Description
Marielle Thompson’s novel The Last Witch of Edinburgh begins as a journey through 1820s Scotland and ends as a social and political statement about women’s rights in the 2020s: in other words, I loved it. I’m the target audience for witchy, apothecary, feminist leaning stories, so there was no way I was going to miss this one.
In the wake of her mother’s death, Nellie Duncan must hold her family together as her father drinks away every penny he earns and spends no time thinking about his children. When Nellie loses her job due to jealousy—the woman for whom she worked believed Nellie to be having an affair with the Lord of the house—Nellie fears she and her brother Tommy will starve. She finds her way to Rae’s Apothecary and learns a world of women awaits to support her. She is given a job and an introduction to the ways of Cailleach.
The women of Rae’s are devotees—some may call them witches—and their devotions are dangerous under the eyes of a commissioner who seeks to hang all women accused of practicing witchcraft. When tragedy strikes, Nellie makes her way through the world alone for many years only to find herself embroiled in another power struggle, this time on a college campus, and she must determine if she has the strength to stand up for herself, for Cailleach, and for all women.
If you enjoy the work of Alice Hoffman, Sarah Penner, Louisa Morgan, Paula Brackston, or Hester Fox, The Last Witch of Edinburgh is sure to become a new favorite.
