The book is set during the late 1800s, and follows three sisters: James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna. Torn apart years ago, they are suddenly thrown back into each others lives on the Spring Equinox; and so begins a chain of events that will change not only their lives, but the lives of all womankind, forever...

I really, really, really wanted to love this. The synopsis was amazing, the writing was beautiful, and the tone was reminiscent of the much loved fairytales of my childhood. Plus, it's about witches, which is something I am deeply fascinated by. So really, I should have loved this book. But it just sadly didn't work for me.

I really don't know the issue was for me. The pacing was quite slow, but that's to be expected in a book of this size. The writing was a little descriptive at times, but given the complexity of the story that too is something you would expect. The writing is good, the characters were likeable, the plot was interesting, but for some reason I just really struggled to engage with it, and I felt like it took me an inordinately long time to finish, even though I felt like I was reading a lot each day.

Sadly, the most I can give this book is 3 stars. It's a shame, as I felt like the synopsis described pretty much my perfect book, but sadly I just really struggled to feel connected to the story. I think it's simply a case of me being the wrong reader, rather than an issue with the book itself. However, Harrow's writing is still fantastic, and she's definitely an author that I would read again.

Disclaimer - I was fortunate enough to be provided with an advance reading copy of this book by NetGalley. This has not affected my review in any way, and all opinions are my own.

4.5 stars.

Received from NetGalley for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book, once you get into the main storyline. Witching has all but died out in 1893, that is until three wayward sisters find their way back to each other and unleash a power that hasn't been felt by women for years.

The Once and Future Witches is set in New Salem, where Juniper Eastwood flees in the hope of finding some form of sanctuary. Fate brings her back into the path of her two older sisters, after 7 years of abandonment. With the hand-me-down words and ways from Mama Mags will the Eastwood three be able to save themselves, and the people they love, from the witch hunters and inquisitors?

The first few chapters of this were a little slow to get into, but once the story had picked up to it's main point I couldn't put this down. The twisting of tales, and the name of witch-tales brought me deeper and deeper into this world where little bits of witching and magic were still possible from stories and rhymes passed from mother to daughter. I enjoyed the use of nursery rhymes to tell the stories, and how each chapter started with one. The sense of foreshadowing from this little tidbits made me eager to read on with where the story went.

The way the characters Agnes, Bella, and Juniper developed throughout the story felt beautiful and fittingly done. They all started as an archetype, as something that is meant to be immutable and unmoveable. And yet, they changed. They were able to open to changes in their lives with real emotions, and believable lines. They all held a quality of realness that made the story as whole more like a piece of history than of the imagination of the author.

I thoroughly enjoyed this and would recommend this book far and wide.

I loved Harrow's writing style and storytelling in her first book, so I was really excited to get a copy of this early to review. This is one of my most eagerly anticipated books of the year and I was so so hyper to get this, completely fangirling and much squealing may have been involved! I really wasn’t disappointed I can tell you now just like her first book the writing is powerful, lyrical and beautiful , even more it’s so undeniably feminist, sisterhood and women’s rights, unapologetically so as is right ! This is a powerful read that covers the generations, about fighting for what you deserve, your rights and what you are entitled to, no matter the cost. I can’t recommend this book highly enough, I can’t over emphasise how amazing the story and writing is, basically wether you love witches, feminism, a powerful story or just an amazing read, this book is for you. Stunningly good.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
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I was still thinking about The Ten Thousand Doors of January, when I found out that its author had a new book coming out and I couldn’t have been more thrilled. Once and The Future Witches is another magical and terrific story from an author that never disappoints.
The story takes place in 1893 in New Salem. The protagonists are the Eastwood sisters. Once really close, they became estranged and took different roads in life, until they meet again at a suffragette rally. While trying to repair their broken bond, the three sisters, James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna, turn the women’s movement into the witch’s movement looking for justice, equality, and freedom.

The story is told from the different points of views of the three protagonists. The Eastwood sisters are still recovering from the abuse suffered at the hands of their fathers. They have their fears and their problems to face, but they survive and they don’t back down. They have very distinctive personalities. Beatrice Belladonna is the eldest. She works in the library, she always carries a black notebook filled with witches tales and nursery rhymes. She is the quiet and timid one, still not sure of herself. Agnes Amaranth is the middle sister. She is more practical, steady, and resolute (and she is also my favourite sister). And James Juniper. She is the youngest sister, the one who was left behind by her sisters. She is impulsive, hasty, and troublesome. Together, the three of them manage to unite the women of New Salem in the fight for their rights and their independence.

Beautifully written, The Once and Future Witches is a unique, thought-provoking, and compelling story of family, hope, power, and magic and I loved every single page of it.

Once and Future Witches | Alicia E Harrow

I’m a witch book addict if such a thing exists - I love the #DeborahHarkness #DiscoveryofWitches books. I devoured #TheMayfairWitches by Anne Rice and I have been entranced by the books of #LouisaMorgan. I’m pleased to say #OnceandFutureWitches from #AlixEHarrow can sit side by side with these great books.

It’s one of those rare books that you start making extra time to indulge in. The book takes the approach that Witches existed, they blazed bright with magic and rode across night skies on brooms. But that was before men with torches extinguished their existence and their wondrous magic with them. This is where the story starts.

The book is set in the late 1800s and is the intricate and captivating story of three sisters James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth and Beatrice Belladonna. Their story is set against a backdrop of an alternate American history during the suffragette movement, which becomes a metaphor for the three sisters reclaiming their magic and heritage in a world that fears them.

Harrow’s writing is beautiful and emotive, magic in this world is grounded in folklore, nursery rhymes and fairytales. It is in the stitches of clothing and in the power of nature. Each sister is distinctly detailed and through their lives the book addresses themes of feminism, race and LGBT. It’s a captivating and spellbinding read.

Magnificent, beautifully written book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of five

“There's no such thing as witches. But there will be.”...from Introduction.

My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group/Orbit for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Once and Future Witches’ by Alix E. Harrow in exchange for an honest review. I subsequently have purchased its hardback and audiobook editions.

I adored this novel. Sometimes it’s hard to find the right words following such a brilliant literary experience. Of course, no novel will find favour with every reader though for me this proved a wonderful journey. Its title brought to mind the Once and Future King of Arthurian legend and there are some elements of this mythos contained within; referencing the otherworldly Avalon and its sisterhood of magical women.

From publisher: “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.”

The story isn’t one that can be summed up in a few sentences though I will attempt to set the scene. Its main characters are the three Eastwood sisters, who have come together in New Salem after a period of separation. The youngest sister, James Juniper, is a fugitive wanted for murder and suspected witchcraft. Arriving in New Salem, she witnesses a gathering of the local suffragettes and is intrigued by this new movement to secure the vote for women.

Her sisters are already living here. Agnes Amaranth, the middle sister, works in a local factory and has recently discovered that she is pregnant. Finally, the eldest sister, Beatrice Belladonna (Bella), is a librarian at the Salem College Library.

On the Spring Equinox the sisters are unexpectedly reunited and are among those gathered in St. George’s Square to witness the unexplained fleeting appearance of an otherworldly dark tower. They are inspired by this event to seek out the oldest magics as well as to form new alliances.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of late 2020 and I was delighted from its opening pages to find myself drawn into Alix E. Harrow’s fascinating alternative late 19th Century New England.

Well in advance the cover artwork was an instant draw for me, and overall it is exquisitely presented. Each chapter opens with a short spell. In addition, a number of reimagined fairy tales by the Sisters Grimm are woven throughout the novel.

This was a beautifully written novel, rich in symbolism, characterisation, and descriptions. I found Harrow’s world building totally convincing. During my time with it, I felt totally immersed in the experience. My favourite sister was Bella, and certainly her quiet, bookish nature reflects my own personality.

Harrow also explores themes linked to women’s rights during this period, combining political and social aspects of feminism with witchcraft and magic of various types. It is also a powerful exploration of the bond between sisters, whether they are biological or of the spirit.

Last year I was very impressed with Harrow’s debut, ‘The Ten Thousand Doors of January’ and feel that this second novel confirms her as a gifted storyteller.

Very highly recommended.

What an amazing second novel from Alix E Harrow. The setting in an alternate America set after the Salem witch trials in a New Salem, combining the suffragette movement with witches and bringing in elements from fairy tales!!
The three principal characters are the very well realised estranged Eastwood sisters. Each sister is given viewpoint chapters throughout the novel and we learn of their hardships, fears and secrets in their past as they each struggle to reconnect and make their way in this new world where they are suppressed as both women and witches.
Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK. for the early copy.

I loved Harrow's first book and this was one of my anticipated books of the year. It definitely didn't disappoint. I loved that it was about witches this time, a personal favorite topic to read about.
Harrow's writing is so beautiful. It's a great Autumn read that has also women's rights at the center of it in the 19th century.
Great one!
Thanks a lot to NG and the publisher for this copy.

“Some stories were never written down. Some stories were passed by whisper and song, mother to daughter to sister. Bits and pieces were lost over the centuries, I’m sure, details shifted, but not all of them.”

It’s 1893 in New Salem and there’s no such thing as witches. But there were. And there will be.

Nursery rhymes, witches-tales, stories – these are how the whispers are passed down out of the view of watchful, hateful, and fearful eyes. Passed from mother to daughter, sister to sister; small charms and spells, harmless really. Real witching ended with the burnings, after all.

After several years of separation, the three Eastwood sisters – James Juniper, the fierce and untamed Maiden; Agnes Amaranth, the strong and passionate Mother; and Beatrice Belladonna, the wise and reserved Crone – find themselves drawn together as a tower appears out of thin air in the middle of a city square. Just as quickly as it appeared, it vanishes again. The sisters, surrounded by the suffragist movement, find themselves on the trail of forgotten words in a story that weaves and unravels in absolutely enthralling ways.

I read Alix E. Harrow’s debut novel earlier this year and was completely blown away by it and, although I tried to keep my expectations levelled, I was incredibly excited to see her second offering’s release date was so imminent.

Harrow’s way of crafting a story – not just the narrative but the wordsmithing itself – is so quietly beautiful. I have highlighted so many passages in my ebook as standout that I might as well have highlighted the entire book. Her way with words has a way of stopping the reader every so often so that they can exhale, exclaim, and just admire the skill.

This is all to say… I was not let down by my expectations of The Once And Future Witches.

A theme that runs through both this book and it’s predecessor, The Ten Thousand Doors Of January, is the magic and power behind words and stories. It’s delightfully meta, as is the fairytale-like feel that both complements and contrasts the epic stories being told.

The Once And Future Witches is told in our real world, but a version of that world where magic exists. Existed. Will exist again. On several occasions I was in awe at the level of quiet detail tying this world into real-life history. A huge amount of thought and care has gone into crafting this story and grounding it in the reader’s reality. Familiar nursery rhymes and fairy tales are used as vessels to pass spells between generations, and real events in history – as well as countless famous myths – are tied in to the history of witching.

Placing a more specific label on this book beyond fantasy is difficult, as it contains so many genres and themes within it. There is witchcraft, obviously, and both the real and fictional history of stake-burning. There is a fiercely feminist theme throughout, manifesting most obviously in the suffragette movement and the various factions and divisions therein. The importance of sisterhood – familial or otherwise – is the main driving force of the narrative, as is love and the many forms it takes. There are feelings of a dystopian genre, and definite moments of adventure and peril. I don’t count myself as a particular fan of fantasy in many of its forms, however it turns out that I’m very much a fan of Harrow’s take on it.

Despite the ethereal nature of the book, important topics are explored – the racial divides of a city; the contrast between a woman’s movement that is for the “right kind of woman” and the women who get left behind by that; LGBTQ presence in history; the different kinds of magic that come from and belong to different cultures from around the world; the difference between the sharing and the taking of this cultural heritage. That empowerment belongs to all women is a central theme, and this is resonated in the disabled main character, a sapphic love story, interracial relationships, and multiple side characters of colour and characters who are LGBTQ.

At several points during my read I found myself examining the story and taking guesses as to where it was headed. For a long time the endgame was not obvious at all, but it is deliciously revealed bit by bit in a way that never feels contrived. When a couple of sizeable reveals happen, they are the kind that make you both smile and sigh in exasperation, because it turns out that they’ve been right in front of you the entire time. It’s almost enough to make you want to reread the story immediately to see how many glaring clues you missed the first time around.

This is a long book. Perhaps, maybe, it could have been trimmed slightly, but being able to remain in the world and magic of the Eastwood sisters for so long was also a blessing.

If you want to be completely entangled in a story about strength, bravery, love, resistance, empowerment, and of course, magic, then I cannot recommend this story enough. I cannot wait to see what the author offers us next.

(An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thoughts are my own.)

Review live on my blog November 3rd:

Trigger Warnings, taken from author's list on GR: Child abuse, both physical and psychological; parental death; arrest and imprisonment; mind control; pregnancy and childbirth, including forced hospitalization; abortion; 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.

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I say this a lot but I truly think this book might have been made for me. Historical fantasy fronted by witches using actual practice and not mystical wand waving, leading a feminist suffragette charge with nothing but their wits and willpower. It was just perfection. I hadn’t read anything from Alix E. Harrow before, though I have had The Ten Thousand Doors of January on my radar for a while, and her writing blew me away so intensely that within five minutes of finishing The Once and Future Witches I was on my phone trying to get ahold of a copy of The Ten Thousand Doors of January. Harrow’s writing is lyrical and beautiful, and feels so carefully crafted that every line is a masterpiece. I couldn’t pick a single favourite line from this book. I couldn’t even narrow it down to five. Settings were made vivid and memorable; I usually don’t remember anything about the settings of books because I have aphantasia, but when making my graphic for this post I was completely fixated on the thought of Juniper’s cane against stone streets. It was truly that memorably vivid even in little passing snippets. The descriptions of the witching was perfect. To be honest, I can be quite fussy on what feels like realistic witchcraft and what doesn’t, and this nailed it in so many ways for me. And the way that the words were woven into witchcraft were truly perfect. I loved the storytelling aspect as it was cut into the Eastwood sisters’ tale.

As for the Eastwoods, I adored all three of them. I was buddy reading this with Andee (mousereads) and I swear every third word out of my mouth was ‘Juniper’ for the entire four days that we were reading. While Juniper has my heart and soul (not surprising, considering I’m a maiden archetype witch anyway), I truly loved all three of the Eastwoods. Bella was the slowest for me to adore, but her relationship with the wonderful Cleo definitely drew her personality out and made her the type of character I just wanted to whisk away for a happily ever after. And honestly, I think that certain reveals about her history make her caginess in the early chapters make perfect sense. Agnes is jaded and cautious and very reluctant to share her love again. Despite that, it was still clear just how fiercely she was capable of loving, and I adored her unwillingness to yield when it came to the people she cares for. Not to mention that August Lee? The only man in this book with rights. And then Juniper. James Juniper Eastwood. I actually adore her. Dangerous and strong-willed and sharp tongued, Juniper is the fire that drives them at first and I loved her role in their family. I also loved that she was equal parts villain and hero, and never backed down from a fight. I could honestly read a thousand pages of Juniper just going around her daily life. Any book that can have three main characters and make me adore all of them without hesitation deserves all the praise. And the bond of sisterhood between them and the other women in this book brought literal tears to my eyes. Even the side characters were well written, well rounded and very well loveable.

The plot of The Once and Future Witches genuinely stressed me out so much. At one point there was so much happening that I thought I must be nearing the climax, only to find out I was literally halfway through. It was well paced, a balance between fast action scenes and the longer, slower process that building a coven and spreading dissent and magic would be. I was never bored and always desperate to keep turning pages, eager to uncover both the magical aspects of the book and to find out more about the womens’ fight for equality and the vote. The way the story built into an emotional crescendo was incredible and I think my anxiety and excitement will be just as palpable on the reread. It built to an ending that packed such a punch that it left me crying at work and Andee crying in a Starbucks. And if that’s not enough of a selling point, I don’t know what is.

The Once and Future Witches is Alix E. Harrow’s sophomore novel, a tale of witches and sisterhood, a tale of women’s rights and magic. I had high hopes regarding this book even though I haven’t read yet the author’s debut, The Ten Thousand Doors of January. I hoped to enjoy it, I didn’t expect to completely fell head over heals in love with the story as much as I did. You can bet I will be reading every single book Alix E. Harrow writes from now on.

Once upon a time, there used to be witches whose spells relied on rhymes and herbs. Words passed from grandmothers to mothers, from mothers to daughters. Words nearly forgotten now, hushed whispers secretly woven in clothes and shared in rumpled notes. The Eastwood sisters, once inseparable, know some of those words. They have grown up between fairy tales they used to tell each other to forget about their reality, the cruel world where they lost their mother and were left under the wing of their abusive father. But as the rest of the women, they are forgetting the ways of witchery and they are not expected to fight back in a world where men have the power.

The Once and Future Witches alternate history fantasy story is set in New Salem in 1893 following the Eastwood sisters: James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth and Beatrice Belladona. The Maiden, the Mother and the Crone. June is the youngest, a seventeen-year-old with a leg impairment who arrives at New Salem after murdering her father and who soon decides to join a suffragist association. Agnes is the middle sister, she works in a cotton mill after running away from her past and has recently discovered that she is pregnant. Bella is the oldest, a lesbian junior associate librarian at the Salem College Library. The three sisters haven’t seen each other for seven years. That’s it, until they are drawn to the New Salem Women’s Association rally, where a dark and ancient tower with the sign of the Last Three Witches of the West appears out of nowhere.

First of all, Harrow has one of the most beautiful writings I’ve had the pleasure to enjoy. It’s so lush, whimsical and lyrical. A couple of pages into this book, I already knew I was going to love it because of the writing style. I honestly think Harrow has a special power with words and I ended up highlighting innumerable sentences. Also, I very much enjoyed how she included fairy tales between some chapters and how Bella keeps her most personal thoughts safely looked inside parenthesis.

Witchery and suffrage are intertwined in this novel. June is the first of the Eastwood sisters to take a step in order to fight for the women’s rights. She soon joins the New Salem Women’s Association, which serves as representation of the first suffragist movements: snobbish and racist. The New Salem Women’s Association fights for the women’s vote but they only accept white women and from an upper social class. I loved how this leads the main characters to found an inclusive space for very women, no matter their race, social status or sexual orientation. A witchy association that receives a generous donation from Pankhurst—I personally loved the reference of the famous suffragette.

Moreover, The Once and Future Witches deals with so many important themes such as violence against women, sexual harassment, race privilege, motherhood, class privilege, transphobia, labour exploitation, homophobia and gender pay gap. I really liked how the author included social criticism in the novel taking into account the situation at the end of the nineteenth century even though this is an alternative history fantasy story. What I mean with the latter is that Harrow took some liberties in terms of the gender of the most famous folklorists, so in this alternative version of our world they were the Sisters Grimm, Charlotte Perrault and Andrea Lang. I personally loved this gender swap.

This a book about sisterhood, about the continuous oppression women suffered through history and that focuses on how minorities are always the most vulnerable, especially black and queer women. The folklore, the witchery, the family bond and the social criticism are pieces of the big puzzle that composes this book. But this is also a book about finding yourself and choosing your own family. There are a couple of beautiful romances in this book, being the sapphic relationship the one that personally took my breath away.

Overall, The Once and Future Witches is such a beautiful feminist fairy tale. I loved the different personalities of the Eastwood sisters, the witchery plot, the social criticism, the beautiful prose and the importance folklore plays in the story. Speaking of the latter, I absolutely loved how certain fairy tale collected by the Brothers—well, Sisters—Grimm ends up having a role by the end of the book. My only complainant is the villain, I found him a little bit flat compared with the rest of the cast. But Alix E. Harrow has definitely become an auto-buy author for me and I’m really looking forward to reading her debut novel and her future works. Hopefully, one of those could be about The Daughters of Tituba, right?

I love Alix E. Harrow's writing. It is powerful and so beautiful. Like her first novel, this one was incredible too. It was the perfect fall read for me. This book was feminist and set in the 19th century. It has witches and women's rights. Absolutely amazing.

Once and Future Witches was Beautifully Crafted!

Cast your mind back to January. Before we all fell under the corona curse, I was blessed to read a wondrous book called Ten Thousand Doors of January. Such was the enchantment of the narrative, I was sure that no other book I read this year could surpass it… Until now. For, Once and Future Witches has utterly bewitched me.

Before we get started, I must confess I lost my notes for this review. No matter how much I hunted for them, those devilish scribblings couldn’t be found. Never fear, however- I shall scry my memories to tell you why you should read this wickedly clever twist on Arthurian legends and fairy tales. With legendary skill, Harrow roots this story in the oral tradition, telling of ancient tales resurrected and revived into something new (actually, given all that, it’s kind of fitting that my notes vanished into the aether).

Masterfully written, this has the kind of charm you cannot put into words. Dressed in darkness and showing off its witchy wares, this captivated me from the start. Weaving its magic steadily through the pages, I was cloaked in its mystifying atmosphere. Hinting at history, yet entirely made up- this ties threads together that don’t really belong in one story. It shouldn’t really work- and yet, as if by magic, they all blend together in a remarkable tapestry. In fact, the story snaps so many conventions in its crooked fingers, pointing us in a dazzling new direction… which I suppose just shows that some rules were made to be broken 😉

witchy monkey2I’ll admit, I’ve always had a soft spot for witches. Unconventional and with pinch of dubious intent, they feed my need for anti-heroines. And these were no exception! They weren’t your average “good girls” nor were they cackling caricatures- they were entirely fleshed out as individuals. Mirroring archetypes, they came to life thanks to their distinct personalities, steady development and most importantly their relationship with each other. Beyond the romances and friendships, my favourite part of this story was how it explored the complexities of sisterhood. Evil brews throughout the story- yet they learn to stand together in the face of it.

The plot was quite something to behold. For a spell, I did wonder where the story was heading. But ultimately, it comes full circle, setting a blaze of drama and thrilling me to the core. And there are real costs at the end of it. The results were haunting; it left a shadow in its wake.

Stories are layered atop of stories here. While some of these will be familiar, others are utterly unique. Covering the woman’s suffrage movement and more, this delved into areas I usually prefer not to see in my fiction… but given Harrow’s talent I can’t pretend to have been all that bothered by it. Whether I agreed with every bit of its themes or not, this was a tale that held a great deal of power. It enthralled me even in its gloom. It conjured more beauty than I ever could have imagined possible. And you really can’t ask for more than that.

Rating: one eye of newt, three dead mans toes, some serpents teeth…

Just kidding: 5/5 bananas of course!

i am very disappointed from the book, the pace of the story was too slow, there was a forced narration and writing style of creating a mystery. the witches were introduced chapter by chapter and sometimes there were too many characters which made it difficult to remember who is who. i did not like how a female's body was described i had very mixed negative feelings while reading that area. the immediate start, a few pages were intriguing but overall i did not like the once and future witches.

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow is set in 1893, in New Salem, after old Salem burnt down, back when there were witches around.  Juniper, Agnes and Beatrice, the Eastwood sisters, know the little spells things they were taught by their grandmother, but inspired by the suffragettes, they want more.

With mysterious shadows, powerful men, and alliances with other women, life in New Salem is changing.

I really enjoyed the book, it was thrilling, sad and exciting.  I didn't know what was going to happen next!

This isn't the first book of Alix E. Harrow's that I've read! I read  The Ten Thousand Doors of January  recently, and also really enjoyed that!  Enough that when I spotted this book, I knew I needed to read it!

 The Once and Future Witches  was published on 15th October 2020, and is available to buy from  Amazon ,  Waterstones  and your  local independent bookshop .

You can follow Alix E. Harrow on her  website and  Twitter .

I was given this book in return for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to  Little, Brown UK .

This book is amazing!
Loved the mix of witches, fairytales and the women movement.

You love and hate the characters for different reasons and the sisterly bond is that of true sister. In that you can hate your sister but you love them all the same

Alix E Harrow’s debut The Ten Thousand Doors of January was a poetic and romantic take on the portal story. While there were messages about tolerance and prejudice built into that book, her new book The Once and Future Witches takes a more political turn, albeit in a very allegorical setting. That setting is 1893 in the American New England town of New Salem, a town constructed after the complete destruction of Old Salem in a great purge of witches. Witchcraft is not quite alive and well when The Once and Future Witches opens, but there is a flickering pilot light that needs little encouragement to ignite.
The three Eastwood sisters are estranged but by various means all end up in the town of New Salem in 1893. James Juniper, the youngest of the three, is running from the death of her violent father who she was left with then the older two, Agnes Amaranth (middle sister) and Beatrice Belladonna left seven years before. They meet again at a women’s suffrage rally where the crowd has a vision of a tower known to be associated with three witches long gone. Juniper joins the local suffrage movement but finds it toothless and feels that the best way to wrest power back is to restore witchcraft to the women of New Salem, and she convinces her sisters to help. But things are never that easy and the soon anti-witchcraft forces in the town, some with eldritch powers of their own, are arrayed against them.
Harrow herself has said in interviews that the idea for this novel came from marches that she attended for women’s rights in 2016. The Once and Future Witches takes that idea and runs with it, showing what can be achieved through collective action but also exposing the limits of that power when it challenged the established orthodoxy. The path for the sisters and their comrades is far from smooth and Harrow does not shy away from the pain they suffer or the need for trade offs and sacrifice. But there is also a number of romantic strains that run through the narrative, themselves affected by the action.
The Once and Future Witches is engaging stand-alone fantasy novel with heart and purpose. Harrow brings her lucid prose to bear in creating memorable individual characters who also at terms serve as archetypes. She uses her story to highlight the plight of women in engaging and affecting political discourse, but not in a particularly heavy or didactic way. The story rattles along with cliffhangers, reverses, reveals, moral and ethical decisions and sacrifices. It confirms the promise that Harrow showed in her debut and will generate plenty of interest in what she might do next.

Once and Future Witches is beautifully written but otheringly in present tense. Which I couldn’t quite connect with, I loved the themes explored but felt the book was slightly too YA for me personally.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a wonderful and fearsome story. The Once and Future Witches is about women - their strength, their determination and their wicked wicked ways.

The Once and Future Witches is about 3 sisters who survive the trauma of an awful abusive father, but have a broken bond - they haven’t seen each other or spoken for about 7 years. They find themselves inexplicably at the same place and time during the suffragette movement in New Salem, inadvertently conjuring up the tower which is the symbol of lost magic and witches. This brings on the onset of a new inquisition and new enemies looking to stamp out magic and the indomitable will of women.

I love this book. I love the way the author combines old fairy tales and nursery rhymes as a means of conveying the magic spells. I mean who hasn’t heard of The Crone, The Mother and The Maiden in witchlore? And how ingenious that a simple nursery rhyme like London Bridge is falling down could be a spell used to melt iron? Or cross my heart and hope to die could be a spell used to stop store one from lying or spilling secrets? I found myself giggling in delight at how each new nursery rhyme was twisted to indicate hidden spells.

I also love how the author ties in the suffragette movement and the onset of women’s rights. Not to mention the LGBTQIA angle which enhances the story and gives it a whole new angle and concept. This books is a bout feminism in all its forms and beauty and strength. The characters are awesome and fully fleshed - I loved all of them equally. I can’t tell you which one of the sisters is my favorite or which one of the side characters because they are all amazing. If I’m sound8ng super gushy it’s because there is so much to gush about. I can’t even think about what I don’t like about it - maybe that June is incredible rash and stupid in the beginning but she shows such amazing growth and grit that you can’t help but love her.

Incredible 4.5/5 stars.

Alix E. Harrow ya conquistó nuestros corazones con The Ten Thousands Doors of January, que por cierto saldrá en español en enero del año que viene con traducción de David Tejera, así que había muchas expectativas con The Once and Future Witches.


Nos encontramos ante un libro largo pero que no se hace pesado y con un tono reivindicativo constante, exponiendo muchas de las injusticias a las que se vieron y se ven sometidas las mujeres solo por el hecho de serlo. La forma en que lo presenta la autora, la consecución del poder de la magia para poder defenderse y ser tratadas de forma justa por la sociedad, es un paralelismo claro con la lucha obrera para la obtención de derechos laborales y la tarea de las sufragistas.

En su anterior libro, Harrow nos dejaba entrever algunos de los mundos a los que podía acceder January y en este tenemos también pequeños relatos entre las secciones de la trama principal, dándonos un descanso de esta historia y aportando información que será de vital importancia en su desarrollo. Hay muchos capítulos que comienzan con una rima infantil o una canción de cuna, el método utilizado para transmitir la sabiduría entre madres e hijas, en un homenaje en toda regla a la tradición oral.

Lo cierto es que la autora no da puntada sin hilo y nos habla tanto de las injusticias sociales, como de racismo, de la violencia física o psíquica, las encorsetadas reglas de la sociedad en cuanto a las relaciones personales y un largo etcétera de reclamaciones que son perfectamente identificables en el mundo actual, solo que al estar trasladadas al pasado permiten una reflexión menos hiriente.

Las tres protagonistas de la historia están exquisitamente definidas, cada una con sus fortalezas y debilidades, cada una con sentimientos de haber sido traicionadas en el pasado por sus hermanas pero aún con esa unión intangible de la familia. Son personajes apasionados, como el propio libro es apasionado y que tienen fuerza de voluntad para enfrentarse a la sociedad para conseguir mejorarla, aunque sea a golpe de hechizo.

El libro también tiene sus defectos. Me resulta cansado que cada dos o tres páginas aparezcan la frase words and ways para referirse a la forma de hacer los conjuros, entiendo que está repetición es algo buscado, como el uso reiterado de witches, witchy y cualquier otro derivado que se os ocurra. Pero en una novela de esta longitud, acaba llamando la atención más en el aspecto negativo que en el positivo.

Sin embargo hay otros detalles que me encantan. Cambiar el género a los escritores de cuentos infantiles para que se vea que era otra forma de transmitir la sabiduría de las brujas, la búsqueda incansable en la biblioteca para obtener nuevos resquicios de información, la visita al viejo Salem y al museo de curiosidades de las brujas e incluso el desarrollo de la historia de Gideon Hill, con algunos giros muy interesantes.

No me cabe duda de que The Once and Future Witches es una novela que dará que hablar en los próximos meses y no me extrañaría nada verla en las listas de nominadas a los premios del año que viene.