I had to impulse buy a few novels before taking our family vacation since I knew I would have lots of downtime to read while traveling, and also because vacations are the perfect time to catch up on reading. I bought this book based on the description: “A sweeping historical saga that traces five generations of fiercely powerful mothers and daughters…” I LOVE Edward Rutherford and Ken Follet, who both write multigenerational epics, so I figured this book would be right up my alley. I could give or take the witchyness.
Enough preamble and onto the review.
I found this book very “meh.” The writing is fine, but the story really lacked the deep historical involvement that this style of sweeping tale should feature. Each woman’s tale followed a remarkably similar trajectory: discovery of powers, inevitable romance with a socially inappropriate man, and the eventual relegation of her powers as disillusionment sets in. This repetition made the book feel monotonous.
The witchcraft details were similarly repetitive. Every woman crafts a love potion—the only type of potion described in the book—and always uses the same rites. Additionally, the phrase “three times three times” appears in the novel TWENTY-SIX times. Yes, I counted. This oversight by the editing team was particularly jarring.
The storyline during WWII, which receives more focus, could have been so much stronger. Veronica, summoned by Queen Elizabeth, joins a coven that allegedly alters the course of the war. Instead of interacting with the war directly or putting themselves in harm’s way, the four women safely hide in the basement of Buckingham Palace and recite their spells three times three times (see how awkward that phase is??).
On the positive side, the narrative was clear, and the characters were distinct enough to keep me reading through all 459 pages.
This reading experience taught me that I'm just not into witchcraft and magic. Looking at Louisa Morgan’s other works, I should have picked one of her later novels. For those deeply interested in witchlore rather than historical depth, this might be a fitting read. However, if you're looking for a richer historical tale, check out anything by Edward Rutherford.
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