The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches

Reviewed by Zareen Maria

I had waited for this book eagerly ever since I placed my order. I had heard really good things about it from other readers’ reviews. The book is called ‘The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches’ by Sangu Mandanna. So, I picked it up the moment the delivery man dropped it on my doorstep.

I remember feeling excited as I picked it up and started reading. My monthly exams had just ended, so I was free for the whole day. The story was so addictive that I did not realise when it was already 11 pm.

 Yet, I did not want to put the book down. Since my baba was in a good mood, I got permission to stay up late and finish reading it. I did not miss the chance and immediately began reading the rest of the story.

As the pages turn, we meet Mika Moon, a witch who has lived under the care of an older witch named Primrose. Her guardian believes that witches should not stay in the same place for more than a day because their magic might arouse suspicion among humans. As a result, Mika spends most of her childhood in isolation, surrounded by servants who are frequently replaced whenever they come close to discovering her secret.


After a meeting with Primrose and the other witches in their group, which Mika has named “The Very Secret Society of Witches”, she returns home to discover a message on her computer. It is a job offer from the House on the Hill. With little else to do, Mika decides to travel there.

Upon arriving, she meets three young, orphaned witch girls named Rosetta, Terracotta and Altamira. She must step in as their live-in tutor and help them manage their rather disastrous magical abilities.

Initially, Mika feels sceptical about the arrangement. She has grown up believing that witches must live solitary lives to prevent their magic from causing disasters or attracting unwanted human attention. However, as she spends more time at the house, she begins to question everything she has been taught.

The three girls have four caretakers: Ian, a retired actor; Jen, the gardener; Lucy, the motherly housekeeper; and Jamie, a quiet, prickly librarian who is the most protective of them all. Deeply devoted to his found family, Jamie initially views Mika's sudden arrival with considerable suspicion. Their relationship gradually develops into a classic grumpy-sunshine dynamic, with a slow-building trust that grounds the household.

By the end of the novel, Mika, who once felt like an outsider, finally finds a place where she belongs. She bonds with the young witches, befriends their caretakers and develops a relationship with the librarian. Mika's story comes to a close, yet it also feels as though her life continues beyond the pages, somewhere the readers cannot see.

While the finer plot points and specific details might fade over time, the lasting impression of this book lies entirely in its warmth. It is the kind of story that leaves you remembering exactly how it made you feel: safe, cosy and right at home.

The novel is relatively short, so there is not much more to cover in this review. Nevertheless, I hope everyone interested in magic or fantasy will give this book a try.

I liked it, but I cannot guarantee that you will, too.

The reviewer is a Class XII student at Greenfield School and College