A young woman living in a rigid, puritanical society discovers dark powers within herself in this stunning, feminist fantasy debut. In the lands of Bethel, where the Prophet’s word is law, Immanuelle Moore’s very existence is blasphemy. Her mother’s union with an outsider of a different race cast her once-proud family into disgrace, so Immanuelle does her best to worship the Father, follow Holy … worship the Father, follow Holy Protocol, and lead a life of submission, devotion, and absolute conformity, like all the other women in the settlement.
But a mishap lures her into the forbidden Darkwood surrounding Bethel, where the first prophet once chased and killed four powerful witches. Their spirits are still lurking there, and they bestow a gift on Immanuelle: the journal of her dead mother, who Immanuelle is shocked to learn once sought sanctuary in the wood.
Fascinated by the secrets in the diary, Immanuelle finds herself struggling to understand how her mother could have consorted with the witches. But when she begins to learn grim truths about the Church and its history, she realizes the true threat to Bethel is its own darkness. And she starts to understand that if Bethel is to change, it must begin with her.
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Bone-chilling and breathtakingly beautiful… storytelling at its finest.
A brutal tale of religion, witchcraft, and patriarchy. The perfect read for fans of The Handmaid’s Tale.
This book will haunt your dreams.
The Year of the Witching is one of those novels that stands out against the crowd. From the opening chapter to the end, this novel offers tension and deals with issues like sexism and racism in powerful ways.
A Resounding Story
Immanuelle Moore is a biracial girl born out of wedlock. Not only does she take after her mother, but upon his death, her mother ventured into the Darkwoods and survived. These woods are the realm of the Witches and the idea that she survived gives her community pause.
These events make Immanuelle an outcast. Nevertheless, her family loves and stands by her through it all, never blaming her for any hardships.
This strong family unit contrasts with the Puritanical society in which they live. At first glance, it reads like a cult following. But upon further reading, it grounds the reader in the eerie familiarity to the Puritans during the Witch Hunts.
This cultish feel to the novel gives off an edge of discomfort yet hooks the reader in. Reminiscent of The Grace Year, this novel highlights the subservient nature placed on women as a gender.
It is a compelling look at the continued mistreatment of women.
A Look at Sexism and Racism
The Prophet has many wives, and even uses his position of power to take young women at such young ages. This feels so real, Immanuelle anger at this discovery, at the mistreatment of women in her town, cowed and stripped of their voices and desires, resonates with the reader.
The Year of the Witching takes a good look at sexism and misogyny. Through this lens of religion and setting the novel in a town similar to the Puritan settlements, the reader can see that this mistreatment of women still lives on today. Even today women are subjected to the whims and inequality of men.
There is also such a powerful message of racism in the novel. Immanuelle’s skin color makes her an outcast, but having a white mother allows her some clemency. Her treatment juxtaposes that of other people with her skin color, highlighting the racism in the novel. Immanuelle is allowed into Bethel but they force other people of color to live on the Outskirts. Because of their skin color, they have to beg for scraps, unable to enter the town that claims to have their salvation.
Final Thoughts
There is a wall within the novel, both metaphorically and physically, that keeps the people of Bethel submissive and chained to these archaic teachings. However, for Immanuelle she sees beyond these teachings. Immanuelle is the strength, not giving in to her anger, but using her anger to inspire change and open the eyes of her people. She is an incredible character who grows so much and finds the power within herself to stand up for what is right and inspire change throughout the community.
“The Year of the Witching” is a fast-paced immersive coming-of-age story, one that will surpass your expectations once you realize that it is a debut novel! While the story of rebellion in a religious and an oppressive society is not new, the idea of witches being real and using religious tropes for revenge is (somewhat) novel and very entertaining. Whether or not this book is to your taste in literature, you will appreciate this new talent and her future books.
Here’s the link to my full review: https://mistyaquavenatus.com/2020/07/11/why-you-need-to-read-the-year-of-the-witching
The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson is an excellent novel that pulls together so many aspects and weaves them together to creat a great suspenseful story.
The author creates a story with aspects of magic, fantasy, suspense, religion, and eerily an undercurrent of something that feels as if these occurrences have happened in the past…and could happen now in society. What the reader is left with is a slowly building story that certainly gains speed as one delves onward. I was definitely pulled in from beginning to end. Very creative and it kept me on the edge of my seat for sure.
5/5 stars
Thank you EW and Ace/Penguin Publishing for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.