In the late 1800s, three sisters use witchcraft to change the course of history in a Hugo award-winning author’s powerful novel of magic amid the suffragette movement. 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 … 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.
The Once and Future Witches earns 5/5 Magic Times Three…Engaging Epic!
I am a fan of the more realistic drama about witches, and Alix Harrow had me hooked at “An Introduction” with the ending line “There’s still no such thing as witches. But there will be.” As the tale begins, it is the spring equinox of 1893 New Salem, a starkly different place from Old Salem and it’s past. The third-person narrative centers on the Eastwood sisters: the youngest James Juniper, the middle sister Agnes Amaranth, and the eldest Beatrice Belladonna. Their mother died early having not imparted her knowledge of magic to any of them and their father, critical and abusive, didn’t die soon enough, but their grandmother, Mother Mags, did her best to provide the three sister with enough magic instruction to survive. However, Agnes and Beatrice left, and James Juniper was alone and angry. The journey converges with historical issues like the suffragette movement, reuniting the sisters, and . The idea women’s rights are also witches’ rights was easily expressed, but not easily obtained with the patriarchal control and evil lurking in the shadows. The book is extensive divided into five parts and over 500 pages filled with lengthy, sensory-laden description, a plethora of characters, and entangled drama. Although the story might have been more easily read if edited down or separated into a trilogy [no loss of stars just because it’s long], I greatly enjoyed sisters, the history, the journey, the witch lore Harrow created, and the sense that she was somehow writing about the disenfranchised, the marginalized, the discouraged of today. I enjoyed “The Once and Future Witches.”
The Once and Future Witches, magic, spells, and treason many stories playing at once that can hurt or save the sisters from a tragic ending..
I rarely read fantasy but this book keeps showing on my newsfeed all around so I decided to give it a try, it is a good book and a good story, It has sooooo many details that at times I was getting confused with what was happening but at the end everything was great.
The once and future witches it is the story of three sisters who had to go through so many problems and terrible situations to be able to reunite again, many lies and situations made them grow apart, thinking the worst about each other but life has a funny way to face you with your worst nightmares and mistakes so together again are ready to recover their life and power that was hidden from local authorities and regular humans who were hunting them and try to change their world.
Many evil characters, you didn’t know whom to trust, who was bad, who was good but we definitely found some in this story and a lot of female energy. when I started to think which of the sisters was my favorite I really couldn’t say but JUniper and Agata were definitely my favorites, both of them were very rebellious or more like a “rebellious soul” trying to survive in man’s world.
I love how in the end family blood is stronger than any bad karma, I love how they redeem themselves, they forgive and forget and fight hard to get what they needed… but most importantly to become sisters and a family again that’s what this book left me with.
I don’t want to spoil anything so let’s just leave this review like it is..
Overall it was a good magical book, with a great final message, with too much detail and description that kept me screaming “can we move on already” hahah but it was good
“Fate is a story people tell themselves so they can believe everything happens for a reason, that the whole awful world is fitted together like some perfect machine, with blood for oil and bones for brass. That every child locked in her cellar or girl chained to her loom is in her right and proper place. She [Agnes] doesn’t much care for fate.”
In the 1890s women’s rights are nonexistent. Women who fight for themselves are accused of witchery and burned and in New Salem they claim they don’t want to repeat the past. But three sisters raised in witching ways may have found the link to bring back true witchery and give the women of the world a fighting chance.
I loved this read. It has all of the elements of historical fiction that I love mixed with the beauty of magical prose. Add a dash of fairy tale interludes, dark forces and spells and I spent the past few weeks constantly curled up on my couch slowly enjoying this world created by Harrow.
There are areas that tend to read a little slower when the action isn’t prevalent and information is being presented but it ties in so beautifully with the era and the aspects of the world building that I found myself engrossed instead of bored. I personally love how everything tied to witchery for these three sisters. Harrow presents each one with her flaws, pushing them to face their regrets and fears and become more. The tie-ins from past to present and the aspect of the sisters joining the suffragists was well thought out. Honestly, this is perfectly timed considering the current state of affairs in our country and the upcoming votes. The powerful message of being a women, our rights and fighting for ourselves was woven expertly in the plot. I applaud Harrow for her inclusion of segregation. Quinn may have been a side character but she stood out beautifully for what she represented in this novel.
This is different from The Ten Thousand Doors of January and I hope readers go in expecting something new and exciting from Harrow. I highly recommend taking your time with this read. This is one of those novels you want to absorb slowly without the rush of deadlines or other novels cramming into your space. A read that will stick with you long after the final page is read.
Thank you to Orbit for an advanced copy of this novel for an honest and unbiased opinion.
Juniper, Agnes and Bella are three sisters. They have been apart for several years. But, fate and circumstances have brought them back together. These three begin a witch’s movement and it turns out…they may not be the only witches around. Good, bad or ugly, these three suffer through some evil sorcery. Will they survive?
Now! This book is a great read for the Halloween season. You just can’t go wrong with witches, spells and battles. Plus, this story is full of history and I love the folk tales thrown in. Very unique indeed. The only reason for the 4 star rating is I just felt the story is a little too long. I think there is too much explaining in places. But, that is minor. The characters and the time setting really keep you turning the pages.
Grab this Halloween read today!
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
This historical novel is set in 1893 Salem, Massachusetts when there were no witches left. Three sisters, Juniper, Agnes, and Bella grew up under the abusive hands of their father. When Agnes and Bella were old enough, they ran away leaving Juniper behind with their father. Her hatred not only for their father but for her sisters has grown and festered over the years. When her father dies, Juniper is given nothing in the father’s will. She starts walking and is eventually drawn to Salem and a suffragettes’ rally where her two sisters are also present. The sisters decide to involve themselves in the suffragist movement and introduce witchcraft into the mix in order for women to gain not only the vote but a modicum of power. Then, like now, there were forces determined to limit the ability of women to survive and thrive.
Harrow has written a historical novel that encompasses many of the same issues that plague women today. Harrow’s storyline is multilayered and complex, her writing is lyrical at times, subtle at times, but always well done. Her characters are multifaceted and all three damaged by their abusive father. The author has done her research and it shows – not in info dumping like so many other historical novel authors – in the way she creates a world using the research to expand and explain.
If you love historical novels with strong women characters and an artfully created world based on fact, then this novel should be high, if not at the top, of your to-be-read list.
My thanks to Redhook and NetGalley for an eARC.
The Once and Future Witches by Alix E Harrow is the book I want to tell everyone about and hold close at the same time. It’s genre bending story can described as fantasy, historical fiction, magical realism, women’s fiction. I just want to put it in people’s hands and say “Read this, trust me”. It’s a story told over hundred years ago but change a few minor details and it’s happening right now, today.
Three sisters, Juniper, Agnes, and Bella, grow up with an abusive father after loosing their mother during Juniper’s birth. Their grandmother, Mags, was a Hedge witch, a wise woman, who taught them simple rhymes and tricks. This was a common tradition handed down from grandmothers, mothers, aunties, to young girls in kitchens and homes, birth rooms and gardens. The burning of women, witches, their books and knowledge quieted it all hiding it often in plain sight. In survival instinct, betrayal, two sisters leave one behind.
All three sisters find themselves in 1893 in New Salem amid a suffragette movement. As Juniper is perused for a crime the sisters are drawn together by bonds that have been weakened, but held strong despite years of mistrust, anger, and resentment. They forge together with local women in mills, factories in a parallel movement to return witchcraft. Their quest is both to vanquish a foe and find the knowledge left to them by past generations. Alix E. Harrow uses the same gifts she did in The Ten Thousand Doors of January, giving physical power to words themselves. She honors both written words and the oral traditions of stories handed down. At turns her moving, lyrical, simple words tell how stories are coveted and feared, sought and destroyed, fought for again and again throughout time. I urge readers to ignore genre labels. The only thing I regret in the reading of this book is I know the audiobook is being narrated by January LaVoy, something to look forward to in my reread on release in October. I highly, highly recommend.
A special thanks to Netgalley and Redhook for the Advanced Reader Copy and the opportunity to review The Once and Future Witches. All Opinions are my own.
The Once and Future Witches is built on and around nursery rhymes, which are anything but. The year is 1893, and as The Eastwood sisters come together again after a long separation, they find the strength they didn’t have growing up. Suffragettes with a twist, how perfect! I feel like some reviewers are over reviewing this with impossibly long book report style reviews, so I will keep it relatively short and sweet.
Harrow takes on women’s rights, she shows us what the bonds of sisterhood should be among women, how we should lift each other up instead of tearing each other down, and how we are stronger together. She shows us the power of the written word and the power of oral history. The characters are inclusive with a very diverse cast. The sisters each have unique personalities and talents, and I related to each of them in various parts throughout the book.
This novel took me longer than normal to read. But as a fan of Harrow’s, I know the pain of finishing one of her books too fast, and so I savored what I read. I somehow even kept a slower pace during the tense sections, which was almost impossible. Including stories around the main storyline added a cherry on top of this already delicious treat. An excellent and powerful read. Thank you Redhook Books for sending this along.