Grady Hendrix’s novel, “Witchcraft for Wayward Girls,” weaves a compelling tale of resilience, magic and mayhem
Known for his campy approach to horror, Grady Hendrix shifts gears in his new novel “Witchcraft for Wayward Girls.” In this book, Hendrix adapts a more serious tone while he pulls back the curtain on the life of unwed mothers sent away to maternity homes before Roe v. Wade redefined reproductive rights in the ‘70s.
As a straight white man, Hendrix has a gift for authentically capturing women’s voices in his work. Like in “My Best Friend’s Exorcism,” which was set in the ‘80s at the height of the Satanic Panic, Hendrix uses the rise of Wicca in the ‘70s as a backdrop for the events unfolding in his latest novel.
Hendrix digs deeper in his storytelling in “Witchcraft for Wayward Girls,” drawing from the experiences of women in his family who lived in maternity homes. Hendrix honors their story by shedding his signature campy humor as he exposes the unforgiving social stigma and systemic mistreatment unwed mothers had endured just a few decades back.
The book opens in the summer of 1970, an era marked by a wave of violent murders, anti-war demonstrations and anti-establishment ideals. It is also a time rife with pregnancies out of wedlock, which means maternity homes are as common as secrets in a small town.
In the middle of all this is 15-year-old Neva Craven, whose parents banish her when they find out she is pregnant. Her father drags her from their home in Alabama to discard her at Wellwood House in Florida — a revolving door of forgotten innocence and an uncertain future for every girl it takes in. Managing the facility is Miss Wellwood, who tells Neva the privacy of all the girls in the home is very important. Because of this, Neva needs to be stripped of her identity even before she has the chance to learn the rhythm of her new reality.
As Neva from Alabama becomes Fern from Baltimore, she must follow all the rigid rules in the home: get up at 6:00 a.m. six days a week, attend routine visits with Dr. Vincent and help with the chores to pay for board and lodging.
Hendrix flexes his ability to ground his horror narratives in strong emotional bonds through the relationships Fern develops with some of the girls: Holly, the silent waif who reminds Fern of her younger sister; Rose, the hippie who shows Fern a different perspective with her determination to keep her baby; and then later Zinnia, the only Black girl at Wellwood House who shares Fern’s love for literature.
The girls do their best to cope with life in exile by sharing smokes, sneaking in sugary contraband and entertaining themselves with whatever is on TV at the home’s congregational space, also known as “The Cong.” But Hendrix also puts the spotlight on the struggles that come with pregnancy, particularly the amount of gaslighting women — whether pregnant or not — get from doctors up to this day. Hendrix accurately portrays this in the scene where Dr. Vincent tells Zinnia her debilitating morning sickness is caused by her own unwillingness to get better.
The girls’ biggest reprieve comes when Miss Parcae, an old eccentric librarian, arrives at Wellwood House with the bookmobile. The plot picks up when Miss Parcae loans Fern a
worn drugstore paperback, saying, “I keep this for girls like you. It might have some answers.”
Fern quickly realizes the paperback is brimming with incantations for different problems. She and her friends decide to give it a test run, using the Turnabout spell to redirect Zinnia’s morning sickness to Dr. Vincent. When the spell works, the girls find out that using the paperback comes with a price: swearing fealty to Miss Parcae against their will.
A woman’s worth, no matter the age, is often tied to her marital status, and Hendrix homes in on this point throughout the book, particularly when Fern goes into labor. The hospital staff promptly stops treating her with kindness the moment they see her ringless finger.
The writing here also departs from Fern’s perspective and takes on a more clinical tone as her labor progresses. This makes the reader more privy to Fern’s feelings of isolation, fear and helplessness during the most vulnerable time of her life.
In the beginning, Neva was an obedient girl who just wanted to do her time at Wellwood House and move on. But in the end, she emerges as Fern, a fearless young woman who is tired of the oppression: “Bring Hell! You think I’m scared? I’m scared of NOTHING!”
Hendrix’s timely book is a thoughtful exploration of women empowerment amidst societal expectations. It also serves as a strong reminder that a woman will always find a way to take her power back against all odds.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Price: $27.90 (Hardback); $14.99 (Ebook)
Where to buy: https://bookshop.org/p/books/witchcraft-for-wayward-girls-grady-hendrix/21003285?ean=9780593548981&next=t&next=t
