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ashdawn's review against another edition
This one is frustrating. On one hand, there's a few really good scenes like this one: "When they were alone, Isadora turned to Kat. 'He’s the one manipulating you, you realize that, right?' 'You don’t know him,' said Kat, trying to clear her head. 'I know his type,' said Isadora. 'Please don’t let them pressure you into doing this.' She reached her hand out to take Kat’s, looking over at Blake and the others to see if they were looking at them. 'Don’t doubt yourself, Kat. You shouldn’t have to do anything you don’t want just to make other people happy.' Kat thought that was ironic because she felt that was exactly what she had been doing her entire life. It was as if others’ happiness was entirely in her hands. It was always a matter of a choice between her happiness and someone else’s, and she wondered when she would start choosing herself." that give clear insight into the characters, handling toxic relationships well in a way that is honoring and honest while being YA friendly.
But as a whole, it seems like a dual timeline story telling the EXACT SAME STORY with minor character changes. It feels flat and mirror images of each other.
But as a whole, it seems like a dual timeline story telling the EXACT SAME STORY with minor character changes. It feels flat and mirror images of each other.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Gaslighting
amaranth_wytch's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Biphobia, Misogyny, and Blood
Minor: Alcohol
megandherbook's review
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
A spin on the Headless Horseman legend - in the modern world.
Kat van Tassel is the direct descendent of Katrina van Tassel and has lived with the responsibility of carrying the name her whole life. As the 200th anniversary of the Headless Horseman haunting approaches Kat wants nothing more than to be kept out of the whole superstitious town and their celebration. She’s feeling more and more confined by the pressure of continuing her family legacy, marrying her long time boyfriend, and managing the family estate. When Isadora moves to town Kat starts to see a world where she leaves Sleepy Hollow and has a life outside of the confines of her legacy. With her family fearing this they give her Katrina’s diary so Kat can see just how real the legend is. As Kat learns more about her ancestor and namesake she learns that she may not be so different from her.
I really enjoyed this book. I love any book that has spooky undertones (or overtones) and this book set in the town of Sleepy Hollow has just that. The legend of the Headless Horseman is so engrained in the town and it’s people that a lot of the curriculum in the high school centers on it.
Getting to read from the perspective of both Kat and Katrina made me connect with both of them - they are both so much alike and I loved seeing Kat learn more about herself from Katrina’s experiences. Then, the tie in of the legend was perfect.
I’m familiar with the legend of Sleepy Hollow (as I believe most are) but I haven’t read the book. This book made me bump up that book on my reading list so I can see, first had, what allowed this book to be created so many years later. Highly recommend!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Bullying and Blood
Minor: Homophobia and Lesbophobia
shannasbooksnhooks's review
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
"Not much happened in Sleepy Hollow, and news like this was not the sort of thing you forgot to tell your wife."
This book was not what I was expecting from it, and not in a happy way. I don't know if I can honestly say that I was "disappointed" in this read, because it did have some unique takes and additions to Disney's "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" animated short. (It's usually attached to Disney's "Wind in the Willows" animated short as The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad.) But overall, Raising the Horseman was just a "meh" book for me. The past and the present mirrored each other a little too much for my liking. And most of it was relatively predictable (except for the very end, and which felt a little rushed). I wouldn't recommend this book, mainly due to my love of the Disney short and how this book didn't really live up to the short's magic.
This book was not what I was expecting from it, and not in a happy way. I don't know if I can honestly say that I was "disappointed" in this read, because it did have some unique takes and additions to Disney's "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" animated short. (It's usually attached to Disney's "Wind in the Willows" animated short as The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad.) But overall, Raising the Horseman was just a "meh" book for me. The past and the present mirrored each other a little too much for my liking. And most of it was relatively predictable (except for the very end, and which felt a little rushed). I wouldn't recommend this book, mainly due to my love of the Disney short and how this book didn't really live up to the short's magic.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Blood, Lesbophobia, and Outing
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