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A review by jnicoleq
A Secret History of Witches by Louisa Morgan
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I really liked the first half of this book, but it felt a little lazy towards the middle/end. The book follows five generations of witches. The first two generations received a lot more attention and character development than the latter three. I became invested in the way generations one and two differed in their upbringings, desire to practice the craft, and ideas of family/community.
From generation three onwards, the storyline became repetitive and formulaic. We meet the main character at 16, they discover their power, they use their power to achieve whatever it is that they want, and they eventually face the consequences of their actions. I would have rather read just two or three generations’ stories if it meant that they would be higher quality.
Something else that bugged me was the fact that none of these women, in five generations, strayed even a little bit from the white, heterosexual, cisgender female prototype. In five generations, none of these women had a sapphic (or just romantically complicated) relationship with another woman? Or a person of color? None of them struggled with their identity as a woman? When it comes to romance, this book definitely suffers from Cinderella syndrome.
Overall, I appreciate the general aesthetic and concept of the book. I like the fact that it centers around women, and that it deals heavily with complicated mother/daughter relationships. The magic is cool, the history is cool, and the writing is very easy to get into. Someone else mentioned that the author has a good “flow” and I totally agree with that. Worth picking it up if you don’t mind the drawbacks!
From generation three onwards, the storyline became repetitive and formulaic. We meet the main character at 16, they discover their power, they use their power to achieve whatever it is that they want, and they eventually face the consequences of their actions. I would have rather read just two or three generations’ stories if it meant that they would be higher quality.
Something else that bugged me was the fact that none of these women, in five generations, strayed even a little bit from the white, heterosexual, cisgender female prototype. In five generations, none of these women had a sapphic (or just romantically complicated) relationship with another woman? Or a person of color? None of them struggled with their identity as a woman? When it comes to romance, this book definitely suffers from Cinderella syndrome.
Overall, I appreciate the general aesthetic and concept of the book. I like the fact that it centers around women, and that it deals heavily with complicated mother/daughter relationships. The magic is cool, the history is cool, and the writing is very easy to get into. Someone else mentioned that the author has a good “flow” and I totally agree with that. Worth picking it up if you don’t mind the drawbacks!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Violence, Religious bigotry, Abortion, and Pregnancy