From the Bookshelf of Challenge Corner…

The Once and Future Witches

Alix E. Harrow

Start date: June 1, 2021

Finish date: June 30, 2021

Discussion: Book of the Month

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What Members Thought

Jun 14, 2021 Colleen Scidmore rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: currently-on-google-drive

My heart is still thumping in my chest from the beautiful, mesmerizing, heart warming and equally heart ripping feeling this incredible story gave me.

I’ve never thought much about how much women have struggled (and to some degree still do) in the past. Taking for granted all of the liberties we have now. Honestly because I believe it should just be, but I forget it was not always so. Of course I’m not ignorant I do know our history (somewhat..lol) I just quite honestly choose not to think too mu My heart is still thumping in my chest from the beautiful, mesmerizing, heart warming and equally heart ripping feeling this incredible story gave me.

I’ve never thought much about how much women have struggled (and to some degree still do) in the past. Taking for granted all of the liberties we have now. Honestly because I believe it should just be, but I forget it was not always so. Of course I’m not ignorant I do know our history (somewhat..lol) I just quite honestly choose not to think too much on it. Not because I don’t care but because I will care too much.

This story is the backbone of women’s struggles as well as a dash of the struggles of the black community mixed with witchcraft. Portraying that witches came from women wanting and deserving more with a desperate need to make it so.

James Juniper is on the run for a crime she committed in her home town. She runs to New Salem where she finds her 2 wayward sisters Beatrice and Agnes whom she has not seen since she was just a girl running after them begging them not to leave her 7 years earlier on the steps of her family home. Bella and Agnes had no idea they had been living in the same town until the invisible line that tethers them brought them all together again as Juniper came to their city. They begin to know each other again, tedious and slow at first and with great big chips on their shoulders as they help with the women’s suffragist movement to fight for women’s rights to vote. As well as the eagerness to bring witching back into the world by remembering all of the different mothers and their mothers mothers old songs and long forgotten spells. They are on the cusp of bringing magic back into the world but there are the wills of others fighting them that also have a sinister force with twisting shadows reaching for unsuspecting souls trying to stop them. Just as they find each other again and learn to trust and love one another they may lose not only magic for good but also their lives like the First 3 Witches of Old Salem.

Honestly I wasn’t sure I would enjoy this. First off don’t hate me friends because I’m in the minority but I really did not like The Ten Thousand Doors of January. 🙈 So I was hesitant to read this. But one of my favorite groups #openlybookedbookclub picked this as May’s BOTM so I wanted to give it a try. It was actually pretty difficult in the beginning. Very slow but once I got to maybe a 1/4 of the way I fell in love with this book.

You can’t help fall for Junipers in your face attitude and Agnes’ growing vulnerability as her icy interior thaws and Bella for finally coming into her own strength. I adored the Eastwood sisters as well as so many of the supporting characters. I love that AEH included both Lesbian and Transgender representation in a historical fiction book and it fit the story quite fittingly.

It is a book that champions women and persons of color infused with magical elements disguised as children’s nursery rhymes and fairy tales that a lot of us will recognize from our own childhoods.
I don’t think I will forget this beautifully written book anytime soon and can’t wait to see what Alix E. Harrow comes up with next. ...more

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Feb 12, 2021 Sarah Lewis rated it really liked it

Shelves: aty-2021

I didn't connect solidly with the characters and while the feminism is appreciated, the execution felt heavy-handed.

However! The writing! And the subtle historical and literary twists!

Not every reader will like the writing (another reviewer referred to it as "purple" and I understand why) but for me, it landed perfectly with the rural Southern character voices.

The way every fairy tale (now witch-tales) is just a tiny bit altered was delightful. The way the disparate tales connect is intriguing.

B ...more

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