Howdy & Spookutations!
When Midnight Reader asked for guest posts, I jumped at the chance. Who can resist the call of the Halloween Hootanany! So without further ado, I am
Felicia the Geeky Blogger and I am here to talk about literary Witches.
Witches are my favorite kind of Supernatural read because they are the most human of all them. A shifter can blame his/her inner beast. A vampire can blame bloodlust. A monster (Frankenstein as an example) can blame the stupid scientist that created him. However, witches are born with their powers, they are part of who they are. To me, that makes them infinitely more scary than any supernatural driven by urges of some outside force. They choose to hone their craft to be used for good or bad. When they are good, they are great to have on your side. When they are bad, they are downright scary. The other great thing is they can often ride the fence in fiction (especially as lead characters) because great power is often hard to control. Some of my favorite witches have fallen off the wagon and did a spell or two for personal gain. How is a girl going to get out of a rough spot without possibly doing harm to another. I am sure deep down she didn't mean it (or just a little cause you know the dude was bad). You just never know with those witchy folks and that makes them interesting.
I am going to list some of my favorite witches in literature. I didn't always love them but the characters themselves were fascinating.
Hitch a Ride with these Gals:
Hermoine Granger from the Harry Potter series: Hermoine was always trying to do the right thing. She is a very clever witch who could have used her powers for ANYTHING but instead used them to defeat evil. She has a great head on her shoulders and likes to think things through. She is extremely loyal and just the kind of witch you want around!
Glinda The Good Witch of the South (Wonderful Wizard of Oz): Unlike her counterpart in Wicked, the original Glinda was good through and through. She wanted you to solve your own problems but she was helpful, kind, and lovable.
Diana Bishop from the All Soul's Trilogy by Deborah Harkness: Diana was such a good witch. Granted she didn't have to be bad because of her Vampire Boyfriend but she really did try to use all her powers for the good of mankind (past, present, and future).
Those Riding the Broom:
Sabina Kane from Jaye Wells: Sabina is a pretty kick-ass powerful mage. However, she was known to do whatever it took to get things done. That means she didn't always use her powers just for the force of good. She wasn't afraid to go to the dark side if needed.
Gillian and Sally Owens from Practical Magic: Mostly good girls! However, when in a tough spot you have to pull out all your magical tools and use them. Of course, this can backfire but hey you gotta try!
Freya, Joanna, and Ingrid Beauchamp from Wtiches of East End: On any given day, they could be on the side of good or evil. Heck they were just trying to survive an eternity of being reborn and dying. Sometimes a girl has got to do what a girl has got to do!
Steer Clear of the Broom:
The Bene Gesserit from the Dune Series: Look I am not saying they are bad or good. What I am saying is this group of Nun Witches are scary as all get out. I wouldn't tangle with them on a good day. Don't even depend on size! You see a little one coming just turn and walk the other way. In fact, take your chances in the desert. I like my odds better there.
Bellatrix Lestrange from Harry Potter: She was bad but oh so good at it. Gotta love a witch that just embraces her dark nature with such gusto! I mean she doesn't even want you to associate her with anyone who doesn't do the Dark Lord's bidding.
The White Witch from The Chronicals of Narnia: She held a whole land under a spell just for power. While I can appreciate her "all-in" kind of approach, her powers are just a bit on the scary side!
There are so many good books with Witches in them that narrowing it down to just 3 in each category was very hard to do indeed! Who are your favorite witches in literature? Share for a chance to win a book worth up to $10 of your choice from Amazon or Book Depository! Just fill in
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