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  • The Once and Future Witches

  • The spellbinding bestseller
  • By: Alix E. Harrow
  • Narrated by: Gabra Zackman
  • Length: 16 hrs and 3 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (455 ratings)
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The Once and Future Witches cover art

The Once and Future Witches

By: Alix E. Harrow
Narrated by: Gabra Zackman
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Summary

In 1893, there's no such thing as witches. There used to be, in the wild, dark days before the burnings began, but now witching is nothing but tidy charms and nursery rhymes. If the modern woman wants any measure of power, she must find it at the ballot box.

But when the three Eastwood sisters join the suffragists of New Salem, they begin to pursue the forgotten ways that might turn the women's movement into the witch's movement. Stalked by shadows and sickness, hunted by forces who will not suffer a witch to vote - and perhaps not even to live - the sisters must delve into the oldest magics, draw new alliances and heal the bond between them if they want to survive.

There's no such thing as witches. But there will be.

©2020 Alix E. Harrow (P)2020 Hachette Audio UK

Critic reviews

"A brilliant dazzle of a book...I devoured it in enormous gulps, and utterly loved it." (Kat Howard, author of The Unkindness of Ghosts)

"This is a delightful, satisfying novel, a tale of women's battle for equality, of fairy tales twisted into wonderfully witchy spells, of magics both large and small, and history re-imagined." (Louisa Morgan, author of A Secret History of Witches)

"The Once and Future Witches is a gorgeous and thrilling paean to the ferocious power of women." (Laini Taylor, New York Times best-selling author)

Featured article: Witches in fiction: 12 historical fiction books to listen to this Halloween


Throughout history, women have been branded as witches by people scared of their power, confidence and independence. In days past, accusations of being a witch – thrown at women for everything from being talented at working with herbs to being in the vicinity of a death – could result in banishment or even death. These 12 audiobooks, perfect for the longer nights, colder weather and the Halloween season, tell the stories of women through history, from goddesses to regular women, through a mix of horror, fantasy and historical fiction.

What listeners say about The Once and Future Witches

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Just wonderful story and reading

I have been entranced for the duration of this story, it is rich in world building and character development. Alix has excelled with it and this was a brilliant audiobook

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5 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Found this really hard to get into

Thought I'd love this based on other reviews and it sounding like sort of story I am into, but I found it really hard to get into and even though I powered through to the end I found the story boring all the way through. I'm not sure if that's because I think the narrator's voice is too monotone, or if the story is just a bit dull. Left feeling a disappointed.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Charming, clever and magical

This was a real find. Strong women, magic, a wonderful twist on old tales and rhymes... just lovely.

The narrator does a great job of flawlessly developing all the characters, and the musical elements mean that this is surely always going to an absolute treat for the ears.

Highly recommended!

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

beautiful, inspiring, hopeful and magical

beautiful, inspiring, hopeful and magical
beautiful, inspiring, hopeful and magical
beautiful, inspiring, hopeful and magical
loved it

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

brilliant.

a well written engaging story, I was enthralled from the beginning to the end. well narrated too.

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

excellent narration for an excellent book!

The story in itself completely transported me, but add to it the narration and the music and this audiobook was absolutely amazing to listen to.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Beautiful and magical

'Once upon a time there were three sisters…’

I am always drawn to stories about witches and this is a beautifully written feminist adventure about suffragettes and witches, and tells the story of the three Eastwood sisters. I couldn't stop listening, and I didn't want it to end. It is set in 1893 in New Salem, built after the original Salem was burned to the ground along with the witches who lived there. Starting as a tale of Suffragettes and women's rights it soon becomes much darker.

The writing is clever and magical and draws you into the lives of the women. I loved the way that each chapter starts with a spell and the ingredients needed, and reads like a twisted nursery rhyme. The story is filled with folklore and re-written fairy tales. There is a wonderfully diverse cast of mainly female characters and themes of LGBTQ and race were sensitively handled. Oh, and the cover is gorgeous!

The narration by Gabra Zackman is outstanding.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing

Best audiobook I’ve listened to in months! Really cathartic, well-written and narration excellent. Highly recommend!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

incredible writing and performance.

I loved everything about this. The story itself and the performance was so alive and vibrant. I love the characters and miss them already.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

What a treat!

Beautifully narrated story, well written and great to listen to. Would thoroughly recommend. The little bits of music set the scene really well.

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1 person found this helpful