Hello, everyone! Today I’m reviewing the latest release from Silvia Moreno-Garcia, The Bewitching. I’m a huge fan of this author and have slowly been working through her backlist while also trying to keep up with each year’s release. So, I went into this one hoping to find a new favorite. Did I? Read on to find out!

Three women in three different eras encounter danger and witchcraft in this eerie multigenerational horror saga from the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic.

“Back then, when I was a young woman, there were still witches”: That was how Nana Alba always began the stories she told her great-granddaughter Minerva—stories that have stayed with Minerva all her life. Perhaps that’s why Minerva has become a graduate student focused on the history of horror literature and is researching the life of Beatrice Tremblay, an obscure author of macabre tales.

In the course of assembling her thesis, Minerva uncovers information that reveals that Tremblay’s most famous novel, The Vanishing, was inspired by a true story: Decades earlier, during the Great Depression, Tremblay attended the same university where Minerva is now studying and became obsessed with her beautiful and otherworldly roommate, who then disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

As Minerva descends ever deeper into Tremblay’s manuscript, she begins to sense that the malign force that stalked Tremblay and the missing girl might still walk the halls of the campus. These disturbing events also echo the stories Nana Alba told about her girlhood in 1900s Mexico, where she had a terrifying encounter with a witch.

Minerva suspects that the same shadow that darkened the lives of her great-grandmother and Beatrice Tremblay is now threatening her own in 1990s Massachusetts. An academic career can be a punishing pursuit, but it might turn outright deadly when witchcraft is involved.

***Thank you to Del Rey for providing an advanced copy of the book via NetGalley. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***

The Bewitching was a mesmerizing tale of creeping dread that would make a perfect read for spooky season. The story was definitely a slow burn, but there was always a nagging sense of wrongness that ratcheted up as everything unfolded. Moreno-Garcia’s writing was as enchanting as always, and I found it impossible not to be sucked into the atmosphere of the story.

I typically enjoy stories that are told across multiple times, and The Bewitching was no exception. The structure of the narrative was woven together from three different lifetimes, and I had a great time sinking into each of them. The early 1900’s Mexico setting was probably my favorite, but I’m always a sucker for a story set in a college. So, I also enjoyed seeing the similarities and differences between the New England college in the 1930’s and 1990’s. It illustrated just how much change there was in those 60 years. Each of the settings was brought to life with brilliant detail and felt securely grounded in reality despite the fantastical elements.

The plot of The Bewitching was quite slow and predictable, but I didn’t mind because of the space it left for shaping the characters. Alba, Betty, and Minerva were all such interesting people. Alba longed for more than her life on a Mexican farm. Betty wanted nothing more than to find closure for her long, lost friend. Minerva found herself at a maddening intersection between the two women’s stories so many decades later. The characters’ descent into “madness” was incredibly well-written. I often found myself second-guessing where I thought the narrative was headed because of it. Ultimately, things ended up going as I expected from pretty early on, but the journey to get there still had me in a chokehold.

Two themes stood out to me while reading The Bewitching. First, the story showed how important it is to keep one’s culture alive. The stories and traditions of our elders and the people who came before us contain valuable wisdom that shouldn’t be discounted. Minerva’s reliance on Alba’s old witch stories, as well as Alba’s own decision to take heed of the outdated country folk tales, highlight this lesson well. Second, the story made clear that all that glitters is not gold. Sometimes it is something rotten in a sparkly wrapper. The haves and have nots were often at odds in this story. The elite took advantage of those around them and had no qualms about destroying others to maintain their power and status. It was quite the cautionary tale.

Overall, The Bewitching was yet another great story from Moreno-Garcia. I always look forward to her new work each year, and this book was just another example of why. If you are looking for a slow, character-focused witchy tale with a hauntingly creepy atmosphere, this is a story you won’t want to miss. Therefore, I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

There you have it! My thoughts on The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Have you read any books by this author? Which ones were your favorites? Let me know down in the comments!