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ekmoore11'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
4.5
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Torture, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Miscarriage, Rape, Violence, and Xenophobia
Minor: Homophobia, Misogyny, and Lesbophobia
emilybarbian's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Murder
Moderate: Death, Pregnancy, and Lesbophobia
nicnevin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
That tasteless joke aside, its a beautiful piece showing how minor quibbles can lead to such devestating consequences.
The relationships and social connections throughout are stitched together with a raw, real intensity. Its beautiful.
A warning though, it can be intense so just a heads up!
Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
mayte_likes_reading's review against another edition
5.0
Moderate: Death, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Grief
lkbooks'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
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Homophobia, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, and Outing
Minor: Body shaming
mothie_girlie'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? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Lesbophobia
Minor: Animal death and Miscarriage
sarah_3141's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Lesbophobia
kayesomething'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
4.75
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Rape, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Child death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Grief, and Pregnancy
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Lesbophobia, and Alcohol
iridium's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This is a book that acknowledges: 1) the ethnic undercurrents of witch trials such as these, 2) the fact that European witch trials are mostly not a medieval phenomenon and really got going in earnest in the Early Modern period, and 3) the fact that Salem wasn't the only one. Also, I'm really glad this book wasn't about them being real witches. I always find that super tacky when it happens. Moreover, I feel like this book really *got it* in a way that most other witch hunt narratives don't, the uncertainty and the political changes that lead to this sort of thing. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to read about witch hunts (with the caveat that it's fiction and liberties were taken).
Are these really reasons to love a book? I told you it was irrational.
Also, I loved the amount of research that went into this. This is where some people are going to dislike this book. There's a lot of home and hearth. A lot of description of chores and baking and fishing and the landscape. I personally loved this but it's not going to be everyone's cup of tea.
The writing style worked for me. It made me feel like I was there. I could clearly picture and feel everything and I struggle with that when reading sometimes. Again, the writing style won't be for everyone.
I also really liked the characters, and how the class difference between the two main characters was handled. I liked the town's collective grief and how it didn't really bring them closer together. Maren's situation with her mother and sister-in-law was painfully believable. It wasn't rah-rah or syrupy like I was afraid might happen, it was just real.
Frankly, I didn't like the very ending that much but it didn't bother me enough to remove a star. Besides, I'm giving it extra points due to having an Arctic setting. I know this is unfair but it's my review so :P
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Torture, Religious bigotry, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Racism and Colonisation