A SECRET HISTORY OF WITCHES

Used book arrived quickly and in excellent condition, with the original book sleeve.I enjoyed the book very much and am already nearly done with the second book in the series.

An epic journey through five generations of fascinating Orchiéres women spanning more than a century filled with secrets, illicit affairs, sacrifice, jealousy, and witchcraft. The journey begins in 1821 France, the Romani clan fearful after hearing another poor woman burned as a witch. In danger, Grand-mère Ursule directs her family to cross the water to an island far away and begin life anew, then using her last breath hides them from the notice of an angry mob bent on killing. When morning comes, the family prepares to flee leaving behind a freshly made resting place for the great witch that had protected them, saved them, and shared with them their future lay miles away. Leaping forward to 1834, “The Book of Nanette” shares the life, love, and magic of the now young woman who had been devastated to leave her grand-mère behind. She learns the way of her sisters, and after a night with a handsome stranger, she is blessed with a daughter she names Ursule to honor her grand-mère. The lineage continues from Ursule to Irène, from Irène to Morwen, from Morwen to Veronica; each of the women are tied together by their ancestry, their witchcraft, and the crystal that has a power only they can manifest along with individual strengths and talents, desires and dreams, acceptances and denials, and differences that make for an intriguing family history and personal journeys.Brilliantly woven through the lives of five women and the eras in which they lived, Louisa Morgan has provided an extraordinary tale of love, sacrifice, family, and magic. Although the women are all witches, they differ in how they embrace their powers, use it to their advantage, and share it with their daughters. The drama does not focus entirely on the witchcraft element; it is part of the women like a religion, kept from the view of outsiders, secret, but my personal enjoyment came from the fascinating personalities, everyday life related to the era, family interactions, and how they related to those around them. The book is organized into five “The Book of...” focusing on each woman through a third-person narrative. Louisa Morgan’s writing style does well to envelop the reader by illustrating the various settings, environments, and lifestyles through descriptive language as well as the tone and personalities through the expressive dialogue. Entertaining. Engaging. Epic in a way I didn’t want my journey to end. Is anyone listening? Book Two...five more women spanning another century to arrive at today?

Au départ c'est un peu dur à démarrer, ensuite ça devient intéressant mais le dernier chapitre en trop et inutile. Rajouter la reine d'Angleterre dans un récit pareil ça m'a pas fait rêver, ça a tout cassé de la magie du départ.

What I really enjoyed about this book was the slightly unconventional timeline of the story. It follows the same family of witches from 19th century Brittany, to WWII era England, tracking the adversity they faced in preserving their craft and traditions. Thoroughly engaging from start to finish, with well developed, strong female characters that you can't help but be moved by. If you enjoyed 'A Discovery of Witches' by Celia Harkness or Paula Brackston's 'The Winter Witch' then you'll love this. Don't expect wildly dramatic magic, this is a more subtle sort, it is more about the human story and the relationships between the women of the Orchiere line.

I enjoyed this book - it was easy to read with complex, strong characters and plenty to keep me interested.