Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This book was an intriguing exploration of the links between misogyny and magic, with Giddings choosing to place her tale in a dystopic alternate universe rather than in the past. Jo is a very realistic character and it's terrifyingly easy to see how the situation she finds herself in could evolve in our society. Her mother's choices are also fascinating to explore, especially within the paradigm of motherhood and the expectations society has of women in that regard.

An unconvincing dystopia and a quite abrasive and unsympathetic central character made this a DNF for me, quite a rare occurrence.

Jo lives in a country in which women are required to wed by age 30 or be subject to state monitoring and where accusations of witchcraft are used to subjugate women and prevent subversion.

Sounds like the basis for a strong storyline but instead this is a personal search for a connection with Jo’s mother who disappeared many years earlier. Jo herself is quite self-centred and the author fails to engage the reader in her story. Very disappointing.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC to review. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved the storytelling, narrative voice, and the characters felt so real and full. Beautiful prose!

Josephine's mother, Tiana, has been missing for 14 years when the officials close her case and have her death registered. Despite this, Josephine has been aware of the strange whispering around her and the interest the same officials have in her life. Her life is closely monitored, as are all the single women who must live by a simple rule: Marry before the age of thirty, or become a ward of the state; for their own protection, and the safety of others of course. Because here, in the United States, it is a world where witchcraft is real and when it comes to missing persons (or rather missing women) there always seems to be more to the story.

A dystopian, feminist fiction, this is more of an acquired taste that tries to tackle multiple themes within the storyline including LGBTQ+ representation, racism and oppression. The first thought I had on finishing it is that I have never read anything like it before - with it being spooky October, a fiction in which witchcraft is real seemed apt and yet the author successfully flagged that witchcraft was a capital offence in Britain in the 16th Century. Women have been punished and killed because of it. I was compelled to read more because of this theme, the author is well-researched and brings some strong background to her writing in certain parts of the story which is why I gave it a four star rating. The women are all fierce and unapologetic, I'm here for that also.

The structure of the book felt shaky, although ambitious, there is no real explanation for this dystopia you find yourself in as a reader and I forgot the purpose of the book when I reached the half way point - the strongest writing for me was Giddings attempt at tackling a troubled mother-daughter relationship otherwise, this wasn't something I would read again.

Thank you @NetGalley @Pan Macmillan and @Macmillan for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A riveting speculative novel set in a world where women are branded as witches if they’re not married before the age of 30. Giddings has a very natural writing style and I loved Jo’s narration. A seriously underrated read great for fans of Octavia Butler.

I enjoyed this book, if didn't have me overly gripped and took me awhile to finish but I did enjoy it in the end .

It took me a little while to get into this book if I'm honest, but persevered as I love anything to do with witches and magick. Well, am I glad I did. It was hard hitting with how things are still these days and it made me so angry, feeling how Jo felt and all these women. It's devastating to know that is how they feel and not just to do about the witch side. A great read that needed the time to digest it all, as it is super meaningful.

In a world where Black women could still be tried for witchcraft, Josephine has heard every theory about her mother’s disappearance. While she’s ready to let go of her painful past, Josephine has some new challenges to face. Women who aren’t married by the age of 30 need to be closely monitored by the state and Josephine has no interest in a wedding. She has never felt closer to the mother who escaped, so she honours one last wish in her mother’s will to regain that connection. This powerful novel has some beautiful, ethereal imagery and makes some strong commentary on misogyny and the control of women. It’s about the unique bonds between mothers and daughters as well as the powerful connections forged between female friends. The book is soaked in tragedy but it’s also strangely bittersweet. A battle cry for trapped, persecuted women everywhere!

A book about black queer witches? Sign me up! I absolutely adored this book. I've never read anything like it and at times felt like I was out of my comfort zone, reading social commentary dystopian isn't something I'm used to but this book is a gem.
Megan Giddings has such an intricate style of writing that took a little getting used to and I didn't always know exactly what was going on, but the way she incorporated such important themes into her plot such as racism, misogyny, homophobia kept me hooked.
I loved the world building and the magic system It's basically Handmaid's Tale but diverse, with magic. I loved how women were portrayed as strong, independently fierce characters despite living in a society that were desperate to control and dictate their lives. It's very much about female empowerment and the issues that are present today even though this is dystopian. It's perfect for this time of year and I would highly recommend it.

Not for me I am afraid and 1 so desperately wish that loved it. Dystopian literature is decisive in my opinion and I do not think that this eases you into the genre there are definitely going to be people out there that love it. So give it a go you might be surprised.

I was so excited for this one because once I read the synopsis I was so intrigued by the concept for the novel. However, I sadly didn't love the execution of that concept.
For me, the writing style felt very detached and because of that I struggled to connect with the characters and the story. I found in some places that the description was very long-winded and boring, but at other times it felt rushed and confusing.
I definitely still enjoy the ideas that are explored in the novel but overall I found the book to be convoluted, predictable and a bit rushed.

The premise of this book really sold me - a dystopian society where the witch trials have survived? A bisexual main character? Sign me up.
Unfortunately found the world building to be not quite enough, and rushed in places. Whereas the plot itself was pretty slow and I’m sorry to say not that interesting. I wish this had lived up to my expectations but I’ll definitely check out this author again!

I have just read this in one sitting, I was so enthralled by the beautiful writing and the overall premise of the novel. It was scarily reflective of the racism, sexism and homophobia that is still present in today's world, I truly believe that this is a book everyone should read, it's one of those books that has left such an impact on me.

I loved this mix of distopia and political commentary and witchcraft. It was like reading Handmaid's tale with a hint of witchery. It definitely took a while to get going, but I am glad I have stuck with it. The other part of the book was set on island, and this part was more challenging for me, however, I can see why it was there. This book is ever so topical, again portraying the ease with which things can change and become normal, taking power and voices from women. Totally recommend it as a thought-provoking read!

Bringing historical witchburning into the modern day, where magic is real. Everything about this novel is a heightened dystopian reflection of our own world - the controlling methods of patriarchy and how it combines with racism and compulsory heteronormativity. And how love and intimate relationships are effected by the power dynamics of the systems we live in. A great, vivid book with strong world building, that despite its themes wasn't a heavy read. Very enjoyable.

I really struggled with this book, reaching just over halfway before deciding life was too short to carry on. I wasn’t enjoying it so flipped through the remaining chapters and speed read the final 3 which didn’t give me any incentive to go back and try to carry on reading. Sorry, I usually love books about witches but found this totally nonsensical with no story or plot worth following. I can’t understand the excellent reviews it has. I should say thank you to Net Galley for a free advance copy of the book.

This book intrigued me when I read the blurb but I am sorry to say it wasn’t my cup of tea. I’m sure others will engage with it more, but sadly I picked wrong.

This was quite a quirky book. But, I did enjoy it on many levels. I like to read books like this one from time to time as it’s like a breath of fresh air from all the crime and chick lit I tend to read..A fascinating book. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book! I love the emergence of feminist dystopian literature, and with a little bit of witchy fantasy sprinkled in, this books is an excellent addition to the new sub genre. On the surface that really is what it appears to be: a young woman seeking the truth about her mother’s disappearance. But as you really get into the book, you see that this story only uses science fiction as a way to expertly portray the bond that exists between a mother and daughter despite all the years between them and how it affects Jo’s very identity. Absolutely incredible and it should be on everyone’s autumn reading list.

I really didn't have any expectations going into this book - I couldn't really remember what it was about apart from a mother-daughter relationship, which is something I am always drawn to in novels. Luckily, I think going into The Women Could Fly quite blindly was the best thing to do, as I really enjoyed the way in which the story slowly unravelled itself to the reader, with the worldbuilding becoming bigger and more dystopian as time went on. It felt like the perfect time to read Giddings' book, as the weather has started to turn colder and the days have been particularly gloomy lately. I found the overall story to be really strong, and I enjoyed the fact that Josephine was a realistic rebellion to the confines of her world, not an activist but not silent in her disapproval of the restrictions either. I found the relationship between her and her mother to be slightly disappointing, but I understand why it was written with such restraint. Overall I really enjoyed it.