The Witches Are Coming by Lindy West
Rating – 4.75 out of 5
The Witches are Coming by Lindy West is a defining essay book from the Me Too era. With people becoming more aware of sexual violence and the internet trolling becoming more prevalent, West explores themes surrounding the world as it is now. West, with her signature conversational style and quick wit, write about it all. About the witches coming to hunt the men that hurt them and how they might not be witches at all.
Favorite Quote
“So fine, if you insist. This is a witch hunt. We’re witches, and we’re hunting you.” ― Lindy West, The Witches Are Coming
“Someone will always pop up to say, “You would be more effective if you were nicer.” “You would have a more receptive audience if you adjusted your tone.” “You catch more flies with honey.” Well, I don’t want flies. The most likable woman in the world is crawling with fucking flies.” ― Lindy West, The Witches Are Coming
“It costs you nothing to err on the side of “care”.” ― Lindy West, The Witches Are Coming
“You fail again, you start again. No matter how many times you fail, you can still start. Don’t let today swallow tomorrow.” ― Lindy West, The Witches Are Coming
Why I liked The Witches are Coming by Lindy West
I fell in love with West’s writing when I read her first book of essays Shrill. With the show coming out on Hulu, West’s work has been influential to the Feminist movement already. If you haven’t read her previous book nor watched the show, I highly recommend it. While it is not important to do before you read The Witches are Coming, I still think it’s important to understanding West’s work.
The title of the book is an admission by West, that if trolls in the world were going to declare women living their lives with a purpose beyond men a witchhunt, then yes, we are the witches, and we are coming for you. It’s about accountability to the wrong that people have done for each other due to this society. To me, the book was a breath of fresh air. West is so funny and honest that she works through these tough topics with a levity that is breathtaking. I included several quotes this time for that very reason. Lindy says exactly what I’m thinking, but with a clarity that I haven’t yet mastered. Lindy’s words jump off the page, she writes the way people think and in this case, it helps to make a hard topic understandable.
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