From the Publisher
Tor.com's Best New Fantasy Books of October
Gizmodo's Best New Sci-Fi & Fantasy Books of October
"A perfect fall read, full of dark, foreboding curses and a Norwegian winter. This tale of two sisters and the bond of magic between them is recommended for all fiction collections." — Booklist
"Chelsea Iversen's magical debut The Witches at the End of the World is a story for the ages. Minna and Kaija are two young witches living in the wood. They are also sisters, separated by grief, who must find their way back to one another before it's too late. The powerful themes of revenge, redemption and healing are beautifully rendered in a story where love is the most potent magic of all" — Adriana Trigiani, author of The Good Left Undone
Library Journal
08/01/2023
DEBUT Thirteen years ago, Kaija and Minna watched their mother burn to death in their coastal Norwegian village, for practicing witchcraft. They spent the next decade hiding with their grandmother deep in the birchwood forest and learning more about the magic flowing through their veins. The sisters grow up to be young women, and Kaija announces her plan to return to their family's village. Minna, in a fit of rage, curses the village and starts a harmful cascade of unintended consequences. The sisters serve as predictable foils to each other: Minna, impetuous and volatile, would rather die than give up her witching, and Kaija, eager for acceptance, suppresses her magic in order to fit in with the villagers. There is a gratifying symmetry to their relationship throughout the book that supports their otherwise unsatisfying character development as they each deal with the consequences of Minna's curse. VERDICT Iversen's debut may appeal to fans of The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow and For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten, but unfortunately, this take on the village witch hunt doesn't have the same depth of character or engaging conflicts.—Maria Martin
JANUARY 2024 - AudioFile
Amy Scanlon and Liz Pearce create a compelling listening experience as they perform the alternating points of view of witch sisters Kaija and Minna. Their journeys diverge when Kaija leaves their woodland home for the Norwegian seaside community of their childhood and Minna, seething with hatred for the villagers who burned their mother, remains behind. The townspeople come alive through Scanlon's characterizations, all festering in an undercurrent of suspicion and fear. Scanlon balances Kaija's gentleness and strength as she seeks belonging by hiding her power. Left alone, Minna's vengeful nature begets a curse with tragic consequences. Pearce fuels her portrayal of Minna with the young woman's emotional vulnerability and passion for her magical heritage. Complementary performances enhance the portrayals of the sisters' development and familial connection. J.R.T. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
