A review by bookishthea
The Witchwood Knot by Olivia Atwater

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The Witchwood Knot is a beautiful and dark gothic fantasy with delightfully rich world-building. Set in Victorian England where faeries are feared for their cruelty, Winnifred Hall sets out on a journey to an eerie potentially haunted manor in the middle of an ancient mystical forest. Winnie is a determined and resourceful young magician summoned to Witchwood Manor by an old acquaintance with the goal of protecting her grandson from the nefarious faeries who mean him harm. Upon her arrival at the ominous-looking manor, she meets the butler, Mr Quincy, a curious fellow who appears and disappears in a most suspicious fashion just in time to cause mischief. Winnie’s work is made all the more challenging in that her charge, the Honourable Robert Murray the Third, is hell-bent on disobeying her at every turn and putting himself in further danger, not to mention his father, the lord of the manor, has taken a very overbearing and unwelcome interest in her.

Throughout his tutoring, Winnie tells Robert faerie stories, which are a delightfully clever way to give the reader more insight into the world, Winnie’s history, and the current problems plaguing her world. As Winnie begins to unravel the mysteries at the heart of Witchwood Manor, she begins to wonder which monsters she should be more worried about.

There are plenty of references to Atwater’s Regency series that I have possibly missed, this being my first book by her, but the story is set within the same magical England, sometime after the events of Half a Soul. We get mentions of Lord Sorcier Elias Wilder, Magician to the Crown of England, as well as some of his friends, who appear to be background players in the overall plot of this story.

I appreciate that Atwater has included a content warning, showing a dedication and duty of care to her readers' mental health. Most scenes including Lord Longfell thoroughly made my skin crawl. He was written in such a way as to have absolutely no redeemable qualities and I believe Atwater captured the intense uneasiness many women face at least once in their life under the male gaze, without ever reducing Winnie’s character. Despite her experiences, Winnies retains her autonomy and fights back.

Atwater’s newest novel is a dark and ethereal gothic fantasy with a hint of romance, a strong female lead and a richly crafted world that you will not want to pull yourself away from. You will be eagerly awaiting the next installment with bated breath!

Thank you to Netgalley and Starwatch Press for providing this ARC. I am now fully invested in Atwater's work and she has now become an auto-buy author for me!
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