Title: The Witch’s Daughter
Author: Imogen Edwards-Jones
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Aria
Publication Date: 10th October 2024 (Paperback)
Rating: 4/5
Cover:
Summary:
A city burning. A revolution raging. A woman on the run.
Nadezhda has never wanted to be a witch. But the occult is in her blood. Her mother, Militza, conjured Rasputin and introduced him into the Romanov court, releasing the devil himself. Now he is dead, but Militza still dreams of him – stalking her sleep and haunting her waking hours.
As Petrograd burns and the Russian Empire crumbles, Nadezhda escapes through the capital, concealing a book of generational magic. But as danger grows closer, she may be forced to embrace her heritage to save what she loves most…
Based on a true story, The Witch’s Daughter is an epic tale of women rising from the ashes of an empire, perfect for fans of Elodie Harper’s The Wolf Den and Madeline Miller’s Circe.
Review:
I am a little bit obsessed with this specific period of Russian history and especially Rasputin and the Romanovs, so combine that with a bit of witchcraft and I was totally sold on the premise of The Witch’s Daughter. This is actually a sequel, which I didn’t originally realise, but can be read as a standalone (although I have now added the previous book to my TBR)! This book begins with the aftermath of Rasputin’s assassination and follows Princess Militza and her daughter Nadezhda as the Romanov family falls and the Russian revolution erupts into chaos and violence. There are definitely some fantasy/magical elements to this interpretation but The Witch’s Daughter is actually a deeply rich and evocative piece of historical fiction which brings this tumultuous period to life vividly.
I found this book incredibly engaging, Russian history is complex and can be overwhelming but The Witch’s Daughter is written in a way that paints such a compelling picture of these characters and the circumstances they find themselves in. The brutality and the disparity of wealth that was such a key element of the Russian revolution is intensely apparent within these pages and I very much enjoyed the way Edwards-Jones wove the story of these women into the fabric of historical detail. The Witch’s Daughter is an atmospheric and richly crafted tale of violence, power, mysticism and revolution that is a fabulous read for spooky season.
★★★★
Thank you so much to Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours for inviting me on this tour and organising it. I kindly received a copy of the book from the publisher. My review is entirely my own honest opinion.
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Great review! I absolutely love the sound of this book and have had my eye on it for a little while already. I also enjoy this this specific period of Russian history, even though it’s very tragic. I agree that Russian history can be very complex but I’m glad that you found the book to be written in a compelling way. I’ll have to read this one!
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