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alisbleu's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gun violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
allyareads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I'd also love to mention the character art in the book! Stunning and creepy. Love, love, love it.
I'm gonna need more books to provide their own art.
File under: "Good for her (them)" + "I support women's rights AND women's wrongs".
Imagine a mix of Robert Egger's The Witch and a less sapphic Fear Street 1666.
Moral of the story; the Puritans were really fucking scary and nothing is more haunting than the rightousness of a group of people who envoke God to deliver punishment.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Emotional abuse, and Death of parent
ellornaslibrary's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
2.0
However, the story moves so slow and the satisfaction I was hoping to find in this new possible story presented was short-lived as it turned into the usual predictable story. It was at least going to be a 3 or 3.5 star book though until the blatant ableism right at the end. Literal magic in this book, used multiple times throughout to do amazing things, and then we get to this part and just. . . it was insulting and offensive so now it's a 2 star book and I don't know if I'll pick up another book from this author anytime soon.
CW Ableism details:
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Gaslighting
rubys100's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Religious bigotry, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying and Grief
aubzilla's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Gun violence, Racism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, and Colonisation
Moderate: Cursing and Suicidal thoughts
cehale's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Moderate: Body horror, Gore, Gun violence, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
solarel's review
- 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? No
3.0
I’m conflicted a bit. While I enjoyed the main two characters, Abitha and Samson, I found the plot as a whole to be very… typical?
Samson’s story was by far the most interesting plot line. I enjoyed watching him struggle to find who he really is. Is he the monster or the savior? Abitha however, her story felt not just predictable but inevitable. The last third of the book is pure torture porn, and she did not grow as a character. She is merely an instrument of a vengeance arc.
I saw a lot of reviewers say this story was very white. And I think I see what they mean. I don’t know what the author’s religious background is, but this read as a very Christian framed story. People said this was a horror novel. I didn’t find it scary, only sad. People were the villain. Puritan culture was the villain. And yet it still felt like it was still validating their beliefs in the end with what was supposed to be the “horror”.
I don’t know if that makes sense, but “pagan” aspects were not rooted in lore beyond that of Christianity. I guess that’s what made it feel like more of a fantasy masquerade of a pagan story of blurred good and evil.
Stars for ambiance and entertainment only.
Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
jessie_cobb's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Gun violence, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Cultural appropriation, and Colonisation
Minor: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship
sizzlesteaks's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
mysterious_and_spooky's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, and Colonisation