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annabelle's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
A good revenge fantasy with a sprinkle of the supernatural. I enjoyed the story as a whole, though I did see the twist coming. I don’t mind that since it was done well. The plot was interesting and the pacing was good considering the length of the book. It didn’t lag anywhere and the story built up well. The characters were compelling, and I was rooting for them to complete their vengeance.
While there are some magical realism/supernatural elements, so much of the story is realistic in how adults and the systems we have fail vulnerable women. I appreciated how that was a focus of the story and the book stressed how these girls deserve respect. It was definitely a violent book, yet not overindulgent in describing the graphic details of the horrors these young girls experienced which I appreciated.
Some moments did get a little girlboss-y feminism at times, but I don’t think it was too bad overall. I appreciate some unapologetically angry women enacting revenge.
While there are some magical realism/supernatural elements, so much of the story is realistic in how adults and the systems we have fail vulnerable women. I appreciated how that was a focus of the story and the book stressed how these girls deserve respect. It was definitely a violent book, yet not overindulgent in describing the graphic details of the horrors these young girls experienced which I appreciated.
Some moments did get a little girlboss-y feminism at times, but I don’t think it was too bad overall. I appreciate some unapologetically angry women enacting revenge.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Drug abuse and Drug use
cheye13's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Yet another book that I don't think was pitched to me correctly. I had heard it was a sort of witchy book about post-menepausal women starting a coven and gaining powers. This is not that, but the only disappointment I have about it is I still want to read that book too.
The synopsis is more accurate than the elevator pitch I got. These are adult women (though I wouldn't call them all "middle age") who always sort of had these magic powers, and are just now beginning to embrace and express them after meeting each other and beginning to uncover a conspiracy. Essentially it is much more a crime/mystery/thriller with a little magic than it is a true paranormal.
This book gave me so much more than I expected, and I truly enjoyed it. It's cathartic, angry, vengeful. Satisfying in every way I wanted from it. It was also terribly sad. There's a lot of heavy, tense, and upsetting memories and flashbacks, and the crimes involved in the conspiracy are abhorrent. I did find myself tearing up more than once. But the book's message is clear and vindicating and never once felt exploitative.
I was genuinely pleasantly surprised by this book; this is what I want whenever I pick up something in the "women killing men" genre but rarely ever hope for. This one finally delivers.
The synopsis is more accurate than the elevator pitch I got. These are adult women (though I wouldn't call them all "middle age") who always sort of had these magic powers, and are just now beginning to embrace and express them after meeting each other and beginning to uncover a conspiracy. Essentially it is much more a crime/mystery/thriller with a little magic than it is a true paranormal.
This book gave me so much more than I expected, and I truly enjoyed it. It's cathartic, angry, vengeful. Satisfying in every way I wanted from it. It was also terribly sad. There's a lot of heavy, tense, and upsetting memories and flashbacks, and the crimes involved in the conspiracy are abhorrent. I did find myself tearing up more than once. But the book's message is clear and vindicating and never once felt exploitative.
I was genuinely pleasantly surprised by this book; this is what I want whenever I pick up something in the "women killing men" genre but rarely ever hope for. This one finally delivers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Murder
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Classism
Minor: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Suicide, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment
essentially an Epstein revenge fantasy; the story is primarily intended as cathartic, but while the majority of the crimes occur off-page, the story does not shy away from acknowledging their occurrence.nikzzz3's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
jbosio's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Not what I usually read, but it was entertaining.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Trafficking, and Sexual harassment
lilifane's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I loved this!
This was a lot more fun than I expected it would be, although there are some dark and difficult topics as well. Since I still don't read book descriptions, I didn't know what this would be about and was completely surprised.
I knew it was a female rage book, but I had no idea about the plot or themes. So this centers around 3 middle-aged women at the beginning of their menopause who discover a dead girl at the beach as well as some supernatural powers within themselves. With these powers, they try to solve the murder that no one else seems to take seriously and generally help out other women and take revenge on men, basically.
I did not expect a murder mystery to be part of the story and since I love those, I was pleasantly surprised. Thought, the mystery is kind of in the background of the plot for most of the time and is more of a plot device. I think it was rather predictable too, but I didn't mind because I cared more about the characters, themes and messages of the book.
I loooooved the characters. Not only the 3 protagonists but also their families and their dynamics. The way they talked to each other, to their daughters, to anyone around them really. The way they just stopped giving a f*** and took control over their lives. Amazing.
The plot was often interrupted by background stories of the women involved which showed how they were wronged by men in their lives one way or another. Usually these kinds of tangents would make me impatient or bring me out of a book completely, but I was enjoying the whole experience way too much here and couldn't put the book down. The misogynistic microaggressions also made me SO angry, because they felt so real. And it might feel like a lot or even extreme, but is it though? The way feminist themes are portrayed here is very on the nose, but it's also refreshing how unapologetic and direct they are handled.
I'm a peaceful person and I believe in peaceful solutions. But I get there are situations where peaceful doesn't accomplish anything. And it felt so good and cathartic to see these women reclaiming their power and taking revenge in such a satisfying way.
Loved the writing, loved witchy vibes, loved the humor. And the audiobook is excellent.
This was a lot more fun than I expected it would be, although there are some dark and difficult topics as well. Since I still don't read book descriptions, I didn't know what this would be about and was completely surprised.
I knew it was a female rage book, but I had no idea about the plot or themes. So this centers around 3 middle-aged women at the beginning of their menopause who discover a dead girl at the beach as well as some supernatural powers within themselves. With these powers, they try to solve the murder that no one else seems to take seriously and generally help out other women and take revenge on men, basically.
I did not expect a murder mystery to be part of the story and since I love those, I was pleasantly surprised. Thought, the mystery is kind of in the background of the plot for most of the time and is more of a plot device. I think it was rather predictable too, but I didn't mind because I cared more about the characters, themes and messages of the book.
I loooooved the characters. Not only the 3 protagonists but also their families and their dynamics. The way they talked to each other, to their daughters, to anyone around them really. The way they just stopped giving a f*** and took control over their lives. Amazing.
The plot was often interrupted by background stories of the women involved which showed how they were wronged by men in their lives one way or another. Usually these kinds of tangents would make me impatient or bring me out of a book completely, but I was enjoying the whole experience way too much here and couldn't put the book down. The misogynistic microaggressions also made me SO angry, because they felt so real. And it might feel like a lot or even extreme, but is it though? The way feminist themes are portrayed here is very on the nose, but it's also refreshing how unapologetic and direct they are handled.
I'm a peaceful person and I believe in peaceful solutions. But I get there are situations where peaceful doesn't accomplish anything. And it felt so good and cathartic to see these women reclaiming their power and taking revenge in such a satisfying way.
Loved the writing, loved witchy vibes, loved the humor. And the audiobook is excellent.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexism, Violence, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Classism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Confinement, Infidelity, Rape, Car accident, and Death of parent
ashwaar's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I knew before I started reading that I would love this book. It sounded right up my street. However, the doesn’t mean it was an easy ride. I get very emotionally invested in the books I read, and when I love a story, I really love it. Unfortunately that means I have to take breaks every so often so I don’t get too.. emotional about it.
The Change follows three women: Harriet, Nessa and Jo as they attempt to unravel the identities of the bodies of two young girls they find on the coastline of their local neighbourhood. With chapters dedicated to the experiences and struggles these women have overcome, they find themselves embracing a newer, stronger power as they age, allowing them to protect and take revenge on those doing wrong.
This book was such a fun time, I was immediately hooked on the characters, both protagonists and antagonists. Harriet, Nessa and Jo’s backstories were compelling and understandably frustrating. It’s a bit on the long side and parts of the story could have definitely been edited a bit more, but I like how self-contained this tale of female revenge was. I didn’t think it was ‘man-hating’ at all, there were plenty of strong, well-intentioned male characters, but the story is about violence against, and treatment of, women, so of course it’s going to focus on those topics.
I thought this book was fantastic and covered so many topics surrounding sexism, misogyny and ageism. I would love to see more older characters given the page time they deserve, especially if they’re as great as these three!
Read the review on https://book990337086.wordpress.com/
The Change follows three women: Harriet, Nessa and Jo as they attempt to unravel the identities of the bodies of two young girls they find on the coastline of their local neighbourhood. With chapters dedicated to the experiences and struggles these women have overcome, they find themselves embracing a newer, stronger power as they age, allowing them to protect and take revenge on those doing wrong.
This book was such a fun time, I was immediately hooked on the characters, both protagonists and antagonists. Harriet, Nessa and Jo’s backstories were compelling and understandably frustrating. It’s a bit on the long side and parts of the story could have definitely been edited a bit more, but I like how self-contained this tale of female revenge was. I didn’t think it was ‘man-hating’ at all, there were plenty of strong, well-intentioned male characters, but the story is about violence against, and treatment of, women, so of course it’s going to focus on those topics.
I thought this book was fantastic and covered so many topics surrounding sexism, misogyny and ageism. I would love to see more older characters given the page time they deserve, especially if they’re as great as these three!
Read the review on https://book990337086.wordpress.com/
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Trafficking, and Murder
Moderate: Death and Kidnapping
smallwonders's review against another edition
dark
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Violence, and Trafficking
Minor: Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, and Sexual assault
amiegold's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
"Why do we keep going for thirty years after our bodies can no longer reproduce? Do you think nature meant for those years to be useless? No, of course not. Our lives are designed to have three parts. The first is education. The second, creation. And in part three, we put our experience to use and protect those who are weaker.”
In the change, we are introduced to 3 middle aged women in a community full of powerful and rich men. As they enter menopause, they each find, or rediscover, their own powers. One woman can see the ghost of young girls and is guided to find justice for them. Another's hot flashes morphs into a release of supernatural fire and molten 'protective' powers. The third is actually a witch. She had forgotten.
These three women find each other and then work together to bring justice to a string of missing girls in the area. As they dig deeper into the mysteries of these supposed runaways, they find layer upon layer of scandal and unbelievable betrayal.
This book is full of feminine rage. While I don't agree with or even like all of the main characters, there were several characters, both male and female, that I fell in love with. I enjoyed following the mystery throughout the book and feeling these women reach into their newfound powers to provide justice to this community. It made me think and empowered me to view my own challenges in a different light. That being said, there were several moments of moral and ethical dilemmas that I just couldn't get behind. The language and constant nudity of one of the characters felt distracting to me. However, because of the excellent writing and thought provoking mystery, I gave this book 4 solid stars.
In the change, we are introduced to 3 middle aged women in a community full of powerful and rich men. As they enter menopause, they each find, or rediscover, their own powers. One woman can see the ghost of young girls and is guided to find justice for them. Another's hot flashes morphs into a release of supernatural fire and molten 'protective' powers. The third is actually a witch. She had forgotten.
These three women find each other and then work together to bring justice to a string of missing girls in the area. As they dig deeper into the mysteries of these supposed runaways, they find layer upon layer of scandal and unbelievable betrayal.
This book is full of feminine rage. While I don't agree with or even like all of the main characters, there were several characters, both male and female, that I fell in love with. I enjoyed following the mystery throughout the book and feeling these women reach into their newfound powers to provide justice to this community. It made me think and empowered me to view my own challenges in a different light. That being said, there were several moments of moral and ethical dilemmas that I just couldn't get behind. The language and constant nudity of one of the characters felt distracting to me. However, because of the excellent writing and thought provoking mystery, I gave this book 4 solid stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, and Trafficking
Moderate: Body shaming, Sexual assault, and Murder
Minor: Rape
caystaff's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Violence
bumblepony's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I really enjoyed the tone and theme of this book. It spoke to a part of my soul that needed to see some badass women taking the patriarchy down.
I will say there were some parts that dragged a bit, but overall the pace was good.
I think all the characters were well thoughtout and I really enjoyed the surprise ending.
I will say there were some parts that dragged a bit, but overall the pace was good.
I think all the characters were well thoughtout and I really enjoyed the surprise ending.
Content Warnings
Minor: Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, and Gaslighting