Witches and Fairies used to be an ingrained part of society until the mysterious Banrigh Maya came and captured the heart of Righ Jaspar and vanished his brothers. Now, supernatural creatures across the land are threatened, killed, and enslaved while the few witches left alive hide away in ancient ruins and deep forests. But even the safest places are vulnerable, and when the Witch Apprentice Isabeau and her teachers are discovered, they must all separate and find their way to destroying the Banrigh’s power, or risk the loss of magic forever.
The first in a series that was originally supposed to be a trilogy but later extended into six books, The WItches of Eileanen runs a little over 400 pages and takes some time to read. Forsyth’s creation is dense with vibrant characters, careful world-building, and an addictive plot. The narrator is omnipotent, meaning the reader gets a glimpse of each character–even the Banrigh– and their worries, hopes, goals, and threats. If following Isabeau becomes tiresome, the reader will be given a reprieve when Forsyth follows Jorge the blind seer, or Meghan of the beasts. Forsyth cleverly weaves the plot so that the threads are all connected even as she separated them. As a result, when this first book ends, the reader is left with several open ends and a hunger for more.
I was surprised by the characters running across this imaginary landscape. Many of them are women, from the witches to the old villagers and fantasy creatures, and their conversations are just as varied as their looks. Of course, men are a part of this world as well, and they vary in morality, often more fearful than the banrigh as they play immediate threats to Isabeau in particular. Forsyth is aware of the extra layer of danger in the world for a woman wandering alone, and she kneads those fears and realities into her novel. There is violence, and it can be gruesome and horrifying, but Forsyth, unlike many male authors, knows how to keep from pandering or sexualizing traumatizing experiences. She is adept at walking the line and showing the dark sides of both men and women, to create a fiercely dangerous world that is both separate from, but close to, our reality.
Many fans of A Song of Ice and Fire see that series as their first real step into high fantasy literature. Let The Witches of EIleanan be your second. This series is complete, and it features a wide array of female characters as well as people of color. If you can overcome Forsyth’s insistence on accenting her dialogue, you’re in for a treat. The Witches of Eileanen is a refreshing look at high fantasy from the pen of a woman, and worth the read.
Little Plant Library 