Author: Alice Hoffman
Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal, Mystery & Suspense
Publisher: Scribner
Book Release Date: September 8, 2026
Pages: 416
Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: 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.
My Review: The Witches of Cambridge tells the story of two women who attend college in Cambridge, Massachusetts in the 1950s. Ava, who is from a small-town in Maine, meets her wealthy roommate from Cambridge Lauren in her first year of college. The two women have different personalities, but they learn they have something in common. Ava and Lauren learn that they are both witches. They join Lilith Society, which is a secret organization of witches attending Radcliffe College. At school, Ava and Lauren learn to harness their powers. When girls from the Lilith Society start to disappear, Ava and Lauren realize that they are in danger as someone wants to eliminate the witches.
I was excited to read this book because it was written by the famous author of Practical Magic of whom I heard good things about. However, I was a little disappointed with this book. Ava and Lauren have very different personalities. Ava is quiet while Lauren is outspoken. However, they never seem to come alive in this book. They are one-dimensional and are thinly drawn. This is because the book is told in a passive and not active voice. Besides the names, they seem similar. I could not distinguish them from each other. I was not emotionally connected with them. They were distant to me, and I did not care what happened to them. I liked that Ava had a pet dog but that was it. I was not invested with their story.
Overall, this book is about friendship, acceptance, and belonging. The message of this book is to embrace who you are as a person and to accept yourself. Because this book was written in a passive voice, none of the characters were developed. They were flat, and I was not invested in them. The story seemed like it had no plot and was incredibly slow. I also thought the side story involving the first witch of Cambridge in the late 1600s did not enhance the story and could have been eliminated. There were times I wanted to not finish this book and read something else. However, I forced myself to finish it, and it became a chore to read it. The book finally picked up at the end, and it grabbed my attention! The Witches of Cambridge had a strong potential, but it was not executed well. It was disappointing, and I wanted more! Still, I recommend this book for those that like reading witchy books! I recommend this book for fans of Paula Brackston, Hester Fox, and M. J. Rose!
Rating: 2 ½ out of 5 stars
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