Song of the Hell Witch is a feminist romantasy with strong Robert Jordan feels. Perfect reading for Wheel of Time fans who would like a little more romance and a little less length! It’s a second chance romance between Prudence Merriweather (once thief, now duchess) and Puck Reed (once thief, now thief lord) in a bleak dystopian world.
The magic system in this novel is unique. I love the infusion of shape-shifting and how that shapes the women’s magical abilities. The allegory where women are being subjugated by ‘holy’ men isn’t subtle but it’s effective. The worldbuilding is also strong, bearing significant parallels with the our world despite being low tech, but with more up to date attitudes. The whole book reads as a wake up call for the modern woman – a reminder that we are powerful and work best together.
That said, this is not a man-hating novel. Quite the opposite, as our love interest Puck is portrayed as a doting father. His desperation to save and protect his daughter is the driving force of the narrative. His respect for the women in his life shines through and there’s a hint that he looks out for more than just his daughter and close friends. He’s certainly not the hero, the women around him are far too capable, but he’s a safe person and that’s all he needs to be.
My personal highlight from Song of the Hell Witch is the diversity. Non-binary and trans representation is alongside bisexual and polyamorous relationships. They’re given a generous amount of time despite not being central to the plot. This novel doesn’t just have diverse characters, it explores them with delicacy, creating natural dialogues to engage the reader. With the ongoing theme of oppression throughout, this diversity felt complimentary. It’s a reminder that minorities need to support each other and combines well with the clear directive to work together.
I did not care for the ending, unfortunately. The ending was a cliff-hanger and nothing is resolved. I am a big believer that a novel should be wrapped up neatly by the end, perhaps with a hint of more adventures to come, but always with the main objective achieved. For those who agree with me, it might be best to wait until the series is complete before committing.
Luckily, the story and strong writing is enough for me to be happy I read this. The characters lead the way and the romance feels natural (I didn’t roll my eyes once, a rare achievement!) The whole book has a rich, revolutionary atmosphere and I am desperate for the second book.
| Criteria | Scores | Our Score |
|---|---|---|
| Artistic Achievement | 1-5 | 4 |
| Pacing | 1-5 | 4 |
| Characters | 1-5 | 5 |
| Writing Style | 1-5 | 5 |
| Originality | 1-5 | 4 |
Final Grade
A
Written By: ivetafox
Favourite Game – Long Live the Queen || Favourite Film – Sweeney Todd || Favourite Book – Wuthering Heights
About: Ivy is a disabled, autistic writer from the UK, passionate about inclusive gaming. When not reviewing, she can be found writing short stories and micro fiction or reading the latest gothic novel.
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