The Witches of Cambridge

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What was your overall feeling about the way Alice Hoffman blended historical fiction, magical realism, and romance in this story? Did you find that the magical elements enriched the historical settings of the Salem witch trials and the 1950s, or did they ever feel at odds with them?

2. How did your experience reading this book compare to other Alice Hoffman novels you may have read, like Practical Magic or The Rules of Magic? What signature elements of her writing did you recognize, and what felt new or different about this particular story?

3. The novel is structured with two timelines, weaving Rose Bridewell’s 17th-century letters into the main 1950s narrative. How did this structure affect your reading experience? Did you find that one timeline shed important light on the other, and was there one you found more compelling?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. The bond between Ava and Lauren is central to the novel, marked by both intense loyalty and painful betrayal. Think about a powerful friendship in your own life that has navigated complex challenges. What does the novel suggest about what it takes to forgive and maintain such a bond?

2. Ava’s entire life is turned upside down when she discovers the people who raised her are actually her grandparents. Have you ever uncovered a family story or secret that changed your perspective on your own identity or history? How did Ava’s journey of discovering her past resonate with you?

3. After feeling like an outcast in her hometown, Ava finds a sense of true belonging in the Lilith Society. Can you recall a time when you found a community or group where you felt completely seen and accepted? What was it about that group that made it feel like a sanctuary?

4. Jamie Mather rebels against his family’s oppressive legacy, while Lauren rebels against emotional vulnerability. What are the different ways characters in the book push back against expectations? Have you ever felt the need to defy a family or societal expectation, and how did you approach it?

5. Many characters, from May Mather to Lionel Bell, feel pressure to hide essential parts of themselves to fit in or survive. When have you felt the need to conceal an aspect of your identity for the sake of acceptance? What does the book reveal about the personal cost of such compromises?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The narrative explicitly frames the 1950s McCarthy era as a modern-day witch hunt, drawing parallels to the Salem trials. Do you see similar patterns of fear, paranoia, and persecution targeting “outsiders” in society today?

2. The novel depicts the intense social and political pressures of the 1950s. How does this portrayal compare to other stories set in the same era that you might have read or seen, such as Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar or films like Pleasantville?

3. Lionel and Billy’s secret romance highlights the dangers faced by gay men during the Lavender Scare. In what ways does their struggle for safety and authenticity mirror the secrecy forced upon the witches in the Lilith Society? What does the novel suggest about the connections between different forms of societal intolerance?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Books, letters, and grimoires are powerful objects throughout the story. How does the act of writing and recovering hidden texts function as a form of magic? Think about Rose’s letters, Lauren’s tattooed words, and Ava’s discovery of her family history.

2. What is the significance of the 11th finger and the scar left by its removal? What other marks of suppressed identity exist in the novel, including those that may not be physical or even visible? 

3. Crows appear throughout the novel as guardians, messengers, and symbols of fated love. How does this motif evolve as the story progresses? 

4. How does the novel reinterpret the apple as a symbol of female empowerment? What is the significance of the specific varietal, the Black Oxford apple, that Ava’s mother leaves on her windowsill? 

5. Lauren and Ava represent two different approaches to power and survival. How do their character arcs serve as foils to one another throughout the story? What do their journeys suggest about the most effective path for a woman seeking to claim her power in a hostile world?

6. Paul Mather and Professor Sharpe embody two distinct forms of patriarchal antagonism. How do their methods of control differ? What does the novel suggest about how patriarchal power adapts and manifests in different spheres, from the family to academia?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Imagine that the Lilith Society exists on a college campus today. What modern-day challenges would its members face, and what forms of “magic” or mutual support do you think they would practice to navigate them?

2. Lauren makes her grimoire a part of herself by having its words tattooed on her skin. If you were to choose a single word or a short phrase that represents your own source of strength or identity, what would it be and where would you place it?

3. The novel concludes with Ava preparing for a new life, ready to raise her daughter and wait for Jamie. If you were to write an epilogue set 10 years in the future, what would life look like for Ava and her child? What kind of world would she be building for the next generation of witches?