Everyone Knows Your Mother Is a Witch

Plot

Set in the 17th-century Holy Roman Empire during the beginnings of the Thirty Years War and the plague, the novel follows the illiterate Katharina Kepler after she is accused of witchcraft. The accusation originates with Ursula Reinbold and spreads through the community. Reasons include her old age—most people die around 30—and personal quirks. Her son Johannes Kepler leaves the royal court to defend her, aided by two other children and her legal guardian, scribe, and neighbor, Simon.

Reception

Kirkus Reviews notes the novel explores how people make monsters of one another and how old age can make femininity seem terrifying, calling it an entirely delicious book. Publishers Weekly describes the characters as complicated and full of wit facing cruelties, deeming it a resounding delight.

Rhianna Walton of Powell's Books finds it relatable, poignant, and philosophical, examining motherhood, neighborhood, science, magic, and culpability. Ron Charles of The Washington Post writes that the comedy is a magical brew of absurdity and brutality, with a Kafkaesque sense of authority inflating egos and twisting logic. The novel was long listed for the 2022 Canada Reads contest.