Book review: The Witches of Cambridge by Alice Hoffman

Genre: Magical fantasy

Release date: September 8, 2026

Goodreads rating: 4.11

My rating: 4

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I always love the atmospheric, slightly magical worlds that Alice Hoffman creates, and The Witches of Cambridge delivered.

The story follows Ava and Lauren, two young women starting their studies at Radcliffe who are recruited into the Lilith Society, a secret society of witches. The two women are very different and often at odds with each other, but they also share an undeniable bond that draws them together. As they learn more about their shared legacy, they must also navigate their newfound powers.

I found the characters and settings incredibly easy to visualize. Hoffman does such a wonderful job bringing 1950s Cambridge and the Radcliffe campus to life, and creating a setting that feels both familiar and mysterious. I was also fascinated by all the historical details woven throughout the novel which highlight the legacy of the witch trials.

There’s a strong coming-of-age element to this story, and I loved its underlying theme of acceptance, especially self-acceptance and self-discovery, whether that means discovering your own magic or understanding who you are and who you love.

There is also a mystery woven into the story that I felt brought everything together nicely. I actually wish it had been introduced and developed a little earlier in the book, as I think it gives the novel a stronger central plot.

This is a book with lots of fun elements: witchy magic, good versus dark magic, complicated relationships, first love, self-discovery, historical context, and the feeling of stepping into adulthood and figuring out where you belong.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley for granting me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

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