GSWS Feminist Book Club - May 2025
Witchcraft for Wayward Girls
Grady Hendrix
Penguin (2025)
Our group appreciated the novel's storytelling, complex characters, and its exploration of themes like power, community, and bodily autonomy鈥攅specially around children鈥檚 rights and motherhood. While some had expected more overt witchcraft, many felt the real horror was society itself, and that the use of witchcraft worked powerfully as an allegory for feminism, solidarity and collective strength among women. Some readers didn鈥檛 realize the author was a man until finishing the book, and were pleasantly surprised by how well he captured the emotional depth and essence of the women鈥檚 experiences, as well as the humility and thoughtfulness he expressed in his acknowledgments. Though heavy and at times uncomfortable (eliciting a visceral reaction to the body horror elements), the book resonated as both moving and important, and many left the discussion with a deeper appreciation for its themes.
Average rating 4.3