A review by effinalice
On the Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel

5.0

“A witch is not a pointy hat or a broom or warts. A witch is merely a woman who is punished for being wiser than a man. That’s why they burned her. They tried to burn away her power because a woman who says more than she’s supposed to say, and does more than she’s supposed to do, is a woman they’ll try to silence and destroy. But there are some things that not even fire can destroy. One of those things is the strength of a woman. “

I am at a loss for words on this one. Anything I write will not come close to how this book made me feel. 

McDaniel is one of the best storytellers I’ve come across. 

On the Savage Side is inspired by the Chillicothe Six - a group of women who disappeared in Ohio back in 2015. It is a searing look into the lives of women our society disregards. McDaniel gives them a voice and gives us a glimpse into their humanity. 

We primarily follow the lives of two sisters–Daffe and Arc. They are twins born into a savage life. Their immediate family members are struggling with poverty and drug addiction. Both try to find hope and beauty in the horrors that surround them. 

The story alternates between the past and the present while Daffe and Arc are in their twenties forging friendships and trying to break the cycle of violence. It’s a beautiful story about sisterhood and a tragic story about the women we disregard. 

Cannot recommend enough!!