booksamongstfriends's reviews
738 reviews

3.5 Now this was a more entertaining take on mother-daughter dynamics. Let me start by saying I’m not usually drawn to mother-daughter stories. A lot of the time, they lean into the tired formula of “you wronged me” and “you misunderstood me,” which I find gets a little repetitive and boring. But this book? It decided to take that dynamic on a rollercoaster ride and crank the drama way up.

When you first read the back cover synopsis, you’re left curious at the nature of Maggie and Nina’s relationship. While I’m sure many could easily assume their mother and daughter I thought it was clever move on the author’s part to let the readers discover that on their own. The synopsis holds back just enough, making the unraveling of their bond and all its twisted layers a piece of the puzzle you interested to solve.

The story unfolds through dual perspectives and multiple timelines: present day, two years prior, and flashes back to 23 and 25 years ago. In the present day, we see Nina living a life with much to be desired and paining for much more. Then we’re introduced to Maggie, Nina’s upstairs prisoner and mother. Day after day we watch Maggie struggle between her pursuit of freedom and protecting her daughter in her own way. While parts of the story felt predictable to me, what made it engaging was seeing how far the author would push each of her characters limits. Marrs also threaded pieces together making it easy to follow as he revealed the depth of their pain, mistrust, and paranoia.

This book does a fantastic job exploring how both women grieve—Maggie for her daughter’s lost innocence and stolen future, and Nina for the life she feels was ripped away from her. Their dynamic is explosive, rooted in trauma, abandonment, and betrayal. And let’s be honest, you know there’s no way this story can end peacefully. I mean, really—how long can you keep someone chained in an attic before everything implodes?

I shared more spoilery thoughts on TikTok, but I’ll keep this spoiler-free here. Let’s just say this book was messy, and if you’re into mother daughter read with drama, psychological suspense and thrills, it’s definitely worth a read.

Underwhelming & frustrating.

2.5 Great cover. Interesting Concept. Poor delivery.

The best part of this book? The children. Every other character was insufferable. Diavola is essentially a family trip gone wrong, with our main character enduring constant gaslighting and bullying from her family, particularly her twin brother and younger sister.

While on vacation in Italy staying in a castle like villa our main character comes to realize there’s something not right about this eerie property and secluded town. After finding out there’s a mysterious attic room no one’s allowed to enter, she becomes even more on edge. Sounds interesting, right? But the execution falls flat. The characters are so unlikable I found myself rooting for their collective demise—which, frustratingly, never happens

My expectations for this memoir were high, and they were met. I want to thank the National Book Foundation and @spinesvines for my giveaway copy. This was an intimate, raw, and vulnerable look into identity, and I deeply appreciated how raw and genuine the author’s voice felt.

This read offers a deeply personal exploration of the author’s journey to finding balance and herself with the pressures to assimilate into a society that often erases such identities. The narrative is both simple and complex—her love for her family is clear and straightforward, but her effort to stay connected to her heritage is layered and fraught. The book presents how fear and destructive beliefs surrounding culture and identity can be passed down, intentionally or not, as assimilation becomes tied to survival and opportunity. There were so many captivating moments shared from her reflections and the sense of otherness she experienced.

I will say the pacing might not suit every reader, and some moments occasionally felt overly detailed. I do wish there had been more inclusion on the author’s present-day life and the space she occupies now. That said, the reflective portions are powerful, particularly in the acknowledgement of her past misjudgments. Taffa poignantly examines both her perspective as a child and her family’s choices in the past with the journey of turning them into the lessons to better understand and guide her today.

I’m really grateful that I was able receive this book and it definitely highlights a perspective not often heard. Not only is this author exploring and sharing the details and ideals associated with being raised on and off the reservation, but her life in two spaces. Boldly going in depth into the rage and anger of a young girl having to unlearn, reevaluate, and reconnect with the parts of herself that she was told to ignore or hide. Reading this alongside the audiobook, narrated by the author herself, added an extra layer of connection. Her tone beautifully captured the ebbs and flows of her life.

If you’re looking for a new nonfiction read, this is one to consider. It’s a powerful exploration of Indigenous culture, identity, and the resilience it takes to navigate two worlds.

Just a good combo of witch trials, power, and revenge. A truly atmospheric tension building read from Brom that will entice readers to picking up more of his work. This is a book that I have been waiting to read. I really wanted to read it during the spooky season, but I held off to get a more immersive experience. Having the audiobook too definitely added to my enjoyment of the read. While entrancing in most moments, I think having the audiobook made it even easier to stick with the story all the way through. There were moments that felt not as necessary. That being said, I always love a good story of someone getting their get-back. A little revenge is always fun. Though usually with a revenge story, I’m ready for the action to start right away. Here, Slewfoot takes its time.

This book is mostly focused around Abitha. As the description states, Abitha is a recent widow who realizes she has to figure out a way to survive in her husband’s absence. She’s trying to maintain the property that she and her husband worked so hard to keep. In these trying times, Abitha is drawn to the forest and the creature within it, as this creature is drawn to her. She makes a pact with this beast of the woods, known by many names, but to most, he’s called Slewfoot. Slewfoot is still discovering who he really is. Is he the protector of the forest? Is he the monster that the colonists all fear?

In the first 50 or so pages, we’re getting to know Abitha and her husband Edward. We see their bond and connection. We see how Abitha is a very strong-willed woman in a time where women are supposed to be rarely seen, but not heard. You can already see how this could be a problem in the long run. Regardless, her husband loves her. While we know that his time here is short, the reader can feel the way they came to understand each other. Edward is fatally attacked after falling into a forest hole. The same hole in which Slewfoot has now been awoken by the forest creatures through Edward’s demise. I know many readers may be thinking, why would Abitha partner up with the creature that killed her husband? Desperate times call for desperate measures… or the heart wants what the heart wants.

We’re also following Edward’s brother Wallace. From the start, Wallace is introduced as being a slick, slimy, greedy older brother. For me personally, I did not need as much back-and-forth between Wallace and Abitha to establish that he deserved to get got. Their interactions felt dragged out in some places around the background story of Slewfoot. We see that Wallace is attempting to take his brother’s land from him and clearly does not like Abitha, being that she is so outspoken. He thinks that Abitha is controlling his brother. Of course, this bothers him because he’s used to persuading his brother and does not like the fact that Abitha is able to put reason into Edward’s head. Either way, Wallace is planning to take his brother’s land to pay off his own debts no matter what. To Wallace’s disappointment, after Edward’s death, Abitha has found a way to give herself some time to continue to fight for this property and keep it in her name. But Wallace will do anything he can to stop her.

When Abitha is provided an extension to deliver the due crops, she grows the corn, obviously with the help of Slewfoot and his magic now that they are connected. Then Wallace comes and destroys her fields, thinking this will definitely force her to give in. After thinking that she would not have any corn by the due date, Wallace is shocked to find she has the money instead. Though even after Abitha has properly paid her debt, Wallace remains distraught. The other townsfolk are confused as to why Wallace is still so upset only making Wallace even more determined to get his just due. We see a vengeful Wallace stalking her land, catching her in an act of what could appear to be witchcraft. We know back in this time, being considered a witch was no small thing. 

Readers are getting a lot of background, not just building the anger between Wallace and Abitha, but of Slewfoot and his attachment to Abitha. He sees her as someone who can help him figure out who he really is, what his real purpose is. But when she needs him most, he too disappears, fearing that he is the monster that is only going to bring bloodshed. A monster that he does not want to be. This leaves Abitha to deal with the accusations that have been placed upon her. And now with Slewfoot gone, she is no longer able to pull from his power. There ends up being a big chunk in the book that just dives into all of these things happening as well as the witch trial that befalls Abitha.

The witch trial was definitely a darker highlight of the book and really shows you how everything was just so ridiculous, predatory, and dangerous back then. You could simply call somebody a witch, and anyone would instantly believe it. The book even pokes fun at this a little bit by mentioning how there was a case in which a woman was accused and killed, but they later realized she wasn’t a witch when her body didn’t float. It just kind of makes a reader recognize just gullible people were, and the lengths that men will go to subdue and control women.

So when Abitha is on trial, we see the townsfolk turn against her. They rebuke all the help that she’s provided them throughout the years, and the one person who stands by her ends up getting put on trial with her as well. Of course, this happens to be the reverend’s wife. We know that earlier on, Abitha helped the reverend’s daughter while she was sick. Sadly, this only comes back to haunt them all. Eventually, the reverend’s wife can no longer take the torment and torture that she’s receiving, only giving the sheriff and townspeople even more reason to hang her. In these moments, we see Abitha begging and pleading for Slewfoot to come back, and boy does he.

On his arrival, he is now a more confident version of himself, no longer Slewfoot, but Sampson. For me personally, I didn’t really need the whole backstory about Slewfoot. We get it, he’s a devil-like creature that Abitha is low-key attracted to. We even get these small moments that feel romantic and intimate between Slewfoot and Abitha. We know that this can only end one way. And in the last 50 to 60 pages is when readers start to see everything unravel into the start of Abitha’s revenge. It’s at this point where I finally said, yes! Let’s do this! Abitha is able to step into her own and understand the sacrifices she will be making to do so. But readers know this is what she’s always wanted. She’s wanted to be a part of the forest. She’s wanted to be a protector of her own land and being. Now she gets to do so along with Slewfoot/Samson as he realizes his role as the protector of the forest and nature that is often destroyed by the colonists. With all she’s experienced, Abitha is willing to fight with everything that she’s got, no matter the cost.

This book was definitely an interesting look at witch trials and the cost of a simple accusation. Though I may not have need certain moments or plot points, it was still fascinating to see the lore and exploration of Slewfoot’s journey alongside Abitha’s. I enjoyed this read and only would’ve been happier had it just been a little bit shorter, and more focused on Abitha and her rage actualized. This was a good read, and as a lover of all things witchy, I’m happy I read it.

One thing I love about Lucinda Berry is that she knows exactly what she’s talking about, and she always delivers a story that proves it. With Phantom Limb, her background as a clinical/trauma psychologist really shines, though with the setting, there are moments in the book that feel more clinical than I would’ve preferred. That said, this is definitely one of her more character-driven stories, and I appreciated how she explored the complexities of trauma.

The story follows twin sisters, Emily and Elizabeth, who endured severe childhood trauma. Berry doesn’t shy away from the abrasive, uncomfortable realities of their experiences, so anyone considering this book should definitely keep the content warnings in mind. These girls were beaten, abandoned, and exploited by their mother—not only for her own gratification but for the pleasure of other men as well.

As the story unearths the horrors of the twins' past, it also delves into their futures and the very different paths they’ve taken. Elizabeth is the high-achieving twin, seemingly regaining her footing and a sense of normalcy. In contrast, Emily remains deeply scarred, battling severe depression and prone to self-harm. But the relationship between these twins isn’t as straightforward as it seems. While they share an unbreakable bond, their connection is also heavy, complex, and deeply layered.

In the present day, Emily is revealed to be dead, and Elizabeth, unable to cope with her sister’s loss, ends up in a psychiatric facility after attempting to take her own life. It’s here that Berry’s expertise comes through most vividly. The portrayal of Elizabeth’s mental state, the care she’s provided, and the unraveling of her story feel grounded and authentic.

I don’t want to spoil this read, but this book is an exploration of the power of the mind, the lasting destruction caused by childhood trauma, and the thin, often blurred line between healing and masquerading. It’s a sad look at how the darkest parts of ourselves can consume us. Berry crafts a heartbreaking yet thought-provoking narrative about unbreakable bonds, self-destruction, and grief.

I’m always irritated when the story ends and you felt like there could’ve been more

I really thought I was going to love this one.

THOUGHTS

2.5 To keep it simple, this bored me to no end.