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vixenreader'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
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism, Child death, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Police brutality, Colonisation, War, and Classism
Be aware that this book touches on violence against women, mistreatment and torture because of witchcraft accusations, Puritan dogma, Satanic Panic, cat murder, hanging, drowning, scapegoating, and Pagan worship.felofhe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
whitneyonline's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Colonisation
alexiusr'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
3.5
Graphic: Xenophobia and Murder
sarahelyse's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, and Gaslighting
Minor: Xenophobia, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
adbooks20's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child death, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Classism
minamouse'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
Graphic: Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death
Minor: Xenophobia and Colonisation
solarel's review against another edition
- 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? No
3.0
I’m conflicted a bit. While I enjoyed the main two characters, Abitha and Samson, I found the plot as a whole to be very… typical?
Samson’s story was by far the most interesting plot line. I enjoyed watching him struggle to find who he really is. Is he the monster or the savior? Abitha however, her story felt not just predictable but inevitable. The last third of the book is pure torture porn, and she did not grow as a character. She is merely an instrument of a vengeance arc.
I saw a lot of reviewers say this story was very white. And I think I see what they mean. I don’t know what the author’s religious background is, but this read as a very Christian framed story. People said this was a horror novel. I didn’t find it scary, only sad. People were the villain. Puritan culture was the villain. And yet it still felt like it was still validating their beliefs in the end with what was supposed to be the “horror”.
I don’t know if that makes sense, but “pagan” aspects were not rooted in lore beyond that of Christianity. I guess that’s what made it feel like more of a fantasy masquerade of a pagan story of blurred good and evil.
Stars for ambiance and entertainment only.
Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
mariecaat02's review against another edition
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Self harm, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Vomit, and Death of parent
elythrim's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
We've all heard someone say "Don't judge a book by its cover", but it's impossible not to. I like art, and I discovered Gerald Brom's not that long ago. I fell in love with it instantly and that was about it. Then I saw someone recommending this book, fell in love with the cover and as I always do, started reading it without even looking at a synopsis. What I actually realized not until I was already some chapters in the book was that the same artist that I knew of was the author of this book!
What I expect from a book when I love the cover is that it represents the feeling I have when I look at it. And it did just that. Witchery, vengeance, creepiness. Though also, lots of gore, misogyny, torture and violence (animals included). It's to be expected in novels like these, but I did get very uncomfortable at times.
Finishing this book, I was expecting some wrong portrayal of women's suffering, but that didn't happen (although the torture parts were a little too detailed for me and seemed like they'd never end). Seeing that he also sought the expertise of an historian to correctly portray the Pequot people made me happy, and although I don't know much about US history, the dedication to make an accurate representation (with all the fantasy elements included) added depth to the story.
Overall, my favorite things about this book are its continuous discussions about religion. What gods are, how evil is ever present and sometimes necessary to maintain balance. And how nature needs to be respected, as it is Mother of all. My favorite quote represents this very well:
"God, I am you, and you are me"
Graphic: Gore, Misogyny, Torture, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Death, Racism, and Xenophobia