The Year of the Witching (Bethel, #1)

by Alexis Henderson

A young woman living in a rigid, puritanical society discovers dark powers within herself in this stunning, feminist fantasy debut.
 
In the lands of Bethel, where the Prophet's word is law, Immanuelle Moore's very existence is blasphemy. Her mother’s union with an outsider of a different race cast her once-proud family into disgrace, so Immanuelle does her best to worship the Father, follow Holy Protocol, and lead a life of submission, devotion, and absolute conformity, like all the other women in the settlement.

But a mishap lures her into the forbidden Darkwood surrounding Bethel, where the first prophet once chased and killed four powerful witches. Their spirits are still lurking there, and they bestow a gift on Immanuelle: the journal of her dead mother, who Immanuelle is shocked to learn once sought sanctuary in the wood.

Fascinated by the secrets in the diary, Immanuelle finds herself struggling to understand how her mother could have consorted with the witches. But when she begins to learn grim truths about the Church and its history, she realizes the true threat to Bethel is its own darkness. And she starts to understand that if Bethel is to change, it must begin with her.

• ISBN10: 0593099605
• ISBN13: 9780593099605
• Publish Date: 21 July 2020
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc
• Imprint: Ace Books
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 368
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780593099605

Reviews

[Witty and Sarcastic Bookclub]

This is going to be a very odd, convoluted review. I have very mixed thoughts on this one, so of course I’ll be unable to do much but blather. You have been warned.

The Year of the Witching felt like a mash-up of The Crucible and M. Night’s The Village, with some Anne Rice thrown in for good measure. It was haunting and I won’t forget it in a hurry.

The first thing I noticed was the author’s incredible ability to make a small, simple setting seem ominous and fraught with peril. The book takes place in a small, puritanical village. Women are seen as secondary to men and the Prophet controls everything. He uses fear and years of tradition to keep his cult in line. It was uncomfortable to read, but also fascinating. It got me mulling over the differences between obedience through faith and obedience through fear.

The book follows Immanuel, an illegitimate child of a woman who cheated on her betrothed with an Outskirter, a man of a different race and religion. That union does not end well, and Immanuel is raised by the family her mother was supposed to marry into. Immanuel tries to be subservient, the way women are supposed to be in this society, but instead is drawn in the Darkwood, a place of witches and curses. Something is started that only she can stop, if anyone can.

The characters themselves were interesting. The Prophet gave me major ick vibes (he’s supposed to), and at times it became too much. He legitimately scared me because he was utterly believable. In fact, the entire book got under my skin. It borrowed in deep and ended up really unsettling me.

I’m not sure entirely what was so disturbing about this book. I definitely think the overcontrolling patriarchy was part of it, as were the witches themselves. Nothing was overdone; Hendersen kept a balance between the “everyday life” of the book, and the creepiness that slowly bled into that. The curses themselves were set in motion in a way that just really bothered me.

That being said, the book is absolutely engrossing. The slower buildup complimented the claustrophobic feel of the town, and Immanuel’s discontent with the religion and fear of her disobedience being discovered just added to that. Despite being incredibly unsettled, I wanted to know how it ended. I don’t know if I would necessarily recommend this book to every horror reader, but if you like subtle atmospheric horror, this will suit you.
https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.home.blog/2020/11/22/the-year-of-the-witching-by-alexis-hendersen/

I definitely enjoyed the book and the gothic dystopian vibes!! It had mystery, magic, thrills, and a strong feminine protagonist. What’s not to love?

To be honest, this book had a solid and consistent 4 star rating from me, and I was absolutely convinced the ending would change that to a 5! However, I wasn’t that impressed with the way it ended. I can’t go in to details without it being a spoiler, but what I can say is that it was way too tidy, too…. perfect. To be blunt (and not overly exaggerative) the moment of suspenseful revealing AND the conclusion was given in 3 very short chapters. The final 3 chapters before the Epilogue. It all just seemed too easy! Not to mention, predictable.

The author’s writing style is fantastic and the plot is uniquely intriguing though, and like I said…. it’s worth the read!

From what I understand, Henderson is planning to write a second book and I do plan on reading it! I’m really hoping the next book explores more of the surrounding villages outside the gates of Bethel. And despite my 3 star rating, I am looking forward to the next one.

Overall, if you like occult, gothic, dystopia genres…. you’d enjoy this! I do recommend going in this with symbolic feminism set in a dystopian microcosm, and not so much a “witch thriller” per se. Basically, expect [b:The Handmaid's Tale|38447|The Handmaid's Tale (The Handmaid's Tale, #1)|Margaret Atwood|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1578028274l/38447._SY75_.jpg|1119185] or [b:The Water Cure|39335566|The Water Cure|Sophie Mackintosh|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1521604165l/39335566._SY75_.jpg|56832986] type of story but with witches instead.

[cornerfolds]

Earlier this summer I read The Year of the Witching and immediately became obsessed! Imagine my dismay when I found this review sitting in my drafts! How will everyone know how incredible this book is if I don't yell about it?

The Year of the Witching is what I'd hoped Agnes At the End of the World would be - a dark and terrifying cult fantasy with an incredible, feminist heroine and amazing world building. First of all, Immanuelle is a fascinating main character. Her backstory is heart-wrenching and she was highly relatable, but not in a Mary Sue kind of way. Simply put, I loved her. I also loved the Prophet's son, Ezra, and their unlikely relationship. The Prophet, by the way, it a truly disgusting and creepy villain.

Speaking of creepy, the absolute best thing about this story is the atmosphere. They say not to judge a book by its cover, but this one certainly sets the mood. It's dark and tense and will keep you on the edge of your seat. The scares in this book are slow and unsettling and I could not get enough of it. The world building is so good, I felt like I was right in the middle of Bethel.

There was truly nothing I didn't love about The Year of the Witching other than that it ended too soon. I'm really hoping for a sequel, but I can't wait to read whatever she writes next in any case. Alexis Henderson is definitely on my auto-buy list!

[HekArtemis]

4.5 stars

[Joni Reads]

Thank you to Edelweiss Plus and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book would be the perfect fall read. I loved every second of it and the world building was so spot on.

Immanuelle's story just pulls you in and makes you want to know everything about her world.

There were so many layers to this story and I just love how it was developed. I loved the character of Ezra and looked forward to all scenes with him.

There was one loose end that wasn't tied up that is very small and most people would probably not notice but for those that need to know all the details about everything I can see it being an slight annoyance that there is no closure for one small matter.

Aside from that issue this book is flawless. I absolutely loved it and definitely plan to reread it come October as it would be the perfect spooky Halloween read.

[kimbacaffeinate]

Anytime I slip into a story with a Puritan vibe, I cringe even as it fascinates me. Superstition, gifted ones, and rules that oppress combined with the forbidden woods where witches hold power and create mischief quickly pulled me in.

Henderson shared a world that felt familiar but made the town, the woods, the witches and the characters her own. I found myself captivated by Immanuelle’s origins, the twisted leader and his obedient sheep.

Atmospheric and suspenseful, the tension and dark foreboding built from the moment Immanuelle stepped into the Darkwood. I loved the supernatural elements from the symbols to the vivid moments in the woods. It was terrifying and empowering. The author brought the dark to light with descriptive prose that sent shivers tingling down my spine.

An outcast since birth, Immanuelle is painfully aware of her differences, but she’s resilient and fearless. You felt her struggles to follow the protocols even as she questioned the actions of those within her faith.

There is a light romance that provided Immanuelle an ally. The family ruined by the events of her birth suffered both in status and financial comforts. The Prophet and his teaching had a cult-like vibe and reminded me of Hawthorne’s Scarlet Letter, stories of the Puritans, and Atwood’s Handmaid’s Tale.

Henderson drew a stark contrast between the woods and the religious aspects of Bethel. She painted vivid imagery and weaved an unforgettable tale of cures, forgiveness and forbidden love.

If you are looking for a witchy, supernatural tale with dark elements to set your hair on end, grab The Year of the Witching and enjoy! This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer