66 pages • 2 hours read
T. KingfisherA Sorceress Comes to Call
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2024A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Chapters 1-6Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 1 Summary
Cordelia struggles to stay attentive in church while under an obedience spell cast by her mother, Evangeline. A fly tickles her hand, and though the spell dulls her senses, the irritation persists. She looks down briefly, but Evangeline notices and forces her to lift her head. Cordelia fears being punished for crying or sneezing but is relieved when the sermon ends.
After church, Evangeline blames Cordelia for forcing her to use obedience and releases the spell at home. Once, the release made Cordelia scream, but now she stays silent to avoid further punishment. She remembers everything under obedience but feels powerless. Cordelia promises to “do better” and retreats upstairs. Though Evangeline forbids closed doors, Cordelia occasionally closes hers briefly in small acts of rebellion. She keeps a “daybook” but avoids writing secrets, knowing that her mother would find them.
Riding her horse, Falada, Cordelia shares her thoughts and dreams of running away to the sea, even though she knows they can’t swim. Although some girls are envious of Falada, a local girl, Ellen Parker, befriends Cordelia. Ellen often talks to Cordelia when they meet while riding, despite Cordelia’s conversational struggles. When Ellen invites her to visit, Cordelia declines, knowing that her mother wouldn’t approve.
During one encounter, Ellen’s pony spooks, and the two girls speak. When Cordelia asks if Ellen ever closes her bedroom door, Ellen gives her a knowing look and reassures her, saying, “It will be all right” (9).
Chapter 2 Summary
Evangeline leaves to visit her “benefactor” to obtain money or goods. Left alone, Cordelia briefly considers escaping but decides against it without Falada and instead peels potatoes. Evangeline returns unexpectedly, angry and threatening to harm her benefactor. She mentions that she should have made Falada hurt him, leading Cordelia to realize that her mother controls Falada with obedience spells. Cordelia apologizes to Falada in the stable for not understanding sooner.
Over dinner, Evangeline declares her benefactor “useless” and talks about needing to marry soon, explaining that men dislike women with dependent children. Cordelia carefully listens as Evangeline outlines her plan to marry a rich man and eventually find a wealthy match for Cordelia as well. Evangeline also reveals that she is a sorceress, a fact Cordelia that hadn’t known. Cordelia agrees to her mother’s plans and heads upstairs to tend to her cut thumb.
Chapter 3 Summary
Hester Chatham wakes with a sense of dread, a familiar feeling she had when faced with the man her parents wanted her to marry—a man whose dark “proclivities” were later revealed. She acknowledges the fear, which gradually subsides. Hester reflects on her love for Lord Richard Evermore, whom she refused to marry due to her inability, at 51, to bear heirs. She tries to sleep again.
Meanwhile, Cordelia rides Falada farther than ever before, but he abruptly stops after three miles. She tries to coax him, claiming that she is trying to save him, but he won’t budge. Evangeline arrives, and after Cordelia tries to explain that she isn’t running away, Falada seems to mock her as Evangeline reveals that he has been telling her all of Cordelia’s secrets as her familiar.
As they return home, Cordelia questions Evangeline about familiars. Evangeline explains that sorcerers make or bind them and laughs at Cordelia’s naiveté. She then grows suspicious when Cordelia asks about other familiars in the area. Evangeline admits that there is only one witch nearby and instructs Cordelia to report any sorcerers she might see, though Cordelia is unsure of how to identify them. Evangeline’s remark that another sorcerer might “use” Cordelia leaves her unsettled. Later, Cordelia wonders how many of her secrets Falada has shared.
Two days later, Evangeline announces her plans to marry a man in a coastal city and leaves to visit him. Nervous, Cordelia studies her etiquette book, preparing to meet her mother’s suitor. Falada returns the next day, likely to watch over her in Evangeline’s absence. With her mother gone, Cordelia stops riding Falada and misses both him and Ellen.
Chapter 4 Summary
The “Doom” that Hester had sensed arrives in the form of Evangeline, who has taken an interest in Hester’s brother, Squire Samuel Chatham. Knowing her brother’s weakness for beauty and fragility, Hester isn’t surprised when he insists on inviting Evangeline to dinner after helping her shop for new clothes for her daughter. Hester, amused by her own thoughts of what Evangeline might do, reluctantly agrees to the invitation.
Over an informal dinner, Hester observes Evangeline closely, suspecting manipulation, especially when she claims that Cordelia is 17 and has outgrown her clothes. Although the Squire has shown interest in women before, he has never wanted to marry. When he invites Evangeline to return with Cordelia to stay with them, Hester agrees, curious to meet the girl.
Evangeline returns home early in the morning and wakes Cordelia, ignoring her closed bedroom door. She explains that they will take a small carriage to the Squire’s home, carefully planning their arrival to elicit sympathy but not disrupt the household. Cordelia packs her few belongings, including cherished items like a wooden horse given to her by Ellen. Wanting to leave a note for Ellen, she finds herself at a loss for words.
Outside, Cordelia is startled to see that their carriage is actually Ellen’s father’s cabriolet. Evangeline admits that she had to use force to get it from Mr. Parker, and Cordelia realizes that he was her mother’s benefactor. She silently apologizes to Ellen for her mother’s actions.
Chapter 5 Summary
Evangeline and Cordelia arrive at the Chatham estate before Hester and the Squire go to bed. Evangeline claims that their carriage lost a wheel, costing them most of their belongings, and that they were fortunate to borrow a cabriolet to finish the journey. Hester watches Cordelia’s wide-eyed reaction to her mother’s fabricated story.
The Squire makes a cliché remark about Cordelia looking like a sister rather than a daughter, while Hester doubts the girl is really 17. Hester smiles at Cordelia—“Doom’s daughter”—but Cordelia doesn’t know how to respond. A housekeeper leads them to their rooms, and Cordelia is shocked to see so many closed doors. She reflects on her embarrassment at mistakenly bowing to the butler, grateful that her mother hadn’t noticed but worried that someone might tell her.
Cordelia is surprised to be assigned a room separate from her mother and is further unsettled when she learns that she will have a maid. Stammering, she thanks the housekeeper and marvels at the room’s wallpaper. A young woman named Alice arrives, closing the door behind her. Alice helps Cordelia bathe and get dressed, explaining the new routines. Overwhelmed but suppressing her emotions, Cordelia tries not to cry. Alice tucks her into the large four-poster bed and pulls the curtains shut. With several doors between her and Evangeline, Cordelia sleeps soundly for the first time.
Chapter 6 Summary
Cordelia wakes up disoriented but then remembers where she is. Alice arrives with tea, startling her, and explains that breakfast is over. After eating, Cordelia offers to help clean, but Alice gently reminds her that she’s a guest. Alice helps Cordelia get ready and offers to do her hair, but Cordelia declines, saying that she doesn’t want to be a “bother.” Alice explains that she’s been assigned as Cordelia’s lady’s maid, which spares her from other unpleasant tasks.
While Alice works on Cordelia’s hair, Evangeline arrives at the door. Alice firmly tells Evangeline that Cordelia is still getting ready and offers to send her to the Blue Drawing Room in 15 minutes, keeping Evangeline outside. Cordelia is stunned and prays that her mother won’t harm Alice. Afterward, Alice finishes Cordelia’s hair and gives her one of Hester’s shawls to wear over her plain gray dress. Cordelia thanks Alice enthusiastically, and Alice promises to return in the evening.
Cordelia heads to the drawing room and finds Hester, who compliments the shawl and offers to let Cordelia keep it. Before leaving, Hester invites Cordelia to visit with her sometime. Moments later, Evangeline arrives, pleased that Hester likes Cordelia, seeing it as a way to distract the Squire’s sister. Cordelia cautiously asks if Evangeline plans to “do anything” to the Chathams, and Evangeline reassures her that using magic on them would be too risky.
A footman arrives with more food, and Evangeline instructs Cordelia on how to behave at a formal dinner, as she’s never attended one. After a brief explanation on conversing with the Squire, Evangeline leaves to go for a ride with him, sending Cordelia away.
Chapters 1-6 Analysis
The opening chapters of A Sorceress Comes to Call introduce the reader to the main characters, including the protagonist, Cordelia; the deuteragonist, Hester; and the antagonist, Evangeline. Through these characters, T. Kingfisher begins to weave a narrative that explores complex themes of agency, identity, and defiance of traditional roles.
Finding Agency in Abusive Situations is highlighted through Cordelia’s strained relationship with her mother. The obedience spell used by Evangeline on Cordelia is both literal and symbolic, illustrating the control that Evangeline exerts over her daughter. The spell represents the emotional and psychological manipulation that can occur within abusive relationships, stripping the survivor of their autonomy. This lack of control is conveyed when Cordelia is unable to control her own reactions, exemplified by the remark, “Cordelia said nothing. Her tongue did not belong to her” (2). However, small acts of rebellion—closing the door when alone, contemplating running away, or whispering secrets to Falada—show her attempts to find moments of freedom and individuality within the constraints imposed by her mother. Cordelia’s connection with Falada suggests a yearning for companionship and understanding in the midst of her isolation, though this trust is eventually betrayed when she learns that Falada is her mother’s familiar, revealing the depth of Evangeline’s manipulation.
The Search for Identity is introduced through Cordelia’s tentative connections with Ellen and Hester. Evangeline’s control over Cordelia is nearly absolute. However, Cordelia’s encounters with Ellen offer a glimmer of hope. Ellen, unlike Cordelia, experiences a degree of freedom in her life and home, evident when she speaks openly and confidently. When Cordelia inquires as to whether Ellen closes her bedroom door, Ellen’s “penetrating look” hints at her awareness of Cordelia’s hidden struggles, demonstrating a potential understanding beyond what Cordelia can verbalize. By asking Ellen this seemingly simple question, Cordelia reveals her curiosity about life beyond her mother’s rigid control and her desire to define her own boundaries.
Similarly, Cordelia’s introduction to Hester provides a different perspective and another opportunity for connection. Hester’s empathy toward Cordelia contrasts with Evangeline’s cold control. When Hester invites Cordelia to visit with her, Cordelia is presented with a choice to engage with someone outside of her mother’s influence. This budding relationship signals Cordelia’s quiet defiance, as she begins to explore her voice in the presence of someone safe. By finding the courage to ask questions and express gratitude toward Hester, Cordelia’s identity develops independently of her mother’s overbearing presence.
Challenging Traditional Roles and Expectations also emerges as a central theme, particularly in how the characters navigate their prescribed roles. Evangeline, despite being an antagonist, embodies a subversion of traditional female roles through her use of magic and manipulation to secure power and stability. She resists conventional expectations by plotting strategic marriages to secure her and her daughter’s future, even using her sorcery as an unconventional means to achieve her goals. However, her actions simultaneously reinforce the restrictive societal structures she navigates, as she intends to arrange Cordelia’s marriage based on wealth and status. Meanwhile, Cordelia’s burgeoning awareness of her mother’s intentions and her curiosity indicate her growing desire to break free from her prescribed role as an obedient daughter.
Hester’s introduction provides a stark contrast to both Evangeline and Cordelia, as Hester actively rejects the traditional role of a wife by choosing not to marry Richard, despite their mutual love. Her refusal in these chapters initially seems rooted in her inability to provide heirs, reflecting her rejection of being defined solely by her ability to bear children. However, as the novel progresses, Hester’s true reasons for not marrying emerge, revealing her internal conflict between her love for Richard and her reluctance to sacrifice the small but vital independence that she retains as an unmarried woman.
Through these contrasting characters, the narrative questions societal expectations imposed on women of varying ages and statuses—from the young and impressionable Cordelia; to the powerful yet constrained Evangeline, who, despite her powers, remains dependent on men for financial security; to Hester, who sacrifices love to preserve her freedom.
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