Have You Read This? Boneset & Feathers by Gwendolyn Kiste

 

Many readers are familiar with the “coming-of-age” narrative, but there is a different narrative that is typically prevalent in the superhero genre. I like to call it “coming into power.” That power can be the ability to move objects with your mind or cause them to spontaneously combust, but it is also a realization of one’s identity, one’s agency in their own fate, and one’s responsibility to others. A modern superhero example is Spider-Man, who went from pro wrestler to superhero after his inaction helped cause the death of his beloved Uncle Ben. A similar plotline moves through Gwendolyn Kiste’s latest book of witches and self-discovery Boneset & Feathers.

Just to clarify, the story has nothing to do with superheroes. The main character Odette is a witch, but she’s not the kind that flies to places on brooms or casts fireballs at her enemies. In truth, Odette seems very afraid of her magic, not just because of what it can do but what it can attract. Odette’s world if full of Witchfinders, men who make those involved in the Salem Witch Trials seem like choir boys, and Odette escaped them last time only because she did not burn. The rest of her village wasn’t so lucky. The village she used to call home now fears her and the magic she refuses to use is demanding to be used, and this coincides with the Witchfinders returning to Odette’s village to finish what they started.

It’s tempting to call this book a historical fantasy novel, but it almost takes place in another world, one where witchcraft and forest spirits are more prevalent and sometimes malevolent. However, the main theme of this novel is familiar for those fans of books like X-Men, where the protagonists discover the powers they have are not necessarily curses but can be channeled into positive pursuits, including helping others. Other appeal terms that this novel brings up are “female empowerment” and “self-actualization.” One of the big appeals of this book is watching the young witch Odette learning about the power that lives within her and coming to terms with it. Many readers, I think, will want to observe Odette make this journey of “coming into power” as well.