What do you think?
Rate this book
Witch Child
After witnessing the hanging of Goody Glover, young Rachel Gray believes that the old witch has taken possession of her.
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
208 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 20, 2022
"Truth sometimes holds the least compassion. When so, silence is the better."
Recently I’ve read Paperbacks from Hell by Grady Hendrix. It made me reminisce about the superior horror novels that have sat in my collection for a long time. They’ve been sitting there staring at me, begging me to read them for the first time or once again. I decided enough was enough and I dusted off this ol’ beauty to read.
I decided to go with Witch Child as my first paperback horror book and it did not disappoint. The cover is creepy and the story fits right in. It started off bone-chilling and ended in a surprising way. This book was so good and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The story was intriguing and I couldn’t put it down. Fantastic and creepy all the way through.
"Slit your throat! Slit your throat! Slit your throat with a knife from the kitchen!"
Recently I’ve read Paperbacks from Hell by Grady Hendrix. It made me reminisce about the superior horror novels that have sat in my collection for a long time. They’ve been sitting there staring at me, begging me to read them for the first time or once again. I decided enough was enough and I dusted off this ol’ beauty to read.
I decided to go with Witch Child as my first paperback horror book and it did not disappoint. The cover is creepy and the story fits right in. It started off bone-chilling and ended in a surprising way. This book was so good and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The story was intriguing and I couldn’t put it down. Fantastic and creepy all the way through.
"Slit your throat! Slit your throat! Slit your throat with a knife from the kitchen!"
July 17, 2023
This was a 5/5 read the entire way through. Author Elizabeth Lloyd tells the story through diary entries from our 12-year-old main character Rachel, and this was a fun and creative, super effective way to tell this story. Hearing first-hand depictions of child rape and molestation, public humiliation, sexual development, executions, demonic possession and legal disputes (both civil and criminal) is pretty wild and for that reason, I think this book should be applauded for being majorly ahead of its time. There were some minor flaws (such as two historical inaccuracies that were hard to get past and one or two other really small complaints), but overall this was just about perfect. This book is absolutely incredible the entire way through, and I highly recommend it to any horror fan.
March 10, 2026
I had NO idea that this was going to be this good!
Check out my video review of this book here:
https://youtu.be/N5WZR4Cr0SU?si=-SVwd...
I have had this and it's sequel; "Witch Daughter" since they were published in the 1980's and never even tried to read them.....that was until now. Why did I wait so long you ask? I could NOT get into the dialect of the 1600's New England (Salem, Massachusetts), as it was hard to figure out what this author was saying. That being said, this book is written in the form of a young teenaged girl who is being persecuted, tried and tortured for supposedly being a witch. It could easily be called the "Go Ask Alice" diary in Horror form! The book took me weeks, yes weeks to read, but it was so interesting, creepy and disturbing that I just had to finish to see where it was going. Let me tell you that there is one of if NOT the most scary scene in the bedroom rafters above the girls bed that you will NEVER forget! Cannot wait to get into "Witch Daughter". Highly recommended IF you can find a copy, read it.
5 Broomsticks
Check out my video review of this book here:
https://youtu.be/N5WZR4Cr0SU?si=-SVwd...
I have had this and it's sequel; "Witch Daughter" since they were published in the 1980's and never even tried to read them.....that was until now. Why did I wait so long you ask? I could NOT get into the dialect of the 1600's New England (Salem, Massachusetts), as it was hard to figure out what this author was saying. That being said, this book is written in the form of a young teenaged girl who is being persecuted, tried and tortured for supposedly being a witch. It could easily be called the "Go Ask Alice" diary in Horror form! The book took me weeks, yes weeks to read, but it was so interesting, creepy and disturbing that I just had to finish to see where it was going. Let me tell you that there is one of if NOT the most scary scene in the bedroom rafters above the girls bed that you will NEVER forget! Cannot wait to get into "Witch Daughter". Highly recommended IF you can find a copy, read it.
5 Broomsticks
July 31, 2013
I read this book 23 years ago, as a teenager, and it has stuck with me ever since. I still keep it on my bookshelf. I'll never forget the bedroom scene with the witch in the rafters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 1, 2022
Witch Child, by Elizabeth Lloyd, is comprised of twelve year old Rebecca's short diary entries as she contends with her family, her friends, her crush, and the nightmarish visions of a dead witch that plague her.
It's actually not the horror/thriller I expected it to be, it's more an exploration of what it was like to be growing up during the Salem witch trials. There is some dread from the reader, since poor Rebecca's fate is clear to us from the first chapter. That is not to say the book is free of surprises and twists, but it's not really...a horror.
I found it entertaining and it was a breeze to read. It's worth the afternoon or two it takes to read if this time period/location appeals to you. 3.5/5.
It's actually not the horror/thriller I expected it to be, it's more an exploration of what it was like to be growing up during the Salem witch trials. There is some dread from the reader, since poor Rebecca's fate is clear to us from the first chapter. That is not to say the book is free of surprises and twists, but it's not really...a horror.
I found it entertaining and it was a breeze to read. It's worth the afternoon or two it takes to read if this time period/location appeals to you. 3.5/5.
February 4, 2023
This was super disappointing. I couldn't stand the writing and it was a slog to get through. I do love my vintage Zebra paperback, though.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews