Scan barcode
A review by spinesinaline
The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Thanks to Raincoast Books for an e-ARC! Loved the premise combining climate change with witches.
I think a lot of YA fans will like this one, though personally I kept reading the main characters as 20-somethings. Much of the book takes place at a school that trains witches so I do understand teenaged characters suiting the school setting but I think a university setting would’ve worked better with how the characters come across.
Still, it’s a very intriguing premise that combines magical powers with a more realistic view of Earth and climate change. In Griffin’s book, witches are born on each solstice and have powers directly related to their season and the weather. However, with the ongoing effects of climate change, it’s proving beyond even the power of witches to keep the climate under control. Which is where the chosen one, aka Clara, the Ever Witch, comes in! She can access powers from all 4 seasons but fear of her magic after it caused the death of those close to her has held her back.
I really enjoyed the premise and it’s a fun one to explore a magical school and the wonders of weather and nature. There was just something in the description, perhaps too much of it, that left me feeling detached from the main character and since much of it is a personal journey, I wasn’t as invested.
I think a lot of YA fans will like this one, though personally I kept reading the main characters as 20-somethings. Much of the book takes place at a school that trains witches so I do understand teenaged characters suiting the school setting but I think a university setting would’ve worked better with how the characters come across.
Still, it’s a very intriguing premise that combines magical powers with a more realistic view of Earth and climate change. In Griffin’s book, witches are born on each solstice and have powers directly related to their season and the weather. However, with the ongoing effects of climate change, it’s proving beyond even the power of witches to keep the climate under control. Which is where the chosen one, aka Clara, the Ever Witch, comes in! She can access powers from all 4 seasons but fear of her magic after it caused the death of those close to her has held her back.
I really enjoyed the premise and it’s a fun one to explore a magical school and the wonders of weather and nature. There was just something in the description, perhaps too much of it, that left me feeling detached from the main character and since much of it is a personal journey, I wasn’t as invested.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death
Minor: Sexual content and Death of parent