Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by dracula
The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Many thanks to Netgalley & Random House Publishing for providing an eArc to me!
Much like Moreno-Garcia's Mexican Gothic, The Bewitching is an atmospheric ride laden with dread and excitement in equal parts. I have always been enchanted, or bewitched perhaps, by stories of witches. I longed to wear a red cloak and wield a wand like Wendy from Casper Meets Wendy as a child, I loved The Craft and other such stories as a teenager, and still do now in my late 20's. The many types of witches in fiction has always fascinated me, whether they are kind, menacing, both, or something else entirely. The history of witchcraft in real life is equally as fascinating and Moreno-Garcia's own childhood stories of witchcraft vibrantly shone from every page. The witchcraft here is felt by characters before it is seen, if it's seen at all, and it is conveyed with such clarity that the magic is all-consuming.
The prose was addictive and I found myself unable to pick a favourite from Minerva, Betty, and Alba. Our 3 POV characters, each with a distinct voice in 3 very different eras. Though I will admit to my love and perhaps bias of Betty's perspective as a lover of stories about manuscripts, forgotten books, and the things that inspired them. Alba's arc was devastating and I do caution those with any potential triggers to consult Storygraph's content warnings before they read this upon its release. I personally thought it was handled with care and it was very fitting within the Gothic genre. Finally, Minerva was a great way to anchor Betty and Alba's stories, a way to connect the two eras together, whilst showing how one might fall into the same trouble as their predecessors.
I am further encouraged to read Moreno-Garcia's backlog as this hit every note for me. It was most certainly a bewitching, but not one I feared. Her ability to craft compulsively readable fiction that tackles upsetting topics is fascinating and I for one can't wait to see this widely available. I look forward to rereading it in the future!
Much like Moreno-Garcia's Mexican Gothic, The Bewitching is an atmospheric ride laden with dread and excitement in equal parts. I have always been enchanted, or bewitched perhaps, by stories of witches. I longed to wear a red cloak and wield a wand like Wendy from Casper Meets Wendy as a child, I loved The Craft and other such stories as a teenager, and still do now in my late 20's. The many types of witches in fiction has always fascinated me, whether they are kind, menacing, both, or something else entirely. The history of witchcraft in real life is equally as fascinating and Moreno-Garcia's own childhood stories of witchcraft vibrantly shone from every page. The witchcraft here is felt by characters before it is seen, if it's seen at all, and it is conveyed with such clarity that the magic is all-consuming.
The prose was addictive and I found myself unable to pick a favourite from Minerva, Betty, and Alba. Our 3 POV characters, each with a distinct voice in 3 very different eras. Though I will admit to my love and perhaps bias of Betty's perspective as a lover of stories about manuscripts, forgotten books, and the things that inspired them. Alba's arc was devastating and I do caution those with any potential triggers to consult Storygraph's content warnings before they read this upon its release. I personally thought it was handled with care and it was very fitting within the Gothic genre. Finally, Minerva was a great way to anchor Betty and Alba's stories, a way to connect the two eras together, whilst showing how one might fall into the same trouble as their predecessors.
I am further encouraged to read Moreno-Garcia's backlog as this hit every note for me. It was most certainly a bewitching, but not one I feared. Her ability to craft compulsively readable fiction that tackles upsetting topics is fascinating and I for one can't wait to see this widely available. I look forward to rereading it in the future!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest
Moderate: Sexual content, Violence
Minor: Racism