"In the late 1800s, three sisters use witchcraft to change the course of history in a Hugo award-winning author's powerful novel of magic amid the suffragette movement.

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.

But when the Eastwood sisters - James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna - join the suffragists of New Salem, they begin to pursue the forgotten words and ways that might turn the women's movement into the witch's movement. Stalked by shadows and sickness, hunted by forces who will not suffer a witch to vote - and perhaps not even to live - the sisters will need to delve into the oldest magics, draw new alliances, and heal the bond between them if they want to survive.

There's no such thing as witches. But there will be.

For more from Alix E. Harrow, check out The Ten Thousand Doors of January."

October screams witches! And with the election ever looming, a little suffrage is a good thing!

Alix E. Harrow's The Once and Future Witches was a delightful, well-written alternate history (semi-fantasy?) about the power and drive of women. In this alternate universe, magic and witches have continuously bubbled up all over the world, only to be wiped out by men and fear. In 1893 New Salem, the city built after the Old Salem was burned to the ground in the last big witch burning and extermination, three sisters reunite and in an attempt to get votes and rights for women, they come up against a truly evil character that uses the public's fear of witching and magic to try to erase it once again. Turns out, magic is actually all around them, in the rhymes, sayings, and stories told through generations and they may be able to unite women, and men, to fight for a better future.

I truly love Harrow's imaginative and creative way of establishing magic in this alternate world. She cleverly changes words and pronouns in famous sayings, rhymes, stories, and songs to reflect generations of witches (ie Red Skies at Night Witches Delight instead of Sailor's) to reflect spells that have been hidden in plain sight and shared for millennia. Though Harrow's book is centered in Massachusetts, the magic that is experienced is from all over the world and from many different cultures. We even have inclusion of LGBTQIA+ characters and relationships as well important characters of different races. The Once and Future Witches was an absorbing thrill of a read. Though it was a bit slow to take off and had some interesting pacing, I was excited to see what came next. Though I have not yet had a chance to read Harrow's first novel, The Ten Thousand Doors of January, I most certainly will now! Harrow is an amazing writer and the thought and planning that weave through this book was truly remarkable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Witching becomes a powerful tool during the time when women must fight for the right to vote, and the Eastwood sisters are the leaders the women need to bring back witching and give them a fighting chance against the darkness threatening their homes. The story is told through the points of view of our three main characters, Beatrice Belladonna, Agnes Amaranth, and James Juniper. They each have their own distinctive voices, mannerisms, and ways of moving through the world that makes me feel like I know them personally, which better allows me to empathize with their struggles and revel in their delights. I thoroughly enjoyed watching their individual character growths throughout the story, and how their individual arcs influenced and fed off the relationship development between the three of them. While there are many of them, most of the side characters are also surprisingly well fleshed out. There are several twists and turns among them that I wasn’t expecting in the slightest but was incredibly happy to learn about.
Harrow has a delightful way of making you believe that magic is not only conceivable but seems inevitable through extensive buildup of ordinary, seemingly insignificant details. These witches are no longer merely a fanciful story. They seem to be ingrained in the true history of the world because of how Harrow weaves the words out of the children’s songs and finds the ways in easily accessible items. Things we all fight for, words we all know, items we can all get our hands on; these are what make the magic in the story come to life. It’s realistic and convincing, and I now believe we all have a little witch in us somewhere. In the same way, she uses lyrical prose and beautiful descriptive verses to make the story an immersive experience. I’m no longer reading about a character’s heart pounding as they run in fear from my comfy couch, I’m running alongside them, my heart beating wildly in time with theirs. I am on that train platform, seeing the cat-like smoke curling around legs as it hisses out of the train. Her skill with words is nearly unparalleled and makes for an amazing reading experience.
I loved the clever use of the spells as chapter headers. It kept me on the hunt for the workings throughout the story, to see who would use them and under what circumstances. It was a brilliant way to introduce the words and the ways without stopping the momentum of the story to explain what the characters were doing. The ending was PERFECTION. So many little details fall into place in the last quarter of the book that I had to read all the way to the end in one sitting to see how everything was going to fit together. Of course, I want every ending to be a Happily Ever After, but that’s just not always logical or realistic, and some stories try so hard to make it happen that it ends up ruining the ending. Harrow doesn’t fall into this trap. We still get our happy ending, but in a way that seems more realistic, and therefore makes the story even more believable.

I received a digital advance reading copy from Redhook Books via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I was eager to read The Once and Future Witches because I loved Alix Harrow's first book, The Ten Thousand Doors of January, and I was intrigued by this story's premise about suffragist witches. I do not typically gravitate to fantasy books but found Ten Thousand Doors completely absorbing. I did not become immersed in the world Harrow creates in Witches in the same way I did in Ten Thousand Doors. Doors was a page turner for me, and while I did want to find out what happened next in Witches, the story's pacing felt slower to me in spots. I found myself wanting to see the suffragist part of the storyline further developed and had expected that based on how the book was described. The best part of Witches for me were the spells that introduce each chapter based on familiar nursery rhymes. Overall, I liked the book and am glad I read it, but Ten Thousand Doors remains my favorite book by Harrow. People who are drawn to the fantasy genre more than I usually do may enjoy Witches more than I did. Harrow's stories are unique and creative, her writing is gorgeous, and she writes strong female characters. I look forward to seeing what she writes next.

I received an advanced reading copy of this book from NetGalley. The once and future witches is a fantastic story about sisterhood, fighting against inequality and for yourself and a little magic. I believe this could be a great hit for Harrow. It is somewhat reminiscent of the Ten Thousand Doors of January. I’d hazard a moment to say more polished, and more compelling. The characters feel real and the story stuck with me. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a good summer/fall read.

In 1893 New Salem, the word witch is the nastiest thing you can call someone. While there used to be witches in the "dark days," now all that remains are nursery rhymes and small charms passed on from daughter to daughter. With no power left for women, they taken on the march to the ballot box to try and secure the vote. However, that wish is not a clear path as prominent resident George Hill is very clear that women should not get the vote, and witches need to stay gone.  That doesn't sit well with the youngest of the Eastwood sisters, James Juniper. Having mysteriously just arrived in New Salem without a piece of property left to her name, she quickly runs afoul of the locals. It doesn't help that just as she's arriving a mysterious tower appears in the center of town with three interlocking circles emblazoned on it. As quickly as the tower appears, it disappears before George Hill and his lackeys are able to investigate.  Juniper soon finds her sisters, both desperately wanting to stay quiet and hidden in their lives in the city. Agnes Amaranth is pregnant by a local man, and wants to simply work in a factory and stay out of trouble. She has no desire to marry the father of her child or continue to work with a grabby boss, but sees no alternative. Beatrice Belladonna is a quiet librarian who has always felt that the path of a spinster is the only one left for her as she favors the fairer sex.  While Juniper determines that suffrage is not enough and that women need to reclaim their power, Agnes and Beatrice find themselves trying to rescue their little sister and keep her from trouble. However, trouble may be what the women of New Salem need. 

The Once and Future Witches is so full of twists and turns, it is a blessing that author Alix E Harrow is our navigator.  She is absolutely amazing at  creating characters that readers both want to cuddle to them to keep safe and shake them out of what we may think are bad ideas. She also brilliantly includes the names of suffragettes into the narrative, but with subtle enough changes to the names that it doesn't feel a heavy handed attempt at pointing out the history of women voting in the United States. She has a brilliant Black character named Cleo who is confident, self assured, and plays a major role in it all. I refuse to give away spoilers, but the group names in this book for underground organizations are utterly amazing. I want to gush and tell you every last detail, but I would fail brilliantly because there is so much to this book  Harrow does a great job of including different groupings of people and cultures, including myths and legends from even Russia. 

While I intended to read The Once and Future Witches in segments so to savor this book like a fine meal, I ended up devouring it without stopping like the glutton for great writing that I am. This would make an incredible limited series and I seriously hope that someone options the rights to this as soon as possible.

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow is available from Redhook Books October 13, 2020.

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow was one of my favorite books of 2019. It was like a love letter to readers everywhere. And Harrow has done it again with The Once and Future Witches. This time it’s a love letter to fairy tales and the magic that resides inside of every woman.

The Once and Future Witches combines fairy tales, magic, and the Women's Suffrage Movement into a tale that unfortunately we are still telling today. Powerful men take what they want and use others until the others have nothing left to give. I don’t want this review to be a downer, because even though this is still the world today, Harrow gives a story that inspires hope.

This is a bigger book at 525 pages, but it flew by. Not like a thriller where you are turning the pages so fast because you want to know what will happen next, but because the story is so well told. Normally I am not one who enjoys a lot of descriptive writing, but Harrow does it perfectly without making the reader feel like they are being bogged down with details.

This novel is about family, the good and the horrible that they do to each other. And about women who are learning about themselves and coming into their own power. The fight of Good against Evil, and all the degrees of humanity in between. But most of all it’s a story about how the world is a magical place.

Do yourself a favor and read The Once and Future Witches and The Ten Thousand Doors of January. Harrow has strengthened her fanbase by one more reader who is contentedly waiting for her next offering to the world.

Delightful. Magical. Enchanting. Empowering.

If you follow my reviews, I don’t rate many books 5 stars. This one earns each star.

<i>”There’s no such thing as witches, but there used to be.”</i>*

This book has perhaps one of my favorite beginnings ever. It’s so good and swept me away immediately. I love that this book is totally different from Ten Thousand Doors and still retains the beautiful prose that I enjoyed from that novel. However, Harrow’s storytelling abilities are growing (if you can imagine that). This novel is more tightly plotted and more intricate than TTDoJ.

<i> “Books and tales are as close as she can come to a place where magic is still real, where women and their words have power.” </i> *

This novel is about womanhood, feminism, and female relationships in all their various forms. It is so very beautiful. There were moments when I wanted to shout with joy and moments I was crying. It was everything I was expecting from this book and more.

I loved the sisters and their friends. They were great characters with plenty of depth and individuality. Juniper is feisty and willful. Bella is clever and level-headed. Agnes is fierce and loving. Then there is Cleo (not a sister, but important) who is intelligent and passionate. I was surprised and touched by Jennie’s story. I couldn’t help but pull for these characters every step of the way.

We see the maiden, mother, and crone who are familiar features in witch stories, but given so much more power and depth here. I love the way she describes what each is supposed to be versus what they truly are.

I could say so much more about this book. However, I’ll just suggest that you should read it for yourself.

I was so excited when I received the notification that I was approved for this arc. I squealed, jumped up and down, and immediately texted one of my book buddies. Thank-you Alix E. Harrow, netgalley, and redhook books for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this arc!

*Quotes may be altered in the final version.

I just cannot find my way into this book... I have no idea why. I absolutely loved the author's first book, could not rave enough about it. I love the idea of this one. I like the politics and the characters, but for some reason I simply cannot find my way into it... I read a handful of pages and I have to stop because I lose interest. And then several days go by before I come back, and I find it near impossible to regain the thread and fall into the story yet again.

I don't know if this is just the case of the wrong book at the wrong time - there is a lot going on in my life and complex reads are not a very good fit for me right now, so that may well be it. Other reviewers seem to be finding out to be the delight I expected, so clearly I'm in the minority here. But I just can't seem to get the rhythm of this one... I have enough confidence in Harrow's writing that I will definitely come back to this one, but for now I'm simply finding it too dry a read and I have not been able to finish it...

"Once upon a time there were three witches."
Wow. This book was not what I was expecting in the slightest.
Alix Harrow has a very unique writing style- a mix between straightforward and lush. Her atmosphere was incredible within this book, so I just kept picturing scene after scene with such clarity.
Now my biggest complaint for this book is that it's a bit slow. I'm usually one for slow paced novels that set up the scene and character relationships, but this one bordered on too slow. It made me feel like I was dragging my feet every once and a while.
Now. My favorite part. I think the whole last two parts were beyond incredible. They not only gave us the answers we were seeking, but also the best parts of the relationship between Juniper, Agnes, and Bella. I was so satisfied.
Another favorite part was the little fairytale retellings sprinkled around the book. They not only gave more strength to the original female characters in said fairytale but they were just calming. I wish there were more, but I understand the fear of those stories taking away from the actual plot of the novel.
This book is very much a feminist outlook on witch huntings for this period, and it was interesting to read it alongside the suffrage movement. Suffrage via Black women is even a point of discussion within this novel, which I think was very important because white women obviously have more privilege and bias at this time period. White women had a tendency to fight only for their specific rights and no other women's rights.
Overall, this novel takes place in the 1890's, and it was unique in adding diverse voices. Do I wish there was a bit more at times? Yes, but I'm glad Alix didn't just think, "oh this takes place in the past and there was no diversity because it is run by white men." There's an f&f romance, Black female rep (through a main supporting character so take with that what you will- she was one of my favorite characters), and transgender rep (side character). While I understand Alix's decision to wait so long to inform the audience who this trans rep refers to in the book since the character does not know who to trust, I will say I was upset that it wasn't discussed sooner. It was a short little scene, and I would have definitely preferred more representation. It did fit the character's history, but it can feel a bit tokenized when there's such little discussion.
There's trigger warnings for abandonment, negative childbirth experience, torture, jail violence, sexual assault (though not shown, implied), etc.
All in all, I highly recommend reading this fantastic story. While I do not have any sisters myself (only a brother), I think this book will speak to anyone who has siblings, especially about the importance of love. It made me tear up a few times, which is not something I can say often.
Thanks Orbit Books for an eARC of this lovely novel. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
P.S. I may come back to this and add more.

The Once and Future Witches is officially on my all time favorite books list. It is lyrical and atmospheric. The themes of sisterhood and women empowerment were *chef’s kiss wonderful. And of course ALL of the witchy-ness that my heart could ask for. While this is a fantasy and not all the magic is realistic, Harrow describes magic and what being a Witch means in such a beautifully real way. And let us not forget that women being burned at the stake was very real. I knew I was a fan of Harrow’s writing from The Ten Thousand Doors of January, and I was so happy that her sophomore novel met and surpassed my expectations. An October publication date is perfect for this book, and I highly recommend putting it on your Fall TBR. *Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for providing this ARC in exchange for honest review.

I really enjoyed this feminist tale of three sisters leading the charge to reclaim women's latent magical powers and fight for the cause of female suffrage in an alternative 19th century, where magic has been banned and the story of Old Salem's condemned witches cast a very long shadow. Though at times the sisters veer a little bit into caricature instead of reality, they are supposed to be archetypes of the female experience, and you always care about them and their story. Especially good is the story of spinster librarian sister, Beatrice, who grows into herself and into a sweet love story as she allows herself to reject the stereotype she's been trying to live up to.

Following in the footsteps of Ms. Harrow's successful debut novel, The Ten Thousand Doors of January, The Once and Future Witches is a spell-binding tale set in an almost familiar country where illicit relationships with magic run afoul of a seemingly turn-of-the-century reality steeped in oppression and old-fashioned ideas. Three sisters, each with her own particular persona embodying the Mother, Maiden, or Crone, have inherited a dangerous legacy of witchcraft. Now, they must reckon with the dawning realization that they seem destined to fight the spreading darkness and evil around them. Bound to each other by blood and magic, yet each wanting to follow her own path, Juniper, Agnes, and Bella work separately and together in an attempt to bring forth a brighter future that embraces the power of the past.

The narrative builds slowly at first, as Harrow spends time carefully crafting the characters and the places they inhabit in great detail. However, rather than feeling like setting the book aside, as sometimes happens with slow-starters, I felt The Once and Future Witches was revving up. Indeed, soon the sisters' stories were churning towards a page-turning finish that I couldn't put down.

Reading this story in 2020 feels allegorical, and at times almost literal, as universal struggles for freedom, acceptance, equality, and empowerment are at the forefront and in between the lines. It is dark and lovely, magic and meaningful, and in the end, there is a breathless beauty that leaves you clinging to something desperately close to hope.

My thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I received and ARC of this book from NetGalley and let me just say how happy I am for it.

I read Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow last year and it was instantly one of my favorite books of the year, so I had high hopes for this book. It certainly did not disappoint.

The entire time I was reading it kept me introspective, enchanted, and wanting to know more. The author has a way with words that just grabs hold and never lets go.

The story revolves starts off about three sisters (three witches) who are struggling to survive, dealing with their past, and don’t have much hope for the future. It quickly becomes about SO MUCH MORE. At its heart this is a story about bonds of sisterhood (both by blood and by choice), about women’s rights, about those who suffer unjust persecution based on their race, their nationality, their means, who they choose to love, and who they are as human beings. And it’s all told in the form of an enchanting story with witch tales and fairy tales that have been turned on their heads.

I haven’t been able to stop thinking about this book since I’ve finished reading it. It has charmed and enchanted me and made me think. I’ve already recommended to everyone I know (which to me is a form of the highest praise). This book clearly has the words, the ways, and the will to be my favorite read of the year.

This book was absolutely flawless. Alix E. Harrow is truly one of the most talented writers and absolutely one of my favorites. As much as I loved The Ten Thousand Doors of January, The Once and Future Witches completely transcends it.
This book is full of the eerie, perfectly flowing writing that I loved in The Ten Thousand Doors of January. But this time, the book focuses on sisters, witches, and women. Everything about this book was perfect: the characters, their relationships, the witch lore, the plot. It was similar to The Ten Thousand Doors of January in the stories woven throughout the chapters, which is one of my favorite plot devices, and I really hope this continues in her next book.
I highly, highly recommend this book to everyone. I think there’s something in it for everyone, and I really hope it’ll be getting the attention it deserves.

Synopsis

Three sisters bound by blood and witchcraft.In 1893 there is no such thing as a witch. These are fairy tales told to young women, meant to bind them to a life of servitude and obedience. If a woman wants to be heard she needs to cast her vote. The Eastwood sisters join the suffragettes in an attempt to let their voices be heard, instead they find themselves remembering the forgotten words and searching for the old ways. The past will become their future. Once a witch, always a witch.

Review

What if witches were real? What if the feminist movement depended on the acts of “witches”? Harrow creates a world where witchcraft is the only way forward for women struggling in a mans world. The Eastwood sisters are reunited in their efforts to unseat Gideon Hill from local government. Whispers and nursery rhymes are resurrected in secret gatherings fuelling the suffragists.
Harrow does an exceptional job of creating characters that represent different perspectives, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. Her female characters are opinionated, strong willed, fiercely loyal, and oh so relatable. The relationship between Agnes, Bella, and Juniper is strained at first but as the story unfolds the reader is assured of their love for each other at all costs. Harrow expertly weaves in details from known history (Salem, Grimm’s fairytales, nursery rhymes) which grounds the story for the reader. An epic fairytale full of magic and mayhem that thoroughly immerses the reader.

Highly recommended for readers of Alice Hoffman and Deborah Harkness.

I had to DNF at 30%. Normally I love a good witchy sister story, but for some reason this one wasn't gripping me. They are all different characters but sometimes it felt like they all had the same internal voice. Perhaps that's just to show how close they are as sisters? Maybe I'll pick this book back up during the autumn spooky months, but for now, it's a DNF for me.

While this book started off slow for me, it really picked up and ultimately I found it a gripping, triumphant story of women’s agency and sisterhood. Parts of it can be quite grim, as the book deals very realistically with the violence against women and misogyny that results from women getting any measure of power, however I found it very uplifting and a celebration of the strength of women. It was a fascinating, compelling story that almost flawlessly wove together political intrigue, social commentary, and magic.

I liked how much the book focused on the bond between the sisters, and how that bond can be tested and thought broken, by betrayal - lack of trust - hurt, but how sisters are tied together despite all of that, and how relationships can be healed by honesty, communication and forgiveness. Part of what made this book so hard to read at times was knowing what real, visceral danger the sisters were in and being afraid that they wouldn’t forgive each other before something truly awful happened. As it turned out, even when things were awful and dire, even without forgiving each other entirely, the sisters still helped each other and that was perfect and real and raw and lovely.

I also really enjoyed the LGBT rep in this book - one of the main characters is a lesbian, and one of their friends is trans. The identities are very seldom questioned, and the relationships are poignant and a cornerstone of the story. I thoroughly needed to read a book where being gay, or trans, or both, isn’t a major plot point and doesn’t entirely revolve around misery.

I would recommend this book to others, and I can’t wait to see what Harrow does next.

This book was an absolute wonder; a tale of women who tried, and women who dared. Women who took the rules and norms of an uncertain time in their hands and used the ways, the words, and definitely the will to attempt change an untenable situation.

Basically put, the Eastwood sisters are moderately fledgling witches who each set out, individually, from their horror of a home to find a better life in the city of New Salem. Each has their own motivation, and none figured their sisterhood would figure into their bigger pictures.

What pulls them back together is a promise for renewed magic and a strong danger with powers and wiles vastly unknown to any of them.

You have the stalwart Agnes, who finds herself working in a small factory, the studious Bella who satiates her craving for knowledge at a library, and the youngest, and wildest of the three, James Juniper, who embodies the piss and vinegar required to help pull everyone together to right the wrongs pushed on them by a male-dominated society.

In the unfolding of this amazing tale, Ms. Harrow presents an incredibly multi-faceted approach at the history of women and the ways of their folk, their mothers, their mothers' mothers and the subtle wending of witchy ways.

Set in the backdrop of a rising suffragist movement. Very quickly, the Eastwood sisters, June most of all, pulls together a group of high-spirited compatriots to try to sort out the troubling storm brewing in New Salem and the apparent rise of one Gideon Hill.

What unfolds is a very heartwarming tale of determination and sacrifice; a grand story of rediscovering lost histories and unearthing the untapped potential in those who have seemingly lost everything.

This is definitely a book I will be revisiting. The characters are all rich, diverse and very relatable. The twists are all incredibly well-formed and exhilarating as well as heart-breaking. For every gain of self-realization, there also comes the heartbreak of the reality of choices.

I would not have changed anything at all.

Sometimes a new author comes along who absolutely blows my mind with their natural gift for storytelling, and Alix E. Harrow is one of those authors. I will admit that I was nervous to read this book after reading The Ten Thousand Doors of January at the beginning of 2020 because I loved it so much, and I was afraid she might not be able to do it again. But she certainly did with The Once and Future Witches – I was under its spell from the first sentence – and Alix E. Harrow is now officially an auto-buy author for me!

This is a story of three sisters in the late 1800’s in New Salem, when the suffragist movement is just getting on its feet. The story revolves around wise Bella, strong and steady Agnes, and wild Juniper and their goal to escape their abuse-filled pasts and bring back the Lost Way of Avalon, or magic, at the same time giving power back to women who have been downtrodden for so long. In a world that considers magic an abomination and punishes those who use it, comes three women with magic in their blood and the desire for change.

I have always been drawn to stories about magic, which this certainly is, but it’s so much more. It’s a story about love and hate, power and oppression, fairness and prejudice, pleasure and pain, bravery and fear, and compassion and hostility. It’s about the need to fight the battle to give women the respect they deserve and the legal rights held by men. It touches on everything! At its root, its about the need for change, and what a relevant topic that is in our world today.

I love how each chapter begins with a verse we all know in a similar form from childhood tales and nursery rhymes, but each is actually a spell. Also, the number “3” is very important to this story, and although the sisters are all very different from each other, it will take the combination of all three of them, working in unison, to hopefully make change happen. They had been torn apart in the past, but they soon learn that they are stronger together.

Not only do I love the magic in The Once and Future Witches, but I just found this story incredibly powerful. There are so many lessons to be learned from these three sisters, and I came away feeling even more proud to be a woman and truly believing that the more people you let into your heart, the more you have to help you if you should fall.

Thank you to NetGalley for an early review copy of this book which I can’t recommend highly enough. 5 magical stars from me!