Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
challenging
hopeful
reflective
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
“Maybe we’re just the very beginning, and all the fuss and mess we made was nothing but the first strike of the flint, the first shower of sparks. There’s still no such thing as witches. But there will be.”
The Once and Future Witches is a story set in the height of the women’s suffrage movement in a world with witches, and so the story of the fight for women’s right to vote also becomes the right to use witchcraft. After the events in the Salem witch trials, of which are dramatized here, witchcraft (women’s magic especially) becomes illegal on the basis of women becoming dangerous. The story is woven with different versions of fairytales, nursery rhymes, and stories passed on through generations, which is such a beautiful and engaging touch. The characters are dynamic, relatable, and so different. The story focuses on the three Eastwood sisters going on their own separate but interwoven journeys, and it is so impactful. They discover love, relationships, communities, and worlds that are worth fighting for.
Truly, no description of this book will amount to its full glory. This book is so scarily relevant to current politics, and the fight for women’s rights, queer love, mothers, and magic is such a hard hitting topic. This book carefully discusses race, queerness, sexism, oppression, and controlling governments in such an impactful way that some passages just had me in tears. Truthfully, I do not have enough words to express how well written and beautiful this book was.
Those looking for a bit of hope in the world right now, who find comfort in the fight, may find solace in this book. This book is so similar to the comfort I found in Little Women by Lou Alcott of such differently spirited sisters making their way in the world, and I think lovers of that book would also love this one. This book had me hooked by the second page of the introduction, and it will resonate with sisters, witches, women, and everyone in between. We will get through this. <3
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-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
challenging
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Three sisters, separated by trauma, re-unite in New Salem in 1893. Their fight for women's suffrage transforms into a fight to reclaim women's power through witchcraft. With a large, diverse cast of characters, the author can explore different magic systems, traditions, and cultures (Intersectional feminism for the win!)
It takes place in an alternate world where magic has mostly disappeared from the world, after the Last Three were vanquished. Yet women still perform small magics in secret. The novel explores the transmission of knowledge both oral and written, official and spurious, in historical records and hidden in plain sight. The eldest sister is a librarian.
The world-buillding is fantastic. Many famous persons from history are genderbent, seemingly for the fun of it. I would like to read more stories in this world. Yet, i am also happy that it is a stand-alone novel.
ETA: Check out the author's notes about all of the historical and literary shout-outs: https://www.goodreads.com/notes/53543064-the-once-and-future-witches/23964209-alix-harrow
It takes place in an alternate world where magic has mostly disappeared from the world, after the Last Three were vanquished. Yet women still perform small magics in secret. The novel explores the transmission of knowledge both oral and written, official and spurious, in historical records and hidden in plain sight. The eldest sister is a librarian.
The world-buillding is fantastic. Many famous persons from history are genderbent, seemingly for the fun of it. I would like to read more stories in this world. Yet, i am also happy that it is a stand-alone novel.
ETA: Check out the author's notes about all of the historical and literary shout-outs: https://www.goodreads.com/notes/53543064-the-once-and-future-witches/23964209-alix-harrow
ouch. what the heck. what was the purpose of that ending. but omg. what an amazing book.
Oh my, what a book. One of these books I wish I could give more than 5 stars, and which will go straight onto my favourites shelf!
I was a bit sceptic at the beginning, as the characters felt a bit stereotypical at first. But that changed after just a few chapters, and instead they turned out to be very three-dimensional and unique in their flaws and strengths!
I think this is the first book I've read that had gave me head to toe goosebumps so bad my husband asked if I was cold not once, not twice, but three times!
I loved the setting, which had suffragettes fighting for women's rights along with witch burnings being a thing of the not so distant past. Sexual or gender orientation also still being mostly dictated by the church ads yet another layer to the book. Combined wit racism still quite rampant even though slavery was officially over, it made for a gripping and thought provoking read with no clear good or evil side, instead a lot of grey areas, and characters. You might be the hero on one side of the story, and the villain for someone else - and I thought this was excellently executed.
All of these topics could make for a very dry and almost sanctimonious read, but no - it was one enthralling tale full of twists and turns and mysteries that hat me spellbound all the way through. While it is definitely a feminist read, it didn't feel like morals being pushed on me, instead it gave me plenty of room to think and exercise my brain.
The story was just as compelling as the setting and characters, and I do wish I could use the will, the words and the ways and do a little witching of my own!
If you haven't read The Once and Future Witches yet, I strongly recommend you go and do so!
I was a bit sceptic at the beginning, as the characters felt a bit stereotypical at first. But that changed after just a few chapters, and instead they turned out to be very three-dimensional and unique in their flaws and strengths!
I think this is the first book I've read that had gave me head to toe goosebumps so bad my husband asked if I was cold not once, not twice, but three times!
I loved the setting, which had suffragettes fighting for women's rights along with witch burnings being a thing of the not so distant past. Sexual or gender orientation also still being mostly dictated by the church ads yet another layer to the book. Combined wit racism still quite rampant even though slavery was officially over, it made for a gripping and thought provoking read with no clear good or evil side, instead a lot of grey areas, and characters. You might be the hero on one side of the story, and the villain for someone else - and I thought this was excellently executed.
All of these topics could make for a very dry and almost sanctimonious read, but no - it was one enthralling tale full of twists and turns and mysteries that hat me spellbound all the way through. While it is definitely a feminist read, it didn't feel like morals being pushed on me, instead it gave me plenty of room to think and exercise my brain.
The story was just as compelling as the setting and characters, and I do wish I could use the will, the words and the ways and do a little witching of my own!
If you haven't read The Once and Future Witches yet, I strongly recommend you go and do so!
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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:
No
I need to process but wow, I absolutely loved this.
Witchy, sisterhood, women's rights ... this was so much more than I expected it to be.
It is a bit of a slow story and normally I don't like that but this was so beautifully written and grabbed me from the start. Highly recommend this ❤
Witchy, sisterhood, women's rights ... this was so much more than I expected it to be.
It is a bit of a slow story and normally I don't like that but this was so beautifully written and grabbed me from the start. Highly recommend this ❤
adventurous
emotional
funny
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:
No
I would give this 6 stars if I could
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes