Reviews tagging 'Miscarriage'

The Familiars by Stacey Halls

88 reviews

august_ambrosia's review against another edition

emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

3.0

solid book! slightly annoying naive voice for a 17 year old but thats to be expected and it wasn't terrible or grating. nice witch hunt story + i would call the ending unrealistic if it wasn't historically accurate. so. pretty fun! good stuff. there's probably better witchy historical fiction out there but as far as it goes. not bad. tw for pretty graphic description of labour 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage and Pregnancy

Moderate: Infidelity

Minor: Death and Pedophilia

blissofalife's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

2.75

I was a little disappointed with the climax and ending. It felt like we were building up to some grand reveal which never came. Even the title of the book felt a little misleading? Familiars were mentioned, but never obviously attached or showed clear purpose. I didn’t really understand Fleetwood obsession with Alice, but maybe that was the point and I missed it.

  And the big reveal about her husband having another family? Why did that just fizzle out at the end and come to nothing? We spent half the book with her being so distressed about it and in the end the solution is: “I’ll just ignore it.” But the reveal at the end that these were real characters and loosely. (very loosely.) based on real events was super interesting to me!

 

I did, however, love the attention to historical detail and dedication to - as far as I can tell - historical accuracy in the descriptions of interactions between the classes and feelings and views of the time. As well as what the characters were wearing, and why.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, and Classism

Minor: Death, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual assault, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

lydia_reads's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Miscarriage, Misogyny, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy

Minor: Violence and Gaslighting

naomijade24's review against another edition

dark hopeful mysterious sad fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Miscarriage

chronically_cosy's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Mental illness, Miscarriage, and Sexism

sandysmith's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

I'm gradually adding books I've read in 2021 to give a true reflection of the books I've read since keeping records.  This was the first book I read in 2021, and is what kick-started my reading journey having put reading on the  back burner whilst bringing up the children,  previously being an avid reader. Set in 1612' it's an historical read. Fleetwood Shuttleworth is 17' who learns to be a midwife and is accused of being a witch. Pendle witch trials used as basis for the story. She starts off strongly but seems to weaken over tge course of the story. I was cross that she forgave her husband for his affair. I was disappointed in the ending.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Blood, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Child abuse and Pedophilia

thegoblinempress's review against another edition

reflective sad medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Child death, and Miscarriage

malcccccolm's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

The premise and set up if good but everything compelling and all the driving force for the main character is undone in the last 15 pages. Also a notiable lack of familiars. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, and Classism

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Eating disorder

Minor: Child abuse, Pedophilia, and Rape

bookish_kirst's review

dark emotional mysterious medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Blood, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Child death

honkinggoose's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Miscarriage

Minor: Alcoholism, Child death, and Blood