The Very Secret — Society Of Irregular Witches By Sangu Mandanna
In the canon of witch-centric literature—from The Chronicles of Narnia to Harry Potter —the witch is frequently positioned as an outlier, often dangerous, often orphaned, and usually burdened with a destiny they did not choose. Sangu Mandanna’s Mika Moon fits this mold superficially: she is an orphan, she is a witch, and she is dangerous. However, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches subverts the expectation of grandeur. There is no Dark Lord to defeat, no empire to topple. Instead, the central conflict is intimate: the battle against isolation.
Mika Moon is one of the few remaining witches in Britain, bound by three unbreakable rules: hide your magic, keep witches hidden from each other, and never form attachments. To combat loneliness, she posts anonymous videos pretending to be a witch. Unexpectedly, she is contacted by a retired witch and a non-magical librarian who need her to tutor three orphaned witches (Rosie, Terracotta, and Altamira) at Nowhere House. Despite her initial resistance, Mika moves in and forms deep bonds with the household’s eccentric members—Primrose, the stern housekeeper; Ken, the librarian; and Jamie, the handsome yet grumpy groundskeeper. As she breaks the rules and embraces love, Mika discovers that her greatest threat is not exposure, but isolation. There is no Dark Lord to defeat, no empire to topple
Crucially, Mandanna does not romanticize this dynamic. The "found family" is messy. Jamie is prickly and skeptical; Ian is pedantic. The children are chaotic and dangerous. The novel argues that true belonging is not the absence of conflict, but the safety to exist within it. Mika does not find a family that fits her perfectly; she finds people willing to adjust their shapes to make room for her. To combat loneliness, she posts anonymous videos pretending
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches was praised for its inclusive, heartwarming representation. Critics noted its handling of loneliness in the digital age—Mika’s online persona echoes contemporary social media performance. The book has been celebrated as part of a growing trend of “hopeful fiction” that responds to post-pandemic anxieties about isolation. It is significant for centering non-traditional family structures without apology or tragedy. He cannot be charmed
Upon arriving at the remote, mysterious estate, Mika is tasked with teaching three young, unseasoned witches how to control their magic before the Government Council of Witches discovers them.
Her relationship with Jamie adds another layer to this analysis. Jamie is an "Empty" who cannot be affected by magic. In a metaphorical sense, he is the only person with whom Mika does not have to perform. He cannot be charmed, tricked, or swayed by her power. Consequently, their romance is built on a foundation of radical vulnerability. Mika is stripped of her utility (her magic) in his presence, forcing her to engage with him solely as a human being. This strips away the "Chosen One" mystique and grounds their connection in mutual need.
