Reviews tagging 'Religious bigotry'

The Book of Gothel by Mary McMyne

11 reviews

lanid's review against another edition

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

Minor: Violence, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Sexual harassment

dragonwriter's review against another edition

adventurous challenging inspiring slow-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

5.0

Presented as a found medieval German text, The Book of Gothel gives the life of the witch who kidnapped Rapunzel and locked her in the tower. Her name was Haelewise. Throughout her life, Haelewise struggles with fainting spells that makes her father and priests believe she’s possessed by a demon, and they try all sorts of holy remedies to cure her and cast the demon out. Her mother, however, has a different solution in mind. Sacrificing her own life for Haelewise’s happiness, her mother’s death sets Haelewise on a path to find the Circle, a group of women who worship the Mother, as well as embroils her in political machinations and assassinations. Fighting to preserve herself and her love, Haelewise follows the path her mother sets before her, searching for a family who will finally love her as she is. 

 

This story hints at several other fairy tales, such as snow white, yet holds to a fantastical historical nature. It’s quite the clever play between fantasy and history, and I couldn’t help but picture Haelewise’s dress as the same featured in Disney’s Tangled. I thought that was quite the clever nod to the familiar tale. While I wouldn’t call this a ‘cozy’ story, the stakes follow the fates of several women in Haelewise’s life, as she fights to protect those from the cruelty of men. The men in power are frequently as cruel, or uncaring of woman’s plight (the King, Haelewise’s father, Ulrich), while the men who are lower ranked in the political structure are more sympathetic (Daniel and Matthaus). I do like how Mattaus is able to contribute to the ending, how he’s sent away with the baby while Haelewise confronts the wolf, and I really like how sweet he is and how he fights for her, despite her reputation. Their friends-to-lovers dynamic really has you rooting for them throughout the whole book, and while I hate Kunegunde for what she did, I’m glad they got something of a happy ending. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Religious bigotry and Death of parent

Minor: Miscarriage and Rape

amalyndb's review

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Death of parent

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Miscarriage, Torture, and Abortion

prairieraven's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism

bookishrn93's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I love a good fairy tell retelling, especially one from the villains POV. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, and Murder

Moderate: Misogyny

Minor: Abortion

qrschulte's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

What a fantastic retelling. Takes the well-known story and turns it on its head, shattering expectations. I love a book with a good framing narrative, and this was no exception. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Infertility, Misogyny, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Classism

Moderate: Confinement and Sexual assault

Minor: Animal death, Miscarriage, Suicide, Torture, and Antisemitism

flyintothestorm's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

This was just beautiful. I loved both the story and the way it is told. I don't really think it needed to support itself in the Rapunzel tale, but it works and the mentions to other fairy tales work too.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual assault, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Sexism, Blood, and Religious bigotry

apolloann's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious fast-paced

• 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Terminal illness, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Alcoholism, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, and Religious bigotry

rookdigoo's review against another edition

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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

naomi_k's review against another edition

dark emotional informative medium-paced

• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent

Moderate: Bullying, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Murder, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

Minor: Chronic illness, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Blood, and Dysphoria