Threadneedle is Cari Thomas’s dark saga of a family of witches torn apart by a curse. Every page is a riot of magic, and you’ll find yourself ensnared in the threads of this story.

Anna is an orphan, raised by her aunt who took her in when her father brutally murdered her mother before ending his own life. It’s not exactly a caring and nurturing king of home environment; Anna and her aunt are witches, but Aunt is a member of a coven called the Binders, and they believe that magic must be bound and not used, for fear of being hunted once more. And so Anna lives a life of repression in which everything she could turn to is knotted away beyond her reach – her magic, her emotions. Even her dreams.

But when Anna turns sixteen, her godmother Selene returns with the news she’s sticking around this time, and her daughter Effie, with her boyfriend Attis in tow, will be joining Anna in her school. Effie is everything Anna is not; she’s loud and voracious, strong-willed and emotional; a beacon for attention. Most of all, Effie uses magic with abandon, and opens a whole magical world to Anna that she didn’t know even existed.

This is a story of so many moving parts expertly woven together into the most magical tapestry. There are aspects of coming-of-age, teenagers discovering their powers and so discovering themselves, their voices. There’s a sense of found family when Anna, Effie and Attis, along with Rowan and Manda, turn to each and learn to trust each other. To support each other against the school bullies that make their lives hell. Underneath this is the mystery of Anna’s past, her belief that her Aunt is keeping important secrets from her about her mother, and her growing sense that her magic might be cursed. Aunt is abusive and especially cruel, physically and emotionally (trigger warning), and it’s easy to despair for Anna seemingly trapped in that world.

There is a great deal going on in this story, and yet at no point does it feel convoluted or too much; Thomas truly does a marvellous job balancing the story, and as such it’s an impressive and assured debut. Its rare for me to struggle on a favourite aspect of a book; I can usually say with clarity whether the characters or the world building is the strength of a story, but they’re equally so well done here. Thomas’ cast of characters are morally ambiguous, flawed human beings. You will love them, you will be frustrated by them, you’ll miss them when you put the book down; in short, Thomas successfully made me feel part of the coven, like I’d made a new set of friends (Rowan is my favourite, ssh don’t tell Effie).

And the London in which they live is pure magical escapism. The Library was, naturally, a favourite, with its mix of wonder and danger, the thought of corridors leading you astray and losing you within its labyrinthine shelves. Rowan’s mum’s ever-changing homely garden festooned with magical lights. Not to mention the different types of magic! Each witch has their own affinity with magic, a different language to cast their spells which Thomas presented with impressive imagination. If you enjoy books simply for their vibes then you will love the worldbuilding of this one.

In short, Threadneedle is a story to utterly lose yourself in. It’s the perfect blend of Practical Magic and The Craft, with deliberate nods to both. It does have very dark themes, but Threadneedle will cast it’s spell on you and not let you go.

Threadneedle is available now. You can pick up your copy HERE