The Witch of Tin Mountain by Paulette Kennedy - Book Review

The Witch of Tin Mountain by Paulette Kennedy

Publication Date: 1st Feb 2023

Genre: Historical Dark Fiction, Paranormal 

3.7 Stars 

One Liner: Atmospheric but drags a little 

*****

1931, Arkansas

Nineteen-year-old Gracelynn helps her adoptive grandmother, a healer and a midwife, treat the citizens of Tin Mountain. The arrival of Reverand Bellflower triggers a series of events that determine her fate and that of the land. Can Gracelynn understand the truth from the past and acknowledge her powers to settle the scores forever? 

 The story is presented in two timelines, with the third as an interlude. The narration is in Gracelynn and Dierdre’s POVs in their respective timelines. 

What I Like:

The book starts with a bang. The prologue and the first chapter are equally engrossing. The setting comes alive on the pages. It has a solid spooky atmosphere (but I need more power, considering the themes). 

Gracelynn is definitely easier to like. Her adopted granny does what a witchy granny would do. I rather like Ebba’s character arc, though Esme shows potential before fading away. 

The hypocrisy of villagers (and people in general) comes out very well in how they interact with Gracelynn. The references to natives and the fear of ‘witches’ (while still approaching them for help) really stand out. 

The book deals with LGBT themes using multiple characters. While it feels repetitive, it is cohesive and blends into the overall plotline. 

What Could Have Been Better for Me: 

The premise requires both timelines to have certain similar events. However, too many elements feel the same in both. Given how temperamental the narrators sound, it gets confusing to keep the tracks separate in my mind. Somehow, using first-person and third-person POVs didn’t help much. 

While I like books that can be speed-read, my primary intent as a reader is to NOT speed-read and enjoy the story. But this one reads better when I up the pace, which points out the drawn-out narration in some places (things seem to go in circles at one stage). 

The climax is the key books like this. I want that impact to resonate and linger for a while. Here, the build-up is stronger than the actual climax. (I slowed to a normal pace to savor the scene, but it was done a little too soon). 

To summarize, The Witch of Tin Mountain is an atmospheric novel that presents witch trials with an interesting plot. The author’s note provides more insights into the story and the land. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing, for the eARC.  

#NetGalley #TheWicthofTinMountain 

***

P.S: Rating this was hard as I continued to waver between 3.5 and 3.7 stars. The theme is something I like, and the fact that I could speed-read without missing vital information makes it a 3.7-star book. So, here we go and round it up to 4 stars.