The Witches of Moonshyne Manor

In some novels, setting becomes character. Would you consider Moonshyne Manor to be a main character in the novel and, if so, how would you describe its personality?

In many ways, Critchley Hackle is a microcosm of the world today. What global issues do you recognize in the town that continue to plague so many societies?

Many novels about witches focus on the mother-daughter bond shared by women who have magical powers in terms of how the craft is passed down from one generation to the next. How did the sisterhood compensate, in both healthy and unhealthy ways, for being orphans who didn’t have that kind of guidance?

Queenie expresses anger and frustration at having to shoulder all the responsibility, but also desperately needs to be needed. How much of her struggle is self-inflicted and how much comes from the fact that we’re so often pigeon-holed into certain roles when we’re younger, which we then feel obligated to act out throughout our lives? What role were you assigned when young (the sensitive one/the responsible one/the rebellious one, etc.) that you’ve sometimes felt stifled by in terms of the expectations or associations that come with it?

When we meet Ursula, she’s plagued by guilt and regret, and we learn that she’s guarded secrets about her wrongdoings for decades. But before that, she never spoke of her love for Ruby either, not even to any of the sisterhood. What kind of toll do you think this has taken on her and what does this say about the prisons we create for ourselves?

Jezebel is unapologetically sexual despite her age and Ivy bucks conventions by being a senior who is covered with tattoos. That both raise eyebrows says something about what we consider suitable behaviour for older women. How do the sisterhood offer a more liberating view of what it means for women to age?

Ruby’s form of magical Alzheimer’s is especially heartbreaking because she had to fight so hard for a sense of identity when society could not accept who she was. What do you think it was like for her in a men’s prison before she lost her memories? Why do you think she refused to see any of the sisterhood in all that time?

Persephone is from an entirely different generation to the witches which often leads to consternation on both sides. How does her presence in their insular lives help them grow and what lesson is there to be learned about intergenerational relationships?

Tabitha has been tied to the manor for decades, waiting for an apology from Ruby, and this has made her bitter and angry. What does this say about how much of our unhappiness is a self-administered poison that we could let go of if we were able to gain a fresh perspective on it?

Witches were the very first feminists. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why do you think we remain so fascinated by them? Which witch are you?