The brand-new series from the bestselling author of Practical Magic, following two brilliant young women in 1950s Cambridge, Massachusetts, as they become immersed in a mysterious secret group of witches at Radcliffe known as the Lilith Society.

Once upon a time, women were drowned in the river and the only witnesses were the crows in the trees. The Puritans blamed Eve for the sins of the world. That was when we began to meet in the name of Lilith, Adam’s first wife—banished for refusing to do as she was told.

We Fly Together…

By the 1950s, Cambridge, Massachusetts feels far removed from the legendary witch trials that marked its early days as a colony. Ava, a bright young woman from a small town in Maine, arrives for her first year at Radcliffe College. There, she meets Lauren, her opposite in every way—the wild and brazen daughter of a wealthy and well-established Cambridge family. But the two have more in common than they think. Both are recruited by the Lilith Society, a secret organization of witches at Radcliffe dating back to colonial times. As they learn more about their legacy, Ava and Lauren form a close bond that is put to the test as they learn to navigate their new power, friendship, and love.

While Radcliffe seems like a safe haven, the shadow of McCarthyism looms large, an ever-present threat to the flourishing creative and intellectual life in Cambridge. And as girls from the Lilith Society begin to go missing, Ava and Lauren realize the witch trials of the past may not be as deeply buried as they once believed.

I tend to really enjoy Alice Hoffman’s books, especially Practical Magic. I’ll admit I wasn’t a huge fan of The Invisible Hour, but this one brings her right back to the territory where she really shines, writing about witches and magic in a way that feels both mystical and completely grounded.

Set in 1950s Cambridge, the story follows Ava, a bright young woman from small town Maine arriving at Radcliffe College for her first year, and Lauren, the bold, outspoken daughter of an established, wealthy Cambridge family. The two are polar opposites, but despite their differences, the two end up recruited into a secretive group of witches connected to the college with roots stretching all the way back to the colonial era. As Ava and Lauren start to understand the history and power tied to this legacy, their bond deepens as they learn to manage their powers together. On the surface Radcliffe feels like a refuge, but the paranoia of the McCarthy era hangs heavily over campus life, threatening the intellectual freedom the girls have found there. When members of the secret society start disappearing, Ava and Lauren begin to realize the persecution of witches from centuries earlier might not be as far in the past as everyone assumed.

What really pulled me in here is the historical backdrop, and honestly, the characters themselves. Ava and Lauren’s friendship, and everything that grows out of it, felt real and totally believable. I’ll also say, as someone who considers himself a little earthy and witchy myself, I appreciated how right Hoffman gets the small details throughout. The herbs, the protective rituals, the sigils, all of these details make it feel grounded against the more fantastical elements of the story. That attention to detail is honestly one of Hoffman’s biggest strengths as a writer, and it’s on full display here.

Pacing wise, the book balances its historical setting with the mounting tension around the disappearances well. I appreciated the journal entries from the first Cambridge witch which helped tie things together very well. I can’t wait to see where this series heads. I’m already looking forward to spending more time with these characters. If you love witchy historical fiction with emotional depth and a strong sense of atmosphere, this one is definitely worth your time.

Book Club/Book Box: