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4.3 AVERAGE
4.3 AVERAGE
This is a very atmospheric and unique take on witches. And while the story is pretty easy to figure out regarding where it's going, it doesn't feel like it's relying on twists and turns to keep the reader invested. Rather, you can't put this book down because you want to stay with these characters and you want to discover more about how magic of this world works.
This story is split into 3 PoVs from very different generations. 1998 narrative follows Minerva, who's working on a thesis on a female horror writer whose only novel is rumoured to be inspired by a real life disappearance. 1934 follows Betty, the writer Minerva admires, through her reflections on the disappearance of her friend. Finally 1908 follows Minerva's grandmother Alba who struggles with responsibilities of being the eldest daughter after her dad's death when some evil powers start coming after her and her loved ones.
I love how all three of these women have their unique stories and voices, even though ultimately their storylines revolve around the same mysterious powers it doesn't feel repetitive or boring. It was easy to feel connected to these women and want them to succeed in taking back the power in their own lives.
I don't want to say too much about the type of witches this book deals with because I think it's a fan journey to go on with this book, but I couldn't get enough of this aspect of the book. I wanted to know more about these witches.
This is definitive recommendation for everyone who enjoys books about witches but also just books about women not allowing others to dictate their stories.
Thank you PRH Del ray for the review copy!
The Bewitching is a haunting, atmospheric novel that proves Silvia Moreno-Garcia is unmatched when it comes to gothic storytelling. Her ability to make settings feel like living, breathing characters—and to infuse every page with moody, simmering tension—is incredible. The story moves across multiple timelines, which at times feel a bit unwieldy, but the 1920s diary-style entries were absolute standouts for me. I’m not typically drawn to historical fiction, but the way the novel uses the past to explore timeless themes of obsession, secrecy, and connection across generations is powerful. While some supernatural elements occasionally overshadow the deeply human core of the story, the blend of folklore, horror, and mystery creates an unsettling and immersive reading experience. Moreno-Garcia delivers a gothic tale that feels both classic and wholly original—a slow-burn, layered novel perfect for readers who savor atmosphere and tension.
The Bewitching is a haunting, atmospheric novel that proves Silvia Moreno-Garcia is unmatched when it comes to gothic storytelling. Her ability to make settings feel like living, breathing characters—and to infuse every page with moody, simmering tension—is incredible. The story moves across multiple timelines, which at times feel a bit unwieldy, but the 1920s diary-style entries were absolute standouts for me. I’m not typically drawn to historical fiction, but the way the novel uses the past to explore timeless themes of obsession, secrecy, and connection across generations is powerful. While some supernatural elements occasionally overshadow the deeply human core of the story, the blend of folklore, horror, and mystery creates an unsettling and immersive reading experience. Moreno-Garcia delivers a gothic tale that feels both classic and wholly original—a slow-burn, layered novel perfect for readers who savor atmosphere and tension.
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
'The Bewitching' by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a fantastic slow-burn, gothic horror that I found to be richly atmospheric, unsettling, and beautifully written.
This haunting tale unfolds across three timelines, each fascinating in its own right, with the 1908 storyline featuring Alba being especially vivid and chilling. The 1998 timeline offers a moody, dark academia backdrop which contrasted so well to Alba's story and the tension of the 1950s timeline with it's slow and eerie build up to Ginny’s disappearance. I found that all the threads came together in a really satisfying and shocking way, complete with a splash of gore to jolt the senses!
Character wise I found Minerva reminded me of Montserrat from 'Silver Nitrate' - fierce, strong-willed, and emotionally complex and Alba called back to Noemí from 'Mexican Gothic'.
Silvia Moreno-Garcia excels at creating deeply uncomfortable atmospheres, and 'The Bewitching' is no different. The characters, much like the reader, never quite feel stable or settled in their surrounding and I always felt slightly off-balance and always on edge waiting for the reveals to come. It’s this constant unease that makes the book so effective to me.
I feel that this book stands well alongside 'Mexican Gothic', 'Silver Nitrate', and 'The Island of Doctor Moreau', and, much like them and last year’s 'The Seventh Veil of Salome', features powerful, flawed, and truly believable female leads.
SMG is an autobuy author for me, and 'The Bewitching' is a wonderful addition to her bold and beautifully varied body of work.
This haunting tale unfolds across three timelines, each fascinating in its own right, with the 1908 storyline featuring Alba being especially vivid and chilling. The 1998 timeline offers a moody, dark academia backdrop which contrasted so well to Alba's story and the tension of the 1950s timeline with it's slow and eerie build up to Ginny’s disappearance. I found that all the threads came together in a really satisfying and shocking way, complete with a splash of gore to jolt the senses!
Character wise I found Minerva reminded me of Montserrat from 'Silver Nitrate' - fierce, strong-willed, and emotionally complex and Alba called back to Noemí from 'Mexican Gothic'.
Silvia Moreno-Garcia excels at creating deeply uncomfortable atmospheres, and 'The Bewitching' is no different. The characters, much like the reader, never quite feel stable or settled in their surrounding and I always felt slightly off-balance and always on edge waiting for the reveals to come. It’s this constant unease that makes the book so effective to me.
I feel that this book stands well alongside 'Mexican Gothic', 'Silver Nitrate', and 'The Island of Doctor Moreau', and, much like them and last year’s 'The Seventh Veil of Salome', features powerful, flawed, and truly believable female leads.
SMG is an autobuy author for me, and 'The Bewitching' is a wonderful addition to her bold and beautifully varied body of work.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a very talented author and this had potential...and then I got to the incest part.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Incest
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
That cover? Pure witchcraft.🖤
Thank you, Del Rey Books & PRH Audio, for the gifted copy of The Bewitching {partner}
Genre: Horror
Format: 🎧📖
Pub Date: 7.15.2025
Pages: 368
Star Rating: ☆☆☆.5
I knew I’d be reading The Bewitching the moment I laid eyes on that haunting, gorgeous cover. It called to me.
Silvia Moreno-Garcia remains one of the few horror authors I consistently reach for. She masterfully builds eerie atmospheres and unforgettable women who echo through time.
This book delivers on that front, weaving together three timelines of women haunted by shadows. The layered folklore gave the story a chilling richness, and much of the plot kept me intrigued.
That said, the pacing dragged in places, and certain parts felt repetitive. I also guessed the “big twist” early on, which might’ve been intentional, but it dulled the payoff. And one subplot didn’t sit right with me—icky in a way that took me out of the story a bit.
cw: animal death (you will see it coming)
Audiobook Review: ★★★
Narrated by Gisela Chipe, whose voice was warm and compelling (I kept picturing my favorite college professor). However, with multiple timelines and characters, this one would have benefited from having a different narrator for each time period. It was hard to track where and when we were. If you plan to read it, opt for a physical version.
Read if you enjoy:
✨ Folklore
🫶🏼 Multigenerational stories
🗣️ Multiple POV
💪🏼 Strong female protagonists
🖤 Dark academia
I recommend reading The Bewitching if you’re in the mood for folklore and witchy tales to get you in the mood for fall.
______
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dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It’s no secret that I love Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s writing, especially when it leans toward the supernatural, so The Bewitching was a perfect summer read for me. It’s mysterious and atmospheric with witchcraft and folklore.
We follow three women linked by mysterious disappearances across three different timelines. I’m always a bit wary about switching timelines because I find that often I will be more invested in one character or storyline, but this was not the case here. Each storyline was super intriguing and distinct in tone. I also love how the author creates a sense of time and place. The twist and turns combined with the way the narratives intertwine creates a feeling of dread and anticipation while building exquisite tension. Honestly, I didn’t want to let these characters and world go, and wouldn’t be mad if we got to explore it more in a future novel.
This is the perfect read for those looking for something witchy and atmospheric!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy. This review was written voluntarily.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thank you to NetGalley, author Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and Random House Publishing Group- Del Rey for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!
One of my favorite aspects of Moreno-Garcia's writing is how atmospheric it is, and The Bewitching might be the most entrancing of hers that I've read yet. The three timelines split between Mexico and New England felt so distinct in each story line and perfectly complimented each other. I personally enjoyed the story of Betty and Ginny the most, but I loved how the stories all interconnected. I found the type of witches described fascinating as they were more like vampires overall, and now I want to do more research into different folklore/creatures. I did think the twists were a bit predictable, and the ending felt a bit rushed for me after setting up so much of each of the characters' struggles. It didn't detract from how hooked in I was to find out what was happening though! In a lot of ways, this felt like a read-alike to V.E. Schwab's newest release, Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil, which I loved earlier this summer, and I'm interested to read/hear dialogue surrounding both titles. I look forward to diving into more of Moreno-Garcia's backlog and continuing to check out her newest releases.
One of my favorite aspects of Moreno-Garcia's writing is how atmospheric it is, and The Bewitching might be the most entrancing of hers that I've read yet. The three timelines split between Mexico and New England felt so distinct in each story line and perfectly complimented each other. I personally enjoyed the story of Betty and Ginny the most, but I loved how the stories all interconnected. I found the type of witches described fascinating as they were more like vampires overall, and now I want to do more research into different folklore/creatures. I did think the twists were a bit predictable, and the ending felt a bit rushed for me after setting up so much of each of the characters' struggles. It didn't detract from how hooked in I was to find out what was happening though! In a lot of ways, this felt like a read-alike to V.E. Schwab's newest release, Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil, which I loved earlier this summer, and I'm interested to read/hear dialogue surrounding both titles. I look forward to diving into more of Moreno-Garcia's backlog and continuing to check out her newest releases.
mysterious
medium-paced