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readwithria's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really enjoyed this book, and the characters took the cake. The POV characters, their children and wards, their partners, and all of the side characters felt so fleshed out and real. Their relationships were so fun to read about, even the bad ones.
I will say that it wasn’t until well into the book that I felt like I understood how the magic system worked. The delineation between the different types of witches and what they can do, plus the elemental aspect of witchery, made for a lot of information that I still don’t fully grasp.
I’m very excited to read The Shadow Cabinet! 4 stars.
Graphic: Cursing, Transphobia, Violence, Murder, Outing, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Animal death, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Car accident, Alcohol, and War
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
wallflovver'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? Yes
4.75
i loved these characters, bar one of course. i really enjoyed them together and seeing their sisterly bond.
the magic system was also so interesting to get into! i liked the lore that made this magic it's own thing, and the reliance on nature was a lovely aspect that gets any magic system points from me!
this did feel like a very direct response to joanne revealing herself as a terf, and i revelled in that! very very enjoyable to me!
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Hate crime, Transphobia, Blood, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying, Child abuse, Car accident, and Alcohol
elliesienk's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Transphobia
Moderate: Death, Fire/Fire injury, and War
lorriss'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: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual content, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Infidelity, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Vomit, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism
Minor: Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Abortion, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, and Pandemic/Epidemic
hematthews's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Transphobia, Violence, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Outing, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Deadnaming, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
ramreadsagain's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I loved so much about this, the world-building is great (I love reading different approaches to witches in books) and the entire book is also a fuck you to terfs which is always excellent.
I found the first 150 pages quite slow, the book started a couple of chapters too early imo and it took a while for the plot to kick off. Possibly too many POVs as I spent a long while just trying to remind myself who was who.
The characters did feel slightly one-dimensional at times, particularly Elle, but I still loved many of them. I would love to learn more about Diaspora too.
The final 150 pages were excellent, I sped through them so fast. I really enjoyed the plot development and can't wait to read the next one. Glad I already have it!!
Graphic: Transphobia and Murder
Moderate: Death, Violence, and War
Minor: Infidelity, Sexual content, and Fire/Fire injury
wishbea'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
4.0
It was wonderful to read a fantasy story from the perspective of adult women, where many of them have kids/kid charges and it's an accomplishment that the children were all dynamic characters and not frustrating to read about or detrimental to the plot in a way they sometimes are. Themes of motherhood and found family are very strong here.
The romances and friendships all felt organic to me and I was definitely rooting for the budding new romance in the book.
The trans storyline was by far the strongest and was what made this book 5 stars for me, it used a great many talking points I've heard from trans people, allies and TERFs so it was bone chilling how accurate to real life the arguments the characters were having felt.
We also get POC characters and lesbian characters, but their struggles were sidelined somewhat and I am hoping they will get their chance to shine in the next book.
I'm glad the second book is out because I can't wait to read it and find out where these characters go next.
Edit: After reading the second book I've changed my rating to 4 stars as I realised the ending to this book destroys multiple characters storylines and is partially responsible for book 2 being disappointing.
Graphic: Transphobia, Kidnapping, and Death of parent
Moderate: Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Infidelity, Racism, Sexual content, Blood, Car accident, Murder, Outing, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Eating disorder, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
laurataylor's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Car accident, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Alcohol
black_cat_iiix's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Transphobia, Fire/Fire injury, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Racism, and War
Minor: Addiction, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Abortion, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Alcohol
frmeden's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Hate crime, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Child abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Car accident, and War