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A review by thebookishmutant
The Black Coats by Colleen Oakes
4.0
Real rating: Hmmm...I’d say about 4.25 stars. Only 4 stars doesn’t quite give it justice.
I heard about “The Black Coats” on EpicReads, where it was featured on a list of “feminist books to dismantle the patriarchy”.
Dismantle the patriarchy? SAY. NO. MORE.
Out of all of the books on the list that I hadn’t yet read (or that I hadn’t already put on my to-read list), this one caught my eye the most. Surprisingly, it was already available, so I immediately put it on hold.
My expectations were...fairly average. I wasn’t expecting anything mind-blowing, but from the “Roses are red/Violets are blue/If you hurt us/We’re coming for you” hook, I got pretty excited. And honestly? “The Black Coats” exceeded my expectations in almost every respect.
There was so much time and attention to detail put into this book, especially when it came to the Black Coats themselves. Everything was so intricately designed, and no stone was left unturned when it came to the details. I love how each team was named after a different kind of butterfly (and, no spoilers, but the butterfly thing comes with a major twist about 75% of the way through), each of the Presidents were named after an actual U.S. president (which begs the question...why Nixon?), and so on. There’s mounds of little clues and Easter Eggs hidden in and around the most random and unsuspecting of parts, but as insignificant as they seem, they ALL come back to haunt you. Every one of them. So keep your eyes peeled and be sure to remember everything-you might be surprised.
The characters were so incredibly real, so full of heart, humanity, and ferocity. I loved Team Banner, and especially how they all played off of each other and stuck together no matter what. They seemed like a teensy bit of a motley crew at first, but each one had their individual-and crucial-role to play.
The theme of “The Black Coats” was also incredibly important, and also very relevant to this day and age. I loved how this book explored all sides of the topic, without leaning exclusively to one side or being overly preachy. A+, Mrs. Oakes.
Lastly, this was a perfect read for International Women’s Day AND Women’s History Month. I’m so glad I checked this book out when I did. :)
In short, an action-packed, feminist novel full of heart, wit, and ferocity. I highly recommend it.
I heard about “The Black Coats” on EpicReads, where it was featured on a list of “feminist books to dismantle the patriarchy”.
Dismantle the patriarchy? SAY. NO. MORE.
Out of all of the books on the list that I hadn’t yet read (or that I hadn’t already put on my to-read list), this one caught my eye the most. Surprisingly, it was already available, so I immediately put it on hold.
My expectations were...fairly average. I wasn’t expecting anything mind-blowing, but from the “Roses are red/Violets are blue/If you hurt us/We’re coming for you” hook, I got pretty excited. And honestly? “The Black Coats” exceeded my expectations in almost every respect.
There was so much time and attention to detail put into this book, especially when it came to the Black Coats themselves. Everything was so intricately designed, and no stone was left unturned when it came to the details. I love how each team was named after a different kind of butterfly (and, no spoilers, but the butterfly thing comes with a major twist about 75% of the way through), each of the Presidents were named after an actual U.S. president (which begs the question...why Nixon?), and so on. There’s mounds of little clues and Easter Eggs hidden in and around the most random and unsuspecting of parts, but as insignificant as they seem, they ALL come back to haunt you. Every one of them. So keep your eyes peeled and be sure to remember everything-you might be surprised.
The characters were so incredibly real, so full of heart, humanity, and ferocity. I loved Team Banner, and especially how they all played off of each other and stuck together no matter what. They seemed like a teensy bit of a motley crew at first, but each one had their individual-and crucial-role to play.
The theme of “The Black Coats” was also incredibly important, and also very relevant to this day and age. I loved how this book explored all sides of the topic, without leaning exclusively to one side or being overly preachy. A+, Mrs. Oakes.
Lastly, this was a perfect read for International Women’s Day AND Women’s History Month. I’m so glad I checked this book out when I did. :)
In short, an action-packed, feminist novel full of heart, wit, and ferocity. I highly recommend it.