Improbable Magic for Cynical Witches by Kate Scelsa
CW: Homophobia, Bi-phobia, Use of the F-slur, Misogyny, Underage Heavy Drinking, Reliance on Marijuana, Underage Smoking of Marijuana, Chronic Lyme Disease, Money Problems, Domestic Abuse, Stalking, Attempted Rape, Violence, Toxic Relationships
5/5
My roommate suggested Improbable Magic for Cynical Witches to me. She had not read it, she just knew that I needed to. I feel this is fitting considering the events in the book. It is the arrival of a mysterious tarot guide that sets everything in motion. My roommate was right, I did need to read the book. It brought me a deeper understanding of witches and tarot, along with a yearning for both. I am uncertain if I could let myself believe enough to be a witch, but I know I'd like to read tarot. Scelsa wrote exactly my kind of book.
Improbable Magic for Cynical Witches features Eleanor, a teen living in modern Salem with a problematic past. When a guide to tarot arrives at the tourist shop she works at, Eleanor starts to learn about the cards and about magic in general. She meets Pix (a local witch) who pulls Eleanor into her world. As Eleanor begins to heal from her past, the audience sees those events through the lens of The Major Arcana. Eleanor has gone through a lot and has done a lot of things she regrets, but her future can be what she makes it.
Tarot is all about interpretation. Each card has a meaning, but each person being read for has a different story. The meanings provide clarity for what's in your head. I was recently discussing the Thought Challenge coping mechanism with my therapist. I could not think of anything in my own life that would fit the strategy, at least not anything unprompted. Technically, Thought Challenge is a way to work through negative emotions, but it can be broader than that. Thought Challenge, as a technique, is when you take time to process how you are feeling and what you're thinking. It can be daunting or make things worse, but if you have a healthy way to do it, it can help. I can see tarot serving as a conduit for this. I have known about tarot for years, but it was this book that helped it find a place in my life.
The main theme of Improbable Magic for Cynical Witches is not magic or love, it's healing. Just because we are firmly out of a situation does not mean that we are healed. Healing will look different for different people. Through tarot, Pix, the coven, family, and Salem history, Eleanor begins to heal. I think the pacing of both her present and the relaying of her past were done with care and worked marvelously. I appreciate that the book also took the time to flesh out the side characters. A majority of the "present" occurs over a short time, but the audience gets to know all of the characters in a way that doesn't feel forced. Scelsa has won me over with this book, and I will likely read Fans of the Impossible Life soon (a book that's been on my TBR list for far too long).
I believe that other readers will get a lot from reading Improbable Magic for Cynical Witches, albeit not necessarily the same things I did. The story is rich with Salem history and modern culture, queer experiences, feminism, moving on from toxic relationships, dealing with chronic illness, and the strength of community. Much of the story takes place in October, so you may wish to save the book until then, but I highly recommend it.
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