3.5 stars. White is for Witching follows the Silver family, who live in an old family house in Dover that has been converted into an inn. Miranda and Eliot are twins who live with their dad after their mom died suddenly. Miranda has pica and eats chalk, and all of the previous generations of Silver women were afflicted with an insatiable hunger. The house is a huge player in this novel, as it is “alive” in some ways, and even narrates parts of the book. This is sort of a coming of age story, as it follows Miranda and Eliot as they apply for and go away to college.

This book was unsettling and a little bit spooky. It just gave me all the creepy vibes and let me carry on those Halloween feelings for a little longer (though you could read it at any time). I was rooting for Miranda to get well and recover from her mental illness but she’s in very deep and the house and actual ghosts are working against her. The writing in this book is bewitching and kind of strange but also lovely. There’s also some social commentary about immigration and racism weaved in.

I was a big fan of my first Oyeyemi, and I definitely plan to read more of her work. I’d recommend this book to you if you like books with supernatural elements, old haunted houses, uneasy mildly disturbing vibes, and great writing.