Alix E. Harrow’s The Once and Future Witches is beautifully written, with an adept combination of several themes and genres – historical fiction, feminism, witchcraft, family, and even coming-of-age.
A synopsis:
In 1893, there’s no such thing as witches. There used to be, in the wild, dark days before the burnings began, but now witching is nothing but tidy charms and nursery rhymes. If the modern woman wants any measure of power, she must find it at the ballot box.
But when the Eastwood sisters―James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna―join the suffragists of New Salem, they begin to pursue the forgotten words and ways that might turn the women’s movement into the witch’s movement. Stalked by shadows and sickness, hunted by forces who will not suffer a witch to vote―and perhaps not even to live―the sisters will need to delve into the oldest magics, draw new alliances, and heal the bond between them if they want to survive.
There’s no such thing as witches. But there will be.
The characters in Witches are clearly and deeply drawn, right down to the whimpering dog of the new mayor.
And this might be one of the best examples I’ve seen of alternating perspectives in a book – it was done with such a light touch so as not to be jarring or distracting, and each character was so specific that there was no confusion about who was narrating the scene.
The drawbacks that kept this from being a 5-star read for me were pacing and repetition. It felt clunky in some parts, and I got tired of seeing particular sentiments or memories played out repeatedly.
Still, the Eastwood sisters and their “Sisters” made for a compelling read.
BOOK:30 