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Courtney Crumrin #6
The Final Spell
The penultimate volume in the New York Times bestselling Courtney Crumrin series is now available in paperback!
Courtney Crumrin has never shied away from making sure justice is served, but now it will cost her dearly. On the run from the Coven with her former teacher Calpurnia, Courtney quickly learns just how sinister the witches and warlocks of Hillsborough can be—but she never thought she'd see the day when Uncle Aloysius turned on her as well. And it's much harder to fight a battle when the only family you care about stands against you. Courtney's only salvation lies in the Twilight Kingdom, where witches and wizards dare not enter. But Aloysius is no ordinary wizard, and he won't give up on his niece so easily... even if it means going to war with the night creatures.
Courtney Crumrin has never shied away from making sure justice is served, but now it will cost her dearly. On the run from the Coven with her former teacher Calpurnia, Courtney quickly learns just how sinister the witches and warlocks of Hillsborough can be—but she never thought she'd see the day when Uncle Aloysius turned on her as well. And it's much harder to fight a battle when the only family you care about stands against you. Courtney's only salvation lies in the Twilight Kingdom, where witches and wizards dare not enter. But Aloysius is no ordinary wizard, and he won't give up on his niece so easily... even if it means going to war with the night creatures.
156 pages, Hardcover
First published April 4, 2013
5 people are currently reading
381 people want to read
About the author
Ted Naifeh
203 books256 followersTed Naifeh is an American comic book writer and artist who gained notoriety for his illustrations in the goth romance comic Gloomcookie. Naifeh has since become most known as the creator of the Eisner-Award-nominated series Courtney Crumrin, published by Oni Press.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
September 4, 2015
Sada kada se sagleda cela prica u ovih 6 knjiga nema sta da se zalim. Odlicno. Kovoli magije i vestice a fan je i gotike neka obavezno overi ovaj serijal.
December 30, 2017
3.5
Perhaps not my favorite of the series, but it was a pretty decent finale and the ending was fitting. My only real complaint was that it felt rushed and I wanted more.
Really glad that
I also really liked the power found in Courtney's angsty poetry. Seems really fitting, and makes me think of my own forays into the field. ^_^
I'll definitely miss these characters and this series, but luckily I own all the pretty colored copies with their pretty hardback covers, so I'll be able to reread to my heart's content.
Perhaps not my favorite of the series, but it was a pretty decent finale and the ending was fitting. My only real complaint was that it felt rushed and I wanted more.
Really glad that
I also really liked the power found in Courtney's angsty poetry. Seems really fitting, and makes me think of my own forays into the field. ^_^
I'll definitely miss these characters and this series, but luckily I own all the pretty colored copies with their pretty hardback covers, so I'll be able to reread to my heart's content.
February 24, 2023
Courtney's story ends here. Loved the first four issues, but wasn't crazy about the last one (and the actual ending). Still, it's a formidable series and I have one more volume (prequel) to read.
August 22, 2014
An excellent ending to this wonderful series. Readers are in for a surprise with where Naifeh takes the story and gives us a splendidly satisfying ending. The art is as wonderful as can be expected and having now completed the series it makes me want to go back, read those earlier volumes and go through the entire series all together. A great treat to end this splendid series!
October 21, 2017
A somewhat melancholy, but fitting end to the series...
interesting quotes:
"Don't wait until you're on the run, or my age, before you realize you need friends." (p. 63)
"Usually, Courtney would rather rub sand in her eyes than go shopping with her mother." (p. 111)
"Inside my heart, there's a tangled forest full of secrets best left alone." (p. 122)
interesting quotes:
"Don't wait until you're on the run, or my age, before you realize you need friends." (p. 63)
"Usually, Courtney would rather rub sand in her eyes than go shopping with her mother." (p. 111)
"Inside my heart, there's a tangled forest full of secrets best left alone." (p. 122)
May 30, 2022
Well, I didn't want this series to end, but since it did, I must say it was a very satisfying ending to a great graphic novel series. I love it and plan to re-read it, so this will probably be a set I buy.
2022 reread: Wonderful ending to a wonderful series. Glad I decided to reread this year!
2022 reread: Wonderful ending to a wonderful series. Glad I decided to reread this year!
September 22, 2018
I need to read all of these books in succession to get the full effect of the ending. It had been too long since I read the last one. But I really enjoyed it.
May 1, 2023
A friend recommended this series based on our shared manga/comic phase that became her core genre. Deciding to pick them up when my concentration couldn’t tolerate reading for long (hello new baby!) was an amazing fit to still get my dose of fantasy and reading. Top marks for artistry, layered exploration of good intentions, and world/character development. Highly recommend for fans of fantasy and darker narratives of fairy tales young and not-as-young. Kept my interest throughout the series and would read more if they existed.
December 1, 2015
This volume ends the main story of Courtney Crumrin by basically burning everything down to the ground. Story plots from the entire series are pulled back in, and given extra meaning and value, as Courtney and Aloysius tangle with each other and the magic counsel, with massive world-impacting results. There is a fair bit of pathos and character-based events that pay off well, and I appreciate that Courtney is never really painted as the heroine; more she is a force of destruction pointed in a particular direction, and between her actions and those of the ones after her, lots of mayhem ensues.
This entire series is a good one, perfect for preteens and adults alike, and with value for each group. The art is consistently interesting, the world gothic and dark without resorting to cliches, and the story takes its own twists and turns. Definitely a good series to read and recommend.
This entire series is a good one, perfect for preteens and adults alike, and with value for each group. The art is consistently interesting, the world gothic and dark without resorting to cliches, and the story takes its own twists and turns. Definitely a good series to read and recommend.
June 18, 2018
Throughout this series, and especially in this grande finale I keep wishing I could be like Courtney. She's an incredible character and is so incredibly strong. Not to mention her awesome ability to use magic and interact with supernatural beings.
This is an incredible finish to an incredible series. There's awesome puppets, plot twists Miss Crisp being epic and, of course, Courtney being op. Every single comic has added tension to the story and made the reader care more and more about Courtney.
The ending is mind blowing to me, Aloysius and the Twilight Queen (not sure that's her name) were so cool...
I'm gonna miss this series, and if there ever is a continuation to Courtney's story I'll be overjoyed.
This is an incredible finish to an incredible series. There's awesome puppets, plot twists Miss Crisp being epic and, of course, Courtney being op. Every single comic has added tension to the story and made the reader care more and more about Courtney.
The ending is mind blowing to me, Aloysius and the Twilight Queen (not sure that's her name) were so cool...
I'm gonna miss this series, and if there ever is a continuation to Courtney's story I'll be overjoyed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 21, 2018
I don't want the series to end!
December 23, 2017
In the last book, Courtney is forced on the run to escape the clutches of the magical council and most surprisingly, her uncle. In this book, we follow Courtney's last journey in this topsy-turvy world.
I freakin' love, love, LOVE chase scenes. I'm not talking about like car chases, but when the main characters is doing their best to outrun the person chasing them, but they're on their tail every step of the way, forcing the runner to constantly dodge and weave and hide. So we have Courtney, who has proven over and over to be a smart girl, kicking ass and taking names, being forced to outrun her uncle, someone who is more powerful, smarter, and experienced than she is. It's soooooooo much fun to see Courtney taking smart risks, thinking her uncle won't follow.
The downside of this plot is, it falls into the whole "if you told me this plan beforehand, this wouldn't have happened" bull. If Aloysius had just sat Courtney down and be like, "I have a plan, here it is" then all this drama wouldn't have happened. And while I didn't mind the "twist" ending, I would've liked more foreshadowing, more buildup to it. I'm also disappointed to see all the development made with Courtney's father was thrown out the window, and the author just made him into a clueless idiot again. *sigh*
Still, I really enjoyed this book, and the visuals were just as amazing as before.
I freakin' love, love, LOVE chase scenes. I'm not talking about like car chases, but when the main characters is doing their best to outrun the person chasing them, but they're on their tail every step of the way, forcing the runner to constantly dodge and weave and hide. So we have Courtney, who has proven over and over to be a smart girl, kicking ass and taking names, being forced to outrun her uncle, someone who is more powerful, smarter, and experienced than she is. It's soooooooo much fun to see Courtney taking smart risks, thinking her uncle won't follow.
The downside of this plot is, it falls into the whole "if you told me this plan beforehand, this wouldn't have happened" bull. If Aloysius had just sat Courtney down and be like, "I have a plan, here it is" then all this drama wouldn't have happened. And while I didn't mind the "twist" ending, I would've liked more foreshadowing, more buildup to it. I'm also disappointed to see all the development made with Courtney's father was thrown out the window, and the author just made him into a clueless idiot again. *sigh*
Still, I really enjoyed this book, and the visuals were just as amazing as before.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 18, 2025
LOVED IT!
It was so interesting learning about Aloysius and his brother! I imagine this is how he originally became connected to the Night Things!
Also, this volume was incredibly interesting as we find out there aresorcer hunters and the council wants Courtney as she has made some questionable and dangerous actions with her magic such as previously putting a spell on her classmates, putting more than onone classmates in danger from the night things, summoning an evil and lethal hobgoblin.
They enlist Aloysius to retrieve her for a trial in exchange for a magical vial that will help his heart and prolong his life.
Poor Courtney, believes her Uncle has turned against her, and that no one will help her, but Ms. Crisp her former magic tutor and teacher comes to her aid as a very powerful witch!
Courtney herself is also extremely powerful and picks up a new thing or two from Ms. Crisp.
Bonus!
We meet a Baba Yaga-like character when Courtney runs away from Aloysius and everything she knows!
The ending WILL surprise you! But I won’t spoil hating, as I’ve already said enough.
It was so interesting learning about Aloysius and his brother! I imagine this is how he originally became connected to the Night Things!
Also, this volume was incredibly interesting as we find out there aresorcer hunters and the council wants Courtney as she has made some questionable and dangerous actions with her magic such as previously putting a spell on her classmates, putting more than onone classmates in danger from the night things, summoning an evil and lethal hobgoblin.
They enlist Aloysius to retrieve her for a trial in exchange for a magical vial that will help his heart and prolong his life.
Poor Courtney, believes her Uncle has turned against her, and that no one will help her, but Ms. Crisp her former magic tutor and teacher comes to her aid as a very powerful witch!
Courtney herself is also extremely powerful and picks up a new thing or two from Ms. Crisp.
Bonus!
We meet a Baba Yaga-like character when Courtney runs away from Aloysius and everything she knows!
The ending WILL surprise you! But I won’t spoil hating, as I’ve already said enough.
April 28, 2018
Well, I'm not entirely sure how I feel about all this. First, while this is technically book 6 of 7, it's the last of the Courtney Crumrin series. This is the book that wraps up all the loose ends, and gives the rest of the series a sense of finality. Courtney is the last witch in town. Ms. Crisp returns, but without her memories, as her mind has been cleared. Uncle A. sort of dies, sort of pulls a King Arthur and disappears into the world of the fairies. And his long-lost brother returns to the world of the light as Courtney's brother, Wilberforce.
I wasn't entirely satisfied with the outcome. I mean, it was a good read, but I was expecting a little more, I think. I guess I didn't like that they tried to focus an ending to the series, all wrapped up in one final book. I would have liked to keep reading, or at least for the world to have been left more open-ended. Even if the books stopped, I would have liked to think that Courtney's adventures with Uncle A. would continue.
I wasn't entirely satisfied with the outcome. I mean, it was a good read, but I was expecting a little more, I think. I guess I didn't like that they tried to focus an ending to the series, all wrapped up in one final book. I would have liked to keep reading, or at least for the world to have been left more open-ended. Even if the books stopped, I would have liked to think that Courtney's adventures with Uncle A. would continue.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 3, 2021
While Courtney Crumrin is a flawed story it's also a nice and heartwarming trip into a very creative mind. It captures the same love and touch for background detail that you could find in any movie by Guillermo del Toro.
Sometimes you got to let yourself go and love something for what it is. I should do that more often, especially in these weird times we're living in where everything is self-aware and concept based.
And that's the thing about Courtney Crumrin, it's filled with love and honesty, even if those don't lead to any dramatic revelations on human nature or the medium, or any of that other bullshit. It's not a monumental work, nor is trying to be. But for children? It's far from average. A lot of the field is missing of what makes this little underrated comic book series so special.
It's a buildungsroman with a Gothic aesthetic in the vein of Coraline with deeper touches of fantasy, and less metaphoric. What's there not to like? As a kid I would have loved this, hard.
Sometimes you got to let yourself go and love something for what it is. I should do that more often, especially in these weird times we're living in where everything is self-aware and concept based.
And that's the thing about Courtney Crumrin, it's filled with love and honesty, even if those don't lead to any dramatic revelations on human nature or the medium, or any of that other bullshit. It's not a monumental work, nor is trying to be. But for children? It's far from average. A lot of the field is missing of what makes this little underrated comic book series so special.
It's a buildungsroman with a Gothic aesthetic in the vein of Coraline with deeper touches of fantasy, and less metaphoric. What's there not to like? As a kid I would have loved this, hard.
September 27, 2020
This final volume of Courtney's story is beautiful and horrible and just plain tragic. I love that, despite the Council wiping Courtney's memories and magic, Courtney found her own magic, and that justice was dealt. I'm so glad Uncle Aloysius redeemed himself. In a lot of ways I feel sorry for Courtney, though. She's no longer alone (she gains a brother), but she is going away from the world of magic, a world she fit better into. I'd like to think she'd eventually come back to Hillsborough, when she was older. Maybe she'd see Aloysius again, and have some closure.
September 18, 2024
With only Calpurnia at her side, Courtney is on the run from the Coven and Uncle Aloysius, knowing that their plans for her could result in magic running amok - but when she seeks asylum in the realm of Fae, the balance of power sways dangerously close to destroying them all. Naifeh and Wucinich keep the action quick and emotions high in this exciting finale, a stunning and climactic adventure that will leave fans gasping until its finale twist. Could this be the end of Courtney's life of magic - and will it cost her more than just her life?
December 18, 2024
This is the sixth and final installment in the Courtney Crumrin series, and it is a fitting conclusion to Naifeh's story. Everything is brought to a satisfying resolve, and, as far as I can tell, the loose ends get tied up. Naifeh's artwork is great too, with clear and concise drawings, and the limited use of the colour palette contributing to the volume's Gothic feel.
July 12, 2025
IM FUCKING SOBBING!!!!! This whole series has been amazing and I’ve loved reading every book, but holy shit was this a perfect end. Nothing felt rushed, I didn’t feel robbed, but it wasn’t too “let’s put a pink bow on it”. It was truly a perfect ending. Courtney, Uncle A, the history behind Hillsborough, EVERYTHING!
November 29, 2025
The local witches think they finally have the upper hand and take on Aloysius and Courtney in their attempt to allow magic use at all times and places. Courtney is aided in a dramatic getaway, but in the end is captured and stands trial. Is this the end of Courtney's magic? A fun ending to the series.
September 1, 2018
The story and the ending were good. I actually teared up a bit.
I have mixed feelings about the artwork, and though I am glad I read it, it is not a series I'd be likely to read again. That being said, I might recommend it to teens (especially younger teens) who like magic.
I have mixed feelings about the artwork, and though I am glad I read it, it is not a series I'd be likely to read again. That being said, I might recommend it to teens (especially younger teens) who like magic.
December 3, 2017
This was not my favorite installment. I am glad that I made it all the way through.
November 22, 2019
Beautiful ending.
October 14, 2020
Lots of action! This was a really good, and really wrapped things up nicely at the end. I’ve overall enjoyed this series.
February 22, 2021
Wonderful
August 25, 2021
Excellent conclusion to the first arc.
December 27, 2023
Wow - this could have been double or triple the length! So many ideas packed into this resolution volume. Really glad I read this series.
May 25, 2024
And just like that it’s over
July 30, 2025
This was an interesting series, but as a finale the ending felt rather lackluster and yet simultaneously chaotic. I know there a follow series, but I just wanted a bit more depth for the finale.
July 26, 2014
Say It Ain't So, Ted
This is the sixth and final volume in the Courtney Crumrin story, and it has been a fine ride. Volume 1, which introduced us to Courtney, Great-Uncle Aloysius and Hillsborough, remains my favorite volume, but I am happy to report that at least for me this sixth volume constituted a coherent, surprising and fitting end to the Crumrin saga.
NO SPOILERS. The blurbs on the book jacket do a fair job of touching on the plot high points. I would just add that many loose ends are tied up, the most tormented characters achieve closure, and the story arcs that have run through the entire series are all addressed.
MAJOR MOOD SPOILER. Some of the previous volumes have left us with a melancholy and despairing Courtney. Necessary for dramatic tension and development I guess. This volume leaves us with a triumphant Courtney, at least for now, and given all of her doubts and travails I am happy with that fitting conclusion.
So, if you have followed the series this far this is, necessarily, required reading. If you are new to Courtney Crumrin I suppose it would be possible to follow most of what is going on, and would certainly be possible to follow some of the set pieces of action, but this doesn't really seem like the right place to begin.
For what it's worth, there is nothing that happens to Courtney in this volume that absolutely slams the door on more appearances by our favorite caustic witch, and so there is some chance that we may see her again. Here's hoping.
Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
This is the sixth and final volume in the Courtney Crumrin story, and it has been a fine ride. Volume 1, which introduced us to Courtney, Great-Uncle Aloysius and Hillsborough, remains my favorite volume, but I am happy to report that at least for me this sixth volume constituted a coherent, surprising and fitting end to the Crumrin saga.
NO SPOILERS. The blurbs on the book jacket do a fair job of touching on the plot high points. I would just add that many loose ends are tied up, the most tormented characters achieve closure, and the story arcs that have run through the entire series are all addressed.
MAJOR MOOD SPOILER. Some of the previous volumes have left us with a melancholy and despairing Courtney. Necessary for dramatic tension and development I guess. This volume leaves us with a triumphant Courtney, at least for now, and given all of her doubts and travails I am happy with that fitting conclusion.
So, if you have followed the series this far this is, necessarily, required reading. If you are new to Courtney Crumrin I suppose it would be possible to follow most of what is going on, and would certainly be possible to follow some of the set pieces of action, but this doesn't really seem like the right place to begin.
For what it's worth, there is nothing that happens to Courtney in this volume that absolutely slams the door on more appearances by our favorite caustic witch, and so there is some chance that we may see her again. Here's hoping.
Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews