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A review by onejadyn
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This review contains spoilers.
I honestly really enjoyed this book. I picked it up looking for something lighthearted and easy to read, to get myself out of a minor slump.
It's not my usual book, being a bit more heavy-handed in romance and coziness, but it wasn't something I was particularly averse to either.
Honestly, the story was in a lot of ways wholesome and delightful. The children were wonderful, and all the characters were charming.
I do feel like a lot of the story felt a little brushed over. There were frequent time jumps that glossed over lessons with the children or nights with Jamie, and I felt the story might've been better served if just a few more of those scenes were better fleshed.
Similarly, I wish the story lingered a bit longer on the few conflicts they had. When Mika got badly hurt by a child's magical negligence, it was brushed off within a page with a simple apology, and didn't linger much longer. When Mika felt betrayed by the occupants of Nowhere House for trying to use her and manipulate her, it similarly got resolved and was not revisited after just a few pages, though that was nearer to the end of the book.
I admittedly did not enjoy Jamie's perspective early on in the book either. It was very much "ugh I hate her but why do I find her so pretty and enjoy being around her so much!" and I feel that he would've been better served if he'd been more distracted by his overprotectiveness of the kids rather than his blossoming and sudden attraction to her.
Overall though, the book is what it says on the tin and does it fairly well. It's wholesome, cozy, and fun. You end up loving the characters, even if you wish some might've had more time to be better explored, and the resolution and character growth—while a bit heavy handed and unsubtle and often told rather than shown—is satisfying and well tied up with a neat bow.
This was a good book, and I read it in a short few hours. I was engaged and I enjoyed myself. While lacking some of the depth and more subtle exploration that I wish it had, I honestly enjoyed it, and I'm glad I read it.
I honestly really enjoyed this book. I picked it up looking for something lighthearted and easy to read, to get myself out of a minor slump.
It's not my usual book, being a bit more heavy-handed in romance and coziness, but it wasn't something I was particularly averse to either.
Honestly, the story was in a lot of ways wholesome and delightful. The children were wonderful, and all the characters were charming.
I do feel like a lot of the story felt a little brushed over. There were frequent time jumps that glossed over lessons with the children or nights with Jamie, and I felt the story might've been better served if just a few more of those scenes were better fleshed.
Similarly, I wish the story lingered a bit longer on the few conflicts they had. When Mika got badly hurt by a child's magical negligence, it was brushed off within a page with a simple apology, and didn't linger much longer. When Mika felt betrayed by the occupants of Nowhere House for trying to use her and manipulate her, it similarly got resolved and was not revisited after just a few pages, though that was nearer to the end of the book.
I admittedly did not enjoy Jamie's perspective early on in the book either. It was very much "ugh I hate her but why do I find her so pretty and enjoy being around her so much!" and I feel that he would've been better served if he'd been more distracted by his overprotectiveness of the kids rather than his blossoming and sudden attraction to her.
Overall though, the book is what it says on the tin and does it fairly well. It's wholesome, cozy, and fun. You end up loving the characters, even if you wish some might've had more time to be better explored, and the resolution and character growth—while a bit heavy handed and unsubtle and often told rather than shown—is satisfying and well tied up with a neat bow.
This was a good book, and I read it in a short few hours. I was engaged and I enjoyed myself. While lacking some of the depth and more subtle exploration that I wish it had, I honestly enjoyed it, and I'm glad I read it.