Book Review: The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches
First, let me confess, I've always been a sucker for books that seamlessly blend magic with the everyday, and The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna accomplishes this beautifully. It's a delightful concoction of whimsy, heart, and magic.
A BRIEF SUMMARY
The story follows Mika Moon, a 30-something witch who must keep her powers a secret from greater society in order to keep herself safe. When she ends up being offered a job as a live-in tutor at Nowhere House for three young witches, she must grapple with what she’s been taught about witches—that they must be alone in order to be safe—and consider opening herself up to real relationships for the first time in her life. What follows is not just a charming exploration of magic but a poignant journey of friendship, acceptance, and embracing one's true self.
WHAT I LOVED
One of the strengths of Mandanna's work is her ability to craft characters that leap off the page. Each of the children is unique, with quirks and qualities that make them feel like real children you might encounter in our world. The adults feel like friends you've known forever. Mika, the protagonist, is a relatable character whose journey mirrors the struggles many of us face when discovering our identity and place in the world. I personally found her incredibly relatable, but that’s for another post entirely. Needless to say, as someone who is most drawn in by characters, Mandanna did that job, and did it well.
While there’s a mystery element to the story, and it is engaging in the best possible way when it all finally comes to light, at its heart, this book explores themes of relationship and self-discovery. The magical elements serve as a charming backdrop to the deeper narrative of accepting oneself and others. As a writer, I resonated with the nuanced exploration of identity and the powerful message that our differences are our strengths; that community is always better than isolation.
I love when an author is able to address very real issues within the framework of fantasy. In The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, we are exposed to concepts of bigotry, racial issues, and discrimination without feeling like we’re being lectured at on the subjects. Instead, we see it with our own eyes as the characters face them head on. There are even references to homophobia as two of the characters—a gay couple—mention the struggles they’ve had with being accepted during their decades-long relationship. Never once did I feel like Mandanna was on a soap box or preaching a perspective, other than to say that being kind is better than being nice (another concept that I appreciated).
"It’s not always enough to go looking for the place we belong,” Jamie said, his eyes on the house ahead. “Sometimes we need to make that place.”
—The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, Sangu Mandanna
FINAL THOUGHTS
I wholeheartedly give The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches 5/5 stars.
As a writer, I admire Mandanna's ability to infuse magic into the everyday in such a seamless way that we can fully forget that this isn’t how our real world actually is. It's a reminder that stories, no matter how fantastical, are always rooted in the human experience. The exploration of individual strengths, the importance of community, and the acceptance of differences are themes that any reader, writer, or human being can appreciate. I’ve read this book more than once now, and have left it each time with a cozy, warm feeling in my heart. Highly recommend!
Happy reading!
