Book Review: Everyone Knows Your Mother is a Witch

Everyone Knows Your Mother Is a Witch
by Rivka Galchen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.5 stars... this was okay. I'm not sure why it won so many awards to be honest. It's not amazing. It has a unique narrative style I suppose; and the interviews are well positioned to give details to the story without experiencing each instance inside the core narrative. But overall I was a bit underwhelmed by Every Knows Your Mother is a Witch given how much praise I've heard for it.

I think I expected a bit more horror to be involved. It's possible I've just read too many witch trial books over the years (which could easily be true); or maybe I just wasn't in the mood at the time I read it. I'm not totally sure what it is about this book that didn't hit it for me. It could even be that it got over hyped and I am sooo late to the party that my expectations were far too high. Whatever the reason I can only barely give this four stars.

It's worthy of a read; but if I were to have missed out on it in the end that would not be a tragedy. The unique letter/interview format is what elevates Everyone Knows Your Mother is a Witch past a banal, meh three star level. I certainly do not understand why it was so hyped and given so many awards. That said, I would check out future books by Rivka Galchen if the plot/story was my thing. It wasn't the writing that was subpar but more that I just didn't care about the story or the characters really. Maybe that is the downfall of the interview script and letter writing used here is that you don't have the voice of a main character(s) or even a narrator to tie it all together.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

Follow me on Goodreads