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The Year of the Witching
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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.
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I definitely enjoyed the book and the gothic dystopian vibes!! It had mystery, magic, thrills, and a strong feminine protagonist. What’s not to love?
To be honest, this book had a solid and consistent 4 star rating from me, and I was absolutely convinced the ending would change that to a 5! However, I wasn’t that impressed with the way it ended. I can’t go in to details without it being a spoiler, but what I can say is that it was way too tidy, too…. perfect. To be blunt (and not overly exaggerative) the moment of suspenseful revealing AND the conclusion was given in 3 very short chapters. The final 3 chapters before the Epilogue. It all just seemed too easy! Not to mention, predictable.
The author’s writing style is fantastic and the plot is uniquely intriguing though, and like I said…. it’s worth the read!
From what I understand, Henderson is planning to write a second book and I do plan on reading it! I’m really hoping the next book explores more of the surrounding villages outside the gates of Bethel. And despite my 3 star rating… I am looking forward to the next one.
Overall, it’s a VERY GOOD READ! If you like occult, gothic, dystopia genres…. you’d enjoy this! I do recommend going in this with symbolic feminism set in a dystopian microcosm, and not so much a “witch thriller” per se. Basically, expect The Handsmaid Tale or The Water Cure type of story, and not something like Salem’s Lot or anything with strong magical elements.
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About Alexis Henderson
Alexis Henderson is a speculative fiction writer with a penchant for dark fantasy, witchcraft, and cosmic horror. She grew up in one of America’s most haunted cities, Savannah, Georgia, which instilled in her a life-long love of ghost stories. When she doesn’t have her nose buried in a book, you can find her painting or watching horror movies with her feline familiar. Currently, Alexis resides in the sun-soaked marshland of Charleston, South Carolina.
Her debut novel THE YEAR OF THE WITCHING will be published by Penguin Random House (US) and Penguin Books (UK) in summer 2020 with a sequel to come in 2021.
