Of Sorrow and Such

Men vs. witches/women. In a world where women are witches or shapeshifters and are often suspect, there's no safety for any woman. Even if you're not touched by the supernatural. This one reads to me like a feminist parable. The women do whatever they have to in order to remain safe, including violence and a bit of mayhem and revenge. They're not heroines, they're trying to stay alive. I know that this is lots closer to real life for many women than I'd like, but it makes the protagonists uncomfortable characters. That's the biggest reason I gave it 3 stars vs. 4. But it's a good feminist work. This kind of thing probably SHOULD make us a bit uncomfortable.

This book was AMAZING. The audiobook was beautifully narrated, the writing style is one of the most unique and enjoyable I have encountered in a long time, and the story is relatively short but impactful. The story follows Patience Gideon, who is a witch in a time where it is not advisable to let anybody know you are one. She and the other women in this book are excellently complex characters, neither afraid of their gentle or fierce sides, they are of all ages, and support each other in a world that does anything but. I don't even know where to start raving about this book. Please just do yourself the favour and pick it up. And if anyone knows about more books set in this world, or can recommend more by the author, please let me know! Two quotes I marked (it's a bit difficult with audio): "Females are seldom remembered once they've gone beneath the earth, indeed, many go unremarked while they are still upon it." "I worship none, and what woman with a brain in her head obeys anyone, let alone a failure?"

Yet another Tor.com release that is short but very bittersweet. After reading this historical tale of how the witches come out on top during a time they were being burnt alive, I find myself wanting to delve into both Patience and Selke's backstories as noted in some of Ms. Slatter's other works.