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A review by thereadinghammock
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
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
5.0
This was an excellent mix of magical realism, wacky hijinks, emotional honesty, and found family I would love to be a part of. I was hooked with Mika's sense of humor in chapter one; her millennial humor was perfect and so, so relatable. Once you add into the mix the delightfully eccentric residents of Nowhere House? You would have needed to pry it from my cold dead hands. This checks so may of my wheelhouse boxes. Witches? Check. Adorable, snarky, sassy, and smart women (and a few men too)? So many checks. A fiercely protective found family? Big ol' check! A not insignificant romantic grumpy/sunshine subplot? A sneaky lil check there too! Diverse cast of characters? Present and accounted for!
I don't know if I could pick any favorite character in the book. I loved them all for different reasons. Ian for his enthusiasm for everything. Ken's calm, solid presence in the household. Mika for her willingness to think outside the box and question the status quo. Lucie's amazing kindness and love. Rosetta for her passion for learning. Terracotta for her fierceness--both loyalty and stubbornness! Altamira for her innocent wonder and the comedic timing that children can effortlessly nail. And Jamie for his loyalty to the people he loves (and a sexy Irish accent to boot, thank you audiobook narrator!)
I loved the characterization of magic in this book as well. While a mostly silent "character", the fact that it had characterization at all was a nice touch the author added. That it was mischievous by nature; that the more witches around, the more magic was attracted to them; and that intrinsically it wants to be utilized. That it truly is an extension of the witches themselves. But that left unchecked or ignored, can get destructive in it's pursuit of attention.
I don't know if I could pick any favorite character in the book. I loved them all for different reasons. Ian for his enthusiasm for everything. Ken's calm, solid presence in the household. Mika for her willingness to think outside the box and question the status quo. Lucie's amazing kindness and love. Rosetta for her passion for learning. Terracotta for her fierceness--both loyalty and stubbornness! Altamira for her innocent wonder and the comedic timing that children can effortlessly nail. And Jamie for his loyalty to the people he loves (and a sexy Irish accent to boot, thank you audiobook narrator!)
I loved the characterization of magic in this book as well. While a mostly silent "character", the fact that it had characterization at all was a nice touch the author added. That it was mischievous by nature; that the more witches around, the more magic was attracted to them; and that intrinsically it wants to be utilized. That it truly is an extension of the witches themselves. But that left unchecked or ignored, can get destructive in it's pursuit of attention.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Death and Abandonment
Minor: Sexual content, Grief, and Death of parent