The Last Witch in Edinburgh

“To be a woman was to have a body that belonged to everyone but yourself.”

“For what difference could they possibly make, witches or not—they were just women. And this was not a world made for them.”

“The world had told her, as it always did, that a man’s place, no matter where, was promised. That a woman’s was just a gift that could be taken back.”

I feel like the dual timelines did this book a huge disservice because the historical fiction/fantasy portion of this book was amazing. It was full of fear, the patriarchy, female rage, witch hunts and survival. However, the modern timeline just doesn't hold the same level of interest. It's harder to stay invested in the story once the timeline shifts. In both timelines Nellie is ruled by her fear in different ways and we really see that her strength comes from bonding with other women. However, Nellie doesn't really seem to find her voice or even herself until the very end of the book and for me it just seemed like such a dramatic shift. The author gives reasons for this dramatic growth but it just feels so out of character.

The book has a little of everything to be honest. We see women in both timelines fighting the patriarchy in the best ways that they can. Jean and Nellie are both great depictions of the different forms this can take. I think the decision to show such distinct timelines was done because the issues are ultimately the same they just take slightly different forms. I just wish that the modern timeline was more interesting and that Nellie had felt more matured. I love that the central theme was about finding your voice and your community to support you. I just really preferred the way storytelling in the first timeline because it felt like the place the author put all her energy and focus.