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laurenisallbooked's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
We Were Witches is one of the most unique books I've ever read. I loved how Gore showed the personal being political by blending the main character Ariel's life with learning, scholarly text, and witchcraft. Ariel explores her identity as woman, mother, daughter, lover, queer woman, student and scholar. You can feel the magic and divination in this book in the power of intention, friendship, queerness, and love.
Maybe I didn't have to be the kind of writer who published stories in books, who they interviewed on the radio. maybe I could be the kind of writer who helped other writers. I could be poor like Mary or not poor. I could be famous or not famous. I could belong to writing groups and play pool or I could be washing dishes and drinking tea. I could be always dying and always keeping on.
I didn't like that this felt too often like a 101 course's essay assignment on women and gender studies. I wanted more intersectionality and depth.
For Judith Butler, gender was always a kind of performance. Did she know that motherhood was a performance too?
My mother hated me on sight, but it was nothing personal. She hated herself too.
I loved my daughter instinctively, but I couldn't bend myself into the definitions of mother I'd been handed.
This is a great book for anyone beginning to step into their power, their femininity, and their fight against the patriarchy.
I knew we would have to mold ourselves into princesses even though I knew perfectly well we were meant to be witches.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, and Violence
nicnevin's review
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Truly unsure how I feel about the book. It's well written enough but given its feminist themes, it somehow made me feel less like a woman. Maybe that's just me being weird though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism