An eye-opening deep dive into stolen feminine power and how we can reclaim it that will enrage and inspire.
Feature image credit: Simon & Schuster
By now we know that the fairytales were less than honest in their portrayal of witches, but in her latest book, journalist and regenerative fashion systems expert Lucianne Tonti explores the deep, brutal history of witch persecution across Europe and North America. Good Witch lays bare the legacy left behind by the burning of women in the name of witch-hunting, which among other horrific and long-lasting consequences, led to what Tonti calls the ‘disenchantment’ of the world. We’re still grappling with the effects of this today, she writes, in every facet of life from the economy to the ecosystem.
Through her visits to key locations, including Edinburgh Castle, North Berwick, and of course, Salem, Massachusetts, the author expertly unravels the truth of the witch trials, including the often overlooked ways that their female victims suffered. The book discusses the specific trials that took place in these areas and the central figures they involved, while also reframing the way that modern academics have portrayed them, often glossing over the brutal extent of their suffering. Traditional sources of women’s power — gardening, spinning, and sisterhood, for example — were taken away or twisted by powerful men and used against them. Tonti dissects how this stealing of feminine power fuelled myths and stereotypes that have hurt women ever since, including the weaponising of previously neutral or even positive ideas, from gossip to spinster.
The author masterfully balances analysis with facts, not just regurgitating the history of the witch trials, but considering the wider influence these hunts had, and are continuing to have today. She notes the similarities between the conquest of the land, which has resulted in an unsustainable climate crisis, and the domination of women, both at the hands of men, and dives deep into the enduring impact of this. While women are no longer being pricked with pins, forced into scold’s bridles, or executed at the stake, attitudes of the same vein occupy several areas of the modern world today. The author presents compelling evidence that would infuriate any reader, from the gender pay gap, to the statistics of male on female violence, to the insufficient handling of women’s health, making it clear that the world is still in a disenchanted state.
But there is hope. In between the grim facts, Tonti outlines a path to re-enchanting the world, by broadening our understanding of the environment around us — the original source of women’s power — and finding answers to the climate crisis. Among other solutions, she comprehensively discusses transforming food systems, acknowledging the importance of community, making care work (which is largely assigned to women) more visible, investing in local supply chains, and implementing feminine approaches to medical care. As far as the magic goes, ‘… it’s taking stock of the tiny moments, the small inflections and signs of life that remind us to pause, that remind us we are part of a dynamic ecosystem, and interconnected world animated by beautiful, precious things’ (page 286). After so much dark reading, these positive suggestions are the perfect way to leave the reader.
With writing that is rich in sensory detail, featuring weavings of the author’s personal journey into discovering the legacy of women’s persecution in her own life, Good Witch is an engaging and informative deep dive into how the infamous witch hunts hurt all of us, and what we can do about it.
Reviewed by Vanessa Elle
Instagram: @vanessaellewrites
The views expressed in this review belong to the author and not Glam Adelaide, its affiliates, or employees.
Distributed by: Simon & Schuster
Released: July 2026
RRP: $36.99
