This seemed to be less to do with any decisions the characters made, and more for the convenience and clarity of the plot, which was a shame. The collaboration between the movements adds a sharp feminist dimension to the traditional folk tales referenced throughout the novel, though the suffragists’ demands fade into the background fairly early on as the revival of witchcraft picks up momentum. The concept of combining the women’s suffrage movement and witchcraft was what attracted me to pick up this book in the first place. Rebellion against marginalisation is the central cause of the women in this novel. It’s a beautifully-written homage to rebellious women packaged within a rich, folky world. Obviously, the patriarchal powers that be are unsettled by this open rebellion, and what follows is a thrilling battle for control of the ‘City Without Sin.’ Old spells are re-discovered and secretly distributed among the women of New Salem, and the sisters plan elaborate, disruptive demonstrations to bring attention to their cause. The Eastwood sisters – James Juniper, Beatrice Belladonna, and Agnes Amaranth – join forces with local suffragists and the fight for witches’ rights and women’s rights become entwined. This event signals the beginning of an epic mission to recover the old magic lost to women in the Salem witch trials. So it comes as a shock to the townspeople when the three sisters from a backwater town summon an ancient, mythical tower into existence in the town square.

The city of New Salem has sprung up as a beacon of modernity and morality. There are few women left with the ways, words, or will to cast a spell.

The year is 1893, and witches have been driven out of Salem.

The once and future witches review