After reading The Ten Thousand Doors of January, I was happy to be approved for the ARC for Alix Harrow’s next book. A book about witches.

Yet, it is so much more than just about witches. Set in 1883, in New Salem, a town a few miles away from Old Salem, which was burned down in the witch trials about a hundred years ago. Women are fighting for the right to vote. And three sisters need to get to grips with their past and survive the present to allow a future for strong women and witchcraft.

Apart from (feminist) witches and devious witch hunters, this book contains badass librarians, sisters and Sisters, powerful depictions of birth and motherhood, and a gorgeous cover.

The prose is excellent. This is why the rather slow parts in the story are still a pleasure to read. Still, at about 60% of the story I was wondering what else might be coming, I thought everything had been said by then. I was wrong, obviously.

A lyrically written love letter to sisterhood that brings alive witchcraft and feminism, in a world of memories, fables and raw emotions. I absolutely fell in love with this book; its atmosphere, characters, and plot-line grabbed me by the throat.

I absolutely love the experience this book gives you. The pacing is something I haven't come across yet. At the right moments it's slow and deliberate, and at the most unexpected moments it takes you on a wild ride. However incoherent I may sound, this is an incredibly beautiful story and I wish I could experience it for the first time again and again.

---- Due to terms set by the publisher I will not publish my review outside of Netgalley until two weeks before release. These will be posted on YouTube, Instagram and Goodreads.

The Once and Future Witches is a well-written and expertly crafted exploration of magic and feminism. Alix E. Harrow’s debut novel, The Ten Thousand Doors of January, made a big splash, so there have been big expectations for her follow up. I haven’t yet read The Ten Thousand Doors of January, so The Once and Future Witches is my first time reading her work. I have to say I was impressed by the quality of the writing. It’s lyrical and captivating, perhaps like a magic spell, which is why it suits this story so well.

The historical setting, the women’s movement and witches are woven together so well. It really works. I loved how magic is done through words from rhymes and stories passed down from mother to daughter through the generations. There are also some subtle and clever changes to history and literature, such as the Sisters Grimm instead of the Brothers Grimm. The rights of witches and the rights of women are tightly connected in this book and shows the struggles women faced in the 1890s. It isn’t just a story of witches and magic, it’s also deeply thought-provoking.

It did take me a little while to get into the story and feel connected to the characters. But at some point, I just clicked with this book and ended up being totally invested in the story of the three sisters. At the beginning they are estranged and we get to see how their relationships grow and develop as the book progresses.

Alix E. Harrow took me on an unpredictable journey with twists and turns. At the midpoint, I wondered where the book could go next, but there was plenty more for the three sisters to content with before the conclusion. Having said that, I did find the pacing a bit slow in places, especially in sections of the second half where the characters are on the run. There were some very intense and suspenseful scenes, but in between those parts I wasn’t as gripped.

This enchanting story of sisterhood and women’s rights works well as a standalone and has a satisfying conclusion. By the end of this book, Juniper, Agnes and Bella had a special place in my heart. I will certainly be looking out for more of Alix E. Harrow’s work.

I like this book - I didn't love it, but it kept me engaged just enough to want to finish it in one go. Plot held my attention, and I cared enough about the girls, but there was something about the prose that made me hover slightly above the page as I read, I didn't dive right in. I wonder if the author was trying for a historical style of prose? I don't know. I was also interested to see how the various diversity angles would be handled. Rather disappointed in some ways, but maybe she was just trying to reflect the attitudes of the time. Came off as a bit stilted, but overall I think it was a good YA read.

The ARC for this book was provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley.

Trigger warnings for misogyny, childbirth, abortions, sexual harassment, domestic abuse, and death.

Suffrage. Equality. Feminism. Witches.

A very interesting story that parallels the historical prejudice and oppression of women with witches and folklore.

Alix E. Harrow does a very good job of weaving fairytales and nursery rhymes into spells and incantations. She uses everyday items commonly used by women to explain the necessity of magic. And how in a world where magic is dominated by women, but through years of persecution, have had to hide it in plain sight.

Harrow reflects in her writing how society has (and still is) governed by white males who believe it to be their duty to dictate and enforce ruling over the treatment and ownership of women. Of how society is full of men who are fearful of the open-mindedness and independent power a women could weald. And thus if a woman who subjugates societal normals and has a thirst for knowledge - she must be a witch. But women are redeemable if they repent - if they give up their freedom, tame themselves, and follow the established guidelines set out for them they can be accepted back into the fold.

But the character's of Harrow's The Once and Future Witches do not give up so easily. Throughout history, women fought back against oppression and, as days go by, win new inches of ground each day. Through the witches of Salem 1600s to suffragists of the early 1900s to our female representatives in politics today. Women will forever fight for knowledge and equality wherever possible.

Overall, I loved the message of this book. It was a true piece of feminist work wrapped in a fantasy novel. It had brilliantly written characters with depth and intrigue who had passions for what they believed and fought for. The use of stories and mythology and fairy tales that readers are already aware of were cleverly weaved into the storytelling of this book. Which made the story feel relatable and understandable and created a connection to the modern-day reader.

Harrows inclusivity allowed for representation of LGBTQAI+ and several side BIPOC characters. However, a slightly failing I found to the book was that these representations were very surface level. While one of our main three sisters and her partner (our token black character) are the central romance to the story, the trans character is only briefly mentioned and only within the third act. Other BIPOC characters are relegated to third billing and while the book had the potential to flourished in its in-depth evaluation of how magic worked for non-white characters and how their culture plays a vital part in it - it was only ever briefly mentioned.

Overall, while I gave this book four stars - my appreciation for the book comes from the story and feminist stance of it. However, I did feel that the book suffered from pacing issues and over exposition. It is a very character-driven with flower descriptions which made it a slower read - but I did enjoy and was engaged with the story throughout.

As usual, it is written brilliantly. Every word is chosen carefully. But, as usual with with Alix E. Harrow books, it failed to touch my heart. My brain is incredibly happy but the heart is a tad disappointed.

2.5 Stars

I'm going to start this review by saying that this is going to be a very personal and unpopular opinion, but it's time to admit that Alix E. Harrow and me are not made for each other. The Ten Thousands Doors of January was one of my most anticipated books of last year, and sadly it was also one my biggest disappointments. Still, I hoped that it had been a case of reading the book at the wrong time plus the enormous hype surrounding it, so I jumped at the chance of reading The Once and Future Witches. Unfortunately I found here all the same problems I had with January: the brilliant premise and beautiful prose hide a very simple and linear plot, with characters that are strong and interesting at first but that are actually quite cliched and stuck in their roles (the rebel maiden, the tortured mother, the lonely spinster) for the most part of the story. There is a wonderfully diverse cast of secondary characters that left me wishing for more. But my biggest issue was the extremely uneven pace, that led me to squeeze two books in between reading this out of sheer boredom. As I said at the beginning, this is only my opinion and I'm sure everyone (and there were many, many people) who loved January will surely love Witches, but for me this was another disappointment :(

There are a lot of things to like about this book.

I love the characters, they are so well defined and the relationships between them are so realistic. The sisters in particular, their relationship and interactions are wonderfully depicted. It was also refreshing to read a witch story that didn't revolve around kids or teenagers.

I also enjoyed the way femininity and the power of women in all its forms was celebrated.

but overall it lacked something for me. I wasn't enchanted by the story, it felt a bit predictable and dull.

I really hope I'm in the minority in not loving this, it is well written with great characters and i really hope it finds an audience who will appreciate it.

The Once and Future Witches, Alix E. Harrow

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: Sci-fi and fantasy

I was so intrigued by the description, so eager to get started on this. I adore fantasy reads, and witchcraft and witches are a huge draw for me. Sadly, though I restarted several times I just couldn't get into the story and abandoned it at about 40% in. Life's too short ;-) Its perfect for others of course, as can be seen from reviews but for me it just wasn't a good fit.

It was well written, but at times even so I found myself drifting away from the story, a good read has me gripped to the page, reading “ just one more chapter/just to see what happens to...” but this was such a struggle I had to keep flicking back to refresh my mind over connections.
The little fairy-tales in the chapter openings were fun, but I didn't always connect them with the section that followed, maybe my mind runs on a different track.
I was really disappointed not to get along with this story, it held such promise and I was sure it would be perfect for me.

Its one of those novels where its reader taste, not an issue with the book that makes for the low stars. One of those stories folk will either love or be indifferent to. For me it was indifference. I could have made myself finish, I just wasn't invested enough in the lives and actions of the characters.

Stars: two. I just wasn't invested enough in the lives and actions of the characters.
ARC supplied by Netgalley and publisher

I went into this book with a lot of excitement and a little bit of apprehension because Ten Thousand Doors of January was one of my favourite read of 2019. But when I started reading, a little bit of that apprehension went away with the beautiful writing of Alix E Harrow.
We are introduced to the three Eastwood sisters, June, Agnes and Bella who have all been separated but chance to come upon one another in New Salem amidst a Suffragette march. Their meeting precipitates events that lead them to reclaim the lost words and ways of witches while trying to work together and forget old wounds.
I have tried to keep the summary as vague as possible so that people reading it can go in with as little spoilers as possible.
Alix E Harrow manages to set the scene in 1800s within the first few chapters and the writing gives you the perfect atmospheric witchy vibes you go in expecting almost immediately. The author’s love for storytelling is evident in the writing and how she weaves in folklore, fairytales and nursery rhymes soo perfectly into the narrative is commendable.
This is mostly a character driven narrative where a distinct voice is created for all three sisters with their own individual but intertwined histories and struggles. The character development you see over the course of the narration is incredible and I was completely, emotionally invested in each and every one of the characters by the end.
But the pace of the narration suffered in the meantime as sometimes the plot dragged, especially the first half, to make time for the necessary developments in characters or to set up the relationships between the characters.
But I can hardly complain because the ending made up for all of it! The finale had all the emotional gut wrenching heart soaring excitement I needed and I was sobbing so hard at the end that I couldn’t see through my tears to read.
I would highly recommend this tale of sisterhood in all it’s many forms for its inclusiveness, perfect witchy vibes, the beautiful lyrical writing of Harrow and the incredible female characters it presents to us in all their glory. Do not miss this!!!!! And preorder it right now!!
Rating : 4.5 stars

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for sending me a copy.
This was a fantastic book that had me hooked from page one - it’s the reason it took me so long to read it as I was savouring it.
I loved all the characters, the world building and the plot - there was nothing I disliked about this book and will be buying it when it comes out for myself as well as pushing it into colleagues’ and customers’ hands as much as possible.

Trigger warnings for abortions, sexism, sexual harassment, domestic abuse, and death of loved ones.

The Once and Future Witches is a wonderful and haunting feminist tale. It is fraught with suspense and reads almost like a historical fiction- excluding the fantastical elements.

This is a slow-paced character driven story. All the characters are very well fleshed out and have diverse viewpoints and differing voices.

That being said, while Harrow's prose is beautiful, the present tense put me off and took away from my enjoyment of the novel., Had it not been for the prose, this could've easily been a 5 star.

I will be rereading this on release because the typographical errors seriously annoyed me and I could see myself giving this a higher rating had these minor issues not bothered me.

I was a little concerned going into this book that I was going to have to have another discussion about where we draw the line with historical fantasy - what is fair game to talk about and what isn't. While that discussion is still important in this case I think it's less pertinent because, while this book references the Salem witch trials - we're actually talking about the 1800s rather than the late 1600s - so while things in the US still weren't great for women (as this book acknowledges) we're not dealing with innocent women who were actually murdered so I personally felt ok with this one. 


It also helps that this book did what I've been asking almost every historical fantasy book I read lately to do - it set up right at the start that magic was possible and what various attitudes towards magic were. So in this case we're dealing with a world where magic can happen, most people do know a little bit of magic, there is a divide between 'male and female' magic, and some people don't like people doing it- for the most part with religious justification. All that within the first couple of chapters - perfection. 

But, whether people like it or not magic is happening and our three sisters use magic to do various things. I liked the way that magic was done in this book, the idea of oral history and passing down snippets of spells and the general....community nature of it felt very realistic - while also serving the plot. I liked the idea that magic was something to be shared with other women, which also ties into the idea of empowering women which is yet another theme of this book. Yes to this alternate reality where instead of being transphobic mumsnet is a place for sharing spells. (That's not what this book is I just like imagining it...)

I really liked the plot of this book, I liked the way that the three sisters all had a major part to play in the story - very rarely do I enjoy all the perspectives in a multiple POV book but actually I don't know that I could pick a favourite sister...

I enjoyed the way that the plot built and changed as the book went on - I wish I could put my finger on which book this reminded me of but the way that the major antagonist was revealed was something familiar (in a really good way). I was captivated and engaged through to the very end and I may have shed a tear or two at certain moments. 

This book also contains some LGBTQ+ representation with the major 'letter' there being the L (or B....it isn't labelled) with one of the sisters being a owman who loves women. I liked this plot a lot and though there were a few moments where I was concerned we were going to slip into unpleasant tropes for the most part this book did well. There is a small amount of trans representation but all I can really say is it is there and isn't 'bad' it just isn't very relevant to most of the book. But still - good to recognise trans women in a book that takes women's suffrage as a major theme. 

Overall I had a great time reading this book, I'm so pleased it managed to stay away from all the pitfalls that I was concerned about. It's just a fun read, and an empowering one. It recognises how rubbish things were (and are) for women (in an intersectional way might I add) but manages to paint that in a hopeful way. 

Yes. Would recommend. 

My rating: 4/5 stars

I received a free advanced review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and also physically - all opinions are my own.

The Once and Future Witches publishes October 15th!

Absolutely loved this one! I have been completely captivated and immersed in this one.
I really wish I could experience reading this for the first time again

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book to review. I’ll admit I’m a sucker for witches and I like reading about magic. I was excited to read this but at the same time I wasn’t sure about it.

Trigger warnings (Taken from author answer on goodreads) - Child abuse, both physical and psychological; parental death; arrest and imprisonment; mind control; pregnancy and childbirth, including forced hospitalization; racism; sexism; homophobia, both external and internalized; threat of sexual assault, averted; torture (mostly off-the-page, but alluded to); execution (attempted); child abandonment; major character death.

As you can probably tell from the trigger warnings this book is dark in places. The witchcraft in the book is great and I would have loved to read more about the witches in this world.

This book follows three main female characters who are sisters. I liked the sister relationship they had and it felt realistic to me. I didn’t really connect with the characters but I still managed to enjoy the story. Agnes, Bella and Juniper are the main characters and they want to turn the women’s movement into a witches movement. These three women also love stories and there are a few tales in between chapters.

I really enjoyed the themes of trying to fix broken bonds between sisters, justice and the fight for women’s rights. I thought the themes helped the story and I enjoyed seeing them in the book. The book is very character driven and each of the main characters has a distinctive voice. There is also a sapphic pairing in the book which was great to see. Also badass librarians are always a win!

One major problem I had was the writing style, it wasn’t for me which I should have guessed as I did not finish the authors other book. It took me so long to read this and the writing style was the reason I couldn’t get invested into the book and enjoy it more. However the style will work for plenty of people, it just didn’t for me personally. The pacing also felt a little off but that might be because of the little tales between chapters.

Overall this was an okay book for me, I probably won’t reread it and I struggled with the writing style. However I did manage to enjoy the story and the themes in the book.

Blown away

This is without a doubt one of my favourite books of 2020.
What a brilliant brilliant read.
I am stumbling over myself to type as quickly as I want to to make it clear how much I LOVED this story.

Once and future witches tells of 3 sisters, of women who fight for fairness and equality, of witches who perhaps ‘are women who need more than they have’. It is described as a love letter to rebellious women of history and I couldn’t agree more.
The three sisters are whole rounded characters who I fell in love with completely particularly Juniper and her wild, wilful nature and Agnes who loves with a fierceness I recognised.
They have ties that bind them together despite their troubled childhood and a broken relationship and, drawn by the appearance of a magical tower, they find themselves reunited and fighting for female equality and to bring back witchcraft aided by the different communities in New Salem in the 1890s.

I enjoyed the fact that the witches were presented somewhat differently - yes the sisters were familiar: the maiden, the mother, the crone. But there was more than that- witches were represented by women of different colours, different languages and nationalities. They were represented in men and in gender fluid roles.

There were familiar stories interwoven into their story, love - but not just in the traditional sense, a clear enemy with vast power both literal and metaphorical and it was just a huge dose of fun.

Truly loved it. 5 stars.

Thank you to hachette and to Alix E Harrow for the ARC I received in exchange for this honest review.

Last year, Alix E. Harrow’s debut novel «The Ten Thousand Doors of January» was a huge success. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get past the first half of the book. Even after giving it a very fair try, I still wasn’t able to connect to the main character or the story.

With the release of «The Once and Future Witches», I decided to give Alix E. Harrow’s books another try and was very lucky to receive an e-arc from NetGalley. Once again, and even though I forced myself to read until the very end, without skipping the boring descriptions, always staying focused on the story and constantly reminding myself how excited I was about this book, this book was not for me.

In «The Once and Future Witches» we follow the Eastwood sisters - James Juniper Eastwood, the youngest; Agnes Amaranth Eastwood, the middle sister, and Beatrice Belladonna Eastwood, the oldest one, on their suffrage journey to not only give more rights to women, but also to return their oldest power - witchcraft.

The book is over 500 pages, so we got to know the three sisters (and some side characters) very well throughout the story. Each one of them was very unique, but also had some qualities that all women will be able to relate to. June (Juniper) was the youngest, the most reckless and head-hotted of the three. While Agnes was the one who could endure everything, and Bella was the wisest, the most curious and strategic. They all had flaws, but their traits worked flawlessly together.

Undoubtfully, the character work, the story, and many important and empowering ideas, woven into the plot, were done masterfully. There is no denying that. Alix E. Harrow really knows how to create a powerful novel that will affect her readers from the very beginning.

As “witchcrafty” and fairy-tale-like this story seems to be, don’t be fooled! It had a fair share of fairy-tales, yes, but it also had a lot of gruesome, dark, and sad moments, which made me shed a couple of tears.
My only and main complaint is Alix E. Harrow’s writing style. It’s beautiful, I can’t deny that. However, beautiful writing doesn’t mean engaging or appealing.

In my opinion, this book could have been 100 times better, if only the editors would cut out all the unnecessary fluff, long descriptions, metaphors. First of all, it would significantly reduce the number of pages, and secondly, it would help to propel the plot forward, keep the pacing high, instead of constant ups and downs.

Reading this book felt like a rollercoaster, and not an emotional one. One moment I was engrossed in the story, not noticing myself flipping the pages (tapping my Kindle), and the next one a long sentence or metaphor or description would pull me out of the story. Throughout the whole book, I had to constantly make an effort to stay interested, stay engaged, and pay attention to what was happening on the pages. And I don’t think that’s a sign of a good book.

I know a lot of people loved her previous book. If you did, I think you’ll love this one even more. The plot and the characters were much more interesting, in my opinion, However, if you didn’t like Alix E. Harrow debut novel, this might be a miss as well.

The book had a very slow start for me, and unfortunately I was not able to finish it. I definitely think there is a market for this book and I can clearly see the author took great pains to create a distinct atmosphere however not all books are for all readers and this one was not a match with me.

I am sure this book will do well when it gets published.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an e-ARC

I was completely sold when I read the blurb for this book, the promise of a feminist book lead by witches and set in the 19th century. It ticks all the boxes for me.

In this story, you follow the point of view of 3 sisters with 3 different personalities and visions of life. You follow them in a world where magic used to be everywhere and powerful, but now reduced to songs and tales and hidden tricks. After being separated for a couple of years, the 3 sisters are reunited again in New Salem and are now facing a new danger.
Although they are undeniably tied together by a strong bond, they are also tied to a difficult past and you see them struggling with their doubts, hurts and mistrust. In their journey to restore the stolen power to the women and witches, they will rediscover themselves and each other again, learn about the power of love and sisterhood.

This book was mostly character driven and the growth of the sisters was remarkably done, you see them develop in a beautiful new version of themselves. I also absolutely adore the feminism aspect in the story and the fight for women’s rights, all the sisters and women coming together and rally towards the same goal and hopes. But what I loved beyond everything, was the writing style!!! It’s so beautiful and lyrical, with a perfect world building, so atmospherical, that I could easily picture it in my mind.

Now, it’s not a 5 stars read for me because as I mentioned above, it’s mostly a character driven story, and the pacing was often too slow for my liking. It was a bit dragging, without much happening at times, and I had to push myself to pick it up again.
I also unfortunately felt emotionally disconnected from the sisters and I could not really relate to any of them.

So overall it’s an enchanting book and I can see many people enjoying it once it’s out in October.

I still think about The Ten Thousand Doors of January, months after reading it, so I was delighted to see another book from Alix E. Harrow coming so soon. And slightly apprehensive in case it disappointed. I'm really glad that it surpassed expectations.

The three main characters are so strongly drawn: a 'maiden, mother and crone' could easily end up as stereotypes, but here they're not: and each of the sisters develops marvellously over the course of the novel, in response to events and to one another, including as they fill in the blanks about the reasons they were split apart in the past.

It's satisfyingly dark, some of the touches (the shadows wielded by the chief villain for example) are genuinely shiver-inducing as you read them. I also relished the way the magic is presented: it's not schlocky and over-the-top, and beautifully tied in to traditional nursery rhymes. As with The Ten Thousand Doors of January, there's a real love of words, language, books beaming out from every page.

The wave of sickness and the anti-witch demagoguery strike (presumably accidental in the former case, but not in the second) chords with what's happening in our world in 2020. But basically I loved it all: the supporting (and supportive) characters; the falling-in-love stories; its diversity...

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an advance reader copy (ARC) via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. I wish I had some criticism to reinforce that last sentence but... I just found this wonderful from start to finish.