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White Is for Witching

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2009

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Book Brief

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Helen Oyeyemi

White Is for Witching

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2009
Book Details
Pages

304

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Dover, England • Contemporary

Publication Year

2009

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

White Is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi is a horror novel about Miranda Silver, who struggles with disordered eating and loneliness after her family moves to a haunted house in Dover, inherited from her mother. The house, filled with malevolent spirits of the Silver women, narrates part of the story and targets those who threaten its white, traditionalist view. Miranda's twin brother Eliot, her girlfriend Ore, and the house itself narrate overlapping and fragmented pieces of her life, leading to an eerie exploration of racism and historical trauma. The novel depicts suicide, self-harm, disordered eating, and racist and xenophobic content.

Mysterious

Unnerving

Dark

Fantastical

Contemplative

Reviews & Readership

3.7

13,263 ratings

55%

Loved it

29%

Mixed feelings

16%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Helen Oyeyemi's White Is for Witching is lauded for its gothic atmosphere, innovative narrative structure, and lyrical prose. Critics praise its exploration of family and identity. However, some find the plot convoluted and the pacing uneven. Overall, the novel is celebrated for its eerie, haunting quality and rich thematic depth.

Who should read this

Who Should Read White Is for Witching?

Fans of eerie, literary fiction with a unique narrative style will appreciate Helen Oyeyemi's White Is for Witching. Ideal for readers who enjoyed Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived in the Castle or Toni Morrison's Beloved, this novel blends gothic elements, family secrets, and psychological depth.

3.7

13,263 ratings

55%

Loved it

29%

Mixed feelings

16%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

304

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Dover, England • Contemporary

Publication Year

2009

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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