Witchcraft for Wayward Girls

The four main characters—Fern (Neva), Rose, Zinnia, and Holly—each have distinct personalities and backgrounds. Which character resonated with you the most and why?

Discuss the characters of Hagar and Miriam. What role do they play in the novel? Did you enjoy their characterisation or did you wish they had been more fleshed out?

Talk about how Hendrix creates an air of menace and dread surrounding Wellwood. Which aspects of the girls' treatment did you find most disturbing?

How does the novel portray pregnancy and childbirth? What purpose do the graphic depictions serve in the narrative?

The title refers to "Wayward Girls." Discuss how society labeled and controlled young women in the 1970s. How does the novel explore the concept of "waywardness" and who gets to define it?

Hendrix mentions in his author's note that two of his own female family members were forced into homes like Wellwood. How familiar were you with the existence of homes like Wellwood? While these homes for unwed mothers are largely a thing of the past, how far have we really come from the attitudes that created them? In particular, in what ways do we still see shame used as a method of control today, particularly for young women?

The novel is set in 1970, just before Roe v. Wade. How does this historical context inform the story? How does the novel engage with contemporary issues around women's bodily autonomy, and what parallels do you see between the challenges faced by the characters and those faced by young women today?

What do you make of the fact that this novel about female experiences was written by a male author? Did Hendrix's portrayal of the girls' experiences feel authentic to you?

How would you categorize this novel? Is it horror, historical fiction, coming-of-age, or something else? How does genre-blending enhance (or detract from) the story? Were you hoping for more horror? For more supernatural elements? Or did you like it as is?

How did you feel about the ending of the novel? Was it satisfying? Too bleak? Emotionally devastating (in a good way)? Lacking in justice and resolution, or fitting for the times?

In what ways did this book affect you emotionally? Do you think the impact of this story will stay with you, and if so, how?

If you've read other Grady Hendrix novels (like "The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires" or "My Best Friend's Exorcism"), how does this one compare? What themes or techniques seem consistent across his work?