Publishers Weekly
05/24/2021
An earnest, intimate slice-of-life senior year at a school for climate witches delicately maps a journey into self-acceptance. Until greed unbalanced the climate, weather witches regulated the Earth’s atmosphere, strengthening and weakening as their assigned seasons turned. Redheaded, blue-eyed orphan Clara Densmore, 17, is the first Everwitch—or wielder of all four seasons—in a century, and her northern Pennsylvania school’s hope for overcoming the climate crisis. But Clara’s uncontrolled magic has already killed her parents and her best friend, leaving her isolated, self-hating, and yearning for a life where her personality doesn’t change with the seasons. Her plans to destroy her magic go awry, however, when she meets her new tutor, Korean American botany student Sang Park. Finding an attraction that’s enduring and real, Clara searches for a way to grow into her magic on her own terms. Though plot logic and development take a backseat in this tropey, character-driven debut, Griffin’s emotional forthrightness makes this narrative accessible to younger YA readers, who will relish the sweet, supportive relationships tenderly interlacing with nature’s rhythms. Ages 14–up. Agent: Elana Roth Parker, Laura Dail Literary. (June)
From the Publisher
"The forces of nature and magic blend perfectly in this masterfully told story. I couldn’t love this book more." — Shea Ernshaw, New York TImes bestselling author of THE WICKED DEEP and WINTERWOOD
"The Nature of Witches is a timely, thoughtful tale of the responsibilities we have to our planet and to one another. Griffin's well-developed world building and complex main character make for a read that will resonate deeply." — Christine Lynn Herman, author of The Devouring Gray duology
"The Nature of Witches is a love letter to the earth. This lush, atmospheric book charmed me with its magic system, captured my heart with its swoony romance, and stole my breath with its gorgeous words. I want to wallpaper my home with Rachel Griffin’s sentences" — Rachel Lynn Solomon, author of Today Tonight Tomorrow
"The Nature of Witches is unlike anything I’ve read before. With its wholly original take on witches, thought-provoking commentary on climate change, and a swoony romance I would die for, Griffin has crafted a magnificent debut that will have readers on the edge of their seats. To put it simply—I’m obsessed with this book" — Adalyn Grace, NYT bestselling author of All the Stars and Teeth
"I could have stayed lost in the pages and magic of The Nature of Witches forever. Griffin’s lush prose and evocative imagery adorns and compliments the thoughtfully designed world, and the well-drawn characters triumphantly carry the story from beginning to end. A stunning and timely debut" — Isabel Ibañez, author of Woven in Moonlight and Written in Starlight
"Seasonal magic abounds in this addictively thought-provoking tale of love, loss and self-identity" — Dawn Kurtagich, award-winning author of The Dead House
"Fresh and original... This standalone novel ties fantastical elements, LGBTQIA themes, and climate change together into one neat package that will leave readers satisfied" — School Library Journal
"A refreshing take on witches...imaginative, romantic and inspiring." — Shelf Awareness
"In her debut, Griffin ties the story of a witch learning her strength to the raw power of nature and places it in a world decimated by climate change. It’s new, different, and well worth a read. " — Booklist
"Readers will happily dive into Clara’s magical realm." — The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"A fascinating blend of climate fiction, fantasy, boarding school novel and romance... Exciting and immersive." — BookPage
""Vibrant and magical, THE NATURE OF WITCHES is an achingly beautiful exploration of love and hope perfect for fans of Shea Ernshaw and Taylor Swift's Folklore. This book is a ray of sunshine." — Rosiee Thor, author of Tarnished Are the Stars
"Griffin’s emotional forthrightness makes this narrative accessible to younger YA readers, who will relish the sweet, supportive relationships tenderly interlacing with nature’s rhythms." — Publishers Weekly
School Library Journal
02/01/2021
Gr 8 Up—Clara is the first Everwitch in more than a century. With a drastically changing climate, the world relies on witches to correct extreme weather events wreaking havoc on the Earth. With more witches becoming depleted from having to use their magic during their off-seasons, everyone is relying on Clara, who is the only witch with the power of all four seasons. Much to her teachers' chagrin, she is afraid to fully tap into her power because of three separate accidents where her uncontrolled powers killed her parents, best friend, and teacher. With the stakes higher than ever, the school where she trains assigns Sang, a spring witch with a calming power, to train Clara to control her powers and help save the world. The intriguing premise is fresh and original, and the worldbuilding is vivid and charming. Each of the characters is flawed, well-defined, and at times predictable. The climax is somewhat bogged down by a romantic conflict that feels unnecessary, but overall offers a satisfying journey for readers. Clara's ethnicity isn't stated and Sang is Asian. VERDICT This standalone novel ties fantastical elements, LGBTQIA themes, and climate change together into one neat package that will leave readers satisfied.—Candyce Pruitt-Goddard, formerly at Sno-Isle Libraries, Marysville, WA
Kirkus Reviews
2021-04-08
Weather witches confront climate change in this fantasy.
Clara Densmore is her generation’s sole Everwitch and is unwilling to embrace her powers. Unlike the male and female autumn, winter, spring, and summer witches, whose powers peak during their respective seasons, Clara thrives year-round. At the Eastern School of Solar Magic in Pennsylvania, 17-year-old Clara shuns friendships and only does short-term flings, as her love can be lethal and has already killed her parents and best friend. Losing her powers seems like the selfless solution, but nonmagical shaders have pushed the planet too far with their environmental destruction. Seasonal witches are starting to die amid accelerated natural disasters—and only Clara can save the world. A budding romance with magical mentor/visiting botany student 18-year-old Sang Park from California helps Clara bloom. Redheaded, blue-eyed Clara is cued as White, and Sang is Korean American—but race, class, and other identity-related concerns are rarely a factor in this world. Debut author Griffin unfortunately fails to breathe new life into chosen one fantasy tropes—the obligatory villain, the unavoidable romance, the overly dramatic sacrifice—but excels at lush and lovely descriptions of nature and the weather and delivers a stern, if heavy-handed, message about environmental consequences of modern living.
A slo-mo environmental disaster story. (Fantasy. 14-18)
