A review by emilyliest
Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.5

I’ve read almost all Grady Hendrix’s books and this was up there with my favourites. He says it best himself ‘as a middle aged childless man, I’m probably the last person who should be writing about pregnant women’, but he does such a great job respectfully and accurately conveying these women, their struggles, emotions, pain, and injustices. He’s done his research.
I loved how this developed over time following the chronological journey of the girls in the home. Their friendship was beautiful, and their stories made me tear up. In true Grady Hendrix style, his gory depictions and just as vivid and eye watering as ever. My heart was pounding during the birth scenes, willing these poor girls to survive. You watch them transform into women. Learning the history that inspired this story, over 2,000,000 children born into these home systems and forced to be given away, is heartbreaking. 
The book is a little slow at times, but I never found it boring. 
A couple of character inconsistencies did bother me, eg
the girls going to great risks to help Zinnia, seeing her believe the magic, to suddenly no longer wanting to be involved any further. It makes you dislike her, and just felt like a complete turn around in her actions. For about 5 chapters she repeatedly mentions she’s finding a solution for Holly, but never seems to do anything about it. It just felt like a small plot hole/unrealism.

Tiny improvements aside, would highly recommend and read again!
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