A secret history of witches

Title:

Author:

Morgan, Louisa, 1952- author.

Summary:

"From early 19th century Brittany to London during the Second World War, five generations of witches fight the battles of their time, deciding how far they are willing to go to protect their family, their heritage, and ultimately, all of our futures. After Grand-mère Ursule gives her life to save her tribe, her magic seems to die with her. Even so, her family keeps the Old Faith, practicing the spells and rites that have been handed from mother to daughter for generations. Until one day, Ursule's young granddaughter steps into the circle, and magic flows anew."-- Provided by publisher.

Edition:

First edition.

Physical Description:

484 pages ; 25 cm

Genre:

Paranormal fiction.

Subject Term:

Witches -- Fiction.

Mothers and daughters -- Fiction.

Families -- Fiction.

Magic -- Fiction.

Geographic Term:

Brittany (France) -- Fiction.

London (England) -- Fiction.

Publisher:

Redhook,

Publication Date:

2017

ISBN:

9780316508551

9780316508582

Publication Information:

New York, NY : Redhook, 2017.

Call Number:

MORGAN

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607003272476	Adult Fiction	MORGAN	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

A sweeping historical saga that traces five generations of fiercely powerful mothers and daughters -- witches whose magical inheritance is both a dangerous threat and an extraordinary gift.

Brittany, 1821.

After Grand-Mere Ursule gives her life to save her family, their magic seems to die with her.

Even so, the Orchires fight to keep the old ways alive, practicing half-remembered spells and arcane rites in hopes of a revival. And when their youngest daughter comes of age, magic flows anew. The lineage continues, though new generations struggle not only to master their power, but also to keep it hidden.

But when World War II looms on the horizon, magic is needed more urgently than ever -- not for simple potions or visions, but to change the entire course of history.

Praise for A Secret History of Witches :

"I loved it. A beautiful generational tale, reminiscent of Practical Magic . . .. Grounded and real, painful and hopeful at the same time." --Laure Eve, author of The Graces

"Historical fiction at its absolute finest....Deliciously absorbing." --Boston Globe

" At once sprawling and intimate, A Secret History of Witches deftly captures the greatest magic of all: the love between mothers and daughters." --Jordanna Max Brodsky, author of The Wolf in the Whale

For more from Louisa Morgan, check out:

The Witch's Kind

The Age of Witches

Author Notes

Louisa Morgan is the author of A Secret History of Witches , and a pseudonym for award-winning author Louise Marley. Louise lives in the Pacific Northwest where she and her Border Terrier, Oscar, ramble the beaches and paths of Washington State.

Reviews (2)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Set in western Europe and spanning five generations, Morgan's novel is a lengthy and repetitive novel that lacks intrigue and detail. The Orchiéres-Nanette, Ursule, Irene, Morwan, and Veronica-are a line of witches. Magic is passed down from mother to daughter, each one receiving her powers as she hits puberty. Each daughter is tasked with protecting the family's secrets and ensuring that the line continues by giving birth to more daughters. While each woman's story has individual elements that sets it apart from the others, each does not stray far from the formula of hitting puberty, discovering their power, fighting with their mothers, and finding a man to help them bear children. As far as the magical elements go, the incantations are unimaginative, coupled with clichés typical of witch stories, such as Nanette's black feline companion and the emphasis on Ursule's elderly and cloaked appearance when Morwan first meets her grandmother. The novel moves quickly through each generation's story, leaving the reader with little attachment to these women and their struggles. The cast of supporting characters, and the male characters in particular, are not given enough room on the page to have any lasting impact on the reader, and their relationships to the Orchiéres are used primarily as vehicles for plot progression. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Library Journal Review

This historical novel by a pseudonymous author of award-winning sf named Louise Marley (The Child Goddess) is extremely ambitious in its time line, covering the lives of five generations of women. From Brittany to Cornwall and much of Great Britain, and from the mid-1800s to World War II, this tale revolves around the Orchiéres women who have a magical secret that they protect at any cost and who pass down their knowledge and experience from mother to daughter. In each subsequent generation, a new lesson is learned, and usually brought forward. -VERDICT While the plot plods a little bit in the beginning, and the jumps forward in time may disconcert casual readers, overall this compelling read will appeal to those who enjoyed the supernatural aspects of Katherine Howe's The Physick Book of -Deliverance Dane. Morgan's title, however, has more romance and a heavier emphasis on familial relationships.-Elizabeth McArthur, Bexar Cty. Digital Lib., BiblioTech, San Antonio © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.