Book Review - 'Dracula & Daughters' by Emma Carroll

Could three "ordinary" young girls have the powers, information and education to cure - not cull - vampires? To heal, not hunt? To save, not slay? Rest in peace, not pieces?

Have I ever been so charmed yet conflicted about a book?

On the one gloved hand, 'Dracula & Daughters' is a children's book with vampires, redhaired heroines, interesting characters all around, interesting vampire lore I have not seen elsewhere, preexisting vampire lore and media references not limited to 'Dracula', gothic imagery, feminism, social justice, epidemic and pandemic nods and social commentary, appreciation for science and intelligence, and STEM issues - including how men have always either ignored women's important, groundbreaking work, or they take credit for it themselves. Because the patriarchy hates and fears smart, powerful women. More than vampires; more than actual, predatory monsters, even.

I should have absolutely adored it. I should be praising it to the full moon and bats and ravens this Halloween.

However, on the other gnarled, clawed hand, its plotting, structuring and pacing are quite clunky, and it contains many plot contrivances and plot holes. Because of its structuring and pacing issues, it isn't as atmospheric, nor as suspenseful, as it could have been, for a 'Dracula'-inspired gothic, historical horror mystery novel. I'm a little flabbergasted - it is flabberghastly, I tell you! - by how thin and flimsy the book's plot framework is, and how scene-to-scene transitions do not flow that well and organically, with not much happening in some chapters.

'Dracula & Daughters' doesn't reach its full, exciting potential with its premise and characters, though maybe this is saved up for the sequels? That it's for younger readers is no excuse for its softening and backpedalling in some of its content, and areas in its writing. It's still a horror story about vampires!

Or did I set my expectations far too high based on the cover (which is bloody excellent), and praise everywhere?

To go back to the plot and pacing, 'Dracula & Daughters' doesn't really pick up in action until over a quarter of the way in, and it is not until about sixty pages from the end that things really get exciting, thrilling and twisty.

Speaking of "twists", the family connection between the three young redhaired heroines - the characteristically distinct Mina Cullers, her sister Buffy Cullers, and Bella Drake (I love those reference names) - and Dracula himself, is treated like a huge surprise on page 135, even though it's revealed like it's no secret on most blurbs of the book I've seen, so publishing ruined that twist! As obvious as it is anyway. I mean, look at the title, and the three girls on the cover.

Buffy and Bella end up being more interesting than the POV protagonist, Mina, who it turns out isn't as "tomboyish", sly, scrappy and self-confident as she appears to be on the cover. In fact, she is arguably the most useless of the vampire hunting slaying healing trio.

In such an empowering, girl powerhouse book, with a huge emphasis on sisterhood and other female familial bonds, while I appreciate the obligatory boy character, Varney, being a helpless damsel in distress and, in fact, barely in the book (the reader doesn't actually get to meet him properly)... by the end it is heavily implied at least two of our girls have a crush on him. Ugh! Why?!

Slight spoiler here, but there is a scene, in the middle of 'Dracula & Daughters', where Mina, Buffy and Bella say goodbye to their mothers, and it is nowhere near as heartfelt, nor heartbreakingly written, as it should have been for the dire situation surrounding it. I have to keep reminding myself that these girls are children - the youngest, Buffy, is ten, and Mina and Bella are at least thirteen. They should be devastated to be separated from their beloved, protective, caring mothers, and left alone in a hostile town preparing for a vampire outbreak, but it hardly fazes them. I guess their mothers don't care that much about them, too, and they are kind of cowardly, idiotic and shortsighted.

Finally, there is a minor character named Carmilla Blakelock, named after the most famous lesbian vampire in all of fiction, not only in literature, in 'Carmilla', which predates 'Dracula'. It is implied the Carmilla in 'Dracula & Daughters' had been romantically involved with another woman, Elsie Irving, who has turned into a vampire. It isn't explicit, sadly - they are always referred to as "friends", despite the evidence to the contrary - and it is sort of 'Bury Your Gays', so... yay representation in children's lit???

But as flawed as 'Dracula & Daughters' is, I can't stop thinking about it. Its writing is breezy and addictive, and I could have read it in one day if I had complete free time. It contains an abundance of beautiful things I love.

For its (mostly) good writing, characters, vampires, vampire lore, gothic Victorian town worldbuilding, some good twists, ethics, and messages, told to children, I recommend 'Dracula & Daughters'.

What can I say, I love vampires, redhaired heroines, ravens (there's a talking pet raven named Poe in this), and feminism. Drive a hawthorn stake through my heart, because it is weak at the sight of 'Dracula & Daughters'. It is cute, jelly-filled Halloween candy. It is a guilty, red-blooded-and-redheaded pleasure for moi.

Happy Halloween! Spooky scary Samhain! Awestruck autumn! Frightful feminist fall! Wicked women's winter!

In 2025 children's literature!

Final Score: 3/5

Book Review - 'Princess Battle Royale' by Phaea Crede (Writer), Jen Hill (Illustrator)

'Princess Battle Royale' is such a fun, mad, bonkers, hilarious, and clever picture book and comic - all about girl power and fairy tales and fairy tale princesses from all over, not just Europe - that I had to give it five shining stars.

I know next to nothing about wrestling, and even I got some of the references and jokes throughout. The book is full - and I am not exaggerating here, full - of bad puns, and I love it. It is full of inspired twists and I love it.

It is about the WPW - World Princess Wrestling! Princesses wrestling is a global sport! They even have their own sports cards!

Fairy tale princesses are wrestlers, and they compete and try to overthrow(down) the undefeated reigning WPW champion, Swan Princess (literally a swan, and a boastful prima donna ballerina), for the Enchanted Championship Belt. They are: Rapunzel the Reaper, the Not-So-Little Mermaid, Sleeping "Leaping" Beauty, Badroulbadour (think Jasmine with the magic lamp), Cinderella Ninjarella, and Kaguya, the Moon Monarch of Mayhem (I love her).

Then there're the not-princesses: Little Red Riding Hood, the protagonist, and dark horse outside the ring, as a towel girl, until the final match... and Thumbelina. Er, I mean Ready-to-Rumble-ina.

The entirety of 'Princess Battle Royale' is chaotic, and funny and feminist as feathers. I'm sure it captures the exact feel of a WWE event - it's big, boisterous, and madcap enough. It is blooming great, a tiara-ific triumph! (I'm matching the book's pun quality).

The only things I don't like are the overused and bland gag of the princess Sleeping Beauty nodding off a lot (it's her wrestling gimmick, which... okay?), and the characterisation of Cinderella as a mean girl, who tells Little Red Riding Hood, "Just fetch the water, girl." Having a domestic slave and abuse victim say that to someone, especially a child, was certainly... a choice. In fact, most of the princesses are mean, and kind of bloodthirsty, until they learn their lesson from Red Riding Hood at the end. All the same, they are no less prideful and egotistical than Swan Princess.

Little Red is a sweet pea, though. So is Thumbelina.

They are all scrappy ladies in the ring, to be sure!

They don't need princes. They only wish to win the Enchanted Championship Belt.

'Princess Battle Royale' is a strong recommendation from me. It is far, far away from any other princess fairy tale picture book you've read before.

It's a whopping, whooping wrestling romp! It's a piping hot, potty, and dotty pun-omenon! A puns-travaganza! With a feminist princess twist (like Rapunzel's hair), and a lesson on not underestimating anyone based on their size, and how you don't have to be royalty to be special and win at anything. It's about hard work, training, and observing your obstacles and opponents.

A brand spanking new banger and banner!


'And they all lived scrappily ever after.'


Final Score: 4.5/5

Book Review - 'Little Witch's To-Do List by Helen Kemp Zax (Writer), Kiersten Eve Eagan (Illustrator)

Gosh, how many books titled 'Little Witch' are there?

But this - as part of 'A Magical List Book' series - is one of the better ones.

The 'To-Do List' in question is played on the straight and narrow (except maybe when doing loop the loops on a broomstick), and there is nothing really subversive about it. There is no story, per se: Little Witch's long list of magical chores, activities and hobbies for the day is done and dusted with no obstacles; everything works out fine. It kind of sends the unfortunate message to children about not allowing flexibility, or contingency plans for the unpredictable in life. It's good to be organised and have plans - I'm borderline OCD about them myself - but in reality, rigidly sticking to following lists, rules and order doesn't always work out how you want them to. It's odd to see such rule-abiding in a kids' fantasy picture book with a witch protagonist who can do anything she wants - who has limitless potential.

Why not also teach how to cope when things don't work out? To allow for positive change? Learn to go off script and expand your horizons, reach your own magical potential, to better yourself as a person?

But 'Little Witch's To-Do List' is so cute, charming, magical and witchy otherwise, that I do not mind its somewhat unimaginative "story" and moral. It's a colourful, rhyming, melodic beat of a picture book about the day in the life of a witchling, and that's okay.

Its artwork is beyond charming - and that is the word that best describes the whole book. Its rhyming scheme is simple, creative and effective on each page. I can see it being an edutainment CD-ROM game.

There is a black cat, a witch hat, a witch robe, a owl, a baby phoenix, a dragon, a snake, bats in belfries, a wart hair (I like that Little Witch has spots on her face), potions, a green-slime shake, an invisibility spell, a mandrake garden, a toadstool cake, the moon, flying on a broomstick, talking to a mirror, cuddling with Mum, and Halloween goodness everywhere!

Maybe it doesn't matter that the titular Little Witch has no name?

'Little Witch's To-Do List' - a little bit of a shame its moral, intended or not, to children couldn't be as imaginative and free as its content, but it is still an adorable, colourful, wonderful and enchanting rhyming picture book read to pass the moonlit night at bedtime. It's no 'Kiki's Delivery Service' or 'Sabrina the Teenage Witch' or even 'Pizza Witch', but it's sweet on its own.

At least it ends on a touching goodnight scene with Little Witch and her mum, where they read 'Little Witch's To-Do List' together (!?!) The 'Magical To-Do List' itself, shown at the end, is another cute addition.


'To-do lists are more
than pure magic fun.

They help is keep track of
what needs to get done!

What's on YOUR to-do list?'


I doubt anyone's to-do list is as fun, exciting, busy and magical as a witch's.

Other, similar picture books and recommendations:


'Witch in Training'

'My Mummy is a Witch'

'The Witchling's Wish'

'Once Upon a Witch's Broom'

'Leila, the Perfect Witch'

'Sunday The Sea Witch'


What the hex, might as well look at another book titled 'Little Witch' that I enjoy here.


Happy Halloween, witches!

Final Score: 3.5/5

Graphic Novel Review - 'Adventure Time: Marceline' by Various

A collection of fun, funny, touching and sweet short 'Marceline' comics, that has the whole of 'Marceline and the Scream Queens' smack dab in the middle, as well as a couple self-contained issues from that comic beforehand.

I adore 'Laundromarceline', 'Grumpy Butt', 'The Moon - ECLIPSE', 'Moon Beam', 'Broken', 'Visions of Paternity', and 'Marceline the Derby Queen'.

The stories are very different from one another, with different art styles from well known comic artists, including Lucy Knisley, Jen Wang, Faith Erin Hicks, Aatmaja Pandya, and Reimena Yee! 'Adventure Time: Marceline' clearly loves Marceline the Vampire Queen and variety. It is like a box of chocolates.

I just wish there could have been more.

'Adventure Time: Marceline' - a touch of sadness and tragedy, that nonetheless has an enjoyable time with itself, and quickly learns to love itself again. Much like the character of Marceline. She lives, learns and loves herself through her loved ones, reconciliating with her past, and her music - her songwriting and her badass bass guitar/battle-axe.

She is awesome. She is an icon.

Heck, coincidently and incidentally, I bought a Marceline T-shirt in a shop the same day this comic was delivered to me.

The last of my 'Adventure Time' reviews, and I'm happy it is about Marceline.

For more of my own Marceline the Vampire Rock Queen and Slayer (and Princess Bonnibel Bubblegum!) box of chocolates reviews, read:


'Marceline Gone Adrift'

'Seeing Red'

'Marceline the Pirate Queen'

'Thunder Road'

'Marcy & Simon'

'Bitter Sweets'


Happy Halloween!

Final Score: 4/5

Scribble #138

Primary School

Secondary School

I was so shy, quiet, and not very bright. I got bullied continuously. Always. It upset me so much and I never hid how much it upset me, which of course made the bullying worse. It didn't stop me from telling the teachers about the wrongdoing when I could, even though it never worked. I mostly tried to keep to myself, keep attention away from myself. I found solace and escape and comfort in books. Books - books I wanted to read - were, and still are, decades later, my sanctuary. I could rely on them, then and now.

All this is to say if I were ever to meet any of my school bullies or rubbish teachers who hated their jobs again, I'd walk away. They never listened or took me seriously then, so why should they start now? Why should I believe they had changed, or really grown up, when they had faced no consequences for their bad behaviour in the past? I would be ready to forgive them, but I won't make it easy for them. I won't let them get off scot-free. I'd move on from their toxicity; the trauma they put me through in childhood. I owe them nothing.

One lady in my creative writing group told a story about a nun at her school who, whenever it rained, would say it was coming down, and then it was "letting up", as she lifted up her hands. The lady, as a young girl, took this literally and said that "rain doesn't go up". Then someone else in the group said something to the effect of, "Nuns can't defy gravity". For bizarre reasons, I thought, "Huh, so The Flying Nun isn't a documentary?". Was I, the youngest of the group, the only one who thought of that reference and joke?

Scribble #137

October, October

I could say it all month

It rolls off the tongue

Warm with teas and lattes and cocoa.

Sitting in a café

Rich with pumpkin spice

No ice cream, but nice cream

The coffee beans crushed and boiling.

Steaming.

Toiling.

Grounding.

I watch the orange and coffee-brown

Leaves out the window

The spicy latte in my cosied hands

My scarf hugging me.

Look out, then inn, see.

Smell the tea.

Look in, then out.

The wind

The blustering wind

The dark cloud

The autumn leaves falling and flying

And whirling.

Twirling.

Winding like cups of tea.

See.

And me

Warm indoors

In a bustling café

With its own blustering activity.

Its browns and oranges

And pumpkins and spices

And cakes and chocolates

And cinnamons and creams.

And rich, heavenly dreams.

I love autumn

I love October.

October, October

The Samhain season

Wheels both earth wooden and celestial

Spellbinds.

Unwinds.

Divines.

And is here.

(I'm no poet, it's just about atmosphere, so cut me some slack.)

January - Funny how the start of the year is the coldest and darkest. It's like a challenge. Through it all, make your dreams come true now.

Scribble #136

I Remember

I remember what it was like to visit my grandmother's bungalow, and read picture books and do puzzles there, and then what it was like to visit her in another home, when everybody got older. Nearly every holiday in my childhood and early adulthood was like this, visits to my grandmother's houses. It hasn't really hit me yet that those days are gone, and will never come back.

I remember my uncle, who I seldom saw in my life but loved dearly. Now I will never get a chance to see him and get to know him better, after his road accident a couple years ago.

Sometimes I can't help but wonder, who will be next? Who will become just a memory next? I have to see everyone when I can. Childhood and memories are never over. Not if you don't let them be. Always look to make new memories, for yourself and your dear, hopefully-not-soon-to-be-departed loved ones.

I remember:

Trees.

Streams.

Squirrels.

Mud and plants.

Big, ugly winter coats.

Wellington boots.

Beaches.

Pebbles.

Ice cream cones.

Frisbees.

All my cats.

Jones the rabbit.

Gretel the hamster.

Tadpoles.

Caterpillars.

Soft toys - Jiminy Cricket, Daisy the dog, Browning the dog.

Dolls - Sailor Moon, Disney princesses.

Matilda by Roald Dahl.

Super Mario Party games.

Donkey Kong games

Banjo-Kazooie games.

Crash Bandicoot games.

Sonic the Hedgehog games.

Spyro games.

Croc games.

Gex games.

Scribble #135

Love.

That is all the world needs.

We all live on the one planet. So it is important to love one another. To care for each other.

Take care of each other, take care of our planet.

No place, nothing on our planet is the same; it is huge and habitable and varied and beautiful, just as the animals and humans living on it are all different, each and every one.

We are all equal in that we are all different. It is amazing. And there is nothing we can't share and understand and listen to. There is no one we can't love.

Every life, everybody, is important. To ourselves, to everybody else, to each other, and the world.

Live together, love together. There is nothing we can't do.

Scribble #134

My idea of Heaven is curling up in a comfy chair in a cottage, near a lit fireplace, the rain or snow outside, with a cup of tea, a book, a notebook, a pen, and a cat or two. Chocolate and a cinnamon pumpkin spice latte are a plus. What more could one want in life? That's magic to me.

Graphic Novel Review - 'Pizza Witch' by Sarah Graley, Stef Purenins

'Pizza Witch'

I love that title.

It is exactly like a comedic, far more cartoony 'Kiki's Delivery Service' and 'Doughnuts and Doom', and a not terrible version of 'Bee and PuppyCat' (the comic version, anyway, and I deeply regret buying and reading that). It is 'Sabrina the Teenage Witch' on parmesan and crack. With its LBGTQ+ ingredients to go with its foody content, as an extra pizza topping, it can be called a more entertaining and less infuriating 

'Basil and Oregano'.

It's colourful, irreverent, and a lot of silly fun, and it has so much pizza! And cheese, garlic, oregano, and other food ingredients.

Witchcraft and gourmet, together at last on this cartoon adventure.

Join seventeen-year-old Roxy, a biracial lesbian witch who dreams of becoming the best pizza witch in the world (pizza is her passion and specialty), and her talking cat George, as they embark on ridiculous but no less dangerous quests, errands, and wild goose chases, to find legendary secret ingredients so Roxy can maybe become a better chef and maybe get into Magic Uni.

We have nervous, disapproving, traditional, not-awfully supportive gourmet magic parents; an abusive, lazy, narcissistic, hack fraud bum of a pizza warlock boss; his grumpy, vicious, brownnosing assistant; a girl student love interest who accompanies Roxy and George on their major secret ingredient quest; a crystal dragon; his farm witch; a crystal tomato; hungry skeletons; lots and lots of cats; a soup witch who uses divination; bees and honey; wrestling; ghouls; and a cauldron for pizza making and shielding from attacks!

It's wild and pizza-tastic!

It's the cheese! The cheesiest!

Manga stylings in the art are included, as the star-shaped pepperoni on top.

No surprise it's by the author of 'Kim Reaper', a series also containing uninhibited cartoony madness, LBGTQ+ elements, and a clowder/chowder of cats! Sarah Graley made 'Pizza Witch' with her husband Stef Purenins (I have read the definitive 2025 paperback edition, though it ends on a cliffhanger, ready for a second volume), and they own four pet cats.

Roxy is an upbeat, passionate protagonist, who flipflops on being a morning person, and is in fact very sensitive and anxious. She has an inferiority complex (other characters have this to a degree, too), and a bit of a hot temper, and she doesn't forgive easily. Her pizza magic is excellent every time she prepares it, both as food and as an offensive. She only needs a confidence boost, and belief in herself, and not to set her sights so fixatedly on the current "greatest", reputable pizza warlock/food sorcerer, and on Magic Uni.

Her cat George - old Georgie-porgy - is hilarious. He is like Salem from 'Sabrina' mixed into a cauldron with Garfield and Jake from 'Adventure Time'.

On that reference, as much as a cartoon in graphic novel form as 'Pizza Witch' is, and as child-friendly as it appears to be, however, I warn any parent who is thinking of seeking it out for their young child: It is not for young children. The word "ass" is said sparingly yet liberally, and I was shocked at a panel near the beginning, in chapter 3, where two characters clearly give each other the finger. To be fair, I don't think it's been labelled a children's book anywhere, and my copy is 'RATED AGES 14+'.

It's odd, because it could have easily been an all-ages comic without the swearing, and I see no reason why it couldn't have been. It would have broadened the target demographic and sold a lot more, I think.

But 'Pizza Witch' is great, either way. It is an unforgettable romp, and it even gets touching, subversive, dramatic, and kind of heartbreaking at the end. I hope there is a sequel coming out!

One unexpected, nice, needed message in 'Pizza Witch': University and higher education is not always what it is cracked up to be. It is overrated, or at best it is not for everyone, and whether or not you attend is not the end of the world. It should not be a damned-if-you-do-damned-if-you-don't life choice, that wrecks your entire life. It should not be the prime step towards your future goals, nor the judge of your talents, passion, abilities, and hard work.

Now I'm hungry. I want the cheesiest pizza ever after reading 'Pizza Witch' - and I will never get tired of that title.

I haven't felt this famished after devouring a queer foody graphic novel since 'The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich', 'The Restaurant at the Edge of the World', and 'Crumble'!

Final Score: 3.5/5

Book Review - 'Hekate: The Witch' by Nikita Gill

I feel bad, because 'Hekate: The Witch' is an epic, atmospheric, gripping, thrilling, engrossing, and at times beautiful, insightful and important poetry read, and I wanted to love it, because Hekate/Hecate is one of my favourite deities, and I loved Nikita Gill's 'The Girl and the Goddess: Stories and Poems of Divine Wisdom', 'Fierce Fairytales: & Other Stories to Stir Your Soul', and 'Great Goddesses: Life Lessons from Myths and Monsters'.

Sadly, I have to be honest and say 'Hekate: The Witch' ended up being one of my biggest three-star disappointments of 2025.

Because despite the powerful, passionate writing, and the female empowerment and journey, at the end of it all it is a rather standard, conventional story, and it is shockingly, highly heteronormative, with an unnecessary romance it really could have done without. For a Geek mythology retelling in 2025, this is inexcusable and unforgivable.

I will try not to spoil much, but near the end, there is a, *ahem*, gigantic battle, where a god gets hurt and bleeds, and this angers Hekate enough to go full god mode and ultimately win the day, even though gods are immortal and no one is in danger of dying (this is a problem in a lot of books about gods and goddesses, and not only in Greek mythology, in fact, where there are no stakes, nor meaningful losses, or any losses). It's made a big deal because how dare anyone - any creature - make a god bleed! It's the winning turning point of the battle and war! It's laughable. And elitist, which runs counter to one of 'Hekate''s messages, about the arrogance and warmongering of power-hungry and paranoid gods, who are their own worst enemy, yet think they are superior to the lowly mortals whose lives they destroy for fun.

For a book titled 'Hekate: The Witch', very little is in it about Hekate's witchcraft. She collects herbs and makes potions with almost no fanfare, and that's it. No rituals, no going over the potion making process, no insight, no detail, nothing on how she learns her craft and develops into her magic. She barely casts any spells, and she can collect stars from the night sky in order to revive the dead, with no explanation as to how she achieves that.

Even her necromancy is downplayed, as is her ability to split herself into three - representing the Triple Goddess; the maiden, the mother, and the crone. This amazing power only happens a few times, and it's treated like nothing, and over far too quickly. What does the unique power mean to Hekate? What does having two other versions of herself mean to her? I have no idea. It means nothing. It symbolises nothing.

I... I... what?!

She meets the Fates themselves, for fuck's sake! She should mirror them, and be a pupil, a ward, a sister, a daughter, or a threat to them, but nothing of the kind is ever acknowledged! The Fates are pointless! A pointless presence!

Oh, and apparently Hekate can fly - she 'had learned a spell for flight over my years of witchcraft' (page 376), none of which we ever see - and she doesn't use it until like, the last eight pages when the climactic war is already over and it is the least needed. Don't look at me, I just work here.

Hekate might be a witch, but she could be any goddess. Her witchcraft isn't treated as anything special. Her torch lighting is utilised and revered more than her spellcasting. Her necromancy, which is the chips-are-down reason why all other gods fear her, including Zeus, is at the end brushed away with a shrug, like the rest of her powers. She could be any deity (further emphasised by how she needs help from male gods constantly), based on what 'Hekate: The Witch' reveals, when it is supposed to be a retelling of her origins, her coming-of-age story, and her power reclaimant.

Other details are forgotten about or tossed aside, such as Hermes - one of the "good" gods here - turning Cadmus and Harmonia into a single snake staff, and this is never brought up again. Ever. And Hekate has her silver hound, gifted in one of the book's most memorable and powerful scenes, but her owls are only mentioned once. Once. The cover lies.

I can't even remember if the moon receives a passing mention. I don't think it ever makes an appearance. It isn't factored into anything. Hekate is in the Underworld for 80% of the book, but according to ancient mythology, it is a major part of her identity as a predominant triple moon goddess, associated with the night and magic, and lunar phases and cycles are a big part of witchcraft in any culture. A full moon is on the bloody cover, for goddesses' sake.

Goddessdamn it! The cover lies!

I felt empowered and riveted in anticipation whilst reading 'Hekate: The Witch', but by the final few pages, that excitement petered out, and I was left feeling underwhelmed and disappointed. It is largely the lack of explained magic and the unessential hetero, dependable and dull romance that is at fault.

The modern poetic retelling tome is still good, and compared to my other three-star disappointments this year, it is perhaps the best. However, it is a disappointment nonetheless. What it gets right makes what it gets wrong stand out all the more in bafflement and bewilderment. No bewitchment.

It is about a Hekate who is very powerful, and determined, fierce, and feared by the Greek gods and Titans, and is a saviour for women. Contradictorily, she is male dependent, and constantly needs rescue, aid, reliance, information, wisdom, observation, motivation and reassurance by men--gods, who are her prevalent superiors, companions, acquaintances, and present loved ones. She is like a helpless, confused child who is in way over her head whenever she is with them. She falls in love with a god, who I won't bother to name in my review, because he's hot. How original.

I cannot stress enough how unnecessary and out of left field Hekate's love life is to her story. It's like 2000s-2010s YA.

This is not the Hekate/Hecate I know and admire.

She is surprisingly faltering in her revenge against the gods, as well, considering everything, and in the first half of the book it is suggested she might be prone to vengeance, as one of her motivators (her primary goal is finding her purpose as a god), but it is yet another detail forgotten about later on.

'Hekate: The Witch' - where her title and purpose as the "Goddess of Witchcraft and Necromancy" falls incredibly short in comparison to doting on the male gods in her life.

I reiterate, plainly: when it comes to Hekate's witchcraft, show don't tell!

At least it is a thrilling, epic, educational exploration of Greek mythology and the deities throughout the ages. The Titan war, Hekate's parents Asteria and Perses, Kronos, Styx, Nyx, Gaia, Mnemosyne, Kore, Demeter, Queen Hecuba, Odysseus, every inhabitant of Hades/the Underworld, and so many others, are namedropped, and play important roles in how they relate to Hekate.

Motherhood, grief and bereavement are vital themes, handled quite well and consistently.

I like that it is pointed out how the very concept of womanhood is seen as a threat to the patriarchy, and that's why it has been demonised, shamed, mocked, beaten and treated with violence for centuries, if not millennia.


'I was starting to feel as though my entire existence was a threat. Perhaps this was what womanhood was. The dangerous knowledge of who you are and what you could do with that power if pushed.' (page 277)


Feminism: depressingly relevant and needed in 2025.

I am sorry. No offense is meant by my middling-to-negative opinions and comments in my review of 'Hekate: The Witch'. I have positively no doubt Nikita Gill worked exceedingly hard in researching for and writing this poetry and narrative power ballad. I just think it could have been better. It should have been better.

Final Score: 3/5