~I received a complimentary copy of the book in order to facilitate this review. The opinions herein are my own and are not influenced by any form of compensation.~
I was struck by a deep curiosity the moment I was offered to review The Broken Circle: Yarns of the Knitting Witches by Cheryl Potter. I had never heard of a novel that had a companion book that taught yarns, nor a story that somehow wrapped knitting with witches. Some of you are probably feeling that very same thing right now. In fact, the author wasn’t even sure herself when she first attempted the story and had placed it away for some time and thankfully she decided to share her story of the knitting witches because it is not only one of the most original novels I’ve read in awhile, but it is a magnificent story.
The Broken Circle’s story unfolds in a world where people had once believed in magic and through their greed and selfishness their first world (those of the First Folk) perished by Ice. The present time brings you to a place where the North and South are at war; one of which is using evil magic and the other who has banned it through force. In the middle are 12 (mostly aged) women who have the ability to heal the land they had played a part in breaking. The knitting witches, otherwise known as the Potluck 12 had dispersed many years ago and this is the story where they are gathering together. Each one has their own gift and story, which you can find below by clicking on any of their names:
- Aubergine – Founder of the Potluck and Dyemistress.
- Smokey Jo – A small gnome woman and Aubergine’s constant companion.
- Mamie Verde – The oldest of the Potluck and clinging to life by a yarn.
- Ratta – Caremistress of Mamie Verde and one with a secret gift.
- Esmeralde – She holds the power to cure or poison and the ability to divine power.
- Sierra Blue – The one who has the ability to create magical garments and speak the yarns.
- Skye – Sierra’s daughter who carries with her a wild magic and the same ability to knit magical garments.
- Winter Wheat – An animal whisperer and one with a keen knowledge of fibers.
- Indigo Rose – The gardening witch responsible for the plants that create the dyes.
- Lavender Mae – The one with the knowledge of the crystals.
- Lilac Lily – The “mother” of sorts, confidant and also the witch who has the answers to unasked questions.
- Traces of Teal – The Potluck witch responsible for aligning and combining crystals, though she has disappeared.
- Tasman – Once Aubergine’s successor, the Dark Queen of the South and the one who had broken the circle.
- Trader – One who can pass as a girl or a boy, hiding in plain sight and not at all what she seems.
 |
| Illustrations are drawn by Frank Riccio. |
There are a few very unique things that I love about this book. The first being the concept. Stories are woven, just as fabric is woven and in many ways our lives. There are many myths of the three Fates who are said to weave the thread of our lives and in some ways it is a beautiful elaboration of that vision. 12 women (old, young, mothers, daughters, wise and naive) who weave the future of their people through yarns and carry the burden and individual regrets of having played a part in the suffering of their world.
As in many stories that deal with magic or power of some sort, there is always one who dares to try and control it – even at the cost of destroying everything. So it was how the Potluck 12 had originally separated, through the greed and evil of one. The nice thing is that Cheryl Potter keeps her hidden (though knowingly aware) throughout the first book and so the idea of her grows from a young woman to a powerful enemy.
The second is Book I: The Companion Pattern Book, which accompanies The Broken Circle. At the end of each chapter there is a page that tells you where to look in your Companion Pattern Book in order to be able to knit one of the magical garments within the story. With knitting patterns for novices to advanced, it is a wonderful addition to an already lovely story. As knitting is finding its way back to popularity, the Potluck Yarn Trilogy couldn’t have come at a better time for those that love to knit and love to read.
There is also a Student Workbook for Book I available that can be utilized by students or teachers in order to exercise concepts and be used as a supplementary learning tool. The Student Workbook assists in developing critical thought on the basic material in the book, reasoning towards character motivation as well as discussion on mortal topics.
I personally found the Student Workbook as a great tool in order to dive deeper into the story.
And if that wasn’t enough to wow everyone, you can also take knitting online courses through the Potluck Yarn website with none other than the creator of the knitting witches herself, Cheryl Potter. To help you on your way into understanding the amazing craft of dying yarns and knitting, they even have a store that provides dye kits, yarns, yarn kits and patterns.
Cheryl Potter doesn’t just tell you a story about knitting witches, she created an entire world and opened her doors to allow you to become a part of it. In many ways she is inviting her readers to weave their own yarns of life into the story of the Potluck 12, becoming a part just as Aubergine’s students. There may not be the magic in this world such as that in The Broken Circle, but the story in and of itself has already proven that some people contain rare gifts and Cheryl Potter certainly has the gift to tell an amazing story.
Purchase: You can pick up a copy of The Broken Circle: Yarns of the Knitting Witches for $15.99 or $34.98 for the novel and pattern book.
Connect: Please take a moment to show your support of Cheryl Potter by Liking the Potluck Yarn Facebook Page and/or @PotluckYarn Twitter. You can also follow her blog to keep up with where she is at on Book II!
