The Witch - Watertown Post

The Watertown Post

Review by Jean Side

Book: The Witch by Freida McFadden

Jean Side’s Book Rating

5 out of 5 stars

I have to admit, I’ve never really jumped on the Freida McFadden bandwagon. I remember starting The Housemaid at one point, but for whatever reason, it just didn’t grab me, so I never finished it. And honestly, I hadn’t picked up another one of her books since.

Now, I know Freida McFadden is incredibly popular, especially in our bookstore, where her books are always in demand. So when The Witch came out, I thought, you know what? Maybe it’s time to give her another shot!

Of course, all our copies were sold out! And while I’m definitely a physical book kind of girl, my eyes have been tired lately, so I decided to fire up my Kindle and dive in.

Well, let me tell you, those first couple of pages had me wondering if I’d made the right decision!

The story begins from Caroline’s point of view, and I just wasn’t crazy about the way her thoughts were written. Something about the wording didn’t sit right with me, and I remember thinking, “Oh boy, I don’t know if I can read an entire book like this!”

But thankfully, I kept going!

As the story began switching back and forth between Caroline and Julia, from past to present, I found myself getting more and more interested. The two different scenarios really pulled me into the mystery. I liked how you were getting different timelines of the story, but you weren’t always sure what to believe or how everything fit together.

And then there’s the house!

There’s something about an old house, strange happenings, and the possibility of ghosts that gets your imagination going. Every time something odd happened, I found myself wondering whether there was a perfectly logical explanation or if something supernatural really was going on.

And here’s the funny part. I actually found myself HOPING the house really WAS haunted!

One part of the book that made me laugh was the mention of the old painting with eyes that seemed to follow you around the room. It immediately brought back a childhood memory!

My great-grandmother lived right next door to us in the town where I grew up, and she had such a painting hanging in her upstairs hallway. I swear, no matter where you stood, those eyes followed you! That painting scared the living daylights out of me! I can remember actually CRAWLING underneath it just to get into my aunt’s bedroom because I was convinced those eyes were watching me!

So when I read that part of The Witch, I couldn’t help but laugh. Apparently, creepy paintings with wandering eyes have been haunting me since childhood!

But back to the book!

What I really enjoyed was how the story kept me questioning what was happening. Was the house actually haunted? Was someone playing tricks? Were the characters seeing things that weren’t really there? And how much could you trust what you were being told?

I loved how the alternating perspectives between Caroline and Julia added to that uncertainty. Just when I thought I had a handle on things, another little detail would make me question everything all over again.

And here’s what really surprised me.

I READ THE ENTIRE BOOK IN 24 HOURS!

Yes, you read that right! Me, the person who would much rather have an actual book in her hands, sat there with my Kindle and practically devoured this one. Once I got past those first couple of pages, I just kept turning the pages—or should I say tapping the screen!

I won’t give away the ending because I think half the fun of reading a mystery is trying to figure things out for yourself. But I will say that I really enjoyed the twists, the creepy atmosphere, and the way everything kept me guessing. And the ending really surprised me!

What started out as a book I wasn’t even sure I wanted to continue turned into one I couldn’t put down. And considering I finished it in a single day, I’d say that speaks for itself!

So, did The Witch turn me into a Freida McFadden fan?

Well, let’s not get too carried away! But I will say she definitely won me over with this one. Will I pick up another one of her books? I just might!

If you enjoy a good mystery with a creepy atmosphere, a few twists, and a story that keeps you questioning what’s real and what isn’t, I’d definitely recommend giving The Witch a read.

And if you’ve ever been terrified of a painting whose eyes seemed to follow you around the room, well, you might get a little laugh out of this one too!

Five stars from me!