Necrology is a fantastical, feminist horror offering social commentary using both recent and distant history. Kind of a magical realism iteration of The Handmaid’s Tale. An alternate reality, with a social system and religion ever so slightly different than ours, it requires a bit of focus to understand, and still feels just a little out of grasp (which, frankly, is an enjoyably off-kilter experience, and reminds me of The Country of Ice Cream Star). Ripley writes with a lyrical quality, and a rhythm reminiscent of the old fairy tales.

This is definitely a slow burn. I liked a lot about this book but unfortunately the fantastic atmosphere did not save the story.

I tried so hard to like this one. I just don't love the author's way of writing. I'm not sure if this is the way Ripley always writes or it's unique to this book. It didn't feel natural to read.

A dense atmospheric fog of a novel. I mean this in the best way. Dark magic mixed into a familiar historical setting, all focused around a raw feminist tale made this a treat to read.

My gosh. What a book. From the first page, the reader becomes aware that this read will be memorable. The language, the rhythm of the dialogue, the rich, earthy descriptions, the accessible magic and the heart of the characters is apparent immediately. I was completely drawn into Rabbit, Rook and Whitetail’s world.

Rabbit and Rook are the eldest in the family, a family of orphans taken in by a strong, independent practitioner of the magic known as the Dirt. It is a simple life of gratitude and balance with the earth. But their house is owned by the Andrews family, a corrupt dynasty of Freemen, looking to suppress the powerful magic in all women, the magic tied to the earth, the wilds, the Dirt.

When the Andrews son assaults Whitetail, a foretold series of events occurs and Whitetail is imprisoned, the orphans are separated and Rabbit is taken in by the Andrews. Rabbit begins to doubt her upbringing, to understand the women who give up their magic and succumb to the religious teachings of the Father and the daily gaslighting and bullying of the Freemen.

This powerful novel is hard to fit in a genre. There are elements of horror, fantasy, historical fiction and magical realism. It is a coming of age tale of feminist rage, political corruption and daily overreaching of religious patriarchal cultism. It is GLORIOUS.

Necrology has an intriguing premise, set in a world where magical women, known as the “Dirty,” are forced into a truce with non-magical men called the Freemen after the Salem witch trials.

While the characters are compelling, I struggled with the world-building, which felt murky at times. There were moments when I felt fully immersed in the eerie atmosphere, but the overall structure left me confused, making it hard to stay engaged. I think fans of dark, feminist fantasy may really enjoy!

darkly despairing and ominous. weirdly enough, reminded me in some sense of Handmaid's tale, though of course it's quite different.

This book is amazing for all the readers who love women being in their power, supporting women's rights and wrongs. This book is filled with raw emotion and gives us a great look at love, power, sexism, balance and so so much more. I throughly enjoyed this book and if you're a fan of feminist horror novellas you should check this out!!

I really enjoyed this book in the historical fiction setting that it provided. The Salem witch trials are a very interesting. In history and I love to read a fictional account of it. I will not recommend this book to my students, I am glad that I read more from this genre.

A slow-burn feminist fantasy with witchy vibes. Lots of world-building and abuses of power here. The magic system takes a moment to grasp and I was a bit confused about what was going on for a chunk of the first half.
Overall, I found this strange and atmospheric. I appreciated the storytelling but not necessarily the writing.

Necrology by Meg Ripley is an eerie bit of feminist fantasy. Ripley builds out a beautiful bit of atmosphere with lyrical descriptions laid against a child’s raw pragmatism. Where my concerns lay are in the fact that the world building was as misty as the tone being set. When I’m in it it’s tangible and encompassing, but any attempt at a firmer grasp disproves this theory. I’m having a difficult time formulating my opinion on this book as a whole as my thoughts are quite contradictory.

I found there were short bursts that I found gripping and general moods were interesting but my enjoyment seems to be quite shallow. When asked about this book I found that I didn’t have much to really describe outside of the fact that women have magic and the men are evil. While heavy handed exposition is never good, the lack thereof isn’t much better. Spooky children named after animals and a woman with antlers pulls you in, but if Rabbit was named Rachel would this story have traction? I think Meg Ripley is a master at creating a vibe and that’s not a skill to be taking lightly. Necrology most definitely has an audience out there waiting to revel in it, I’m just still not sure if I plan on joining the party.

Could be a historical fantasy for all witchy friends out there. A raw and visceral story, you could see it a fantasy or see it as a political stance on women’ and how they are seen and treated in society

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

This was interesting, I thought the structure started out interesting but dragged a little bit in the middle. I'm going to give it another shot later on when I haven't been reading similar titles.

This was an interesting take on the Salem witch trials. Well written and I would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in anything witchy and historical you will not be disappointed Thank you for my advanced kindle copy

I had high hopes for this book’s premise, but unfortunately, it fell completely flat for me. The first few chapters were incredibly difficult to follow, leaving me confused and disengaged right from the start. Although things became clearer as the book progressed, many elements still felt unexplained, like a jumble of random details thrown together with no context. It honestly felt like "word vomit" at times, and the overall story was just bizarre.

I found myself bored throughout the entire reading experience, which is evident in the fact that it took me a whole month to get through it. The narrative was bleak and heavy, with a constant sense of doom and gloom. While I understand it’s a story of female oppression, I think it's hard for many readers to enjoy a book where the characters endure unrelenting suffering.

A lot of the book’s potentially interesting moments happened without any real cause or explanation, and while the ending leaves room for a sequel, I won't be picking it up. The story introduces intriguing scenes and ideas, but they’re quickly dismissed, leaving you puzzled as the dull characters continue discussing mundane topics.

And one last thing—using animal abuse to signal that a character is evil feels like lazy shock value. It doesn’t add anything to the story and should be avoided.

Necrology by Meg Ripley is a dark, feminist fantasy that pulls you into a chilling, alternate history post-Salem witch trials. Ripley weaves a tale brimming with magic, female power, and unsettling political tension, as the Dirty—women with magic—are forced to suppress their abilities to survive. The story follows the orphan Rabbit, who unknowingly curses a man to death, igniting a series of events that threatens to unearth the deep-seated fear and hatred men have for women’s magic.

✅ What I Loved:

Unique magic system: The concept of "Dirty" women and their suppressed magic is deeply intriguing. I loved the idea of magic being something feared, controlled, and politicised, especially with the haunting premise that women’s power could destabilise an entire society. The system felt well thought out without being overly complicated.

Feminist themes: Ripley masterfully explores themes of female empowerment and rebellion against a patriarchal society. It was empowering and cathartic to see the women of this world reclaiming their power, even in the face of extreme oppression. The social commentary on misogyny felt timely and relevant, making the story hit harder.

Reluctant allyships and found family: The bond between Rabbit and the other orphans—Mouse, Rook, and Snake—was a highlight. Their distinct personalities brought warmth to the grim setting, and their shared struggles created a strong sense of found family that I found heartwarming. The dynamic between Rabbit and Rook, in particular, had me invested.

Atmosphere and prose: Ripley’s writing is absolutely magical. The eerie, oppressive atmosphere of the world, where the presence of the Salem witch trials lingers over everything, was captured with vivid, almost cinematic imagery. Her prose was sharp, sometimes unnervingly so, making the tension and fear in the story palpable.

🔄 What was just okay:

Slow burn: The pacing dragged a bit in the beginning. It took a while for the story to truly take off, and some early scenes felt more like world-building exposition than advancing the plot. However, once the main conflict unfolded, I was hooked.

Underdeveloped world: While I loved the central setting and premise, I wished there had been more detail about the wider world. There were glimpses of fascinating places and politics, but they weren’t as fleshed out as I would have liked. Hopefully, this will be explored further in the next installment.

Thanks to NetGalley and Creature Publishing for the ARC of 'Necrology'

A feminist fantasy horror - this was such an excellent book! I don’t think I’ve ever read an alternate history of post-Salem witch trials and this was soooo interesting. Overall, this is such a dark, bewitching tale of feminism and strong female characters in the face of men who are scared of a woman’s power and strength.

""It's amazing what the spirit can cope with to preserve the body. My spirit is a mighty oak that just won't fall."

In a fantastical aftermath of the Salem witch trials, magical women known as the Dirty have signed a contract swearing off their innate magic in exchange for freedom from violence by non-magical Freemen. Two hundred years later, in a Catskills orphanage, headmistress Whitetail has sprouted antlers - proof of a violated contract. When her wealthy benefactor visits, proposing marriage, her appearance sparks abuse. Rushing to her teacher's defense, eight-year-old Rabbit curses the Beard dead, and Whitetail's arrested on trumped-up charges.

As Whitetail awaits her trial and execution, Rabbit is groomed as the Freemen's star witness and learns of the terrifying reality to which they aspire. With her magic at stake and a loose tooth in her mouth, Rabbit has little left to lose. And a revolution to gain."

The real question, how much magic can she wield with that tooth?

From the description of this book, I very much wanted to like it. But I very much could not get into it. There are a lot of questions raised from the plot of this book that just never get addressed. From the magic system to the state of the union (literally the state of the united states) a lot feels glossed over.

Necrology presents a fascinating premise, blending the aftermath of the Salem witch trials with the horror of a world where women with magic, navigate oppression and survival. The concept of a society where magical women are forced to suppress their powers for freedom and safety is one I'm generally interested in, and Ripley's vision offers plenty of potential for exploring themes of autonomy, repression, and revolution.

However, despite the strong foundation, Necrology unfortunately falls short in execution. The characters, though central to the emotional drive of the story, felt distant and difficult to connect with, which made the reading of this a gargantuan uphill task. Rather than drawing me into its world, the book felt endless and lacking in the vividness needed to maintain engagement. This detachment was such that I found myself avoiding the book.

That said, the final 20% did show some improvement, with a more engaging pace and the promise of what the book could have been throughout. It's clear that the concept is rich, and Ripley's prose has flashes of beauty, but overall, the story didn’t deliver the connection or excitement I was hoping for.