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The Year of the Witching

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The Year of the Witching

By: Alexis Henderson
Narrated by: Brianna Colette
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

The Handmaid’s Tale meets The Village in this stunning feminist debut . . .

Born on the fringes of Bethel, Immanuelle does her best to obey the Church and follow Holy Protocol. For it was in Bethel that the first Prophet pursued and killed four powerful witches, and so cleansed the land.

And then a chance encounter lures her into the Darkwood that surrounds Bethel.

It is a forbidden place, haunted by the spirits of the witches who bestow an extraordinary gift on Immanuelle. The diary of her dead mother . . .

Fascinated by and fearful of the secrets the diary reveals, Immanuelle begins to understand why her mother once consorted with witches. And as the truth about the Prophets, the Church and their history is revealed, so Immanuelle understands what must be done. For the real threat to Bethel is its own darkness.

Bethel must change. And that change will begin with her . . .

©2020 Alexis Henderson (P)2020 Penguin Audio Dark Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Paranormal Scary Witchcraft Magic Magic Users

Critic reviews

'A thrillingly brisk and bracing tale of magic and power . . . it takes the best tropes of horror and witchcraft and gives them a refreshingly feminist twist.' S.A. CHAKRABORTY, author of The City of Brass

Featured article: Witches in fiction: 12 historical fiction books to listen to this Halloween


Throughout history, women have been branded as witches by people scared of their power, confidence and independence. In days past, accusations of being a witch – thrown at women for everything from being talented at working with herbs to being in the vicinity of a death – could result in banishment or even death. These 12 audiobooks, perfect for the longer nights, colder weather and the Halloween season, tell the stories of women through history, from goddesses to regular women, through a mix of horror, fantasy and historical fiction.

Featured article Witches in fiction: 12 historical fiction books to listen to this Halloween
All stars
Most relevant
I couldn't listen to this book fast enough. It was completely enthralling. I found myself unable to read,listen, or watch anything else.
It will stay with you for a long time!

Spell bound!

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good book. but felt a little young.
probably more suited to teen or young adult.

good book

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The story held promise but the plot felt like a blunt instrument. Too many links with other stories to leave any surprises.

Predictable story

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I love twitchy stories as was this book and I enjoyed the romance too ...

Very entertaining...

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Loved the idea on paper, but it's a DNF at 50% for me. No obvious problems with anything so far and there has been the odd moment of fascinating imagery, but I am discovering the more horror I consume, the more I am aware of what I like and don't like.

For me, this was copetant all round, but, beyond the premise, nothing sparked any interest in me. The narrative is slow and ponderous, which I enjoy in a gothic story with rich prose, but the writing and characterisation weren't of a quality to keep me interested. The audiobook performance is fine, but not exciting. It all just comes together to in no way offend or evoke animosity, but I made the call that this just wasn't for me. I really did want to love this.

Giving there stars because there's nothing wrong with this and it absolutely could be a me problem. I you want some witchy goings on and have more patience than me, I would still say it's worth looking into.

Competent, But Didn't Click for Me

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