Redo - Top 12 Favourite Fictional Witches

An updated version of the previous Favourite Witches list that I wrote ages ago on this blog. Some inclusions are the same, some are not, and some are but in a different order.

I love witches. Witches are awesome. They come in all shapes and sizes and shades. They are everywoman. And here are my favourites in fiction:




12. Tara Maclay (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

One of Buffy's most underrated characters. She's wonderful not just for queer representation, but for relatability and possessing a kind and gentle heart. So naturally her demise at the end of season 6 was inevitable. An abuse victim throughout her whole life whose inner strength is understated yet powerful in its own right. Not much else to say that I haven't already, so here is a recap of Tara's character from my old list:


I don't think that many people appreciate just how good a character Tara is. Outside of being a lesbian - which is important for representation - her sexuality and relationship with Willow are not the only things to say about her. I'd even go so far as to say that she is probably the best friend Buffy ever had. The characters in Buffy's group of friends and family tend to not be exactly supportive of the poor Slayer, to the point of taking her for granted and being emotionally abusive towards her should she not do anything they want her to do, not realising she's still a human being who has saved the world hundreds of times (looking at you, 'Dead Man's Party' - worst episode of 'Buffy', ever). But Tara is different. She is a genuinely nice person; having come from an abusive family herself, she understands the importance of empathy (her ESP power is only mentioned once in the entire series, however, in the number of times it could have come in handy). She's caring and supportive towards Buffy - and I'm not only talking about what happens in 'The Body'. In season 6, Buffy confesses to Tara - and nobody else - that she's sleeping with Spike; something she's so ashamed of and confused about, she cries. Tara doesn't judge her, she doesn't jump to conclusions, and she doesn't rub anything in Buffy's face in a passive-aggressive manner after she knows about Spike. She listens, she lets Buffy - who had very recently come back from the dead - know she has her back, and tries to help out. Tara even defends her friend when Spike makes a pass at her. Tara is the truest friend the Slayer could hope for. She doesn't take any of Willow's crap either, when Willow becomes an abusive partner. It's devastating what happens to Tara at the end of the season. She is a treasure, who's been through so much abuse in her life, and might just possess the most common sense out of all the other characters in 'Buffy'. As a witch she is sadly sidelined, and doesn't demonstrate a lot of magical spellcasting, since the show focuses primarily on her girlfriend Willow's rise to power. But as a person, I adore her. She was too good for the cruel world of 'Buffy'.


11. Anthy Himemiya (Revolutionary Girl Utena)

A bit of a spoiler reveal by putting Anthy on this list. Consider this entry a spoiler warning.

But wow is the Rose Bride not at all what she seems at the beginning of the Revolutionary Girl Utena anime. At first glance, she's a shy and gentle wallflower who gets abused by nearly everybody and doesn't stand up for herself. Self-preservation means nothing to her, since she acts as much like an object as she is perceived to be by those who wish to possess her for their own selfish desires. She's a victim needing saving by Utena. At second glance, she knows more than she lets on, but is she a part of the Ohtori Academy's spider web of intricacies - a cog in the machine - or is she one of the masters of it? At third glance, yes, she is definitely manipulative and cunning. Like, knowing her is poisonous. But at the final glance, she could be just a lonely and guilt-ridden little girl - continuously punishing herself when she has already suffered so much. How often do women characters get to be this complex? And she's only fourteen. Anthy is an abuse victim, convinced that she deserves every kind of cruelty and monstrous act inflicted on her. She's not above letting abuse happen to others as well. She appears to nonchalantly give and receive toxicity everywhere she goes. But at the very end, she might be willing to escape it all, for there is someone out in the big wide world, outside of the prison of the Academy, who truly cares for her. Anthy is a witch in both a literal sense (though that's very subtle) and in a metaphorical sense: in showing how women who are not labeled to be "good" - like princesses - are branded witches and so they're deserving of scorn, abuse and even death. Due to the incest taboo, Anthy is the only girl in the world who cannot be called a princess, which is unacceptable in the world of fairy tales and the patriarchy. Tragically, she did only want to help and care for those she loved. Anthy might appear dead inside due to childhood trauma, but her capacity to love might return - for another girl. Like Tara, she is excellent for queer rep, especially in anime. Also for POC rep. And she's as flawed and complex as they come. Revolutionary Girl Utena first aired in 1997. You don't really see characters like Anthy Himemiya anymore, which is a shame. She is a witch who can save herself from the patriarchy, with help from another woman.


10. Baba Yaga

Loads of info about this fairy tale witch from Russian folklore can be found anywhere on the internet. Basically, she's an old and unpleasant crone who lives in the deep dark woods in a little house with chicken legs, and lots of magical torches and skulls. She makes bargains and deals with whatever lowly mortal visits her, and not many come back from her encounters alive. But despite her grotesque appearance and the way she treats people, she is not a villain, nor necessarily an evil witch. She's a no-nonsense sage who has lived for so long that she knows whats what and wheres where. She rewards the just and determined, and punishes the wicked, the greedy, the lazy, and the stupid. Everybody is a fool until they prove to her otherwise. I don't have a favourite interpretation of her; there are hundreds, and she's interesting and enchanting wherever she is represented. What a female legend! To be admired more than feared.

For more info, see my book reviews of 'Ask Baba Yaga: Otherworldly Advice for Everyday Troubles', and 'The House with Chicken Legs'.


9. Claire, Jolene, and Andy (Spell on Wheels)

A fun trio of witches in recent comic books. Claire is an optimistic, curvy Canadian, Jolene is an assertive, impulsive Asian lesbian, and Andy is a shy African-American with hidden powers beyond imagination. Together they make a great mystery-solving team with their own snazzy Wiccan car - a Scooby gang of witches. They have individual gifts and affinities of their own, but they are also mediums and exorcists. The three are not a bunch of meddling kids, either; they're adults with jobs in civilian society. Claire, Jolene and Andy are the power of three in modern female friendships, in positive Wiccan lifestyles, and in outspoken feminism. No man is going to bring them down!

See my review of the Spell on Wheels comic here.


8. Raven (Teen Titans)

Another edition from my previous list. I've read more about Raven since then, and she is another complex witch. As well as a demon offspring. Her identity crisis is what her character is all about - constantly fighting her dark half, and she was brought into existence solely to destroy the world. Despite this, she has remained a heroine (in recent incarnations, at least). Raven is DC's gothic superheroine, with the heart and mind of a lonely, frightened little girl, whose emotions are destructive and so she must keep them under control herself. She's fascinating, and not in the degrading "emo" aspect of her character. I own a figurine of her Teen Titans Go! incarnation, even though I hate that show. (It was the closest I could find to a Teen Titans animated series Raven figurine). Further more, here is a recap of Raven courtesy of the past:

Raven is a dark, powerful witch - the daughter of the show's version of the Devil, Trigon - who can also be adorable in her social skills, or lack thereof. The many sides to her character add wonders to her development over the"silly" cartoon's five seasons. Blunt, mean, shy, and very smart as well, Raven excels as a complex hero, whatever her age.

And click here to see my review of her solo comic adventure.


7. Elaine (The Love Witch)

Another dark, dangerous, and lonely and complex witch from one of my new favourite movies. Elaine is explicitly anti-feminist, and a sexual predator of men. But that's what she's been brought up to believe in - from the disastrous relationships of her past - and she is terrified of her ideal man leaving her, and not loving her. But patriarchal expectations of both men and women are BS, as the film proves. Elaine tries to act as a heterosexual man's fantasy come true, domestically and sexually, on par with the patriarchy's standards for women in general. Of course this is a self-destructive path; for her psyche, not to mention the body count. Elaine is a witch who is like a tragic horror movie monster. She's very much human and sympathetic, similar to Carrie. Like many of the witches on this list, she's been a lifelong abuse victim, and sadly can't quite handle independence and loneliness. She may be broken beyond repair. But Elaine is an alluring and fascinating creation on screen, with her own Victorian mansion, reminiscent of old movie femme fatales, and Morticia Addams. Her confidence is a mask, like her make-up. She is sick to death of disappointing romances in real life, away from childish fairy tales and classic stories. Vulnerable, narcissistic, and tragic, Elaine might just need more supportive female friends, from toxic-free backgrounds. And new ways to express herself sexually in a healthy manner. You will fall under her spell; be unable to take your eyes off her.


6. Nico Minoru (Sister Grim) (Runaways)

Marvel's own gothic teen witch whom I have read more about since I made the last witch list. Nico is Asian, leaning towards bisexuality, and is often careful with her magic because it is very powerful and dangerous. The magic she uses with her Staff of One is as sensitive as she is as a person. Still very young, and having been through traumatic experiences and lost many of her friends in the process, things aren't easy for this witch superhero. While Nico is still learning, she is growing into her own as a hero, and as a worthy opponent in the Marvel Universe. Due to her parents and a few of her former friends turning traitor on her, naturally she has trust issues. But she wants to love and bring the people she loves back together again, and not necessarily by magical means. I own a figurine of Nico Minoru, too. She's cool ;)


5. Diana Cavendish (Little Witch Academia)

Who starts out as a head mean girl and "rival" becomes perhaps the most complex character in the Little Witch Academia anime series. A child prodigy from a long, rich line of witches, Diana has a lot to live up to, and a lot of expectations put on her young shoulders. What will happen when she wants to make her own choices for her future? She rarely smiles, hates idiocy and incompetence, and doesn't seem to be interested in making friends with those she deems below her. But as is typical in anime archetypes, she's a defrosting ice queen who just needs the naive and spunky lead to show her the way: meaning, the power of friendship. Her classism is a result of her upbringing. Regardless, she does care for people; for her family especially, as she has experienced tragic loss. She doesn't want magic to die out and become a lost art form. Diana is revealed to be very unselfish, in fact; willing to sacrifice her own happiness for others'. That's what I love about her. Powerful, smart, reserved, elegant and regal, what a witch! She's a secret Shiny Chariot fan, as well. Sure didn't see that coming.


4. Kiki (Kiki's Delivery Service)

Again, not much else to say that I haven't before. Kiki is a charming and relatable young girl, the star of one of my favourite Studio Ghibli films. Her simple, slice-of-life story as a teen witch moving to a new town is a wonderful metaphor for growing up, accepting change, and finding yourself again, after issues with self-confidence and self-esteem get you down. She is just like every young teen girl in reality. Because magic or not, cartoon or not, Kiki is a real girl. Her talents lie within herself; she only has to believe in her own capabilities. Witches - they are all women and girls in general. Beautiful. Important representation.

An extract from the old little list:

One of my favourite Studio Ghibli films - a simple, sweet little story about a thirteen-year-old witch named Kiki, who leaves her home to settle into a new one. She starts her new life in a seaside town, and finds out her skills and place in life from there. Kiki is a brilliant character all around - Miyazaki-san writes the best women and young girls. While the only thing in the film to mark her as a witch is her flying her broom, it is a great skill she gains and loses over the course of the film, depending on her mood. Not at all like a typical shoujo main lead, Kiki is just so realistic as a growing girl, witch heritage notwithstanding. She tries hard at everything, and no task is too big for her, though she has limits. I can relate to her love for purple, too. Kiki - a standout heroine.


3. Elsa (Frozen)

Yep, nuff said. I must have written about her character thousands of times before. Here are a few samplings:

From the previous list: She's more of an ice and snow sorceress, and she doesn't cast any intentional spells in the traditional sense, but I still count Elsa as a witch. One who learns not to be ashamed of her gifts, and love herself, as there are people who love her for who she is. Everyone around her learns not to fear her, and it makes seeing her embrace her powers fully at the end of the movie more rewarding. I mean, look at the palace she built by herself in a matter of seconds! Elsa - a moving character; as clear, cool and deep as an ice pond.

From my Top 20 Favourite Female Characters list: From one queen to another, it's Elsa! I cannot gush enough, or discuss more adequately, why I love her so much. So many others have analyzed her whole character already, but I'll give my two cents. Elsa is someone who was made into an introvert in order to hide the ice powers she was born with - a very powerful gift or a curse depending on how she uses it. Through most of her life she was encouraged to close herself off from everyone around her, including her loving and well-meaning family. To put on a show, and never reveal her true feelings in case her gifts are known. She believes her powers are a curse, something to be feared and concealed at all costs. This is a situation I'm sure anyone who has something different about them, or are in a minority, can relate to. They have to hide who they really are in order to fit in - to conceal, don't feel, don't let what makes them special show. To fit in a "normal" society is a survival tactic more than anything else: Bad things can happen to "freaks", and they may be hated and feared if they are different from the mundane and ordinary. Elsa, in the whole hour-and-a-half-long running time of 'Frozen', embodies this beautifully, She shows how important it is to believe in oneself, to never hate oneself, to seek the right help when needed, and to not let fear and anxiety take over one's life. Don't worry, someone is bound to understand you for who you are, and love you no matter what. Elsa, behind the closed doors, is a sad, grieving woman, but upon entrance - deeper inspection - you'll find she does have a nice, warm personality. For Disney to not make her a villain is one of the best decisions made in 'Frozen', because it shows that not everyone who is different is bad, after all. This ice queen is just misunderstood, therefore relatable. She's a case study on the whole psychological spectrum. I'm happy that Elsa is beloved by so many people she's practically become an icon - Disney's new Mickey Mouse - and not sorely because of her outward beauty. She's an independent; no one cares she has no love interest. On that note, the general public wish for her to get a girlfriend in the sequel - a perfect fit considering that her arc reflects what those in the LBGTQ community go through. It is likely too much to hope for from Disney, however, even in these progressive times, but we can dream. Elsa is a queen (imagine Disney, a queer queen!) treated with reverence and respect. Not an ice queen in her heart, it's easy to why her large fanbase resonates with her. Regal, intelligent, with more secluded depths than a snowy mountain - plus a veiled, warm sense of humour - Queen Elsa is just fantastic.

And from the Heroines of Legend.

Now I only hope that Disney doesn't cop out in making Elsa explicitly LBGTQ in the Frozen sequel.

2. Hermione Granger (Harry Potter)

Again, no introduction needed. Luna Lovegood is an honorable mention.

From my Top 20 Favourite Female Characters list: Hermione is an assertive, grounded, bossy, and highly intelligent bookworm; no question, without her Harry would not have survived his first year at Hogwarts. He would have been dead many times over without his loyal and dear friend Hermione. She is not afraid of anything, much less what people think of her. True, her disbelief in a lot of things in the magical world is confusing and annoying. On the other other hand, she does require proof and seeing for herself if something is true so she can come to her own conclusions; thus determine how things work and how she can use the information. Hermione is a witch with a scientist's brain, and she is a star. 

From the Heroines of Legend.

Plus my reviews of all the Harry Potter books, which can be found here.

And you know who my number one witch of all time is, don't you?

1. Elphaba (Wicked)

My favourite witch ever in fiction is my favourite character in fiction ever. I can't gush enough about this extraordinary female creation. So soulful and magical; a relatable and complicated beauty. A powerful triumph on all sorts of levels.

From my Top 20 Favourite Female Characters list: Yep, my hero in musicals is also my biggest hero in all fiction. Elphaba is an outcast, a witch, a bookworm, a nerd, a diplomat, a freedom fighter, a friend to everyone - or tries to be - a sexually-liberated individual, and a misunderstood and hugely complex figure: She's practically all the other women on this list and more. In personality she's everything I am and who I want to be. Who knew that such an original creation could have come from a rather one-note villain in 'The Wizard of Oz' and from such a brilliantly-conceived but poorly-executed 1995 book? Elphaba isn't deep or likable in the slightest in the original source material - she barely does anything on her own, is a constant victim, and all her actions can be summed up in one sentence: "Because the plot says so." But in the musical, boy is she improved! Elphaba is a leader and a protector, at first to her younger sister and then to her friends, then to all of Oz, who have been brainwashed by the Wizard into believing she is wicked. She isn't evil or cruel, far from it. She fights for justice, loves animals and Animals, loves her family, and doesn't allow herself to be a pawn in the Wizard's schemes. Elphaba tries not to be the bad witch almost all of Oz wants her to be. Yet as the story goes, for all her efforts she will be viewed as a villain, no matter how hard her attempts are in exposing government corruption. Elphaba is everything: Brave, maternal, caring, super smart, witty, gifted in magic and strategics, romantic, both an introvert and extrovert, hopeful, tragic, a child of two worlds, and colourful. She has green skin - honestly, who wouldn't want green skin? Elphaba - Elphie - is the quintessential feminist character. A bonafide well-rounded female. And she can sing! I love Idina Menzel, and her role as Elsa - so similar to Elphie - is also an iconic performance. Elphaba is potentially bisexual, too. What is not to love about her? She will keep on defying gravity! Testing herself and moving forward, like all powerful women, in fiction and in history, do to survive. The rest of the world simply needs to listen to them, and believe in them.

Finally, from the Heroines of Legend.

Hope you have enjoyed this list. Have a fantastic day.

Graphic Novel Review - 'Spider-Man Loves Mary-Jane, Volume 1' by Sean McKeever (Writer), Takeshi Miyazawa (Artist)

Bought this out of curiosity more than anything else. I wanted to see how a Spider-Man story told from the point of view of his ordinary would-be girlfriend would fare - in this case, it's Mary-Jane Watson's story. And it's by a male writer, in 2006.

As it turns out, 'Spider-Man Loves Mary-Jane, Volume 1' is a sweet, understated and quite charming high school drama comic that happens to be set in the world and city of Spidey. It's about Mary-Jane and the growing relationships she has with her group of friends - Liz Allen the cheerleader, Flash Thompson (that is such a jock character name, isn't it?) the quarterback, and Harry Osborn the rich boy. Oh, and Peter Parker will slowly but surely get involved in her life as well. He's a bit sneaky like that.

Starting out as best friends from childhood, towards homecoming, things between MJ and co become very complicated. Heartbreaking, even. So many feelings clashing and then changing. It truly is like the worst aspects of the cursed transitional period into adulthood that is high school. 

If I were an insecure teenage boy, I'd call this 'Friendzone: the comic'.

Amid all the love and friendship drama, kind and caring popular girl Mary-Jane goes job-hunting, and tutors her friends (with PG-rated benefits). She also wishes to avoid a depressing domestic existence.

What makes MJ happiest of all: She has a big crush on Spider-Man. 

The web-slinger in the red and blue PJ's is her fantasy guy - her literal hero; many times she seems to get in the way whenever he is fighting crime. Yep, even when she's the leading lady, Mary-Jane Watson is still pretty much a damsel in distress. But at least here she's assertive, determined, and knows what she wants and will get it. And what she wants more than anything is for Spidey to be her homecoming prom date. Or her regular date, whichever. 

But will that seemingly-impossible dream come true? And if it does, will the fantasy live up to the reality? Will the mystery of the masked hero lose its allure for her, a changeable teen?

Like I said, there is a lot of high school teen drama happening in 'Spider-Man Loves Mary-Jane'. There are connecting story and character threads in each issue, whilst being completely different from the previous one. Some characters you start out liking can turn into dicks - like the selfish, insecure Harry, and the bully Flash, and especially the jealous secret mean girl Lindsay - and some you start out disliking but suddenly end up really liking; Liz, who despite leaning towards the obnoxious and overbearing, is the only person who remains a loyal and supportive friend to poor Mary-Jane. 

Female friendships in comics = excellent.

Though since this is an early-to-mid-2000's high school story, there are a few instances of unchecked slut-shaming and girl-on-girl hating. But 'Spider-Man Loves Mary-Jane' manages to avoid some high school drama cliches by having the characters actually talk to each other about their problems and feelings, and calling one another out on occasion. It does happen, thank whatever-you-believe-in.

In a way, it is realistic, or as realistic as I'd expect it to be. Teenagers are selfish, ungrateful and superficial; on differing levels. So while there ended up being some annoying parts in the comic, near the end, I could deal with it. 'Spider-Man Loves Mary-Jane' is, ahem, dealistic. Not so idealistic.

The idea of a teen crush on a superhero is deconstructed, if in a simple way that's accessible to children and young adults (because this is YA marketing for comic books, as was intended). Mary-Jane Watson is pretty and a sweetheart, but not a pushover. She's not a total saint, either. She's the kind of girl most teenage girls - myself included, way back - would want to be like: popular but not mean, and who won't sell her soul for the price of popularity in the survivalist hell that is high school. 

MJ is not that popular, however, as she gets picked on a lot and jealous girls will delight in making her suffer. On top of that, she has low self-esteem and confidence issues, due to a home life she tells no one about (which is hardly touched upon at this stage). 

Mary-Jane is stronger than she thinks she is, and is able to rise above it all. Mary Sue, my foot.

She doesn't even need Spider-Man for her character growth; only as a wake-up call of sorts. The nice, attractive redhead is an aspiring actress, and she may at a snail's pace be developing feelings for her nerdy tutor and friend Peter Parker, who along with every other guy in school is clearly smitten with her, and who keeps disappearing whenever there's criminal trouble...

The slightly-manga-style aesthetic artwork is gorgeous, too. Can't forget about that. It's colourful and nicely done, managing not to feel gimmicky for its time.

'Spider-Man Loves Mary-Jane, Volume 1' - Recommended. It is less about superheroics - though those action moments are gleeful and fun when they arrive, since they contain the quippy Spidey fighting ridiculous costumed supervillains - and more about high school characters. Never mind; they are good characters the reader will grow to care about, but not all are decent and caring. Girls are its target demographic, and despite its romantic melodrama angle, I don't feel insulted by it. 

It's a product of its time, sure, but it's cute and well-written. It was a mid-2000's experiment from Marvel Comics in attracting new audiences, and I give it high marks for having effort put into it, in terms of art, character, and slice-of-life/superhero world storytelling.

It might be lovely to have a friend like MJ. Or complex. Or dangerous, depending on what continuity/timeline this path takes.

Final Score: 3.5/5

Book Review - 'Toil and Trouble: 15 Tales of Women and Witchcraft' by Various

2023 REREAD: A beautiful, harrowing reread. Truly magical, witchy stories are contained in this collection, this grimoire. Feminism and sisterhood are the best. They are forever.

The tales, from my favourite to least favourite:


'The Gherin Girls'

'Why They Watch us Burn'

'Death in the Sawtooths'

'The Well Witch'

'The Truth about Queenie'

'The Moonapple Menagerie'

'The Heart in Her Hands'

'Divine are the Stars'

'Afterbirth'

'The Legend of Stone Mary'

'Daughters of Baba Yaga'

'Starsong'

'The One Who Stayed'

'Beware of Girls with Crooked Mouths'

'Love Spell'


Read my original review below for more.

Final Score: 4/5





Original Review:



Wow witches! I'm surprised by how much I enjoyed 'Toil and Trouble: 15 Tales of Women and Witchcraft', seeing as I usually don't like anthology books. But this is entertaining, spiritual, enlightening, creative, beautiful, woke, and full of girl power!

Any woman can be a witch - it is all about believing in yourself, and in your family, your friends, and the power you truly hold, no matter what anyone thinks.

Mini-reviews of each of the fifteen short witchy stories contained in this collection:



1. 'Starsong' by Tehlor Kay Mejia - Not a good place to start, in my opinion. Love the concept and characters, but the writing isn't very good, and the narrator comes across as insufferable, arrogant and pretentious, even for a teen millennial. The further I got into it, however, the writing became less clunky and OTT with all the astrology and social media references. The impending romance between two young girls on Instagram of all places is really sweet, dynamic even. I actually want to find out how their first date will go. Includes strained mother-and-daughter relationship, and the narrator suffering from PTSD, and a "family curse" of sorts. That curse could have been explored more, but at least the w/w romance looks to be lovely on the starry horizon. Good POC rep to start the anthology as well.

Final Score: 3/5


2. 'Afterbirth' by Andrea Cremer - Set in New England in 1650, when accusations of witchcraft, and witch executions, were at an all-time high. It's not really about witches so much as superstitions and the lack of understanding of certain scientific explanations at the time (such as an "unnatural birth" involving conjoined twins). The narrator, Deliverance Pond (love that name), is an orphaned midwife's apprentice who ends up inheriting her mistress's secrets, after the mistress is tried as a witch. The smart and resourceful Deliverance also adopts a baby girl born from an affair/possible rape of a servant by her prestigious master. The servant, who died in childbirth, was thought to have birthed the devil's spawn. 'Afterbirth' is a female-empowerment story set in a century when women had no rights to speak of; and any profession they had, such as midwifery, was threatened by the church and insecure and fragile menfolk. Women could be accused of witchcraft for doing anything. But Deliverance and her baby, named after her elder midwife, Miriam, will journey on around the world, in search of where they may be safe from any accusations.

Final Score: 4.5/5


3. 'The Heart in Her Hands' by Tess Sharpe - A story about family destiny versus choice. Teenage witch Bettina Clarke is marked on her skin, which tells her the first lines her "soulmate" will say to her when they meet. But there are problems with that: Firstly, Bettina is a rebel; and secondly, she is already in love with her best friend, Augusta "Auggie" Bell. Bette will not be controlled, or have her hands literally tied by the Hands of Fate, or by any oppressive goddess. It's a gripping and entertaining tale, where the heroine learns both the positive and negative consequences of straying from her chosen path and defying her family. But a curse can become a gift when looked at a different angle and used in a different light. 'The Heart in Her Hands' is about never giving up hope, following your heart, and following people and goddesses who support you. And healing. Includes strained mother-and-daughter relationship, LBGTQ focus, and POC representation.

Final Score: 4/5


4. 'Death in the Sawtooths' by Lindsay Smith - I think this one's my favourite. A necromancer witch deals with the bones and souls of the dead, and she is feared and ostracized by practically everyone because of it, even by those within the 'Harry Potter'-like magical system. But she doesn't care - this is her calling by her goddess, her Lady of Slumber, Xosia, and she will follow it. Somebody has to do it, after all. Mattie, the necromancer, is a gothic badass and superhero. The story is too short to be labelled a mystery, but the action at the end is great. The character development and world building are so interesting - I want more! Includes female friendships, POC representation, and commentary on toxic masculinity and male entitlement.

Final Score: 5/5


5. 'The Truth about Queenie' by Brandy Colbert - A black teenage girl, Queenie, named after her aunt, is from a family of witches, and she is in love with her best friend, Webb, an up-and-coming skateboarding star. But due to fame and other commitments and responsibilities, Webb is growing apart from her, and he is now with another girl, a fellow champion skateboarder. A tragic incident in the past has made Queenie afraid to cast any big spells, but it might be needed to prevent another tragedy. There is so much going on in this story, I love it! Even with the witchcraft aspect, it feels so real - the characters, the dialogue, the settings, everything. Practically everybody is a POC, and there is a line and subtext about how being black in America is hard enough without the witchcraft accusations to top it off. The heroine seems to only do the right thing in the end for her unrequited love, but not quite. She gains self-confidence and self-esteem with the help of her female family members as well. Webb's girlfriend, Blythe, isn't a perceived rival or mean girl, either - but a nice, talented, normal girl. Includes strong POC rep, and a formidable "believe in yourself" message.

Final Score: 4.5/5


6. 'The Moonapple Menagerie' by Shveta Thakrar - This is a full-on fantasy tale, set in a fantasy world. Like if a sugary-sweet 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' shared cake and golden apples with a computer RPG quest. A group of female friends, who are shapeshifting witches, are working on a play, but the writer, Shalini, doesn't know how it will end by the time the curtain rises. Will she find inspiration on time, or make a deal with a devil creature called a churel? The writing is an absolute treasure - gorgeous and full of symbolism and sweet treats. I'm surprised that Laini Taylor didn't write this. 'The Moonapple Menagerie' is about female friendship, trust and bonding. To help with one's creative inspirations. It is so cute! I could easily picture the characters as chibis in a children's cartoon series. Heck, it practically is a children's fairy tale. Includes POC rep, LBGTQ rep, and disability rep.

Final Score: 5/5


7. 'The Legend of Stone Mary' by Robin Talley - A great story by an author I really like. It's about a family-and-town curse brought on by an unfairly judged and suffering witch in the 19th century. At some point the people of the witch's town made a statue of her on what they thought was her (unmarked) grave, to sought her forgiveness and break the curse. Set in 1975 on Halloween, the teen heroine, Wendy Keegan, the descendant of Mary Keegan, the Stone Witch, might be the one to figure out how to stop the curse forever. And since this is written by Robin Talley, of course there is a central w/w romance. The story gets rushed and weird near the end, but it's still very good and powerful. Wendy is as much of an outcast because of her witch connections as Mary was. It reminded me of the film, 'ParaNorman', but with a female protagonist. Includes LBGTQ rep, and female friendships and family matters.

Final Score: 4/5


8. 'The One Who Stayed' by Nova Ren Suma - This is more of a setup than a story with a three-act, beginning-middle-end structure. It is basically about a coven in a dark wood that takes in women and girls who have been attacked, raped and sexually abused by men, like a support group, but whose end goal is vengeance. The women in the coven are described to be like any woman of any generation, age, race, sexual orientation, etc. But they are nonentities. They are not given names. Only the girl - "the one who stayed" with the coven she runs into, unlike a previous girl who got killed running away in the woods - this girl who gets attacked by a group of boys taking advantage of her naivety, is named: Mirah Rubin. The dead girl is named Alison Darby Chance. The tale is an excellent metaphor, and is also about guilt and redemption on the part of the coven. It represents sisterhood, and how they are the light in the darkest woods of rape culture. But it is too short, and the characterization is rather weak and confusing. Plus, why the vengeance motif? It doesn't really go anywhere in the end.

Final Score: 3.5/5


9. 'Divine are the Stars' by Zoraida Cordova - Another nice witch family story. It's about dying traditions that must take root again; never to be forgotten or destroyed by the more selfish and heartless family members. The protagonist is Marimar Montoya, who is visiting her grandmother, the Grand Rosa Divina, in western Colorado, who sent letters to all members of her family informing them of her coming death. Marimar's best friend and partner in this situation is her cousin Chuy, who is also gay. The villain is her greedy uncle Enrique. Short as these stories are, I really like the family dynamics and characterizations of 'Divine are the Stars'. Rosa Divina is the family matriarch and a force of nature, despite representing a dying tree, literally. Solid writing and character work; though I had thought that Marimar was an adult and not seventeen when I first read about her - I got the impression that she is a city dweller with a job. That was jarring. Why so many stories about teenagers? I know it's YA, but come on! A bit more variety than that, please. Includes prominent POC and LBGTQ rep (no other characters but the Montoya family/bloodline are present).

"We become what we need."

Final Score: 4/5


10. 'Daughters of Baba Yaga' by Brenna Yovanoff - This is a really weird one, but still entertaining. It's a bit like 'The Craft' or a witchy 'Heathers'. And it is feminist as hell. Commentary on the pressures put on teenage girls for the benefit of horrible and neanderthal schoolboys is layered throughout. Their confidence and self-esteem are threatened constantly. 'Daughters of Baba Yaga' is also, naturally, about female friendships, and the different kinds of magic that girls can possess; in order to solve their problems and perhaps change people for the better. Or punish them sadistically. Very good worldbuilding (it is a real, harsh mirror of our world), that includes gruesome and darkly funny details: like butcher meat, and how it is used for revenge in high school. 'Daughters of Baba Yaga' is a black comedy, and a genuinely humourous and endearing one at that. A "bad witch" is fun to read about in an anthology that features mainly "good witches". Except I don't understand the meaning of the title - Baba Yaga is rarely mentioned in the story. Did the heroine just choose her as her witch spirit animal, or is she actually a decedent of the Russian fairy tale crone? It's not clear.

"I was born to bury saints in the yard."

Final Score: 3.5/5


11. 'The Well Witch' by Kate Hart - A close favourite. Set in Texas in 1875, it is about a dark-skinned witch of tribal descent named Elsa who lives alone in the middle of nowhere. When three cowboys/ drifters of the army stop by her house and territory, her oasis, a perilous situation slowly escalates, and soon she is in a desperate bid for survival. A beautiful snake caught in a trap in her own home. Elsa is incredibly smart and brave - she has to be. Even when she falls in love and thinks that a man will come and save her, she is still independent, and realizes that she needs to rescue herself. Even if it means abandoning her already-destroyed family home and possessions by the white men. She's a survivor, like her parents were. Moments such as Elsa witnessing the slaughter of her only friend, a mule called Otis, are legitimately heartbreaking. Even her falling for the one good cowboy, who leaves underestimating the quick savagery of his companions, is believable. She has been alone for a long time, after all. In addition to brains and a well (heh) of resources, Elsa possesses slight power over water. So in a desert, she can always find it. 'The Well Witch' is fantastic historical fiction and feminist work.

Final Score: 5/5


12. 'Beware of Girls with Crooked Mouths' by Jessica Spotswood - Another weird dark comedy piece that I am not so sure about. It is about three sisters and their complicated bond - complicated because even though they love each other dearly, a family curse means that one of them is destined to go mad and kill her sisters, leaving her the survivor in the family bloodline. The main sister, Jo, is selfish and cruel, despite wanting to protect her sisters. The macabre tale ends in a tragedy... I think. It's a bit confusing. It's not clear what time period it's set, either, since there are balls and marrying rich pretty girls off, but one sister's beloved is a girl who is engaged to another girl of high social standing. So is 'Beware of Girls with Crooked Mouths' set in a future where European or otherwise Western royalty or aristocracy lets its members marry those of the same sex no problem? It's brilliant that it isn't made a big deal of at all, but still. At least the sisters' powers are cool - one has pyromancy, one has clairvoyance, and the third has an affinity to poison-making. These girls reminded me of the Gotham City Sirens. It's like a dark and twisted 'Charmed'. Wait, let me rephrase that: It's like an intentional dark and twisted 'Charmed'. 'Beware of Girls with Crooked Mouths' also contains a happy ending for the w/w couple.

Final Score: 3.5/5


13. 'Love Spell' by Anna-Marie McLemore - My least favourite of the collection, I'm afraid. I know I'm in the minority here, but I am not a fan of Anna-Marie McLemore's writing. There's more purple prose and over-describing everything than there are believable and interesting characters. I was bored, mostly. At least there is a message about religious tolerance, and the story is set in an Hispanic environment. Some symbolism, like the shrivelled and blighted tree in the bruja girl's back garden (does she even have a name? I'm sorry, but not naming your first-person narrator will never not be pretentious as hell), is nice and effective. It's not quite enough substance to keep me invested, however. Not a lot happens in this romance story, and I barely remember it.

Final Score: 2/5


14. 'The Gherin Girls' by Emery Lord - Love it, love it, love it! Like the anti-'Beware Girls', it is about the incredible, formidable bond between three sisters - Nova, Rosie, and Willa. It is about girls supporting and helping one another after a trauma; after suffering domestic abuse in silence for too long. I love these women - they're young adults and are still rather naïve and childlike, but they behave exactly like real people. They live apart but will do anything for each other; drop everything else when one of them is in trouble. Again, it's not really about witchcraft but women in general. Nova is a great cook, Willa can sense what people are feeling by touching them, and Rosie loves flowers. Their parents are alive and present also, for a change! 'The Gherin Girls' is one of the longer short stories, and after reading it I felt like I knew these sisters inside and out; like they could be my lifelong friends. That is amazing. That is magical storytelling right there. It's just so clever, emotional and touching. I don't know how it all works out in the writing, it just does. Includes LBGTQ content via Willa having a girlfriend and Nova being bisexual.

"She'll tell her daughters someday: If you don't feel safe enough to yell back, you're not safe enough. My babies, that is not love."

Final Score: 5/5


15. 'Why They Watch us Burn' by Elizabeth May - A dystopia to end the anthology, where practically every woman is accused of being a witch and sent to die either by public burning or a death camp, because she refused to be silent and let rape culture take its course. Because she dared to say "No." Women are blamed for everything in this future that is cut from the same cloth as 'The Handmaid's Tale'. It's short so it's not explained how we got here, but the intent is clear as day. A bit of a confusing narrative choice at first, but I was on it hook, line and sinker. 'Why They Watch us Burn' is scary and heartbreaking, but it contains a peaceful message of hope at the end; a harbinger of what might happen if we let women rule the world for a change. Brutal critique on the thousands of ways to abuse and destroy girls, on gaslighting, and on internalized misogyny - as well as misogyny all over - is felt on every grey, desperate page. Women are always expected to be "on their knees". Always. The narrator, a prisoner of the death camp in the woods in the middle of nowhere, falls in love with a fellow woman prisoner. Together, they will make a magical spell all on their own, along with the eleven other surviving women of the camp (who are not even allowed to reveal their true names to each other). Thirteen women, to make up a coven. To fight back. For their names, and their humanity. They will not go quietly.

'Why They Watch us Burn' - A powerful tale to end this wonderful book on.

"Here's how to fulfil a prophecy: you are a woman, you speak the truth, and the world makes you into a liar."

"You understand the truth, though, don't you? The most terrifying thing in the world is a girl with power. That's why they watch us burn."

"This is what witchcraft looks like: It is women holding hands, harnessing power, and changing their fate. If every woman practiced such a thing, we would learn what Eve did after she ate that apple. When she held knowledge in her hands.
We would upend the world."

Final Score: 5/5



Fight on, my fellow witches.

Final Score for 'Toil and Trouble: 15 Tales of Women and Witchcraft' as a whole: 4/5

See if you can spot my cat ;)

I had a fun time out on a rainy day today, watching some 'Crazy Rich Asians'!

Graphic Novel Review - 'Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened' by Allie Brosh

2022 EDIT: Still very funny and relatable. However, I don't know, maybe time is a terror and I don't find it as funny as the first time around. I won't be revisiting it, that's for sure. I don't feel like it. Perhaps this kind of book is no longer for me; that I now find it a little overly-long, and too prosy, random, rough and cynical. I might now be wanting more - more diversity - since 2012.

And why does Allie Brosh name only, like, one loved one in her life but not any of the others?

I need to get picky about my reads for my massive clean-up and culling of books anyway.

'Hyperbole and a Half' - recommended for a laugh and some insights, that are not too dated.

Final Score: 3/5





Original Review:



One of the funniest things I've ever read. 'Hyperbole and a Half' had me laughing long into the night, no doubt giving my family a cause for concern.

Allie Brosh's life - the episodes of her life which she tells using hilarious prose and scribbles - seems outlandish, yet entirely, 100% ordinary and plausible. And 100% relatable. The way she tells it, she seems a natural comedienne.

Her stories about her dogs; about finding her time capsule letter from her ten-year-old self; her letters to her several stages of her childhood; the story of how she and her boyfriend got randomly attacked by a goose at the dead of night in their own home; the story of her cheeky parrot toy (yep, whoever got her and her sister that must have hated her parents); her procrastination and motivation woes; the poor hot sauce episode from her childhood; and her lessons to her severely stupid and quite frankly disturbed dogs - I haven't had so much fun in ages. Humour isn't dead after all.

Ms. Brosh's chapters describing her depression are also very harrowing and eye-opening. Not everything in 'Hyperbole and a Half' is meant to tickle your funny bone. It is meant to educate you; help you to understand someone's pain, perhaps even your own.

But maybe humour - maybe finding a reason to live life and find meaning in existing again - can be found in the littlest things; in the strangest and most unexpected of places...

'Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened' - An internet success turned into a paperback comic book. It'll make you laugh, cry, and love the bizarre little things that happen in our existence that is life. It is also the only time that I've found the use of the ableist R-word to be funny, in this context where it describes Allie Brosh's... special and adorable dog.

The book will also make you aware that humans are fundamentally flawed. Go too deep into finding yourself, and you will likely be shocked and horrified by what you will discover consciously. Our human brains are so complicated it's scary. We are inherently selfish, even cruel, and without the vital needs of self-control, conscience, civilization and order, we'd go mad. Inhibitions are also inherently intact in us, or they should be. It'd be anarchy otherwise, and not of the revolutionary and progressive kind. The world would just be in chaos. Shame, guilt and self-loathing shouldn't be our motivators, though. Especially not our main ones.

But 'Hyperbole and a Half' is so lovable and hopeful, as well. A deeply personal passion project. Allie Brosh is a treasure of a normal human being, whom rather effed-up things often happen to.

It took me a while to pick this particular book up. If anyone else hasn't yet, they'd be doing themselves a great favour in reading it too.

Final Score: 5/5