Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix – A Critical Review
Grady Hendrix Returns with a Witchy Story of Rebellion, Trauma, and Dark Secrets
Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is the latest entry in Grady Hendrix’s growing collection of horror fiction with a nostalgic and often subversive edge. Known for blending satire, social commentary, and supernatural horror (My Best Friend’s Exorcism, The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires), Hendrix once again ventures into a world of occult secrets and female rage. But does it land with the same punch?
Plot Overview
Set between two timelines, the novel follows a group of rebellious young women who uncover a hidden legacy of witchcraft in a decaying mansion. As they delve into an ancient book of spells and uncover generational trauma, they must confront not only supernatural forces, but also the real-world oppression that has haunted their bloodlines.
What Works
Narrative Voice: Hendrix’s signature voice—witty, brisk, and sharply observant—keeps the pacing lively, even when the plot treads familiar ground.
Feminist Themes: The book explores how women have historically used spiritual rebellion (witchcraft, folklore) as a form of survival and empowerment. This is where the novel feels most resonant.
Dual Timeline Structure: The interplay between past and present adds texture, slowly unraveling the layers of mystery and emotional tension.
Where It Falters
Repetitive Themes: Readers familiar with Hendrix’s earlier novels may feel a sense of déjà vu. The themes of friendship, feminine rage, and dark secrets are recycled with less impact here.
Underdeveloped Characters: While the cast is diverse and potentially rich, many characters remain flat, acting more like archetypes than emotionally complex individuals.
Forced Symbolism: Some of the horror elements and feminist symbolism feel overly literal, reducing the potential for deeper metaphor or ambiguity.
Final Verdict
Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is a bold but uneven horror novel that mixes feminist rage with dark folklore. It’s a decent read for fans of feminist horror fiction and gothic narratives, but may disappoint readers expecting the emotional depth or originality found in Hendrix’s best work.
About the Creator
My New Book is Finally Here
My poetry collection Beautiful and Brutal Things is done. It's actually done and finally published over 270 pages. Over a year of my life went into this book. More than a year, really. Long days at my computer, sometimes seven days a week because I couldn't stop even when I probably should have. Then two months of editing that felt harder than the writing itself. But it's finished, and I'm still standing, and the book is real.
By Tim Carmichael4 days ago in BookClub
THE EMBER AND THE ECHOES
EPISODE 3: THE VALE OF WHISPERS Leaving the Marches felt like shedding a skin. The loud, bloody chaos faded into a damp, watchful silence as Kaelen entered the Blackwood Vale. The air grew cold and carried the scent of pine and deep, rotten earth. This was Lord Theron Vance’s domain, and his influence was a chill that seeped into the bones.
By Akua Anita2 days ago in BookClub
Smart phones, Humans and Aliens.
WARNING. I will be tapping into one of your favorite creative tensions: The absurdity of humans worshipping their glowing rectangles as if they were tiny oracles. There’s something deliciously poetic about that contradiction, and it lends itself beautifully to an instructive proviso.
By Novel Allen5 days ago in Poets
Comments
There are no comments for this story
Be the first to respond and start the conversation.