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A review by rachel_abby_reads
A Long Day in Lychford by Paul Cornell
2.0
I may have been unimpressed with this one because it's the third in the series, which I didn't realize when I picked it up off the "new arrivals" shelf at the library.
Judith, Autumn and Lizzie are witches in the small English town of Lychford. Judith is old and crotchety (obviously the Crone), Autumn is ? The lone racial minority in a small town, apparently previously had a relationship with the prince of fairy and is an angry drunk; and Lizzie is the local C of E priest/parson/spiritual leader. (Maiden/Mother roles seem ambiguous here, though I would guess Autumn is the Maiden and Lizzie is the Mother, more from roles played in the group than actual biological definitions).
The Brexit vote has just taken place and the small town of Lychford is celebrating England's exit from the EU, which Autumn interprets as a rejection of her, her race, and all immigrants/refugees. She gets into a fight with a local senior and the next day, the constable comes calling. It turns out that she did some magical thing that popped the local senior (and a party of ravers and a lost lorry driver) into bubbles of reality in space and time. And really disgusted Judith, her mentor, in the process.
I have no history with these characters, which might have mattered since this is clearly book three. There's obviously some history (addressed in previous books? Only dimly hinted at, even by book three?) that has a harsh effect on the relationship between Judith and Autumn.
It ended quite abruptly with an obvious set up for two crises in book 4. I wasn't enough invested in the characters to go back or forward with them. If I want to read about the Maiden, Mother, Crone trilogy of witches, I'll stick with Terry Pratchett's witches of Discworld.
My biggest take away was a moment of self-examination. As I shook my head over what I called Autumn's inclination to offense on matters racial and political, I did wonder: what are my mental/identity hobby horses? Where am I sensitive and prone to offense? The next time I feel ruffled by some story/post/comment, I'd like to stop and ask myself why I'm ruffled, and if it's worth the effort, or if it's reasonable to let the moment pass without reacting to it.
Judith, Autumn and Lizzie are witches in the small English town of Lychford. Judith is old and crotchety (obviously the Crone), Autumn is ? The lone racial minority in a small town, apparently previously had a relationship with the prince of fairy and is an angry drunk; and Lizzie is the local C of E priest/parson/spiritual leader. (Maiden/Mother roles seem ambiguous here, though I would guess Autumn is the Maiden and Lizzie is the Mother, more from roles played in the group than actual biological definitions).
The Brexit vote has just taken place and the small town of Lychford is celebrating England's exit from the EU, which Autumn interprets as a rejection of her, her race, and all immigrants/refugees. She gets into a fight with a local senior and the next day, the constable comes calling. It turns out that she did some magical thing that popped the local senior (and a party of ravers and a lost lorry driver) into bubbles of reality in space and time. And really disgusted Judith, her mentor, in the process.
I have no history with these characters, which might have mattered since this is clearly book three. There's obviously some history (addressed in previous books? Only dimly hinted at, even by book three?) that has a harsh effect on the relationship between Judith and Autumn.
It ended quite abruptly with an obvious set up for two crises in book 4. I wasn't enough invested in the characters to go back or forward with them. If I want to read about the Maiden, Mother, Crone trilogy of witches, I'll stick with Terry Pratchett's witches of Discworld.
My biggest take away was a moment of self-examination. As I shook my head over what I called Autumn's inclination to offense on matters racial and political, I did wonder: what are my mental/identity hobby horses? Where am I sensitive and prone to offense? The next time I feel ruffled by some story/post/comment, I'd like to stop and ask myself why I'm ruffled, and if it's worth the effort, or if it's reasonable to let the moment pass without reacting to it.