I thought Kiste's "The Rust Maidens" was great but a little unfinished feeling - this is not, this is fantastic. Absolutely satisfying, full of powerful and timely themes.

I’m giving Boneset & Feathers 4 stars for the author’s originality and for packing such detail and so much action into a small novella about one witch in one small village. It starts a bit slow and I didn’t understand the bird thing and the kids but it all made sense at the end. I will read more by this author.

Thanks to the author and publisher for the e-arc I received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review, sorry it took me so long!

This is my first book of Gwendolyn Kiste's and it won't be my last. Beautifully written, her flowing style took a bit to get into the cadence but once I did, I adored it. While the novella is about a witch, it does more than live up to tired tropes about witches. More dark fairytale than horror, it's like Grimm decided to tell a story about a witch. There are birds falling dead from the skies and returning changed, an enchanted forest that never spits you out where you came in, strange children, and of course, magic.

Odette has a reputation as an outsider. The townspeople fear her and instead of blaming their loss on the witchfinders, they choose to blame her as the source of their troubles. Known as the witch who would not burn, Hunted by the witchfinders, Odette not only faced the flames, she somehow consumed them and carry them inside her skin. She's a great character, doubt-filled and living in isolation in the woods away from those who fear her.

A coming of age story, yes, but this is also a fight for identity, sisterhood, and the right for women to exist without being cowered by men. It's powerful and moving.

This is such a fabulous short novel, lyrical and emotive and deep. Odette's voice as the narrator is so we'll done, reading the book felt like sitting down to listen to a friend tell me a story.

The plot itself hovers somewhere between fantasy and folk horror, I think. Set in an unnamed country and time, though clearly a second-world fantasy. We meet Odette as she is travelling into the village, birds that have been missing for years swarming the area and dropping dead from the sky.

It's clear from the beginning that the villagers view Odette with mixed feelings of fear and dislike, and that Odette definitely doesn't deserve that. She has kept herself apart from the other villagers for 5 years, since the last Witchfinders murdered her family and tried to kill her, hiding in the forest and trying to keep her head down.

As we go on, we learn Odette has a terrible magic, and that there are multiple factions putting her in danger, ranging from misogynistic evil to a kind of banal and everyday malice that is no less harmful for its pettiness. We as the reader share the sense of oppression Odette feels, even as circumstances bring the Witchfinders back to her door.

A slight book in terms of length. Kiste nevertheless tackles weighty topics here: misogyny, corruption, the expectations and costs of bravery, familial abuse, and most importantly, the place of forgiveness and what we owe to each other as people sharing the same community.

While I personally wanted a little more information about the Witchfinders and their leader, as Odette herself remarks, they don't need a reason to do what they're doing - hatred is enough. Overall, this is a fantastic book that I have no problem at all recommending. I will definitely be reading more of Gwendolyn Kiste's work in the future.

Interesting premise but the writing style is just not clicking with me. It feels overdone, and I was just left wondering why I should care.

If creepy vibes and a down and out witchy heroine appeals to you, give it a try.

this was a wonderfully done supernatural novella, I enjoyed what was going on in this book. The characters were interesting and getting to know them.

I was intrigued with this story from the very first page. Odette is a wonderful character to follow. The plot was intriguing and it was delivered quite well. While I wouldn't say this book was a horror story. There were creepy elements that were done well and bits of body horror that were written exceptionally well. Gwendolyn Kiste delivered a wonderful and complete story that wrapped up quickly and wonderfully without felling rushed.

I'm sorry to say that this book was not really my cup of tea. I could not really connect with any of the characters, due to lots of inner dialogues and thoughts the book felt repetetive and slow, though the plot itself was interesting in its own way. Though I can understand the appeal this kind of fantasy may have on readers, it definitely did not excite me as much as expected.

This is my first foray into Gwendolyn Kiste’s work and I absolutely adored her writing style! Kiste is one of those authors you see on bookstagram pretty much incessantly and now I get it. You should definitely check her out if you haven’t already.

Boneset and Feathers is kind of a horror-lite book with more fantasy elements. The main character has heart and power, but was well balanced in both. She uses her pain to strengthen herself and those around her which takes this story to some awesome places (which is kinda crazy considering it’s a little under 200 pages!). So what I’m saying here is that if you like stories about witches, power, struggle, and overcoming all matter of things, this book is calling your name. It’s 4 stars from me :)

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Broken Eye Books, and Gwendolyn Kiste for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This novella was eery and haunting as a tale of witches and witch hunters, but also as a look into the struggles of being an outsider. On a critical level, it seems to be an analogy for the struggles of women in history, but the suppression of magic in Odette was also reminiscent of dealing with grief.. I really enjoyed this story, but I would have liked the world and story to have been expanded upon. It has the potential to captivate with more world building.

Boneset and Feathers is a beautifully written novel that I can genuinely say grabbed me from the first word. Set in a world where witches have come to resign themselves to a series of genocidal attacks from horrifically relentless witchfinders, it's also the story of a small village set just outside the central nexus of the witchfinders efforts, and with it, the story of a family destroyed by its own problems and the massacre of witches which have centered these horrors on the life of our main character, Odette. Odette, you see, is the witch who lived. After the witch-burning that took the lives of her family, she is also a figure with immense personal conflict and self-doubt, living in isolation in the woods and rarely ever coming into the village, even if she needs supplies. The villagers fear her, you see, and blame her for the things that befell their village and its surviving citizens. It doesn't help that on the one day that she truly must come into the village the birds have begun to fall from the sky, an omen of things to come.

Boneset and Feathers is a narrative I truly want you to step into and experience for yourself, in many ways I already worry I've said too much. Odette is a powerful voice expressing terrible things and I love what Gwendolyne Kiste has done with her story here, there are no wasted words or unexpressed experiences, you will genuinely want for nothing with her book and I sincerely hope you'll understand how much of a gift that actually is. Whether you're seeking a gothic novel, a book about witches and magic, or a narrative about perceived evil vs genuine evil this will absolutely satisfy, particularly if you want a novel that isn't overlong or too light on story. This is my first read from Kiste and I have already purchased some more of her work on the basis of this book.

Boneset and feathers

This was my second time experiencing Gwendolyn Kiste’s work, with the first time being the Rust Maidens. The Rust Maidens left a lasting impression on me for all the right reasons, and this experience has been much the same. It is very obvious why Gwendolyn is a Bram Stoker Award winning author. Her voice is unique and she has such gorgeous writing. This lyrical writing style is captivating but it has also shown her ability to write diversely and far ranging. I find her work to be incredibly enchanting.

The story follows Odette, a witch who has been living in isolation in a little cottage away from the main town. Odette is determined to live a magic free life. That is until strange events begin occurring and it becomes apparent that the Witchfinders have come back and are intent on harming witches once more.

This is a coming of age story about identity, courage and destiny. Odette tries to run away from her true self but ends up being forced to embrace her true path and to stand up even when faced with fear. Odette’s strength really shone throughout.

Those who enjoyed the Year of the Witching may also enjoy this as it had a similar feel.

Thank you to Netgalley and Broken Eye Books for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Another brilliant story by Gwendolyn. She is one of my favorite authors. Always a joy to read and I really enjoyed this one because witch's are one of my favorite tropes to read about. Such a great story.

I have read most of Gwendolyn Kiste's published works, and this is one of my favorites! Dark, thrilling, and ultimately uplifting story of an outcast witch. Thank you to Netgalley for the review copy.

“Thanks to our father, Freya and I learned how you could hold someone’s hand as tight as you could and still never reach them.” -Odette
Odette has grown up mostly alone. She is shunned by her village because she was the only witch to live after the witchfinders came and burned all the suspected witches the last time they were here. She didn’t survive by hiding away, she was a child at the time but she was on the pyre, in flames, her ropes burned, all the others burned, she stepped out of the embers and ran into the forest. However, she kept the heat of the fire, and now, no one can touch her without getting burned.
She is now alone, timid, refusing to use the magic, and still abandoned by the town, she deals with spirits in the forest, the return of the witchfinders, and her own self doubt.
From the Bram Stoker award winner, Gwendolyn Kiste, this is so much more than a book about a witch. This book is written in a dreamy, hazy way that absolutely portrays the feelings of the main character, Odette.
There is an underlying theme of judgement, mental health and stereotypes. Categorizing people based on what they are and not who they are. While I did not find this a very compelling read, I enjoyed the world that it takes place in, it was sad and gorgeous.
Speaking of gorgeous, this cover by Gawki is stunning.

trigger warning
<spoiler> misogyny, grief, trauma </spoiler>

Five years ago, the Witchhunters came and killed every witch but one. It's only a matter of time till they get back.

In most regards, this is a short and solid book about a witch who can't bring herself to leave the place she grew up in, because that would mean to sever the last ties to her dead family, despite knowing that she'll pay the price rather sooner than later.

I have a very special problem that might not even be a problem for most readers, because it's a trope that's frequently used in fantasy: You use magic or get in a fight and give your all. Maybe just once, maybe more often. You can't even stand properly, you're depleted, you need food and sleep. The author does their best to show how down you are - but then you use your magic again. And again. And again. And again.

So, either the character doesn't know their own strength, but the author fails to address this properly, or the author just ... doesn't care? And the editor didn't catch it?
For me, it's a sign of bad writing and it annoys me hugely.
But, yeah, that was the only problem I had. If this doesn't annoy you, and you want a witchy tale, go on, give it a go!

The arc was provided by the publisher.

Mournful, haunting, and beautiful. I loved the way this was written. The main character was sympathetic but damaged and just balanced so well. I didn’t even realize I was almost finished because I was so engrossed in the narrative, which was devastating and beautiful and a wonderful commentary on what it is to be a woman in the world.