For centuries, the figure of the witch represented the hostile and feared “other” on the edge of human society, placed “in between” the world of people and the world of demons. Whether she stood for the untamed powers of nature, dark powers of knowledge or magic, or evil powers derived from the devil, she was always identified with fear as a disturbance, as a danger to the order of society and to the well-being of those who understood themselves as settled within the borders of the patriarchal order and its psychological and sexual corselet. In this role, the witch appeared in numerous literary works, including, among others, writings by Chaucer, Shakespeare and Middleton. However, since the 1840s, the image of the witch has undergone enormous transformations, mainly due to the influence of various matriarchate theories and of feminist ideas. The witch, reclaimed by women for women, became an identification figure and representative of their expectations, fears, hopes and claims. This study investigates examples of witches in publications by contemporary British women writers to see how this figure is perceived, related to, and utilised in their respective texts. Iris Murdoch, Jeanette Winterson, Angela Carter and Fay Weldon, among others, refer consistently to this witch figure, whom they interpret in various creative and surprising ways, adopting innovative approaches to this comparably ancient figure.

action-packed, relentlessly paced plot much to like about Face of the Bell Witch strong start to what could be an extraordinarily entertaining series. BlueInk Review a major cliffhanger unique perspective of what life might be like if death werent the end of relationships. Clarion Review (four stars) alternately tender and savage first installment of a paranormal series prose is frequently clever thick plot threads brightened by local color but tinged with shocking violence. Kirkus Review Deep within the bowels of a Tennessee cave, the vindictive spirit of the Bell Witch awaits the catalyst to unleash her vengeance again after a decade of dormancy Ten-year-old Abby Whitaker is troubled. Her devoted father, Brody, a gifted Clarksville medium, is aware that she is beginning to pick up on subtle signs presented by spirits of her late relatives. But who is the stranger loitering across from Abbys school, seeking her attention and worrying her so? While Brody juggles Abbys angsts along with the myriad demands of fatherhood and personal financial struggles, he fatefully crosses paths with two dangerous small-time hoodlums, leaving him to wonder if his unique ability is a blessing or a curse. As the slumbering Bell Witch is roused once more, Brody is propelled into a desperate life-or-death maelstrom where he is pitted against sinister forces that will stop at nothing to get what they want: the one he holds closest to his heart. In this paranormal thriller, a gifted medium and his young daughter unwittingly become embroiled in a perilous clash with both criminal and supernatural worldsawakening a vengeful spirit in the process.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Cleopatra, the #1 national bestseller, unpacks the mystery of the Salem Witch Trials. It began in 1692, over an exceptionally raw Massachusetts winter, when a minister's daughter began to scream and convulse. It ended less than a year later, but not before 19 men and women had been hanged and an elderly man crushed to death. The panic spread quickly, involving the most educated men and prominent politicians in the colony. Neighbors accused neighbors, parents and children each other. Aside from suffrage, the Salem Witch Trials represent the only moment when women played the central role in American history. In curious ways, the trials would shape the future republic. As psychologically thrilling as it is historically seminal, The Witches is Stacy Schiff's account of this fantastical story -- the first great American mystery unveiled fully for the first time by one of our most acclaimed historians.

From the podcast host of The Witch Wave and practicing witch Pam Grossman—who Vulture has dubbed the “Terry Gross of witches”—comes an exploration of the world’s fascination with witches, why they have intrigued us for centuries and why they’re more relevant now than ever. When you think of a witch, what do you picture? Pointy black hat, maybe a broomstick. But witches in various guises have been with us for millennia. In Waking the Witch, Pam Grossman explores the impact of the world’s most magical icon. From the idea of the femme fatale in league with the devil to the bewitching pop culture archetypes in Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Harry Potter; from the spooky ladies in fairy tales to the rise of contemporary witchcraft, witches reflect the power and potential of women. Part cultural analysis, part memoir, Waking the Witch traces the author’s own journey on the path to witchcraft, and how this has helped her find self-empowerment and purpose. It celebrates witches past, present, and future, and reveals the critical role they have played—and will continue to play—in the world as we know it. “Deftly illuminating the past while beckoning us towards the future, Waking the Witch has all the makings of a feminist classic. Wise, relatable, and real, Pam Grossman is the witch we need for our times” (Ami McKay, author of The Witches of New York).

"A gorgeous and thrilling paean to the ferocious power of women. The characters live, bleed, and roar. "―Laini Taylor, New York Times bestselling author A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Winner of the British Fantasy Award for Best Fantasy Novel • Named One of the Best Books of the Year by NPR Books • Barnes and Noble • BookPage In the late 1800s, three sisters use witchcraft to change the course of history in this powerful novel of magic, family, and the suffragette movement. In 1893, there's no such thing as witches. There used to be, in the wild, dark days before the burnings began, but now witching is nothing but tidy charms and nursery rhymes. If the modern woman wants any measure of power, she must find it at the ballot box. But when the Eastwood sisters―James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna―join the suffragists of New Salem, they begin to pursue the forgotten words and ways that might turn the women's movement into the witch's movement. Stalked by shadows and sickness, hunted by forces who will not suffer a witch to vote―and perhaps not even to live―the sisters will need to delve into the oldest magics, draw new alliances, and heal the bond between them if they want to survive. There's no such thing as witches. But there will be. An homage to the indomitable power and persistence of women, The Once and Future Witches reimagines stories of revolution, motherhood, and women's suffrage—the lost ways are calling. Praise for The Once and Future Witches: "A glorious escape into a world where witchcraft has dwindled to a memory of women's magic, and three wild, sundered sisters hold the key to bring it back...A tale that will sweep you away."―Yangsze Choo, New York Times bestselling author "This book is an amazing bit of spellcraft and resistance so needed in our times, and a reminder that secret words and ways can never be truly and properly lost, as long as there are tongues to speak them and ears to listen."―P. Djèlí Clark, author The Black God's Drum For more from Alix E. Harrow, check out The Ten Thousand Doors of January.

A mysterious murder. An enchanted hometown. Catching the killer will take a crack reporter... and a pinch of magic. Between her cheating husband and her on-air meltdown, Marzie Nowak is going through a bit of a bad spell. With nowhere else to turn, the ex-big-city journalist crawls back to her superstitious hometown of Widow's Bay just in time for their annual pagan festival. But after some on-the-ground reporting for a local news site, she realizes the legends surrounding the village may be more magic than myth... Despite her best efforts to fact-check the strange phenomena, she can't quite explain the packs of fur-covered tourists, the cryptic schemes of a sun-shy billionaire, or her chatty cat's fashion advice. And she can't help but join the ranks of true believers when an unsolved murder sparks her own mystical powers. With a killer on the loose and magical mysteries around every corner, can Marzie crack the case before her next meltdown? Resting Witch Face is the first book in a spellbinding paranormal cozy mystery series. If you like clever heroines, snarky humor, and supernatural small towns, then you'll love Rebecca Regnier's bewitching mystery. Buy Resting Witch Face to fall under the spell of a witty, whimsical mystery today!

This amazingly wise and nimble collection investigates the horrors inflicted on so-called “witches” of the past. The Witch of Eye unearths salves, potions, and spells meant to heal, yet interpreted by inquisitors as evidence of evil. The author describes torture and forced confessions alongside accounts of gentleness of legendary midwives. In one essay about a trial, we learn through folklore that Jesus’s mother was a midwife who cured her own son’s rheumatism. In other essays there are subtle parallels to contemporary discourse around abortion and environmental destruction. Nuernberger weaves in her own experiences too. There’s an ironic look at her own wedding, an uncomfortable visit to the Prague Museum of Torture, and an afternoon spent tearing out a garden in a mercurial fit. Her researched material is eye-opening, lively, and often funny. An absolutely thrilling collection.