In a world of flight, he was born wingless. But that's the least of his problems.
Since being orphaned at a young age, wingless sprite Asher Songfeather has been sure of one Bat sprites aren't to be trusted. The fact that his own mother was one is something Asher does his best to forget.
But when his adoptive sister Carinen falls deathly ill, he'll risk anything to save her-even if it means striking a bargain with a mysterious Bat sprite newcomer. The deal sends Asher on a perilous quest into the heart of the Bat Colony itself, where nothing is as it first appears. Saving his sister will require more than just courage and wits. It will take trust, too.
And Asher will have to rethink everything he knows about Bat sprites-including himself.
Catherine Witzaney spent much of her childhood immersed in Middle Earth, Narnia, and Tortall. At the age of seven, she discovered the magic of creating her own worlds through the written word, and has been writing stories ever since.
As a homeschooler with parents who loved to read, she grew up steeped in the historical fiction of G. A. Henty and Rosemary Sutcliff, which bestowed on her a greatly oversized vocabulary for which she was often teased. As an adult, she can now blame her verbosity on the handy excuse of being an author.
She resides in a lovely town in central Alberta, Canada, and is happily married to her knight in shining armour who flies helicopters instead of dragons. When she isn’t writing, she is likely to be found teaching piano, doting on her numerous nieces and nephews, or striving to keep her two birds out of mischief.
This story is a wonderful fantasy adventure about a boy learning to overcome prejudices and act selflessly in the face of fear. Even as an adult I found the story engaging and intriguing, and any middle grade boy or girl who loves stories of magic and adventure will love this one.
"Wingless" is a charming story with just enough intensity. The characters were fun, diverse, and believable. The story was engaging and satisfying. I loved how so many interesting talents could be featured in such a delightful way.
For the first three quarters, I read this at an easy, relaxed pace, enjoying the immersion into the nature-infused world of sprites. For the last quarter, I couldn't put the book down until I reached the end.
The storytelling made it so easy to picture this world - it was so sensory! I felt like I might get a sunburn just by reading about it. And I loved how the moonstones could go from cozy to ominous.
The ending was a gem!
At the risk of fixating on this (I normally do no not fall in love with books for the sensory experience), "Wingless" was so rewarding to read and be immersed in, that I'm craving more just for the effortless sensory experience.
A well done middle-grade read (that adults can still enjoy)! I'll be back for the next one.
Note: I was on the author's launch team, and cannot be certain that this is a completely unbiased review.
I enjoyed the read. It's a short, sweet, simple middle-grade fantasy novel. I think it could have used more editing--the worldbuilding in particular could have been more thorough--but the climax was fascinating and intriguing...I can't say too much without giving spoilers, though!
I love the characters and the fantasy world Catherine Witzaney created in Wingless. I really hope there will be a sequel!
Witzaney has woven a strong story of magical beings, family love and friendship, and learning to accept who you truly are. Asher Songfeather was born wingless, a rare occurrence for a sprite. He is also a half-wing. His father was a Feather sprite and his mother was a Bat sprite, also unusual since most sprites looked down on sprite clans intermarrying.
Asher tries to ignore his Bat sprite heritage being raised in the Feather town of Gan. However, as he works to find healing for his adopted sister and then her rescue, Asher is drawn into the middle of the dangerous realm of the Bat sprite colony. He finds not all Bat sprites are bad and learns to draw on the talents (magical ability) of both his Feather and Bat blood. He experiences deceit and prejudice; challenges and failure; and courage and redemption. Through all this Asher finds purpose and makes a promise—to change the unfair treatment of other sprites and to make the Bat colony a better place for all to live.
It was a great book! I finished it at 11:00 last night! Too good to put down or save for another night! I liked how Wingless portrayed Asher wanting to save his adopted sister, but wanting to save all the other bats that weren’t harming Ryn. What a fantastic book!
Dystopia meets sprites! Having read a sprite book earlier this year, I found it fascinating to read another take on the tiny fantasy creatures. Not only is the author's worldbuilding easy to follow, but it's unique and fun to see how the different sprites have different abilities and capabilities. Then, the main character, Asher, steals the show with a sympathetic and complex voice. His desire to save his sister, mixed with his hatred of his heritage, is an interesting combination as he meets the rebels. That's where the dystopian part comes in, and it takes twists and turns which were not what I expected. However, the plot resolves itself well, with some loose ends that I expect in Book 2! Overall, it was a great read for middle-grade/YA readers, though adults could enjoy it, too. Content Warnings: PG level violence. No language. Very Mild Romance.
Wingless is a great middle-grade fantasy book! The characters are all unique and relatable. I loved the short, captivating chapters that kept the story going. I felt like I could keep reading 'one' more chapter and end up reading five. The fast-paced plot and well-rounded characters held my attention throughout the whole book. It's completely clean, which is very hard to find nowadays. Especially clean AND well written.
What a great read! Perfect story for fantasy lovers! Hard to put down! Asher is wingless sprite, which is extremely rare in this wonderfully imaginative world that Witzaney has created. In addition, he was adopted due to the deaths of his parents when he was a younger, making Asher no stranger to being "different". In this coming-of-age story, Asher sets out on a quest to save his adopted sister's life. This involves facing life-long prejudices he has towards certain other groups of sprites as well as coming to terms with his own heritage. He begins with good intentions, but as time goes on, his desperation to save his sister clouds his judgment. In the end, he exhibits amazing courage to right wrongs and works together with friends, new and old, to save the day! Wonderful story filled with the positive virtues of loyalty, courage, and selflessness. The book's story lines wrapped up well in the end but was left open to future adventures...and if you are anything like me, you will very much want to return to this fantasy world to see what happens next! This book would be great for family read alouds. As a side note, there is some instances of mild violence throughout the book (hand cuffed and locked in a dungeon, being threatened at knife point, soldiers dying in battle etc.); all of it is dealt with age-appropriately and not graphic by any means, but you may want to pre-read this if you have a more "sensitive reader" at home. I received an advance reader copy of this book from Chicken Scratch Books however, my review is voluntary and reflects my personal opinion.
Such a beautiful book! Immersive fantasy world good for all ages, the storyline is easy to follow and very engaging, and the characters are beautiful with distinct personalities and descriptions. The book had me falling in love with it in the first few chapters. If you’re thinking of reading it, just do it!! 🩷🪶
This novel is brilliant. Once I started reading it, I could not stop until it was completely finished. It is a Middle Grade fantasy about a wingless sprite, Asher Songfeather, who selflessly overcame challenges to set things right. I recommend this book for fans age 10 and up who love fantasy, adventures, and heartwarming characters. This is an amazing novel at it's best.
Wingless is a fantasy adventure that takes you into a fascinating world of sprites. These characters aren’t your stereotypical moonlight-and-pixiedust fairies—they live in a fully fledged world with complex societies and morally weighty situations. The main character, Asher, is a young boy whose parents came from two different races—his father was a Feather sprite, and his mother a Bat sprite, who escaped from her draconian society in an attempt to find freedom. Asher hates his own Bat heritage—so when his sister is kidnapped to the Bat sprite colony, he must face his greatest fears about his past and his own identity.
The story has a broad cast of enjoyable characters, and a fast-paced plot that culminates in a satisfying conclusion. I was particularly impressed with the portrayal of the main antagonist, Ryn, a Bat sprite rebel who tries to use Asher in his schemes of revenge against the unjust Bat society. His desire for vengeance is understandable, but his means are clearly shown to be wrong. At the same time, he also has some genuinely good qualities, which make him much more interesting and realistic than a one-sided villain. The way the author managed to show the moral complexities of the situation while still telling a clear story of good versus evil was excellent.
Overall this was a great read, perfect for middle schoolers who love fantasy and are looking for an exciting adventure in a unique world. I hear there’s a sequel in the works, too, so this isn’t the end of Asher’s story!
I enjoyed my reading of Wingless, a fantastical adventure novel. It is full of both action and suspense. One character in particular’s true intentions are kept hidden until nearing the end of the book, which provides mystery and intrigue. The main character, Asher, is faced with formidable decisions - that will result in difficult outcomes with either choice. With challenging decisions that will affect others occurring several times throughout the book, inward struggle is reasonably portrayed. The described fantastical world created by Catherine Witzaney I found impressive. She went into well-thought-out detail with the creatures she created, the prejudices found among certain groups, characteristics unique to certain kinds of sprites (which is the made-up creature), and the special Talents each sprite is born with. The plotline is founded upon Asher’s desire to protect and keep his adoptive sister safe. This strong determination to take care of Carinen, his sister, leads him into trouble, but his thoughts are generally not selfish but rather toward those he loves. Light violence is found throughout several scenes - there is fighting, descriptions of wounds and cuts, and villains that have the intent to kill. The danger and suspense were some of my favourite things about it; I wanted to keep reading to find out how the story was going to resolve! Altogether, it is a gripping read with danger and adventure at every turn. Very good for fantasy and action loving readers.
Review from my daughter who is not old enough to have her own GR account: In a world of flight he was born wingless. But that is the least of his problems. I don't know about you but those two sentences leave me with three questions before I have even read the book. The questions are: What does it mean, a world of flight? Why was he born wingless? And What makes that not the worst of his problems? The first two questions can be answered in the first few chapters but the third question you have to wait a while for. The start of this book is slow but the end is worth it! I just wanted to keep rending when I got to the end cause I had no idea of what would happen! No clue at all! I loved that! I also love the characters and how they have grown by the end of the book! Lets take the main character “Asher Songfeather” for example. At the start of the book he is worried all the time and does not like any bats. At the end of the book he is brave and will do anything for any of his friends! I love how the author shows his growth through out this book! I definitely say it is one of my new favourite books!
This is a fantastic coming-of-age story about a wingless boy living in a fairy community where everyone else has wings. Even though it is an accepting society, he still feels his difference keenly. When he later finds himself in an extremely caste-centered bat community, he learns how destructive prejudice can be. But the most important thing he learns is to find the strength in his difference, and how to use that strength for good. Additionally, in a world where Cool Aid characters crash through walls and speeding good guys leave crashed cars and injured innocents in their wake--and no one cares because the only important thing is catching the bad guys--it is refreshing to read a story where the “good guy” recognizes the unintended consequences of his actions and commits himself to making amends. While immersed in a great adventure story, there is much for a child to learn from Wingless.
Catherine Witzaney is a new-to-me author and I really liked Wingless. Witzaney did a wonderful job of building her fantasy world and creating characters that readers will relate to and like. Witzaney put her author’s note at the start of the book, which I appreciated as it had information which would help me better understand the story and characters. Wingless is a story about prejudice, a story about family, and a story about caring for others. These are all themes that middle school students can relate to. I think Witzaney shows that she knows her audience. Wingless would be a great addition to a K-12 Christian school library. It is appropriate for upper elementary and middle school students. I received a complimentary copy of Wingless. This is my honest review.
It was a beautiful read. At first I felt like it was a little slow, but the further I got in, the better it got. So far, my fav part is when Asher met Siobhan. I loved how she thought Asher was a white Bat! I would definitely recommend this book to people who love fantasy books. I will definitely share this book with my friends! Thank you Catherine :)
What a fun adventure. I was carried away into the world and the bit of odd language didn’t slow me down as it fit into the story so well. Although the ending is satisfying, it also leaves room for another adventure, which I would look forward to reading as well.
This is an engaging story set in an fascinating, richly developed fantasy world. Asher is very relatable. I found the first few chapters felt a little slow, but the story soon picked up. By the end I wanted to read more. Lucky for me I'll be able to, as book 2 comes out this June!
This is an amazing book. The plot line is wonderful, and I, though older than the recommended age, still love this book. When I have nothing to do, and I reach for a book, this one is the first one my hand goes to. This book will always be on my shelves.
An engaging middle grade coming of age fantasy about overcoming prejudices and found family. The characters all seemed so real that I often forget they were make believe and pocket sized!
Such a great book! Filled with so many different mini goal sort of goals for Asher rather than just one really caught me in the trap of reading! I really liked it!
I really loved the book. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy and it's a book I would read again. I really liked the main character Asher and his personality.
Amazing! I just can't properly explain how incredible this book is! I started reading this with the goal of finishing with eight weeks and finished in two DAYS! I just could not put it down! The plot is captivating and the characters are so loveable! I would recommened Wingless for ages 9-16 but really anyone will enjoy it. You need to get this book!!!
I love when rereading a book makes you more impressed with it rather than less so. I received a physical copy of this book in the mail courtesy of the author herself as a thank you for beta reading the second book Clanless (coming out beginning of next month!). I've heard some things have changed in book 2 since I had the pleasure of reading it, so I thought I'd catch up on Witzaney's world of sprites so I can be ready to read the final version of Clanless and beta read book 3.
Witzaney is a pro at world-building. Not only has she been able to help a reader visualize different kinds of sprites, she also had to develop differences between those societies, foundational values, environments, necessities, "slang," talents... there's so much here that the author has clearly thought through, but we get to enjoy learning from the characters and make discoveries with them. She weaves it all well into the plot, where plenty of practical and valuable lessons are learned.
I'm officially devoted to this series (if that wasn't already clear). I'm excited to have Clanless added to my collection!
So, needless to say, my rating still stands!
2023 Review 5 stars
After joining a writers group with pro-family values, I came across this book because the author was looking for beta readers (for the second book, actually). I volunteered since I knew I'd be on winter break soon. That's how I had the pleasure of reading this book.
Firstly, allow me to start off by saying, this book is good. Sometimes you read a middle grade book as an adult and you can tell that it definitely can't apply to you. I never got that with Wingless. Asher is a well-rounded main character who is faced with challenges that call him to rise to the occasion and grow as a character (something many books unfortunately don't have characters do, which I hope isn't rubbing off on readers because we're all meant to meet our challenges and adversities and grow). The plot never had me bored because it and the world Witzaney created is so interesting to discover - and I admit that it reminded me of the Tinkerbell movies (in a good way because I loved those) but it was also something all its own. I was very impressed with the way Witzaney weaved in social, political, and ethical aspects our real world struggles with today into her story in a way that is easy for kids to understand. She put things into a perspective that also helps adults narrow down an issue to the core of the problem, which I think is something we need too.
I'd say, despite it being meant for kids, this book is a great book for adults too. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and it made me excited for more books from this author and this series. Definitely recommend to anyone, but specifically parents because this one is a gem!
Another fun middle grade adventure (I read a lot of middle grade books this year!) Wingless soars into the world of sprites and follows the character Asher Songfeather, who not only has no wings, but is part Bat and part Feather sprite. This makes him a bit of an oddity in his community, but in a refreshing twist of storytelling, he is not an outcast in his village. He has a loving adoptive family and good friends. Though he does not qualify to join his village’s “guards” due to his inability to fly, this is not a prejudice thing, but more of a practical one.
The story centers around his attempts to find a cure for his adopted sister who is ill, and a grand adventure that shows him the world is a much bigger and more complicated place than he thought.