The Witches of New York

By Ami Mckay

The Witches of New York - Ami Mckay
  • Release Date: 2017-07-11
  • Genre: Historical Fantasy
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 174 Ratings

Description

A Buzzfeed Best Gift Book of the Year

“A dark, atmospheric, and feminist story of three women in New York City's Gilded Age, each determined to thrive in a society hell-bent on keeping them down, and using their coven to do so."    —Buzzfeed

INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER

Respectable Lady Seeks Dependable Shop Girl. Those averse to magic need not apply.

New York in the spring of 1880 is a place alive with wonder and curiosity. Determined to learn the truth about the world, its residents enthusiastically engage in both scientific experimentation and spiritualist pursuits. Séances are the entertainment of choice in exclusive social circles, and many enterprising women—some possessed of true intuitive powers, and some gifted with the art of performance—find work as mediums.

Enter Adelaide Thom and Eleanor St. Clair. At their humble teashop, Tea and Sympathy, they provide a place for whispered confessions, secret cures, and spiritual assignations for a select society of ladies, who speak the right words and ask the right questions. But the profile of Tea and Sympathy is about to change with the fortuitous arrival of Beatrice Dunn.

When seventeen-year-old Beatrice leaves the safety of her village to answer an ad that reads "Respectable Lady Seeks Dependable Shop Girl. Those averse to magic need not apply," she has little inclination of what the job will demand of her. Beatrice doesn't know it yet, but she is no ordinary small-town girl; she has great spiritual gifts—ones that will serve as her greatest asset and also place her in grave danger. Under the tutelage of Adelaide and Eleanor, Beatrice comes to harness many of her powers, but not even they can prepare her for the evils lurking in the darkest corners of the city or the courage it will take to face them.

Reviews

  • So much fun

    4
    By haylelooo
    I loved this book, the pacing is interesting though, as I got to the end I thought I had missed or skipped some parts, but in general such a fun story and literally made me want to open a tea shop.
  • Cleverly written mystical/magic plot

    5
    By kaykaybean13
    Enjoyed the book
  • A Good and Creative Take on Witchcraft

    4
    By asapr212
    I enjoyed this book a great deal. The characters are well drawn and the plot idea is strong. There’s a bit of balance missing as some sections seem overly long while other issues resolved too quickly, but overall a good and creative read. The author’s personal connection to the witch trials made it even more interesting and I did find myself looking up several items mentioned in the book to determine if they were historical or imagined.
  • Missing something?

    3
    By Fvezina
    I felt like I missed something with the witch in the asylum storyline wasn’t finished and Mr Palsham wasn’t finished either. But I’m pretty sure I didn’t skip any chapters. I don’t read on my phone very often. I did like the rest of the content and historical references.