The Witch in the Well
2.0 Stars
2-25-2024

there seems to be no escape from this sordid tale

A skillfully enough written book, about two long-time, small-town frenemies who are both writing a book about a "witch" that was thrown into a well in the 1800's. The only problem is that one the MCs, the one you spend ~70% of the book with, is a desperately toxic, bitter, and unpleasant lady. There are plenty of valid reasons for this in the story (ill luck in childhood, kelpie-blight, witch-dream influence), but it also makes the experience of listening to the book genuinely unenjoyable. The problem is compounded because the bitter MC takes over progressively more of the narration as the story continues on to its conclusion.

Actually, wait, if you want to there is also a reading of this book where there are no super-natural elements, just a truly dismal and unreliable narrator writing/editing the entire thing. That would be worse.