Jilo

Witching Savannah #4

by J.D. Horn

Aged Mother Jilo is wise in the ways of magic…but once upon a time, she was just a girl.

1950s King Cotton has fallen. Savannah is known as the “beautiful woman with a dirty face,” its stately elegance faded by neglect, its soul withering from racial injustice and political corruption.

Young Jilo—fiercely independent, intelligent, and ambitious, but thwarted by Savannah’s maddeningly genteel version of bigotry—finds herself forced to embrace a dark power that has pursued her family for generations, an ancient magic that may prove her salvation…or her undoing.

Explore the fascinating history of one of the Witching Savannah series’ most vivid and beloved characters, as the resourceful and determined Jilo comes of age, strives to master formidable magical skills in the face of overwhelming adversity, and forges her strange destiny against the turbulent backdrop of the civil rights struggle in the American South.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Audiobook, Historical Fiction, Witches

370 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 26, 2016

About the author

J. D. Horn is the author of the standalone dark fantasy Shivaree and the bestselling Witching Savannah series (The Line, The Source, The Void, and Jilo). The Witching Savannah series has been/is being translated into Russian, Polish, German, Spanish, Italian, French, and Romanian. He and his spouse, Rich, and their rescue Chihuahua Kirby, split their time between San Francisco and Palm Springs.

Reviews

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book from a Goodreads book giveaway. Thank you Goodreads and 47 North publishing company for the kindle book. The book was ok. I just wish there was more magic in. When I read a book about witches, I like magic to be a lot of magic in the book. I was bored in some parts because he droned on and on about her being in love with a guy who was a jerk and ignoring her feelings for a really good guy and hurting his feelings.

[The Audiobookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ★ Audiobook⎮ In my mind, J.D. Horn saw how unhappy the ending of The Void made a lot of his fans, so he decided to bless us with Jilo to make up for it. That probably wasn't the case, but if it was, I only have one thing to say: Apology accepted. This story was not only historically, but also extremely culturally enriching. Jilo ended up being my favorite character from the first three installments of this series. Being able to see her life in a full and proper installment only expanded my love for the character. Horn has a way of making me love all of his characters. My love for Mother May (Jilo's grandmother) in this installment rivaled that for Mother Jilo in the first three installments. There's something about the way Horn writes the Wills matriarchs that just endears me to them. Who needs those uppity Taylors, anyhow? This installment was so incredible. I'm almost speechless after finishing it.

This installment is more like a novella in the sense that its events are not essential to the understanding of the Witching Savannah series (Mercy's story; installments 1-3), but it still provides a whole lot of beneficial "filler" information regarding Jilo's upbringing and young adulthood, as well as extremely interesting first and secondhand information about her ancestors. I believe I can now definitively say that the Wills are far more interesting to me than the Taylors. I am so glad that this deserving character and her captivating family finally got the attention they deserve. If Horn would like to continue doing singular installments like this and devoting entire books to telling the background stories of each of his characters, I am completely here for that. He creates such dynamic characters and fleshes them out so well that a strong plot is hardly even necessary. It's hard for me to say in absolution, but I think that one could possibly read this installment before beginning The Line. In fact, I kind of wish I had. I like reading things in a chronologically linear fashion (because I'm a square like that). I'm no re-reader, but this book makes me want to go back and read the first three installments all over again.

Narration review: Overall, Mia Ellis did a fine job of narrating this story. There were some stumbles and awkward pauses throughout, but the thing that most significantly stands out to me about her narration was her talent in voicing the characters. I was nearly floored every time a new character was introduced with his or her own distinct voice. At one point I wondered "How many voices can she do?!". Ellis' talent seemed boundless. The timbre of her voice was very pleasant and I thoroughly enjoyed her performance. ♣︎

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely a different view from the rest of the Witching Savannah Series. This tale of multiple generations of women who were strong and filled with magic, despite rarely knowing it before a crisis forced awareness, was magical and earthy. It also showed the difficulties of being black in the South. It must have been so awful to have to constantly keep one’s head down and mouth shut no matter what horror or injustice you saw going on around you. Enjoyable story. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

[Barbara (The Bibliophage) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This fourth book in the Witching Savannah series gives us some back story on Wills and Taylor families, as well as the ongoing struggle of darkness and light. Here Jilo is strong, resilient, and less contradictory than in the first three books. I appreciated the regional, racial, and historic elements of the story, although I was anticipating a heavier dose of magic.

For me the book dragged a bit, which wasn't my experience with the first three books at all.

[Normalene · Rating 3 out of 5]

I so wanted to love this one because the first three were awesome but it was merely okay. This one was written starting with the death of Jilo's great grandmother and tracks the lives of her grandmother, mother and only gets to her at the end. It moves slowly with much exposition and little plot. I can hope maybe there will be a sequel that takes it closer to the time of the other three books.

This one had so little magic and what there was more acted upon the characters than had the characters using it to move the plot along. I wanted more and didn't get it. This one dragged along so slowly and when it did get to a good part it was over too soon. This was too bad since Jilo was one of the most interesting characters in the Witching Savannah series.

[Felicia Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't know what to expect when I made the purchase, just knew that I enjoyed the other books in the series, and had always been thoroughly intrigued by the character Jilo.

At the start, I thought we were getting a brief history on the woman, and a glimpse into her upbringing, but I realized quickly that the 'history' Was the story. That the telling of the story was the art. This book couldn't have come at a better time; in the series, or in my reality as a woman of color in today's America.

The female characters in this story are so dynamic, but not predictably so, strong and inspiring. And oh how I love Willie and Tinker!

As I previously stated, I was 'in like' with the predecessors in the series, but I'm so 'in love' with this one. Took on a more personal as well as a much more creepy air. Making assumptions, I just KNEW that the author was a white female. But during this read, I questioned myself, and considered that She MAY be a woman of color. Imagine my astonishment when I "super fanned" J.D.'s profile! So impressed! He slays! Would love to beta read for him!

I read the final pages over again, because I was just that invested, and didn't want it to come to an end. I really hope there's more of this type to come in this series!

[Jennuineglass · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun satisfying read in the series. This one is a departure in that we go back to the beginning, as it were, and learn the life of the other half of the characters. Sure we are finally with Ginny and Jude and the whole Taylor clan....but now we go back to Jilo and her mother and her mother's mother and learn her history. This story is lovingly fleshed out and I can't decide if Mr. Horn's skills are growing...or if its just that I am already immersed in this world and so can see it popping off the pages all the more clearly. Regardless a wonderful addition to the series and because it's at the "beginning" it could also be read stand-alone without having read any of the other books. Happy reading!

[Ciarrah, MHA · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jilo was less confusing and less cluttered compared to the previous three books in the Witching Savannah novels, but it still meandered. With that being said, I did enjoy the chronological telling of the Wells family, even if it did provide more information than was probably needed. Towards the end, things still got a little confusing and went on for a little too long, but overall this was still a fun book. I loved the fact that it circled around a Black family full of Black women. Even though the author is not African American (I don't think), he still did a good job of writing in the voice of a Black woman. Should there be another book in this series, I would definitely read it.

[Fangs for the Fantasy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve liked Jilo as a major character in the Witching Savannah Series as a powerful and clearly complex figure. She has awesome potential and we have a lot of allusions to a long and complex history. The problem is that this series is not about her, it was all about Mercy. Jilo’s relationship with Mercy has been very complex but, on the whole, it has been one of mentor and student. Or an almost maternal relationship. There are times when Jilo even refers to herself as Mercy’s mother figure

Of course, that’s a trope. It’s certainly a trope with an elderly Black woman with a young white lady in Savannah.

That made this book extremely necessary. It’s a book that focuses not just entirely on Jilo’s history but also on her family history and her magic as well. I think that’s extremely necessary because Mercy’s family has also been very much about her family history and the importance and uniqueness of her magic. By talking about Jilo’s family and relationship with magic we put her on an equal level of importance and value as Mercy

It also allows a wonderful expansion of the world building with us seeing magical systems and sources beyond Mercy’s family’s relationship with the Line and the Old Ones – and it’s equally as powerful while being completely different. Jilo’s family’s relationship with the Beekeeper and the old powers is only tangentially created related to the kind of magic that Mercy’s family practices. This shows there is magic beyond Mercy’s magic and that there are magical struggles and storylines that do not involve them. This is not Jilo playing a part in Mercy’ storyline. This is not Jilo living a lesser for of Mercy’s storyline. This is Jilo having an entirely separate magical storyline which doesn’t involve the Taylor family at all

Jilo’s family history goes back 3 generations – and it goes back 3 generations of Black people in Savannah, following them through the 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and onwards. While this includes a lot of fascinating insight into the magical system and the desperate struggle each generation has faced to try and turn away from magic but inevitably be drawn back, it is equally a story of race in America and it permeates every element of the family’s story including the supernatural elements

We have rich white sorcerers who feel entitled to Jilo’s family’s magic and service, who constantly exploit and use them every generation and get away with it due to their wealth and race and power. As antagonists they are inherently people who force Jilo’s family to turn to magic time and again because in a system that makes them so vulnerable how else can the possibly protect themselves?

While that’s a common driving force for them seeking magic or being forced to resort to magic so is the simple realities of living in a racist, segregated time. The magic they have to turn to too survive not just against threats – but also economically. There’s Jilo’s grandmother, raising 4 young girls and increasingly too old to perform the hard physical labour of cleaning – magic, despite all her misgivings, provides an income when she has few other options.

That’s a definite part of Jilo’s own storyline that is defined by this. A single mother with no income and no chance to use her education. And she had an education and brilliant ambitions – but not chance to become the doctor she dreamed as a Black woman (flatly told that there were very few chances for Black doctors – and those choices should go to Black men who can actually help their community). Even her accent that seemed so stereotypical in the main books is revealed to be creation, along with the whole persona of “Mother Jilo”. In all, Jilo is a brilliant woman from a line of brilliant women – intelligent, wise, capable and determined – facing insurmountable obstacles and carrying on.

I also like that while race permeates their story, it isn’t the only obstacles they have faced, and it’s above and beyond the magical obstacles they face. They have both economic hurdles and even as simple as Jilo’s terrible terrible taste in men who have used her and failed her and exploited her time and time again. Jilo has led a hard life, not just from magic and not just from being Black but also from being a Black woman and with more than a few men willing to use her. Including these excellent lines when a man asks if Jilo’s child is his:


Read More

[Ami · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so well done. I much enjoyed getting to know Jilo and what started her down her path. But where's the last third of the book? Events are alluded to, but not always fully explained in the rest of the series and I had looked forward to Jilo and Ginny in their later years leading up to the events of The Line.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful continuation of the Witching Savannah series, this book focuses on the intriguing character of Jilo, or Mother Jilo as she is later known. It explores more closely the relationship between the Taylors and Jilo, and how she became the force she is.
From infancy to adulthood, we follow Jilo and learn to admire her even more than we already do.
This book takes place during the beginning of the Civil Rights fight, and examines how everyday life and decisions were driven by your position and color, and the struggle it presented for blacks to just exist and make a living.
I really felt that the background on Jilo and her family added to the depth of her character, and the rest of the people in The Witching Savannah series. This is my favorite series, and Jilo is my favorite of the series.

[Duck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Old Savanah

I love the rich and deep narratives. I’ve read the entire Witching Savanah series so was familiar with Jilo, but reading this proved how little we all knew or understood Jilo and her ways.

[Elizabeth Blaeser]

Based on others’ reviews it sounds like this book is good… I just wasn’t able to hang on until then. I listened to the audio version and couldn’t get in to the narrator. The narrator of the other books was so exceptional and this one was narrated by someone different for some reason.

[Chris Ford · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting addiction to the Line series with the back story of Jilo.... Or is it May Wills backstory?!? The first half of the book was about Jilo's mother fighting the urge to use magic. Magic; at least her family's type of magic was rooted in a different source.... Beyond the Line!!! The Wills magic came from a Hoodoo base but find out later that it was the creatures being held at bay beyond the Line; trying to intercept the protective barrier. May Wills had to summon her magic to protect her family and appease a horrible man/family the Sterlings. PS-We find out where the demon Barron comes from that was in the Line series. I enjoyed the addiction to this series but was hoping for more detailed accounts of Jilo using her magic instead of just a quick back story of her life without magic. That being said the introduction of Ginny'S character was a nice Segway into establishing a connection between the two witch families. We knew about Jilo's sister having a Taylor child and it went into a little more detail this time around. All and all worth a read but felt that the book had more potential then was exhibited.

[Erica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mother Jilo was one of the few characters I actually liked from the Witching Savannah series. Sadly I feel that this book did not do her justice. The back story for her family was pretty good and fleshed out, but once it got to Jilo's story, it felt more rushed. Much of her story seemed more how to get her back to Savannah rather than a real delve into who she was. Not to say that some of what happened is not what helped make her, but some of it seemed more contrived and forced (such a strong, independent, stubborn woman keeping Guy around? The complete disappearance of her dreams of being a doctor the second she comes back to Savannah?) How did she go back to being Mother Jilo? Who the hell is the Beekeeper? How did a feather protect Jesse? How did they trick Mother May? Who taught Binah's kids about their magic? What happened to Pastor Jones?

[Sabrina Chan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't much of a fan for the majority of the book. I found it hard to get attached to May Wills and for much if Jilo's life I was annoyed with her. However she did make up for it in the end. When Jilo finally accepts her magical role in the world and embraces the right man things get a LOT better. Unfortunately, it happens at the end of the book. Also, Jilo's character at the end of the book is not the hard Mother Jilo we see at the beginning of the series and many of the past events that are referenced in the series still don't happen yet. It makes me wonder if the author did it on purpose to set up another book series about the Taylors.

[JazzRizz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really appreciated a look back at Jilo's history. It surprised me how far back the book went. Jilo's just a baby at the beginning ... and already she has a pretty bumpy start.

I loved the history of the Wills' line, and how intertwined the familes are. The historical elements were a nice surprise, and probably my favorite parts of the book. There's not as much magic in this book ... and I'm still not quite sure how Jilo got so good at magic .

There weren't too many surprises in this, but there were a couple of unexpected developments in the story. Overall, I'm glad to get a glimpse in Jilo's history ... but it lefting me wanting a bit more at the end.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good. But not so much what I'd call part of the Witching Savannah novels

This flashback book in the series offers great insights to Mother Jilo and even Ginny and the earlier generations of the Savannah witching community of these books. It opens a bit of a gaping hole though by the Beekeeper never showing up in the previous novels and that bugged me a bit too much (no pun intended).

[Jody · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't feel as attached to Jilo as to other characters in the first 3 books in this series.

And to know who some of the other characters were in the book you really had to retain that information from the other books. So that part hindered the flow.

The story moved along all right but I think it was more me trying to figure out how this ties in with the other 3 books.

Wasn't impressed.

[Michelle Brown · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book did not add to the overall story and I found it boring and a little frustrating that the author made the wise Jilo so love-struck and dumbfounded by a selfish and controlling man. Jilo' s character in the first three books and even her mysterious, untold life before she met Mercy Taylor was enough to add depth to the story. I did love the other books though!

[karen fitzpatrick · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointed

The previous books to this I very much enjoyed. I quite simply found this book boring .. a disjointed step back in time and the wrong direction. Jill as a character lacked depth., a put on woman who seem to just take it and oh then she finds out she has magic.. no it was pointed out to her. Glad I have finished reading this book,it was quite a chore to complete.

[britbereading · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved all of the "witching Savannah" novels but I expected way more than this for Jilo's story. It was OK at it's best. It was more of a back story on Jilo's family. I wanted more Jilo at a young age and less family, I understand J.D wanted to introduce us to her roots and upbringing but I feel like that part could have been shorter.

[Eliza Sanders · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book the best out of all the books in the series. The story here does not feel forced or rushed but flows beautifully. Kilo was beloved by me in the other books but this masterful backstory only makes her even more commendable. Plus in the audio version- this narrator is a thousand times less annoying.

[Mitchell Friedman · Rating 3 out of 5]

An Endeavour Read. And not my usual kind of thing. It was interesting to read something set in Georgia - though I certainly am more familiar with Atlanta than Savannah. Witches. Rural black life. Yeah, whatever. Stuff just kept happening to this family, not sure I cared much. And the magic was just too arbitrary. Readable but just okay.

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was anxious to get to this book because 1. I liked the other 3 and 2. I loved Jilo from the very beginning. I wasn't sure why I liked her as she was clearly supposed to be a bad person from the beginning but I just did. I really enjoyed this book but, honestly, I wanted more. I wasn't ready for the story to end where it ended. Def recommend!

[Sherry Bledsoe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Last in Series?

This was my least favorite book in this series. I loved the earlier books. This just did not hold my interest like the first three books. It was not a bad book but I was left a little disappointed since I had enjoyed the other books so much.

[Sue Ellen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I loved the first three Witching Savannah books, but I just could not get into this one. It was too dark and disturbing. I kept skipping ahead hoping it would get better, but it just kept making my skin crawl. I finally gave up on it.

[George Poppenwimer · Rating 2 out of 5]

The 4th in the Savannah Witching series, best read after the previous 4 books. It wasn't nearly as entertaining as the first three, seems like after the first story, the author was more interested in ending the story than weaving a spellbinding tale.

[Greg Garguilo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as strong as the first three.

Covered a lot of ground, sure, and provided the necessary backstory to support the three books already written, but I just wasn't invested in this one. It didn't grab me.

[Donna Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book.

I enjoyed this book, but wish I had before the others on the Witching Savannah books. As people were born into the story, I wanted to be better able to connect the dots between timelines.