Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

The Witches of Vardø by Anya Bergman

34 reviews

bookwyrmdancer's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Pregnancy

anapthine's review

dark emotional inspiring reflective 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? No

4.5

 

Thank you NetGalley and Bonnier UK Audio for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Oh my word, this was amazing. It was gripping from start to finish. The stories of the women were full of emotion, vulnerability and strength - the characters were so well written. The narrator really added to this already great novel.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Violence

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Infidelity

geobp's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Torture, Vomit, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy

bookchatwithbeth's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense 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? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Murder, and Pregnancy

imlfox's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Suicide, and Torture

Minor: Animal death

na_no's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Misogyny, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Child death, Miscarriage, Suicide, Torture, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Domestic abuse

tigglez's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

lilyadams's review against another edition

dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, and Abandonment

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Miscarriage, Suicide, Torture, Blood, Excrement, and Pregnancy

julesreadsstuff's review

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

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Miscarriage

indyjg's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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

4.25

This haunting and evocative novel is a fictional retelling of the Vardø witch trials, where thirty women were accused of witchcraft and making deals with the devil on the island of Vardø in 1662. The book swaps between a dual point of view from Ingeborg, the daughter of Zigri, a widow and accused witch whose only mistake was an affair with a merchant, and Anna Rhodius, formerly the King of Denmark's secret mistress, exiled after losing favour with the King. 

These women are all subjected to the cruel whims of men in power and the zeal of religious fanaticism. Yet the power of these women and their strength stand out; they are all complex characters trying to survive in a time where so much as dancing could leave you branded as a witch. I enjoyed that Anna Rhodius's role was more fleshed out and complex, and the setting adds to an eerie atmosphere and the feel of the book. Maren was one of my favourite characters, the daughter of an infamous witch. Maren has a unique and outspoken disposition in a time when women were expected to be meek and subservient. Her intrinsic connection to nature and her strength sat with me for a while after reading this, as well as Ingeborg's perseverance in the face of danger. We all have a little of Ingeborg in us, waiting to be unleashed at the right time. I felt more connected to my ancestors and the hardships they must have faced after reading this; the true story of these women should not be forgotten.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Suicide

Moderate: Child death, Death, and Torture

Minor: Death of parent