We Were Witches

We Were Witches follows a teenage mother named Ariel Gore as she navigates single parenthood, poverty, and higher education in the 1990s. Starting with the birth of her daughter in Italy at age 18, the narrative tracks her path through community college to her eventual graduation from Mills College. The book blends realistic narrative with magical elements, incorporating feminist theory, witchcraft, and supernatural encounters into its portrayal of a young woman's struggle for education and independence. Despite sharing the author's name and biographical details, the text operates as a novel rather than memoir, allowing for elements of magical realism and metaphorical storytelling. Through Gore's experiences with motherhood, academia, and self-discovery, We Were Witches examines themes of feminist awakening, social class barriers, and the reclamation of power through education and community. The work challenges conventional narratives about teen mothers while exploring how identity is constructed and transformed through both real and magical means.

Readers describe this book as a blend of memoir and magic realism that follows a young single mother's journey through poverty and higher education. Many note its unique narrative style that weaves feminist theory with personal storytelling. Readers appreciate: - Raw honesty about poverty and teen motherhood - Integration of feminist texts and political commentary - Experimental writing structure - Representation of queer identity - Magical elements that enhance the story Common criticisms: - Confusing timeline and narrative flow - Too academic/theoretical for some readers - Unclear boundary between fact and fiction - Some found the magical elements jarring Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (1,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (50+ ratings) Sample reader comment: "The way Gore weaves together personal narrative with feminist theory creates something entirely new - part memoir, part magic spell, part political manifesto." - Goodreads reviewer

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🌙 Mills College, where part of the book takes place, was one of the first women's colleges in the western United States and played a significant role in the feminist movement of the 1960s and 1970s 📚 Ariel Gore founded Hip Mama magazine in 1993, which became a pioneering publication in the "zine revolution" and alternative parenting movement ⚡ The book's incorporation of witch folklore draws from historical parallels between witch persecution and the marginalization of independent women, particularly single mothers 🎓 The author's experiences at Mills College coincided with a pivotal time in feminist academic history when women's studies programs were becoming more established in American universities 🌿 Gore's portrayal of 1990s Portland captures a crucial period in the city's cultural history, as it transformed from a working-class town to a hub for alternative culture and feminist activism