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haley313'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
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Miscarriage, and Religious bigotry
k_ro's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Fire/Fire injury
Attention, plusieurs thèmes difficiles sont abordés dans ce roman de manière explicite et récurrente. A lire en étant prête à une ambiance lourde.witchvial'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? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Homophobia, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Animal death
m_a_j'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? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Homophobia, Miscarriage, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Death of parent
eliz_hop_1973'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
Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Lesbophobia
electricjuicebox'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? Yes
4.75
Some scattered thoughts:
- This is excellent historical fiction, it immersed me in an unfamiliar world and while I kept noting words I didn't recognize, I was able to pick up on their meanings through the general context of the story (I read the novel on a plane and wasn't able to look up any of the old-timey vocab). I wouldn't have expected to like a book set in 1518 Strasbourg as much as I did, but I was absolutely sucked in by KMH's writing.
- Speaking of the writing, it was beautiful and evocative.
- This book has some similar themes to The Mercies, the author's first book and one that I really loved. I think I prefer The Mercies between the two if I were forced choose, but I was glad that this was similarly excellent. There's the tragedy of womanhood and women struggling to find agency in a world controlled by men and by the Church (more often some combination of the two), a beautiful focus on complex relationships between women and an exploration of queer relationships in an early modern setting. There's also a really strong sense of place in the vivid descriptions of the oppressive summer heat.
- I thought the characters were relatable and well fleshed out - I wanted to know more about everyone. Lisbet's struggle to conceive and the guilt she carries for each of her failed pregnancies, as well as the guilt she feels over her mother's death and every bad omen she's ever drawn a connection to, is poignant.
- I really appreciated the little vignettes between chapters that lent purpose and context to the hundreds of women who fell under the Dancing Plague during this time.
- I think my main critique of this book is that the plot sped up a lot towards the end in a way that felt less realistic than the first half. It was a more exciting read, but began to feel less believable as a result. I personally still enjoyed it enough to give it such a high rating.
Moderate: Animal death, Miscarriage, Suicide, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
waybeyondblue's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual violence and Torture
lorriss's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Blood, Cannibalism, Alcohol, War, and Classism
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Slavery, Excrement, Alcohol, and Colonisation
amylovesbooksandyarn's review against another edition
- 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
That this was based a real phenomenon that occured in the 16th century and was so odd and mysterious it drew me in.
This is not a happy book but it was a beautiful book. The author is also a poet and her writing style whilst not written as a poem is very descriptive and rich. In the authors note it draws links between the attitudes of the 16th century and current times and I feel that makes it even more sad.
I am now hoping to read the Mercies by the same author. .
Graphic: Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Suicide, Blood, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
albon'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
3.5
Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Death, Homophobia, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racism, Suicide, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Outing