It’s The Craft meets Mean Girls—except more heartwarming and queer. That’s the best way I can describe The Scapegracers, the start of a new YA fantasy trilogy by debut novelist Hannah Abigail Clarke. If you love a good found family trope, but also want to see some teen witches funnel their angst into reckless magic, then The Scapegracers is the book for you! It comes out tomorrow, September 15.
Sideways Pike is the school’s outcast lesbian weirdo, and experimenting with spell books under the bleachers has only solidified that reputation even further. But when the three most popular girls in school pay Sideways to add some extra thrills to their Halloween party, the experience changes all of their lives. After getting their first taste of real magic, Daisy, Jing, and Yates can’t wait to see what they could be capable of under Sideways’s tutelage. For Sideways, it’s her first taste of real friendship—although she can’t quite believe West High’s holy trinity would still hang out with her if it weren’t for her magic. But her insecurities are soon the least of her worries. With witch hunters after their magic, rival covens guarding access to knowledge, and inky devils set loose by their impulsive actions, the girls have their hands full. Not to mention, they need to find a way to outdo themselves for the next party. The four girls form a coven of their own, and they’re ready to cut down anyone who stands in their way. The reign of the Scapegracers has only just begun.
The magic system in The Scapegracers is quite unlike anything I’ve read before—particularly because of the reckless and cavalier way that these headstrong teens approach it. Working off of a mysterious spell book sent to her by a stranger, Sideways intuitively draws sigils and makes up incantations on the fly—some of which are terrifyingly vague, as when she calls on the cosmos to “Douse our revelry with magic. Change the way we are” in the middle of a party. It feels a bit like playing with fire, but if the Scapegracers aren’t willing to bow to the authority of another coven and find a mentor, then the next best way to learn is by doing. As a reader, it’s exciting to be learning about magic and the magical community at the same pace as Sideways and her crew.
Learning magic isn’t the only thing that The Scapegracers approaches from a nontraditional direction. The book does a beautiful job of turning the “mean girls” trope on its head. Daisy, Yates, and Jing aren’t “mean” in the stereotypical catty way—fighting over boys, spreading rumors, and tearing down their friends. Instead, they simply embody traits that we often don’t allow girls to display. They are ambitious, powerful, imperfect, and sometimes even vicious. But they’re also loving, affectionate, and ride-or-die loyal to their friends. At first glance, Daisy Brink appears to be your typical popular cheerleader, but she has a cutthroat, ruthless streak to her that is both terrifying to see and refreshing in its honesty. Jing Gao tends to fill the role of the quick-witted, cool-headed leader of the group, but her affected nonchalance conceals some real vulnerability, particularly as she begins to explore her sexuality. And Lila Yates is the heart of the trio—kind, trusting, soft, and feminine, but every bit as powerful as the other girls. When Sideways rounds out their clique, she learns that the gulf between popular girl and outcast weirdo is not as wide as one might think. Sideways is prickly and rough around the edges, with trauma making it difficult for her to connect with others or believe that she is worthy of being loved. But as she glimpses the insecurities and imperfections of the other girls, Sideways is better able to accept those aspects of herself. The Scapegracers are girls—though they each inhabit femininity in a completely different way—and they’re mean—if that’s what you want to call it when they’re unapologetic about grabbing power—but this isn’t a “mean girls” narrative like you’ve ever seen before.
If you’re ready for some magic, mischief, and questionable decisions, get your hands on a copy of The Scapegracers. You can find it on shelves at your local bookstore starting tomorrow, or order it online and support The Gothic Library in the process using this Bookshop.org affiliate link. Once you’ve read it, come back and let me know what you think in the comments!