“Slewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery”, Brom
Published September 14, 2021
Set in Colonial New England, Slewfoot is a tale of magic and mystery, of triumph and terror as only dark fantasist Brom can tell it.
A spirited young Englishwoman, Abitha, arrives at a Puritan colony betrothed to a stranger – only to become quickly widowed when her husband dies under mysterious circumstances. All alone in this pious and patriarchal society, Abitha fights for what little freedom she can grasp onto, while trying to stay true to herself and her past.
Enter Slewfoot, a powerful spirit of antiquity newly woken ... and trying to find his own role in the world. Healer or destroyer? Protector or predator? But as the shadows walk and villagers start dying, a new rumor is whispered: Witch.
Both Abitha and Slewfoot must swiftly decide who they are, and what they must do to survive in a world intent on hanging any who meddle in the dark arts.
“Can a god be both slayer and shepherd? Reward and vex? Does your god only do good?”
This book won my 2024 reading bracket, beating out 205 other books. That’s a big deal. Huge. In the year since I initially read this book, I have recommended this several times to different audiences (friends, book clubs, Reddit, coworkers), and each time they ask me why. The answer is always the same—the strong theme of female rage and revenge gives me tingles.
I urge you to get a physical copy so you can fully appreciate the mesmerizing full-color artwork and chapter illustrations by Brom himself. The moody artwork pairs well with his vivid descriptions of 1666 Connecticut, in a lonely colony and a dark forest, where a new widow is oppressed by the community that should have offered her kindness.
Content Warnings
Note: This is not an exhaustive list of content and trigger warnings.
animal cruelty and death • torture • violence • religious bigotry • misogyny • sexism •grief
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Owned: paperback from Target