The year is 1911, and seventeen year old Frances Hallowell works as a seamstress in New York City. It is not an easy life, she works long hours, but at least she has a place to sleep and food to eat. Her days blend together under the repetitive work, but also under the black cloud of the double loss of her mother and brother. Her brother was murdered a few months before, his body dumped in the river like garbage. Their mother was already fragile, with Frances doing most of the household work, but when William died she lost her last grip on reality and is now in an asylum.
Frances knows she is lucky to have the position she does, she could be working in one of the factories where people work long hours in dangerous conditions - but that luck runs out the night the owner Mr. Hues catches her in the shop alone and assaults her. When a pair of scissors embed themselves in his neck Frances is saved, but she also becomes the prime suspect in his death - even though she never touched the scissors. Whisked out from under the nose of the Police Frances finds herself at Haxahaven Academy - and her eyes are opened to a world she never knew existed.
Haxahaven Academy is a haven for witches - girls and women of all ages who have had their magic awaken. There are clases at Haxahaven where they learn to harness their magic for simple household tasks and where they learn to control their emotions. It quickly begins to feel dull to Frances, and when a boy appears first in her dreams and then in her life, it brings a sense of excitement. Finn is like no boy she has ever met, he knows about magic and power, and he is willing to help her learn magic that is forbidden at Haxahaven. The more time Frances spends with Finn the more she learns, and the less she seems to know - and the more danger she is in. Power attracts power, and someone has plans for Frances and the power growing inside her.
The witch haven is the first book in a series and it was a whirlwind introduction to a world hidden right under our noses in historical New York. We get a gentle introduction to this new world through the eyes of Frances, and then have to quikcly tighten our seatbelts for the fast-paced thrill ride it becomes. I am all about mythology and 'logic' when it comes to magic, especially if it sits within the context of 'our' world (past, present or future) and Sasha Peyton Smith delivers. Frances and her world are easy to relate to, and everything makes sense which means it was easy to loose yourself in the story.
There are some historical facts that may be confronting - woman's suffrage and the forced removal of American Indian children from their families - but it adds to the authenticity of the story. There are other historical facts that make it more authentic, including the horrific conditions of factory workers at the time, and the way the wealthy treated the poor and the working poor. There are traces of romance in the story, the power of deep friendships, and coming of age while finding your own power - all the elements that bring a story to life and help you connect with the characters. This was a fabulous find and The witch haven is definitely going to go on my go-to list of recommendations for 2022.
If you like this book then try:
- Kingdom of the blazing phoenix by Julie C. Dao
- A court of thorns and roses by Sarah J. Maas
- Girls of paper and fire by Natasha Ngan
- The glass spare by Lauren DeStefano
- The girl of fire and thorns by Rae Carson
- Not even bones by Rebecca Schaeffer
- Court of fives by Kate Elliott
- Cinder by Marissa Meyer
- Warrior of the wild by Tricia Levenseller
Reviewed by Brilla
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