WE CALL THEM WITCHES by India-Rose Bower (BOOK REVIEW)
The world has ended and eldritch-like creatures stalk the earth, hunting every human.
But Sara and her family have been fighting for survival, armed with their knowledge of folklore and pagan rituals – the only weapon that seems to work against these monsters.
And then a young woman, Parsley, comes out of nowhere into Sara’s life.
Found in their garden, they have no idea where she is from.
Sara feels herself growing closer to this stranger, drawn in by her alien presence. Until her young brother, Noah, is stolen in the night by the witches and Sara’s family split up to find him.
But can Parsley truly be trusted in a world where humanity is as scarce as humans themselves?
But Sara and her family have been fighting for survival, armed with their knowledge of folklore and pagan rituals – the only weapon that seems to work against these monsters.
And then a young woman, Parsley, comes out of nowhere into Sara’s life.
Found in their garden, they have no idea where she is from.
Sara feels herself growing closer to this stranger, drawn in by her alien presence. Until her young brother, Noah, is stolen in the night by the witches and Sara’s family split up to find him.
But can Parsley truly be trusted in a world where humanity is as scarce as humans themselves?
I’ve mentioned before that post-apocalyptic tales are hitting me very differently since 2020, and not always in an entertaining way. We Call Them Witches hits that anxiety, but in the manner of ’28 Days Later’ – in that it’s easy to see yourself in the characters and be taken along for what is an inevitably difficult journey. What would you do in that situation?
It’s not long after the End of Things (which we see in flashback, and it is as terrifying as you’d imagine), with the book following one little family as they do their best to survive. It’s not entirely clear what the ‘witch’ monsters are that hunt humans down or where they came from, but they are very definitely lethal. The only thing keeping our protagonists safe is traditional ritual. Heroine Sara’s mother knows the basics of herbcraft, symbolism and Wicca-adjacent magic, and it appears to work against these bizarre entities.This means that every home they set up in must be tightly warded, their stash of supplies kept topped up, and the constant pressure just to survive is its own persistent threat at the door.
This is a story of fragile unity, hope and endurance against the witches themselves as well as the darkness within. Frustration, fear, depression and paranoia inevitably lurk in the dark too, and when the family happen upon new girl Parsley, the idea that there are other survivors upends their little routine. What does this mean? Are others a good thing or not; can they be trusted, or will their ignorance endanger everyone?
What starts out as a relatively simple story soon shows its many threads as they begin to fray. As in ‘A Quiet Place’ children will be children, and teenagers too. Imagine growing up in a world where everything you knew and expected was wiped out – what can you do? Are adults trustworthy at all? What if nobody has any answers?
The writing here is exemplary, drawing the reader into the little family from the start. The tension is constant, the threat as real as if it stood outside my own door as I sat safely turning pages. I almost physically jumped when the cat made a noise nearby!
As with all the best apocalyptic tales, this is about humanity, and how we can do our best to hold on when faced with its extinction.
A challenging and rewarding book, as you’re pulled into the unwelcome adventure that is staying alive with those you love.
We Call Them Witches is due for publication on 22nd January – you can pre-order your copy on Bookshop.org
