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hello_lovely13's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, and Death
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual content
art_books_chemistry's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Sadly, I found this incredibly boring. It wasn't "bad" which is why I'm giving it 3 stars but it wasn't exciting even though there was actual action. It felt like Griffin was going for the classic magic school trope without wanting to actually "build" a fictional school. There was no structure of the school, it was unclear what ages attended it (except that they graduate somewhere around 18 unless they came to do extra research from another school), or what classes they took other than group practical magic practice sessions. I'm also still confused what "off-season" witches do during their off-seasons. Do they not study for 3 quarters of the year? My point being: the world-building was less than ideal, especially for a standalone novel.
I did appreciate the main female character's growth over the book but she was the only truly fleshed out character, most of the teachers and other students were either non-existent or very shallow. The main supporting male character is better but still does not have super deep character development, we mainly know how much he loves plants. For me it just contributed to the lack of reality that was already created from the lack of world-building around the school. It is supposed to be somewhat contemporary however it just doesn't feel real.
If you want a simple witchy read, this could satisfy that requirement but it isn't a story that's going to stick with you forever.
I did appreciate the main female character's growth over the book but she was the only truly fleshed out character, most of the teachers and other students were either non-existent or very shallow. The main supporting male character is better but still does not have super deep character development, we mainly know how much he loves plants. For me it just contributed to the lack of reality that was already created from the lack of world-building around the school. It is supposed to be somewhat contemporary however it just doesn't feel real.
If you want a simple witchy read, this could satisfy that requirement but it isn't a story that's going to stick with you forever.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Medical content, Sexual content, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
amberinpieces's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief
Minor: Blood, Sexual content, Death, and Death of parent
hobbithopeful's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
When I started to read The Nature of Witches, I instantly fell in love with the magical world Rachel Griffin weaved, her incredible writing style, and the loveable characters. We follow Clara, a rare Everwitch who is able to use magic throughout the whole year, instead of just during one season like other witches. She is more powerful then any other witch currently alive, and is thought to be the key to saving countless witches from dying trying to stop freak storms. (A side effect of Shaders; those without magic, over developing the planet and causing the climate to go crazy) It seems so easy except Clara has zero control over her magic, and is afraid of it. To be fair if I had magic and whenever I lost control it targeted whomever I loved or cared for and killed them so would I. She lives in an isolated cabin away from the rest of the Eastern School of Solar Magic, her only constant companion her feline Nox. One the side effects of being an Ever is her personality changes with the seasons, Summer she craves touch and typically has flings, but come Autumn no matter how much she cares the person her feelings fade and she no longer cares for them. (This is so sad, right!) Events quickly become complicated when Clara and her new trainer, botanist Sang, become close. She has never had more control of her magic, nor has someone she cared about ever been at more of risk! Seriously y'all I could not put this book down! It is segmented by the seasons and you can read her personality change as time changes. I wanted nothing more then for Clara to be happy, safe, and loved. The professors in the book made me want to slap them with a fish for how they treated her, and their impossible expectations. There is romance in this book, and it made my heart ache. You can feel how the main character is so torn between wanting to be with Sang and wanting to keep him safe. And who can resist a sweet Spring witch who loves flowers and drinking tea?
I loved following Clara's journey as she grows and starts to have faith in herself and her magic. This is an inspiring tale of hope, and having faith in yourself as well as love.
The sequel comes out Summer 2023 (Only a few months away!) and I will be first in line to get it!
The Cover
I always have mixed feelings about covers with real people on it, and it is rare that I actually like them. BUT! This cover works so well and will be my exception. We see Clara in the middle of a storm, her hair flying straight up in the air. Lighting, tornados, and leaves surround her. Instead of appearing scared or afraid, she instead has her chin upturned to the sky, with a peaceful expression on her face. Her eyes are closed and her hands are folded, a picture of calm. She seems to be at peace with the volatile weather, or maybe even more accurate she seems to have accepted her fate. I actually really like the font that was chosen too, I feel like it works perfectly with the feeling of the cover.
Cover Design: Nicole Hower
Internal Design/Illustrations: Michelle Mayhall
I loved following Clara's journey as she grows and starts to have faith in herself and her magic. This is an inspiring tale of hope, and having faith in yourself as well as love.
The sequel comes out Summer 2023 (Only a few months away!) and I will be first in line to get it!
The Cover
I always have mixed feelings about covers with real people on it, and it is rare that I actually like them. BUT! This cover works so well and will be my exception. We see Clara in the middle of a storm, her hair flying straight up in the air. Lighting, tornados, and leaves surround her. Instead of appearing scared or afraid, she instead has her chin upturned to the sky, with a peaceful expression on her face. Her eyes are closed and her hands are folded, a picture of calm. She seems to be at peace with the volatile weather, or maybe even more accurate she seems to have accepted her fate. I actually really like the font that was chosen too, I feel like it works perfectly with the feeling of the cover.
Cover Design: Nicole Hower
Internal Design/Illustrations: Michelle Mayhall
Content Warnings
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death of parent, Death, Blood, and Sexual content
midnightrose_reads's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Nature of Witches is a gorgeous debut about Clara Densmore who is a student at the Eastern School of Solar Magic. She’s an ‘Everwitch’, meaning she can control all four seasons and not just one. After much tragedy in her personal life, Clara starts living off campus away from the rest of the students at her school. She vows to get ‘stripped’ of her magic when the next equinox happens, so she’ll no longer be a danger to others. Enter Mr. Burrows a teacher from the Western School of Solar Magic, and a student there, Sang Park. They’ve traveled to the Eastern School so that Sang can help train Clara with his calming Spring magic, and Mr. Burrows can oversee the training. Reluctantly, Clara agrees.
Really lovely debut!
Really lovely debut!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual content
cassroberts89's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This was a wonderful YA read for the season!
Right away, the commentary on climate change is pretty obvious. It was kind of overdone at first (I think the story as a whole got the message across just fine without extra emphasis). While not strictly fantasy exactly, the world-building was a little too straight forward. Rather than experiencing and understanding it, I was just told (not shown) what the world was like right off the bat. These two factors made the beginning a little hard to get into at first. It improved drastically after 4-5 chapters. By then I was hooked.
As the story goes on, we see a ton of personal conflict as well as tension between Clara and all of the people she’s connected to. She is so terrified of accidentally hurting any more people she loves that she cuts herself off and tries her best to tamp down her powers. This, of course, does not do well for her magic or her emotional well-being. Lots of personal growth here ❤️
I wouldn’t go in expecting a very detailed or mature handling of the magical element; this is 100% young adult and reads as such. It’s still a beautiful and fun read, and I’ll hang onto it for when my kids are ready (There are a couple of VERY closed-door intimate scenes. Nothing spicy at all, but not quite what I’m ready to hand my 11yo).
Some quotes that stood out to me:
“My point is that she still loved her magic—we all do, even though it comes with real pain. Pain that you will never have to experience because you’re an Ever. Your magic comes with its own kind of pain, and you can acknowledge it, hate it, wish it didn’t have to be that way, and still live your life. Still be happy.”
“But I like winter. Winter is the truest of seasons. It’s what remains after everything else is stripped away. The leaves fall. The colors fade. The branches get brittle. And if you can love the earth, understand it when all the beauty is gone and see it for what it is, that’s magic.”
Right away, the commentary on climate change is pretty obvious. It was kind of overdone at first (I think the story as a whole got the message across just fine without extra emphasis). While not strictly fantasy exactly, the world-building was a little too straight forward. Rather than experiencing and understanding it, I was just told (not shown) what the world was like right off the bat. These two factors made the beginning a little hard to get into at first. It improved drastically after 4-5 chapters. By then I was hooked.
As the story goes on, we see a ton of personal conflict as well as tension between Clara and all of the people she’s connected to. She is so terrified of accidentally hurting any more people she loves that she cuts herself off and tries her best to tamp down her powers. This, of course, does not do well for her magic or her emotional well-being. Lots of personal growth here ❤️
I wouldn’t go in expecting a very detailed or mature handling of the magical element; this is 100% young adult and reads as such. It’s still a beautiful and fun read, and I’ll hang onto it for when my kids are ready (There are a couple of VERY closed-door intimate scenes. Nothing spicy at all, but not quite what I’m ready to hand my 11yo).
Some quotes that stood out to me:
“My point is that she still loved her magic—we all do, even though it comes with real pain. Pain that you will never have to experience because you’re an Ever. Your magic comes with its own kind of pain, and you can acknowledge it, hate it, wish it didn’t have to be that way, and still live your life. Still be happy.”
“But I like winter. Winter is the truest of seasons. It’s what remains after everything else is stripped away. The leaves fall. The colors fade. The branches get brittle. And if you can love the earth, understand it when all the beauty is gone and see it for what it is, that’s magic.”
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent, Death, Child death, and Sexual content
readwithria's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The Nature of Witches is enchanting, and had me enraptured from beginning to end! It’s a book full of change, and ill tidings, and growth, and destruction, and I found solace in its pages.
Rachel Griffin took the climate crisis, and she took magic, and she took love, and she put it all together with so much care. The epigraphs at the beginning of every chapter; the botanical illustrations at the beginning of every season; the supporting characters and the seasons they personified; everything in this book had so much purpose and care behind it. This book feels like not just a love story between Clara and Sang, or between Clara and herself, but also between the reader and the world we live in.
The writing was amazing, the story was beautiful, and the characters brought it all to life. Five stars.
Rachel Griffin took the climate crisis, and she took magic, and she took love, and she put it all together with so much care. The epigraphs at the beginning of every chapter; the botanical illustrations at the beginning of every season; the supporting characters and the seasons they personified; everything in this book had so much purpose and care behind it. This book feels like not just a love story between Clara and Sang, or between Clara and herself, but also between the reader and the world we live in.
The writing was amazing, the story was beautiful, and the characters brought it all to life. Five stars.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Grief
Minor: Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, and Death of parent
maregred's review
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual content and Fire/Fire injury
baknata's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I really enjoyed this book. It was like a love letter to nature and the science of the seasons. The way that the magic system was set up was unique and highly enjoyable. It wasn't hard at all to understand the magic system, as it was highly tied to weather and seasons. The main character, Cara, is complicated. By that I mean she isn't terrible, but she wasn't entirely likable either. She tended to backslide a lot with her character development, which was a little frustrating. It was difficult to dislike her though because her behavior could be explained by the trauma she faced in her childhood. The side characters in this book are really what makes it for me. Her love interest, Sang, was a phenomenal character. He was a full character who wasn't just there to dote on our main character. While he was completely enamored with Cara, he didn't pull punches with her. When she did self-destructive or stupid things, he didn't just let it slide or get overly upset. I also really liked Paige, her ex. I loved the way that the relationship between her and Cara healed over the course of the book and how we got to learn more about Paige as the story went on. She ended up being a great character. The plot of this story is pretty predictable, so it isn't for everybody. It's easy to see where the story is going, but it is still a nice, comforting story. This book made me want to be out in nature and really shows the beauty of each season. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who loves nature and is looking for a comforting story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual content
This book mentions quite a few natural disasters, resulting in death and injury.sallenreads's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
THE NATURE OF WITCHES was a gorgeous, emotional book that is ultimately about a girl learning to love herself. Clara's character arc -- from a girl scared of her volatile magic, capable of killing those she cares about; to a witch fully embracing her powers -- is very satisfying to read, and one that many readers will be able to see themselves in despite the magical setting. Clara's internal conflicts over what happens with the next stage after her life would make this book a great fit for older readers, and the unique, season-based magical system will appeal to readers looking for something a little bit different.
Thank you to Sourcebooks for providing me with an ARC.
Thank you to Sourcebooks for providing me with an ARC.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual content