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4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
This felt so much worse and better since I've had Leo, I love any of these books especially the ones with strong ass women
Typically Grady Hendrix is a big hit or a big miss for me, this one was right in the middle.
I really love the way Hendrix writes his female characters, and I love that most of his books focus on female friendships. In that way, this story delivered.
I was very excited about the general concept of this book (some of his stories are really out there, this one felt more grounded), but something about the execution fell a little flat for me.
It was very long, and if it were more balanced I think I wouldn't have minded as much, but it kind of volleyed between being too much of one story, not enough of the other, and then back the other way. I was left feeling like I wanted to hear more about both stories, but not in the same book. I think it may have been a stronger story if it were broken up into two different, unrelated books. There's certainly enough material there.
I listened to this, which I think was the right move. There were three narrators: Leslie Howard, Hillary Huber, and Sara Morsey. I'm not sure who did the majority of the performing, but whatever she was paid, she wasn't paid enough. Between the witchy chanting and the teens giving birth there were a lot of vocal theatrics, some of which made me laugh out loud, which maybe wasn't the aim, but she really got into it. Not sure that would've translated in print.
I'd recommend this if you're a Hendrix fan. It's got a lot of his signature stuff - descriptive body horror, supernatural elements, and characters who feel very real. Not his best, but not his worst.
I really love the way Hendrix writes his female characters, and I love that most of his books focus on female friendships. In that way, this story delivered.
I was very excited about the general concept of this book (some of his stories are really out there, this one felt more grounded), but something about the execution fell a little flat for me.
It was very long, and if it were more balanced I think I wouldn't have minded as much, but it kind of volleyed between being too much of one story, not enough of the other, and then back the other way. I was left feeling like I wanted to hear more about both stories, but not in the same book. I think it may have been a stronger story if it were broken up into two different, unrelated books. There's certainly enough material there.
I listened to this, which I think was the right move. There were three narrators: Leslie Howard, Hillary Huber, and Sara Morsey. I'm not sure who did the majority of the performing, but whatever she was paid, she wasn't paid enough. Between the witchy chanting and the teens giving birth there were a lot of vocal theatrics, some of which made me laugh out loud, which maybe wasn't the aim, but she really got into it. Not sure that would've translated in print.
I'd recommend this if you're a Hendrix fan. It's got a lot of his signature stuff - descriptive body horror, supernatural elements, and characters who feel very real. Not his best, but not his worst.
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is set in the seventies, and begins with an angry, self-righteous father driving his teenaged, pregnant daughter across several state lines to some maternity home out in the boonies of Florida. She doesn't know he is taking her there. He is ashamed of her and says that she has ruined their lives.
And that pretty much sets the tone of this book. And let me say that, in spite of the fact that I gave this book four stars, I hated a lot of it. Literally. Because I grew up in that era, and it is just too realistic. I'll admit that I didn't know "homes" (who in their right mind would even call a hell-hole like this a "home?") like this existed, but I do remember how teen pregnancies were treated back then. It was all the girl's fault. It was always, "she got pregnant," as though there were no boys (or in some cases, men) involved.
So Neva is kidnapped, basically, by her own father, and dropped, mercilessly, into this "home" in Florida where a dozen or so other girls in the same boat "lived." The idea was that they would be "cared for," have their babies, probably never get to even see them, and then go back home and "forget this ever happened." The baby would be adopted (more like "bought") by some couple somewhere and given a life of sorts. That is probably the only positive aspect to the whole story.
This book had more of a cringe-factor than any book I have ever read. I almost couldn't finish it because of that. Hendrix's last book was cringy enough, with the relationship between that brother and sister in How To Sell A Haunted House (I swear I hated both characters in that book). But if he gets any cringier than this book, I may not be able to read any more of his books.
What helped, though, and actually got me from three to four stars, was his acknowledgements at the end of the book. Of course, the cringe-factor was intentional, because there was a "message."
One of the girls' "baby-daddy" was a Reverend, of course. Another one was impregnated by her boss. And of course, there were no consequences for any of them. The owner of the house was a terrible person. The doctor that treated the girls was a terrible person. The only decent people in the book were the cook (who was pretty mean, herself) and her sister, who actually did something to help our main character and a couple of her friends.
None of the girls went by their real names while at the home. They were all given fake names by the owner. Neva became Fern, and roomed with "Rose" and "Holly," and, eventually, "Zinnia."
Oh. Yes. There was witchcraft, eventually, when a bookmobile turned out to be driven by a "librarian," who happened to be a witch.
Why did I give this book four stars? Because it is, in fact, very well-written. Hendrix does a pretty great job of describing the horrors of what went on in one of these "homes."
Would I recommend this book to anyone? That's a solid, "nope." Mr. Hendrix, I would really appreciate it if your next book were more like Horrorstor or that Southern Book Club Vampire-Slaying thing. Maybe not quite so realistic, next time?
And that pretty much sets the tone of this book. And let me say that, in spite of the fact that I gave this book four stars, I hated a lot of it. Literally. Because I grew up in that era, and it is just too realistic. I'll admit that I didn't know "homes" (who in their right mind would even call a hell-hole like this a "home?") like this existed, but I do remember how teen pregnancies were treated back then. It was all the girl's fault. It was always, "she got pregnant," as though there were no boys (or in some cases, men) involved.
So Neva is kidnapped, basically, by her own father, and dropped, mercilessly, into this "home" in Florida where a dozen or so other girls in the same boat "lived." The idea was that they would be "cared for," have their babies, probably never get to even see them, and then go back home and "forget this ever happened." The baby would be adopted (more like "bought") by some couple somewhere and given a life of sorts. That is probably the only positive aspect to the whole story.
This book had more of a cringe-factor than any book I have ever read. I almost couldn't finish it because of that. Hendrix's last book was cringy enough, with the relationship between that brother and sister in How To Sell A Haunted House (I swear I hated both characters in that book). But if he gets any cringier than this book, I may not be able to read any more of his books.
What helped, though, and actually got me from three to four stars, was his acknowledgements at the end of the book. Of course, the cringe-factor was intentional, because there was a "message."
One of the girls' "baby-daddy" was a Reverend, of course. Another one was impregnated by her boss. And of course, there were no consequences for any of them. The owner of the house was a terrible person. The doctor that treated the girls was a terrible person. The only decent people in the book were the cook (who was pretty mean, herself) and her sister, who actually did something to help our main character and a couple of her friends.
None of the girls went by their real names while at the home. They were all given fake names by the owner. Neva became Fern, and roomed with "Rose" and "Holly," and, eventually, "Zinnia."
Oh. Yes. There was witchcraft, eventually, when a bookmobile turned out to be driven by a "librarian," who happened to be a witch.
Why did I give this book four stars? Because it is, in fact, very well-written. Hendrix does a pretty great job of describing the horrors of what went on in one of these "homes."
Would I recommend this book to anyone? That's a solid, "nope." Mr. Hendrix, I would really appreciate it if your next book were more like Horrorstor or that Southern Book Club Vampire-Slaying thing. Maybe not quite so realistic, next time?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
challenging
dark
emotional
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:
Complicated
"After everything she’d been through, after she’d created life, after they had taken her child, did they really think she was scared of something as small as God?"
Witchcraft for Wayward Girls was my first Hendrix book, and I don't think it will be the last.
We follow Fern, a fifteen-year-old pregnant girl sent to Wellwood Home, an institution where unwed mothers are hidden by their families to have their babies in secret, give them up and forget it ever happened.
Hendrix does an incredible job portraying the cruelty and trauma these girls endured. Fern and her friends' stories highlight how abusive and dehumanizing these so-called maternity homes could be.
While the book features witchcraft and a bit of the supernatural, that’s not the main focus. This is a story about women’s rights, bodily autonomy, and the horrors of being denied the power to make your own decisions.
It is a very thought provoking book, even more so in the current political climate, and I really recommend everyone give it a read.
Witchcraft for Wayward Girls was my first Hendrix book, and I don't think it will be the last.
We follow Fern, a fifteen-year-old pregnant girl sent to Wellwood Home, an institution where unwed mothers are hidden by their families to have their babies in secret, give them up and forget it ever happened.
Hendrix does an incredible job portraying the cruelty and trauma these girls endured. Fern and her friends' stories highlight how abusive and dehumanizing these so-called maternity homes could be.
While the book features witchcraft and a bit of the supernatural, that’s not the main focus. This is a story about women’s rights, bodily autonomy, and the horrors of being denied the power to make your own decisions.
It is a very thought provoking book, even more so in the current political climate, and I really recommend everyone give it a read.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Gaslighting
Moderate: Child abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
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:
Yes
dark
slow-paced
I skimmed the last half of the book. I actually thought I was going to like it for the first quarter of the book, but there were a lot of things I hated.
solid offering from Grady Hendrix. I didn't find it as good as Horrorstor or My Best Friend's exorcism but enjoyable.