Review of 'The Witches of Moonshyne Manor'

A coven of modern-day witches. A magical heist-gone-wrong. A looming threat.

Review

The Witches of Moonshyne Manor goes back and forth between six fierce witches as they recap the events of a heist gone wrong and the costs of it.

Amazing Characters

What I loved most about The Witches of Moonshyne Manor were the characters. Sometimes it can be daunting when a book has multiple POVs, and in the case of this book, we have six different perspectives. Not only that, the story goes back and forth from the past to the present.

For some readers, that can be a little jarring. However, Marais did a fantastic job of ensuring the characters layered on top of one another. Each perspective adds to the development of the story and the characters. They lead into the introduction of another one and establish the bond and history between the characters and build up those character dynamics.

These witches are not blood-related. They are a sisterhood and family of their own making and spent their lives caring for one another.

Moreover, they are all different. There is a lot of representation here in the story, with Queenie being a black woman and matriarch of the family. I love that she’s inventive and calls most of the shots. Queenie doesn’t hesitate to call people out on their mistakes but doesn’t lord it over people. She has the perfect compassion, intellect, and strength that make her a formidable leader.

There is also Ruby. Ruby is pivotal to the story. Arrested for a crime, she didn’t commit and sentenced to prison, Ruby was the reason for the heist. And only she knows where the items are. Unfortunately for her, she is suffering from a sort of magical Alzheimer’s.

Born a man, Ruby uses her magical abilities to shapeshift only to keep the appearance of a woman with bright pink hair. This is who she truly is. And unlike everyone else who uses magic for the most minor things, she keeps her magic on reserve to maintain her true identity.

Ruby’s representation is powerful and gives a powerful voice to the transgender community. Her pain and anguish at reverting to her male form crushes her. Even if it means giving up her magic to be a woman full-time, she will do it because living as a man at any time crushes her spirit.

The way Marais explores this is amazing.

Final Thoughts

The Witches of Moomshyne Manor is effortless. It goes between the characters smoothly and transitions between past and present with clarity and strong writing.

It is easy to follow and has an emotional depth that allows it to capture the reader’s attention. By giving us too many POVs, we are given the big scope of the story and the way actions are perceived and affect other characters. The story moved quickly and easily, keeping me hooked until the last page.

• Writing Quality : 9/10
• Character Development :9/10
• "Couldn't Put It Down"-ness : 8/10
• Intellectual Depth: 9/10
• Originality: 9/10
• Overall Rating: 4 out of 5.

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About the Author

Cynthia Bujnicki graduated from Emerson College with a BA in Writing, Literature and Publishing. She has always loved to read since she was a child. A contributing writer for YA Fantasy Addicts, she is also the Editor-in-Chief for Cyn's Workshop. She lives in sunny South Florida with her husband, son and daughter and their two cats.