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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
dannilmp's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
While HMRC feels like it has the setting for a pretty used story line, the detail and depth Dawson went into to explore topics including racism, transphobia, cultural differences in magic and how society treats individuals all wrapped into a thrilling tale about magic and world crises makes for a really interesting read!
I loved the depth that the characters had, and the way sensitive topics were covered felt like it was covered in a good way. While this meant I did have to frequently take rest breaks in order to absorb all the information and to think through the implications of certain character's actions or consquences. While the book ended on quite the cliffhanger, I'm looking forward to what the sequel has in stall for these women!
Graphic: Death, Racism, Transphobia, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and War
Moderate: Animal death and Injury/Injury detail
alexiab'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
While there are a ton of excellent commentaries happening throughout this story about racism, homophobia, transphobia, and sexism there is also an INCREDIBLE fantasy plot with exciting action and heartstopping twists. I can't BELIEVE the exciting and emotional way it ended, and I am champing at the absolute bit for the next book. I'm obsessed with this writing, the balance of character study/women's fiction aspects, world building, and fast paced plot is fabulous. I would read another one of these books for the characters alone, but THAT PLOT! OOOOH THAT PLOT SHE IS SPICY SHE IS EXCITING SHE IS DESTROYING MY VERY SOUL FROM THE INSIDE OUT.
And god, the social commentary on trans women and their place in women's spaces? The white feminism and how it doesn't benefit women of colour? The raging white women fighting for "women's rights" but only women who look like her?! GOD. JUST AMAZING.
A huge part of me thinks this book was written as a direct response to JK Rowling and her bullshit TERF rhetoric, and my god is it incredible. The setting, the fantasy elements, and the themes work so beautifully together and paint the biggest "fuck you" to every TERF out there, I couldn't be more thrilled.
A huge part of me expected Helena's story to go a very different direction, and I am SO thrilled that this didn't remotely pander to the "we're better than them, show them kindness" bullshit that some people spew. every TERF deserves to burn in hell, I'm not sorry. RIP Helena, you crusty bitch.
Graphic: Cursing, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexual content, Transphobia, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Dysphoria
Minor: Self harm and Alcohol
cosypuck's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Deadnaming, Death, Transphobia, Violence, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: War
astropova's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Transphobia and Violence
Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Confinement and Death
maregred'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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Transphobia
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Blood, Kidnapping, Car accident, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Abortion, and Pregnancy
th18's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
- Fast pace and seemed more YA than anything, too many modern references for me personally but each to their own.
- This also felt like the second book of the series at the start there was just so much unexplained things thrown in.
- Whilst the book did deal with modern topics such as race and trans rights, I wish it also talked a bit about harmful beauty standards due to Elle literally hiding her true self from her husband.
- I feel like the amount of swear words was also unnneeded.
- I love the idea of queer witches and empowered modern women but I feel like the talk about adulthood was very bleak
- The writing and worldbuilding also felt quite underdeveloped which was disappointing
- Finally the use of the d slur was completely unneeded
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Transphobia, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and Classism
Minor: Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Abortion, Outing, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment
rhensie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Ehhhhhhhh… The first half of this book was bad. Nothing relevant happened. Yeah, the battle at the end was cool, so that probably gives it its 3.5 instead of 2.5. But the craft, the plot, the pacing, and at times the writing, were all off. There were a bunch of punctuation mistakes in the ebook that took me right out of the story. Leonie felt like diversity points. I love Theo (and she’s named after one of my favourite characters!), but we don’t see enough of what she is actually like. At times, I hated the way the book did it’s representation.
Graphic: Racism, Transphobia, and War
Moderate: Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Self harm
ktkeps'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Grief, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
rorikae'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
Niamh, Helena, Elle, Leonie, and Ciara all grew up together as budding witches. As kids they were fast friends but as women in their mid-30s and after the fallout of a war, life has changed for all of them. Helena is head of Her Majesty's Royal Coven, Niamh is a veterinarian living in a small town, Elle is taking care of her two children, and Leonie has started her own coven dedicated to marginalized witches. Ciara is in a coma after the events of the war. When Theo, a teenager with incredible magical power is discovered, Helena fears that they are the prophesized Sullied Child that will destroy the witches. Niamh on the other hand just sees a young child with too much power who has never been shown care in their life. With differing views, tensions begin to rise as they each determine what is the appropriate step forward.
Dawson has written an adult fantasy that is hard to put down while dealing with a number of different subjects. It is clear that this book is in large part inspired by She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and her transphobia. Dawson delves into a number of different subjects while creating a cast of characters that it is easy to love. She also does a good job of showcasing how a belief in how things should be can escalate into full bigotry. There is a twist at the end of this first book that makes me excited and terrified for where this story is going next. Dawson's writing is straightforward but the plot and characters made this a story I had a hard time putting down. If you are looking for a fast paced fantasy set in our world and dealing with many of our current issues, 'Her Majesty's Royal Coven' is a great book to pick up.
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Transphobia, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: War
Minor: Abandonment