The Witch’s Kind by Louisa Morgan Review

The Witch’s Kind

by Louisa Morgan

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Barrie Anne Blythe and her aunt Charlotte have always known that the other residents of their small coastal community find them peculiar — two women living alone on the outskirts of town. It is the price of concealing their strange and dangerous family secret. But two events threaten to upend their lives forever. The first is the arrival of a mysterious abandoned baby with a hint of power like their own. The second is the sudden reappearance of Barrie Anne’s long-lost husband — who is not quite the man she thought she married. Together, Barrie Anne and Charlotte must decide how far they are willing to go to protect themselves — and the child they think of as their own — from suspicious neighbors, the government, and even their own family…

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a reader looking to include witchy books in my autumn reading every year, I was eager to finally read one of my most anticipated novels from last October’s Must Read Witchy Books, The Witch’s Kind by Louisa Morgan.

As a fan of Morgan’s other novel, A Secret History of Witches, I had an inkling of what to expect from The Witch’s Kind—a quieter story with subtle witchcraft instead of a darker, sweeping, dramatic story of witches. While The Witch’s Kind did follow suit in that familiar tone (going even further in this manner than A Secret History of Witches), the story was very much something I hadn’t expected, especially after not having read the synopsis for about a year.

A preface: if you’re looking for a read that feels very witchy, atmospheric, full of magical happenings and explorations of the craft, The Witch’s Kind is not what you’re looking for. It’s a worthwhile read, but does not feel witchy in the ways I’d expected or wanted. In A Secret History of Witches, the actual magic was a subtle part of the story, but witchcraft itself was a major aspect of the overall story. While hints of less-defined power are part of the foundation of The Witch’s Kind, it does not focus on this magic as much as I’d expected.

The Witch’s Kind reads very much like a normal historical fiction novel, with a focus on feminism and mostly subtle mentions of witchcraft—and it was wonderful. Morgan is a fantastic writer. From the first page, I was swept up and fully immersed in the story of Barrie Anne and her aunt Charlotte. Morgan’s writing is detailed, evocative, and extremely cozy. There was something comforting about the storyline and characters, but it all came down to the writing. There was no time needed to settle into the style or story—it immediately felt familiar and cozy. Just wonderful. 

The Witch’s Kind, similarly to A Secret History of Witches, had a real focus on female familial relationships and their importance, as well as the women’s struggles to maintain these relationships and exist outside the norm of a “woman’s place” in society. I loved this story of individualism, independence, and cozy, happy domesticity. The story unfolds in two timelines—the current timeline in the 1940s and the timeline of the past that details Barrie Anne’s life up to the point where we met her in the 40s. This historic setting was unexpected. I haven’t read many stories of witches that take place in these decades, but it certainly made for an interesting and compelling combination of oddities. I loved that there was a mix of an Americana vibe with wartime happenings and strange, though timely, mention of the widespread paranoia and curiosity about aliens and UFOs. It may sound a bit much, but nothing was ridiculous or unbelievable. Morgan just took advantage of the attitudes and concerns of the time and wove them perfectly into the narrative.

I would’ve happily read Morgan’s writing about a calm, happy niece-and-aunt duo without much going on, but I didn’t have to. This novel captured my interest immediately and held it until the very last page. The balance between both timelines was fantastic and engaging, moving readers back and forth between the strangeness of what was unfolding in the current time and unraveling Barrie Anne’s history in order to understand how she ended up as she did. Barrie Anne’s life wasn’t always what I wanted it to be for her, but it was realistic in every understandable, often upsetting (or even enraging), way. From watching her get married to realizing that perhaps married life and her husband aren’t what she’d thought they’d be to watching her come into her own by herself, this story was compelling and so full of emotional ups and downs. You can’t help but feel tied to Barrie Anne and Aunt Charlotte and feel the complex mix of emotions as Barrie Anne’s life went in directions she hadn’t expected. I absolutely loved that the one constant throughout this story was Barrie Anne and Aunt Charlotte’s relationship. They understood each other as no one else did and Aunt Charlotte was always there for Barrie Anne. I loved it. There was a sense of seclusion within this story. Barrie Anne and Aunt Charlotte had always existed a bit removed from everyone else. This sense extended to the setting of the story—a small coastal area where Barrie Anne lived on her little farm, far away from most others. This added such a richness to the story. It was not a feeling of claustrophobic isolation, but comforting seclusion and self-reliance. I loved that Barrie Anne tended to her home and land, living a simple but rewarding life. It was incredibly charming and cozy.

The story—both the current timeline and that of the past—both drew toward climaxes of completely different sorts. One (the actual climax of the book) was surprising and dramatic, pushing the boundaries of what I’d thought these women could and would do. The other, within the past, was more of an explanation, but it was not without its own drama and incredible impact. It was woven together perfectly. This story was a joy to read. 

Within the context of this story, the witchcraft was handled perfectly. I ended up loving that it was such a quiet part of the story, though still very  much at its foundation. Hardly mentioned aloud, the Blythe women’s powers weren’t clearly defined or explained. I loved that it was something so instinctual and simple, something they truly had little control of. Their power—as water witches and women—truly depended on trusting themselves and their instincts, especially in the face of men who brushed off the convictions of women. I loved that this was a theme within the book—women trusting themselves, being independent of men, learning to stick up for themselves and find their backbones, and relying on each other for love and support. 

The characters were fantastically written. Barrie Anne and Aunt Charlotte are the main characters, and they are wonderful. They’re easy to root for but, more than that, they’re likable and realistically complex. They both grapple with the consequences of their actions, but never regret the ways in which their decisions keep them together. Despite being aunt and niece, there’s an unbreakable sisterhood between them, something deeper than even their shared powers that binds them together. As for other characters, Will (Barrie Anne’s husband) was the only other person that showed up for any impactful amount of time. He was very well written—charming enough to understand what Barrie Anne saw in him when she was young and wretched enough to hate him completely for being the embodiment of so many sexist ideas of a woman’s place in her husband’s life. This emotional pendulum and manipulation within his character was executed perfectly realistically.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Witch’s Kind. It wasn’t the atmospheric read I’d wanted for autumn, but it was very enjoyable nonetheless. With its seaside setting and water-witch themes, I’d say this is a read more suited for summer reading, if you like to match your reading to the season. It was a fantastic story about quiet feminism, independence, resilience, and the power that comes from women—especially family—supporting each other. 

For fans of historical fiction who don’t mind a few hints of magic and oddities, I highly recommend The Witch’s Kind. 

4/5

Thanks for reading, 

Madison