Witches are often depicted as one of the main antagonists in fairy tales. They can be found in various settings within these tales. One common location for witches is deep in the forest. These dark and mystical woods serve as the perfect backdrop for their spells and enchantments. Additionally, witches can also reside in secluded cottages or huts hidden within the forest. These dwellings are often portrayed as mysterious and eerie, adding to the witch's character.
[su_nt_quote name=”Dante” meta=”from the Divine Comedy”]Midway upon the journey of our life. I found myself within a forest dark, For the straightforward pathway had been lost. [/su_nt_quote] At times in our lives we lose our way in a dark impenetrable emotional forest. Like the twelfth century writer and poet Dante, many fairytale heroes and heroines find themselves in that predicament. They have been betrayed and they are afraid, alone, and craving physical/spiritual food. Remember Snow White being left alone in the forest when her step mother has demanded that the woodcutter kills her? At the time the world is depressing and we cannot seem to find a way out of the situation – we can’t see the wood from the trees. We only see the details and miss the bigger picture in this dark night of the soul. Yet it is this very confusion that gives us the opportunity to turn our lives around and start on a more meaningful path.
The Trickster is referred to as male because he carries attributes often associated with men, such as aggression or anger, sexual promiscuity and self destruction, associated with our lower selves or ego. In Wyrd Sisters the three witches prevent soldiers from killing a baby on the moor at night, and on discovering a crown in the bundle of wrappings, realise they have to hide the child.
These dwellings are often portrayed as mysterious and eerie, adding to the witch's character. Another place where witches can be located is within their own realms or kingdoms. These realms can be enchanted lands or magical dimensions, separate from the human world.
The Once And Future Witches
Synopsis: “In 1893, there’s no such thing as witches. There used to be, in the wild, dark days before the burnings began, but now witching is nothing but tidy charms and nursery rhymes. If the modern woman wants any measure of power, she must find it at the ballot box. But when the Eastwood sisters —James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna — join the suffragists of New Salem, they begin to pursue the forgotten words and ways that might turn the women’s movement into the witch’s movement. Stalked by shadows and sickness, hunted by forces who will not suffer a witch to vote — and perhaps not even to live — the sisters will need to delve into the oldest magics, draw new alliances, and heal the bond between them if they want to survive. There’s no such thing as witches. But there will be—”
I find it fitting that The Once and Future Witches was the first book I finished after deciding to start a book review blog.
The name Fairy Tales and Tea came to mind because I wanted to evoke something whimsical. I wanted it to feel like I’d stumbled upon a ruined castle, blanketed with moss in an ancient forest. Perched high in one of the towers sits a library, untouched for hundreds of years and yet as pristine as if it were occupied only days ago. I wanted a place I could steal away to on a rainy day. A place to hide away and read to my heart’s content. With endless amounts of tea, of course. Cream and sugar, please.
I like that this book is the one I read after making this choice. Not because it was my favorite book ever or because I loved it so much, but because my favorite thing about it was the fairy tales and how they all got tipped on their heads.
Ok, enough chat. Now on to the review!
To start, The Once and Future Witches opens on the three Eastwood sisters: Juniper, Agnes, and Bella. We meet each one in turn and get to know them just a little. Their mother died in childbirth when Juniper was born and they are left to be raised by their abusive father. It seems Mama Mags, their grandmother, is their only source of comfort and knowledge aside from each other. None of that is to last, however. Their father shatters the sister’s relationships and the pieces scatter in the wind.
Years later, the sisters find themselves in the city of New Salem, none of them knowing the other sisters are there. (This is an alternate America. Old Salem was burned to pure ash and now serves as a tourist attraction of sorts. It’s also a warning to those seeking to practice witchcraft. Very much a ‘this will happen to you if-’ scenario.) The three sisters find themselves all drawn to the same square, where they run into each other for the first time in many years. If this isn’t surprising enough, they also see a massive dark tower appear and then quickly disappear in the middle of the city, wrapped in a flurry of wind and magic. The adventure begins.
Juniper, the youngest and by far the most headstrong (and also just flat-out angry), sees a chance for change with the women’s suffragist movement. Bella, the oldest and meeker of the three, is not interested in joining or causing a stir. She simply wants to be left to her books at her job in the Salem College Library. Agnes, the middle sister, portrayed as the wise one, wants nothing to do with any of it and wishes to be left alone. None of them get what they want. We follow the sisters through their journey of healing their past wounds while finding a way to survive. They find themselves on the path to recovering the lost ways of witchcraft and seeking out the Last Three Witches of the West.
They are brought together for an epic journey to find the lost ways, whether they like it or not.
When it comes to favorites in The Once and Future Witches, for me, it’s the magic system. Women’s magic (yes, there is also men’s magic) is hidden in plain sight. Women hide the words in nursery rhymes and needlepoint, children’s stories, and lullabies. I think that was a brilliant move. The world that Harrow has created is magnificent. I can’t even begin to explain the jolt of glee that went through me every time I came across another twist of words on a well-known story. From tweaking fairy tales to changing Brothers Grimm to Sisters Grimm, I loved every bit of it. Classic stories shift, and suddenly, the woman or girl becomes the focal point (Little Boy Blue turns to Little Girl Blue, for example).
I think my most favorite, and perhaps most subtle if you don’t know the history, was her simple shift to the Square Shirtwaist Factory.
This factory also met a sad fate in the story, just like the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory did in our actual history. Even the book’s title, The Once and Future Witches, is a nice play on T. H. White’s The Once and Future King. The play there does the same thing all of the other swaps do: it gives the women in the story power and alludes to their greatness. In the legends of King Arthur, it is said that he isn’t truly gone. He is only waiting to return at the precise moment that Britain will need him again. It’s the same for the Eastwood sisters. Perhaps they will call back the Lost Ways when they are needed most.
I thought it odd the women’s suffragist movement is mentioned so heavily in the synopsis. In reality, it doesn’t last long in the story. We see characters come from the movement and join the sisters, but it becomes much more a fight about women’s rights with the emphasis heavily on magic rather than women fighting for the vote. I was perfectly fine with that shift. However, I think that might be because I’m not in the mood to deal with anything political right now and was happy that this wasn’t a politics-heavy book.
The movement is still referred to in the book, but more so in terms of, ‘this crazy witchcraft business is why we can’t give women the vote’ (said with heavy finger-wagging). Naturally, the Big Baddie of the story is a politician who is not only heavily against witchcraft but also just as much against women’s rights in general. He uses the ways of witchcraft to stamp down the suffragist movement and drives up fear in the public.
The witches who live here hold immense power and are the rulers of their domain. Furthermore, witches can also be found in villages or towns, blending in with the ordinary people. In these instances, they may disguise themselves as ordinary individuals, making it difficult to identify them. Whether it is in the depths of the forest, within their own realms, or hiding in plain sight, witches can be located in various settings throughout fairy tales..
Reviews for "Witch Islands: Navigating the Treacherous Waters of Fairy Tales"
1. Mary - 2/5 stars - I did not enjoy "Where in fairy tales can witches be located" at all. The storyline was confusing and disjointed, making it difficult for me to follow along. The characters were also poorly developed, lacking depth and motivation. Overall, I found the book to be a disappointment, and I would not recommend it to others.
2. John - 1/5 stars - I found "Where in fairy tales can witches be located" to be incredibly dull and uninteresting. The writing style was overly simplistic, and the plot felt forced and predictable. The inclusion of witches in the story felt forced and irrelevant, adding nothing to the overall narrative. I was left feeling bored and unsatisfied after reading this book.
3. Sarah - 2/5 stars - I was excited to read "Where in fairy tales can witches be located," but it fell short of my expectations. The pacing of the story was slow, and I found myself losing interest quickly. The dialogue was unrealistic and lacked authenticity, making it difficult for me to connect with the characters. While the concept of witches in fairy tales intrigued me, the execution of the idea was lackluster. Overall, I was disappointed with this book.