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
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