Set in an imaginary town in New York State's Hudson River Valley, Witch is alternately narrated by sixty-something Irene Richards and her thirty-five year old daughter Shirleen McClure, as they cope with events and each other during one year that begins and ends on Halloween. The novel is peppered with elements of magic realism, inspired by Irene's sudden interest in witchcraft and how to introduce her newly-acquired skills into her daily routine. In a comedy of errors, Irene completes a mail-order course in the Craft, and ...
Read More
Set in an imaginary town in New York State's Hudson River Valley, Witch is alternately narrated by sixty-something Irene Richards and her thirty-five year old daughter Shirleen McClure, as they cope with events and each other during one year that begins and ends on Halloween. The novel is peppered with elements of magic realism, inspired by Irene's sudden interest in witchcraft and how to introduce her newly-acquired skills into her daily routine. In a comedy of errors, Irene completes a mail-order course in the Craft, and enlists the aid of a 700-year old sorceress, Moldred of Breste, to enact revenge on her unfaithful husband, Teddy, who is recuperating from a stroke and is confined to a nursing home. Shirleen convinces her mother to sell their house and move in with her; Deke, her rough-and-tumble husband; and their son Junior, who's very attached to his grandmom. Along comes Rolfe, a handsome French-Canadian house painter, and Shirleen is smitten... Witch was written while the author was a graduate student in the MFA program at Vermont College.
Read Less
This is an unusual book. Within a few pages, I was (surprisingly) absorbed by it, despite discovering that it fits into a genre that I ordinarily avoid like the plague. I hate stories about plausible, real-life drama, even if there is a paranormal element. I read to escape drama! But, I'm so glad I read Witch.
It's written with exceptional wisdom, craft, and wit. I quickly realized that, despite being nominally about witchcraft, it's also a weird and funny still-coming-of-age tale. It's about the changing nature of love: young passion's fire and ebb; family relationships through the major stages of life; the crises that come with middle-aged marriage; and the hopes and frustrations of parents caring for children -- and children caring for parents.
Yet, essentially, it's still a book about magic. There's the paranormal potion-and-ritual kind, but also the beautiful, magical nature of serendipity. Witch reveals how the dark, festering pain of betrayal can be transformed into a blissful freedom to let new things happen. It's an adventure of self-discovery that leads to joy. I loved it.
I'm grateful to the publisher and this amazing, gifted author, Ann Robinson, for the opportunity to read a free ARC via BookSirens. I don't write my review out of any obligation, however.
Witch was indeed a cranky little tale, but it had a big impact on me and I can't recommend it enough!
