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jenk2020's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- 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
Overall - 3.9/5
Story - 4/5
Writing - 4/5
Character - 4/5
Memorability - 4/5
Enjoyment - 3.5/5
Would I read again? Yes
Once I let go of the need to understand what was going on, I found myself really enjoying this. A strange, sinister tale of ghosts, a malevolent house, witches, mental illness and love. It was strangely enchanting and I look forward to reading more from Helen Oyeyemi. This made for a great book club read.
Story - 4/5
Writing - 4/5
Character - 4/5
Memorability - 4/5
Enjoyment - 3.5/5
Would I read again? Yes
Once I let go of the need to understand what was going on, I found myself really enjoying this. A strange, sinister tale of ghosts, a malevolent house, witches, mental illness and love. It was strangely enchanting and I look forward to reading more from Helen Oyeyemi. This made for a great book club read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
amyg414d2's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, and Self harm
critisighs's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- 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? Yes
3.75
Helen Oyeyemi's writing style is odd but wonderful. Her poetic writing kept me reading until the end.
I found it a challenging to follow the story at times because the switches in perspective weren't obvious at times. But also just figuring out which character this is and what's going on their head. I still have some questions and am not quite sure what really happened at the end.
This book was definitely an experience, but while I enjoyed it, I wouldn't say I loved it. I hardly read any horror so it may just be my taste. I really do love Oyeyemi's writing though. I'd give her other stuff a read, especially if it ventures out of this genre.
This book was definitely an experience, but while I enjoyed it, I wouldn't say I loved it. I hardly read any horror so it may just be my taste. I really do love Oyeyemi's writing though. I'd give her other stuff a read, especially if it ventures out of this genre.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder and Racism
Moderate: Mental illness
falcc's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Firstly I should say that while I did not enjoy this book, the author is clearly a talented writer and I don't want to discourage anyone from her other work. However, White is for Witching is a slog.
The characters in this book - apart from Ore and Sade, who are genuinely great and trying their best - are extremely unpleasant people that it's hard to spend time with. The story drags on until the Ore portions in the second half of the book, and that story is about gradually degrading any sympathy you might initially have for the other characters. Most of the real plot happens in the last 50 pages or so and feels both rushed and unfinished. I spent large portions of my reading experience just inwardly shouting for characters to TALK TO EACH OTHER about what they're feeling and left disappointed and frustrated.
The characters in this book - apart from Ore and Sade, who are genuinely great and trying their best - are extremely unpleasant people that it's hard to spend time with. The story drags on until the Ore portions in the second half of the book, and that story is about gradually degrading any sympathy you might initially have for the other characters. Most of the real plot happens in the last 50 pages or so and feels both rushed and unfinished. I spent large portions of my reading experience just inwardly shouting for characters to TALK TO EACH OTHER about what they're feeling and left disappointed and frustrated.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, Self harm, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Racism, Self harm, and Violence
Minor: Incest
gwynsvan's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Eating disorder, and Blood
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Racism, Self harm, Violence, Xenophobia, and Grief
emotes's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder
Moderate: Incest, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Cannibalism
goblingirlreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
There was a lot about this book that I found very interesting - the house, the twins, the writing style was beautiful. Perhaps it was the state of mind that I read it but the story itself was really wobbly and unfocused and I struggled to keep my attention and focus throughout. I had a difficult time parsing the timeline of events and focusing on what was happening. There's a lot of "what's real and what's not" going on on top of time weirdness which I'm sure is completely intentional but didn't help my focus problem and made me lose the through line and forward movement of the story. I also found the ending a bit anticlimactic and underwhelming but, like I said there was a lot to love as well that drew me in.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Dementia, and Grief
sophiewelsh's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Eating disorder, Mental illness, and Racism
magicalghoul's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Well, that sure was a disquieting read.
I'm very in love with the way it used the concept of genii loci sucking up and then reflecting the racism of a previous owner and That being the horror, as well as the way it integrated the theme in the narrative.
I would recommend it for the excellent creepy imagery and stylization, wouldn't recommend it if you're not fond of non-endings and loose plots with more flair than anything.
I'm very in love with the way it used the concept of genii loci sucking up and then reflecting the racism of a previous owner and That being the horror, as well as the way it integrated the theme in the narrative.
I would recommend it for the excellent creepy imagery and stylization, wouldn't recommend it if you're not fond of non-endings and loose plots with more flair than anything.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, and Racism
Moderate: Incest
Lots of talk about weight/losing weight/unhealthy eating habits in general and xenophobia. Mention of institutionalization as well.