Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

The Familiars, by Stacey Halls

12 reviews

shanno_h0's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pregnancy, and Adult/minor relationship

heather_lt's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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

4.5

My first Stacey Halls novel and I wasn't disappointed.

The Familiars is set during the frenzy of the witch hunts in the 17th century, specifically the Pendle witch trials in Lancashire. The story isn't necessarily about the witch trials, but rather follows a desperate young woman who happens to  befriend one of the women accused of witchcraft and from there the author brings to life a fictional explaination for why Alice Gray was the only accused witch to be acquitted. 

This book held me firmly in its grip from start to finish. I enjoyed so much about it - the general sombre atmosphere with that fantastic creeping sense of dread, the descriptive writing giving a sense of otherworldliness, and the relationships the main character has with her husband, her mother, and her friend. 

4.5 stars because I have a slight issue with the ending... Everything was wrapped up a little too neatly for my liking, everything explained with everyone at peace. Too picture perfect. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Miscarriage, and Misogyny

Moderate: Child death, Blood, Grief, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

crispywings's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

Interesting book, I found it quite sad seeing how the main character is trapped in her life that she slowly realises is not what she thought it was. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage and Misogyny

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

evelum's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Exactly the kind of heartfelt adventure I was looking for. Fleetwood's perseverance was touching, and I loved how down to earth all her relationships were. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Infertility, Injury/injury detail, Medical content, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexism, and Child death

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

louisegraveyard's review against another edition

emotional informative mysterious sad slow-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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Miscarriage

Minor: Child abuse and Pedophilia

andrea_carroll123's review against another edition

dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Alcoholism, Blood, Death, Infertility, Infidelity, and Miscarriage

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death of parent, Medical content, Pedophilia, Confinement, and Gore

laurenparham's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense 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? Yes

3.25

Hate a husband redemption story but I did still enjoy this book!! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, and Pregnancy

lillyhill's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility and Miscarriage

Moderate: Misogyny

nataliaf4's review

dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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

5.0

5 stars! This book gripped me from cover to cover. I adored the characters and gothic setting and the main friendship in this is one of my favorite literary female/female friendships to date!

TW: descriptions of miscarriage and stillbirth, animal death, gaslighting, blood, and mentions of sexual abuse of a minor.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Murder, Blood, Animal death, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Gaslighting, Sexism, Misogyny, and Infertility

Minor: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, and Pedophilia

bybookandbone's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad slow-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

4.5

I don't think I have the words to describe everything I loved about The Familiars. Fleetwood is an incredibly sympathetic character. Just as I was getting irritated with her inaction, we discover that she is only 17, been married for four years and is pregnant with four miscarriages behind her. That's just so much for a young person to take. Plus the childhood neglect and abuse... absolutely horrific. 

Throughout the book, Fleetwood has to deal with being seen as nothing more as an interactive uterus in an expensive dress. 
I don't want to say much more than that without spoiling the story, though I wish it had ended with the violent murder of her husband, Richard, and his friend Rodger.

Alice is one of the women accused of witchcraft and Fleetwood's only friend, as well as the only midwife who has actually helped her with her difficult pregnancy. 
Don't be fooled into thinking this book is about the Pendle trials, it's set around them but at the end of the day, it's Fleetwood and Alice's story.

Spoiler

I still wish they ran off together

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Misogyny, and Sexism

Moderate: Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, and Infertility

Minor: Abandonment, Body horror, and Confinement