Is 'The Year Of The Witching' Part Of A Series?

It’s a duology, and the second book delves deeply into the history of Bethel, as well as giving due acknowledgement to the allies of Immanuelle – Leah and the outcast prophetess among them. The climax of the second book is a intense and awesome confrontation between the coven’s magic and the Church’s fire.

The sequel to ‘The Year of the Witching’ is part of a duology, and in this book, Henderson has expanded the already-nightmare-fueled universe to even greater heights while upping the stakes. I had thought that Immanuelle’s journey from outcast girl to vengeful witch was complete, but alas, it wasn’t. Her arc isn’t finished in this book, but rather is given closure in the second installment. We are also introduced to new perspectives (Ezra’s sister, for example, who is a loyal Bethelite until the harsh realities of the secret of Bethel are revealed to her). Henderson’s writing is more visceral in this second installment, particularly in scenes where the coven is using their magic to throw off the shackles of the Church. As a duology, Henderson has done a superb job of balancing the scope of the world that she has created with the need to give close focus to individual characters and their storylines, never staying too long in one place to allow the narrative to become stagnant.

I went into The Year of the Witching expecting a standalone dark fantasy but the book is actually the first part of a two book duology. The sequel, The Women of the Witching Wood, continues to follow Immanuelle as she battles against the twisted puritanical regime of Bethel. I desperately needed to know what happened to Immanuelle’s coven in the cliffhanger of the first book and Henderson’s world is so rich that I couldn’t bear for it to be left to stand alone as it was. The sequel delves deeper into the coven that Immanuelle joined and their lore as well as going back to the origins of the Darkwood and the monstrous creatures that reside there.

The structure of a duology is, itself, pretty brilliant, since it mirrors Immanuelle’s duality: human and witch, outcast and savior. The first book, The Year of the Witching, sets the stage; the second, The Women of the Witching Wood, burns it all down. Fans of dark, atmospheric horror, and feminist, revenge-minded fantasy will want to read both of these. Henderson’s handled the transition in such a way that the pacing actually rewards patient readers. So many questions about the prophecies of the Mothers and the long-buried history of Immanuelle’s coven are answered in The Women of the Witching Wood. In fact, it’s actually better than the first book, with more witches, more blood magic, and more defiance.

If you’re a fan of dark, feminist horror then you have reason to celebrate. The sequel to The Year of the Witching has been published and it ties up the many loose ends that the first book left hanging. The second book in the duology increases the action as the people of Bethel fight against the religious oppression and the witches who are fighting back. Immanuelle’s powers increase and the curses that affect the Darkwood begin to affect people outside of the village. I enjoyed most of the book but the real stand-out for me was the exploration of the Mothers’ grimoires and the insight into their individual spells as broken up fragments of their defiance. A great way to end the two books.