The Witches of New York (Ami McKay's Witches, #1)

by Ami McKay

The beloved, bestselling author of The Birth House and The Virgin Cure is back with her most beguiling novel yet, luring us deep inside the lives of a trio of remarkable young women navigating the glitz and grotesqueries of Gilded-Age New York by any means possible, including witchcraft...

The year is 1880. Two hundred years after the trials in Salem, Adelaide Thom (Moth from The Virgin Cure) has left her life in the sideshow to open a tea shop with another young woman who feels it's finally safe enough to describe herself as a witch: a former medical student and gardien de sorts (keeper of spells), Eleanor St. Clair. Together they cater to Manhattan's high society ladies, specializing in cures, palmistry and potions—and in guarding the secrets of their clients. All is well until one bright September afternoon, when an enchanting young woman named Beatrice Dunn arrives at their door seeking employment.
     Beatrice soon becomes indispensable as Eleanor's apprentice, but her new life with the witches is marred by strange occurrences. She sees things no one else can see. She hears voices no one else can hear. Objects appear out of thin air, as if gifts from the dead. Has she been touched by magic or is she simply losing her mind? Eleanor wants to tread lightly and respect the magic manifest in the girl, but Adelaide sees a business opportunity. Working with Dr. Quinn Brody, a talented alienist, she submits Beatrice to a series of tests to see if she truly can talk to spirits. Amidst the witches' tug-of-war over what's best for her, Beatrice disappears, leaving them to wonder whether it was by choice or by force.
     As Adelaide and Eleanor begin the desperate search for Beatrice, they're confronted by accusations and spectres from their own pasts. In a time when women were corseted, confined and committed for merely speaking their minds, were any of them safe?

• ISBN10: 0676979599
• ISBN13: 9780676979596
• Publish Date: 4 July 2017 (first published 19 May 2016)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: CA
• Imprint: Vintage Canada
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 528
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/isbn/9780676979596

Reviews

[kimbacaffeinate]

Caffeinated Aspects:

• In a nut shell, this is the story of two witches helping a new witch find her place in the world during a highly religious, dangerous time in America. Eleanor St. Clair and Adelaide Thom own a Tea shop and welcome Beatrice Dunn into their home. She is a powerful young untrained witch.



• The tea shop was delightful and catered to women's needs. I loved that it was run by women for women. McKay used the store setting to highlight the climate for women during this period, and it felt natural and enlightening.



• Paranormal elements from ghosts to talking birds will delight listeners. McKay breathes life into these elements allowing readers to believe in magic, ghosts and more. The witches are aided by a talking Raven and a mischievous pair of Dearlies.



• Richly detailed with spells, lore, and witchcraft.



• McKay is to be commended for the research that is evident as the reader finds themselves amongst the good people of 1880 NY. Her depictions of the streets, townsfolk, climate, and dangers were outstanding. Atmospheric and beautifully crafted McKay pulls you into the tale and its characters.



• THE WITCHES OF NEW YORK weaves suspense, mystery, and magical realism into a believable tale. Steeped with religious overtones, we have a vigilante removing sinners and those practicing witchcraft or possessed of demons from this earth.



• The characters themselves are all unique, quirky and memorable. I enjoyed the banter amongst them and felt as if I were with them in the dark shop.



• Religion, oppression, prejudice and women's rights are all woven into the tale and offer plenty of discussion for those looking for a book club read/listen.



• Julia Whelan narrated and does a splendid job of capturing the female narratives, ominous tones, and ghostly entities.



• The ending wrapped up nicely, but the door was left open with a little suspenseful thread. I would definitely revisit these characters and story.

Decaffeinated Aspects:

• While I loved all the gritty details surrounding life in 1880 and the attention to witchcraft and its history, at times it slowed the pace down making listening difficult. I think had I read this, setting it down and picking it back up wouldn't have made it feel cumbersome at times.



• There were a few threads and characters I felt could have been eliminated from the tale. They did not further the plot and this would have made for better pacing.



• The audio lacks some of the rich details the print copy delivers. Newspaper clippings, drawings, and spells.

Audiobook provided by the publisher. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer

[wyvernfriend]

Occasionally a slog but it was an interesting read. Sometimes vered into academic exploration of the uses of Witch as a condemnatory word about women who don't fit rigid societal boundries.