A Lullaby for Witches by Hester Fox
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Thank you to the publisher, Graydon House, for providing me with an ARC of A Lullaby for Witches in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Gist
I loved Fox’s The Orphan of Cemetery Hill and could not contain my excitement when I found out Fox wrote another story.
For the past two years I have noticed a slight change in the publication process, shall we call it, in the books that have hit the shelves.
A larger number than before feel like they are missing the last bit of polish before getting published. There is just something missing. It is either noticeable plot holes or abrupt endings or characters that seems unfinished.
Unfortunately, such is the case in the author’s new book A Lullaby for Witches. It makes me very sad, because I know the quality of the author’s writing is so much more engaging and satisfying.
The Details
Where to begin? Well, the more I think about it, the more anxious I get. There are so many little things that were almost there, almost right and good and enjoyable. But then they sort of get lost in the tangled web of the story.
A Lullaby for Witches is a dual narrative with parts set in the 1800’s and parts set in the present. At some point the narratives meet. Okay. We got that, no need to hyperventilate.
There are two protagonists. One from each time period, obviously. Still, no need to for heart palpitations.
There are connections that tie the entire story together. And this is where I go cross-eyed and get the sweaty palms.
The connections are not very well explained. Some are not explained at all and others make no sense!
Add to that the fact that the protagonists are not consistent. Sure, there are situations they experience that could explain and lay the groundwork for certain behavioural patterns, yet it all gets very confusing.
I experienced a pendulum of emotions when it came to the characters. Do I hate them? Love them? Do I sympathize with them. I don’t know. Haven’t got a clue!
I was lucky enough to have had the chance to read big chunks of A Lullaby for Witches in one sitting, which helped with keeping the confusion at bay. As soon as I had to take a break from reading for the day and picked up the book 24 hours later, I was lost.
I began to feel anxious, because connections snd explanations just weren’t there or were very vague.
The plot is equally shrouded in mist. It is there, but not very thought through. A lot of loose ends are tucked in wherever they fit.
The author’s stories are usually very satisfying to read. They are compact and make sense. A Lullaby for Witches feels a bit like a ball of yarn that is not very well rolled up into a ball. And for some reason that make me itch nervously.
The writing in general is still very good. I was able to finish the book rather quickly. Also, the epilogue proves that Fox knows how to write beautifully.
The Verdict
Overall, A Lullaby for Witches is missing the last polish to make it the story it certainly had the potential to be: spellbinding and addictive.
