Lucie is somewhat of a witch. She inherited powers from her mother, but these powers have mostly atrophied. However, she teaches her daughters how to mobilize this gift, and they take to it with a little more enthusiasm and pizzazz.
Meanwhile, Lucie’s marriage is falling apart. Her husband is outright disdainful of her, even bringing home a colleague who has abandoned his own family, and sitting in awe of him. When Lucie’s husband runs off, taking with him a substantial amount of Lucie’s inheritance, things get incredibly weird as Lucie tries to track him down.
The Witch is one of those books that nothing much really “happens”. There is no real big finale with fireworks, no big revelation. Yet, there are small, uncanny moments in this novel that will stay with me forever. But the way Lucie is almost indifferent to these strange moments is just wonderful. I really enjoyed NDiaye’s stream-of-conscious style of writing (and indeed Jordan Stump’s translation)
I don’t know whether it’s because I am a tired wife and mother with witchy sensibilities, but this novel really appealed to me. I found it incredibly easy to read, enjoyable, with just enough weirdness.
Note: Since I wrote this review, The Witch has been shortlisted for the International Booker Prize! If you needed another reason to read it.
California Reading 