01/20/2020
Morgan (The Witch’s Kind ) sets her robust tale of matriarchal magic in a lushly depicted Gilded Age New York. Frances Allington practices the dark magic of maleficia, driven by ambition and the desire to distance herself from her impoverished upbringing. After gaining wealth through her dark arts, she aspires to elevate herself further by arranging a match between her stepdaughter, Annis, and a poor but title-holding British aristocrat. Headstrong 17-year-old Annis largely reserves her passion for her stallion, Bit, a devotion her father, as Bit’s legal owner, uses to leverage Annis’s cooperation in Frances’s scheme. Meanwhile, Harriet Bishop, Annis’s spinster “aunt” and Frances’s cousin, works to intercede on Annis’s behalf using her lighter strain of magic. Harriet hopes both to keep Annis safe from Frances’s maleficia and to help direct Annis’s own budding powers. By alternating perspectives between the characters, Morgan manages to elicit sympathy for each member of her large cast despite their conflicting desires. Even Frances is humanized beyond the typical wicked stepmother archetype. Readers will root for these powerful women as they struggle to overcome the social limitations of their time, whether through magic or force of personality. Agent: Peter Rubie, FinePrint Literary. (Apr.)
'Morgan's beautifully conjured tale of three women, social mores, and the sanctity of self-determination is thoroughly enthralling." Booklist (starred review) "[A] robust tale of matriarchal magic in a lushly depicted Gilded Age New York....Readers will root for these powerful women as they struggle to overcome the social limitations of their time, whether through magic or force of personality." Publishers Weekly "A compelling tale of love and magic in historic American and England....This is a must-read for those who like magic, love and a little bit of feel-good feminism." Library Journal "At once sprawling and intimate, A Secret History of Witches deftly captures the greatest magic of all: the love between mothers and daughters ." Jordanna Max Brodsky, author of The Immortals "Morgan's transportive words will sweep you away to a time of magic, love, and loss. Simply hold on and enjoy this mesmerizing ride. " Tish Thawer, award-winning author of The Witches of BlackBrook series, on A Secret History of Witches " Epic in scope and heartbreakingly tender in its portrayal of mothers and daughters... Recommended for fans of Nora Roberts and readers of feminist fantasy. " Booklist on A Secret History of Witches "The strength of Morgan's powerful story is her depiction of this time and place and the everyday struggles of determined women. A great choice for readers who enjoy novels by Alice Hoffman and Barbara Kingsolver. " Booklist on The Witch's Kind " Completely engrossing and hard to put down... I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy historical dramas about found families or women's fiction with a touch of the supernatural." Bibliosanctum on The Witch's Kind "A moving multigenerational saga about strong women who work behind the scenes to save the world from tyranny. A deeply satisfying and magical work of great craft." Carol Goodman, author of The Lake of Dead Languages, on A Secret History of Witches " Sings with sensory detail .... A lush, loving look at everyday lives of women." B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog on The Witch's Kind "I loved it. A beautiful generational tale, reminiscent of Practical Magic if it had been set in various time periods, but much more expansive in scope. Grounded and real, painful and hopeful at the same time." Laure Eve, author of The Graces, on A Secret History of Witches "Epic relay race that gripped me from start to finish . Fiercely uncompromising and unsentimentally poignant, A Secret History of Witches will transfix you." Michael Bishop " An enthralling journey through time and the hearts of women with powers they must hide. Deeply moving and richly conceived. The secret is out. This is how it happened." Kay Kenyon, author of At the Table of Wolves, on A Secret History of Witches
"A Secret History of Witches examines the bonds between mothers and daughters, and the power of hidden magic to quietly save the world, particularly as the world braces for another global war." Brit + Co "A grand family saga rich with historical detail and threaded through with magic. You won't want this book to end ." Sharon Shinn, author of Archangel, on A Secret History of Witches " A Secret History of Witches is an epic family saga that speaks to the strength of all women and the difference that one true heart can make, not only for herself, but for the world." Marci Jefferson, author of Girl on the Golden Coin " Family, love, and ultimately personal strength. Fans of Morgan's The Secret History of Witches will appreciate this latest installment, and newcomers will be equally enchanted ." Historical Novel Society on The Witch's Kind " Fresh and unpredictable.... [Morgan] depicts with visceral impact the roles of women in a male-centered world." Historical Novel Society, on A Secret History of Witches
02/01/2020
The latest from Morgan (aka sf author Louise Marley) tells the tale of three women descended from Bridget Bishop, a witch hanged in Salem in 1692. In Gilded Age New York, Harriet Bishop, her cousin Frances Allington, and Frances's stepdaughter Annis Allington are all witches of varying ages and knowledge of the power. The central theme is the struggle between light and dark magic, called malefecia by Morgan. This malefecia, handed down the Bishop ancestral line, corrupts everyone who uses it. Frances uses it to evil ends by trying to force Annis into a marriage with an English duke, while Harriet and Annis work to destroy Frances's dark agenda. Morgan portrays witchcraft as freedom for the practitioners, with Harriet saying witch "should be a beautiful word" that's instead "been perverted." The author continues building mystery and intrigue with her impressive vocabulary, weaving a compelling tale of love and magic in historic America and England. Fans of Deborah Harkness's "All Souls Trilogy" or Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth will enjoy reading this. VERDICT This is a must-read for those who like magic, love, and a little bit of feel-good feminism in their historical fiction.—Kay Strahan, Univ. of Tennessee Health Sciences Lib., Memphis
Navigating a tangled web of social mores, magical matchmaking, and family intrigue in the early 1800s, narrator Polly Lee brings her own brand of magic to a story of witches at a time when women were not allowed to be agents of their own destiny. Her vocal choices craft exceptionally bright and well-defined characters of different classes who embody distinct styles, and personalities. Her voices create a polished performance full of the vocal subtleties of a well-told story. Lee expertly sweeps the listener into the lives of the Bishop witches, in particular illuminating Annis’s struggles to save herself from her stepmother’s dark designs as she learns who she is as a person, a woman, and a witch. E.M.U. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine
SEPTEMBER 2020 - AudioFile
Navigating a tangled web of social mores, magical matchmaking, and family intrigue in the early 1800s, narrator Polly Lee brings her own brand of magic to a story of witches at a time when women were not allowed to be agents of their own destiny. Her vocal choices craft exceptionally bright and well-defined characters of different classes who embody distinct styles, and personalities. Her voices create a polished performance full of the vocal subtleties of a well-told story. Lee expertly sweeps the listener into the lives of the Bishop witches, in particular illuminating Annis’s struggles to save herself from her stepmother’s dark designs as she learns who she is as a person, a woman, and a witch. E.M.U. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine
SEPTEMBER 2020 - AudioFile