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A review by honnari_hannya
The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson
3.0
I wanted to love this so, so much. It seemed like the kind of book I was looking for: a gothic horror story about witches and girls who are drawn to the dark. And you get some of that, at least at first. This book's start was incredibly strong and I really felt like, for the first third, this would become a favorite of the year for me. There's certainly an atmosphere to this book that I really enjoyed, even though I couldn't tell for a little while if this was supposed to be a fantasy world or if it was a historical setting in the real world with magical elements (it's the former, as far as I can tell).
Unfortunately it didn't stay that way. The middle section began to flag for me. The atmospheric writing of the first third fell by the wayside as the plot kicked up into gear. I don't think Henderson was able to really balance both the character introspection that a gothic requires and the mechanics of her main plot. There were many times towards the middle, and certainly towards the end, where I felt as though she were giving stage directions rather than writing prose—certainly during that final battle scene.
Speaking of the ending, I honestly felt it was a little too saccharine given the overall tone of the book. It was all very nicely wrapped up in a big red bow, and the only thing that stopped it from veering into a "happily ever after" was that the Prophet didn't get a redemption arc (thank g o d).
I wish there was a little more ambiguity, a little more mystery. So many times, I feel like Henderson spelled out her point a little too clearly for the readers via Immanuelle's bouts of frenetic righteous anger as she rails again the patriarchy, religious conservatism, etc. A lot of grand speeches are made inside and outside her head, and I found myself wearily nodding my head to them and wishing we would just get on with it.
I get that he's an evil, predatory bastard and all. But why risk the condemnation of his flock just to get himself another wife before he inevitably dies in a few weeks? Makes no sense.
Unfortunately it didn't stay that way. The middle section began to flag for me. The atmospheric writing of the first third fell by the wayside as the plot kicked up into gear. I don't think Henderson was able to really balance both the character introspection that a gothic requires and the mechanics of her main plot. There were many times towards the middle, and certainly towards the end, where I felt as though she were giving stage directions rather than writing prose—certainly during that final battle scene.
Speaking of the ending, I honestly felt it was a little too saccharine given the overall tone of the book. It was all very nicely wrapped up in a big red bow, and the only thing that stopped it from veering into a "happily ever after" was that the Prophet didn't get a redemption arc (thank g o d).
I wish there was a little more ambiguity, a little more mystery. So many times, I feel like Henderson spelled out her point a little too clearly for the readers via Immanuelle's bouts of frenetic righteous anger as she rails again the patriarchy, religious conservatism, etc. A lot of grand speeches are made inside and outside her head, and I found myself wearily nodding my head to them and wishing we would just get on with it.
Spoiler
And I also didn't really understand the Prophet's motivations for wanting to marry her. Because she vaguely looks like her mother? Because he wants "control" over her powers? Even though he has no idea what they are, nor that she is really the locus of the plagues—especially since his interest in her precedes that.I get that he's an evil, predatory bastard and all. But why risk the condemnation of his flock just to get himself another wife before he inevitably dies in a few weeks? Makes no sense.