Book Review: The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson
I received a complimentary ARC from the publisher, courtesy of NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Book Summary
A young woman living in a rigid, puritanical society discovers dark powers within herself in this stunning, feminist fantasy debut.
In the lands of Bethel, where the Prophet's word is law, Immanuelle Moore's very existence is blasphemy. Her mother’s union with an outsider of a different race cast her once-proud family into disgrace, so Immanuelle does her best to worship the Father, follow Holy Protocol, and lead a life of submission, devotion, and absolute conformity, like all the other women in the settlement.
But a mishap lures her into the forbidden Darkwood surrounding Bethel, where the first prophet once chased and killed four powerful witches. Their spirits are still lurking there, and they bestow a gift on Immanuelle: the journal of her dead mother, who Immanuelle is shocked to learn once sought sanctuary in the wood.
Fascinated by the secrets in the diary, Immanuelle finds herself struggling to understand how her mother could have consorted with the witches. But when she begins to learn grim truths about the Church and its history, she realizes the true threat to Bethel is its own darkness. And she starts to understand that if Bethel is to change, it must begin with her.
Book Details
The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson
Fiction / Horror / Occult & Supernatural
Published July 21st 2020 by Ace
Hardcover, 368 pages
My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Review
THE YEAR OF THE WITCHING conjures up a dark, supernatural fantasy about a young woman living as an outcast in a harsh, puritanical society who discovers her mother’s hidden legacy and the forbidden forest which calls to a growing power rising within her.
A bewitching tale of horror with a feminist twist — Salem meets The Handmaid's Tale
Henderson's debut crafts a dark, witchy, coming-of-age read that is equal parts frightening and enthralling.
Immanuelle is a fearless and resilient young woman who is trying to balance her spiritual life with that of being a woman of a different race who is shunned by the spiritual leaders of Bethel.
Henderson creates a complicated young, heroine torn between following the protocols of the Prophet and protecting those she cares about.
“She was born breech, in the deep of night. The midwife, Martha, had to seize her by the ankles and drag her form the womb. She slipped out easy, dropped limp into Martha’s arms, and lay still as stone.
Her name, she demanded, eyes sharp with moonlight. Give me her name.
Immanuelle, she finally bit it out like a curse. She will be called Immanuelle.”
I love the atmosphere created in this book. The story is suspenseful, its tones Gothic with a creeping sense of dread felt throughout.
I was on edge when reading about Immanuelle's first encounter with the witches of the Darkwood forest. The scenes of witchcraft and plagues are shocking and filled with visceral imagery.
“Immanuelle had always felt a strange affinity for the Darkwood, a kind of stirring whenever she neared it. It was almost as though the forbidden wood sang a song that only she could hear, as though it was daring her to come closer.”
The juxtaposition between the hedonistic supernaturalism of the forest and the stark spiritualism of Bethel really captures the essence of the story with Immanuelle caught between the two.
At its core, this is a story of forbidden love, curses, and forgiveness. It is also an exploration of the abuse of power in its many available forms. A bewitching debut with an exciting new voice that captures the horror of old world witchery with a feminist twist.
