Jul 30

Jul 30 The Once and Future Witches

Author: Alix E. Harrow
Publisher: Redhook
Goodreads | The StoryGraph

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Note: Content and trigger warnings are provided for those who need them at the bottom of this page. If you don’t need them and don’t want to risk spoilers, don’t scroll past the full review.

Cover Description

In 1893, there's no such thing as witches. There used to be, in the wild, dark days before the burnings began, but now witching is nothing but tidy charms and nursery rhymes. If the modern woman wants any measure of power, she must find it at the ballot box.

But when the Eastwood sisters — James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna — join the suffragists of New Salem, they begin to pursue the forgotten words and ways that might turn the women's movement into the witch's movement. Stalked by shadows and sickness, hunted by forces who will not suffer a witch to vote-and perhaps not even to live-the sisters will need to delve into the oldest magics, draw new alliances, and heal the bond between them if they want to survive.

There's no such thing as witches. But there will be.

TL;DR Review

The Once and Future Witches is the best kind of witchy historical fantasy book: atmospheric, feminist, well-researched, emotional. Also, gorgeous prose. I loved every second of it.

For you if: You like a fairytale storyteller voice — and really strong women.

Full Review

“Witchcraft isn’t one thing but many things, all the ways and words women have found to wreak their wills on the world.”

Here’s what you need to know about this book: Suffragist witches. Intersectional feminist, gorgeously rendered, fierce, flawed, badass suffragist witches. Convinced yet?

The story follows three sisters, James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna. Raised by an abusive father and their witchy grandmother but estranged years ago, they’re drawn back together by what feels like fate one explosive spring equinox in New Salem. Bella finds herself drawn into an ancient magical mystery. Agnes finds herself faced with an opportunity to reopen her own heart. And Juniper finds herself upending the local women’s association (and pretty much everything else). Over the course of more than 500 pages (it’s a standalone), they take us on a journey about sisterhood and womanhood and wills and ways and words and fierce, burning strength.

Reading this book was an absolutely delicious experience — Alix Harrow’s whimsical storyteller voice, the reimagining of fairytales, the historical research, the homage to Black women of the suffrage era (and all history), the rich world-building, the beautiful queerness, the love-to-hate-him villain, and the absolutely stunning, dogear-all-the-pages prose. I don’t know if I could even think of one thing I love in a book that wasn’t here. I can’t believe it took me so long to pick it up.

If fantasy is your comfort genre, this is the kind of book you sink into when you’re tired and need a book to catch you. Or when you want a book that feels like home in your heart. But it’s also a good one for folks who like low fantasy — the kind that takes place in the real world, like Addie LaRue or the Night Circus.