The Bewitching
What’s more surprising about The Bewitching—delightfully so—is that the book ultimately demands no real personal growth of its main protagonist ... It’s frankly a relief to encounter a novel that so fully honors the aliveness of the past, and the right of lone wolves to stay lonely.
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Compelling ... Will hold readers in suspense. Fans of V.E. Schwab and H.G. Parry will find much to appreciate.
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The third timeline...is where the novel shines brightest. Beatrice’s reminiscences...are lyrical and melancholy, and her voice blooms with elegance and Gothic flair ... Moreno-Garcia has a deep knowledge of, and affinity for, the history of horror and the Gothic, and she seems most comfortable working in that mode ... She’s also a very visual writer, with a talent for developing atmosphere and a sharp eye for sensory detail ... Unfortunately, the novel too often errs on the side of heavy-handedness and over-explanation. The author doesn’t seem to trust readers to retain plot details from chapter to chapter, often hammering the same bits of foreshadowing multiple times ... Pacing is a problem throughout ... The connection between the witches of Massachusetts and those of Mexico is never satisfactorily explained or explored ... As for Minerva herself, I reached the end of the novel without a clear sense of who she is or what motivates her ... At its best, The Bewitching is a lush Gothic tale of women and witches, of dark magic and death. But the story is hamstrung by its execution ... I was left more bewildered than bewitched.
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