Take a photo of a barcode or cover
I think that this is a book where it is important to know what you're getting into before you start it. I know a few people who read this book who were expecting a witchy fantasy novel, and while technically the book is fantasy and has a witch, I'd put it more in the lit fic camp with magical realistic elements. The pacing is slow, which many lit fic readers will expect but witchy fantasy readers would not. The book wasn't cozy and it wasn't comforting, and those who are looking for a cozy, witchy fantasy read likely won't be the right audience for this book.
That all being said, if you like slowly-paced literary fiction that deals with very real world issues while also having some magical elements, keep reading! Motheater has two main characters in Bennie (a present-day Black woman living in small-town Appalachia and working to bring justice for those who have lost friends and family to mining "accidents") and Motheater (a Neighbor aka witch from Appalachia of the past, who is also working to stop the mining of the nearby mountain.)
Some aspects of the book I loved:
- The book is atmospheric and has a strong sense of place. I love when the setting is a character in and of itself, and this is the case both figuratively and kind of literally.
- The characters had depth and nuance, and while I didn't always agree with them, they generally felt realistic with very human-feeling motivations.
- The magic was intoxicating and intriguing. It was wild and earthy and out of control at times, which I appreciated.
- The book has horror elements that kind of meld with the environmental, social, and religious themes of the story.
- Several world issues were examined, including systemic poverty, race, gender, religion, and land exploitation.
A few things I wished:
- The pacing did feel a bit too slow in places, and there was a bit of reperition that could have been tightened up a bit.
- The ending didn't really pack the emotional punch I had hoped we were building toward, and I wish we’d gotten a bit…more.
Overall I enjoyed savoring this book over a several week span. If you like literary fiction with horror aspects and/or themes that include people exploiting the land and the land fighting back, this might be a good one to check out!
Thank you so much to Kensington Publishing for the advanced copy of the book!