Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - The Familiars

Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

The Familiars by Stacey Halls

20 reviews

themis_biblos's review against another edition

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dark tense medium-paced

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

3.25

Just okay.

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vi_holmes's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

While a couple chapter had some pacing issues, overall this was a great read! I caught myself holding my breath a few times! It was so tense and so captivating! It's obvious that the author did extensive research and took great care to give these people a story that so viscerally puts you in their time.

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blissofalife's review

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mysterious medium-paced

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

2.75

I was a little disappointed with the climax and ending. It felt like we were building up to some grand reveal which never came. Even the title of the book felt a little misleading? Familiars were mentioned, but never obviously attached or showed clear purpose. I didn’t really understand Fleetwood obsession with Alice, but maybe that was the point and I missed it.

And the big reveal about her husband having another family? Why did that just fizzle out at the end and come to nothing? We spent half the book with her being so distressed about it and in the end the solution is: “I’ll just ignore it.” But the reveal at the end that these were real characters and loosely. (very loosely.) based on real events was super interesting to me!

I did, however, love the attention to historical detail and dedication to - as far as I can tell - historical accuracy in the descriptions of interactions between the classes and feelings and views of the time. As well as what the characters were wearing, and why.

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rangerwing75's review against another edition

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2.5

The plot wasn’t for me. The only thing I really liked was Alice and Fleetwood’s friendship.

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emilykaegi's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

It took a bit to get into the book but then I loved it. Shuttleworth was a great narrator and I loved the ending

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makienzl's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

This book was enjoyable, but you really have to suspend your disbelief. Some of the behavior of the characters is definitely ridiculous for the time period. For instance the protagonist is married at 4 years old??? Maybe someone may have been betrothed but not married…

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spookyreader's review against another edition

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mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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deliriah's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

3.75

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mary_lake's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

Really fantastic book. I picked it up because I'd already read The Foundling and Mrs England and loved them but, having exhausted the witch trials during my history class a few years ago, I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy it.

I was completely wrong.

This book has an utterly compelling narrative, intertwining together the lives of Fleetwood, mistress of the manor, and Alice, a poor girl who lives in the village a little way away. Both women were fascinating characters and I enjoyed reading them.

The mystery surrounding whether or not Alice was a witch

and what exactly the other Pendle Witches were doing was crafted really well and I thought it a good ending that many questions were left unanswered or only hinted it.

I knew of the Pendle Witches but my school had focused on the Matthew Hopkins period, during the English Civil War, so I really had no idea about this particular witch trial until reading this book. I was surprised to find out halfway through, by Google, that all the characters were real historical figures from 1612, all either involved in the witch trial or living near it when it happened. Of course, this story weaved from this figures is made up and there's no evidence the real Fleetwood and Alice knew it each other, but knowing the characters were based on real people, made this already fascinating story even more so.

Having read The Foundling and Mrs England now as well, I've noticed Halls has a habit of placing two very different, well developed female characters together (often where one is in a position of power over the other) in a historical setting and having that relationship, with its shifting dynamics, guide the story. There are also very strong themes of motherhood and the mother/mother figure's relationship to their children, as well as feminism and what it meant to be a woman at that time in history. All of this I love and I think Halls' portrays these themes and characters excellently.

I'm so glad I picked this book up in the end; I absolutely devoured it and anxiously await Halls' next novel!

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alomie's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Solid book, it took me a while to get through the audio book, it's not one that will stay on my shelves, but definitely worth picking up if you like historical fiction based on real people and events.

It was possibly about 100 pages longer than I would have liked but overall I enjoyed the story.

Fleetwood the main character is a strong leading lady and very worthy in trying to save her poor midwife Alice who is accused of witchcraft and the murder of a child.

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