Susan Dennard’s ‘Witchshadow’ is on another level (and why you should read the Witchlands books)
Witchshadow Cover design by Cliff Nielsen
And here I thought my top ten reads list was settled.
What I’m Reading: Iron Heart (Nina Varela — HarperTeen) / The Plantagenets (Dan Jones — William Collins Books) / The Chrysillium Tree (Laken Honeycutt)
What I’m Watching: Honestly, nothing other than nostalgic music videos and Super Eyepatch Wolf, the latter having just released an extraordinarily fascinating Garfield video I’d highly recommend (legit, though, Super Eyepatch Wolf is hands-down one of the best YouTube channels on the website)
Happy holiday season! Whoever you are, and where you are, I hope you are safe and well. I have had quite a hectic week leading to my family’s Christmas festivities, meaning this post — completed a few days ago — is only now going up. Perhaps it’s for the best, as I think I’ll leave posting my top ten reads for Sunday once Christmas Day has come and passed. So, be sure to stop by Sunday! I hope to see you lovely people there! Now, onto Witchshadow / an overview of the Witchlands series by Susan Dennard, AKA the series everyone should be talking about.
Witchshadow is the latest book in a now-five book series, including one novella I, for reasons infinitely beyond my understanding, I only just read a couple of days ago? Like… it took me a day to read it? And it was four stars? And it would have made the following book make considerably more sense?
I dunno. But the Witchlands series, a YA fantasy saga written by Susan Dennard, is quite simply one of the strongest YA fantasy series out in the wilderness. The Goodreads series description is as follows:
On a continent ruled by three empires, everyone is born with a “witchery,” a magical skill that sets them apart from others. In the Witchlands, there are almost as many types of magic as there are ways to get in trouble--as two desperate young women know all too well, as the Twenty Year Truce in a centuries-long war is about to end.
I do, however, feel duty-bound to clarify this is absolutely the top of the iceberg for the Witchlands. Genuinely, looking back at the first book, Truthwitch, is one of the more bizarre activities I can undertake, simply for how big the series has gotten since that opening number. There’s a fantastic summary of the series by the account Witchlcnds, which you can check out here (and I highly recommend you do, it’s excellent). But before I even go near this latest book, I need to praise the series as a whole. One, given this is the first time I’ve actually touched upon the Witchlands. Two, because Susan Dennard’s series should be far more popular than it currently is. And three, because it really is one of the greatest series not only in YA fantasy but fantasy fiction as a whole.
The Witchlands is a masterclass when it comes to building its story, having laid out near-flawless foundations fit for this vast mansion and only ever needing to build up. Side stories aren’t there for the sake of it, but vital elements necessary for the success of this series build (indeed, Sightwitch, AKA 2.5, cannot be skipped, please read it before book three). But when you’re going in, there is no way to anticipate how big it’s all gonna be, and you don’t actually realise how big it’s gotten until you look back and think, “Well shit, the early days were just a little bit itty bitty, weren’t they!”
Of course, that says nothing for how this is easily one of the most naturally diverse casts of characters I’ve seen. People from different in-world cultures, different sexual orientations, different shapes and sizes… And none of it, not for a second, ever feels forced. It’s almost as if alternate kinds of people can exist in a world!
But for real, found family. For me, I see that, and I am immediately paying attention. It’s what I love to read, and it’s what I love to write.
Lastly, there are two characters Iseult (one of the two MCs, and perhaps my favourite between her and other thread-sister, AKA her chosen sister Safiya, or Safi) and Aeduan. Aeduan is precious, and no one can tell me differently, and they have one of the GREATEST SHIPS OF ALL TIME.
Anyway. Their story is life, and I am 1000% Baeseult trash.
There’s also the fact that the magic system is one of the more unique out there; it’s founded upon the notion that everyone in this world possesses their own threads, invisible to all but a fleeting few, the thread and weaver witches. Some don’t have magic at all, but there are many whose threads are different colours, indicating they possess a specific brand of magic. Hence Truthwitch, Windwitch, Sightwitch, Bloodwitch, et cetera. But if you’re interested in something different, a new spice of magic system, you will love these books.
Okay, so… Witchshadow. I think I would like to go into a far deeper dive into this book down the line, perhaps with a Witchlands review mini-series much akin to my ACOTAR reviews (book one review here). However, for the purposes of today, I am not going to go too heavy into the spoilers. Partly because I’ve already spent so much time trying to sell this series (genuinely, please go read Truthwitch, you will not regret diving into this series), and partly because this book is still comparatively new in the world. But here’s the thing: each book is better than the last. Truthwitch is good; Windwitch is almost explosively alive and here; Sightwitch is a fantastic (and perhaps the most beautifully constructed, complete with illustrations!) and sharp side-story. Bloodwitch deserves better than the four-star rating I gave it (I do not understand why I didn’t rate it five stars, I was apparently not having a great day). Many also considered it the best in the series to date (though I suspect that may change with Witchshadow).
Partly because it was Aeduan’s book, given each book has focused on a different character each time, but that’s entirely fair given how precious Aeduan is. But now Witchlands is out, and it somehow completely shoved Bloodwitch off the first place podium.
This is a story with maybe seven odd storylines in tandem, and it rarely leads to confusion or losing one’s place. This is especially impressive when all seven (there are more, but roughly seven stand above the rest) feature grand sweeping plots, many of which frequently intersect and impact one another. The number of different threads (that’s a Witchlands pun right there — it’s okay, you can laugh if you want) all woven in and through and around one another, with, like, zero tangles is beyond me. As a writer, I am bowing down. It’s also the series to read for those interested in fantasy plots meeting political intrigue and complexity. Many of the primary characters in this are leaders, be it current or rising, who all have to navigate this series’ war-times, making alliances and enemies and having to play their cards very carefully.
And they don’t always succeed. Heck, in this book alone, many of the characters face defeat and the consequences of their own actions. There are setbacks aplenty, and honestly, it results in some of the most satisfying, fist-pumping moments one could experience. When they win, it feels earned. But there is so much tension underlining this book because we know they can fail. I mean, it’s a YA series, and there will probably be victory in the end for our heroes, but the cost for that victory? Boyo, I don’t even want to think about it.
There is, I will admit, a definite sense of foreboding for what’s coming. This, in part, feels like a prequel for the following (and final?) book in the series. And yet, it’s so full of intrigue and growth and rapid-fire progression that not once did I mind. If anything, this book has left me desperately wanting to see how everything will play out, how all the cards will fall, who will live, who will die, and just what more the MCs will have to overcome to find ultimate success. I am hungry for more (I also felt that way with Bloodwitch, but that’s because it was just that good).
But really, I honestly need resolution for all these ships. Will sapphic Queen Vivia, a Tidewitch and perhaps a better-faring Azula from ATLA equivalent? find the very love she 1000% deserves? Will Safi and Caden get together? (Yes, I am one of those people, not shipping Safi with Vivia’s brother Merik anymore, dead-but-not-actually,-it’s-complicated Hellbard Caden is a far better choice and you can fight me)
WILL I GET THE BAESULT MOMENTS I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR SINCE BOOK TWO, BOOK THREE? sUSAN?!
Will Leopold get to be happy?
I know these are all names that likely make no sense for a non-Witchlands person, but I do hope at least one person reading this is like me and adores these books.
Anyhoo, the short version of Witchlands:
Meticulous and flawless storytelling
Holy cannoli, this is good worldbuilding
Characters are outstanding, unique from one another, and fantastically diverse
Aeduan
Aeduan, but in a second dot-point
Political interwoven…ness that’s off the charts
Every victory is hard-won and makes you want to shout from the rooftops
Forget great ships — this is a great fucking armada, bro
Okay. I think… I’m gonna leave it there. Honestly, I’m impressed I made it this far, given all my brain wanted to write was “everything was good, please go read the series.” In the future, I am strongly considering posting a review shortly after finishing reading a book or watching a film, so as far as when I post in 2022, or if there’s a pattern, I cannot yet say. But I will say that I hope to see you this Sunday when I finally share my favourite books of the year! Until then, take care of yourselves, and have a most beautiful, festive week!
— Charis.
