The Witch and the City follows the witch Oneirotheria, who is looking for her memories. She navigates the streets of Osylum, guided by her knowledge of language and etymologies, in this very Shakespearian and a little Dantesque novel that is never quite what it seems to be. The author has a love for words that finds a release in very playful language, a lot of synonyms and clues scattered across names and dialogues. I was attracted to this book because of the link the publisher made to Piranesi, by Susanna Clarke, one of my favourite books of the year, and the parallels are indeed easy to draw, with an innocent character whose view of the world is limited by their knowledge, and a location that is both sprawling and enclosed within uncrossable boundaries.

I was instantly enthralled by the language in The Witch and the City, which sustained me throughout chapters that kept confusing me more and more, but not in a bad sense. Do not look for clear and definite answers here. There is a twist that sheds light on some aspects of the world, but most of it remains a mystery. I am absolutely certain this book begs for a re-read, and will be experienced differently depending on how well you know your classics, especially your Shakespeare. I don’t know a huge lot about the Bard, and was still able to enjoy this novel, but I’d be curious to know how a better-versed reader interprets it and is able to anticipate some revelations.

This is a novel for Autumn and Winter times, filled with moving shadows.