A review by maralyons
The Factory Witches of Lowell by C.S. Malerich

3.0

Being from Lowell, Massachusetts and having worked as a seasonal Park Ranger at the Lowell National Historical Park in college, I was dying to read this as soon as I saw the cover! Overall, it was an interesting story and I liked the ways witchcraft was used to bolster their strike and Union. This story takes place in the 19th century and incorporates accurate depictions of life as a Mill Girl, buildings/landmarks, and even some significant historical figures. The story mostly follows Mill Girls living in a boardinghouse, including: young, determined Judith who fights against poor working conditions; and Hannah, a Seer, who helps teach the girls spells. The writing style was a bit difficult to read as it seems like it could’ve been written in the period it depicted. For that reason, I felt a bit disconnected from the characters. I also wished this was a longer story, so it would be easier to get to know characters better. It’s clear Malerich has done a lot of research about Lowell and the life of a Mill Girl, which really made the burgeoning city come to life! Many of the textile mill buildings still exist in Lowell, so it was fun for me to picture what things were like in the 19th century.

Thank you NetGalley and TorDotCom for providing this digital ARC.