Thoroughly enjoyed the mingling of storylines in this one. Pacing was pretty well consistent and kept me drawn in and loved the story within a story aspect. If you love slowburn and a gothic horror, this is the one. It had me hooked since the very first page.

This is the book I wanted Isabel Canas, The Vampires of El Norte, to be. That book was a historical vampire romance; this was a layered, dark academia meets historical fiction story. We have three timelines; three sets of eerily similar circumstances; and three mysteries that involve the macabre. I say all the time that Silvia Moreno-Garcia can write the phone book, and I'll read it. She's that talented.

P.S. There is a situation that some people are put off by. It's not pleasant, but I didn't find it to be out of character with the timeline it was written in.

Caution: Might induce nervous nail biting, since it‘s quite thrilling! An astonishingly well written, atmospheric horror novel that breathes life into the story through three POV‘s. We step into the shoes of a great grandmother and her granddaughter in the years 1908 and 1998. In between there is also the year 1934 in which we read the unpublished manuscript of a horror writer, which speaks of real events of a disappearance that happened in a friend group on the same college campus on which the POV of 1998 takes place.

I did have to warm up to the book for quite a while and find my way into the lives of the protagonists but once I did I enjoyed it. It‘s scary in the sense that the small horrors are what actually make you gasp. When reading in the dark it really made me feel eerily unnerved. A shame though that the answers to many questions in this book are very obvious, I was not shocked by any revelation. And please look up the trigger warnings online, it contains scenes and topics that are hard to stomach.

This was my first dabbling into the horror genre since my youth and I must say: I am glad to be back. Witchy and a good pick for a Spooktober TBR.

A tale of three women across three time periods and locations dealing with witches, charms, and their disappearing loved ones.

I loved that the distinct stories of these women felt so connected and mirrored without feeling repetitive. Seeing things happening to one young woman in 1908 repeated again 90 years later in a wholly different country was really interesting and made everything feel so seamless and intertwined. Each woman had their own unique ending to the story played out for us.

Overall, a great gothic horror book!

A horror read filled with danger and witchcraft, The Bewitching is the newest title from the author of Mexican Gothic. Readers are introduced to Minerva, a grad student studying horror literature and the life of an obscure author, Beatrice Tremblay. Some of Minerva’s fascination with horror came from her great grandmother, Nana Alba, who always told her stories starting with the line, “Back then, when I was a young woman, there were still witches.” Minerva’s research into horror stories leads her to the true story behind them, including a mysterious disappearance at the same university where she is now, as well as taking her back to the tales of her Nana Alba in 1900s Mexico. Now the woes of these past women might be coming for Minerva now too. For those that miss dark academia feels, this has a great dark gothic atmosphere set on a college campus, while bringing in some horror and fantasy for good measure. I loved getting lost in the setting and mystery of the different time periods of this one. Fans of Silvia Moreno-Garcia will certainly love this one.

The novel covers almost a century as it tells the lives of three different time periods. In 1908, young Alba endures life on a poor Mexican farm under the shadow of her father’s death; in 1934, Beatrice Tremblay recounts the tragic vanishing of her college roommate Virginia; and in 1998, Minerva who is Alba’s great-granddaughter and a graduate student in horror literature. Minerva is depress as she can’t get Beatrice Trembey’s personal papers from the owner to help write her thesis. She published one novel during her lifetime, “The Vanishing.” Beatrice was an alum of the college where Minerva studies, but Minerva struggles to find other information about her. Why is it so difficult to find information on this author? Carolyn Yates, agrees to let Minerva examine Beatrice’s personal papers, which contain the author’s account of the disappearance of her college roommate, a Spiritualist named Virginia Somerset. As Minerva tries to figure out what happened to Virginia, things start getting weird. She starts hearing strange noises. She notices parallels between what’s happening and the stories she heard from her great-grandmother Alba, whose family endured horrific experiences from a witch in Mexico.

The author has written an engaging and terrifying novel. I found myself drawn into this novel as it is spooky, intriguing, bizarre, mysterious, and thought provoking for me. The author has a unique take on witchcraft inspired by Mexican folklore. Each of these stories are rich in atmosphere and ends in a conclusion that binds the women’s fates.

In The Bewitching, we follow three women in three different timelines: 1908, 1934, and 1998. Each woman finds herself embroiled in mystery and witchcraft, and we watch as their situations unravel and, eventually, weave together.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is one of my favorite authors, and I was pretty confident a story she told centered on witchcraft and magic would be fantastic. Couple that with academic pursuits and descriptions of cold New England winters? Sold. Give me five more, honestly.

I loved each perspective and was invested in what was happening in each timeline, which doesn't happen often. I would say Minerva's was the strongest, for me, because I was so invested in her character and her experiences. There's a moment with her in her dorm house that is so cinematic and frightening, I need to see it on the screen.

Moreno-Garcia unpacks elements that we see often in her stories: the way women are treated by men, how the wealthy treat those of lower classes, how Latine people are treated by white (upper class) people, and the intersection of mystery, intrigue, and horror with the pursuit of knowledge. I've said it before and I will say it again: she is such a fantastic storyteller, capable of moving in and out of different genres and historical contexts in a way that I just don't see often these days. She's experimental in what she's interested in exploring and, though the novels do have similar interests, they each feel fresh and new.

This novel will hit on chilly fall or winter evenings, when the sun falls earlier and earlier and the creeping cold of outside manages to sneak its way under windowsills and doors. You might look outside, your own reflection staring back at you in the darkness, wondering if something is looking in that you can't see.

I recommend, obviously.

Another excellently woven tale by Moreno-Garcia, where history, witchcraft, and the uncanny interplay between the lives of the characters.

As Minerva dives into the history of macabre author, Beatrice Tremblay, she learns Tremblay's most famous novel, The Vanishing, was inspired by a true story. Minerva starts to spiral into learning about this otherworldly roommate.

I did not love Mexican Gothic, so I was a little hesitant to read this one, but I am so glad I did! What a fun, cozy mystery that would be the perfect October read. The three storylines in three locations were a little confusing at first because there was so much jumping around, but I ended up loving them, especially Beatrice's (though I am a sucker for anything set in MA!)

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

3.9. Captivating but a bit predictable. I’ve liked many of her books but they are a bit Gothic and dark, but overall I liked the book. Thank you to Netgalley for providing me a copy in exchange for a candid and unbiased review.

In spellbinding gothic horror, The Bewitching tells three women’s stories: Minerva at a New England college in 1998, Virginia at the same college in 1934, and Alba in rural Mexico in 1908. Minerva had taken care of an aged Alba, her great-grandmother, and been told “tales of witches who drank the blood of the innocent on moonless nights.” Minerva and Alba narrate their own stories, but Minerva uncovers Virginia’s life through a found manuscript and interviews as she researches her thesis. That research turns threatening as she battles uncanny forces in the college town. Over the years, people have disappeared. Will Minerva suffer the same fate?

In what appear to be neutral setting details, Moreno-Garcia contrasts scholarship students and migrant workers, foreigners without money or societal protections, with the privileged class that populates the college and its donors. On scholarship far from her sole family member, Minerva “couldn’t afford to be anything except excellent… now she was slipping up.” Within the Mexican setting, a similar elite are juxtaposed with poor farmers. But with brilliant craft, Moreno-Garcia deploys the vulnerabilities these systemic imbalances create to infuse driving suspense throughout the novel.

At the core of The Bewitching lies an eloquent warning to pay attention to the resonances of folklore about witches. A character makes a passing reference to Jung and the universality of magical folklore, but for Moreno-Garcia, folk traditions must hold an even more pressing, flesh-and-blood place in our lives. In dramatic, page-turning scenes the characters wield passed-on magical knowledge as weapons against creeping shadows of evil. Whether witches and warlocks are real or not doesn’t alter the value in such generational attention to folk traditions. Creeping evils never disappear, and the innocent are still bled dry. A highly recommended, gripping, intelligent novel.

It took me a couple of tries to get into this book and I skimmed the end (you lose me at killing pets, it's just a thing) so I didn't give this book as many stars as I otherwise would. If you don't mind lots of POVs and pet/animal killing, then the rest of this book is fantastic.

Three women's narratives intertwine across a century of mysterious happenings, stalkers, serial killers, and disappearances: Alba, her great-granddaughter, and a horror author her great-granddaughter is studying for a graduate (MA?) thesis. I figured out the antagonists about halfway through the book, so there are enough clues to make it a worthwhile mystery but it doesn't leave you guessing until the end - instead, the reader will wonder how and why. Overall, a satisfying magical murder mystery.

Let me start by saying this author produces some of the most beautiful covers for her books.

I was intreagued by this book especially when I read the first line - “Back then, when I was a young woman, there were still witches” I love multi generational sotires of folklore and witchcraft, throw in the gothic element and it is right up my street.

The story starts in the present day but is told by Minerva Contreras, brought up by her great grandmother Alba, she has grown up listening to the stories of her childhood and witchcraft. And now has become a graduate student focused on the history of horror literature and is researching the life of Beatrice Tremblay, and the only book she wrote 'The Vanishing'. As Minerva finaly gets her hands on the manuscript and delves deeper into the story, she realises these events written are very similar to the stories she grew up listening to from her grandmother. Throw in a missing woman and things begin to appear all too familiar.

I really wanted to love this book and in places I did. I loved hearing Alba's perspective growing up as a girl in Mexico. The author paints a wonderful backdrop to the timelines., but sadly the book was just too slow and repetitive in places that I just lost track. It jumps between 1908, 1934 and 1998. And I found my self struggling to keep up with the characters. I did enjoy the book but I think it was more spooky than gothic or horror.

Thank you to Del Rey Publishing and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Bewitching - Silvia Moreno-Garcia

It is 1998 at Stoneridge College in New England, and Mexican graduate student Minerva is at a dead-end conducting research for her thesis on her favorite book, The Vanishing by obscure horror author Beatrice Tremblay.

She soon learns The Vanishing is based on the real disappearance of a Stoneridge student in 1934, and a chance encounter gives her access to a yet uncovered manuscript by the author, detailing the events leading up to the tragedy.

As Minerva delves deeper into the eerie story, bizarre things start happening, mirroring the stories her great-grandmother Alba used to tell her of her youth spent on a farm in the Mexican countryside. Both women, Minerva in 1998 and Alba in 1908, must face forces beyond the natural threatening to kill them.

A large part of this book felt more like a thriller with elements of magic than pure horror to me.
I haven't read a lot of horror and don't know the genre well- some parts of the last quarter of the book did have me openly go 'Eeewww!' (in line with classic horror tropes, I believe); some twists were predictable about mid-way- which I really liked, because you had a sense of what was going on while just waiting for the characters to have the revelations, thus feeding into the thriller aspect of the story.
I did feel in a couple of places that some of Minerva's responses were a little too convenient (surely no one has such nerves of steel?), but those were rare. I had a great time  and this kept me up until 2 AM.

In sum, I would say this is a great plot-driven book. As with Mexican Gothic, I feel like Moreno-Garcia's storytelling would transfer really well to the screen, and this would make for a great miniseries.
I would recommend this for someone who wants to start their fall reading, and ring in spooky season with a light horror story along the lines of folk tales, magic and 90s nostalgia set in a New England college.

The Bewitching is out now!

Thank you to delrey for the digital copy made available on netgalley!

I don’t know that there will ever be an instance where I don’t love a book by Silvia Moreno Garcia. She can write anything, she can write in any genre, and she does it well every single time. This book was so eerie. I finally understand what it means for a book to feel atmospheric. This book captivated me from the beginning I was hooked and this happens every time I read one of her books. This one follows three women and three different time periods as they all grapple with the same haunting. The three women were so captivating and interesting. I loved reading the three perspectives. There is no one doing it like Silvia. 👏🏼 4.25⭐️

“Back then, when I was a young woman, there were still witches.”

I loved this read so much! It was such an atmospheric, witchy story. And I love me a witchy story! The Bewitching might be one of my new favorite books Moreno-Garcia has written. It’s right up there with Certain Dark Things and Mexican Gothic for me!

The Bewitching follows three different characters:

Minerva- 1998 New England setting- A grad school student at Stoneridge College from Mexico City working towards an English lit degree. She is writing her thesis on a woman named Beatrice Tremblay who was an author in the 30s and also attended Stoneridge. When Beatrice was in college, her friend Virginia disappears and while doing her research on Beatrice, Minerva becomes engrossed with what happened to Virginia.

Alba- 1908- Minerva’s great-grandmother who has recently lost her father. A series of bad events begin to plague Alba’s family and Alba begins to suspect that they may have been cursed by a witch.

Beatrice- 1934- Once Minerva gains access to Beatrice’s journals, we also get Beatrice’s perspective on Virginia's disappearance and the time leading up to it.


Each of the characters had their own strengths and I really enjoyed reading each one. As with all of Moreno-Garcia’s characters they all seemed fleshed out and complex in their own ways. I loved Minerva’s curiosity and determination to learn no matter what, and her love of horror. Alba was fierce and independent, and strong (maybe my favorite!). And Beatrice was a tragic character who was just trying to do the best for her friend.

“You have a talent for being extremely dislikable. I’m going to thoroughly enjoy drinking your blood and eating your heart.”

The best part of this book is, of course, the witch lore. Each character experiences witches in some way or other throughout the book. I loved that the witches we learn about are from Mexican folklore and not just what most of us are already familiar with. And these witches are scary! They will curse your family until there is nothing left, they will stalk you and haunt you until you’re driven mad, and they drink the blood of their victims. In some ways they are like a mashup of vampires and witches. I enjoyed the way she also brought this folklore to New England and meshed it with some of the lore there. I liked that this book was more horror and fantasy, and I really loved all of her references to horror authors throughout the book!

The Bewitching is a great story if you’re looking for a witchy fall read. It was so atmospheric and really drew me in. 5 stars!

Wow. Everything about this was just phenomenal. The multiple viewpoints and atmosphere kept me fully immersed in the story, while the writing and small cliffhangers kept me coming back to find out what happened next. I think my favorite part out of everything was how all three timelines intertwined. Would highly recommend this to anyone looking for that slightly spooky, vibes-are-there story. Just goes to show that maybe there's a little truth behind those campfire stories...you never know.

Thoughts

"She’d preferred to slip into the tales of Shirley Jackson rather than go out dancing with her friends"

If you have been around for awhile you know my love for Moreno-Garcia. This book adds to that and helps solidify that she is brilliant at writing historical novels. This one goes back and forth in time. But she just has just a talent writing about the past that draws you in.

I know her books are usually listed under horror. But she is great at giving a sense of place and setting the scene in these historical settings.

I love everything witchy, so I loved this story and I loved that even the modern time was set in the 90s, which is considered historical to some now.

"She had that terrible split second of panic in which she did not know what shape a man’s rage might take."

This is one to add to your tbr when you are looking for an intriguing story with haunting vibes.

"Could someone plateau at twenty-four? Could your brain shrink? She felt tired and listless all the time. Often, she was sad for no reason."


Thank you to Netgalley and Del Rey Publishing for this eARC

Going into fall, this witchy book will be perfect for a cozy night read. I loved how Silvia Moreno-Garcia wove together the three narratives. Can't recommend this book enough!

I’m very close to having read everything by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and over the process of reading her books I’ve really enjoyed her ability to flow between genres. Naturally when I heard that she had a witchy book coming out, I quickly made the grab to give it go.

The Bewitching is a story woven together through three narratives told by three women living in different time periods. It’s loosely clear how they might be connected, but not until the final 40% of the book, why they are connected. Going into this book I was intrigued by each of the narratives separately, but had a very hard time thinking of them together, which made my initial reading feel disjointed. I wanted more of what I got later, which was the sprinkling of overlaps that led to a final reveal. I think some editing could have shortened the journey to get to this without losing any of the meaning in the story.

Much like in her other books, I loved how Silvia crafted strong female characters to center her story on. Each woman faces her own obstacles brought about by society and her life situation in ways that are relatable not only to their specific time period, but to women’s lives in general.

Now what about the witchy aspect? I really wanted more! Silvia amped up the creep factor towards the later half of the book, which I really enjoyed. Again, something I would have loved to happen earlier, but that is certainly a reader-specific desire on pacing.

I think this book will greatly be of interest to lovers of historical fiction with a side of spooky. If you’re looking for something a bit more in your face, I recommend trying out her earlier books, Mexican Gothic or Certain Dark Things.