Deadlines burn me out sometimes. Even when I’m enjoying what I do, a looming deadline adds stress. Every so often, I need to take a break from ARC reading and instead read a book after its publication. Novellas and other short works are exceptionally good for this, I’ve found. The Factory Witches of Lowell by C.S. Malerich is a great example. I found this one in a New England Authors section of an indie bookstore we were filming and couldn’t resist its premise. It sounded like a fun one, and it was exactly what I was looking for in the moment.

Summary:

The textile mills in Lowell, MA provided previously unimaginable opportunities to young women in the area. They were able to earn their own incomes and live with a new freedom without depending on men. However, the working conditions left a lot to be desired. Jobs around the machinery were inherently dangerous in the best conditions. Young girls (often literal children) were frequently maimed or killed on the job. The air quality caused many premature deaths as well, or lifelong health conditions in others. Factory owners and overseers worsened these conditions by cutting corners to save money, including forcing the girls to work more for less pay.

As a result, the working girls formed a union and decided to strike. The Factory Witches of Lowell is a historical fiction novella based on the first strike. It focuses on the teenage girl at the head of the effort and her immediate circle: the fellow working girls she shares a boarding house with.

My Thoughts:

I grew up near Lowell. As a kid in school, I got to go on tours of the historic mills and learn about the girls who worked there and the conditions they had to endure. Around that same time, I developed an interest in fiber arts that has stuck with me my whole life. That is to say, the textile factories of Lowell and the girls that kept them running have always fascinated me. Adding witchcraft into the mix sounded like a fun twist. It absolutely was.

At only 123 pages, and those with very large margins, this is a fast read. The author didn’t give herself a lot of space to create flushed-out characters with rich backstories and nuanced motivations. Nevertheless, it’s there. Every girl we meet, we understand on a deep level, including her internal conflicts. Each one has her own reasons for joining the union and striking with them. They also have their individual reasons for being afraid to do so. That’s where the witchcraft comes into the narrative.

The girls use witchcraft to swear an oath to one another and strengthen the bond of their newly formed union. I really enjoyed that it wasn’t done in a way that trivialized the strength of the actual historical figures. If anything, it proved a demonstration of how difficult it can be for an individual to stand firm in those situations. It highlighted the interdependence of the characters, and likewise of the real women. Truthfully, the witchcraft became a very minor subplot and it worked exceedingly well that way.

I also really liked the sapphic twist on the story. It’s a sweet and innocent love, well-suited to characters of their age (and also readers of their age). These are stories I don’t see represented often enough in historical fiction especially. This is a book that I’d be happy to share with my daughter in a couple years when she reaches the same age. It says a lot about how girls and women can stand up for themselves and each other in order to lead the lives they want to live.

Content Warnings: Misogyny, Classism, Worker Exploitation, Chronic Illness, Blood, Child Death, Abandonment, Parent Loss, Slavery, Religious Bigotry

After I Finished The Factory Witches of Lowell

It felt so good to finish two short books so quickly back-to-back. Before diving back into another ARC from my list, I decided to reach for one more quick read. However, I still wanted it to feel meaningful rather than something to race through. I had the perfect title in my TBR pile to scratch that itch. It’s from an author I adore and part of a series that has been extremely impactful for me.

My next review will be for How to Connect by Thich Nhat Hanh.