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friendly_neighborhood_grandma'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? No
5.0
Medieval witches, eerie but not horror scary. Just my thing. I recommend this to people looking for a mystery, the vibes of stormy shores and creepy small isolated island. Also joy and hardships of single parenting. Enjoy!!
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Torture, Vomit, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Stalking, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Drug use, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting
Creepy kid behavior Children missingredlikeroses's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Chronic illness and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Vomit
fancyjess_party'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
3.0
Graphic: Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Violence, and Murder
hannah2896's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy
elizabethwebb's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
julieyael's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
The setting is quite ominous, and we feel something is off but the plot twist is hard to guess.
The characters have enough background to be interesting and the story is well written.
Some typically Scottish words were sometimes hard for me (I am not a native english speaker), but it was interesting to learn things😉
I did not rate this book with 5 stars because in my opinion some parts of the plot remains blurry. Also at times, some characters are acting in a not so logical way and I found it annoying.
But other than that I fell in love with this book and probably will read it again in the future.
Graphic: Child death, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Chronic illness, Infertility, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
Minor: Animal cruelty, Drug use, Rape, Torture, Grief, and Alcohol
tigerlilliereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Honestly, I put this book off for way too long because I am in love! I picked up the book based off of the cover (I know!) and the fact it had witches in the title. Little did I know this book would have so many more levels than I could ever imagine. I’m not one to read a thriller book, and I loved it.
This story tells of some characters narrating from different time zones about their time on a Scottish island called Lòn haven. I’m trying to not give too much away as the story is very cleverly written with lots of interlinking. The story features Liv and her three daughters, Saff, Luna and Clover as they arrive on the island and Liv is tasked with painting a mutual in the lighthouse. Whilst there the family learns about the dark secrets and mysteries, witches and wildings that haunt the suspicious and cruel towns people.
I love a witchy story but this one had so many more levels and so much more grounding in reality. The poignant message the story brings is still relevant now as it was back in the 1600s. The focus on the Scottish witch killings that are barely known about is, not only interesting, but also vital for those stories to be given a voice. I recently read A kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll and it also features this topic too.
Honestly, this book is great and mirroring and interlinking of past and present and that ending! I am looking forward to reading more from this author!
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Drug use, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
what_heather_loves's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Set over three timelines and told from four perspectives – mother Liv and eldest daughter Sapphire in 1998 and middle daughter Luna in 2021 as well as a 1662 perspective from, initially, someone unknown - this is haunting and atmospheric story is set on remote Scottish island, Lòn Haven. In 1998, Liv is an artist and has been engaged by the reclusive owner to paint a mural on the internal walls of the Island’s lighthouse ‘The Longing’ – she is also fleeing from something, which has fractured her family.The lighthouse is dilapidated and has a history of witch huntings and the Island is full of supersticious and unwelcoming locals. Liv learns that the cave beneath the lighthouse was once a prison for witches.
By 2021 we know the family of women, aside from Luna, went missing. Where did they go and how does it connect with The Longing's connection with witches? Luna returns to the island twenty two years later to find out.
I found this started slow and whilst it picked up, the three different time periods and four perspectives were somewhat confusing, plus there are so many characters. The characters are mainly well fleshed out, with Liv having her own problems to cope with as well as trying to keep her family together, but I wanted to know more about the 1662 witches and the grimoire. Despite some of the villagers appearing welcoming, there is a sinister undercurrent, which makes for an eerie read, but I struggled a little with the supernatural element (personal choice, some will love it).
A standalone novel that combines the paranormal with science fiction and a thriller revolving around a single-parent family and the lighthouse’s past history, this is great Halloween reading
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Chronic illness and Violence
Minor: Abandonment