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eadrianschmitz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Fire/Fire injury, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Incest, Violence, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Emotional abuse, Grief, Police brutality, Death, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Murder, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, and Physical abuse
artemishi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Religious bigotry
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Sexual harassment, Police brutality, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Racism, Sexual assault, Vomit, Violence, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Child death, Blood, and Body horror
greenclovers75's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, and Pregnancy
Minor: Child death, Violence, and Sexual content
readmorbookz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Suicide, Alcoholism, Addiction, Death, Abortion, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Child abuse, Homophobia, Racism, and Self harm
cowmingo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Rape, Death, and Violence
Minor: Incest
roaringmamalion'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? No
5.0
Moderate: Terminal illness, Rape, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Sexual violence, Sexism, Infertility, and Violence
mhairi_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Murder, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexual content, Bullying, Chronic illness, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Alcohol
Minor: Abortion, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Infertility, and Child abuse
velsbooknook's review against another edition
4.5
The setting was absolutely stunning. The description of characters, weather and nature was so well done and I felt really immersed in the story and world. I loved the magic the witches used and it fitted perfectly into the setting.
The main antagonist was very well written too. He was evil and manipulative but also not too unlikeable in my opinion. The whole character cast was very diverse and the reader also get some queer romance which I absolutely loved!
I was very surprised that I enjoyed this book that much but all three women were equally likeable and strong, the beautiful atmosphere and setting and vivid writing made me really enjoy this book!
It comes out February 1st 2023 and I'm sure I'll grab a physical copy myself. Highly recommend!
Graphic: Abortion, Sexual violence, Rape, Domestic abuse, and Violence
kaela_readsnwrites's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Gracelynn Doherty has special talents just like her Granny and she uses them to help make cures for the folk of Tin Mountain. Despite helping many a family, Gracelynn and her Granny are still treated with suspicion and as outcasts from the community. Though accusations of witchcraft are never far from folks’ minds, Gracelynn’s family, for the most part, live a peaceful life.
That is until the travelling preacher, Josiah Bellflower, comes to town with promises of healing both the people and the land. However, he is not what he seems and is old enemy come back to haunt Granny after 50 years. With his arrival comes a curse upon Tin Mountain and the pretending preacher swiftly turns the town against Gracelynn and her grandmother with his manipulative and cunning ways.
With Granny falling sick, it is up to Gracelynn to uncover the past and save not just herself but her family and the folks of Tin Mountain from Bellflower’s vengeance and deadly deceptions.
Thoughts:
Set in the Depression era, the story is gripping from the very start with a compelling story of mystery, peril and the supernatural. From the start, I was immersed in the world of Tin Mountain and it’s haunting atmosphere. The Ozark setting as well as being developed through the descriptive writing was built upon through the language and colloquialisms used, which I felt really gave it character and suited the story well.
The story is told through two points of view, Gracelynn Doherty’s story in first person in 1931 and Deirdre Werner’s in third person in 1981. I felt that by using a different perspective for each it made it easier to keep track of which character the story was focusing on and helped differentiate the points in time. The two timelines really aided to build the story and drew parallels between the events of the past and the present (of the book).
I thought it was cleverly done how the sections in the past gradually revealed secrets and history without ever giving too much away so that it would affect the impact of the mysteries and events in Gracelynn’s story. Both characters were engaging and likeable, and though they shared some similarities, I felt they were still distinct from each other in their thoughts and behaviour.
Kennedy created a haunting atmosphere throughout and tension that steadily increased as the story went on. There was a real sense of threat developed, in both timelines, as both characters struggled with deviance and machinations employed by Bellflower. There were also tender moments that provided a breathing space for the reader and a change of pace.
The story built up to the climatic events of the final chapters and whilst they were full of action, it never felt rushed. The ending itself felt satisfying and touching with the characters finally rewarded for all the battles they had to go through.
Overall:
I found The Witch of Tin Mountain by Paulette Kennedy utterly enthralling and loved every minute of reading it. The characters with their secrets and struggles were engaging and the haunting atmosphere created just added to the feeling of suspense and tension. In fact, as you might have noticed, I could find nothing that I did not like or would change about this story, which is a rare thing indeed.
This is one of my top reads so far this year and I will definitely be recommending others to pick up this book up when it is released in December (in the UK).
Rating: 5/5
Moderate: Racism, Sexual harassment, Violence, Child death, Death of parent, and Homophobia
Minor: Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Pedophilia