Hag

A story composed of stories, of threads weaving a cord. A circle drawn between worlds and the paths between made of lines which defy Time. The magic of woman unfurled from mother to daughter- linked by the inked blessing of Grand Mother Cailleach. Well done.

This is such a well written book. Time and time again I was in awe of the writing and how it was put together. To transition from the story to the history of the story was wonderful. Sometimes it did make it hard to follow but it is definitely worth the effort to do so. This is not your typical witch tale. I enjoyed the originality of it all. It is slowly paced but worth a read.

I loved this book, as I love all Kathleen Kaufman's novels! I loved how the ancestors' histories were interspersed with the main character's lifeline. The strength of family, knowledge, and women are all central themes. It's a fast read as well - I found it difficult to put down - just one more chapter would turn into 3 or 4!

4.5 StarsIt's seldom that I comment on a cover but in this case I have to say that the cover was a real disservice to the book. This is a beautiful novel with intertwined stories, principally of an ancient Scottish magical entity called Cailleach, that stems from the era of Scandinavian Scotland, and a Alice Grace Kyles, one of Cailleach's descendants, along with a variety of other women descended from the Cailleach's line. Alice's story alternates chapters with Cailleach's stories and memories of her many daughters, slicing back and forth through time, eventually closing the circle. It's a beautiful novel and one that is well suited to those looking for a great Samhain read.Those who know little about the Viking period in Scotland can read more about it here (see link on the Marzie's Reads blog review or Goodreads). The Ingwaz design on the cover of the book and used as chapter headers throughout the text is on of the original furthorc designs has an interesting history itself, not appearing part of the Kylver stone that lists the runes of the elder furthark. Named for Ing, a mythical male godlike figure who united the Vikings in peace and harmony, it symbolizes unity, completion. Though it is associated with maleness, I loved that it is claimed by the Cailleach as her symbol in this story.I received a Digital Review Copy of this book via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

Very interesting. Innovative concept. A little too scattered in execution.

Confession. I did not even finish reading the synopsis for this one before pressing the request button in Edelweiss. The blurb above checks a lot of boxes for me–the occult, Scottland, multigenerational, women–I was in before I even turned the first page, and was left feeling anything disappointed at the last. Hag is an engrossing and atmospheric tale of magic and family connection. Kaufman moves effortlessly between past, present, and future to weave the story of the Cailleach and her powerful daughters. The opening chapter pulled me in, and the rest of the story had me reading in every spare moment.In Hag, Kaufman uses alternating chapters to switch between the story of the Cailleach and each generation of her daughters leading up to Alice Grace Kyles. The other chapters are dedicated to Alice and her family, and the two story lines move forward together before finally meeting in time for an explosive ending. The chapters written from the perspective of the Cailleach were my favorite–magical and enchanting–they reminded me why I love magical realism so much. It was a complete coincidence that I read this book while the Kavanaugh trial was going on, but so many of the scenes ended up being such a balm. The daughters of the Cailleach are incredibly powerful and are able to defend themselves against the violence put against them. Reading Hag during this political climate in our country felt like discovering a girl power anthem in book form.It’s been a couple of weeks since I finished, and Hag has stayed with me. I find myself thinking about it often, lost in the otherworldly landscape Kaufman created. This is an absolutely perfect book to read in the fall, especially during the month of October. Put on your comfiest sweats, get a soft blanket and some warm tea, settle in, and prepare to be spellbound by this beautiful and powerful story.The biggest thanks goes to Edelweiss and Turner Publishing for the advanced review copy in exchange for my honest review.