‘Witchcraft for Wayward Girls’ Book Ending Explained

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls Plot Summary

The story centers on 15 year old Fern, who arrives at the Wellwood home in St. Augustine, Florida. She’s a nervous, pregnant wreck. Her parents can barely look at her, and she’s been abandoned by everyone back home, carted off to this house as punishment. 

This home, run by the draconian and highly religious Miss Wellwood, houses numerous other unwed mothers, all of which young, confused and nowhere near emotionally mature enough to understand the gravity of their situation. They’re all here to essentially act as waystations before giving birth to their children, giving them up for adoption, and then giving themselves back to their old lives like nothing ever happened.

When Fern arrives though, everything changes. She grows close to a hippie called Rose, a timid, shy girl called Holly and a newcomer in the house (who arrives later on in the story), Zinnia. Together, they find themselves thrust into a strange world when they meet a librarian who hands over a book of the occult.

With witchcraft at their fingertips, the girls quickly realize that – to quote Uncle Ben from Spider-Man – with great power comes great responsibility. Power can destroy as easily as it can create and the price to be paid is usually a heavy one.

What happens with Fern’s baby?

Fern goes into labour late at night and although Mrs Parcae is lurking about, she manages to get there without incident. She eventually gives birth to her daughter, Charlie Brown, but during labour, the evil witch tries to make Fern break and hand over her child. She holds on and gives birth.

Despite being able to hold Charlie a few times, she realizes she can’t keep her. Diana is brutal in the way she rattles on about the financial cost of having a child, and essentially forces Fern into submitting to the adoption process. Eventually Fern returns to the house, but this whole experience has changed her forever, especially given the horrible treatment she receives from the nurses during labour.

Does Holly give birth?

When Holly goes into labour, Fern eventually joins her coven sisters, Zinnia and Holly, and they convince the driver to take them to Hagar at the commune. They all help Holly, and during labour they have her make wolf noises like a pack. It’s an interesting inclusion, reinforcing that these women are bound together under the moonlight and work better together.

Holly gives birth but we soon learn that Reverend Jerry, the man who abused 14 year old Holly is going to take her baby for his own. Zinnia and Holly concoct a story to run away but unfortunately, they don’t get far. The police catch up and they’re taken back to the House.

What does Fern do to save Holly?

Fern decides to continue the earlier spell with the storm, grabbing the Nehi bottle, and finishing by slicing her own tongue to finish it off. This causes a huge storm to rage outside. Reverend Jerry is hurt but still alive, while Zinnia saves Holly and the baby. Miss Parcae shows up with the witches coven and demands Fern give herself up as a vessel, something that she’s demanded for much of the book. Fern refuses, and so Parcae starts chanting, making Fern confront the Triple-faced goddess.

Holly bites Miss Parcae’s hand to distract her though, which stops the chanting, and Fern comes back to reality. 

Who saves the girls?

Mags is the one who stands in the way and protects Holly and Fern. Given Holly and her daughter and willing to give themselves up as a vessel for the magic, the coven decide to override Parcae’s desire to have Fern. who is unwilling to break.

With Holly and the witches gone, the bond the girls have remains steadfast. Fern heads back home but she’s not the same. She’s more mature now and understands the brutality of the world. What she always wanted – Holly to be safe – is meant to come to pass but the book doesn’t make it initially clear whether this happens or not.

The passing of magic into a new “vessel” doesn’t always work, as shown with Mags. We know that she’s been tormented for thousands of years with the voices of her ancestors and it’s this that stops Fern from going forward with being used by the witches.

Although the ending does show us (indirectly) that Holy has become a witch and found her home, it’s not initially clear if she actually has found happiness or not.

How does Witchcraft for Wayward Girls end?

Fern is never the same again, but she goes back to her life after suffering from post-natal depression. She ends up working as a doula as she gets older, and tries to help as many women as possible. As for Miss Wellwood, she’s apparently has a mental breakdown after Wellwood House is destroyed by the storm, and all other homes like that are obliterated in the wake of the Roe ruling in the US.

Rose is living on her farm with her girlfriend, just like she always wanted to, and has even reached out to Blossom, her daughter, and they’ve reunited. As for Charlie Brown, Holly has done Fern a favour and left Fern’s dad’s wedding ring on Charlie’s table, allowing her to trace back her birth mother.

Holly harnesses her powers and in the time we’ve not seen her, gets Reverend Jerry to confess to everything, locking him up behind bars until 2031.

As for Fern, she eventually plucks up the courage, off the back of advice from both Rose and Zinnia, to call Charlie and reunite with her.

 

So the ending to Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is a bit of a mixed bag, all things considered. Fern’s journey is certainly satisfying, but it also comes at the sacrifice of knowing for sure whether Holly is happy, and a bit vague with the magic system too. But what about you guys? What did you think of the ending? Let us know in the comments below!


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