Pages: 554
Published: 27th May 2021
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Content warnings: Bullying, Fatphobia, sexual references
This was a buddy read from my amazing friend Pauliina @ The Bookaholic Dreamer, and it was a long book which provided lots of joyful discussions!
Ever since Anna can remember, her aunt has warned her of the dangers of magic. She has taught her to fear how it twists and knots and turns into something dark and deadly.
It was, after all, magic that killed her parents and left her in her aunt’s care. It’s why she has been protected from the magical world and, in one year’s time, what little magic she has will be bound. She will join her aunt alongside the other Binders who believe magic is a sin not to be used, but denied. Only one more year and she will be free of the curse of magic, her aunt’s teachings and the disappointment of the little she is capable of.
Nothing – and no one – could change her mind before then. Could it?
This is a book that entrances with an immersive writing style and a captivating atmosphere, but fails to capitalise fully on a concept that has doubtless potential. Told with no shortage of imagination and the unsettling presence of seasonably Gothic vibes, it has the power to draw you in with an enticing mix of ideas and intrigue, only to deliver a plot that is at times convoluted and unevenly paced.
It can perhaps be best categorised as an urban fantasy given that it is set in the present day, yet the way the novel is written gives it more of a timeless, less contemporary feel. It draws upon many of the classic tales of witchcraft to develop a vivid world with all the lore and terminology to go with it, and several of the characters embody that, although some aspects of the story contrive to hold things up rather than drive it forward.
Anna Everdell is an orphan who has been raised by her strict and uncompromising Aunt, a member of a society of witches called the Binders, who despise magic and believe that it is the source of all evil. Used to keeping a low profile and destined to be bound herself, Anna has lived a sheltered and lonely life, with Aunt convincing her that the force of magic was what caused the untimely death of her parents.
One evening, they are visited for dinner by her late mother’s friend Selene along with her somewhat wayward daughter Effie and her boyfriend Attis. Much to Aunt’s fury and disapproval, Effie shows no qualms at all about using magic, and the whole scene leaves Anna shocked but quietly impressed. The day after, Anna wakes up to news headlines that six ‘faceless’ women have been found hanging from Big Ben. This incident leads Aunt and the Binders to become concerned that the existence of witches could be discovered by non-magical folk.
When Anna returns to school, Effie recruits her along with two other girls, and along with Attis they set up a coven. Together they secretly practice magic, but Anna becomes worried when she is not able to cast and also starts to fear that she might be cursed. Meanwhile, she has feelings for one of her classmates and tries to find out more about her parents as she takes greater steps into the world of witchcraft, but there is seemingly no escape from the fate of joining the Binders.
The first thing to say about the book and the way it is plotted, is that it is unnecessarily long and would surely have benefitted from being considerably shorter and more concise. It is an especially good read when it focuses on the magic and the various mysteries that recur throughout, but far too much of the story instead takes place in the high school setting, and there are lots of other scenes where nothing happens of real consequence.
As a result, the pacing is inconsistent and it keeps you waiting patiently until the final few chapters to provide the answers you have been craving for so long. When this finally happens, all the twists come flying towards you at once and even though some of them are shocking and truly unexpected, it is hard to keep up as no sooner does one seismic revelation arrive, the next one comes along just a matter of paragraphs later. It leaves your head spinning a little.
The mystery of the women hanging from Big Ben is a curious one as it leads you to think that it will play a central role in the story, but most of the time it is merely mentioned in passing and s0 the outcome may be saved for a potential sequel. Elsewhere, the high school scenes were not always great fun to read, but the coven is an excellent concept and there are many clever touches during a plot that does at least remain interesting.
Everything is written in the third person from the perspective of Anna, including some occasional flashback chapters whose purpose are not properly explained at any point. This choice of narrative was effective as it really portrayed the isolation of Anna’s life and the stranglehold that Aunt has over her, and also the contrast that came when she began to interact with the magical world after joining the coven.
In many ways Anna is a good protagonist who due to her circumstances is quite easy to root for, yet it is hard to say that I truly connected with her. She has strong morals and is developed well over the course of the story, becoming more assertive and able to stand up for herself, though at the same time it was sometimes tricky to grasp her true personality.
There is never much doubt about the fact that Aunt is unlikable, but she is also highly complex and has a number of layers to her character. A lot of her actions are down to bitterness and vulnerability as she fills Anna’s mind with fear and subjects her to harsh punishments, so that was quite compelling, as was how Anna still felt a sense of duty towards her despite everything.
At first it seems like Effie is going to be simply annoying, but while she does still have her moments of petulance, she actually turns out quite thoughtful and open-minded for the most part. Attis was an enduring mystery and we see many different sides to his personality without getting any obvious clues until towards the end, whereas Selene always seemed to be hiding something more tangible.
As for the other members of the coven, like Anna they are outsiders. Rowan is enjoyably quirky and happy-go-lucky, but sadly in her portrayal the author does reinforce a few unseemly stereotypes with some misjudged attempts at humour that veer dangerously close to fatphobia. Then we have Miranda, who starts off as uptight but likeable but later develops a rebellious streak that makes her rather grating.
Some of the best moments in this book arrive when it explores different magical settings. There are a handful of inspired ideas here such as the extraordinary scene that takes place at the library, Anna and Effie’s visit to a magical shop, and Rowan’s garden. They are a little eccentric at times but that adds to the fun of these moments – it is just a shame that they were too few and far between.
Even when the plot is not hitting the heights, the writing has a wonderful ability to keep you engaged, like it is casting its own spell. The atmosphere is constantly there too and the settings are described clearly which makes most events easy to visualise. Indeed, the only part of the story that was difficult to follow was a very complicated sequence near the end, after the barrage of twists. Some of the things that happen at the end seemed contrived and made little sense on the face of it, but on the other hand it did also provide some answers, so perhaps things may become slightly clearer in the sequel.
Overall, it is an absorbing read with a great deal of outstanding ideas, but an occasionally aimless plot does drag it out somewhat and the sudden surge of revelations in the closing chapters come after numerous pages that are without significant advancement. It has all the makings of a fantastic book and some real standout moments, but it does not all come together completely.
Born in the Wye Valley in South Wales, Cari Thomas moved to London to begin a career as a journalist, writing for various publications as well as a creative agency. Eventually, she decided to quit her job in order to fulfil her dream of becoming an author, resulting in Threadneedle – the first in her series entitled Language Of Magic.
Released in 2021, Threadneedle has received largely positive reviews and will be followed by a spin-off novella in 2023 before the series proper continues. Thomas now lives in Bristol, with her husband and son.
So many great ideas, a fabulous atmosphere, and some genuine flashes of inspiration are on show in this book. However, the plot does meander too much and it could have easily been shortened by about 150 pages.
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Stephen Reads Books 