"Aunt Maria" by Dianne Wynne Jones presents familiar characters for anyone familiar at all with witches, but also speaks directly to a discussion about the balance of power. The witches in "Aunt Maria" sit in a place of power in their world, and Maria herself is particularly powerful among the witches. The power struggle reminded me frequently of the undertones of a similar respect in the novel "Howl's Moving Castle," also authored by Jones.
There are several powerful witches in Jones' books, and in "Howl's Moving Castle, women seem to rule even the upper echelons of society. Jones' witches seem to have a more dignified attitude than the western idea of evil or wretched creatures with lumps and boils. Witches in Jones' mind seem to be sophisticated and intelligent, dwelling in upper society, almost as a sort of celebutante. Jones recognizes the power of witches to be a symbol of feminine power and the fantastical mystery powerful women are in a society dominated by men.
I preferred Howl's Moving Castle to Aunt Marie, story wise, I think because the world Howl inhabited was so rich and unique.
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