Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Hex by Jenni Fagan

44 reviews

extraaardvark's review

dark emotional informative sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Death, Physical abuse, Torture, Sexual violence, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

mrslsmith's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Sexual violence, and Rape

florecita_lectora's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense fast-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexual assault, Violence, Sexual violence, Torture, and Misogyny

Moderate: Confinement, Police brutality, and Physical abuse

sas_lk's review

dark reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

" Do you know, Geillis, I like to think about what would happen if the women of now went out to march for the women of then. And if . . . the women of then marched with the women of now."

In Hex, a woman called Iris time travels from 2021 to 1591 to spend Geillis Duncan's (an accused witch) last night before her execution with her. She's there to soothe Geillis, and to remind her that she did absolutely nothing wrong, that she is no witch, that she is simply a woman. 

I loved it. Whoever you are, you should read it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Rape, Torture, and Misogyny

Minor: Death

dany_casimiro's review against another edition

4.75

Long Story Short: Love to feel this carved hex on my heart.

Hex is a tale about a witch who is about to be hanged and the girl who perhaps travels through time to be with her during her last days. Amazing character build-up woven by a very dark and whimsical narrative, with a poignant social and feminist critique.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Torture, Religious bigotry, Misogyny, Violence, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Body horror

charnewb's review

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Death, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Murder, Religious bigotry, Child death, Gaslighting, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, and Rape

Moderate: Body horror

hex_agon's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Misogyny, Rape, Death, and Torture

Moderate: Miscarriage and Sexual violence

typedtruths's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective fast-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

3.0

 a little too ~fabulist~ for me but the writing was stunning

Blog • Trigger Warning Database • StoryGraph 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Torture, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Death

Moderate: Violence, Body horror, and Self harm

➸ Trigger warnings for graphic misogyny & persecution for 'witchcraft' (theme), gang rape of a teenage girl and child recounted, sexual harassment discussed, panic attack (on-page), self-harm mentioned, minor body horror, hanging of a minor (on-page), torture recounted, and false imprisonment in poor conditions.

faenth's review against another edition

challenging mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Rape, Misogyny, and Violence

megelizabeth's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

"A woman’s voice is a hex. She must learn to exalt men always. If she doesn’t do that, then she is a threat. A demon whore, a witch - so says everyone and the law. So say the King and his guards. So say the witch-pricker and his sadistic friends. So say the husbands, the haters, the wives, the daughters, the God-fearing - demons are always trying to kill them, so they know. So says the hangman who sleeps with Bible in hand."

I don't typically enjoy books that fictionalise real historical figures, but I went into this not knowing much abut it and actually ended up not minding that it does so as it's just such a harrowing, brutal, and important story and tribute both to Geillis Duncan and to the many, many women and girls who have suffered and continue to suffer horrifically. It's by definition dark and depressing, but it also captures female friendship and solidarity so beautifully and that really was its shining light for me. It packs so much into so few pages without ever feeling like it's doing too much or not giving the characters or themes the respect they deserve. 

I will say that the ending confused me slightly, but I'm sure I got the gist and it might be one that benefits from a re-read as I'm sure I would get even more out of both the ending and the wider story a second time around. Jenni Fagan has an incredible poetic way with words and I'd definitely be keen to read more from her.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Death, Misogyny, and Murder

Minor: Racism