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The Coven
"Let me repeat myself, so we can be very clear. Women are not the enemy. We must protect them from themselves, just as much as we must protect ourselves."
Imagine a world in which witchcraft is real. In which mothers hand down power to their daughters, power that is used harmlessly and peacefully.
Then imagine that the US President is a populist demagogue who decides that all witches must be imprisoned for their own safety, as well as the safety of those around them - creating a world in which to be female is one step away from being criminal...
As witches across the world are rounded up, one young woman discovers a power she did not know she had. It's a dangerous force and it puts her top of the list in a global witch hunt.
But she - and the women around her - won't give in easily. Not while all of women's power is under threat.
The Coven is a dazzling global thriller that pays homage to the power and potential of women everywhere.
Imagine a world in which witchcraft is real. In which mothers hand down power to their daughters, power that is used harmlessly and peacefully.
Then imagine that the US President is a populist demagogue who decides that all witches must be imprisoned for their own safety, as well as the safety of those around them - creating a world in which to be female is one step away from being criminal...
As witches across the world are rounded up, one young woman discovers a power she did not know she had. It's a dangerous force and it puts her top of the list in a global witch hunt.
But she - and the women around her - won't give in easily. Not while all of women's power is under threat.
The Coven is a dazzling global thriller that pays homage to the power and potential of women everywhere.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2020
118 people are currently reading
2804 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 290 reviews
May 25, 2023
Not for me short & sweet.
November 2, 2021
i had to DNF this book at 40%, almost 200 pages😐 even this far in the book I don’t get what the goal is for the main characters? I hate the way that Chloe was written, she was made out like a bratty teenager which really made me dislike the character because I just don’t understand who would act the way she did especially with what’s happening to her.
i just couldn’t get into the book no matter how hard i tried. unlikeable characters and a weak storyline. this idea could have gone so much further, it has great potential.
i just couldn’t get into the book no matter how hard i tried. unlikeable characters and a weak storyline. this idea could have gone so much further, it has great potential.
February 25, 2021
The Coven is a breathtaking, pacy global race against the clock to defeat a shadowy organisation adamant on destroying women’s potential and a prophetic, highly original and post-Trump dystopian thriller that irrevocably links witchcraft and feminist resistance creating an ingrained prejudice against women. Set in an alternate version of Earth and with the political and social situation in the Western World being similar to that of today, The Coven feels prescient and timely and is a reminder of the oppression of women by patriarchal forces the world over. The assassination of the US President is the precipitating factor in the widespread crackdown of those practicing magic. President, Dr Miriam Stone, was seemingly murdered by the Cursed Light, a faction of Elemental witches dedicated to wiping men off the face of the earth, in April 2016, or at least that's according to the government's rhetoric. In actuality the Sentinels, a mysterious organization dedicated to destroying any manifestation of witchcraft carried it out to enable them to install a man who shared their warped ideology. The murder resulted in the emergency inauguration of President Michael Hopkins, who was less sympathetic to the witches cause than Stone had been. There are three types of witch: Elemental, Kitchen and Crystal. Elementals are the most dangerous and most feared and make up only one percent of witches. Kitchen witches are the most common and are urged to relinquish their cauldrons and spell books and agree to join a re-education program. Crystal witches who take their power from crystals and study account for only five percent of witches.
The rampant demagoguery emanating from the new instalment at the Oval Office and Hopkins' divisive propaganda demonising women for an element of themselves they were born with, swiftly sets the fight for equality and egalitarian ideals back centuries. A misogynist and the mark of a patriarchal system constantly denouncing women as second class citizens through passionate speeches about how magic and how those who wield it should be universally feared, Hopkins' words start to take effect when he gains support for a brutal shoot-to-kill order for all Elemental witches and imprisonment for those deemed less perilous. When the President hears reports of nineteen-year-old Chloe Su, the most powerful Elemental to have ever lived, he dispatches one of his most effective assassins to Britain to take her out. As witches are being hunted around the world, Chloe begins to discover her power and her dangerous ability draws the attention of the Sentinels. Chloe and her allies must survive a hectic chase across Europe and the United States to find and protect the source of all women's power before the Sentinels destroy it forever. This is a captivating, enthralling and richly-imagined tale of witchcraft and unbounded patriarchal power with a charming and intelligent magical realism feel to it and all the twists and paciness of an international thriller. It is a real page-turner with an inspirational set of characters whose friendship was heartwarming and is very much reflective of the Trump era and the fact that he chose to use his immense platform to divide rather than unite. Highly recommended.
The rampant demagoguery emanating from the new instalment at the Oval Office and Hopkins' divisive propaganda demonising women for an element of themselves they were born with, swiftly sets the fight for equality and egalitarian ideals back centuries. A misogynist and the mark of a patriarchal system constantly denouncing women as second class citizens through passionate speeches about how magic and how those who wield it should be universally feared, Hopkins' words start to take effect when he gains support for a brutal shoot-to-kill order for all Elemental witches and imprisonment for those deemed less perilous. When the President hears reports of nineteen-year-old Chloe Su, the most powerful Elemental to have ever lived, he dispatches one of his most effective assassins to Britain to take her out. As witches are being hunted around the world, Chloe begins to discover her power and her dangerous ability draws the attention of the Sentinels. Chloe and her allies must survive a hectic chase across Europe and the United States to find and protect the source of all women's power before the Sentinels destroy it forever. This is a captivating, enthralling and richly-imagined tale of witchcraft and unbounded patriarchal power with a charming and intelligent magical realism feel to it and all the twists and paciness of an international thriller. It is a real page-turner with an inspirational set of characters whose friendship was heartwarming and is very much reflective of the Trump era and the fact that he chose to use his immense platform to divide rather than unite. Highly recommended.
February 12, 2021
2.5 stars
I love dystopian fiction, especially when there is a little fantasy woven in like this book has so I was really looking forward to reading The Coven. Unfortunately it didn't live up to my estimations.
The Coven is about our world where witchcraft is real. However the US President has declared witches as criminals and has then locked up or killed by an army called The Sentinal. The story is about one young woman who is unknowingly the most powerful witch in the world and therefore the highest on The Sentinal's most wanted list.
I really liked the structure of the witches. There were 3 types with different interesting powers and I loved seeing those in use. I also really liked the general storyline but found it wasn't used to it's full potential and it was quite predictable. In the end I found to story to be a little lacklustre and I became a bit bored.
The characters also had some promise but I felt they weren't used to their full potential. We didn't know enough about the main characters and so I couldn't feel connected to them. I am a character lead reader and so this meant I felt a bit detached from the story as a whole.
The writing was good but again I felt it could have been improved. I wasn't swept away by the writing as I usually am in these kind of books. I wanted more excitement, more character details and more about the witch's powers.
Overall it was an average read that had enough potential to be so much more. I liked the general premise but felt this could have been a first edit that needed to be worked on.
Please note that I was gifted this book in exchange for an honest review.
I love dystopian fiction, especially when there is a little fantasy woven in like this book has so I was really looking forward to reading The Coven. Unfortunately it didn't live up to my estimations.
The Coven is about our world where witchcraft is real. However the US President has declared witches as criminals and has then locked up or killed by an army called The Sentinal. The story is about one young woman who is unknowingly the most powerful witch in the world and therefore the highest on The Sentinal's most wanted list.
I really liked the structure of the witches. There were 3 types with different interesting powers and I loved seeing those in use. I also really liked the general storyline but found it wasn't used to it's full potential and it was quite predictable. In the end I found to story to be a little lacklustre and I became a bit bored.
The characters also had some promise but I felt they weren't used to their full potential. We didn't know enough about the main characters and so I couldn't feel connected to them. I am a character lead reader and so this meant I felt a bit detached from the story as a whole.
The writing was good but again I felt it could have been improved. I wasn't swept away by the writing as I usually am in these kind of books. I wanted more excitement, more character details and more about the witch's powers.
Overall it was an average read that had enough potential to be so much more. I liked the general premise but felt this could have been a first edit that needed to be worked on.
Please note that I was gifted this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 10, 2022
No estaba seguro de qué esperar en Aquelarre, la sinopsis me llamaba mucho la atención pero no deja muy claro el tema principal de la novela. Este libro me sorprendió, es una historia de fantasía distópica y realismo, cargado de brujería y aventuras.
La autora a través de las paginas nos embarca en un viaje por distintas partes del mundo, con un sistema mágico interesante y una historia cargada de muchas emociones y personajes excepcionales. La primera mitad del libro tiene una narración y ritmo rápido pero la segunda mitad se torna un poco lenta, sin embargo, toda la historia está llena de acción, magia, drama y mucha aventura.
Me encantó como Lizzie a través de estas paginas cuenta una historia con un toque feminista dejando un mensaje importante a la sociedad que rinde homenaje al poder de las mujeres.
La autora a través de las paginas nos embarca en un viaje por distintas partes del mundo, con un sistema mágico interesante y una historia cargada de muchas emociones y personajes excepcionales. La primera mitad del libro tiene una narración y ritmo rápido pero la segunda mitad se torna un poco lenta, sin embargo, toda la historia está llena de acción, magia, drama y mucha aventura.
Me encantó como Lizzie a través de estas paginas cuenta una historia con un toque feminista dejando un mensaje importante a la sociedad que rinde homenaje al poder de las mujeres.
March 3, 2021
3.5 - 4 stars
I'm here for dystopia and I'm here for fantasy, so bring me a pairing of the two and that's pretty exciting. The Coven was a contemporary envisioning of a dystopian, patriachial future centred around the idea of erradication of witchcraft. In ways, this wasn't a new topic, indeed the book leaned on the historical past we know of it, to underpin the contemporary.
The story navigated oppression, misogyny, captivity, rebellion and some rather scary powers. After a strong first half, I did find elements of the storyline in the second half chaotic and I had to really concentrate to keep up with power plays and plots.
I have to mention that a racial slur was included in the book without being necessary. It didn't add to the plot, it wasn't corrected by another character and the narrative just breezed on by. I do think that this kind of inclusion potentially gives licence to that word's use and I'm sad it was there. I can only hope it didn't make it to the final edit.
Overall, The Coven was a clever and engaging concept all wrapped up in a dystopian feminist fantasy standalone.
Thank you to Sphere, Little Brown UK for the review copy.
Find this review at A Take From Two Cities.
I'm here for dystopia and I'm here for fantasy, so bring me a pairing of the two and that's pretty exciting. The Coven was a contemporary envisioning of a dystopian, patriachial future centred around the idea of erradication of witchcraft. In ways, this wasn't a new topic, indeed the book leaned on the historical past we know of it, to underpin the contemporary.
The story navigated oppression, misogyny, captivity, rebellion and some rather scary powers. After a strong first half, I did find elements of the storyline in the second half chaotic and I had to really concentrate to keep up with power plays and plots.
I have to mention that a racial slur was included in the book without being necessary. It didn't add to the plot, it wasn't corrected by another character and the narrative just breezed on by. I do think that this kind of inclusion potentially gives licence to that word's use and I'm sad it was there. I can only hope it didn't make it to the final edit.
Overall, The Coven was a clever and engaging concept all wrapped up in a dystopian feminist fantasy standalone.
Thank you to Sphere, Little Brown UK for the review copy.
Find this review at A Take From Two Cities.
October 12, 2021
Dos días me ha durado la lectura de este libro y eso que al empezarlo creía que me iba a durar más por el tamaño de la letra. Pero la historia engancha desde el principio y mantiene la intriga en todas las páginas.
Pero el epílogo no lo he terminado de entender en el sentido que no sé si está plantando la idea de una continuación o qué leches significa. Puede que le esté dando demasiadas vueltas.
Pero el epílogo no lo he terminado de entender en el sentido que no sé si está plantando la idea de una continuación o qué leches significa. Puede que le esté dando demasiadas vueltas.
November 4, 2022
Pensaba que me iba a gustar más de lo que me ha gustado. Lo peor ha sido que los personajes no me han causado demasiado interés. En general, me han parecido bastante planos, por no decir que en dos días estaban profundamente enamorados...
Pienso que la historia ha priorizado "El viaje" para derrocar a los malos y, con semejante ritmo, no ha habido tiempo de ahondar ni de sentir. Pasaba todo tan deprisa que parecía una película de acción, sin mas. Una de esas que entretiene pero que no transmite ni se quedará en tu recuerdo. Seguramente el mes que viene no recordaré absolutamente nada de esta novela. Tan solo guardaré el recuerdo de que no superó mis expectativas.
Una lástima, porque la idea es original:
¿Una historia de brujas en la actualidad?
¿Una política agresiva y directa Anti-brujas?
¿Unas mujeres (en este caso brujas) empoderadas ante la injusticia?
Peeeero todo ha acabado en un "Podría haber sido y no fue". En mi opinión, claro.
Pienso que la historia ha priorizado "El viaje" para derrocar a los malos y, con semejante ritmo, no ha habido tiempo de ahondar ni de sentir. Pasaba todo tan deprisa que parecía una película de acción, sin mas. Una de esas que entretiene pero que no transmite ni se quedará en tu recuerdo. Seguramente el mes que viene no recordaré absolutamente nada de esta novela. Tan solo guardaré el recuerdo de que no superó mis expectativas.
Una lástima, porque la idea es original:
¿Una historia de brujas en la actualidad?
¿Una política agresiva y directa Anti-brujas?
¿Unas mujeres (en este caso brujas) empoderadas ante la injusticia?
Peeeero todo ha acabado en un "Podría haber sido y no fue". En mi opinión, claro.
November 11, 2022
Buena idea, pero demasiado acelerada y un poco vacía.
Me gustó la primera mitad del libro, se nos presenta un mundo actual y casi real con el añadido de que existe la magia y las brujas. Aquí se ponen las bases para una buena historia (Aunque no deje de ser un "Cuento de la Criada" con fantasía) pero la última parte del libro se pierde totalmente el control.
Diálogos tontos, personajes planos, reacciones incongruentes. Todo a un ritmo demasiado acelerado que no deja profundizar en nada y con un final un poco ridículo.
De todas formas no se lee mal. Entretiene aunque es perfectamente olvidable.
Me gustó la primera mitad del libro, se nos presenta un mundo actual y casi real con el añadido de que existe la magia y las brujas. Aquí se ponen las bases para una buena historia (Aunque no deje de ser un "Cuento de la Criada" con fantasía) pero la última parte del libro se pierde totalmente el control.
Diálogos tontos, personajes planos, reacciones incongruentes. Todo a un ritmo demasiado acelerado que no deja profundizar en nada y con un final un poco ridículo.
De todas formas no se lee mal. Entretiene aunque es perfectamente olvidable.
October 24, 2021
4.5*
"Equality is true power; generosity too..........We are one."
I really enjoyed this tale of witchcraft set today where the US President is a populist demagogue who decides that all witches must be imprisoned for their own safety, as well as the safety of those around them! Scary stuff alongside the rise of the patriarchal New Puritan movement.
This was original and clever with a perfect ending that gave me goosebumps.
"Equality is true power; generosity too..........We are one."
I really enjoyed this tale of witchcraft set today where the US President is a populist demagogue who decides that all witches must be imprisoned for their own safety, as well as the safety of those around them! Scary stuff alongside the rise of the patriarchal New Puritan movement.
This was original and clever with a perfect ending that gave me goosebumps.
January 27, 2022
Pensé que no iba a terminar nunca este libro, pero después de como 300 páginas por fin le encontré un gusto. En conclusión estás últimas páginas si me gustaron y levantaron el libro 🥰
Pero siendo honesta no creo que vuelva a leer este libro o lo recuerde más adelante 😅
Pero siendo honesta no creo que vuelva a leer este libro o lo recuerde más adelante 😅
February 22, 2021
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect with The Coven and it took me completely by surprise. An intriguing combination of dystopian fantasy and realism, in a modern day setting in which witchcraft actually exists. Beautifully executed The Coven is a clever novel which leads us on an exciting and spellbinding journey around the globe, switching deftly from location to location. It’s fast-paced and full of action and drama and a real page-turner. The fight scenes in particular are amazing, vividly described and full of tension and excitement.
The world and magic system are complex and interesting. The story centres around Chloe Su, a teenage Elemental witch who is ‘The One’, the most powerful witch of all as she can access all four of the magic elements. Elemental witches are the most dangerous they access their magic via one of four elements air, water, fire or earth. There are also ‘Crystal’ witches who access their magic via crystals and ‘Kitchen’ witches who are lower grade witches who need natural ingredients for their spells. ‘Legacies’ are simply girls born to witches but do not have magic.
There is a fabulous and eclectic mix of characters all of whom are well drawn and interesting. Dominated mainly by female characters, the story certainly pays homage to the power of women in a society where women have magical powers and men don’t.
The Coven is a wonderful contemporary witch story with an action-packed and well executed storyline taking us to some lovely locations. This is an ingenious story, with an interesting concept which really sparks your imagination. Perfect for fantasy readers who want to test their boundaries with something a little bit different.
The world and magic system are complex and interesting. The story centres around Chloe Su, a teenage Elemental witch who is ‘The One’, the most powerful witch of all as she can access all four of the magic elements. Elemental witches are the most dangerous they access their magic via one of four elements air, water, fire or earth. There are also ‘Crystal’ witches who access their magic via crystals and ‘Kitchen’ witches who are lower grade witches who need natural ingredients for their spells. ‘Legacies’ are simply girls born to witches but do not have magic.
There is a fabulous and eclectic mix of characters all of whom are well drawn and interesting. Dominated mainly by female characters, the story certainly pays homage to the power of women in a society where women have magical powers and men don’t.
The Coven is a wonderful contemporary witch story with an action-packed and well executed storyline taking us to some lovely locations. This is an ingenious story, with an interesting concept which really sparks your imagination. Perfect for fantasy readers who want to test their boundaries with something a little bit different.
July 15, 2021
3.5/5 - a fun, witchy, dystopian time!
Things I enjoyed:
- the dystopian/realism (alternative reality) setting
- there were many nods to witchy history
- the female characters dominate the story
- excellent concept, very fun, well-paced
- enjoyed that it was the usual 'this one special teenager who is very important and powerful somehow' vibe but from an mature adult's perspective
Things I did not love:
- insta-love always puts me off
- it was sometimes difficult to keep up with such a large cast of characters
- I think I'd have preferred the villain to have a lil more depth
- I thought the ending fell apart a bit
Overall I definitely enjoyed this though, would recommend!
Things I enjoyed:
- the dystopian/realism (alternative reality) setting
- there were many nods to witchy history
- the female characters dominate the story
- excellent concept, very fun, well-paced
- enjoyed that it was the usual 'this one special teenager who is very important and powerful somehow' vibe but from an mature adult's perspective
Things I did not love:
- insta-love always puts me off
- it was sometimes difficult to keep up with such a large cast of characters
- I think I'd have preferred the villain to have a lil more depth
- I thought the ending fell apart a bit
Overall I definitely enjoyed this though, would recommend!
May 26, 2021
Feminist, dystopian, speculative fiction is one of my favourite book niches and so this novel that is set in a world where 5% of women have magic was one that I was really excited to read.
And it didn’t let me down.
Tightly written, full of twists and with great world building, I blew through the 400 odd pages in two sittings and could barely put it down.
It did stray slightly more into fantasy that I was expecting but overall I throughly enjoyed myself and I will definitely pick up whatever the author puts out next.
And it didn’t let me down.
Tightly written, full of twists and with great world building, I blew through the 400 odd pages in two sittings and could barely put it down.
It did stray slightly more into fantasy that I was expecting but overall I throughly enjoyed myself and I will definitely pick up whatever the author puts out next.
November 27, 2022
Una lectura que se me hizo eterna. No entendí su supuesto sistema de magia y ninguno de los personajes me ha gustado, después del 60% (🙄🙄🙄) es cuando por fin se torna un poco interesante la cosa pero no duró mucho y el conflicto con el "malo" se resolvió sin mucho chiste. No encontré lo feminista en ningún lado.
November 10, 2021
The idea of this book is great, but it took me so long to read because to be honest, it was painfully boring.. I almost gave up half way through but I powered through hoping for a plot twist that never came.
November 14, 2022
The premise of this book was SO promising, but unfortunately 'The Coven' fell flat for me. It ended up being a rather average read which is disappointing. The grammatical and spelling issues also let it down. I wanted this to be incredible but it just wasn't it for me :(
August 9, 2021
Seit Michael Hopkins Präsident in den USA geworden ist, gelten Hexen als Verbrecher, egal ob sie sich etwas zu Schulden haben kommen haben oder nicht. Die Hexe Adelita ist mit dem Ex-Sentinal auf der Flucht, denn er hat ihr geholfen, aus dem Gefängnis auszubrechen. Auch die Hexe Chloe ist mit ihrem Vater auf der Flucht, denn Chloes Kräfte sind ganz plötzlich ausgebrochen und haben großen Schaden angerichtet. Das Leben der beiden Hexen ist enger verbunden als die beiden ahnen.
Schon im Vorfeld hat mich dieses Buch sehr angesprochen, Bücher mit Hexen interessieren mich einfach sehr. Die Autorin kannte ich bisher überhaupt nicht, es handelt sich wohl um ein Pseudonym der Autorin Lucy V Hay, von der ich auch noch nie etwas gehört habe.
Die Autorin wirf ihre Leser mitten in die Handlung und erzählt ihre Geschichte sehr rasant und auch sehr aktiongeladen, was mir richtig gut gefallen hat. Erzählt wird sie aus verschiedenen Perspektiven, wobei Daniel, Chloes Vater und Adelita den größten Part übernehmen.
In Adelitas Welt gelten alle Hexen automatisch als Verbrecher, was ich doch recht erschreckend fand. Am Anfang weiß man als Leser nicht warum das so ist. Im Laufe der Handlung gibt es immer kurze Einblicken in die Vergangenheit, die ein wenig Licht ins Dunkel bringen. Aber letztendlich erfährt man als Leser erst im letzten Drittel was genau passiert ist.
Mir haben besonders Adelita und Chloe gefallen, beide sind sehr unterschiedlich, was ich sehr interessant fand. Ich mochte beide, sie machen eine erstaunliche Wandlung durch, besonders Chloe. Es gibt übriges auch eine Romanze, die sehr gut ins Gesamtbild passt. Am Ende werden alle Fragen beantwortet, es handelt sich hier um einen Einzelband. Für mich war dieses Buch ein richtiges Highlight und bekommt natürlich die volle Punktzahl.
Schon im Vorfeld hat mich dieses Buch sehr angesprochen, Bücher mit Hexen interessieren mich einfach sehr. Die Autorin kannte ich bisher überhaupt nicht, es handelt sich wohl um ein Pseudonym der Autorin Lucy V Hay, von der ich auch noch nie etwas gehört habe.
Die Autorin wirf ihre Leser mitten in die Handlung und erzählt ihre Geschichte sehr rasant und auch sehr aktiongeladen, was mir richtig gut gefallen hat. Erzählt wird sie aus verschiedenen Perspektiven, wobei Daniel, Chloes Vater und Adelita den größten Part übernehmen.
In Adelitas Welt gelten alle Hexen automatisch als Verbrecher, was ich doch recht erschreckend fand. Am Anfang weiß man als Leser nicht warum das so ist. Im Laufe der Handlung gibt es immer kurze Einblicken in die Vergangenheit, die ein wenig Licht ins Dunkel bringen. Aber letztendlich erfährt man als Leser erst im letzten Drittel was genau passiert ist.
Mir haben besonders Adelita und Chloe gefallen, beide sind sehr unterschiedlich, was ich sehr interessant fand. Ich mochte beide, sie machen eine erstaunliche Wandlung durch, besonders Chloe. Es gibt übriges auch eine Romanze, die sehr gut ins Gesamtbild passt. Am Ende werden alle Fragen beantwortet, es handelt sich hier um einen Einzelband. Für mich war dieses Buch ein richtiges Highlight und bekommt natürlich die volle Punktzahl.
January 15, 2026
I wanted to love this, I really did. Unfortunately, it’s not for me.
Witches, feminism, dystopian fantasy? That is my thing, but the writing style was…not. I understand it’s set at the same time as irl (2016), but the words ‘frigging, alpha male, alpha female’ etc really took me out of the story and made no sense to me. The writing was very choppy and told me everything instead of showing it. The pacing was off, the whole book happened over 2 weeks and half the characters died, they traveled around the world, fell in love, mastered their powers and defeated the government…
Speaking of, the insta-love was not it. Ethan and Ada seemed to fall in love instantly, and their sex scenes were horrendous, and there was zero chemistry. I hoped for more but I guess not. Plus, Ada forgives Ethan’s past way to easily. She never really cared about it anyway, when he literally spent years murdering innocent people. That is not excusable, even if he feels guilty.
Finally, the feminism and political aspect felt so forced. The feminism wasn’t naturally including, as in Blood over bright haven, it just felt randomly put in there and then forgotten about for a few chapters.
The trans and queer characters were represented in a way that just made me feel…uncomfortable. The sapphic couple was constantly called ‘soulmates’ etc and it really felt like they weren’t being treated like a normal couple at all. Plus, the random accusation of ableism because Ada asked a paraplegic if he would be okay when he was literally about to risk his life fighting was so weird, ableism is not the same as being concerned, and she was concerned for her able bodied friends in the same way.
Witches, feminism, dystopian fantasy? That is my thing, but the writing style was…not. I understand it’s set at the same time as irl (2016), but the words ‘frigging, alpha male, alpha female’ etc really took me out of the story and made no sense to me. The writing was very choppy and told me everything instead of showing it. The pacing was off, the whole book happened over 2 weeks and half the characters died, they traveled around the world, fell in love, mastered their powers and defeated the government…
Speaking of, the insta-love was not it. Ethan and Ada seemed to fall in love instantly, and their sex scenes were horrendous, and there was zero chemistry. I hoped for more but I guess not. Plus, Ada forgives Ethan’s past way to easily. She never really cared about it anyway, when he literally spent years murdering innocent people. That is not excusable, even if he feels guilty.
Finally, the feminism and political aspect felt so forced. The feminism wasn’t naturally including, as in Blood over bright haven, it just felt randomly put in there and then forgotten about for a few chapters.
The trans and queer characters were represented in a way that just made me feel…uncomfortable. The sapphic couple was constantly called ‘soulmates’ etc and it really felt like they weren’t being treated like a normal couple at all. Plus, the random accusation of ableism because Ada asked a paraplegic if he would be okay when he was literally about to risk his life fighting was so weird, ableism is not the same as being concerned, and she was concerned for her able bodied friends in the same way.
January 8, 2023
Amo los libros que son escritos para mí, en este caso una distopía de brujas feminista, donde aunque “los malos” parecen ser unos, en realidad es la misma misoginia de siempre, que está interiorizada en la cultura.
Un par de cosas no me cuadraron, como el instalove explicado por la magia, y la magia explicada en los genes, pero de resto fue una lectura en la que me sumergí y que me acompañó en un fin de semana de Luna llena pesada.
Un par de cosas no me cuadraron, como el instalove explicado por la magia, y la magia explicada en los genes, pero de resto fue una lectura en la que me sumergí y que me acompañó en un fin de semana de Luna llena pesada.
November 11, 2022
Me he perdido con tanto personaje y saltos.
A partir del 50% deseando abandonar-acabar.
El 10% final (ya con el hilo desconectado) anima un poco.
Muy largo.
A partir del 50% deseando abandonar-acabar.
El 10% final (ya con el hilo desconectado) anima un poco.
Muy largo.
November 17, 2021
Pone la expectativa muy alta con todo el rollo de "distopía misógina al estilo el Cuento de la criada pero con mujeres con poderes" y al final lo que parece es un bollo sacado antes de tiempo del horno.
A este libro le faltan libros en los que desarrollarse.
Te meten una relación amorosa en la que sientes cero química entre los personajes (literalmente han pasado dos días cuando reconocen estar enamoradísimos y vinculados wtf, Disney, qué es esto).
A personajes tanto principales como secundarios no expanden sus trasfondos como para que lo que les pase sea algo que afecte al lector.
Te presentan una especie de Mr X de Resident Evil como tipo chungo implacable, tremendo malo malísimo y no solo le pasa lo mismo que lo del trasfondo insuficiente sino que su relevancia y apariciones son casi nulas y su desenlace es frío e insulso. No te deja acumular la sensación de aprensión de antagonista.
Los sucesos pierden fuerza por lo atropellados que ocurren. No es que den sensación de caos, es que es como ver una película a x5 de velocidad. Te enteras vagamente de lo que ocurre pero no existe impacto.
La situación de opresión misógina es prácticamente anecdótica, en otras distopías la opresión se desarrolla a un tempo escalado que hace que el lector se sienta atrapado, angustiado... En este libro la opresión de la mujer no se ve plasmada realmente, ni el temor de la población hacia las brujas.
El personaje que hace el verdadero papel de antagonista parece una caricatura de alguien que ha leído sobre personas frías y ambiciosas pero jamás ha entendido la motivación de una persona ambiciosa.
Y a todo esto añádele el arquetipo de La Elegida pero dándote pereza para desarrollarlo. Como si le pusieras una pegatina y dijeras " Eres lo más poderoso del planeta, tienes un lado muy oscuro y sentimientos complejos" y ya, sin definir absolutamente nada más, apáñatelas como puedas para darle forma al personaje.
En fin, una pérdida de tiempo y una decepción enorme.
A este libro le faltan libros en los que desarrollarse.
Te meten una relación amorosa en la que sientes cero química entre los personajes (literalmente han pasado dos días cuando reconocen estar enamoradísimos y vinculados wtf, Disney, qué es esto).
A personajes tanto principales como secundarios no expanden sus trasfondos como para que lo que les pase sea algo que afecte al lector.
Te presentan una especie de Mr X de Resident Evil como tipo chungo implacable, tremendo malo malísimo y no solo le pasa lo mismo que lo del trasfondo insuficiente sino que su relevancia y apariciones son casi nulas y su desenlace es frío e insulso. No te deja acumular la sensación de aprensión de antagonista.
Los sucesos pierden fuerza por lo atropellados que ocurren. No es que den sensación de caos, es que es como ver una película a x5 de velocidad. Te enteras vagamente de lo que ocurre pero no existe impacto.
La situación de opresión misógina es prácticamente anecdótica, en otras distopías la opresión se desarrolla a un tempo escalado que hace que el lector se sienta atrapado, angustiado... En este libro la opresión de la mujer no se ve plasmada realmente, ni el temor de la población hacia las brujas.
El personaje que hace el verdadero papel de antagonista parece una caricatura de alguien que ha leído sobre personas frías y ambiciosas pero jamás ha entendido la motivación de una persona ambiciosa.
Y a todo esto añádele el arquetipo de La Elegida pero dándote pereza para desarrollarlo. Como si le pusieras una pegatina y dijeras " Eres lo más poderoso del planeta, tienes un lado muy oscuro y sentimientos complejos" y ya, sin definir absolutamente nada más, apáñatelas como puedas para darle forma al personaje.
En fin, una pérdida de tiempo y una decepción enorme.
March 30, 2021
DNF'ed at 65%.
This was such a let down personally. I was expecting a lot more from the plot. The characters were totally disconnected and I could not even care what happened to them. The whole thing fell flat and disjointed and sad to say but it felt that the author was trying to mesh too many things together into the story. A dystopian witch hunting society, with elemental witches feels like a cake mixed with pudding and ice-cream and whipped-cream - ie too much sugar (except that the plot was anything but sweet).
Thank you to Little Brown for sending me a proof of this copy in exchange for an honest review.
This was such a let down personally. I was expecting a lot more from the plot. The characters were totally disconnected and I could not even care what happened to them. The whole thing fell flat and disjointed and sad to say but it felt that the author was trying to mesh too many things together into the story. A dystopian witch hunting society, with elemental witches feels like a cake mixed with pudding and ice-cream and whipped-cream - ie too much sugar (except that the plot was anything but sweet).
Thank you to Little Brown for sending me a proof of this copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 6, 2022
This is (unfortunately) a case of: it's not you, it's me.
A really cool premise: a global race to defeat an all-powering oppressive governmental force told from multiple perspectives of three witches all with unique powers.
There are 3 types of witches: Elemental witches (the most dangerous), Crystal witches (who access their powers through - you guessed it! - crystals and jewelry), and Kitchen witches (who use everyday items you would find in a kitchen to perform spells). I was super intrigued by this! Yet the AUDACITY of some of the men in this book was too much for me. I read to escape, not to experience things that happen when I walk down the street.
A really cool premise: a global race to defeat an all-powering oppressive governmental force told from multiple perspectives of three witches all with unique powers.
There are 3 types of witches: Elemental witches (the most dangerous), Crystal witches (who access their powers through - you guessed it! - crystals and jewelry), and Kitchen witches (who use everyday items you would find in a kitchen to perform spells). I was super intrigued by this! Yet the AUDACITY of some of the men in this book was too much for me. I read to escape, not to experience things that happen when I walk down the street.
did-not-finish
January 3, 2023DNF @ 54%
Pros:
- diverse characters
- cool premise
Cons:
- too many characters
- too many pov's, all in third person
- too many locations
- trying to be too many things at once - dystopian, feminist, modern, political, a love story, etc.
- some harsh language about women made by both women and men, for a feminist book? Maybe I interpreted it wrong, idk. Could just be the portrayal of misogyny in the book.
- the two FMC seem to have no limits to their powers? It's mad. I'll never find out but I also don't really care about any of these characters.
Pros:
- diverse characters
- cool premise
Cons:
- too many characters
- too many pov's, all in third person
- too many locations
- trying to be too many things at once - dystopian, feminist, modern, political, a love story, etc.
- some harsh language about women made by both women and men, for a feminist book? Maybe I interpreted it wrong, idk. Could just be the portrayal of misogyny in the book.
- the two FMC seem to have no limits to their powers? It's mad. I'll never find out but I also don't really care about any of these characters.
October 24, 2021
4 stars.
I enjoyed this much more than I thought I would, given the genre. I got this one in a mystery book subscription, and as it kind of suited a Halloween theme plus a couple of my book group friends have the same book, we read it as a buddy read. What really helped me to get into this one was how closely aligned the setting was with the real world, albeit with an element of witchcraft included, because I thought that meant there was only one thing I had to get into my mind – the rest of the world operated like normal. The book opens in what I thought was a bit of a mysterious air, I wasn’t quite sure what was going on, but I appreciated how quickly things are explained and the who’s who made clear.
I enjoyed the first two parts of the book, essentially introducing . I felt like both of these parts had a bit of an “oh, what’s going on here?” element at the start, with before things eventually become clear.
The third and fourth part I found lulled a bit in the storyline, I felt like we got a bit bogged down in the details as . There were some vibes that I felt were similar to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which I also thought was a bit boggy details-wise (though I was much younger when I read that one), but the impending confrontation kept me excited and as such made this a bit more of a page-turner than it otherwise would have been.
I was scoring this at 3.5 until that point, but I thought the ending came together just so beautifully that I increased to 4. I .
Overall, a nice sojourn into the dystopian world – one that I don’t venture into very often. I do think I’m opening up to the genre a little more than I used to though, and I’ve gotten a couple of recommendations that I intend to check out!
I enjoyed this much more than I thought I would, given the genre. I got this one in a mystery book subscription, and as it kind of suited a Halloween theme plus a couple of my book group friends have the same book, we read it as a buddy read. What really helped me to get into this one was how closely aligned the setting was with the real world, albeit with an element of witchcraft included, because I thought that meant there was only one thing I had to get into my mind – the rest of the world operated like normal. The book opens in what I thought was a bit of a mysterious air, I wasn’t quite sure what was going on, but I appreciated how quickly things are explained and the who’s who made clear.
I enjoyed the first two parts of the book, essentially introducing . I felt like both of these parts had a bit of an “oh, what’s going on here?” element at the start, with before things eventually become clear.
The third and fourth part I found lulled a bit in the storyline, I felt like we got a bit bogged down in the details as . There were some vibes that I felt were similar to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which I also thought was a bit boggy details-wise (though I was much younger when I read that one), but the impending confrontation kept me excited and as such made this a bit more of a page-turner than it otherwise would have been.
I was scoring this at 3.5 until that point, but I thought the ending came together just so beautifully that I increased to 4. I .
Overall, a nice sojourn into the dystopian world – one that I don’t venture into very often. I do think I’m opening up to the genre a little more than I used to though, and I’ve gotten a couple of recommendations that I intend to check out!
April 3, 2023
I'm honestly not sure how this got published, although given the proclamation on the back page that the author is an internationally acclaimed writer I have to assume connections. It certainly isn't the merits of the book.
There are so many things that make this book infuriatingly difficult to read, and at nearly 450 pages it would take hours to properly list them all. However, it is consistently shoddy. It gives the impression of being cobbled together with very little thought, from plot points that go nowhere or reappear and disappear randomly, to several plot strands that are not only flawed but completely nonsensical even as they are presented, let alone when you think about them further. Any hints at providing some kind of background for the story or characters fails because every new point is contradicted by other pieces of the story or characters.
Why is there a coven of the most powerful witches that no-one knows about, except everyone knows about, and they are too powerful to be taken down except the only reason they aren't defeated by a handful of shoddy bad guys is one superwitch? Other covens are hinted at but don't seem to exist except the one that kind of does? Witches outside the completely unexplained Sentinel controlled areas are free and artifacts sold but they're not free and in hiding and attacked by rogue agents? Crystal witches have to work on their power but have innate power? Kitchen witches are mentioned a handful of times then ignored to the point I really struggle to understand why they were brought up at all? Legacies... Exist? Pentagram is easily accessed by anyone with any kind of net savvy and has been used to organise attacks but is impossible to access (unless you're one of the bad guys who are bad with technology) and has no widespread use that we see and is hardly mentioned? There was a whole maiden, mother, crone thing that seemed important and then went absolutely nowhere, which also made a whole portion of the book and a pretty major event utterly pointless. Even the format of the book starts off with interjections between chapters to flesh out the world (badly and largely pointlessly) and then these are apparently forgotten as it continues. The major twist of the book is scientifically inaccurate and makes no in world or out of world sense, although at this point that seems like a trivial complaint.
The prose itself is dire. While it is occasionally harmless enough to be quite entertaining (chuckles were had at the possible insinuation of a man pushing a car with his groin) it is frequently difficult to tell what's actually happening because the writing is so bad. In places there's endless repetition, sentences that lose all ability to be fluently read by the author's assumption no-one will understand what she's saying unless repeatedly hit over the head with it. This is also the first time I've truly understood the phrase "show don't tell" - I'm a fan of writing that tells you what's happening instead of being too focussed on action points, but this proves what the problem is. The writing consistently told us things from a characters perspective that they couldn't possibly know, whether because they couldn't actually see it or would need to read someone's mind - and this is in a book that introduces various kinds of magical links and mind reading and still doesn't make use of this in a way that makes sense. (I could write an entire review on the mind linking and how wildly inconsistent and stupid it is, but I won't, because life is too short. Safe to say it reads like the author thought it might be interesting, didn't think it through at all, and spent the whole book playing catch up wit the need to change the power every time a new plot point happened.) This also gets worse as increasingly each chapter starts in one place then tells us how they got there, so scenes jump backwards when it would have been much easier to just read an account of what happened. Even within scenes the perspective randomly switched between characters, in such a way it always felt jarring but was somehow also difficult to tell who you were with at any given time.
The characters themselves are, I think, awful, but it's hard to tell since they don't have much character to speak of. Most of them are complete stereotypes, only worse because they don't even make sense as stereotypes - see the cowboy, incessantly referred to as the cowboy, seemingly based on the fact he wears cowboy boots at one point, but is from California. The desperation of the author to typecast her characters leads to them being referred to by incredibly annoying and stupid nicknames, and also strips any potential depth - the tortured 19 year old is a teenager, and while wildly inconsistent when she is allowed a character it's whiny 14 year old. The professor is generic academic with whatever knowledge is conveniently needed, although largely unnecessary. Also he's super weedy, because all academics are so weak and feeble. There's a magical negro stereotype, who is introduced as looking like a Zulu warrior just in case the racism wasn't on the nose enough. There's a fiery, independent Latina woman with flowing hair and a temper who must learn to love but is definitely not a racist caricature. One of the Bad Men uses the word cuck almost every time we hear him speak just in case we didn't get the message about toxic misogyny. I cannot begin to explain the ham-fisted attempt at a romance story, except to say that straight people shouldn't be allowed to write sex scenes until they learn what foreplay is. Each character has a handful of memories/personality traits/family history points that are repeated, often word for word, so often throughout the book I began to wonder if the author assumed no-one would be able to get through it without skimming and missing most of the little character developments there was. Sadly I did not take this approach and therefore read all of these. It was not fun.
One star because despite some serious TERF vibes there was actually a trans character who was treated well, by cis "don't really understand gender but support trans people" standards. Frankly that was a nice surprise. It was the only one.
There are so many things that make this book infuriatingly difficult to read, and at nearly 450 pages it would take hours to properly list them all. However, it is consistently shoddy. It gives the impression of being cobbled together with very little thought, from plot points that go nowhere or reappear and disappear randomly, to several plot strands that are not only flawed but completely nonsensical even as they are presented, let alone when you think about them further. Any hints at providing some kind of background for the story or characters fails because every new point is contradicted by other pieces of the story or characters.
Why is there a coven of the most powerful witches that no-one knows about, except everyone knows about, and they are too powerful to be taken down except the only reason they aren't defeated by a handful of shoddy bad guys is one superwitch? Other covens are hinted at but don't seem to exist except the one that kind of does? Witches outside the completely unexplained Sentinel controlled areas are free and artifacts sold but they're not free and in hiding and attacked by rogue agents? Crystal witches have to work on their power but have innate power? Kitchen witches are mentioned a handful of times then ignored to the point I really struggle to understand why they were brought up at all? Legacies... Exist? Pentagram is easily accessed by anyone with any kind of net savvy and has been used to organise attacks but is impossible to access (unless you're one of the bad guys who are bad with technology) and has no widespread use that we see and is hardly mentioned? There was a whole maiden, mother, crone thing that seemed important and then went absolutely nowhere, which also made a whole portion of the book and a pretty major event utterly pointless. Even the format of the book starts off with interjections between chapters to flesh out the world (badly and largely pointlessly) and then these are apparently forgotten as it continues. The major twist of the book is scientifically inaccurate and makes no in world or out of world sense, although at this point that seems like a trivial complaint.
The prose itself is dire. While it is occasionally harmless enough to be quite entertaining (chuckles were had at the possible insinuation of a man pushing a car with his groin) it is frequently difficult to tell what's actually happening because the writing is so bad. In places there's endless repetition, sentences that lose all ability to be fluently read by the author's assumption no-one will understand what she's saying unless repeatedly hit over the head with it. This is also the first time I've truly understood the phrase "show don't tell" - I'm a fan of writing that tells you what's happening instead of being too focussed on action points, but this proves what the problem is. The writing consistently told us things from a characters perspective that they couldn't possibly know, whether because they couldn't actually see it or would need to read someone's mind - and this is in a book that introduces various kinds of magical links and mind reading and still doesn't make use of this in a way that makes sense. (I could write an entire review on the mind linking and how wildly inconsistent and stupid it is, but I won't, because life is too short. Safe to say it reads like the author thought it might be interesting, didn't think it through at all, and spent the whole book playing catch up wit the need to change the power every time a new plot point happened.) This also gets worse as increasingly each chapter starts in one place then tells us how they got there, so scenes jump backwards when it would have been much easier to just read an account of what happened. Even within scenes the perspective randomly switched between characters, in such a way it always felt jarring but was somehow also difficult to tell who you were with at any given time.
The characters themselves are, I think, awful, but it's hard to tell since they don't have much character to speak of. Most of them are complete stereotypes, only worse because they don't even make sense as stereotypes - see the cowboy, incessantly referred to as the cowboy, seemingly based on the fact he wears cowboy boots at one point, but is from California. The desperation of the author to typecast her characters leads to them being referred to by incredibly annoying and stupid nicknames, and also strips any potential depth - the tortured 19 year old is a teenager, and while wildly inconsistent when she is allowed a character it's whiny 14 year old. The professor is generic academic with whatever knowledge is conveniently needed, although largely unnecessary. Also he's super weedy, because all academics are so weak and feeble. There's a magical negro stereotype, who is introduced as looking like a Zulu warrior just in case the racism wasn't on the nose enough. There's a fiery, independent Latina woman with flowing hair and a temper who must learn to love but is definitely not a racist caricature. One of the Bad Men uses the word cuck almost every time we hear him speak just in case we didn't get the message about toxic misogyny. I cannot begin to explain the ham-fisted attempt at a romance story, except to say that straight people shouldn't be allowed to write sex scenes until they learn what foreplay is. Each character has a handful of memories/personality traits/family history points that are repeated, often word for word, so often throughout the book I began to wonder if the author assumed no-one would be able to get through it without skimming and missing most of the little character developments there was. Sadly I did not take this approach and therefore read all of these. It was not fun.
One star because despite some serious TERF vibes there was actually a trans character who was treated well, by cis "don't really understand gender but support trans people" standards. Frankly that was a nice surprise. It was the only one.
December 16, 2021
Ein Buch, das aufrütteln könnte
Wir sind wieder im Mittelalter gelandet, denn in diesem Buch werden Frauen als Brutkasten und Haushaltshilfe missbraucht. Mag sein, dass man dies zu ihrem „Schutz“ verkauft, aber als das schwache Geschlecht werden sie dennoch ausgebeutet und zum Kinderhüten verdammt bzw. missbraucht. Eine Zeit, die gar nicht so weit zurückliegt.
Eine Welt, in der es Hexen und normale Menschen gibt, die nebeneinander leben, ohne Probleme. Bis eines Tages ein Mann daherkommt und alles zunichtemacht. Er schürt Angst auf der ganzen Welt und besiegelt damit das Todesurteil vieler Frauen und Kinder. Doch nicht alle lassen sich das gefallen. Der Aufstand bereitet sich vor und wartet auf die Eine!
Eine meisterhafte Darstellung unserer Welt mit einem großen Fantasy-Anteil. Wird unsere Welt doch auch immer noch von alten Männern beherrscht, die sich als „das starke Geschlecht“ bezeichnen und die „alte Weltordnung“ sehr gern zurückhätten.
Die Wendung des Ganzen habe ich allerdings nicht erwartet und doch war das Ende vorhersehbar, wenn auch zwischen 2 völlig anderen Personen als anfangs erwartet. Der Showdown ging mir dann allerdings doch etwas zu schnell, dafür, dass dieses Buch so dick ist und sich das alles so groß aufgebaut hatte.
Trotzdem eine klare Leseempfehlung und eine klitzekleine Hoffnung, dass es noch weitergehen könnte, denn der Epilog klingt wie ein Neuanfang.
Wir sind wieder im Mittelalter gelandet, denn in diesem Buch werden Frauen als Brutkasten und Haushaltshilfe missbraucht. Mag sein, dass man dies zu ihrem „Schutz“ verkauft, aber als das schwache Geschlecht werden sie dennoch ausgebeutet und zum Kinderhüten verdammt bzw. missbraucht. Eine Zeit, die gar nicht so weit zurückliegt.
Eine Welt, in der es Hexen und normale Menschen gibt, die nebeneinander leben, ohne Probleme. Bis eines Tages ein Mann daherkommt und alles zunichtemacht. Er schürt Angst auf der ganzen Welt und besiegelt damit das Todesurteil vieler Frauen und Kinder. Doch nicht alle lassen sich das gefallen. Der Aufstand bereitet sich vor und wartet auf die Eine!
Eine meisterhafte Darstellung unserer Welt mit einem großen Fantasy-Anteil. Wird unsere Welt doch auch immer noch von alten Männern beherrscht, die sich als „das starke Geschlecht“ bezeichnen und die „alte Weltordnung“ sehr gern zurückhätten.
Die Wendung des Ganzen habe ich allerdings nicht erwartet und doch war das Ende vorhersehbar, wenn auch zwischen 2 völlig anderen Personen als anfangs erwartet. Der Showdown ging mir dann allerdings doch etwas zu schnell, dafür, dass dieses Buch so dick ist und sich das alles so groß aufgebaut hatte.
Trotzdem eine klare Leseempfehlung und eine klitzekleine Hoffnung, dass es noch weitergehen könnte, denn der Epilog klingt wie ein Neuanfang.
July 24, 2025
A gripping dystopian fantasy with a strong cast—Chloe, Adelita, Daniel, and Ethan shine as they navigate a world hostile to witches. The story is fast-paced and thought-provoking, earning a solid 4.5 stars. While the Sentinels’ misogyny is intense, it serves the narrative’s themes well. The ending could’ve been tighter, and I’d have loved more insight into the power levels of the most gifted witches, but overall, it’s a compelling and timely read.
July 4, 2022
I'll say it: the best witch book I've read. THE POLITICS, THE SCIENTIFIC FACTS, THE RANDOM DIVERSITY, THE C H A R A C T E R S
this is so insanely good. I loved it so so so much and I already miss it, a new favourite🥺❤️
this is so insanely good. I loved it so so so much and I already miss it, a new favourite🥺❤️
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