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

4.0

Thanks to the publisher for a free review copy.

I loved The Ten Thousand Doors of January so much, and was thrilled to see how long this book was when it arrived. I ended up liking it, but not loving it like her first novel.

This is a character driven fantasy story featuring three sisters, set historically during the women's suffrage movement in the US. I love the style of this book: winding stories, breaking apart and then finding a way back together. The writing is beautifully poetic and full of vivid imagery, and the sister element and bond is strong and powerful. The magical elements combine fairy tales and with history for a unique feel that was spooky at times, ominous throughout, but never truly scary.

Despite its 500 pages, I still felt like I wanted more from the characters, and it took a really long time for me to feel fully invested in them. I also expected things to be slightly more creepy. Even though this wasn't a complete homerun for me, I still love the writing style and will continue to read this author!