I'll admit, I struggled with this one. On the positive side, Dimaline's writing style is engaging right from the first page, and she's great at setting up characters with just a few words that immediately set the stage for the personalities at play.

The tone is . . . different. Full disclosure, I grew up reading the urban fantasy of the mid-2000s - your Women of the Otherworlds, your Hollowses, your Kitty Norvilles - and they had a fairly uniform voice. Dialogue was snappy, quips were flying, and the pacing sped along. This book does none of these things. Most of the humour is in the chapter titles (and occasionally in asides from the main character's grandmother) but apart from that, the dialogue is fairly flat. It's also incredibly slow - our heroine doesn't actually meet the rest of her coven or find out that they're witches until the halfway point. For this reason, we see very little magic happening on-page, which will almost certainly disappoint readers hoping for a fantasy adventure. This book is apparently the first in a series, which may account for how much of it is devoted to exposition, but if you're not starting the series with a bang, it will be hand to reel in new readers. I know I was struggling to continue after a hundred pages - like I said, I liked the characters and the writing style, but the pacing and lack of any real evident fantasy elements stymied me. I appreciate that the book's girl power message is trans inclusive and multicultural, I just wish the girls were DOING something with their powers.

If you are an avid reader, you may have noticed an increase in witch-themed titles of late. Let me point you in the direction of the most engaging one I've come across.

I am an unabashed @cherie.dimaline fan. What I really liked about reading VenCo was sensing Cherie's own true joy in living, true anger at the mess we are in, and true kick-ass Métis womanhood in this story.

Lucky St James is ostensibly the main character here. Living in Toronto with her grandmother, the irrepressible and sometimes cranky Stella, temping to keep a roof over their heads, and worried it isn't enough. She misses the beautiful magic of everyday life that surrounds her. At least, until she finds an antique spoon that connects her to a powerful circle of women, and heads off on a journey of discovery that takes her through Salem to New Orleans. Naturally, there's also an ancient witch hunter after her.

There's joy and laughter and community among women and Indigeneity and intersection and pain and grief and love and death and so much rich story here. There's also a heck of a lot of hope. It was the perfect winter read, doused in women's magic, and beautiful. It's also a page-turner of a thriller. Just go get it. Thanks to @netgalley and @penguinrandomca for the e-arc.

I want to read this book again in print, however, this is a draft of the review I will send to the Ottawa Review of Books. I'm a regular contributor and a big fan of Cherie Dimaline. I can't post to amazon.ca or goodreads until it first appears in the ORB, then I'll distribute and put it on my website: http://bluehavenpress.com Thanks for the opportunity of reading and commenting. I'm always eager to read Cherie's work. best, Wendy

Cherie Dimaline never fails to enchant, and VenCo is the start of something spicy, warm, and wicked; at least I hope it is. The prologue features three bad-ass hipsters collectively known as the Oracle—the Maiden (a Tender), Mother (a Watcher), and Crone (a Booker)—who reveal the stakes and premise. A sixth witch must be found and once she is, she’ll have seventeen days to find the seventh witch and complete the circle. In case you missed it, VenCo is a play on Coven. “She better be some kind of living-at-Hogwarts, spell-workin-her-sleep legacy witch,” says the Maiden.

What sets Dimaline’s work apart is her original and impeccable writing style which is both literary and lyrical, and casual and raw as befits the characters and situation. Vivid descriptions of urban grit pepper the pages, along with references to pop culture, and symbols such as little yellow birds. In this magic carpet ride of a romp we fly to various locations: Toronto, Salem, the California desert, and New Orleans. Chapter headings are casual, detailed, and comic. For example: “A Complete F* 180 Over General Tso chicken and Shitty Rice.”

I feel like the first half of this book is crucial backstory to a series and world-building as Dimaline introduces the members of VenCo, and we hear their individual tales. We begin with protagonist Lucky St. James and her charming, dementia-prone grandmother, Stella Sampson. After her Metis mother dies a drunk, they are about to be evicted from their grotty home in East End Toronto when Lucky finds a key to a hidden basement room in her wet laundry. When she unlocks the door, she discovers a dirty, rocky, tunnel, and inside it, a tiny silver spoon engraved with a Halloween witch and the word SALEM. Lucky is the sixth witch. The other five: Meena Good and her Anishinabe partner Wendy; blond, gender-queer Freya; artist and rare-book collector Morticia from New York; and Louisiana Creole woman Letitia and her son, also joined the coven via enchanted spoons. Freya offers Lucky a writing job at VenCo and, with nothing to lose, Lucky and Stella drive to Salem where they join the others whose personal tales are embedded within the larger narrative.

Jay Christos (obvious play there) is the smarmy antagonist taxed with stopping the coven from forming and keeping the Patriarchy in place. This immortal, misogynist, Benandanti (witch hunter/killer) hunts at night through streets and dreams, and has mesmerizing skills of his own. Once he starts to move on Lucky, things heat up. This is a feminist kind of book; at least the job of VenCo is to “Hex the Patriarchy” of whom JC is the kingpin. This Matriarchy has much work to do, enough to fill several more novels.

A member of the Georgian Bay Historic Metis Community, Dimaline is an Indigenous Canadian writer. Her YA book, The Marrow Thieves, won the Governor General’s Literary Award in 2017 and was named Book of the Year by CBC, Quill & Quire, the NY Public Library, and was selected by Time magazine as one of the top 100 YA reads of all time. She followed it with the disturbing sequel, Hunting by Stars. Her stand-alone novel Empire of Wild was Indigo’s #1 Best Book of the Year and was featured in the New Yorker and the New York Times. Without giving too much away “f* you” is the last phrase is VenCo. That takes courage and a certain amount of bravado.

This book was wonderful! I very much enjoyed reading about the characters discovering themselves. The way the author developed the characters and story have left me excited for the next book. This is a book I will share with others.

Ven-co is a story of adventure and find yourself.

Lucky is searching for a way to keep her Grandmother happy and safe. Enter Ven-co with the way to help. Discover the spoons, discover yourself.

The spoons lead the way to themselves and to the others in the coven, to the family and the home that they deserved.
Thank you NetGalley and Cherie Dimaline for the chance to read this ARC. This is my honest review.

"VenCo" is a well-written story that weaves together mystical lore with history. I enjoy books written with strong female characters and this book is no exception. I recommend this book to anyone who loves female-driven narratives and enjoys mysticism and witchery.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cherie Dimaline is fast becoming one of my favourite authors. Venco is a brilliantly crafted story of love, friendship, mysticism, witchcraft. Highly highly recommend

“Lucky St. James, a Métis millennial living with her cantankerous but loving grandmother Stella, is barely hanging on when she discovers she will be evicted from their tiny Toronto apartment. Then, one night, something strange and irresistible calls out to Lucky. Burrowing through a wall, she finds a silver spoon etched with a crooked-nosed witch and the word SALEM, humming with otherworldly energy.”

Y’all. This book made me FEEL THINGS.

(and not in the tingly, smutty way)

I loved this book with my whole, cynical, bedraggled (but tender) heart.

I loved the characters, of which there were many. All were deep and different and a delight.

I loved the family connections – both biological and found-. Stella, I both adore you, and want to BE you when I grow up.

I loved the settings of Toronto and…not Toronto (no spoilers!).

I loved the idea of VenCo, a company whose entire purpose is the advancement of amazing women.

I loved that serious topics (discrimination, misogyny, partner abuse) were dealt with in a caring way that didn’t come across as overly expository.

Honestly, the only thing I didn’t love involved the book’s ending – in that, it had one.

I’m desperate for more. More Lucky. More Stella. More coven. MORE MAGIC.

Maybe a series, centering around the women of Venco? Or, the other members of the coven? The Maiden, the Mother, or the Crone?

For the love, Cherie, give me SOMETHING.

I’m determined to become a Dimaline Completionist. Even that odd Disney outlier.

9.5/10

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for this STUNNING ARC.

Lucky St James, a young Metis woman in Toronto, isn't feeling very lucky right now. She hates her job, her beloved grandmother, Sophia, who she lives with, is showing signs of dementia, and they’re facing eviction. But when Lucky finds a small silver spoon with an engraving of a witch and the word, SALEM, it seems like her luck might be changing,

While on a coffee break at work, a strange woman introduces herself to Lucky in a coffee shop and offers her an interview in Salem for a company called VenCo. Despite her doubts about this offer, Lucky sees no other options so she packs up their few belongings and she and Sophia head for Salem.

I’m not sure how to categorize VenCo by Cherie Dimaline - it’s sort of a blend of thriller, fantasy, buddy caper, and feminism. What I can say for certain, I loved it. It moves at a nice pace, quick so the story never bogs down but not so quick that you can’t get to know the characters. It kept me completely immersed in the story from the beginning to the very satisfying ending and it is definitely on my short list of books I know i will read again and again

<i>Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review</i>

VenCo is a quirky witchy story with a lot of ideas. Some ideas I liked more than others. At times it felt chaotic and disorganized. The story didn't have a nice flow which took away from my reading experience. I felt there were too many characters and details, which confused me. I struggled to finish this book because it was all over the place. While I appreciate the uniqueness of the story, the plot was overcomplicated with too many ideas.

What I loved about Venco:

Witches!!
Written by Canadian woman!!
Stella!
Lucky!
Road trip!
New Orleans!

VenCo was well written, interesting, very womancentric, inclusive, all the good things! A fresh take on witches, I hope this is only the first book of a duology or trilogy. It contains a great plot, interesting characters, and a great new premise in the world of witches.

The pacing of this book is quite slow but steady, so if you need massive amounts of ongoing drama, brace yourself. I loved everything about the telling of this story, but it wasn't really a page turner for me. It's not a deal breaker, but I will be better prepared for the next book.

VenCon is a book that’s not typically the genre I tend to gravitate to, however the plot of this book really intrigued me and made me want to read it. Honestly, I am so glad I did because it was amazing!

I need to start by saying how great the character development was. There were so many characters in this book, and all of them had great background stories. The author did a wonderful job at providing the reader with tons of information about each person (while also not over providing), and it really made me appreciate the story more since I had a good understanding of the thought process each character had.

The plot was another aspect I loved about VenCo. While there was a lot going on with the story, I never felt lost while reading. I was along for the ride, and felt all the feels associated with the ride - happiness, sadness, anger, anxiety, confusion. By the time the book was finished, I was left feeling satisfied with the ending, but at the same time wanting to know more. I’m not sure if this book was planned to be the first in a series, but I am really hoping it is since I’m not finished with Lucky, Stella and the rest of the Coven’s story quite yet.

Overall, I’m glad I branched out of my comfort zone to read a book in a different genre. I ended up loving this book, and would recommend it to someone who also wants to branch out and try their hand at a fantasy novel, or to anyone who already is a fan of a good fantasy book!

I enjoyed The Marrow Thieves, so was excited to pick up Dimaline’s first-in-a-series novel about a newly forming coven of witches, and their origin stories. I love the start of stories, and here there are new characters to meet and greet, some lore and a little bit of magic.

This novel started strong. The writing was engaging, and I liked the ideas: a female-led coalition of witches, gathering after centuries of persecution. I applaud that fact that there is a ton of queer and BIPOC representation, and given that I’m middle-aged, I was stoked that some of the main characters were my age or older! I loved Stella, one of the oldest characters. The bad guy was Jay Christo (the JC not a coincidence, I think!), and he was suitably nefarious.

However, as I progressed, I found myself disengaged, even slightly annoyed at times. The world building lacked depth and I found the narrative very plot driven. Not a problem, but I personally craved a deeper dive. There was a lot of messaging about fighting the patriarchy and female power, but it began to feel like cheerleading. Female empowerment, but with little context except for the historical persecution of witches.

Dimaline lost me a bit when one of the “rituals” to tap into their power involved an obligation to ingest a huge amount of alcohol. Equating binge drinking to female power didn’t sit right. MILD SPOILER I was a teensy bit uncomfortable with the level of retribution shown near the end. I felt a more thoughtful option may have showcased some mercy, though I understand why Dimaline made this choice. END OF MILD SPOILER

Apparently this has been optioned for TV, and I can see why. I think a lot of people will like or love this, and honestly it was a quick read with diverse characters and a female-centred message so there's a lot to recommend it. It simply wasn’t a great fit for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Canada for a digital copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

Venco by Cherie Dimaline
Fantasy - Magical Realism
Publication Date: February 14, 2023

Recruited by the mysterious Venco, Lucky St. James departs on a road trip with her grandmother suffering from Alzheimer's on the understanding she would be interviewing for a writing position. Instead she finds a coven of witches who claim she is their sixth member and need her help finding the seventh before they are hunted and killed by a ruthless immortal witch hunter.

The concept was there for me. This could have been a really interesting paranormal plot with excellent representation and smashing the patriarchy type of content. Instead it is a collection of flashback stories as to how each woman found a spoon which were interrupted frequently by a man doing “macho” and disturbing things to women. As a person who gravitates towards more plot heavy stories I found each page excruciatingly long. The stories try to showcase very different women’s stories and hardships but lack any kind of depth to do so successfully. The momentum is non-existent and the book struggles to get to the end of the story. Although the pace picks up towards the end it never really delivers what the cover on the synopsis tries to sell. The coven is just some fretting bumbling women who lend absolutely no assistance to Lucky. Why did they all remain behind? Why couldn’t anyone perform LITERALLY A SINGLE SPELL to help her? Why was the magic simply sending her on to the next witch? There were just so many plot holes that led to this story feeling endless.

This was one of my most anticipated fantasy reads for winter 2023 and I have to say I’m really disappointed this one didn’t work out for me.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for providing an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

You might expect a speculative feminist novel to end with women entering the board room triumphantly. Always willing to confound expectations, this Governor General's Award author starts her ninth book that way.

Soon we learn that the whole corporation is organized on feminist principles, with a leadership circle rather than a hierarchy. And then it gets into witchcraft. The mission is to find the seventh witch in a prophesied coven before time runs out. We don’t know yet what catastrophe she and her six compatriots are supposed to avert but the sixth witch is now found and clock is definitely ticking.

For a while this book feels and reads like a well written, gently paced, speculative fiction novel featuring the well and thoroughly covered trope of the teenage heroine hunted by an ancient evil. And yet…

It takes a while for the differences to come to the fore. In the traditional hero's journey, the protagonist is forced out of their comfort zone and pushed to take up the quest. In this feminist re-visioning, the heroine's journey, not only are the older witches is part of a circle that is collaborative rather than hierarchical, but they are mutually respectful. At each stage of the increasingly complex situation, they discuss facts and implications, giving each other space. The female characters don’t play into the familiar master and apprentice dynamics.

Of course there's a Big Bad - possibly the last of a centuries-old clan of witch-hunters with mesmeric powers. He's able to spy on the witches through their dreams, and knows when the seventh witch is in their sights.

This author has a firm grasp of language: Its texture, shapes, and flow, like a braided stream, cross and re-cross, forming a tale that is partly well paced contemporary paranormal fantasy, and partly the indigenous underpinnings we have come to expect in a Dimaline novel. Beyond that, the characters bring into harsh light the long-standing western capitalist and religious war on women, from the Reformation-era witch burnings to Salem and beyond in America. Themes of dispossession and identity and belonging breathe from these pages.

Astute readers might note that the Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone, although human figures forming VenCo's leadership circle, are also archetypes and therefore not fully fleshed out humans with personal histories brought to the fore.

On a purely craft of writing level, I appreciate the ebb and flow of tension. Things get tense and then potentially dangerous, and then things get calmer again and then things get really relaxed and friendly and then Bingo! A quick reminder of danger. It’s all interesting, and the fluidity of the tension is an added piece of my enjoyment.

A gorgeously crafted story, weaving lore and history together. All the characters are fascinating, strong women. A pleasure to read from start to finish. Highly recommend this book to anyone who loves reading about witches, powerful women and sisterhood.

Women supporting and raising up women is the central focus of this witchy story.

The first in a new series by acclaimed author Cherie Dimaline, VenCo builds a world of women who work together to bring in the missing witches to a coven in the United States and Canada. It all begins when Lucky St. James, a Métis woman in Toronto, finds a spoon engraved with the word SALEM along with an image of a witch and an arrow. Through dreams and with help from the Oracle, Lucky and her grandmother Stella travel to Salem, Massachusetts to meet up with other witches. This is the beginning of an adventurous road trip to find the missing spoon and witch to complete the coven. While the difficult work of locating the final spoon and witch take place, Jay Christos, witch hunter, is on their tail and looking to prevent the final spoon from making its way back to Salem.

My favourite character was Stella. She is an elder with a great sense of humour and a fading memory. She lost her son and was Stella’s caregiver from an early age. Her love of tv and ability to sleep instantly as well as her inquisitiveness made her such a fun character.

Dimaline’s imagery is so strong and I love how she weaves her stories with indigenous storytelling. Each of the characters stood apart from one another. I don’t think I will forget Ricky the Rattler and The Maiden as especially clear characters in my mind.

I cannot wait for the next in this series and for this book to be adapted for TV by AMC. Thank you to @netgalley and @penguinrandomca for an ARC of VenCo. It is available now!

4.5/5 stars!

VENCO is such a delightful read, starting off in such a way that garners your interest which continually deepens.

Lucky St James is a Métis woman, living with her grandmother Stella, barely making ends meet when she discovers they will soon be evicted from their apartment. One night, Lucky gets the strange urge to burrow through a basement wall where she finds an old spoon with a witch and the word SALEM embossed. Meena Good has been waiting for Lucky to discover this spoon in order to find the remaining witches to form the 7 required to make a coven, which will restore women their rightful power. Unfortunately, there’s a deadly witch hunter on their tails, hoping to prevent the coven from forming.

I found VENCO to start off slowly as the reader learns about Lucky, the witch world, and the required steps to unite the coven. I really enjoyed the characters, Lucky and Stella particularly. Each character (main and secondary) is well-developed with their own stories and voices.

The plot is so unique and intriguing. I loved learning about the history of the witches, their magic and different roles. I would have liked to have their magic system and roles (Oracle, Bookers, Tenders, Watchers, etc) in the witch society, explained in more detail, but as a whole it’s sufficient to complete the basic understanding of the world.

As the witch coven comes together, there are many adventures with many obstacles in their way. Each plot twist was well done and kept me in a place of suspense and intrigue. I was particularly surprised by the last 15% of the book and was so satisfied by the reveals.

While the novel ended satisfactorily with most of the big plot twists answered, I’d love to know if there will be a second novel to continue the story where it’s ended, since the ending (to me) felt open-ended.

<i>I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher, Penguin Random House Canada, of this advanced digital copy for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review! All opinions expressed are my own.</i>

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the ARC.
This is the first book by Cherie Dimaline that I've read, and I really enjoyed it. It has a varied and diverse cast of characters in a modern witchcraft tale. The strength of it to me lies in the relationships between the characters and how they came to form a found family... and why. I also enjoyed the "road trip" aspect of it, exploring so many different locations in north america. A lot of it was told in the form of flashbacks, which is not always my favourite form of storytelling but in this case it worked, although at times it feels like there is a lot more story than is currently shared, particularly with regards to Lucky's mother. It feels like the start of a series and I would read more!

This book was such a fun read once I got into it. I stayed up super late to finish reading because I just had to know what happened. I loved the diversity and inclusiveness and I loved getting to 'go' to different places. This will be a great book club book.