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A review by dindrane
The Last Witch in Edinburgh by Marielle Thompson
3.0
This book is a tough one to review. I did enjoy it, and I will read more from this author, but there are some big caveats. It will be pretty divisive. The prose itself is absolutely beautiful, rich in historical detail and atmosphere, and, as a Feminist, I appreciate the unveiling of some of the small things that make being a woman exhausting--we can see the big things, but the microaggressions and attitudes often fly under the radar.
That said, the book is more about Nellie's journey to Feminism from the self-hatred she is taught by society than it is about apothecaries, witchery, or even shaking the patriarchy. Nellie could have used her art to fight all along, but she did not, which would be a bit weird even for the period. People have been using art for social commentary since ancient times. She is also a bit hard to root for at times: she abandons her brother, she's a bit dim at times, and is, as Jean so often says, a coward. She lives over 200 years and only grows rather suddenly at the end when Jean confronts her. The other characters are equally as annoying or simply non-entities; Jean is one-note rage and Chani is one-note perfect. Women in all our glorious complexity are not really represented.
The Cailleach content is fascinating, but does repeat. Women are called by her to love their own independence and "only then can you be a true hag," and yet we rarely see Nellie embodying the virtues of the Cailleach. How then does she get her second life? And why O why does she nor Jean ever teach other witches? Saying it's too dangerous is a copout. There's also not as much actual witching nor much herbal content, something I suspect was a draw for a lot of readers. We have a 200 year time skip that serves no purpose.
Men will not want to read this book because they don't come out very well in it, and the whole point of the book is that heaven forfend a man be made uncomfortable; if you feel any feminist rage (and you should), you will cheer at times, and yet it's 100% preaching to the choir. I'm not sure how to make the people read this book who really need to read it and grok that message, but the I don't think this one will do it. If anything, it may spur some younger readers to direct action, which I'm sure is worthwhile enough.
To end, if you enjoy books such as the most excellent [b:Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman|29340182|Shrill Notes from a Loud Woman|Lindy West|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1460015959l/29340182._SY75_.jpg|46238704] and other books of that ilk, then you'll enjoy reading this book, but it won't teach you anything you don't already know, and it will remind you of how little power we women have to affect the patriarchy, and how blind men are to the fact that it hurts them, too.
Read it for the Edinburgh atmosphere, the bits about the Crone, and the clever modern art installation at the end. Don't read it for plot or characterization.
I received a free copy of this book in a GoodReads giveaway. Thank you to the publisher.
That said, the book is more about Nellie's journey to Feminism from the self-hatred she is taught by society than it is about apothecaries, witchery, or even shaking the patriarchy. Nellie could have used her art to fight all along, but she did not, which would be a bit weird even for the period. People have been using art for social commentary since ancient times. She is also a bit hard to root for at times: she abandons her brother, she's a bit dim at times, and is, as Jean so often says, a coward. She lives over 200 years and only grows rather suddenly at the end when Jean confronts her. The other characters are equally as annoying or simply non-entities; Jean is one-note rage and Chani is one-note perfect. Women in all our glorious complexity are not really represented.
The Cailleach content is fascinating, but does repeat. Women are called by her to love their own independence and "only then can you be a true hag," and yet we rarely see Nellie embodying the virtues of the Cailleach. How then does she get her second life? And why O why does she nor Jean ever teach other witches? Saying it's too dangerous is a copout. There's also not as much actual witching nor much herbal content, something I suspect was a draw for a lot of readers. We have a 200 year time skip that serves no purpose.
Men will not want to read this book because they don't come out very well in it, and the whole point of the book is that heaven forfend a man be made uncomfortable; if you feel any feminist rage (and you should), you will cheer at times, and yet it's 100% preaching to the choir. I'm not sure how to make the people read this book who really need to read it and grok that message, but the I don't think this one will do it. If anything, it may spur some younger readers to direct action, which I'm sure is worthwhile enough.
To end, if you enjoy books such as the most excellent [b:Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman|29340182|Shrill Notes from a Loud Woman|Lindy West|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1460015959l/29340182._SY75_.jpg|46238704] and other books of that ilk, then you'll enjoy reading this book, but it won't teach you anything you don't already know, and it will remind you of how little power we women have to affect the patriarchy, and how blind men are to the fact that it hurts them, too.
Read it for the Edinburgh atmosphere, the bits about the Crone, and the clever modern art installation at the end. Don't read it for plot or characterization.
I received a free copy of this book in a GoodReads giveaway. Thank you to the publisher.