The Western Gate

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls
Grady Hendrix
Tor Nightfire Publishing

This book came up on various social media recommendations, “we think you will like this book?…,”. What sort of person do these algorithmic boffins think I am. Ok … I do like to delve into some trashy pulp exploitation media, and I do have a passion for all things ‘witchcraft’.
First off, it’s not really a delicious school where nubile nymphos indulge in sordid graphic orgies. Bah. In fact, its background is altogether more sobering. It is a retreat where young mothers to be are hidden away from a finger wagging scornful public until they have their baby, which is sold to the highest bidder. Of course this history is fact, and had it been set in Ireland as opposed to the (sic)Untied States, perhaps the Irish nuns would be the focus of evil in those laundry workhouses that saw the same enterprise at the behest of unfortunate mothers and at worse, the babies were smothered and lost to the paupers grave forever, it would be a very powerful book.
The question is, ‘Wayward Girls?’ why not Victims of predatory horny beasts (ahem-witchcraft pun not intended but hey)
The characters in the book are a bit contrived, The fiery argumentative type, the quiet and mysterious victim of trauma, the sensible and pragmatic and the hero of the piece, the central character, who is in most ways an amalgamation of the previous three.
Our hero, Fern, ends up in this institution for girls who had succumbed to their carnal temptations and were unlucky enough to have conceived, thereupon, enter the travelling mobile library, sees the librarian who hands her a book, nay, a book of witchcraft, yes that seedy librarian, must be something about her turning up with her toot sweets and lollipops, all free….
The spells within the book are those that can be found in any kitchen witch book, or the seedy books on witchcraft aplomb in the 70’s when witches were seen to be nothing more than sexy vamps who liked a bit of flagellation. This is set in the late 60’s however, and the book is the groovy witches handbook. Which is, admittedly, kinda cool
It, however, all descends from hereon.
Fern and her fellows are initiated, initially, into the ways and fares of the path- on condition. Yes, on conditions. Now, being as this is from the united States I cant really comment on the structure of covens or wiccans or otherwise, and to be honest it’s not my business to do so and more, its none of my business. Lets say this then. If a high priestess or whoever tells me that I must be obedient to them, to ‘follow them’ and literally to do as they say and naysay my own free mind… wouldn’t that clang a sort of alarm bell? As a Witch, undoubtedly I submit to wisdom, for it is unconditional and its truth is known and understood immediately. Yes, The high Priestess would stand as the conduit of wisdom, in the moment, in the bound circle. But, we are born human, we have our foible’s and our historic errors, prejudgements born of experience, we are not infallible and this all makes us unique, or else we’d all be emotionless ‘Spock’ like bores. So no, Ms.High Priestess I will not follow you outside of the circle or sacred space to which I have freely and of my own (sic) A-Cord entered.
Back to the story, The High Witch, old of course-dying and desperate for rejuvenation, probably crooked nose and her rag tag band of Manson-eque (The author alludes to this, it’s not just my thought) despots become the Witches that Dennis Wheatley et al would nod approvingly of. Naughty people. The Baddies. Grotbags, wicked witches, Fenellas (from Chorlton and the wheelies)
I nearly stopped reading the book at this point because I just couldn’t be bothered, but there was enough to keep me going, the characters were likeable-ish and well ….I’ve started so I’ll finish.
Interestingly, the Chef-KitchenMaid in the story who later on assists in the birth of the forlorn and fragile character‘s child is more akin to a witch than the superficial ‘witch’-baddies. Midwifery skills, knows how to mix up herbs and cusses like a docker, yah, that’s the witch that I’d know.
The book all ends up like the finale of a 3.5 out of 10 IMDB film plot. Bit of dramatics and then an afterword where we get to see what happened to ‘them.’
It was an O.K. read which is damning as I can get.
I understand that this book was written with the witches after the initial offering, which would therefore have been centred solely upon the institute for mothers-to-be, itself a very powerful and distressing subject. I don’t really think the addition of the Baddie witches helped. The chef could’ve been the focus for the guide, perhaps she had a ‘groovy witch’ book that she laughed at, cussed and which subsequently our hero picks up on. It would have been a better plot.
As always, in all things fiction, witches perform absolute miracles. To be fair and foul, those that try first succeed harder, the mix of adrenaline and fear is the perfect stew for spells to actually work. Can witches fly as suggested by the book? Physically? No. But they do here. Can Witches change the weather? …Ah! well I’ve seen some strange things you know and I have in my possession a 6ft Holly wand as used by the Witches of Alsace to bring Tempests, I haven’t used it, I let nature perform her dance as she so sees fit. It’s a shame that books of fiction which are a great vehicle to showcase actual witchcraft are still using sensational themes in the story. The psychology and the way in which synchronicity and coincidence play a huge part in the effects of ritual are never really fully explored, they simply tap their wand and magic glitter turns the pumpkin into a carriage to whisk us to our dreams, and then there’s some sort of payback, some recoil, apparently, after all society informs us you don’t get something for nothing. And how pray tell does the universe manifest?¹
One of the reviews on the back page suggests, “A phenomenal read for witches everywhere”? In fact, I picked up this book in ‘Forbidden Planet’ as it was that line that sold me the book, not the suggestions of Meta, Amazon etc. Surely the reviewer must be a witch and gave it a nod and a wink. … Ah! ill met, ’tis all come to ruin,
Trust nothing, Trust No-one, Follow your shadow and nothing else.

1/ Is there such a thing as the law of return? Does the heart require its balance in even nought but a feather? “In contemplation of knowing that which it was consciousness turned inwards, and in that reflection created its own opposition, this was the manifestation of creation, and as it were desire which were the first cause, so too, its equilibrium was suffering” (Devas Sublime Book 2).
If this strikes true then perhaps that loathsome Wiccan rede of return holds true, though threefold? thats not balance.