A story of sisters and witches; I loved it. A look at the bond between siblings and women, fear and exclusion, and the power within.

I was looking forward to reading this witchy tale set in Norway. I enjoyed the Norwegian magic involved in the story, the use of runes and seidr. However the story pacing was very slow and this affected my enjoyment of the story.

DNF - I attempted to start this book and it just did not hold my interest. This may be a book I come back to in the future.

2.5

The concept was great but for me it didn’t work as well as I had hoped. I loved to try a Scandinavian/Norwegian folklore inspired fantasy that is not immediately just Vikings in your face. I did really want to like it but…it fell flat. I didn’t like any of the characters they were just annoying and their motivational were just…why would you did that. It felt weirdly forced. All relationships, the love and the hate was just. Why?
The writing wasn’t bad to be honest. I liked the style and I would want to read something else by her, but this one is more of a no.

I really wanted to love this book because it is about witches. However, it was a slow moving story. I also could not connect with the characters. Still, I love the gorgeous setting and it has a beautiful writing style! I recommend this for fans of Uprooted!

This was such a good story about witches, sisterhood, and learning to be vulnerable. I’d like a spinoff on Minna and Olen.

While the author of this novel is a beautiful writer, it felt like the characters were poorly executed, not very complex, and almost unlikable. I thought this story of sisters would be reflective or emotional, but it was somewhat frustrating. I think, for a debut novel, it was good, and look forward to seeing this writer evolve.

Kaija and Minna definitely had some deep rooted issues. Sister witches who want different things in life. Or so they think. Kaija leaves her forest home in seek of a better life without being hidden away. Minna wants to practice magic in her safe forest home where no one can find her. The things they do come with consequences. This story was definitely magical and I loved the different sides to the story.

The blurb for The Witches at the End of the World held so much promise. Unfortunately, the execution wasn't there. Minna was terrifying, and not in a good way. She was feral and just plain scary. Kaija is more likable, but her character wasn't enough to keep the book on course.

I award The Witches at the End of the World 2 out of 5 stars.

3/5 Stars

This was just okay, I really don't have any specific feelings on it. I would've like more from this book. I think there is something here and it could be built upon. It was okay for a debut novel. Wasn't the biggest fan of the Monologue narrating. The writing was a little disjointing so sometimes I was a little unsure who was speaking. Overall it was an okay starting point.

Sadly, I had to give up on this one about 20% of the way through. I was so interested when I picked this book up because of the promise of witches, a gorgeous and unique historical setting, and the focus on the relationship between two sisters.

Unfortunately, I couldn't keep wading through the pages of tedious (through beautifully written) description, especially as it became clearer and clearer that that focus on narrative was mostly stagnant and didn't develop the plot, the suspense, or the character development. Iversen is clearly a very talented writer, but her storytelling skills need some polishing.

***Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing me with a digital copy of this book to review.***

I couldn't connect with the characters, they seemed too stoic. The writing was fine, and I had trouble finding the time where it was set but enjoyed the location

I loved this book so much! The witch sisters who are estranged, the small town that is not always nice, and the rage of a woman who lost her mother. This book was so feminist, so amazing, and I never wanted it to end!

This was a book I put off for a long time, fearing it would be too fantasy based for my liking, despite being witchy in nature, and unfortunately I was correct in my assumption. I had liked the idea of the Norwegian folklore and sisterhood, like a darker Frozen, but it didn't quite hit that mark. The dual POV with little dialogue was hard to follow and made for a difficult read.

This book sounded so interesting! Unfortunately, it fell a little bit flat for me in terms of the world building and pacing. The sister’s dynamic was a little difficult to work through with their ups and downs with each other. I’d try another bloom by this author!

The Witches at the End of the World by Chelsea Iversen. Pub Date: October 17, 2023. Rating: 3 stars. This is a story about sisters, both witches in Norway who want different things in life. Rooted in personal trauma of their mother being burned for being a witch and having to flee afterwards, one sister wants to return to the village where this happened to live a "normal life outside of witchcraft." This realization sets a tidal wave of emotions between the sisters resulting in one sister cursing the entire village that her sister returns to. This book highlights witchcraft and crimes committed against known witches. I really enjoyed the dual perspectives of one wanting to maintain being a witch and the other wanting to explore a life outside of being a witch. This was a good read and perfect for fall. Thanks to #netgalley and #sourcebookslandmark for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I love anything that includes witches so I was not surprised that I ended up liking this one! So good!

The Witches at the End of the World by Chelsea Iversen has an intriguing setup with two sisters navigating their magic and their differences. While the premise promised a dark, atmospheric story full of tension and drama, I found the execution to be just okay. The relationship between Kaija and Minna had potential, but I struggled to fully connect with their story. The pacing felt uneven at times, and while there were moments of intensity, they didn’t always land as powerfully as I’d hoped.

That said, the setting of the Norwegian birchwoods added a moody backdrop, and the exploration of sisterhood and betrayal did have its highlights. If you enjoy witchy tales with a focus on family dynamics, this might still be worth checking out. For me, it was a mixed experience.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC provided!

dnf at 3%. This was definitely a me thing. I just couldn't get into this one, despite it being about witches and set with a magic system in Norway.

Man, I tried but I just couldn't get into this one. Not sure what the problem was; it just didn't hold my interest. It vs left my mind as soon as I finished it.

I appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for access to a digital ARC. My honest review is my own opinion.