reveals that I lost track. Just kind of had to accept that things were happening even if I couldn't parse why. The villain reveal negated a lot of characters' moral complexity in relation to the plot. I was ready to accept that all these characters were just like that. There were so many chances to lay the trail to them, but all we got was a clue the page before said villain revealed themselves. Oh well.
Any other small criticisms and nitpicks aside, I loved this book a lot. Enjoyment was a 5/5.
romancestanaccount's review
4.0
I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. The cover, gorgeous and I loved all the DC references because I used to live in Colombia Heights. I love the concept of this story but I found myself struggling to finish some parts because I felt like they dragged. However I enjoyed this read and the world building is great and the magic system is very clearly defined.
Favorite Quote: “All witchers possessed two things: a birthright and a calling”
Favorite Scene In 1-3 Words: Senator Wilbur Edwin
Favorite Quote: “All witchers possessed two things: a birthright and a calling”
Favorite Scene In 1-3 Words: Senator Wilbur Edwin
kelsewhy's review
3.0
3.5 rounded down to 3.
I H A T E this trend I'm seeing of books starting each and every chapter with a summary, a quote, or some important bit of backstory that's needed to progress the story. It's most prevalent in the YA I've read lately and I do not recall that being a prominent storytelling device 15+ years ago and I can't stand it.
I enjoyed the premise and the setting of this story. The magic system is interesting and overall I enjoyed the characters.
At times, the storytelling is clunky and choppy and other times it's overly flowery with descriptions and metaphors. I got confused and lost track of characters at times. I feel like Venus and Presley's backstory could have and should have been more fleshed out. Certain important parts felt rushed over and inconsequential information was described at length.
TLDR; Not bad for a debut novel, enjoyable overall, will read any future novels from this author.
I H A T E this trend I'm seeing of books starting each and every chapter with a summary, a quote, or some important bit of backstory that's needed to progress the story. It's most prevalent in the YA I've read lately and I do not recall that being a prominent storytelling device 15+ years ago and I can't stand it.
I enjoyed the premise and the setting of this story. The magic system is interesting and overall I enjoyed the characters.
At times, the storytelling is clunky and choppy and other times it's overly flowery with descriptions and metaphors. I got confused and lost track of characters at times. I feel like Venus and Presley's backstory could have and should have been more fleshed out. Certain important parts felt rushed over and inconsequential information was described at length.
TLDR; Not bad for a debut novel, enjoyable overall, will read any future novels from this author.