Reviews with content warning for Child abuse - The Witchwood Knot

The Witchwood Knot is everything I’ve come to expect from Olivia Atwater’s writing. It’s at once heartfelt, cunning, and cozy in all the best ways. While this is the beginning of a new Faerie Tale era, it builds off of the world and characters we’ve come to know in the Regency series. I lobe interconnected universes like this. However, with that in mind, I wouldn’t recommend starting here. I think to fully grasp the scoop of this world, you’ve got to read the first trilogy. That way you know the history and the landscape of the world. Each story is technically a standalone about a different couple, but they’re all building toward larger stories, it seems.

Of Atwater’s Faerie Tale world, Winifred my be one of my favorite heroines yet, next to Dora. She’s clever, cunning, and willing to do what she needs to do in order to survive a world of faeries and monsters. She has a traumatic past, but seeing her reclaim her own desire was amazing.

This is a delightfully gothic tale, with all the classic trappings of the genre. The mysterious, dilapidated manor, the gothic father/monster duology, and an atmospheric sense of isolation. Atwater combines this flawlessly with her existing world. It’s creepy, it’s heartfelt, and it’s a great time. While I occasionally found myself a bit confused, I felt that by the end I had all the answers I needed. I can’t wait for the next book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC of this book. This is my honest review.

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rachelgreenreads's review

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adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

I am a lover of all things fairytale and this did not disappoint! This was told in third-person single POV, and I was immediately struck by how strong Winnie’s voice was. Her character was layered, and we got a sense for her personality and outlook right away. She also sees some really great development, as she learns value of caring for and loving others, and healing some of her traumatic past.

The author did a good job of communicating atmosphere; the setting of a dark Victorian mansion only got more eerie as the mystery unraveled, and we learned more about its history. The fairytales woven between chapters actually strengthened the plot, and contributed to the overall tone.

I would say the romance element is fairly minor, and that this is first and foremost a fantasy-mystery. But the romance was endearing nonetheless!

I will say, I did not get a chance to read her Regency Fairytales series before this, and while I don’t think you *need* to, I could tell that some references and context would have been more potent if I did!

Side note:
I want to emphasize to mind the trigger warnings, because those listed (sexual harassment, and SH of a child) and quite prolonged and graphic, rather than a passing mention. However, I do think it was handled well.

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annerollins's review

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dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

An unusual Gothic setting, genuinely creepy atmosphere, and a slow-burn romance make this novel memorable.

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lillieslibraryy's review

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This is such a great gothic fairytale romance. While it's not my favourite of the genre or my favourite from Olivia Atwater, I still thoroughly enjoyed it.

The romance in this was so fun, I just really love a good slow burn. The only thing that somewhat irked me about the romance was a part of the main love interest (if I blocked something out about him it was fine).

I was a bit confused when the blurb happened within the first few pages of the book, but then it made sense later on.

The gothic manor is such a fun setting and I loved that we could to explore it so deeply.

Winnie is a strong character, with so much depth and it was so interesting exploring her and her backstory and finding how she and this book connects into 'Half a Soul'.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc.

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bloggingwithdragons's review

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dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

When I saw Olivia Atwater, the author of the charming Small Miracles and the Regency Faerie Tale series (home to delights like Ten Thousand Stitchesand Half a Soul), had written a spooky continuation of the latter's world, I knew I had to read it. Like all of her novels, The Witchwood Knot features a charming and quirky romance as well as a strong female protagonist, Winnifred “Winnie” Hall, who is dealing with the often catastrophic fallout of faeries.

"There has always been something wrong with Witchwood Manor, ever since Lord Longfell had it built. At first, it was less noticeable—little noises in the dead of night, and whispers in the halls. But then...the servants started leaving. Some disappeared entirely.*"

Unlike the former entries in Atwater’s world, this novel takes place in the Victorian Era, rather than that of the Regency. Fans of Victorian novels might be disappointed that this setting doesn’t play more of a role in the novel, but it’s really just a briefly mentioned backdrop. The main action revolves around the home in which Winnie finds herself employed in as (a very reluctant), governess. Winnie quickly discovers that the eponymous Witchwood Manor is home to more than just the ailing lady of the house and the few servants who can bear to work there.

But The Witchwood Knot is unlike Atwater’s other novels in that it asks the question: are fairies really the true monsters of the world? Winnie is more traumatized than Atwater’s previous heroines, which is handled with sensitivity and realism. Though I found her backstory incredibly compelling, I did, at times, think that this clever and resourceful heroine was a little too calm and level-headed for what she had been through in the past. Despite finding her ability to think so quickly and rationally on her feet in times of great danger and emotionally triggering situations a little difficult to believe, I still found Winnie to be an interesting and complex main character with a lot of admirable qualities.

I also really enjoyed the darker atmosphere and tone of this novel. It’s certainly less cozy than the others of Atwater’s works I read, but it never came across as too spooky or chilling to me, in spite of being marketed as a gothic novel. I couldn’t help but to feel like The Witchwood Knot wanted to be both scary and gothic as well as sweet and charming, but that it didn't quite find the right balance to both of these things. Though I enjoyed both of these elements, I couldn’t help but to wish that the novel had fully committed to one of the tones.

"There were no easy answers to her current dilemma. Sometimes, faerie cruelty was simply inescapable."

For example, the darker elements of the novel pertained to the male lead, which made it hard to support his romance with Winnie. For much of the novel, he was a main and sinister antagonist working from the shadows to thwart Winnie, so I wasn’t quite sure he was even actually supposed to be the love interest for her for most of the novel. Though it was hard for me to see this character in a different light, it did end up working for me, just not as well as I think it could have or as it did in Atwater’s previous novels.

I think it’s also worth noting that The Witchwood Knot does include references to Atwater’s previous novels. Unfortunately, I read these books over a year ago, and have a very poor memory, so I wasn’t able to fully appreciate these references as they were intended. Though The Witchwood Knot is the first in a new series, and the references ultimately aren’t that pertinent to the novel, this may not be the best book to get started with when exploring the author’s works. However, it certainly sets up well for future entries in the series and I'm very interested to see where it all goes.

I will definitely pick up new entries in the series, as I'm very invested in the world and its characters. I think fans of Olivia Atwater's previous books and new readers who are looking for a fantasy read with spooky-but-not-too-spooky vibes will really enjoy The Witchwood Knot.

*All quotes taken from an ARC and subject to change at time of publication.

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isabeltavares's review

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adventurous dark emotional sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.5

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bookishthea's review

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adventurous dark emotional 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

5.0

The Witchwood Knot is a beautiful and dark gothic fantasy with delightfully rich world-building. Set in Victorian England where faeries are feared for their cruelty, Winnifred Hall sets out on a journey to an eerie potentially haunted manor in the middle of an ancient mystical forest. Winnie is a determined and resourceful young magician summoned to Witchwood Manor by an old acquaintance with the goal of protecting her grandson from the nefarious faeries who mean him harm. Upon her arrival at the ominous-looking manor, she meets the butler, Mr Quincy, a curious fellow who appears and disappears in a most suspicious fashion just in time to cause mischief. Winnie’s work is made all the more challenging in that her charge, the Honourable Robert Murray the Third, is hell-bent on disobeying her at every turn and putting himself in further danger, not to mention his father, the lord of the manor, has taken a very overbearing and unwelcome interest in her.

Throughout his tutoring, Winnie tells Robert faerie stories, which are a delightfully clever way to give the reader more insight into the world, Winnie’s history, and the current problems plaguing her world. As Winnie begins to unravel the mysteries at the heart of Witchwood Manor, she begins to wonder which monsters she should be more worried about.

There are plenty of references to Atwater’s Regency series that I have possibly missed, this being my first book by her, but the story is set within the same magical England, sometime after the events of Half a Soul. We get mentions of Lord Sorcier Elias Wilder, Magician to the Crown of England, as well as some of his friends, who appear to be background players in the overall plot of this story.

I appreciate that Atwater has included a content warning, showing a dedication and duty of care to her readers' mental health. Most scenes including Lord Longfell thoroughly made my skin crawl. He was written in such a way as to have absolutely no redeemable qualities and I believe Atwater captured the intense uneasiness many women face at least once in their life under the male gaze, without ever reducing Winnie’s character. Despite her experiences, Winnies retains her autonomy and fights back.

Atwater’s newest novel is a dark and ethereal gothic fantasy with a hint of romance, a strong female lead and a richly crafted world that you will not want to pull yourself away from. You will be eagerly awaiting the next installment with bated breath!

Thank you to Netgalley and Starwatch Press for providing this ARC. I am now fully invested in Atwater's work and she has now become an auto-buy author for me!

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