We Call Them Witches

Bizarre creatures herald the end of the world in Bower’s powerfully unsettling debut. They attack from seemingly nowhere, patchwork creatures that look “like someone had stapled different parts of a body together, paperclipping on ears, fingers, all of them backward or twisted, wrong.” Protagonist Sara’s family ran from the city the night these so-called witches appeared, and they have been running ever since, guarding themselves with wards made using herbs and running water. These are the only things that prevent the witches from tearing them apart, but these protections don’t hold forever. Thus far, the family has avoided contact with other survivors, but when an injured girl, Parsley, appears outside the circle of protection offered by the wards, Sara convinces her family to let her stay. The presence of another girl her age breaks up the monotony of Sara’s chores and caring for her younger siblings. But trust does not come easy in a world wracked by monsters, and confiding in Parsley comes with serious risks. Bower conjures a nightmare from the bones of the familiar, and the witches are made all the creepier for the mystery surrounding their origins. T. Kingfisher fans will eat this up. Agent: Kelly Karczewski, UTA. (Apr.)