Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec

12 reviews

savshanae'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? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book is an absolute MASTERPIECE. Hands down one of my favorite standalone books. I tore through it and  nearly started it over again as soon as I finished! 
As the story continued I felt more and more attached to Angrboda and invested in her story, whatever form she took. The way Gornichec weaves together so many myths (and has notes to back it up at the end!) and draws the characters in a new light is nothing short of stunning. The portrayal of motherhood is raw and heartfelt, all while subtly highlighting the strengths (and weaknesses) of women. 
10/10, no notes, just praise for this book! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Classism

Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and War

Minor: Mental illness, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Alcohol

TW List: FMC dies several times, is burned/tortured, describes pregnancy/childbirth/loss of children, MMC is tortured, and several other instances of body gore.

ruthmoog's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced

4.75

I loved this, the eddas and mythology are so strange and bat-shit but quite difficult. This retelling takes all the bizarreness of the mythology and makes it feel real and gives context to the interactions between the realms.
I have especially found Loki a hard one to understand, and Angrboda's perspective made him come to life as a character, it's brilliantly told.

My knowledge of the sagas and eddas isn't enough to know if anything is "creatively authored", but I understand there is Viking age ideas included as well, but from what I was familiar with it all clicked. (I do not know about the Marvel universe portrayals).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal death, Body horror, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, and War

braveprincess11's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I am stunned, I am shattered… this book is absolutely brilliant.

I had only passing knowledge of Norse mythology and the events of Ragnarok - enough to recognize some names, but little enough that the entire story was new to me. 

Genevieve Gornichec has put so much heart and personality and humanity into names of mythology that it’s left me absolutely speechless. I got sucked right into the world of Ironwood & Asgard, and every single moment necessitates it’s being there. There’s nothing extra or distracting; it all adds to the overall tale. It’s brilliant & I can’t wait to see what Gornichec does next

The parallels of Hel & Baldur to Angrboda & Loki at the end absolutely shattered my heart - even the dialogue upon his return was a near perfect mimic. And them telling their children the tales of the gods & the worlds beforehand, where Angrboda could not tell Hel and her brothers about the Jarnvidur, since she couldn’t remember her previous lives… 

I’m shattered. It’s beautiful, brilliant, stunning…

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and War

scifi_rat's review against another edition

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Death, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexual content, Torture, Violence, and Pregnancy

ka_ke's review against another edition

I don’t mind slow pacing, but I can’t stand reading about pregnancy for chapters on end. I would recommend avoiding this book if you have no desire to experience pregnancy, childbirth or parenthood. 

What could have been a story of adventure, romance and diversity  turned into a book about women becoming mothers simply because that was expected of them. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Blood, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Xenophobia

Minor: Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment

ibjilln's review against another edition

dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Grief

Moderate: Body horror, Chronic illness, Miscarriage, and Misogyny

lanid's review against another edition

adventurous

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Gore, Torture, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury

ashleycmms's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, and Death of parent

innastholiel's review against another edition

emotional sad 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? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Gore, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death, Death, Infidelity, Stalking, Death of parent, and War

Minor: Sexual content, Grief, and Alcohol

ekmoore11's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Confinement, Infidelity, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

Minor: Alcohol