The Nature of Witches: Queer Witchy Romance
An Instant New York Times Bestseller
In a world where witches control the climate and are losing control, only one witch can save earth from destruction. But as her power grows, it hurts those closest to her, and when she falls in love with her training partner she's forced to choose between her power, her love, and saving the earth.
For centuries, witches have maintained the climate, but now their control is faltering as the atmosphere becomes more erratic; the storms, more destructive. All hope lies with Clara, a once-in-a-generation Everwitch whose magic is tied to every season.
In Autumn, Clara wants nothing to do with her power. It's wild and volatile, and the price of her magic--losing the ones she loves--is too high, despite the need to control the increasingly dangerous weather.
In Winter, the world is on the precipice of disaster. Fires burn, storms rage, and Clara accepts that she's the only one who can make a difference.
In Spring, she falls for Sang, the witch training her. As her magic grows, so do her feelings, until she's terrified Sang will be the next one she loses.
In Summer, Clara must choose between her power and her happiness, her duty and the people she loves...before she loses Sang, her magic, and thrusts the world into chaos.
"Perfect for fans of Shea Ernshaw and Taylor Swift's Folklore."--Rosiee Thor, author of Tarnished Are the Stars
"A bright, fresh read from a glowing new voice, THE NATURE OF WITCHES is both timely and stirring. Griffin's emotional writing that cuts to the heart will make her a new YA favorite."--Adrienne Young, New York Times bestselling author of Fable
"The forces of nature and magic blend perfectly in this masterfully told story... I couldn't love this book more."--Shea Ernshaw, NYT bestselling author of The Wicked Deep and Winterwood
BUY THE BOOK
Community Reviews
The Nature of Witches follows the pattern of bringing Witches into the real world while standing out to focus on climate change and pollution.
Compelling Story
I loved the realism that went into developing the plot of the story. In The Nature of Witches, Griffin gives her Witches a well-rounded foundation to coexist with non-magical folk. Non-magical people can give birth to witches and vice versa. A delicate balance allows the story to move forward out of cliches and predictability while also giving the reader enough backstory to Clara, her power, and how Witches exist in the world.
There are also five types of witches: Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring, and Ever witches. All witches are born within one season. Their power grows in the season, giving them specific control over the elements and particular storms and waning outside of their season on the equinox.
They are fighting to put nature back into balance, learning to fight forest fires, heatwaves, sudden tornadoes, and flooding brought on by pollution and climate change. It is a compelling message to the reader that our actions influence the planet because people are losing their lives in these situations, much like the witches try to ease the damage.
The message here is that things need to change; how we humans treat the planet needs to change for things to get better.
Great Characterization
What also makes The Nature of Witches so good is the character growth that goes into developing Clara. Clara, as an Ever Witch, is the most powerful Witch in existence. Instead of diminishing each equinox, they change with the seasons, giving her power over all the seasons, changing her personality, desires, and wants.
However, the power is also too much for her. If she loses control over her power, it latches onto someone she loves and cares about, killing them instantly. So it killed her parents and her best friend, leaving her with this hate she has for herself.
Clara strongly believes that she is a danger to others and can be no help since she has no control over her abilities. However, throughout the novel, following the death of another person she loved, after reading the journal of the previous Ever Witch and training with Sang, Clara learns to accept her power.
It is such a compelling journey to watch unfold as she comes to accept her power and love herself. She spends so much of the novel hating herself and feeling guilty, wrapping herself in loneliness instead of being a part of the group. Finally, Clara learns to open herself up to love, to loving herself, and letting others love her as well.
Clara’s journey is relatable because she spends so much time denying this significant part of herself, hurting herself more than others. No one should deny a part of who they are; that is what Griffin is teaching readers. Every bit of who we are deserves to be loved and accepted.
Final Thoughts
The Nature of Witches delivers readers a compelling read, focusing on character development and climate change.
See more reviews at Cyn's Workshop and follow me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Spotify Podcast | YouTube | BookBub | Goodreads+ | LinkedIn
See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.