I really, really thought that this novel was going to be more of a fantasy than just literary fiction with fantasy elements, and I think that's why I'm somewhat disappointed with it overall. Motheater, on paper, really seems like it would check all my boxes! The setting is phenomenal and the premise of witches had me hooked. I just couldn't find myself to personally care about the characters or the conflict or anything else, really, about this story. Which, again, is such a shame because I had been hoping for a 4 or 5 star read from this one!

Thank you to the publisher & Netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Holy holy holy Lord Almighty this book was a wild ride. Every word on every page was so good and special.
Motheater is a tale of a young black woman in Appalachia who is looking into a dangerous mining operation. She stumbled across the discarded body of a witch and they tumble into a mystery of the witches past and Appalachia's future.
This book had me riveted, I couldn't shut up about it. I couldn't stop thinking about it. The ending near had me in tears. This was my most anticipated read of 2024 when I received the ARC, I am so, so blessed to have been able to love these characters. Thank you, Lin Codega, your mind is brilliant.

This dense, rumbling novel, blending Appalachian folktale, eco-horror, and literary fiction, is a testament to community and sacrifice. It is a love letter to a people and place both neglected and exploited, without shying away from the thorny complications and rough edges such love entails.

The characters were richly detailed and nuanced, and I was able to really feel their presence. This is especially true for the two central characters but also for many of the ancillary characters. The overall story was compelling, and I appreciated the moving back and forth between past and present, with the mystery doled out and revealed in good measure. The exploration of magic and how it relates to the environment, the sacrifice that magic entails and what one might need to give up in order to serve a community they love, even when spurned in response, was beautifully done, a rich vein of thought and contemplation. The writing itself was strong and steadfast, and it felt like it paralleled the depth of the story, the despair, tenacity, determination, and hope that the characters carry with them. The world was really-well realized, through the characters and their aspirations as well as the writing itself, and it created a great atmosphere that really carried the story.

The pacing was a little slow. The moving between past and present across chapters helped keep things moving, but it needed a little more. I don’t know if this means maybe trimming the page count or if there just needed to be something, especially through the middle section, which gave a little forward momentum. I was never bored, it wasn’t a matter of being disinterested, I was invested in the characters and story the whole time, but there were sections that felt a little sluggish. Additionally, the romantic subplot at the end felt like an unnecessary addition, and indeed felt like something that came out of left field instead of being organic and deliberate. Given the state of the characters at that point, where they had come from and what they were facing, it was hard to believe those characters would fall into that at that time. It didn’t detract from the story, I suppose, but it felt out of place and was a little distracting, and it didn’t feel like it added much.

Both of those are small quibbles, though. The story feels like it draws on a deep well of love for a place and its history, and that is shaped by an evocative and lush language and an exciting type of faith & magic. This story feels like it comes from the earth, a story of intimacy, sacrifice, and devotion. It is definitely a fun read, and if you are able to go along with a little bit of languid pacing through the second act then there is a lot of joy and meaning to mine in this tale.

(Rounded up from 3.5)

I want to thank the author, the publisher Kensington Publishing | Erewhon Books, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Linda H. Codega’s Motheater is a beautiful, atmospheric story about doing what you believe is right, about a woman’s rage, and most of all, about nature. The writing flows like honey—sweet, sticky, and rich—drawing you in with its lyrical prose. I took my time reading it, savoring each page and pausing highlight numerous passages, even entire paragraphs, that felt too powerful to forget.

The setting is vivid and haunting, with an eerie magic that hums in the background. Codega makes you feel as though you’re right there, wandering through the Appalachian mountains. It feels alive, as though the landscape itself is a character, watching, waiting. Which, well.
The dual timeline adds a historic, familiar feeling, though the frequent shifts in perspectives and timelines could sometimes feel a little confusing. Still, it adds depth to the story, showing how the past and present are always connected.

Motheater also carries the weight of a woman's anger—a force that burns fiercely throughout the story. And yet, it is nature, more than anything, that feels like the heart of this book: wild, ancient, and untamable.

The characters felt real and relatable, as though I’ve known them personally. Their relationships—whether romantic, familial, or friendships—are fleshed out and deeply woven together, giving the story emotional weight. I especially appreciated that the romance was a quiet subplot, slow-burning and never overpowering the larger themes.

At its core, Motheater explores connection: the kind that lasts far beyond a single lifetime. Its epic scope and tragic moments make it both heart-wrenching and bittersweet, particularly by the end. While I would have loved to know more about the magic and its lore, the story’s power lies in its emotion and its atmosphere.

All in all, Motheater is a lovely book that I enjoyed immensely. It lingers long after the last page, a reminder of nature’s quiet strength and the bonds we can never break.

I think this could be a great book with more editing to streamline the story, but I found it a bit of a slog and slightly repetitive in places. The storyline is original and has a potentially massive scope if there was more depth to the character development and the magic systems, but half of it was just Bennie being thirsty as hell and not much time spent fleshing her out as a person beyond her relationships and her fight against the mining company. I think the ending was solid and satisfying, and the prose was very pretty. I did question why an author that isn’t Black chose to write a Black protagonist and I also thought much more time was spent on Motheater (the white protagonist) but I think it was handled respectfully.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the ARC!

The story concept was good, with a witch sleeping in a mountain, and the environmental themes. But I couldn't relate to the execution. It started right into the action with no context or clues as to character motivations, and this lack of clarity about character continued throughout. The plot had potential, but fell foul of lazy shortcuts, for example, a character with convenient amnesia who remembered new information whenever the plot required.

This book is an ambitious project, steeped in Appalachian culture. However, the book ends up falling flat with a lackluster romance and a meandering plot.

The positives:
The Appalachian culture and history put into the story make for a very interesting backdrop. This gives the book a personal feeling that carries it through some of the negatives. It offers a very empathetic lens on the past and current state of Appalachia, which is rare to see in media. The research put into the story also comes through in the plot. It makes the events of the story feel more real and grounded, or as grounded as you can get for a fantasy novel.

The negatives:
The central romance in this book gets a lot of time, which is why it's unfortunate that it feels so unconvincing and stiff. The main character especially spends of lot of time stewing over feelings, but every look into her headspace feels repetitive and took me away from the plot.
The only other gripe I have is that the book is really unclear on what the rules for its magic are. It feels like it's just whatever the plot needs in that moment, which kind of takes away from the stakes.

I would definitely give this book a read if you're from Appalachia, it's filled with great cultural references. I would also give it a try if this type of contemporary fantasy is a favorite for you.

Beautifully written. The atmosphere and vibes are immaculate. The pacing, however, could have used a lot of work, and it's definitely not as much of a fantasy as expected, more of a litfic with witchy/old timey magic vibes. I did enjoy this though, and will recommend it to friends who are more vibes vs plot readers.

Rounded up from 2.5

Listen, I really REALLY wanted to like this book. Magic, Sapphics, and discussions of the environment, sign me up! But this book really just feel short for me unfortunately.

I'll start with the things I did like, the writing is gorgeous, it's incredibly descriptive and really transporting, the scenes were incredibly vivid in my head and I had quite a good understanding of the characters.

This book has a great premise but it just seems a little bit confused, for such a long book our main characters just immediately deeply trust each other despite having just met. The main character also seems to come to the same epiphanies over, and over, and over to the point that it feels like whole scenes of this book could be taken out. On top of that there is supposed to be this kind of mystery as to who our love interest is but, due to the dual timelines we get given this information in the I think fourth chapter, I'm not sure if it's supposed to be some kind of dramatic irony or what, but it just didn't really work. In the same kind of vein, the commentary of mining and it's effects on the environment, which are presented as the themes of this book at the very start are pretty surface level.

My last thing is definitely a little bit more personal, but there is quite a strong theme of religion, specifically Christianity, to the point that one of the characters repeatedly quotes passages from the bible, just in case you forgot how religious they are.

I loved the idea of this book, but unfortunately it's execution just wasn't it for me.

“[Esther] was the Neighbour of Kiron, but even among Neighbors, she was an oddity.”

Kiron is a place in the Appalachian Mountains, where Kire Mountain is located. It's always been a mining and coal-digging town and was once protected by its very own witch, or neighbour. Bennie is one of the narrative voices. She's a young black woman who's actually looking to find out how and why people disappear in Kire and why they die. One of her closest friends is among those who have disappeared. But on one of her tours along the mountain, she discovers something truly unexpected: Motheater. A skinny, white woman who is more wild creature than human woman and who is surrounded by a strange magic and, above all, moths. And as if that wasn't gruelling enough, Kire comes to life and threatens to destroy Kiron.

To give you a rough idea of the plot, it goes something like this. The story is told from different points of view in each chapter, with Bennie, Motheater and Esther all sharing their experiences. The latter is Motheater before she was trapped in a mountain for 150 years and brought back to the surface by accident. The story progresses at a leisurely pace, which I found particularly lovely in many instances. This allows us to really feel and follow the emotional development of the characters. I especially liked Esther. Her motivation is hinted at from time to time, but it wasn't entirely clear to me for a long time. Is she trying to protect Kire or Kiron, or is she just trying to increase her own power?
I also loved the fact that Bennie's ex-boyfriend Zach is given space and becomes an important part of this crazy Found Family at the end!

I particularly enjoyed the tender rapprochement between Esther and Bennie, which comes to a head at the end. I read the book because it was teased as queer.

SPOILER! Those who have difficulties with tragic queer love stories should enjoy the story with caution. The ending has that bittersweet 'The Last Unicorn' touch.

I didn't see the developments at the end coming, to be honest. I also had hoped that a different solution would be found. Even so, the story was stunningly beautiful in its portrayal of nature and magic! I found Esther's connection with nature, her verses and the mystical passages in particular really compelling. It's a dark and gritty story with a touch of gore and all the intricacies I'd like to see in a witch story. Linda H. Codega has really brought Appalachian and hedge witches to life. I also enjoyed reading about Bennie's perspective, particularly her experiences as a black woman and the challenges she faced due to racism in the community. This kind of diversity fits into the story really well, in a way that's both emotional and tangible. Overall, Linda H. Codega has created well-rounded characters with rich backstories, which adds depth to the story.

I do have one or two minor issues to flag up. I thought it was a bit long in places and the twists and turns were drawn out a bit too much for my taste. I don't know if it was my device, but I read the story on my Kindle and there were quite a few word twists, forgotten words and minor spelling mistakes. That did affect my reading flow a little. Otherwise, I really enjoyed the story about Kire, his Titan and Kiron.

Incredibly atmospheric and wonderfully witchy. Very evocative text and characters that were incredibly compelling. “Motheater” lives up to the hype and will make a mark on the 2025 publication slate.

the queer dark appalachian novel of my dreams. Read Motheater if you loved the Raven Cycle and haven't found something with that energy since.

"In this nuanced queer fantasy set amid the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia, the last witch of the Ridge must choose sides in a clash between industry and nature.

After her best friend dies in a coal mine, Benethea "Bennie" Mattox sacrifices her job, her relationship, and her reputation to uncover what's killing miners on Kire Mountain. When she finds a half-drowned white woman in a dirty mine slough, Bennie takes her in because it's right - but also because she hopes this odd, magnetic stranger can lead her to the proof she needs.

Instead, she brings more questions. The woman called Motheater can't remember her true name, or how she ended up inside the mountain. She knows only that she's a witch of Appalachia, bound to tor and holler, possum and snake, with power in her hands and Scripture on her tongue. But the mystery of her fate, her doomed quest to keep industry off Kire Mountain, and the promises she bent and broke have followed her a century and half into the future. And now, the choices Motheater and Bennie make together could change the face of the town itself."

I mean, an amnesiac claiming to be called Motheater is a must buy in my book.

While I enjoyed the concept as well as the overall plot and theme of the story.
The pacing was too short for my taste.

I found pace of the story too slow for my taste. On top off that I feel this book is misrepresenting its contents. The fantasy elements are very light, and the queer elements aren't a major focus either. The horror elements as well were pretty understated. The quality of the writing is good, if I had clearer expectations of what this book really is I would have enjoyed it a lot more and been in the right frame of mind.

I did not particularly like this like I though I might have, which is a disappointment. Motheater is a a sapphic, witchy Appalachian fantasy with horror elements, which are all things that sound appealing to me. But this was just not as good as I expected, but I believe I just set my standards a little too high, considering that this is a debut novel. There were things about this book that were genuinely good, like the characters and the atmosphere, but I just was't for me. I think I lot of people are going to like this though, and I will still be on the lookout for future releases for this author.

Codega’s writing is haunting and evocative, with a sense of tension that builds throughout, keeping you on the edge of your seat. The characters are complex and deeply flawed, making their journeys both unsettling and fascinating. While the pacing can feel slow as it builds toward its chilling climax, the novel’s rich atmosphere and eerie themes make it a must-read for fans of gothic horror and surreal storytelling. If you’re looking for a thought-provoking and spine-tingling experience, Motheater offers a unique, unsettling journey into the dark unknown.

First of all, this cover is STUNNING. I love it. You will like this if you like slow-paced stories, witchy magic, folk horror elements, Appalachian settings, dual timelines, and nuanced characters.

I personally wasn't a huge fan of the story. This claims to be a queer fantasy, but I don't think it fits that description. Yes, there are fantastical elements because there are witches and magic, and there's a dash of queer romance, but it's more a mix of literary and historical fiction with mystery, magic, and a little folk horror.

The writing is lovely, I really enjoyed the prose, but the plot left a lot to be desired in my opinion. It felt very slow and meandering, and I just wasn't gripped by what was happening. I liked a lot of elements of this, mainly the writing style, Appalachian setting, folk elements, and characters, but I didn't like much of what was happening.

The commentary about environmentalism and other themes felt surface-level, the romance felt thrown in, and it didn't make sense to me (I think they should've just been friends or platonic because they had no romantic chemistry at all), and the constant references to Christian scripture got old for me very quickly. That's a preference thing, though. I personally don't like when religion is a big element unless there's commentary around it.

Overall, I don't think this will work for everyone, especially not if they're expecting fantasy, but it will work splendidly for a lot of people. I just wasn't one of them. I still think it's a solid debut and I will keep my eye on this author to see if their future work is better suited for me cause I already love their writing style and creativity.

i think i was expecting something else when picked this up so i was kind of disappointed. i was hoping for more fantasy and probably more fast paced. maybe i'll try again some other time

A spectre of decolonization and an ecological consciousness haunts Motheater - these themes will only become more present in speculative fiction in the years to come, I expect. (For good and bad reasons... "at least Vietnam gave us good protest songs" and all that jazz. (Literally.))

The text oscillates, sometimes awkwardly, in-between that loftier mystery-laden, wonderment-working and the hour's sapphic yearning tragicomedic proceedings.

There is an... unease-with-itself in all the things Motheater tries to be, as a story, which shows most in the overexternalization of Bennie's thoughts, which shows her that she is conflicted and is trying to be focused on her goals... by showing her conflicted, in the same ways, already implicitly discernable from the rest of the text, repeatedly. The prose is rough in places. Yet, elsewhere, Codega excels as a hierophant, a witness of miracles, a conveyor of the sublime wonder that is the proper effect of magic and of nature.

Not without flaws, but an excellent debut novel by all means. Certainly a writer to watch.