A review by kari_f
Wild is the Witch by Rachel Griffin

adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


“Magic is an innate part of the world, an extension of it. It works in tandem with things like medicine and expertise and experience. It honors the natural world by working with it.”

Sometimes you’re in the mood something that will just bring you some cozy vibes and happiness, and I feel like this is what Rachel Griffin’s writing does for me. 

Wild Is The Witch has gorgeous, atmospheric writing that made me feel like I was hiking through my favorite woods. There is adventure, but not in a loud way, if that makes sense. It’s almost an introspective sort of adventure where you learn a bit about human nature and yourself in the process.

Griffin also makes me feel things; for a book that mostly felt light and quiet, there were parts that overwrought me with emotion (in an excellent way). I loved peeling away the layers of the two main characters, seeing them learn how to be vulnerable and open with each other as they process new feelings and old traumas. The characters are mature in a way most older teenagers probably aren’t; however they’ve both had things happen that have made them grow up more quickly than they should have had to, and there’s a lot of emotional depth and  maturity because of it. 

The magic, of course, was also lovely. I really enjoy that each of her books has a unique take on the rules and uses of magic, typically having something to do with nature. The ties between nature and humans make animals (and even weather patterns) feel like characters in their own right.

While I felt like most of the book took on a predictable pattern, I didn’t feel like it detracted from the story. It was almost like knowing what to expect helped me to slow down and enjoy it even more.

One big bonus is the anxiety representation. I’m not sure if the author deals with anxiety or if she has known/worked with people who do, but her depictions of it were spot on and incredibly relatable. 

“But that’s the thing about anxiety. It doesn’t care if something is rational or not. It takes hold of your mind and squeezes, tighter and tighter until it can’t be ignored, demanding your undivided attention. It turns from insignificant to all-consuming in the span of a breath, a fog so thick it’s impossible to see through, and no amount of breathing or counting or visualizations undoes it.”

Overall I found this to be an enjoyable book that I’m sure I’ll revisit in the future!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the e-arc!
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