Hagwitch

by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick

London 1596. London 2010.

Two lives, four centuries apart, but with a dark secret that ties them together.

It's summer, and the vibrant world of the theatre barge is coming to life. It's Lally's world and the only one she's ever known. But when her father pulls an ancient piece of wood from the canal and fashions it into a puppet, strange things begin to happen. Soon Lally starts to wonder whether there is something sinister about the wooden doll - could she be connected to the mysterious hagwitch?

A gripping tale of myth, magic and the secret world of the theatre.

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Historical Fiction

272 pages, Paperback

First published March 21, 2013

About the author

I am an illustrator and a writer. I create picturebooks for kids and write novels – middle grade and YA. I love to travel but, so far, my books have travelled more than me - they've been translated into many languages, including Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Persian and Finish.

I'm Irish, a Dubliner, born, bred and buttered. I run on coffee and chocolate. My most recent novel, On Midnight Beach, is a YA reimagining of the legend of Cúchulainn, and it has been shortlisted for several awards, including the 2021 Carnegie Medal.

Reviews

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hagwitch is set in the 16th Century London and modern day London, written from the perspective of Lally McBride, a thirteen-year-old girl who lives with her dad and friends on a travelling puppet theatre barge in 2010 and Flea Nettleworth, apprentice to a playwright in 1596. The story revolves around a mysterious Hawthorne truck that Lally finds in the Canal in 2010 and the same trunk that is brought into the house were Flea is an apprentice in 1596. Cutting down a Hawthorne tree and bringing it into a house is supposed to be bad luck and is linked to fairies and witches. In both centuries, the Hawthorn trunk starts causing darkness and strangeness in people connected to it.

I really enjoyed Hagwitch. First of the cover is beautiful, I absolutely love the cover! The colours are beautiful and I would pick it up if I saw it on a bookshelf. Secondly, the story captivated me. It has a great setting of a travelling puppet theatre on a barge switching back forth between it and 16th century London, in the world of theatre, where Shakespeare was putting on plays and men took on the roles of men and woman in plays. It had myth and magic, of tales of witches and fairies. It also had interesting characters in both centuries.

Hagwitchis a tale of myth, magic and darkness but underneath it all the female protagonist Lally is a young girl, growing up and discovering who she is, seeing her relationships with people change and staring to like boys like any young girl, it is a tale of growing up and changing mixed with an intriguing and fascinating tale of myth and has a creepy darkness underlying it.

Hagwitch is a great read, I recommend it to anyone who loves a good read of myth and magic, and a story that also gives you chills J

Note- I found it hard to pinpoint an age group for this book. I would say 10-15 years but I enjoyed the book and am 24 years old :)

[Siobhan Leahy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A witch within a lump of hawthorn wood. Well I think that just about sums up why I read this!!!!!!! You can't tell me something like that and expect me not to read it.

[Emy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book last year and it was an awesome book. At times it was a bit spooky, when Lally's father was being hurt, by a puppet he made out of a dark-Magic piece of wood. This book also went back to the 16th century when the same piece of wood did the same thing. I would recommend this to girls who are 10+ or depending how scared people get about fantasy and dark magic. Overall a very good book, I rate this 5 stars!

[Amélie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not exactly what I expected. I found the pacing a bit too slow, it takes a while for the story to properly start. The characters were likeable, but not unforgettable, as was the plot. The most unrealistic part being a 13-year-old French boy with near-perfect English XD

[Ness Swan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book. really gripping. I can hardley put it down. Finished the book and i loved it.. i didnt want it to end. The story really drew me in i really felt like i was there with the people in the book. I loved how it switched from 1 time to another amd made them both kind of come together.

[Weasel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read, but not amazing - preferred the modern side, as there is more to it, the older side didn't flow so well.

[Gecko Girl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is really underrated. Recommend highly.

[sonataiscool · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting and unique dual- perspective story about puppets, family , theatre and cursed wood , with elements of Irish folklore .

[clair mcmillan · Rating 5 out of 5]

absolutely loved this book

[Beth Kemp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mystery and folklore in a theatrical setting for readers of 10+
This novel snagged my attention quickly and kept me entranced. It's spot on for the older child/younger teen reader and offers them a thrilling story, with enough challenge in the structure to keep them interested without turning them off, and brilliant characters to engage with.

Using a dual narrative to present the weird and creepy hagwitch lore in two separate timeframes, the structure has plenty of interest of its own. With just the right amount of danger and creepiness for the target age group, the novel also explores identity and being an outsider in a gentle and subtle way. I loved both Lally and Flea, each slightly awkward in their own ways. Both are trying to figure out where they belong, while also battling with the knowledge that something isn't right and the adults around them need their help to first notice and then solve the problem. Lally, living on a canal boat in an unconventional family, is modern and yet isolated - she doesn't go to school, have friends her own age or use the internet. Flea, a sixteenth-century apprentice is a country boy in London, often out of place and somewhat naive.

The settings are fabulous. London is a well-used setting, but offering a sixteenth century theatre-based setting to contrast with a contemporary timeline featuring a canal barge running a marionette theatre made it fresh and exciting. I'm sure many child readers would recognise some of the details about sixteenth century theatre from learning about Shakespeare (who does get a mention) and the Tudors, and that this would enhance their enjoyment. The puppet barge (based apparently on a real Puppet Theatre Barge) gives a quirky twist to the contemporary plotline.

The core mystery of the hagwitch, drawing on folklore around the hawthorn and bird lore (crows and jackdaws especially), is inventive and enticing. The story as a whole feels highly original and exciting, skilfully weaving folklore elements into both a historical and a contemporary plot.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this for many types of reader, successfully combining historical, fantasy and contemporary elements as this novel does.

[Fiona Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the way the book described the life style of the puppet troop living off the barges on the channel that run through England. I found the story seem to be hard to get moving till page 100. Even though the dairy entries from pass was interesting it seem to be another story with very little to link it with the story apart from the witch. This part could have been left out in my opinion and more likes with myths and legends that the books was basing the story on.

[Eshaleena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love it! Although it was kinda slow at the beginning, but it gets interesting as I read. What makes this book great is because its story differ from other witch related stories. Folklore and myth and puppets and Hawthorne. All of it being put together perfectly.

[Jeannette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable, slightly disappointing ending, interesting metaphor for the creative process. Read my full review here: http://www.jetowey.com/2013/03/hagwit...

[Pat Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. The setting, a travelling puppet theatre on pair of canal barges, is wonderful and very different. Can't recommend it highly enough.

[MelD · Rating 4 out of 5]

The kids would have rated this book a 5 except that 8yo Aoife lost track of the plot sometimes.

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a good starting place for this kind of discussion. A smart, gentle book, full of heart and heavily tied into Irish themes.