*For my personal thoughts on Cackle, check out my review of the book.
Author: Rachel Harrison
Title: Cackle
Category/Type: Adult Fiction
Genre: Relationship fiction
Subgenre: Supernatural
Publication Date: October 5, 2021
Number of Pages: 291 pages of text
Geographical Setting: A small fictional town in upstate New York
Time Period: Present day
Series (if applicable): This book is not a part of a series
Plot Summary: Annie’s life was going well, she was in a long-term relationship with a guy she loved and she had a stable teaching job. But that “great guy” dumped her. Depressed and despairing, Annie decided to take a teaching job in a small town in upstate New York where no one knows her; a fresh start. Annie’s new students are nightmares but her new hometown is pleasant and perfect, even if there are a lot of spiders. Her new friend Sophie is everything Annie isn’t, confident, beautiful, powerful, and Sophie truly cares about helping Annie through the rough times. So who cares if strange things happen around Sophie and the townspeople seem a little frightened of her. There’s certainly not anything supernatural going on…witches aren’t real, right?
Content warnings (SLIGHT SPOILER): Toxic relationships, toxic friendships, body horror, sexism (one scene).
Subject Headings: Occult & Supernatural Fiction, Horror Fiction, Friendship Fiction, Thrillers, Paranormal Fiction, Suspense, Horror.
Appeal/Characteristics of Relationship Fiction
Although the mood may be thoughtful or humorous, tragic or romantic, these novels offer a generally optimistic outlook. Stories provide an intimate glimpse into the lives of the protagonists and exert emotional pull- While Annie believes she has hit rock bottom, she has her new friend Sophie to help her see the positives in her situation and the book ends on positive and hopeful notes. The entire premise of the story is that it is an intimate glimpse into a specific year-ish in Annie’s life.
Story lines reflect social issues and difficult situations. Universal themes— family conflicts, family relationships, friendships, loss, and regrets— and how the protagonists react to these issues focus the plot. Difficulties are generally resolved satisfactorily (or solutions are put in place), and endings are usually hopeful, if not happy- The event that ignites what happens in the story, the breakup, happens before the book begins but puts Annie in the difficult situation of having to restart her adult life as she works through the regrets she has about what she did wrong in her relationship as well as dealing with building new friendships. While it uses the supernatural to do it, the book also touches on what is often seen as threatening: a powerful female content with herself. Most of the problems are resolved or on their way to being resolved, whether by a change in attitude or by magic, by the end of the book.
The setting is typically contemporary. Interesting careers, locales, and social issues add intriguing background frames to the novels- The book is set in present day Manhattan and upstate New York. While “interesting” may be a strong word for the locale, the quaintness of Annie’s new hometown provides a soothing backdrop for her to work through her troubles.
The writing may range from elegantly poetic to more prosaic, from conversational to humorous. Unsual formats— letters, emails, tweets, diaries— are often employed to tell these personal stories- Cackle is written in standard prose but is heavy on dialogue since it deals with inter-human relationships. Texts are worked in since that is how Annie communicates with those she left back in the city.
Pacing is generally unhurried. Fans talk of these as compelling reads, which pull readers in and involve them with the protagonist’s story- This is not an action-packed or heavily emotional read; it’s leisurely paced though it never feels like a slog. Readers are drawn into Annie’s world and her interesting new friend Sophie, and will want to find out how things turn out in the end. Despite some action scenes, there are no moments of intense suspense.
3 terms that best describe this book:
Quirky
Hopeful
Thoughtful
Fiction Read-alikes
Payback’s a Witch by Lana Harper- Emmy Harlow is a witch without much magic and so she left her small, magical hometown in rural Illinois for an exciting life in Chicago. But she can’t escape her duties as arbiter of the Gauntlet, the town’s magical competition where three of her more powerful magical peers will compete to see who becomes the next town scion. Emmy wants to get this over with as quickly as possible, but while she’s home she’ll have to navigate her relationship with her family and friends, that break-up with Gareth Blackmoor the made her leave Thistle Grove in the first place, and those intense romantic feelings she’s developing for Talia. Though this is classified as a romance, it deals heavily with the aftermath of break up and the importance of family and friends as Emmy discovers her where her own powers and heart lie.
Consensual Hex by Amanda Harlow- Lee is raped by a frat boy during her first week of college and is disappointed In herself and the lack of options to bring said frat boy to justice. Then she’s selected for a special seminar on Gender, Power, and Witchcraft. It turns out the class is actually a coven and the professor may have some magic to teach her select female students. Though darker than Cackle, fans will find connections in the magical elements as well as the issues of toxic masculinity and demonized female power that are tackled in this book.
Matrix by Lauren Groff- Set in the 1100s in Europe, Marie is sent to a convent before she turns 18. With the ability to read and write, and graced with visions from the Virgin Mary, Marie rises to lead the convent building its coffers and strengthening the sisters’ ability to remain independent at a time when there were few options for women. This novel is a quiet slow burn but includes themes of female friendship, female power, and societal fear of that power which are all elements readers will recognize from Cackle.
Non-Fiction Read-alikes
Witch Hunt: Mysteries of the Salem Witch Trials by Marc Aronson- In this volume Aronson takes an analytical look at the evidence surrounding the 1692 witch trials in Salem, Massachusetts with a goal of setting the record straight about what is fact and what has become mythologized since the time of the events. Readers of Cackle will likely enjoy the goal of clearing up misunderstandings surrounding historical “witches.”
Witches: The Transformative Power of Women Working Together by Sam George-Allen- In this memoir the author explores and attempts to unlearn “internalized mysogyny.” Looking at a variety of situations and people from dance, to convents, to refugees and transgender women, the author explores how women on the margins may have unrecognized power despite the fact that society is quick to deem them “witches.” Fans of Cackle are sure to like this exploration of female friendship and power that seeks to pull apart internalized negativity.
Fight Like a Girl by Clementine Ford- Following the #MeToo movement, the author uses this book to explore how the world continues to refuse equality to women. The book rallies feminists to stand up and fight for the rights women deserve. Cackle’s Sophie acts as Annie’s rallying cry to treat herself the way she deserves to be treated, creating a common thread between Harrison’s novel and Fight Like a Girl.
Experiencing the Whole Collection
Readers who enjoyed Cackle may want to watch Practical Magic. This movie tells the story of two adult sisters exploring their relationship with their magical heritage in very different ways.
Citations
Characteristics of Relationship Fiction taken from
Wyatt, N. and Saricks, J. (2019). The readers' advisory guide to genre fiction. Third edition. ALA Editions.