ARC Book Review: The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey for the advanced reader copy!

When I first saw this book on NetGalley, what piqued my interest was the cover and the blurb. I love horror, and recently I’ve been interested in stories about witches, so this came at the perfect time. Then I realised it was by the same author who wrote Mexican Gothic (a book I’ve been wanting to read for a while), and I was even more grateful to receive the ARC.

The Bewitching is a horror-fantasy novel, set across three different timelines, focusing on Minerva, her great-grandmother Alba, and Betty—three women who are experiencing the same sinister events in different eras. When Minerva researches Betty’s works for her thesis, she discovers that the disappearance of the author’s close friend eerily resembles the stories her great-grandmother used to tell from her own youth. And when a similar incident occurs in Minerva’s timeline, she starts to believe the same dark force is marring her life.

The Good Stuff

I haven't read a book like this in a long time, and I wonder where I was looking when I wanted to choose an atmospheric novel for October's book club last year. Whilst Moreno-Garcia's writing didn't force me to look over my shoulder for possible danger, she still managed to hook me with her eerie scenes and the suspenseful atmosphere she created in The Bewitching. It helped that the story focused on folklore, an area already full of mystery and intrigue. Moreover, the different timelines and their conflicts were equally compelling, each with a distinct voice that catapulted you into the past or present, fleshed out characters with strong personalities, and bizarre events that kept you questioning reality.

Moreno-Garcia successfully throws in hints and red herrings throughout the book, so that when the big revelation finally comes at the end, it is all the more satisfying to have put all the clues together. I didn't feel snubbed by the plot twist because it was something I guessed sometime in the second half of the book. Still, the motives of the antagonists and the thrilling climax at the end still surprised me.

Lastly, I enjoyed the female rage. Strong women taking matters into their own hands? Give me more of that! It was empowering to read a book where men didn't come to the rescue of these female characters, where women recognised their own abilities and fought for their lives.

The Not So Good Stuff

Because it was such a good read, I had to sit down and really think about why I couldn't give The Bewitching that final star. What I realised was that it just came down to three points. Firstly, there were a couple of scenes that threw me off slightly because I didn't find out who was talking to whom until halfway down the page. It could be a stylistic choice, but I couldn't see any reason for it. Secondly, the pace of the story would sometimes slow down (especially during great-grandmother Alba's timeline), and I felt that it could have been tightened up a bit more. Thirdly, I would have expected more of a shock factor, considering it's a horror novel, but The Bewitching lacked that element.

Rating

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭒

Overall, I really enjoyed this book because of the intrigue and mystery surrounding the three different generations. The twists and turns had me wanting to turn the pages quickly. I thoroughly look forward to reading Moreno-Garcia's other books.

The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is out now!