Hey Bookworm friends, this month’s old review dust-off fits perfectly with the Witchtober Readathon (hosted by Your Book Friend). So if you’re looking for a unique and indie witchy read, look no further than The Witch & the City by Jake Burnett!
If you’re reading this review I invite you to leave a link to an old review of yours and I’ll show it some love!
About The Witch & The City
Author: Jake Burnett
Genre(s): Fantasy
Publisher: South Window Press
Format Read: E-Book
Year Published: 2023
Source: ARC on Book Sirens
Standalone
Cover Artist: Jake Burnett
Synopsis
The witch Oneirotheria wakes up in the prison-city of Osylum and she doesn’t remember much—only the word “ESCAPE”. There’s only one problem: Osylum is surrounded by a vast nothingness, guarded by creepy wardens, and watched over by “The Lady”, a ruler who is always watching. The witch is assisted by a motley crew of life-sized puppets as she tries to discover all of Osylum’s mysteries as well as her own.
Pace: Medium, Character Driven
Tone: Mysterious, Dark
Mini-Review
I would describe this book as a literary-leaning fantasy. The writing style contains a lot of wordplay and Oneirotheria speaks in a sing-songy, at times rhyming, sort of cant. It’s not a style that will work for everyone but I really delighted in the construction of each sentence. I also thought it helped to create a sort of absurdist tone which fit in perfectly with the madness of the prison-city. In this way, it reminds me of Alice in Wonderland with a darker twist and some sort of grotesque Truman Show where the MC is keenly aware she is always being watched but unsure how…
I really liked the witch; she can turn into a magpie and, like a magpie, she collects words and is always seeking knowledge. As her memories begin to unravel she discovers the word “Love” and I enjoyed watching her come to terms with what that means for her individuality.
In terms of plot, at first, it felt a little episodic, which honestly makes sense for a character who is bumping along in the dark (both literally and figuratively). Eventually, every “mini adventure” combined to make a whole picture and I appreciate the clever way it all came together. There were clues along the way but, unless you know what to look for, you (like me) won’t see the final twist coming. The ending was emotional and the payoff was satisfying. Underneath all the wordplay and adventure, the story is about being true to yourself (especially under difficult circumstances), and it’s about love and grief.
Final Thoughts & Rating
I recommend this book if you like unique storytelling and if, you too, are a magpie for words and language.
Please note that when I wrote this review I was not using the CAWPILE rating method. I’ll attempt to rate the categories as best as my memory allows given I read this in 2023 (For reference I gave it 4 stars on GR).
| CAWPILE | Rating (0-10) |
|---|---|
| Characters | 8 |
| Atmosphere | 10 |
| Writing Style | 9 |
| Plot | 7 |
| Intrigue | 9 |
| Logic | 8 |
| Enjoyment | 9 |
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Body Horror, Death,
Grief,
Moderate: Violence, Alchohol, Cannibalism,
Abandonment
Minor (Mention):
All my ‘Old Review Dust-Offs’ can be found here.
Let’s chat in the comments!
Do you have a favourite word? Feel free to share the links for a review you think needs more attention so I can check it out!
I’m not familiar with this book, so I’m glad you dusted it off😁 Your mention of Alice in Wonderland scares me a bit, as I’m not a big fan of “absurdist” stories, but there’s something about it that makes me want to try it.
Oh yay okay I’m so glad then since that’s the goal of dusting off my old instagram reviews of books I feel need more love! haha 🙂 That’s fair enough I totally understand the tone not being to everyone’s liking but I can say that at least it follows a plot and there is a mystery at the heart of it so it’s not just weird vibes haha. If you ever do try it I’d be curious to know your thoughts. 🙂
I somehow missed this one so I’m glad to see your review!
Thanks!! 🙂 I thought it was a good one to revisit for your witchy theme !
I hadn’t heard of this before but I’m curious now. Any mention of witches intrigues me. I’m not sure how the absurdist vibes will work for me truthfully but I want to give it a chance as it sounds interesting and rather unique.
I really enjoyed this book way more than I expected to, I was pleasantly surprised! And the absurdist tone is there but slight, it doesn’t carry the whole story away just gives it a bit of flavour if that makes sense. But yes if you ever try it I’d love to know your thoughts.