I didn't love this story. It dragged a bit too much for me, and I struggled to really invest in the characters and the plot. The cover is beautiful and the title is very enticing. I would have liked to increase the pace in the beginning to get into the plot faster.

I ended up recommending this book to my book club and it started a great discussion. The dystopian world where women are witches and are shunned for it, having to keep it secret, resonated with what women go through in our world. The writing was great, the story was gripping, and I loved the main character's voice.

I read this book when it was first released after receiving a review copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I thought it was okay, but it hasn't really stuck with me. I'll definitely read Megan Gidding in the future because I really enjoyed her first book, but this one didn't land as strongly with me as that one did.

I always love Megan Giddings storylines and premises. This book was overall enjoyable and well written. However, this story was just missing something for me to make it great.

I’m late to the party on this book and I’m sad I waited so long to read it. This book is compared to works of Octavia Butler and Margaret Atwood, both of whom are 2 of my favorites. I gotta say that this is a valid comparison. the Women Could Fly is a dystopian novel about a mother and a daughter.. I don’t want to say much more than this is a very timely and relevant novel for our times.

The Women Could Fly by Megan Giddings is an enchanting and imaginative collection of stories that weaves together elements of folklore, magic, and feminist themes. With her evocative prose and compelling characters, Giddings creates a captivating world that leaves readers spellbound from start to finish.

Very interesting and such a wonderful concept. Loved the writing style, and how creative the author was - kind of makes you think that maybe, just maybe, one day we'll head in that direction.

I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.

Megan Giddings is a great writer, and I love the premise of this book, but overall it fell a little flat in the end.

The Women Could Fly started out strong with great character building and a wonderful story that I could not wait to unravel as the pages turned. I really appreciated that the world we existed in felt similar to our own, although it has witches. The social commentary and the disrespect and mistreatment of women were weaved throughout this tale, but I felt that the author never got the chance to fully develop the story in order for it to have the impact she was going for in the end.

Although I would recommend this one, and I did enjoy it, I will caution readers that it might not live up fully to your expectations in the end.

This book was filled with such feminine rage and I loved it. There was such a good blending off real world trauma and pain and the witches.

“This is the story of the witch who refused to burn. Some people said that there was power in her blood, a gift from her ancestors that she could endure.”

Unfortunately I didn't really enjoy this book. I went into this with very high expectations but I just couldn't connect with the story. I LOVED Megan's debut novel and thought this premise would work because it aligns with a lot of things that I'm interested in - reproductive justice and gender. But I just wasn't a fan.

I do hope to continue to read from Megan! I'm a fan.

I’m always interested in reading contemporary dystopians. The book excels in its social commentary and the element of witchcraft and its parallels to modern society and how it treats women. This one had a fascinating premise however it felt overall lacking in execution and could’ve gone further with its very original concept.

A great read for feminist dystopian that makes us question our own lives and the freedoms we supposedly have...or do we? It also portrays women's relationships with each other and men in complex but realistic ways, and you really feel Jo's dilemma between leaving her family and friends or leaving for safety and freedom. Ultimately, I loved the author's writing style and how she ended this book. Well worth a read, and I will be reading the author's debut novel next!

This book had some really good (terrible) things to say about how women, and especially women of color, are treated by society. Strip away the magical element and it’s still relevant to our current culture.

Deliciously feminist reimagining of a world where magic is real and being a witch is even more dangerous than being a woman.

The Women Could Fly is a beautifully written and critical take on the way society treats and value women told through a dystopian tale where witches are real and ostracized. I love how Giddings created this world in her book that so cleverly dissects and exposes how women are treated as lesser than but does it in such a way that is both engaging and intriguing.

Our protaganist, Josephine (Jo), has spent more than a decade dealing with the repercussions of her mother's disappearance and that stain that has left on her. One of the prevalent rumors about her Mom's disappearance is that she could have been a witch. And witches in this society are second class citizens that need to forfeit rights and autonomy. The book starts with Jo and her dad finally declaring her mother deceased which triggers the release of her mom's will and part of this will involves Jo taking a trip at a predetermined time where she will hopefully get some answers about her Mom. Coinciding with the will is the fact that Jo is almost 30. Which means she needs to be married asap or she will be put on a registry where she will be monitored for the rest of her life (it reminded me of a sex offender registry).

There were so many powerful elements of this story. From the complicated relationship Jo and her Mom have always had, to the way Jo is treated because of the color of her skin, to the way that women are treated in this dystopian world. Unfortunately, this world so closely parallels are own that it is easy to forget that this is set in a fantastical world. While we don't currently have witch trials, we all know how women have been treated at the numerous witch trials throughout history. And Giddings ingeniously uses these real moments in history to craft this poignant story.

It is hard to talk about this book without spoiling the unexpected ways this story unfolds. I read this book in almost one sitting because I was so captivated by the journey Jo goes on. The magic in this book is delightful and the moving way that Giddings showcases the strength and power of womanhood in contrast to the brutality and harshness of how women are treated is mesmerizing.

This gave me similar vibes to When Women Were Dragons and I loved it. Great writing, tense family drama, a bit of magic, and intense imagination. This book really sums up how women and especially women of color are treated in our society.

“If a woman disappears, it means one of two things: she was murdered or she was a witch. And if your mother is a witch, well, what else can you be?”

WOW, this is a stunning book. After reading Megan Giddings’s debut novel Lakewood earlier this year, I knew I would pick up everything she writes moving forward. I’m floored by how perfectly calculated Giddings’s writing feels, and how effortlessly it captures both the beauty and horror (whether that horror be subtle or explicit) in everyday mundanities.

This book had me furiously underlining and annotating my copy while thinking a LOT about craft, world building, and creativity. Jo was one of the most compelling and relatable main characters I’ve read in a long time in a way that I feel is totally universal but also deeply personal to me. I love her so much and was always rooting for her.

The only complaint I have about my own personal reading experience has to do with the book’s pacing. Overall, it’s a slow, quiet novel that’s very reflective and philosophical. That’s not a bad thing by any means, but I found that the beginning and end of the book REALLY packed a punch, while the middle seemed to drag and even fall flat in some places. I debated putting this down from time to time, but I’m so glad I didn’t, because the payoff was really incredible.

Regardless, I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend if you’re into exploring dystopian worlds, delving into timely social commentary, or are just looking for a unique spin on the sad girl millennial novel. READ IT.

I loved this novel! It reminded me a bit of Margaret Atwood. Very prescient considering what we are going through in 2022. I enjoyed the main narrator in the book very much — she seemed very real. I read that Megan Giddings went to the same college I graduated from, Indiana University, so I was especially proud that she created such a cool fictional world with this novel. I also loved the setting in Michigan since I am familiar with the U.P. Wonderful book!

The Women Could Fly is a timely, feminist novel about a world where witches are real and still being prosecuted. Jo, the main character of the book, is trying to move on from her mother’s disappearance years ago, but it only gets more difficult as she approaches her 30th birthday - the year when if she’s still unmarried, she will have to enroll in a registry that will have her constantly controlled and monitored. When Jo is offered a chance to honor her mother’s last wish, she decides to take it - she wants to make moving forward easier, but the last request opens a door for her that she never even considered possible.

This book was a perfect way to wrap up my October: it’s a bit strange, very witchy, and creepy - but not in a horror way, more in a ‘this feels a bit close to home’ way. In this story, Giddings uses witchcraft as commentary on human rights in our society, especially when it comes to People of Color and the LGBTQIA+ community. It’s a brilliant, witty read that had me confused at first (the magic system Giddings creates is very original), but once I figured out what was going on, I was completely hooked. It’s definitely more of a character centered read rather than a plot-focused one, so it might not be for everyone, but I personally loved it and I’m excited to read more of Giddings’ work!