A review by elliebeemellie
The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow

adventurous reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

2.5

The Once and Future Witches is a historical-style fantasy where witching is real and women (and especially women of color and queer women) are quashed under the boot of the heteronormative white patriarchy. 

I feel like I really should have liked this book, but it really didn't resonate with me. The writing was alright, but I struggled to connect with the characters, and I felt like any promise the story may have had was overshadowed by how it approached its social messaging. Don't get me wrong, I love allegorical stories that force readers to think hard about how they view the world, but this didn't do it for me. 

I also felt like the conversation about intersectionality needed more attention. It felt very sidelined to me, which was a little jarring considering the whole book was a critique about systems of oppression.

Tldr; It's not a bad book, but it's definitely not for me. 
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