The Heart of a Witch
Welcome to the very first In-the-Mix Monday! This series will highlight books that made me fall in love with writing all over again.
Since the Spooky Season is upon us, I decided to kick things off by introducing The Heart of Witch by Judith Hawkes. Set in 1950s upstate New York, the story follows twins Shelley and Kipling. Growing up in the sleep town of Green Hollow, the twins engage in the usual juvenile antics, but the secretive Lockley Arms Inn across the street from their house becomes the object of their fascination.
In their teens, Shelley and Kipling uncover that the inn is home to a coven of witches, traditional practitioners of Wicca. But when the children of Green Hollow start disappearing, the twins find themselves swept up in supernatural intrigue that could cost them more than just their lives.
I wish I could tell you where or when I discovered this book (probably after its 1999 publication date). Have you ever found yourself browsing the store shelves when, without rhyme or reason, your hand is drawn to a particular title? Some of the best stories I've ever read have come to me this way, and I suspect that is how I came to The Heart of a Witch, especially since I have yet to read Hawkes’ other two novels, Julian’s House and My Soul to Keep. Although, I’ve heard great things about both of them.
As a child of the '80s and '90s, I don't have many touchstones for the 1950s besides reruns of Happy Days. However, Hawkes has structured her tale so that the decade is a pleasant backdrop to the more significant actions of the characters and does not depend upon the reader's knowledge of the decade. All one must know is that the story takes place before the advent of cell phones and the internet when we still visited the library to research. The book’s timeline revolves around the Wiccan holidays, and I do enjoy Hawkes’ descriptions of the changing New England seasons. To a degree, weather is the most essential part of the setting in The Heart of a Witch.
The perspectives in this narrative change from third-person omniscient, first-person, and first-person retrospective. This might sound like too much for a single novel, but the alternating viewpoints let the reader become more invested in the characters' emotional lives. The transition between perspectives is so well crafted that I hardly notice the switch unless I am looking for it.
Every few Halloweens, I snatch The Heart of a Witch off my shelf for a reread. I guarantee you'll enjoy reading about Shelley and Kipling on a cool October afternoon. Pick up some cider or a pumpkin-spiced latte and embark on a fantastic journey.
See you In-the-Mix!
