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jammons's review
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Deadnaming, Drug use, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Violence, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
mari1532's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I listened to this audiobook on Everand.
Brief Summary: Zoe is a journalist investigating the murder of Paloma, a transwoman from a family of Indigenous healers. To learn more of the story Zoe travels to meet Paloma's cousin Feliciana. However, as Zoe interviews Feliciana she begins to reevaluate her relationships with her sister and mother. As Zoe and Feliciana's stories weave together Zoe begins to realize the power of her voice.
Thoughts: This book was captivating and I binged it in an entire sitting. I particularly like the dual perspectives, where Zoe's was told in a direct and edited fashion and Feliciana's was a more free-flowing stream of consciousness indicative of its interview formatting. It highlighted how Zoe is constricted by the expectations of society, while Feliciana is not. It also made Feliciana's story and by extension, Paloma's story more intense emotionally, while Zoe's was more reflective and therapeutic.
Brief Summary: Zoe is a journalist investigating the murder of Paloma, a transwoman from a family of Indigenous healers. To learn more of the story Zoe travels to meet Paloma's cousin Feliciana. However, as Zoe interviews Feliciana she begins to reevaluate her relationships with her sister and mother. As Zoe and Feliciana's stories weave together Zoe begins to realize the power of her voice.
Thoughts: This book was captivating and I binged it in an entire sitting. I particularly like the dual perspectives, where Zoe's was told in a direct and edited fashion and Feliciana's was a more free-flowing stream of consciousness indicative of its interview formatting. It highlighted how Zoe is constricted by the expectations of society, while Feliciana is not. It also made Feliciana's story and by extension, Paloma's story more intense emotionally, while Zoe's was more reflective and therapeutic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Infertility, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism
Minor: Pregnancy
jean_atlas's review against another edition
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, and Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Abortion, and Death of parent
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
jordynkw's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming, Eating disorder, Rape, Sexual assault, and Transphobia
morganpearcy's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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
5.0
This book is gorgeous. The prose is lyrical and sweeps you along like a rhythmic tide. I read the English translation - which is phenomenally well done. It’s such a beautiful book in English, I’m planning to reread it in Spanish soon to compare. Whatever you do, if you’re reading this book in English, it is essential to read the Translator’s Notes at the beginning. If you skip it, you will miss a lot of meaning and context that will diminish your experience with the book.
This book reads like an autobiography but is interesting and moves like a novella. It touches on so many important topics: indigeneity; intuition (and how Patriarchy will separate us from it); ancestral medicine (including means of healing the inner child through herbs and mushrooms); Trans and non-binary identities; violence against women and women-aligning folx; Colonization and the shortsightedness/consumerism of modern colonization; Transphobia and the vast spectrum of the human experience.
This book is meant to be savored, not inhaled.
My favorite quotes (grammar and punctuation copied directly from the book because it’s an intentional part of the prose):
This book reads like an autobiography but is interesting and moves like a novella. It touches on so many important topics: indigeneity; intuition (and how Patriarchy will separate us from it); ancestral medicine (including means of healing the inner child through herbs and mushrooms); Trans and non-binary identities; violence against women and women-aligning folx; Colonization and the shortsightedness/consumerism of modern colonization; Transphobia and the vast spectrum of the human experience.
This book is meant to be savored, not inhaled.
My favorite quotes (grammar and punctuation copied directly from the book because it’s an intentional part of the prose):
…what is missing for you, why are you afraid, why are people afraid of what the future brings them, why do you carry the past, I say, what is missing for you today, you have feet and hands, you have air to breathe and water to drink, you have earth to walk on, food to eat, and fire to warm it up, you have your life, you have everything. I have my life and I have everything. I tell you, when I die I’ll come right back here to my hut in San Felipe and my ceremonies and the food my sister Francisca makes and I’ll ask her to make me stole because what we have here is good, and so I say to people, what is missing for you, if you have everything, I’d you have everything today nothing will be missing tomorrow. From page 213-214
And…
It was exactly six at night because the light cast shadows on the milpa and I saw her and I knew that man had killed her with a dagger in her back from his rage at Paloma for being Muxe (Trans), he killed her for being Muxe, he killed her because she was born a man and lived as a woman, he killed her because she wore dresses and shine that women wear, as if killing Paloma could relieve him like the rains relieve the clouds fat with summer’s heat, the wretch killed Paloma for his rage that she was Muxe, that she gave him a disease still unborn, and so they killed Paloma for being Muxe, they killed her for being a woman, they killed her for being a curandera, because people often mistake loveless ness for love, and so they killed her and at six at night the Language left me; and I stayed that way because what need to I have for the Words without Paloma. From page 215-216
Be prepared with tissues. Be prepared to reread sections because of the unique punctuation and grammar. Be prepared for a beautiful ride.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, and Transphobia
Moderate: Deadnaming, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Outing, Cultural appropriation, and Colonisation
angebrown's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Rape, Transphobia, and Murder
Minor: Deadnaming and Eating disorder
The translator Heather Cleary wrote, "Witches is an exploration of the manyways that women and gender non-conforming individuals are marginalised in our hetero-normative patriarchy. It is also a celebration of the bonds they forge and of alternate ways of knowing". This sometimes sad, yet hopeful book is rich with indigenous Mexican spirituality and beliefs, told by Feliciana as she recounts the story of her life. Feliciana talks mainly about how she became a healer, achieved international recognition and her love for her Muxe cousin Paloma. Her life events intertwine with those of the interviewer Zoe, who also tells her story. Feliciana's story is inspired by the real life story of Maria Sabina Magdalena Garcia. Although it is neither a biographical story, nor historical fiction, details of Maria Sabina's life, some of which are devastating, are reflected in Feliciana's story, which creates a deeply realistic character in Feliciana. The book does contain challenging themes, listed in content warnings.curatedsymposium's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Deadnaming, Sexism, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Abortion, and Death of parent
Minor: Eating disorder, Racism, and Pregnancy