Writtten by Emily Clark
An Embarrassment of Witches is written by Sophie Goldstein and Jenn Jordan and the art and cover design are by Sophie Goldstein. The title it seems is a play on the phrase ‘an embarrassment of riches’ meaning to have too many good things to choose between. The story follows the lives of two young witches, both of whom are trying to do the next big thing in their lives after university. For Rory, this means moving away from everything she’s ever known, whereas for Angela it means staying at home and impressing her family.
As things fall apart around them, they unknowingly become closer to living more honestly and doing what they really want to with their lives, rather than what they think they want.
This graphic novel was incredibly original and packed with the wisdom of those who can find value in their experiences, good or bad. It explores very accurately (in the opinion of someone who recently left university) what life can be like after education, when it’s so unclear what you should be or want to be, or even what others want you to be. It’s so easy to live your life thinking you know what is good for you when in reality all you are doing is trying to make someone else proud, or prove someone wrong.
The magical realism of Goldstein and Jordan’s plot and visuals will have you wanting more and more. Every scenario, seemingly normal at first will surprise you with a touch of magic you didn’t quite expect. The surreal and the mundane combine so effortlessly in this tale that you find yourself relating to the most bizarre of scenarios, for example, (spoiler alert), a barnacle goose falling on your head, interrupting a romantic moment. The graphics have a colour scheme of mostly purples, yellows, and greens, which looks beautiful and striking and sets the scene perfectly in this parallel world where magic and witches exist.
Something else I love about An Embarrassment of Witches is the fluidity of the pages, it is as if the structure of the page reacts to the characters and the situation, rather than it being something set in stone all the way through. A page in it has just one word, yet the visuals make it one of my favourite pages in the whole novel. On another page, there is a guide on how to do origami, and as the character is making the same thing, you feel you can interact with the story. It just all feels so unique. Having said this, the origami also features as a way to structure the story, in the form of a fortune-teller, breaking up the story with remarks on how things are going, or what is coming next, like chapter titles, but much more creative.
The graphic novel is also a great exploration of friendship and how easy it can be to forget what’s important to us when we are angry, lost and scared. How important it is to just talk to each and say how we really feel.
I haven’t read anything like this before, something so relatable and magical at the same time. I recommend it to anyone who is struggling to find themselves after a big change, or just wants an entertaining read, with beautiful visuals.
An Embarrassment of Witches is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers as of March 3rd 2020.
Will you be picking up An Embarrassment of Witches? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
A coming-of-age urban fantasy set in a world full of animal familiars, enchanted plants, and spell-casting that explores the mundane horrors of breakups, job searches, and post-graduate existential angst.
Life after college isn’t turning out exactly as Rory and Angela had planned. Rory, recently dumped at the gate of her flight to Australia, needs to find a new life path ASAP. What do you do with a B.A. in Communications and a minor in Southeast Asian Spellcraft? Maybe her cute new housemate Guy is the answer she’s looking for (spoiler alert: he isn’t).
Meanwhile, Angela is buckling under the pressure of a high-stakes internship in a cutting-edge cryptopharmocology lab run by Rory’s controlling mother, who doesn’t know Rory is still in town… and Angela hates keeping secrets.
An Embarrassment of Witches is the story of two childhood friends learning how to be adults–and hoping their friendship can survive the change.
I have pre ordered it. Can’t wait to read!