When Autumn Leaves: A Novel [Paperback]

Amy S. Foster (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 6, 2009

In Avening, a tiny town on the Pacific coast, it's hard not to believe in magic. This is a town where the shoes in the window always fit, where you can buy a love potion at the corner shop, and where the woods at the outskirts of town just might be the door to another world. And, of course, there's Autumn, Avening's beloved resident witch. From what's known of its mythical founding, Avening has always been a haven for people who are a little bit different, a place where they can come to discover what makes them so special.

When Autumn receives news that she's been promoted to a higher coven, she also learns she has to replace herself. But who in Avening is in tune enough with her own personal magic to take over the huge responsibility of town witch? Autumn has a list of thirteen women and men who just might have what it takes-but how can she get them to open their eyes to the magic in their lives?

This endlessly surprising and heart-warming debut is the story of coming to terms with the magical things we take for granted every day-our friends, our community, and, most of all, ourselves.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Foster's clumsy but ingratiating first novel is set in the enchanting little town of Avening, off the coast of British Columbia. Beyond its much-touted charm, Avening holds magical secrets, the most prominent being town witch Autumn. Autumn's bucolic lifestyle is interrupted when she finds out she's being admitted to a higher coven in an unknown location and that her first task is to find a replacement for herself among the women of the town. From there, readers meet a cast of offbeat women, each with her own special talents: shy Ellie, who can make herself invisible; middle-aged Stella, the local advice columnist, who is also a healer; and Molly, who has been hiding her preternatural gifts since she was a little girl. Unfortunately, Foster's attempts to charm and enchant are too heavy-handed and better suited to a YA offering, and her intriguing plot is subverted by wooden dialogue, predictability and an amateur approach to characters. (Oct.)
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Review

"In the tiny town of Avening in the Pacific Northwest, life hums with a peculiar sort of energy. Some call the town enchanted; others call it quirky. But all would agree that it is a special sort of hamlet, populated by some rather intriguing people. Perhaps the most intriguing is the town witch and wise woman. An individual of extraordinary, even magical talents, Autumn Avening is ready to retire-and must find a replacement from among the local denizens. With one year to choose, Autumn begins keeping an ever closer watch on her friends and neighbors, looking for just the right candidate. Through her eyes, we get intimate glimpses of the locals of Avening-strong men and women whose stories are both heartwarming and heartbreaking. VERDICT Loose ends in Foster's strong debut indicate sequel potential for those who enjoy following characters from book to book. Fans of Alice Hoffman (Practical Magic) and Joanne Harris (Chocolat) will love getting to know the residents of this cozy, charming little town. Highly recommended."
Library Journal (starred)

"Small-town witch looks for her replacement. The precise significance of Autumn's residence in the village of Avening isn't clear until the end, but it's evident from the beginning that she loves her quirky town (the novel's most appealing element) and all its mysteries. Located on an island in the Pacific Northwest, Avening is one of those idyllic spots with cozy bookstores and cafes- and, in this case, a rather high proportion of residents with special gifts: astral projection, mind-reading, invisibility, spell-casting, that sort of thing. Though individual abilities are generally kept secret, and the town seems like any other, all that magice lends the air a certain electricity. When a sister in the ancient coven of Jaen comes to tell Autumn it's time to leave her post, she's given a list of Avening residents from which she must choose a coven of 13 and a leader. Ellie seems an unlikely prospect. Withdrawn and sometimes invisible (literally) to the town, she is overtaken by a spell at the annual winter solstice party and loses the ability to speak, from that point on singing everything she needs to say. Ellie's friend Stella has a more straightforward talent. The granddaughter of an Appalachian mountain woman, she keeps a fully stocked herb cellar and is attempting to catch lightening in a bottle. Ana has until now lived a life without magic, but she goes to Autumn for help when she begins an extramarital affair; she and her lover learn how to bend time and memory so as to extricate themselves from their messy situation. Piper, another candidate, is diagnosed with terminal cancer and begins travelling to a different dimension, where she might escape death. A charming debut in the tradition of Practical Magic and The Witches of Eastwick"
-Kirkus

"Autumn has been the resident sage of the town of Avening for longer than anyone can remember (some may call her a witch or a shaman, but really she is no more of an oldfashioned wise woman). When Autumn is called to find a replacement, she decides to hold an essay contest for would-be candidates.
While the entries themselves prove to be both surprising and illuminating, this is not merely the story of Autumn finding her replacement-it is also a multifaceted tale of the women (and in some cases, girls) vying to take over for their beloved Autumn. Each candidate's specific experiences unveil-or in some cases, release-the power that is deep within each of them. Above all, this magical book is a testament to the power of women. There is a great preponderance of beautiful people in the book-almost all of the women are striking, and you start to wonder if there must be something in the Avening water. But beyond that, Foster's overall message is clear: each of us has a gift. Whether we choose to exercise it or how we choose to do so is ultimately up to us. Foster has a facility for the poetic, and her characters feel comfortable and real from the beginning. When Autumn Leaves is a fantastical coming-of-age story, but mostly, it reminds us of the importance of faith-both in ourselves and in that which we cannot see."
-Bookpage

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 287 pages
• Publisher: Overlook TP (October 6, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590202554
• ISBN-13: 978-1590202555
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,196,271 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A completely charming story, October 8, 2009

By 

davi strand "davi strand" (brooklyn, ny) - See all my reviews

This review is from: When Autumn Leaves: A Novel (Paperback)

This novel is a magical and sweet story that is sure to appeal to women of all ages. I loved the characters and how the author played around with female archetypes, but mostly, I LOVED the setting! What a beautiful, sweet town this novel is set in. I was so enchanted by it that I googled the author, which I highly recommend doing if you fall in love with the town of Avening as much as I did. On her website, she has a little map of it!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars pure enchantment, October 7, 2009

By 

Pat Loftfjeld "patloftfjeld" (Tucson, AZ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: When Autumn Leaves: A Novel (Paperback)

Picked it up for the beautiful cover... and was so pleasantly surprised by the complex, magical yet realistic world within. I can't believe Avening, BC isn't a real place; I went as far as to look it up on the internet to see if we could visit it in case we ever go to British Columbia.

I think my favorite character was that of Piper, the children's book writer/mother of two teenage daughters. But there's certainly subtle appeal for any woman in each of the characters in this very special town.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars When Autumn Leaves, December 15, 2009

By 

Nelaine Sanchez "All About {n}" (Miami, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: When Autumn Leaves: A Novel (Paperback)

When Autumn, the town of Avening's resident witch, gets news that she must move away from her beloved town because of a promotion to a higher coven, she must find a way replace herself as town witch. But who in Avening is in tune enough with her own personal magic to take over this huge responsibility?

Autumn has a list of likely candidates for the position, but she takes it upon herself to put an add in the paper seeking an apprentice. She has a year to find a high witch and the women who will be part of her coven - but how can she get them to open their eyes and believe in the magic in their lives?

This was actually surprisingly really good. I was a little thrown off when I realized that each chapter was a (loosely related) short story. As some of you might know, I am not a fan of short stories and after recently reading Olive Kitteridge, which sadly was a massive fail for me, I honestly thought this would fall in that same category. But, to my endless surprise, this was really good. I felt that I could relate to each story and each character in one way or another.

Throughout the book we encounter many of the town's gifted and unusual residents... but in the end who will she choose? Will it be Ellie the invisible researcher - who thanks to a magical pair of shoes becomes the life of the party? Ana - a married woman who falls in love with another woman's husband? Stella - a healer who needs change in her life and can only do that by capturing lightning in a bottle? The letters continue to arrive and, as each applicant's story entwines with Autumn's, the suspense begins to grow as to who her successor will be.

I was initially intrigued by the title and the (oh, so pretty) cover. But the tales in this book were all heart-warming, touching and, on more than one occasion, brought a tear to my eye. Although magic plays a big part in this novel, the subject matter was anything but light. These were real women, with real, everyday problems - none were perfect, but each was endearing in her own way.

As a woman, I felt that this book called to me. These women were brave, strong, and I saw aspects of myself as well as of my family and friends in some, if not all, of the characters. This is a heart-warming debut of coming to terms with the magical things we take for granted every day - our friends, our community, and, most of all, ourselves.

All in all, this is an exceptionally imaginative story riddled with vivid and quirky characters - making it a delightfully magical escape. It is a charming, cozy and very enjoyable book that I highly recommend.