Witch Dagger Night in the Woods In the dark depths of the dense forest, a mythical event takes place once a year - the Witch Dagger Night. Legend has it that on this night, witches from all around gather in the heart of the woods to perform a sacred ceremony with a unique and powerful dagger. The origins of this peculiar tradition remain shrouded in mystery. Some believe that it dates back centuries, originating from ancient witch covens that inhabited the very woods where the ceremony takes place. Others speculate that it is a more recent tradition, invented to add an air of enchantment to the already mystical forest. Regardless of its origins, Witch Dagger Night has become a highly anticipated event both for those who dabble in the world of witchcraft and for curious adventurers seeking a glimpse into the unknown.
Regardless of its origins, Witch Dagger Night has become a highly anticipated event both for those who dabble in the world of witchcraft and for curious adventurers seeking a glimpse into the unknown. The night is said to be filled with magic, as the witches perform spells, enchantments, and rituals with the infamous Witch Dagger. The Witch Dagger itself is said to possess extraordinary powers.
Occult feminine manifesto
A genre-warping, time-travelling horror novel-slash-feminist manifesto for fans of Clarice Lispector and Jeanette Winterson.
Welcome to 1990s Norway. White picket fences run in neat rows and Christian conservatism runs deep. But as the Artist considers her work, things start stirring themselves up. In a corner of Oslo a coven of witches begin cooking up some curses. A time-travelling Edvard Munch arrives in town to join a death metal band, closely pursued by the teenaged subject of his painting Puberty, who has murder on her mind. Meanwhile, out deep in the forest, a group of school girls get very lost and things get very strange. And awful things happen in aspic.
Jenny Hval's latest novel is a radical fusion of queer feminist theory and experimental horror, and a unique treatise on magic, writing and art.
"Strange and lyrical. Hval’s writing is surreal and rich with the grotesque banalities of human existence." —Publishers Weekly
"The themes of alienation, queerness, and the unsettling nature of desire align Hval with modern mainstays like Chris Kraus, Ottessa Moshfegh, and Maggie Nelson." —Pitchfork
About the Author
Norwegian writer and musician Jenny Hval has honed an intellectual and uncompromising view of politics and sexuality in her prose as well as in records that include Blood Bitch; Apocalypse, Girl; and Innocence Is Kinky. Her debut novel, Paradise Rot, was published to acclaim in 2018.
Praise For…
"This genre-bending novel from a self-described gloomy child queen blends feminism and the occult with a touch of time-travel."
–Boston Globe
"An incendiary genre-bending novel. Throughout, Hval employs a dirge-like repetition of themes (feminist rage prominent among them), which enlivens her witchy visions and sets the stage for a reincarnated Edvard Munch, on the run from the vengeful subject of his painting Puberty. Hval's fascinating exploration is not for the faint of heart, but those who like it dark will find this right up their alley."
–Publishers Weekly
“Astute.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“[Girls Against God] is part fever dream, part manifesto, and part nostalgic reminiscing, with a hefty dose of feminist and queer theory for good measure … Chaotic yet ordered, Hval dives deeply into the process of self-discovery. [Her] language is visceral and haunting, corporal and carnal.”
—Carolyn Ciesla, Booklist
“This genre-bending novel from a self-described gloomy child queen blends feminism and the occult with a touch of time travel.”
—Joshunda Sanders, Boston Globe
“The atmosphere of Girls against God is on its surface bleak and unforgiving and yet beneath that impression there is a second story about the strength and solidarity of despised women.”
—David Renton, Morning Star
“[In] Girls Against God, Hval plunges up to her elbows in the thick, black, chthonic goo of rebellion and angst, through the quintessentially Scandinavian medium of black metal. The black-metal scene has historically been extremely sexist, but Hval reclaims it for the hateful, nihilistic teenage girls of the world with a decades-spanning tale of cinematic terrorism, political witchcraft, and satanic noise.”
—AV Club
“What begins with dressing as a goth and cursing at school morphs into witches’ covens and fantastic demonic, cannibalistic banquets. Along the way Hval segues into the role of language (Norwegian, but also English) as a tool of both suppression and liberation, and the role of digital technology in the same.”
—Mark Rappolt, ArtReview
“Hval is one of the few musicians to branch out into the world of literary fiction. For Hval, it is a sideline that makes total sense, working as an extension of her atmospheric sound and descriptive, inquisitive lyrics.”
—Leonie Cooper, Guardian
“It is Hval’s unflinching attitude to mixing genres that has brought both her essays and her bewitching, otherworldly music to critical acclaim … Hval is best in her moments of dark humour and in her writing on femininity.”
—Baya Simons, Financial Times
“Ambitious … [Girls Against God] has much of interest to say about the loneliness and pleasure of adolescent blasphemy, with totems of patriarchal Norwegian authority such as Knut Hamsun, Henrik Ibsen, Edvard Munch, and the Lutheran church singled out in the narrator’s crosshairs.”
—George MacBeth, Asymptote Journal
“Anti-bourgeois and feminist, soaked in conviction and rage.”
—Cal Revely-Calder, Telegraph
“Strange and seductive and challenging and, at times, very funny … a reminder that musician-turned-author Hval, is one of the most intriguing, provocative artists around at the moment.”
—Teddy Jamieson, Herald
“Girls Against God covers every angsty young woman’s favourite subjects. Witchcraft, heavy metal, viscera, and hatred. It’s a book in the grand tradition of Kathy Acker and women surrealists everywhere, dancing through space and time into different dimensions.”
—India Lewis, The Arts Desk
“An excellent, bewitching read. Jenny Hval’s musical ability makes her a natural novelist—her writing often feeling like a blend of lyrics and essays. Girls Against God is a terrifying, striking fusion of the occult and female repression. “
—Laura Mehers, Indiependent
“In Girls Against God, Hval challenges the form and conventions of the novel once again: a vivid, seething voice narrates a series of apocalyptic events cut together with food fights, black metal shows, black magic, and surreal, witchy rituals.”
—Alexandra Kleeman, Lit Hub
“Hval, who is known for using body imagery to express political ideas about art, depicts cultish rituals to subvert what she sees as ‘the restrictive framework of our daily lives.’”
—New Yorker
“Girls Against God is compelling, surprising, and frequently inspiring … laced throughout with powerful urban imagery and striking turns of phrase.”
—Andrea Tallarita, PopMatters
“Truly transgressive.”
—Terri-Jane Dow, Severine
“[Girls Against God] is a must-read for anyone looking for a mystifying, genre-bending read.”
—Hannah May-Powers, Tulane Hullabaloo
“Riveting … Like the French philosopher Luce Irigaray, [Hval] explores ideas of what a feminist or radical language would sound like.”
—Sukhdev Sandhu, Guardian
“Hval is steeped in the traditions of autofiction and the theoretical novel … The plot aspires toward an ‘escape route from structure and rhetoric,’ and makes room for thrilling observations on art, magic, and rebirth.”
—Jenn Pelly, Pitchfork (“Favorite Music Books of 2020”)
“If Girls Against God were an artwork, it would be a Munch—raw, dark and seething.”
—Chloë Ashby, Times Literary Supplement
“Readers drawn to more experimental literature will feel strangely at home in Jenny Hval’s novel. For all of Girls Against God’s baffling imagery and cryptic dialogue, the narrator registers as an individual longing for an existence outside the binary of light and dark, good and evil; a voice oppressed by a lifetime of being told it must be saved because it is lost, one that sees in the archetype of the witch not a heretic or a deviant but something more elemental: someone who is free.”
—Zack Ravas, Zyzzyva
“[Hval] pries into black metal’s past to present an alternative, radical, and genuinely liberating trajectory for black metal to exist as a dissident art form.”
—William Peel, Overland
“Hval’s writing embraces finding new ways to express thought patterns, experiences, and stories—and encourages people to let go of logic rather than look for the familiar markers of institutionally accepted creative writing.”
—Nathania Gilson, Hazlitt
“To say that Jenny Hval has an impressive creative range is an understatement … Girls Against God is ambitious, with a plot that blends time travel, black metal, witchcraft, and film theory.”
—Tobias Carroll, Tor
“Realism blends with the surreal in this beautifully blunt, utterly unique novel. I don’t know how Hval combines so many disparate elements, but it’s a triumph. Like a seamless blending of Virginie Despentes, Leonora Carrington, and Rikki Ducornet while being completely Hval. Maybe we should call it a Hvalution.”
—Jeff VanderMeer
“Thought-provoking and furiously original, Girls Against God is a subversive manifesto on the power of music, meaning-making, counterculture and rebelling against the horrific banality of the everyday.”
—Sharlene Teo
- Fiction / Political
- Fiction / LGBTQ+ / Lesbian
- Fiction / Psychological
- MP3 CD (April 27th, 2021): $39.99
- Compact Disc (April 27th, 2021): $34.99
"Strange and lyrical. Hval’s writing is surreal and rich with the grotesque banalities of human existence." —Publishers Weekly
Its blade is said to have been forged by the first witch to roam these woods, using a combination of rare and mystical metals. Some claim that the dagger has the ability to grant wishes, while others believe it can unlock secret doors to other dimensions or even control time itself. To witness the Witch Dagger Night, one must navigate the treacherous woods, guided only by the light of the full moon and the distant sound of chanting. The atmosphere is electric, with the energy of the witches pulsating through the air. It is not uncommon to come across peculiar sights - ethereal lights dancing among the trees, herbs and potions simmering over open fires, and the occasional glimpse of a witch's silhouette adorned in flowing robes. As midnight approaches, the intensity of the night heightens. The ceremonial site is revealed - a clearing in the center of the woods adorned with intricate symbols drawn in the earth. The witches form a circle around the site, wielding their brooms and holding the Witch Dagger high. With a surge of power, the witches begin their incantations, summoning the forces of nature and otherworldly beings. The air crackles with energy, and the forest seems to come alive with unseen entities. The climax of the night is reached when the Witch Dagger is plunged into a central stone, unleashing a burst of dazzling lights and mysterious sounds. As quickly as it began, the ceremony comes to an end. The witches disperse into the woods, leaving only whispers of their presence behind. Those who witnessed this enchanting night are forever changed by the experience, filled with a deep sense of wonder and awe. Witch Dagger Night in the woods remains an enigmatic tradition, captivating the imagination of all who hear its tale. It serves as a reminder that the world is still filled with unexplained wonders and that hidden in the shadows of the forest, magic is alive and well..
Reviews for "The Witch Dagger and its Connection to Witches in Night in the Woods"
1. Emily - 2/5 stars - "I was really looking forward to "Witch Dagger Night in the Woods" based on all the hype, but I ended up being disappointed. The storyline felt disjointed and confusing, with too many characters introduced too quickly. It was hard to keep track of who was who and what their motivations were. Additionally, the dialogue felt forced and unnatural, making it difficult to connect with any of the characters. Overall, I found the experience frustrating and underwhelming."
2. David - 1/5 stars - "I found "Witch Dagger Night in the Woods" to be a complete waste of time. The graphics were clunky and outdated, making it hard to immerse myself in the game. The puzzles were tedious and lacked logic, often requiring me to rely on trial and error rather than using my problem-solving skills. The story lacked depth and failed to engage me in any meaningful way. I regret spending money on this game and would not recommend it to anyone."
3. Sarah - 2/5 stars - "I had high hopes for "Witch Dagger Night in the Woods", but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The gameplay was monotonous and repetitive, with little variation or excitement. The characters felt one-dimensional, lacking depth or development. The overall atmosphere of the game was simply not engaging, and I found myself losing interest quickly. While the concept of the game had potential, the execution left much to be desired."