A review by hopeadinfinitum
The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

challenging dark emotional informative 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? No

5.0

A difficult book that tears at your heart even as you can’t put it down. This book made me Feel Things with capital letters, angry and sad and hopeful and thoroughly gutted like a fish. There’s a lot of content warnings to take into account and they shouldn’t be taken lightly, but this book is so worth a read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Alcohol

Moderate: Animal death, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Colonisation