Reviews tagging 'Rape'

The Witches of Vardø by Anya Bergman

62 reviews

madamelacy's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

A powerful, exhilarating read. I felt so angry at the way men treated women who weren’t submissive enough, as they were so afraid of the women’s power. However, the female characters all find a way of being, beyond the control of men.

This book was beautifully written and I could absolutely imagine the landscape, freezing weather, dirt and foul smells! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

staceyinthesticks's review

emotional informative sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Rape, and Murder

Minor: Confinement and Pregnancy

alice_poppy's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Torture, and Murder

katiemcdo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

Dark historical fiction that gives powerful voices to those women impacted by the Vardo witch trials. Very well researched, I particularly enjoyed the use of Sami and Norse folklore. Good use of POVs and well build characters. 

It took me a little while to get into it and the middle third of the book felt a bit long but it does help to emphasise the long, torturous winter experienced by those on trial. The pacing really picked up in the last third of the novel. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Murder

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Torture

angwlikareads's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape

dwellthebraveatheart's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault

Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault

ninamanon's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

4.25

A harrowing feminist tale about sisterhood, power, and justice. I loved Ingeborg and Maren instantly; they drew me into the story. I had a more difficult time getting through Fru Anna’s chapters, as she reads as haughty and annoyingly delusional, a sort of pick me girl. She irritated me greatly in the beginning, but the strength of the book was that the further you got into her story, the more you understood how she became the way she was, and in the end I couldn’t fault her and merely felt sorry for her, as I did for every other woman in the book. As for the ending,

I loved it: I loved how the conflict was resolved, how it ended with a shimmer of hope, how every single girl and woman was liberated in one way or another. I especially loved Maren and Elisa’s future: it is so beautiful to find a queer historical story that doesn’t end in misery. I will think of them often.

The prose was beautiful; I did have to get used to the first person narrative, and I struggled a bit at around the 30% mark, as Anna was boring me a bit with her tedious stories of her past lover, but as I said, I now understand their purpose. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

domigaia's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

• Strong character development? No

DNF 90%

I think I greatly misunderstood or was mislead in suggestions of this book. This is a historical fiction or historical retelling of tragedy. Pure brutal tragedy. The feminist uprising I was expecting does not seem like it is going to happen.

 Imo “these witches of vardo refuse to be victims, they will have justice. They will show their power. They will not burn.” Is a little misleading ? They do burn, and they don’t really get justice? 

I feel like I am constantly waiting for the ‘justice’ bit and showing their power

The writing of the Sami people, and the atmospheric setting the scene was great. 

But..
MAJOR SPOILERS/
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horrible scene of SA :( , and then her mother is burnt, and I read ahead that her sister jumps off a bridge. And from reading ahead they are still pretty much in the same position? 

And Anna is STILL talking about her useless king who betrayed her. 

Started with wonderful writing a premise but was not my type of book. Not rating because I didn’t finish. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, and Sexual assault

ehs1989's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, and Violence

vbzshenanigans's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Classism