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    The Witches of New York: A Novel
    The Witches of New York: A Novel
    The Witches of New York: A Novel
    Audiobook14 hours

    The Witches of New York: A Novel

    Written by Ami McKay

    Narrated by Julia Whelan

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    About this audiobook

    Respectable Lady Seeks Dependable Shop Girl. Those averse to magic need not apply.

    New York in the spring of 1880 is a place alive with wonder and curiosity. Determined to learn the truth about the world, its residents enthusiastically engage in both scientific experimentation and spiritualist pursuits. Séances are the entertainment of choice in exclusive social circles, and many enterprising women—some possessed of true intuitive powers, and some gifted with the art of performance—find work as mediums.

    Enter Adelaide Thom and Eleanor St. Clair. At their humble teashop, Tea and Sympathy, they provide a place for whispered confessions, secret cures, and spiritual assignations for a select society of ladies, who speak the right words and ask the right questions. But the profile of Tea and Sympathy is about to change with the fortuitous arrival of Beatrice Dunn.

    When seventeen-year-old Beatrice leaves the safety of her village to answer an ad that reads ""Respectable Lady Seeks Dependable Shop Girl. Those averse to magic need not apply,"" she has little inclination of what the job will demand of her. Beatrice doesn't know it yet, but she is no ordinary small-town girl; she has great spiritual gifts—ones that will serve as her greatest asset and also place her in grave danger. Under the tutelage of Adelaide and Eleanor, Beatrice comes to harness many of her powers, but not even they can prepare her for the evils lurking in the darkest corners of the city or the courage it will take to face them.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateJul 11, 2017
    ISBN9780062681829
    Author

    Ami McKay

    Ami McKay started her writing career as a freelance writer for CBC Radio. Her work has aired on numerous public radio programs throughout Canada, the United States and around the world. Her documentary, 'Daughter of Family G' won an Excellence in Journalism Medallion at the 2003 Atlantic Journalism Awards. She lives with her husband and two sons in an old birth house on the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia.

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    Reviews for The Witches of New York

    4/5

    445 ratings38 reviews

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    • 4/5
      An EXCELLENT read to enjoy in autumn
      I'll preface this with showing my bias; I love witches, Halloween, and women's stories, therefore I'm anything but impartial here. These story has all elements of my pre-fall perfect read. I finished it quickly, I enjoyed it thoroughly and I'd love to read more from the author. That being said, the story has a saga feel (I didn't know that prior to reading it) that might put off readers who prefer standalones as myself. It won't tie all the knots and that might be unpleasant to wome. The rythm could be better, but in my experience, it's not as bad as other readers have stated. Maybe it's because I dreaded the entire second half of The Secret History, but to me this is slowpaced but not unbearable. SPOILERS AHEAD: The clichés this story has are endearing, I love a side romance of the"tough" character and a queer tragedy. Fortunately, they didn't choose the "misunderstanding" cliche I was afraid they would pull with Adelaide and the Dr and the asylum patient.
      Now to the real pet peeves: some of the characters seem flat to me, the villains and Beatrice seem very one note. This story has lots of side characters and that can be chaotic at times since many just seem to serve the saga aspect of this story. In conclusion: will I make this book my obsession and entire personality ? No
      Is it worth reading? Yes, particularly if you've been reading too complex and draining stuff. It's cozy, nice and witchy
    • 5/5
      I loved the character development. I cared about each and every character. I liked the historical fiction tied in throughout time period. The reader was easy to listen to her character acting was clear
    • 5/5
      A fascinatingly mystical read! Though a work of fiction, it really does touch base on some witchcraft practices (which is a plus in my opinion) as well as the persecution of women perceived to be witches. This book was gripping and a very enjoyable read.
    • 5/5
      Awesome story! Great writing. I started it on a whim and am happy that I did.
    • 1/5
      Made me wanna barf, but aside from that if you are short of projections and blameshifting but Long on magical thinking it might just be a quickfill for you.
    • 5/5
      This book shows how women tend not to give up even in the face of danger or threats or loneliness.
    • 5/5
      Great writing and story! Easy to listen to throughout my day.
    • 5/5
      I absolutely loved this as an audio book. The narrator was one of the best I have ever heard. I highly recommend this book. The characters were interesting. The story was a joy to listen to. I think every story has its audience; and, I definitely am a target with this book.
    • 5/5
      Very good character development and story line. I enjoyed this book very much.
    • 5/5
      Such a fantastic book. Great story and narration. I would definitely read more stories about these three amazing ladies.
    • 3/5
      3,5⭐ Great setting, likeable Main characters, lots of wonderful detail. But not enough plot to justify It's lenght.
    • 5/5
      Absolutely loved this!!! I do hope there will be more books to follow!
    • 1/5
      Super disappointed in the fact that this is apparently an abridged version. The story is missing whole sections of the printed book.
    • 1/5
      Adelaide Thom and Eleanor St Clair work together in a cosy tea shop selling cures, potions and palmistry. They are not ordinary women they are witches. Beatrice Dunn also works in the shop alongside the two women.I have previously read The Virgin Cure where Adelaide was then Moth, the heroine of the story, which I throughly enjoyed. This book I'm not enjoying. It should have everything thst is normally up my street. I enjoy books set in the victorian times, especially London. The setting of New York I don't mind at all, There's plenty of superstitions and spells, witches and the odd ghost floating about.This is a perfect example for me of where one book is fantastic, I can't wait for the next one and when I read it I'm disappointed. It doesn't really matter if you haven't read The Virgin Cure as these two books are so completely different. Hardly anything is mentioned of the previous book.I am nearly half way through the book and I am bored. When I get bored I lose interest. The previous book had a quirkiness about it and was an interesting read. This book is slow going and I'm feeling a little let down. I was expecting to love this book fron the beginning and maybe along the lines of Practical Magic which I loved. The characters I liked but they just seem to do nothing but serve tea.Please reader don't be put off by me. The book for now is unfinished but I may try again later.Thanks to the publisher via Netgalley for giving me the chance to review the book.
    • 3/5
      I liked the beginning but then was left wanting for something more to happen, for the story to really get going. All in all it is really a story about women being different and how they have been viewed as apart from men over time. A good read in that respect but lacking on more of the adventure side of things.
    • 5/5
      Very entertaining. Well written and well read. I enjoyed from start to finish.
    • 5/5
      Five stars, this was a wonderful pro woman book start to finish.
    • 4/5
      This was a great combination of historical fiction with a touch of witchcraft. I loved the characters, and I wish I could live in their world just a little bit longer. In some ways, the style reminded me of Harry Potter, with magic existing within our own (historical) world and interacting with ordinary and sometimes real figures (like Anthony Comstock). The plot concluded perfectly and I will certainly look for more from this author!
    • 5/5
      Awesome book. Especially if you're into witchcraft. Very good listen.

    • 5/5
      Great storyline I felt as if I was there. Would love to hear more about the witches of New York. I couldn’t stop listening.
    • 3/5
      Honestly, I'm not sure what to say about this book. I tried. I actually really enjoyed about the first 3rd, although the pacing is plodding. I was kind of into that, to be honest -- just reveling in the gradual reveal of New York in times past, with interesting magic sewn throughout, and then I just got stuck. I think the impending doom scenario just got to be too much for me -- if there's doom, get on with it already. If there isn't doom, can we just celebrate the everyday lives of women of power? Neither fish nor fowl has left me bored and tired.

      Hey, it looks like the actual book has visuals (I am reading the ARC on a very old kindle) -- I suspect that would really improve the pacing. I may look this up in paper at some point. Advanced Reader's copy provided by Edelweiss.
    • 5/5
      Oh how I loved this book! The Witches, The Magic, The Raven, all felt familiar. I was there with them in the story. I am a witch, I have seen ghosts, and I have spoken with ravens. The Q and A at the end of the book with Ami McKay was really good. She is a gifted storyteller and, not so secretly, a witch, at least in spirit. I adore her and her books.
    • 4/5
      Eleanor St Clair & Adelaide Thom run a (psychic) tea shop in NY. Unbeknownst to Eleanor, Adelaide has put an announcement in the papers looking for a shop-girl/assistant>Beatrice sees the advertisement, hops on a farm train to apply for the position, but not before typing a witch's ladder. When she arrives Cleopatra's Needle is being unloaded from the docks, and as soon as she touches it her life changes.Beatrice can now see spirits & ghosts.... as Eleanor & Adelaide help Beatrice come into her own; a malevolent man who hides behind the bible will become Beatrice's nemesis & tormentor...A very fascinating book that is well written, enthralling with a compelling story of three witches living in NY working to help others.I am happy I purchased this rather than waiting for the Library to reopen in order to get it.
    • 4/5
      3.5 starsIt is the 1880s. 17-year old Beatrice heads to New York to try to get an advertised shop girl job at “Tea and Sympathy”. It turns out the ladies who run Tea and Sympathy (Eleanor and Adelaide) are witches, and Beatrice is showing tendencies towards such, as well as seeing and hearing ghosts. We learn about all three women, their histories, and how things go forward at this time in NYC while the three are considered witches. I liked Beatrice’s story, in particular, but what I wasn’t crazy about was all the different changing perspectives of so many different characters. I don’t like when I’m a good chunk of the way in and a new character is introduced and I have to try to fit them in. This happened quite a bit in this book, as there was a lot of flopping all over the place, following all the different characters. Toward the end, the story picked up speed a bit, so overall, I’m still rating it good.
    • 4/5
      I don't really like stories about the supernatural, but Ami McKay is such a good writer with an ability to develop her characters well, so I didn't mind reading about witches in this book. To my mind, the story brought up issues about women's rights and the persecution of those who are different -- the fear of things we don't understand. I've actually ordered her second book with these characters (Eleanor, Moth and Beatrice)!
    • 3/5
      As enjoyable as I found this book, I was also frustrated by the utter predictably of its plot and a central villain as flat as matte paint.What I loved: The setting. The characters. The voice. This book SINGS. The feminist note is positive and full of celebration. The author obviously did incredible research into late 19th century New York City; the place and its witches contain beating hearts. The floating points of view work. The three lead women are amazing. Eleanor, a well-trained witch who takes pride in her tea shop and its role in aiding women, and hides her own yearning for their intimate company. Adelaide, a fortune teller by trade who lost her eye to a vicious attack but hasn't lost her true beauty. And Beatrice, the young woman who comes to the city to find a job and finds the place teeming with mysteries and ghosts--and horror unlike she has ever known.What didn't work: This book falls into the frustrating category of literary-marketed books that borrows heavily from fantasy genre conventions and tries to utterly ignore those roots because, well, LITERARY. This makes the entire plot note-for-note predictable. This dismayed me to no end. I loved the book through the beginning, but by the middle, dismay was starting to set in. I so wanted this book to use its shiny premise and do something new and amazing with it. Instead, it offered zero surprises.This wasn't helped by the villain, an overdone trope of a passionate Christian preacher/sadist/murderer who is being helped along by the devil. I kept hoping there would be some fresh turn with his character, too, but nope. I started out so very in love with this book, ready to give it five stars., but in the end I'm left disappointed by its lack of originality and must only give it three.
    • 4/5
      I loved The Virgin Cure by this author, but The Witches of New York didn’t quite meet my expectations. The premise was so promising: New York City of the 1880’s, 3 Witches running a tea shop and herbal apothecary, suffragettes. The era and subject matter (magic, witchcraft, herbalism, spiritualism) was well researched and the main characters pretty well fleshed out. I loved the raven and fairies. What I wasn’t expecting was for the novel to be almost Young Adult at some points, especially the young trainee, Beatrice. Also, the plot pacing sagged here and there, and the author fell into some stereotypes (handsome, reluctant suitor and villainous preacher) that I’m sure she could have made more three dimensional - I have a good opinion of her writing skills generally. So, a better than average read, but not as good as it might have been considering this writer’s ability.
    • 4/5
      As usual, the story was spell-binding and filled with wonderful intricate details. I really liked how the author had newspaper articles and pamphlets inserted into the story to help build the setting up. This is a very feminist-oriented novel that sheds light on the plight of women in the 1800s, during a time when being forthright and asserting one's rights were frowned upon. The blend of history with magic was masterfully done and quite enjoyable to read. I did find that the story moved at a slower pace than what I am used to by this author, but the tension was palpable throughout and it kept me going all the way until the end. There were certain story plots that I felt could have been explored in greater depth, but overall this story was very good, and I was pleased with my experience! Here's to more novels by Ami McKay!
    • 3/5
      Here's my thing about magic in fiction: I am not a fan of explicit magic use. I prefer things to be subtle -- the glimpse movement caught out of the corner of your eye that could be a ghost or could be just a drafty house.

      So this book -- had it been about three women reading body language, selling tea, using ouija boards... Had the paranormal aspect been more understated and left to the imagination... This would have been my favourite book ever.

      But the magic, the spirits, they're undeniably there, so this book turned out to be not exactly up my alley.

      However, it's a testament to Ami McKay's amazing writing that I still found this book enthralling. Really, I loved it -- the characters, the word choice, the descriptions, the examination of how women were treated. Ami McKay is always a delight to read.

      So, I'll say this. If you love literary fiction AND ghosts, absolutely pick this up. And if you're kind of dubious about the paranormal element... hey, give it a shot anyway. It might surprise you like it did me.
    • 4/5
      Beatrice Dunn, age 17, has started to see ghosts. Convinced that she is a witch, she feels she needs some professional training outside of the small upper Hudson town where she has lived with her Aunt Lydia since her parents died and responds to an ad for a shopgirl in a New York tea shop with a strange addendum: "Those averse to magic need not apply."The shop, Tea & Sympathy, is run by two white witches, Adelaide Thom, a fortune teller and mind reader, and Eleanor St. Claire, a healer. Seeing her partner getting more and more worn out, Adelaide has placed the ad for help, unbeknownst to Eleanor; applicants will be entertained in person for one afternoon only. When a long line of would-be assistants appears outside the shop, Eleanor dismisses them all. But when Beatrice, late due to an accident, appears and swoons on the doorstep, Eleanor invites her in--and so begins a partnership of three.The novel is set in 1880, at the height of Anthony Comstock's morality campaign, and those who practice magic are one of the targets of his followers. It's chock full of fascinating characters, in addition to the three witches. There's Sister Piddock, devoted follower of a fire and brimstone (and likely mad) preacher who is bent on closing Tea & Sympathy. Quinn Brody, a one-armed veteran who has taken up his father's "scientific" research into the world beyond. The incarcerated madwoman who marred Adelaide's face with acid, determined now to finish her off. Plus a real demon, two invisible spirits called Dearies, and Perdu, a very prescient talking raven. The setting is also colored by ongoing reports of the progress of erecting Cleopatra's Needle in Central Park and by the blossoming woman's suffrage movement.Overall, I enjoyed the book but was disappointed as several threads of the story were left hanging at the end. As other readers have suggested, this probably indicates that a sequel is in the works; in fact, the character of Adelaide is the grown-up character Moth from another of McKay's novels, The Virgin Cure.