Suffer a Witch

“Suffer a Witch is a searing, precise testament on the long tradition of not believing women. The juxtaposition of the Salem victims with modern patterns, expressed in verse, pulses and aches on the page. McCullough’s words burn in this crucible of truth: these are the lengths men will go to when a woman cries abuse.” —Tia Levings, New York Times bestselling author of A Well-Trained Wife

“From the quicksand of sexual abuse and survival, McCullough conjures the solid ground of healing. The solid ground every survivor deserves to experience—of our belonging to ourselves; of naming harm as harm, when and how we can; of taking back everything we can; of never having to go back to anywhere we cannot. This book is a gift.”—Ashley Hope Pérez, award-winning author of Out of Darkness

“Suffer a Witch is an untraditional telling of deeply traditional experiences, though we prefer not to think of ‘tradition’ when it comes to the abuse of women. We should. Alternating verse narration with epistles to witches and other truth-tellers of old, McCullough transforms her account into a choral demonstration of testimony and power, and of the ways women have been literally and figuratively burned for the crime of bearing witness. You don’t have to have been raised female in the church to recognize these verses. It’s the scripture of abuse McCollough evokes here, and it’s impossible to look away. This is ultimately a parable of strength.“—Lacy Crawford, award-winning author of Notes on a Silencing

“In Suffer a Witch, McCullough gives language to some of the darkest and most isolating moments of survivorhood with unflinching honesty and care. For the survivor, to read McCullough’s story is to feel understood, seen, and advocated for. McCullough’s voice is clear, urgent, and unmistakable. This memoir bravely joins a canon of literature for survivors to carry as both a weapon and a guide. I will be holding this book in my heart for many years to come.“—Hannah V. Sawyerr, Los Angeles Times Book Prize and National Book Award Finalist

★ “A harrowing yet galvanizing account of reclaiming one’s agency.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ “ By turns tragic, frustrating, and resolved, the work is ripe with opportunity for re-readers who will discover different meanings and focal points as they themselves age and revisit it. First-time readers will find themselves spellbound by the rhythmic lines and compelling story despite the difficult topic, all the while being inspired to further explore McCullough’s historical reflections.“—Booklist, starred review

★ “Raw and moving…. The use of verse to share her story creates an intimacy with readers, employing vivid, poignant language to forge an emotional connection…. An important book for any library”—Library Journal, starred review

★ “[A] searing gut-punch of a memoir…. The vulnerability here is almost unbearable, as readers watch Joy as a teen disappear into herself and then see McCullough as a writer wrestle with exactly how she wants to make herself seen again. An exercise in healing through creativity, this isn’t an easy read, but it’s certainly a compelling and ultimately beautiful one.“—BCCB, starred review

“A raw recounting of sexual abuse along with impassioned reflections about women…Stark testimony of hard-won survival.”—Kirkus Reviews

“The memoir is lucent, poetic—literally, it’s written partly in verse—and devastating.”—The Seattle Times

Joy McCullough is a playwright and the New York Times bestselling author of several books for children and young adults, including Blood Water Paint, which was longlisted for the National Book Award and was a finalist for the William C. Morris Award. She studied theater at Northwestern University, fell in love with her husband atop a Guatemalan volcano, and writes books and plays from her home in the Seattle area.

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