What do you think?
Rate this book
A Secret History of Witches
An ancient and dangerous power is being handed down from mother to daughter through some of the most consequential historic events of the last two centuries.
After Grandmére Ursule gives her life to save her tribe, her magic seems to die with her. Even so, her family keeps the Old Faith, practicing the spells and rites that have been handed from mother to daughter for generations. Until one day, Ursule’s young granddaughter steps into the circle, and magic flows anew.
From early 19th century Brittany to London during the Second World War, five generations of witches fight the battles of their time, deciding how far they are willing to go to protect their family, their heritage, and ultimately, all of our futures.
After Grandmére Ursule gives her life to save her tribe, her magic seems to die with her. Even so, her family keeps the Old Faith, practicing the spells and rites that have been handed from mother to daughter for generations. Until one day, Ursule’s young granddaughter steps into the circle, and magic flows anew.
From early 19th century Brittany to London during the Second World War, five generations of witches fight the battles of their time, deciding how far they are willing to go to protect their family, their heritage, and ultimately, all of our futures.
484 pages, Paperback
First published September 5, 2017
4113 people are currently reading
54240 people want to read
About the author
Louisa Morgan
14 books1,586 followersLouisa Morgan is the author of A Secret History of Witches, The Witch’s Kind, and The Age of Witches. She's looking forward to the publication of The Great Witch of Brittany in 2022!
Louisa is a yogini, a musician, a mom, and a dog lover. She lives in scenic Northern Idaho with her family and her spirit familiar, Oscar the Border Terrier. Visit her at www.louisamorgan.net.
Louisa is a yogini, a musician, a mom, and a dog lover. She lives in scenic Northern Idaho with her family and her spirit familiar, Oscar the Border Terrier. Visit her at www.louisamorgan.net.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,581 reviews
July 18, 2020
I want more :(
Also the fictional witchcraft in this was rooted in traditional practices and it was SO nice to see
Also the fictional witchcraft in this was rooted in traditional practices and it was SO nice to see
September 6, 2017
Intriguing book covering five generations of witches from a Romani tribe of gypsies. The craft is passed from mother to daughter and the story is organized with a section of the book on each witch - Nanette, Ursule, Irene, Morwen, and Veronica. Each of the stories is similar in that the craft was passed from mother to daughter, witches are prosecuted and they fear this and hide their craft, etc. But each has a different level of power. A strong mother-daughter bond as well as a historical family bond are emphasized throughout. The daughters are passed the family grimoire and scrying stone left by the Orchiere family matriarch, Grandmere Ursule. A well-written book mixing history and fantasy.
Thanks to Louisa Morgan and Orbit Books / Redhook through Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Louisa Morgan and Orbit Books / Redhook through Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 16, 2017
3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/10/16/...
A Secret History of Witches is one of those stories that span many generations, following a magical line of women through the ages starting from early 19th century Brittany up to the end of World War II. Told in five parts, the story first begins with the life of Nanette Orchiére, the youngest of six sisters. Descended from the Romani, her family has always been persecuted for their heritage but also for their women’s gift of magic, as seen in Nanette’s grandmother, the powerful witch Ursule Orchiére. For the sake of her clan, Ursule had sacrificed her life when Nanette was just a little girl. Now the family lives on a secluded farm along the Cornwall coast, keeping to themselves lest they draw the attention of the town’s leery priest.
Still, the sisters fear that the Orchiére gift will die with their generation—that is, until Nanette falls pregnant following a brief tryst with a traveling farrier. The birth of a baby girl, named Ursule after Nanette’s legendary grandmother, gives them all hope that their magical lineage will indeed survive. And so, we continue the story with the life of this Ursule, following her as she learns the secret ways of her inheritance, until she too meets a handsome stranger and conceives a daughter, Irène, passing on her powers. Self-centered and viciously ambitious, Irène disdains the farming life and so goes on to charm her way into a marriage with a nobleman, giving birth to Morwen. And Morwen, after escaping to London in order to get away from her horrible mother, ends up finding love for herself, giving birth to Veronica in the early 20th century. Following in the footsteps of the Orchiére women who came before her, Veronica must also find her own way to her magic and claim her birthright. But even though more than a century has passed since this story first started and Europe is on the cusp of the Second World War, she will encounter many of the same challenges and uncertainties that her ancestors faced, despite the changing times.
Whether you’ll like A Secret History of Witches is going to highly depend on how you feel about multi-generational novels. Do you prefer stories that focus on just one or a few characters the whole way through? If yes, then this one might be a struggle, for the people you’ll get to know and connect with at the beginning won’t be around by the end, and with each generation there are new faces to meet, new stories to learn. While certain themes will persist through all of the characters’ lives as their magical power is passed from mother to daughter, each Orchiére woman will also have their own dedicated section of the novel containing a self-contained plot arc with individual developments and conflicts. My guess is that fans of familial epics or sweeping historical sagas will eat this one right up, but those who are unused to this format might find it a bit jarring.
Myself, I don’t mind novels spanning multiple generations, but this one could have been stronger if it hadn’t been so repetitive. Each section reads pretty much the same way: the character first learns about her family’s magic, is skeptical before becoming convinced, and inevitably there will be a handsome stranger to come along to sweep her off her feet, fathering a daughter on her. More frustrating to me is that for all that the Orchiére women boast of their magic, they only ever seem to use it to snag a man or to get pregnant, which seems like a waste of their powers. The author is also very heavy handed with the message about oppressive men whose fear leads them to hate, a theme that was already firmly established by the time Nanette’s section was over, so it just became exasperating by the third time this same diatribe was repeated from mother to daughter.
Is it any wonder then that my favorite Orchiére characters ended up being Irène and Veronica? Irène was a despicable, selfish, manipulative, and shallow person as well as a terrible mother, but at least her story felt very different from the others and that alone was enough to make her section the most interesting. As for Veronica, she may have used the gift for the sake of her love interest, but at least she also put it to good use in aiding the war effort, and it fascinated me to see how witches working together were able to affect the outcome of certain battles.
Overall, A Secret History of Witches was a book that started out strong, but eventually, the cyclical nature of the women’s stories became its main weakness. In the end, only a couple of the characters stood out. That said, Louisa Morgan’s writing is solid, and I still think this novel would be good choice for readers who enjoy historical fiction with a light touch of fantasy, or for those who enjoy the drama of family sagas.
Audiobook Comments: Much like the story itself, I thought Polly Lee’s narration was decent but could have been better. Some of her accents were a bit iffy, and I’m very sure that’s not how you pronounce “Samhain”. Still, there was nothing deal breaking about the performance, though I can’t help but think the audiobook might have been more immersive had they gone with multiple narrators, one for each different Orchiére character.
A Secret History of Witches is one of those stories that span many generations, following a magical line of women through the ages starting from early 19th century Brittany up to the end of World War II. Told in five parts, the story first begins with the life of Nanette Orchiére, the youngest of six sisters. Descended from the Romani, her family has always been persecuted for their heritage but also for their women’s gift of magic, as seen in Nanette’s grandmother, the powerful witch Ursule Orchiére. For the sake of her clan, Ursule had sacrificed her life when Nanette was just a little girl. Now the family lives on a secluded farm along the Cornwall coast, keeping to themselves lest they draw the attention of the town’s leery priest.
Still, the sisters fear that the Orchiére gift will die with their generation—that is, until Nanette falls pregnant following a brief tryst with a traveling farrier. The birth of a baby girl, named Ursule after Nanette’s legendary grandmother, gives them all hope that their magical lineage will indeed survive. And so, we continue the story with the life of this Ursule, following her as she learns the secret ways of her inheritance, until she too meets a handsome stranger and conceives a daughter, Irène, passing on her powers. Self-centered and viciously ambitious, Irène disdains the farming life and so goes on to charm her way into a marriage with a nobleman, giving birth to Morwen. And Morwen, after escaping to London in order to get away from her horrible mother, ends up finding love for herself, giving birth to Veronica in the early 20th century. Following in the footsteps of the Orchiére women who came before her, Veronica must also find her own way to her magic and claim her birthright. But even though more than a century has passed since this story first started and Europe is on the cusp of the Second World War, she will encounter many of the same challenges and uncertainties that her ancestors faced, despite the changing times.
Whether you’ll like A Secret History of Witches is going to highly depend on how you feel about multi-generational novels. Do you prefer stories that focus on just one or a few characters the whole way through? If yes, then this one might be a struggle, for the people you’ll get to know and connect with at the beginning won’t be around by the end, and with each generation there are new faces to meet, new stories to learn. While certain themes will persist through all of the characters’ lives as their magical power is passed from mother to daughter, each Orchiére woman will also have their own dedicated section of the novel containing a self-contained plot arc with individual developments and conflicts. My guess is that fans of familial epics or sweeping historical sagas will eat this one right up, but those who are unused to this format might find it a bit jarring.
Myself, I don’t mind novels spanning multiple generations, but this one could have been stronger if it hadn’t been so repetitive. Each section reads pretty much the same way: the character first learns about her family’s magic, is skeptical before becoming convinced, and inevitably there will be a handsome stranger to come along to sweep her off her feet, fathering a daughter on her. More frustrating to me is that for all that the Orchiére women boast of their magic, they only ever seem to use it to snag a man or to get pregnant, which seems like a waste of their powers. The author is also very heavy handed with the message about oppressive men whose fear leads them to hate, a theme that was already firmly established by the time Nanette’s section was over, so it just became exasperating by the third time this same diatribe was repeated from mother to daughter.
Is it any wonder then that my favorite Orchiére characters ended up being Irène and Veronica? Irène was a despicable, selfish, manipulative, and shallow person as well as a terrible mother, but at least her story felt very different from the others and that alone was enough to make her section the most interesting. As for Veronica, she may have used the gift for the sake of her love interest, but at least she also put it to good use in aiding the war effort, and it fascinated me to see how witches working together were able to affect the outcome of certain battles.
Overall, A Secret History of Witches was a book that started out strong, but eventually, the cyclical nature of the women’s stories became its main weakness. In the end, only a couple of the characters stood out. That said, Louisa Morgan’s writing is solid, and I still think this novel would be good choice for readers who enjoy historical fiction with a light touch of fantasy, or for those who enjoy the drama of family sagas.
Audiobook Comments: Much like the story itself, I thought Polly Lee’s narration was decent but could have been better. Some of her accents were a bit iffy, and I’m very sure that’s not how you pronounce “Samhain”. Still, there was nothing deal breaking about the performance, though I can’t help but think the audiobook might have been more immersive had they gone with multiple narrators, one for each different Orchiére character.
November 23, 2024
So this has been the year of finding new favorite authors. Louisa Morgan's storytelling voice suits me. I loved the way she structured this family saga, splitting the story into books dedicated to telling each daughter's story from her POV. I listened to the audiobook on my walks and sometimes while I was reading the eBook; sometimes I just sipped tea and read the eBook (I will be buying a physical copy for my library and more of her books as well).
Each woman's journey includes her introduction to the family's legacy of witchcraft by her mother (or in one case, the mother chose to hide the tradition from her daughter). There is also a development of her coming into her power as a witch and how she decides to use her gift. They each have a familiar, I loved the connection the women had to their animal--a cat, horse, a fox, a dog...
The romance element in each book is soooooo swoon-worthy. I loved all the love scenes.
I loved the practice of magic, the rituals, the scrying stone, all the details.
This book is COZY and yet extremely emotional and doesn't pull any punches when it comes with suffering and loss.
Moving from the late 1800s to 1930s is a huge undertaking but the author accomplishes this with ease and finesse--it's so perfectly detailed. I marveled at the fact that I told people on Instagram, her writing reminded me of Philippa Gregory and in the interview in the back, the author said she is inspired by her work! I thought that was cool. I'm going to buy The Great Witch of Bettany because it picks up after the ending of one of the witch's journey--my favorite one. I'm excited!
Each woman's journey includes her introduction to the family's legacy of witchcraft by her mother (or in one case, the mother chose to hide the tradition from her daughter). There is also a development of her coming into her power as a witch and how she decides to use her gift. They each have a familiar, I loved the connection the women had to their animal--a cat, horse, a fox, a dog...
The romance element in each book is soooooo swoon-worthy. I loved all the love scenes.
I loved the practice of magic, the rituals, the scrying stone, all the details.
This book is COZY and yet extremely emotional and doesn't pull any punches when it comes with suffering and loss.
Moving from the late 1800s to 1930s is a huge undertaking but the author accomplishes this with ease and finesse--it's so perfectly detailed. I marveled at the fact that I told people on Instagram, her writing reminded me of Philippa Gregory and in the interview in the back, the author said she is inspired by her work! I thought that was cool. I'm going to buy The Great Witch of Bettany because it picks up after the ending of one of the witch's journey--my favorite one. I'm excited!
September 3, 2017
I have mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed it, and yet I found it unevenly written. Though yes, I KNOW it is about witches, some of it went beyond my ability to suspend disbelief, not because of the magic, but because of the characters' actions. And I found the end to be abrupt and not terribly satisfying.
September 14, 2017
I would like to thank the publisher, Orbit Books, for providing me with a digital advanced copy of this book via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I was so excited to be approved as this book is SO in my wheelhouse. A historical family saga about witches? Yes, please.
After having read the book, I have been hesitant to write this review because, honestly, A Secret History of Witches theoretically rang all my bells but failed to live up to my expectations. This was a so-so read for me. I’m not sorry I read it. However, it’s not going to be a book that I recommend. The writing is solid. It’s the story and character development that is problematic.
Although I typically love family sagas, this one is composed of stories that are too similar. The five women all have the same struggles and basic journey, so it felt like I was reading the same story again and again. Also, their stories felt incomplete. Each character’s journey was cut off just when it was getting interesting to make way for the next character. In order to fulfill my expectations, this book would have had to have been significantly longer.
Another issue I had is that the women are so unlikable! The majority are selfish, vain, ungrateful things. I just couldn’t handle it. I appreciate that this book featured a cast of independent women. I like to see that in my fiction. But in this case, it wasn’t a positive representation, which is unfortunate.
I would have loved to have seen the author delve deeper into the historical time periods, and explore how this factored in to change things for each individual character more, as the blurb implies. I thought this plot aspect was underdeveloped in the actual book.
Another reader might really enjoy this book. It’s well-written in a technical sense and has a beautiful cover to draw the reader in. It just wasn’t for me.
After having read the book, I have been hesitant to write this review because, honestly, A Secret History of Witches theoretically rang all my bells but failed to live up to my expectations. This was a so-so read for me. I’m not sorry I read it. However, it’s not going to be a book that I recommend. The writing is solid. It’s the story and character development that is problematic.
Although I typically love family sagas, this one is composed of stories that are too similar. The five women all have the same struggles and basic journey, so it felt like I was reading the same story again and again. Also, their stories felt incomplete. Each character’s journey was cut off just when it was getting interesting to make way for the next character. In order to fulfill my expectations, this book would have had to have been significantly longer.
Another issue I had is that the women are so unlikable! The majority are selfish, vain, ungrateful things. I just couldn’t handle it. I appreciate that this book featured a cast of independent women. I like to see that in my fiction. But in this case, it wasn’t a positive representation, which is unfortunate.
I would have loved to have seen the author delve deeper into the historical time periods, and explore how this factored in to change things for each individual character more, as the blurb implies. I thought this plot aspect was underdeveloped in the actual book.
Another reader might really enjoy this book. It’s well-written in a technical sense and has a beautiful cover to draw the reader in. It just wasn’t for me.
December 21, 2017
A Secret History of Witches tells the tale of five generations of witches in a gypsy family. Mothers pass the gift to their daughters. They are persecuted and have to hide their powers from others. Spanning the time from the early 1800s to WW2, the book is divided into five sections, one for each of the five Orchiere family witches -- Nanette, Ursule, Irene, Morwen and Veronica.
This book was at times a little too slow moving, but there is such a strong mother-daughter love through each generation that I felt that emotion was almost more important than the magic. The family grimoire and scrying stone speak differently to each generation as they receive their powers at puberty.
All in all, I enjoyed this book. At times, the plot moved along a bit slowly and I felt the ending was a bit lack-luster, even abrupt. But it didn't really hurt my enjoyment of the overall story.....the characters, their love for each other, and how the passed down power effected them all a bit differently was enough to keep me reading. What the story lacks in action, it makes up for in emotion and a sense of Family passed down through generations. Normally, I tend to not like stories that span multiple generations because the character/time/generation changes can seem abrupt or some portions of the story can be left unresolved. I didn't feel that way about this book, except at the very end. I felt this book was a nice mix of historical fiction and fantasy. I would definitely read more by this author.
The cover art is fantastic!
**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Orbit Books via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
This book was at times a little too slow moving, but there is such a strong mother-daughter love through each generation that I felt that emotion was almost more important than the magic. The family grimoire and scrying stone speak differently to each generation as they receive their powers at puberty.
All in all, I enjoyed this book. At times, the plot moved along a bit slowly and I felt the ending was a bit lack-luster, even abrupt. But it didn't really hurt my enjoyment of the overall story.....the characters, their love for each other, and how the passed down power effected them all a bit differently was enough to keep me reading. What the story lacks in action, it makes up for in emotion and a sense of Family passed down through generations. Normally, I tend to not like stories that span multiple generations because the character/time/generation changes can seem abrupt or some portions of the story can be left unresolved. I didn't feel that way about this book, except at the very end. I felt this book was a nice mix of historical fiction and fantasy. I would definitely read more by this author.
The cover art is fantastic!
**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Orbit Books via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
April 26, 2020
Absolutely adored the multigenerational journey of magical women depicted in this wonderful book!!
August 20, 2023
I loved this book! This story is the history of the Orchires witches. It's full, rich and complex. It's beautiful, real and tragic. The characters are so different from one another yet tied together by blood and the craft as they call it. It's beautiful to hear from the craft waxes and wanes throughout time. If you like witchy kind of books, you will love this one. I listened to the audio book, read by Polly Lee. I have listened to a few other books narrated by her. She was wonderful as always. I will most definitely read or listen to more from this author.
October 15, 2019
‘A Secret History of Witches’ is a generational tale of a long line of Romani witches and the relationship between mothers and daughters and the passing down of their shared history. It’s also a story of families fleeing from persecution, class and religious prejudices and also the importance of holding on to tradition and culture in an ever evolving modern world. The novel beautifully explores the fragility of love and the power of survival with themes that are still relevant today.
October 22, 2021
Really good historical fiction, atmospheric and loved the mother/daughter exploration. Felt a tad too long though.
October 9, 2023
This is a generational saga of mother/daughter witches through the years as each grapples with their gift and it's ramifacations.
Nothing really spectacular happens here. There's no gore or horror.
Just good storytelling to get lost in and enjoy.
I especially liked the spin on a certain British someone who makes an appearance later on in the story.
Easy-going read with some history thrown in for good measure. I liked it.
Nothing really spectacular happens here. There's no gore or horror.
Just good storytelling to get lost in and enjoy.
I especially liked the spin on a certain British someone who makes an appearance later on in the story.
Easy-going read with some history thrown in for good measure. I liked it.
December 27, 2017
Meh! Interesting enough to finish, but rather cyclical and predictable. The last witch story almost made me stop reading because one character was so ridiculous to introduce, but I was on an airplane, so I finished it. More continuity between the witches would have helped with depth of character.
January 14, 2019
A Secret History Of Witches is a beautifully written and wonderfully absorbing read following one family of practicing witches down the ages, facing prejudice, a long heritage and a struggle to maintain their old ways.
It is also a fascinating character driven drama about the relationship between mother’s and daughters, sisters and family that is utterly gripping. Louisa Morgan weaves a spell around the reader as the torch is passed from generation to generation and merges with real life history, a beautifully imagined fiction that has huge doses of reality.
I really loved it, clever, magical and intense, a mesmerising tale that you won’t want to end.
Recommended.
It is also a fascinating character driven drama about the relationship between mother’s and daughters, sisters and family that is utterly gripping. Louisa Morgan weaves a spell around the reader as the torch is passed from generation to generation and merges with real life history, a beautifully imagined fiction that has huge doses of reality.
I really loved it, clever, magical and intense, a mesmerising tale that you won’t want to end.
Recommended.
July 16, 2018
Co tam powtarzalność czy wymyślne nawiązania do historii Europy.
Co to była za klimatyczna książka!
Lubicie magię? Te wszystkie fiolki z tajemniczą zawartością, eliksiry przyrządzane potajemnie w piwnicy, zioła zbierane na okolicznych łąkach w czasie mglistych poranków, dziwne talizmany i księgi chowane przed wzrokiem ludzi. No i to życie w zgodzie z matką naturą oraz zgromadzenia mające miejsce w ukrytej grocie. Brzmi cudownie, prawda?
"Tajemna historia czarownic" to niezwykła saga historyczna, która prezentuje czytelnikom losy aż pięciu pokoleń. Poznajemy niesamowite matki i córki, które są obdarzone magicznymi mocami. Śledzimy dzieje silnych kobiet, które ze względu na liczne zagrożenia, ukrywają swoje zainteresowania i pochodzenie nawet przed najbliższymi.
To ciągła walka ze złymi mocami, ucieczki przed łowcami czarownic i wewnętrzne rozterki bohaterek. Używając otrzymanego daru do własnych celów, muszą czasem płacić bardzo wysoką cenę.
Czy historie babć czegoś ich nauczą, czy każda z nich obierze własną drogę? Czy mężczyźni w końcu zrozumieją przeznaczenie swoich kobiet, czy ciągle będą one musiały ciągle potajemnie wymykać się z domu? Przeczytajcie tę książkę a na pewno znajdziecie w niej odpowiedzi na te pytania.
Polecam.
- Morwen, jesteś dostatecznie duża, by zrozumieć mężczyzn. Lubią, żeby kobiety pięknie wyglądały, miały dobre maniery, rodziły im synów. Nie oczekują od nich - nie chcą - by same o sobie decydowały. Kobiety nigdy nie mogą się sprzeciwiać, robić scen, nigdy, przenigdy okazywać uczuć.
Co to była za klimatyczna książka!
Lubicie magię? Te wszystkie fiolki z tajemniczą zawartością, eliksiry przyrządzane potajemnie w piwnicy, zioła zbierane na okolicznych łąkach w czasie mglistych poranków, dziwne talizmany i księgi chowane przed wzrokiem ludzi. No i to życie w zgodzie z matką naturą oraz zgromadzenia mające miejsce w ukrytej grocie. Brzmi cudownie, prawda?
"Tajemna historia czarownic" to niezwykła saga historyczna, która prezentuje czytelnikom losy aż pięciu pokoleń. Poznajemy niesamowite matki i córki, które są obdarzone magicznymi mocami. Śledzimy dzieje silnych kobiet, które ze względu na liczne zagrożenia, ukrywają swoje zainteresowania i pochodzenie nawet przed najbliższymi.
To ciągła walka ze złymi mocami, ucieczki przed łowcami czarownic i wewnętrzne rozterki bohaterek. Używając otrzymanego daru do własnych celów, muszą czasem płacić bardzo wysoką cenę.
Czy historie babć czegoś ich nauczą, czy każda z nich obierze własną drogę? Czy mężczyźni w końcu zrozumieją przeznaczenie swoich kobiet, czy ciągle będą one musiały ciągle potajemnie wymykać się z domu? Przeczytajcie tę książkę a na pewno znajdziecie w niej odpowiedzi na te pytania.
Polecam.
- Morwen, jesteś dostatecznie duża, by zrozumieć mężczyzn. Lubią, żeby kobiety pięknie wyglądały, miały dobre maniery, rodziły im synów. Nie oczekują od nich - nie chcą - by same o sobie decydowały. Kobiety nigdy nie mogą się sprzeciwiać, robić scen, nigdy, przenigdy okazywać uczuć.
October 31, 2018
A wonderful book I thoroughly enjoyed listening to. There were times I was so caught up in the story, I kept bumping into things.
My Rating: 5+stars
My Rating: 5+stars
May 10, 2017
While a scrying stone or spell prove useful in this book, the real power the characters have is the undeniable strength of the mother-daughter bond. Set against tangible historical backdrops, A Secret History of Witches pursues this primal, nuanced, and complicated relationship that every woman lives with.
And not too magick-y, for the fantasy-averse.
And not too magick-y, for the fantasy-averse.
November 29, 2021
I really liked this! There was a lot of emotions for me, sadness and anger that people actually hunted magical women...or just women. The story kept me engaged throughout the generations. I definitely want to read the other books Louisa Morgan has out!
July 5, 2017
Starting in Brittany in 1821, this is the history of one family of witches, the Orchieres. They are Romani, and therefore automatically suspect whenever someone wants to persecute a witch. Which is why one night Grand-mere Ursule gives her life to hide the family from a witch hunting priestI, telling them to flee across the channel to Cornwall, taking the family’s two treasures: the grimoire, and the large crystal that was dug from the mud many generations ago.
Seventeen years later, having found an abandoned farmstead and settled on it, the priest who had been searching for them on the night Ursule died finds them again. Nanette, the youngest girl of the family, finds that Ursules power has passed to her, and she and her sisters make a spell of protection. And so it goes through the generations; in each generation, there is one powerful woman. Others may have the knack of potions or small spells, but only one carries the power to activate the crystal.
We meet five generations of women. Some I adored; one I disliked intensely. Fortunes change through the years- drastically. Some are lucky in love; some are not. Some are dedicated to honoring the wheel of the year; some don’t perform the rituals for years. In the final book, the power of the Orchiere line becomes crucial to the protection of England. Through it all, their power and religion must be kept strictly secret.
I really enjoyed this book. The details of the lives of the women- especially during their years on the farm- bring the story to life. These are vivid, strong women. The only flaw in the book is the last book; after the body of the book is told in a way that one could easily believe it could have happened, the last book is rather over the top. It makes use of a historic person who seems like an unlikely witch, although it *would* explain her amazingly long life! I’d say four and a half stars out of five.
Seventeen years later, having found an abandoned farmstead and settled on it, the priest who had been searching for them on the night Ursule died finds them again. Nanette, the youngest girl of the family, finds that Ursules power has passed to her, and she and her sisters make a spell of protection. And so it goes through the generations; in each generation, there is one powerful woman. Others may have the knack of potions or small spells, but only one carries the power to activate the crystal.
We meet five generations of women. Some I adored; one I disliked intensely. Fortunes change through the years- drastically. Some are lucky in love; some are not. Some are dedicated to honoring the wheel of the year; some don’t perform the rituals for years. In the final book, the power of the Orchiere line becomes crucial to the protection of England. Through it all, their power and religion must be kept strictly secret.
I really enjoyed this book. The details of the lives of the women- especially during their years on the farm- bring the story to life. These are vivid, strong women. The only flaw in the book is the last book; after the body of the book is told in a way that one could easily believe it could have happened, the last book is rather over the top. It makes use of a historic person who seems like an unlikely witch, although it *would* explain her amazingly long life! I’d say four and a half stars out of five.
January 29, 2021
This was so boring.
The blurb of the book sounded promising. Witches throughout history all being related to one another? Sign me up. However, this failed to deliver on just about everything.
First, I was surprised by how sexist this book was. The witches had immense power, but still lived in fear of men. Men knew about this power too, but still bossed the women around. Men were also characterized as either stupid or evil, nowhere in between, and almost no one had any identifying characteristics to separate themselves from one another.
Two, nothing happened in this book! The plot essentially is just this: woman has a baby young. That baby has powers. They grow up without learning their family history or how to control/use their powers. They have a baby. Repeat.
Three, the powers are so confusing. It seems that the women who possess magic are all powerful, but then sometimes the magic works, and sometimes it doesn’t. Also, because they themselves are confused on their own history and power, it makes everything else muddled for the reader too.
The story also moves incredibly fast, even though the plot, descriptions, feelings, and actions are almost nonexistent. In Nanette’s story, she ages 14 years, gets powers, sees that a witch hunter is on her trail, sleeps with a man passing through town, and becomes pregnant within the first three chapters.
I’m incredibly disappointed in this book, and I’m so glad to be done with it.
The blurb of the book sounded promising. Witches throughout history all being related to one another? Sign me up. However, this failed to deliver on just about everything.
First, I was surprised by how sexist this book was. The witches had immense power, but still lived in fear of men. Men knew about this power too, but still bossed the women around. Men were also characterized as either stupid or evil, nowhere in between, and almost no one had any identifying characteristics to separate themselves from one another.
Two, nothing happened in this book! The plot essentially is just this: woman has a baby young. That baby has powers. They grow up without learning their family history or how to control/use their powers. They have a baby. Repeat.
Three, the powers are so confusing. It seems that the women who possess magic are all powerful, but then sometimes the magic works, and sometimes it doesn’t. Also, because they themselves are confused on their own history and power, it makes everything else muddled for the reader too.
The story also moves incredibly fast, even though the plot, descriptions, feelings, and actions are almost nonexistent. In Nanette’s story, she ages 14 years, gets powers, sees that a witch hunter is on her trail, sleeps with a man passing through town, and becomes pregnant within the first three chapters.
I’m incredibly disappointed in this book, and I’m so glad to be done with it.
September 13, 2018
This was such a wonderful read! It was a bit of a slow start but it definitely picked up after a few chapters. It was so interesting to dive into this long line of witches and learn about the different family members and their powers. There’s so much history, romance, magic a bit of suspense and I loved every minute of this. The ONLY reason I took one star away is because whenever I found myself getting more and more involved in a certain witch’s story, we would move on to the next “book” or family member. I need more!!!
Overall, 4 stars!!!
Overall, 4 stars!!!
November 28, 2018
I had high hopes for this book. I kept reading in hopes that the story would turn riveting, unfortunately that never happened for me. Just the same old thing throughout the generations of Witches.
November 3, 2018
I really loved this engrossing saga about a family cursed with magical ability - and the extra spin put on events surrounding WW2 worked particularly well... Highly recommended for fans of family-based historical adventures with a twist of magic
October 15, 2020
A Secret History of Witches is a novel for lovers of family sagas where a baton is passed from generation to generation. In this case, the baton is a scrying stone that aids the daughters who receive it in the practice of their witchcraft.
The book's synopsis provides a nice glimpse of the story without giving too much away, but in hindsight that could be because there aren't really any big "reveals" to spoil. Readers looking for historical character-driven novels are likely to enjoy this more than those needing threads of mystery and intrigue to pull along the way. And while these particular characters are obviously witches, supernatural elements take a backseat to mother/daughter relationships, the English caste system, and various events such as World War II.
And speaking of WWII (which to be clear is only the backdrop of the last fifth of the book), lovers of the modern English monarchy are in for a treat as young Princess Elizabeth and Queen (Mother) Elizabeth show up in a fun, unexpected way. If you'd enjoy a fresh take on this era, A Secret History of Witches might just cast its spell on you.
The book's synopsis provides a nice glimpse of the story without giving too much away, but in hindsight that could be because there aren't really any big "reveals" to spoil. Readers looking for historical character-driven novels are likely to enjoy this more than those needing threads of mystery and intrigue to pull along the way. And while these particular characters are obviously witches, supernatural elements take a backseat to mother/daughter relationships, the English caste system, and various events such as World War II.
And speaking of WWII (which to be clear is only the backdrop of the last fifth of the book), lovers of the modern English monarchy are in for a treat as young Princess Elizabeth and Queen (Mother) Elizabeth show up in a fun, unexpected way. If you'd enjoy a fresh take on this era, A Secret History of Witches might just cast its spell on you.
June 10, 2019
A Secret History of Witches is the story of five generations of witches and their trials and tribulations. Each witch has her own story to tell and the choices she makes in her life. I found that I enjoyed the earlier generations rather than the later ones. The background general history was fascinating but I found it a bit less believable as the stories became closer to modern times. I also found the stories were a bit uneven and more developed with the earlier generations. Overall, I did enjoy the book especially as a testament to the idea of strong and empowered women.
May 6, 2025
An interesting tale of a young witch coming into her power. The story is told from the perspective of the Romani heritage.
July 25, 2018
Three and a half stars: A lengthy novel that explores the tradition of witch craft over two hundred years as it is passed from mother to daughter.
It is the eighteen hundreds, witches aren’t hunted and burned at the stake like they once were, but make no mistake, being branded a witch still has devastating consequences even two hundred years past the height of the witch hunts. That is why on this particular night, the Orchiere family is on the road, fleeing the villagers who mean to persecute them. Grandmere Ursule pushes out her powers to cloak them, giving her life in the process. She leaves behind her clan, but her magic seems to die with her. Until one day, the youngest of the Orcheres, Nanette, realizes her powers. The power is once again wielded and passed from mother to daughter. Will they power serve for good or ill?
What I Liked:
*A History of Witches is a lengthy, multi generational novel that spans two hundred years, over the lives of five witches. If you have the patience for this type of novel, and you don’t mind the slow pace, this is an interesting novel to take on. I rather enjoyed this tale.
*I liked that each witch was unique and each wielded the power in a different way. Some hardly used it, while others snatched it up and bent the power for their own personal gain. Of course, I found myself drawn more to certain witches than others, but they each were interesting to follow.
*I enjoyed the changing of the points of views and the changing of the times. I also appreciated that the book started in the early 1800s and spanned through World War II which isn’t the typical time frame for a witch book. It was nice to get something beyond the seventeenth century when witch hunting was at its peak. I especially liked the final chapters that were set durning World War II. I was especially surprised by how the witches wielded their powers to help the war aid, and who was involved.
*The book moves at a slow pace, and some readers might get frustrated at the pedantic pace of the story, but I rather enjoyed it. The voices shift just as each witch is coming into her power. Often the mother witch is still in the background, aging and watching her daughter and helping, while other times the witch is on her own. I liked exploring each character, watching her make mistakes, and I liked the slow pace.
*The story ends in a good spot, while the story could go on, I thought that it ended in a good place.
I listened to he audiobook version narrated by Polly Lee. I thought Ms. Lee did a good enough job with the narration, and I think that I enjoyed this book far more on audio verses if I had read it.
And The Not So Much:
*My biggest frustration with this one was the skipping ahead in time. There were several points in the book where one witch’s story is reaching the climatic point, and then the story jumps ahead into the future with the next witch’s story. I was especially frustrated when the narration shifted from Ursule to Irene because I wanted to know much more about how Irene fared after she escaped the farm. Tiny details are given, but it wasn’t enough. Then when the narration shifts from Morwen to Veronica a great deal is skipped again, and not many of the pieces are filled in.
*The overall message of the book got to be repetitive. Basically, each witch is taught to fear men and their oppressive rule. I got it the first time around, it got old after awhile.
*I also found myself wishing that the witches had learned to do more with their powers than ensnare men to propagate their line. Finally, at least Veronica does something different with her powers.
A History of Witches is a hard book to review. On one hand, I was fascinated and riveted by the tale, but I can honestly say this isn’t a book for everyone. If you like slow paced tales that cover generations and span decades, this is for you. Don’t expect a fast paced novel with lots of action, instead you get an interesting story about how each witch learns to adapt to the times and use her powers. It requires patience, but I found it worth the effort.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.
It is the eighteen hundreds, witches aren’t hunted and burned at the stake like they once were, but make no mistake, being branded a witch still has devastating consequences even two hundred years past the height of the witch hunts. That is why on this particular night, the Orchiere family is on the road, fleeing the villagers who mean to persecute them. Grandmere Ursule pushes out her powers to cloak them, giving her life in the process. She leaves behind her clan, but her magic seems to die with her. Until one day, the youngest of the Orcheres, Nanette, realizes her powers. The power is once again wielded and passed from mother to daughter. Will they power serve for good or ill?
What I Liked:
*A History of Witches is a lengthy, multi generational novel that spans two hundred years, over the lives of five witches. If you have the patience for this type of novel, and you don’t mind the slow pace, this is an interesting novel to take on. I rather enjoyed this tale.
*I liked that each witch was unique and each wielded the power in a different way. Some hardly used it, while others snatched it up and bent the power for their own personal gain. Of course, I found myself drawn more to certain witches than others, but they each were interesting to follow.
*I enjoyed the changing of the points of views and the changing of the times. I also appreciated that the book started in the early 1800s and spanned through World War II which isn’t the typical time frame for a witch book. It was nice to get something beyond the seventeenth century when witch hunting was at its peak. I especially liked the final chapters that were set durning World War II. I was especially surprised by how the witches wielded their powers to help the war aid, and who was involved.
*The book moves at a slow pace, and some readers might get frustrated at the pedantic pace of the story, but I rather enjoyed it. The voices shift just as each witch is coming into her power. Often the mother witch is still in the background, aging and watching her daughter and helping, while other times the witch is on her own. I liked exploring each character, watching her make mistakes, and I liked the slow pace.
*The story ends in a good spot, while the story could go on, I thought that it ended in a good place.
I listened to he audiobook version narrated by Polly Lee. I thought Ms. Lee did a good enough job with the narration, and I think that I enjoyed this book far more on audio verses if I had read it.
And The Not So Much:
*My biggest frustration with this one was the skipping ahead in time. There were several points in the book where one witch’s story is reaching the climatic point, and then the story jumps ahead into the future with the next witch’s story. I was especially frustrated when the narration shifted from Ursule to Irene because I wanted to know much more about how Irene fared after she escaped the farm. Tiny details are given, but it wasn’t enough. Then when the narration shifts from Morwen to Veronica a great deal is skipped again, and not many of the pieces are filled in.
*The overall message of the book got to be repetitive. Basically, each witch is taught to fear men and their oppressive rule. I got it the first time around, it got old after awhile.
*I also found myself wishing that the witches had learned to do more with their powers than ensnare men to propagate their line. Finally, at least Veronica does something different with her powers.
A History of Witches is a hard book to review. On one hand, I was fascinated and riveted by the tale, but I can honestly say this isn’t a book for everyone. If you like slow paced tales that cover generations and span decades, this is for you. Don’t expect a fast paced novel with lots of action, instead you get an interesting story about how each witch learns to adapt to the times and use her powers. It requires patience, but I found it worth the effort.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.
April 29, 2018
I absolutely loved this book. A beautifully crafted family saga spanning over five generations that held me spellbound until it's last page. Pure magic!
March 9, 2021
I had high hopes for this book, but it ended up being so bad as to be offensively inane and bizarrely moralistic for a novel about witchcraft.
It is a collection of interconnected novellas about a family of witches. Each one uses magic to find a man and, like many young women in cautionary tales, get pregnant the first time they have illicit sex. Each woman invariably has a daughter to whom she must teach witch craft, and each daughter has a predictably strained relationship with her mother. Since there are several novellas, each mother/daughter troupe is explored, first the single mother with practical daughter, then the hard working mother with a semi-absent father and snobby daughter, then the icey snobby mother with the free spirited daughter (this was arguably the best novella), then the dead mother with the blandly dutiful daughter who *gasp* gets pregnant the first time she has sex and has an abortion and feels bad the rest of her life and is punished with infertility by the witch goddess.
The final novella takes place during World War 2 and turns into a bizarre MarySue fan girl fantasy about Elizabeth Winsor (the queen consort) being a witch and using her powers to help the British War Effort. Her I found this story line so insulting that I logged onto the goodreads website on my computer so I could use a full keyboard for this review.
In the hands of a better author, this could have been a good novel, but the research felt lazy and the style felt like it was trying to mirror literary styles of the time period, but just came off as disjointed. The characters were hard to care about because there were so few of them and they all felt so devoid of inner life until they found a love interest, and once they had their one daughter they slipped quietly into the background or died.
It is a collection of interconnected novellas about a family of witches. Each one uses magic to find a man and, like many young women in cautionary tales, get pregnant the first time they have illicit sex. Each woman invariably has a daughter to whom she must teach witch craft, and each daughter has a predictably strained relationship with her mother. Since there are several novellas, each mother/daughter troupe is explored, first the single mother with practical daughter, then the hard working mother with a semi-absent father and snobby daughter, then the icey snobby mother with the free spirited daughter (this was arguably the best novella), then the dead mother with the blandly dutiful daughter who *gasp* gets pregnant the first time she has sex and has an abortion and feels bad the rest of her life and is punished with infertility by the witch goddess.
The final novella takes place during World War 2 and turns into a bizarre MarySue fan girl fantasy about Elizabeth Winsor (the queen consort) being a witch and using her powers to help the British War Effort. Her I found this story line so insulting that I logged onto the goodreads website on my computer so I could use a full keyboard for this review.
In the hands of a better author, this could have been a good novel, but the research felt lazy and the style felt like it was trying to mirror literary styles of the time period, but just came off as disjointed. The characters were hard to care about because there were so few of them and they all felt so devoid of inner life until they found a love interest, and once they had their one daughter they slipped quietly into the background or died.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 19, 2019
Really nicely written prose - though I have some issues with the progression of events (ie, rags to riches). We start off with Nanette - who is a Romani child living on the Brittany coast in the early 1800s -- her family is fleeing a witch hunter and to go across the channel to the Cornish coast where they make a new life. Only Nanette learns English & Cornish, while her (much) older sisters stick to French. Witch hunters pursue them to England.
Throughout the book - there's an emphasis on how the women have to keep secret their power and craft because men are intimidated by this power and will hurt them. Nonetheless, they are devoted to keeping their power and craft alive. They also reiterate that every spell comes with a price of some sort - and while the "make a reluctant lover come to me" seems to be the most popular spell, it always has some way of backfiring.
My favorite section had to do with the Queen of England and some other witches helping out with the World War II efforts -- but the ending was disappointingly heteronormative: our witch chooses love over her power and the craft, and has problems having a daughter so that's all she wrote for the Orchiere line.
Throughout the book - there's an emphasis on how the women have to keep secret their power and craft because men are intimidated by this power and will hurt them. Nonetheless, they are devoted to keeping their power and craft alive. They also reiterate that every spell comes with a price of some sort - and while the "make a reluctant lover come to me" seems to be the most popular spell, it always has some way of backfiring.
My favorite section had to do with the Queen of England and some other witches helping out with the World War II efforts -- but the ending was disappointingly heteronormative: our witch chooses love over her power and the craft, and has problems having a daughter so that's all she wrote for the Orchiere line.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,581 reviews