Books › The Once and Future Witches
The Once and Future Witches
599 pages
A fierce, autumnal fairy tale about fractured sisters weaving forgotten magic into a revolution.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like stepping into a dark, autumnal fairy tale where the shadows are thick with forgotten magic and righteous anger. The pace is steady and deliberate, building from a quiet simmer of historical oppression into a roaring fire of feminist revolution. Harrow's prose is lyrical and incantatory, weaving nursery rhymes and folklore into a rich, atmospheric tapestry that feels both timeless and urgently modern. The emotional core rests on the fractured, deeply complicated bond between three sisters, making the journey as much about healing familial wounds as it is about fighting systemic monsters. It is a fierce, empowering read that will deeply satisfy anyone who loves atmospheric historical fantasy, stories of reclaimed female power, and the enduring magic of sisterhood.
- Mood
- autumnal
- atmospheric
- simmering
- empowering
- Tone
- defiant
- earnest
- lyrical
- fierce
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- reclaiming female power · fractured sisterhood · magic of storytelling · righteous anger · intersectional solidarity
- The writing
- Lyrical and folklore-infused, with a rhythmic, almost incantatory quality that reads like a dark fairy tale.
- The arc
- Moves from fractured isolation and simmering resentment to fierce, unified defiance and hard-won triumph.
- Who it's for
- Readers who crave atmospheric historical fantasy, feminist folklore, and stories about complicated sisters finding their way back to each other.
Content notes
- misogyny
- homophobia
- domestic abuse
- violence
- child loss
About the book
In 1893, there's no such thing as witches. There used to be, in the wild, dark days before the burnings began, but now witching is nothing but tidy charms and nursery rhymes. If the modern woman wants any measure of power, she must find it at the ballot box.
But when the Eastwood sisters―James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna―join the suffragists of New Salem, they begin to pursue the forgotten words and ways that might turn the women's movement into the witch's movement. Stalked by shadows and sickness, hunted by forces who will not suffer a witch to vote―and perhaps not even to live―the sisters will need to delve into the oldest magics, draw new alliances, and heal the bond between them if they want to survive.
There's no such thing as witches. But there will be.
An homage to the indomitable power and persistence of women, The Once and Future Witches reimagines stories of revolution, motherhood, and women's suffrage—the lost ways are calling.
Description from Open Library.
Books like The Once and Future Witches
See why they match
The Ten Thousand Doors of JanuaryAlix E. HarrowA lush, defiant love letter to the magic of storytelling and the hidden thresholds that lead us to where we belong.
Year of the WitchingAlexis HendersonA claustrophobic, blood-soaked descent into a dark wood where female rage blooms into terrifying power.
Starling HouseAlix E. HarrowA dreamlike, eerie descent into a haunted legacy where a cynical outcast finally finds a home worth fighting for.
WeywardEmilia HartA fierce, earthy tapestry of female resilience and the untamed magic that flows through generations of women.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRueV. E. SchwabA sweeping, bittersweet meditation on memory, art, and the desperate human need to be remembered.
Under the Whispering DoorT. J. KluneA warm cup of tea and a gentle, lingering hug at the end of a long, difficult life.