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La Sorcière Oubliée
Traquée, Béa ne sait plus à qui faire confiance, ni où elle est en sécurité. Elle a des visions étranges, entend des voix... et se découvre un pouvoir très rare, celui d'invoquer les esprits. Lars, le mystérieux, le séduisant skateur avec qui elle s'est entraînée pendant l'été, connaît son secret et la prend au piège d'une relation toxique. Manipulée, elle se met à douter de tout -sauf des conséquences de ses actes.
336 pages, Paperback
First published August 2, 2018
16 people are currently reading
509 people want to read
About the author
Melvin Burgess
92 books435 followersMelvin Burgess is a British author of children's fiction. His first book, The Cry of the Wolf, was published in 1990. He gained a certain amount of notoriety in 1996 with the publication of Junk, which was published in the shadow of the film of Irvine Welsh's Trainspotting, and dealt with the trendy and controversial idea of heroin-addicted teenagers. Junk soon became, at least in Britain, one of the best-known children's books of the decade.
Burgess again courted predictable controversy in 2003, with the publication of Doing It, which dealt with underage sex. America created a show based on the book, Life As We Know It. In his other books, such as Bloodtide and The Ghost Behind the Wall, Burgess has dealt with less realist and sometimes fantastic themes. In 2001 Burgess wrote the novelisation of the film Billy Elliot, based on Lee Hall's screenplay. Polyphony is typical for his most famous novels.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/melvin...
Burgess again courted predictable controversy in 2003, with the publication of Doing It, which dealt with underage sex. America created a show based on the book, Life As We Know It. In his other books, such as Bloodtide and The Ghost Behind the Wall, Burgess has dealt with less realist and sometimes fantastic themes. In 2001 Burgess wrote the novelisation of the film Billy Elliot, based on Lee Hall's screenplay. Polyphony is typical for his most famous novels.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/melvin...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
August 31, 2018
This book is wrong. It condones victim blaming, goes on about rape, grooming and emotional abuse but there is no redemption, no love. It is just dark and Bea has to stand trial for things she did while kidnapped and brain washed.
The writing is too slow, a lot of tell and little show. But when something important happens then it is extremely rushed.
Some areas that made me incredibly angry, is that they insist she's this great witch but has to leave her family. She's 13! You can't do this to her or her family!
Then she ends up with Lars, who rapes her and grooms her for two years, lying to her. And she starts killing witches. I mean the witches know she can do this, so why not look for her when she disappears? Instead they just save her Dad. They don't ever bother to take the brother who is a toddler and may have magic too and be powerful (no wonder the witches are loosing the battle, they're useless and lack a brain)
The rape is one of those things that go super fast but have a full chapter description of how he enchants her and she has no choice.
Once she isn't with Lars and returns to witches, they put her on trial! She has to pay, no one accepts she is a victim but rather blame her (no responsibility from the witches who got her in this trouble). They decide to make her go through a painful. Horrible trial full of blaming and guilt. And they tell her she can't forgive herself ever.
No, no, no! This is wrong in so many levels. And sending this message to teens is not okay. If you're a victim. It isn't your fault!
Then there is the mother's spirit who loves her but hurts her. This is what an abuser says. Again, big no!
And there is no good ending. There is no "thus are big issues, I wrote this because of x." no "if this is you or someone you know, contact here". It just ends suddenly without hope, help, redemption or anything.
The writing is too slow, a lot of tell and little show. But when something important happens then it is extremely rushed.
Some areas that made me incredibly angry, is that they insist she's this great witch but has to leave her family. She's 13! You can't do this to her or her family!
Then she ends up with Lars, who rapes her and grooms her for two years, lying to her. And she starts killing witches. I mean the witches know she can do this, so why not look for her when she disappears? Instead they just save her Dad. They don't ever bother to take the brother who is a toddler and may have magic too and be powerful (no wonder the witches are loosing the battle, they're useless and lack a brain)
The rape is one of those things that go super fast but have a full chapter description of how he enchants her and she has no choice.
Once she isn't with Lars and returns to witches, they put her on trial! She has to pay, no one accepts she is a victim but rather blame her (no responsibility from the witches who got her in this trouble). They decide to make her go through a painful. Horrible trial full of blaming and guilt. And they tell her she can't forgive herself ever.
No, no, no! This is wrong in so many levels. And sending this message to teens is not okay. If you're a victim. It isn't your fault!
Then there is the mother's spirit who loves her but hurts her. This is what an abuser says. Again, big no!
And there is no good ending. There is no "thus are big issues, I wrote this because of x." no "if this is you or someone you know, contact here". It just ends suddenly without hope, help, redemption or anything.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 30, 2018
I think this is the first book I got in a bookbox that actually disappointed me a lot. Although, I'm not sure if I was expecting much to begin with, as I had never heard of the book or author before.
Let me start with telling you that this was an easy and quick read. Let me also tell you that the individual elements of the story were also not bad at all. I really loved the idea of all those witches having different and unique powers and I loved the idea of a war where witches are slowly going extinct and the witchy world becomes invisible for humans. I also loved the darkness this book explored, the price of war it showed us, the many cruel weapons that are used in nasty fights we were confronted with.
But, and this is where it starts, there were a lot of buts for me too. The first but is that the writing style is not really my thing. I constantly had the feeling as if I was watching the news or reading the newspaper. As if I was looking at it from a distance, reading an objective point of view. It was as if what happened wasn't meant to touch me or make it into my heart. I could understand how horrible the things I read were, but not once did I actually FEEL how horrible those things all were.
The second but is that a lot of key moments, important plot points, really go by so incredibly fast that you barely notice that something important has happened. I had a few times where I had to read back a few paragraphs because I realized something big had happened and I had absolutely, totally missed it. Therefore the impact of those big events on me as a person was like non-existent.
And then there is the main character Bea. I can totally keep in mind that she's really young. I can't hate her, can't dislike her, can't judge her. But whenever her emotions are described it's like they tell me how she feels, but it's never really shown and therefore I don't feel like I can make a connection with her. She becomes that one girl you hear about, but not the girl you really get to know. And that was basically the case with most characters, for me. I know what they can do, but I never get the feeling I know who they are.
So, once again, this feels like a book with loads of potential and interesting elements, but it's executed in a way that doesn't work for me personally and therefore I'm pretty sure I'll completely forget about this book in a week or two.
Let me start with telling you that this was an easy and quick read. Let me also tell you that the individual elements of the story were also not bad at all. I really loved the idea of all those witches having different and unique powers and I loved the idea of a war where witches are slowly going extinct and the witchy world becomes invisible for humans. I also loved the darkness this book explored, the price of war it showed us, the many cruel weapons that are used in nasty fights we were confronted with.
But, and this is where it starts, there were a lot of buts for me too. The first but is that the writing style is not really my thing. I constantly had the feeling as if I was watching the news or reading the newspaper. As if I was looking at it from a distance, reading an objective point of view. It was as if what happened wasn't meant to touch me or make it into my heart. I could understand how horrible the things I read were, but not once did I actually FEEL how horrible those things all were.
The second but is that a lot of key moments, important plot points, really go by so incredibly fast that you barely notice that something important has happened. I had a few times where I had to read back a few paragraphs because I realized something big had happened and I had absolutely, totally missed it. Therefore the impact of those big events on me as a person was like non-existent.
And then there is the main character Bea. I can totally keep in mind that she's really young. I can't hate her, can't dislike her, can't judge her. But whenever her emotions are described it's like they tell me how she feels, but it's never really shown and therefore I don't feel like I can make a connection with her. She becomes that one girl you hear about, but not the girl you really get to know. And that was basically the case with most characters, for me. I know what they can do, but I never get the feeling I know who they are.
So, once again, this feels like a book with loads of potential and interesting elements, but it's executed in a way that doesn't work for me personally and therefore I'm pretty sure I'll completely forget about this book in a week or two.
May 11, 2024
Well this was a confusing read. On one hand it was poorly written in chunks. Mostly when characters are talking between themselves. The context was graphic in part and for the ages of the characters it was a little shocking. I am reading from other reviews tho that this author is known for this.
This is my first book by this Author, although I have seen the film Billy Elliot. Its hard for me to imagine it being produced by the same Author.
Anyway, the other parts of the story outwith this I found quite good. They were intriguing and it did have me wanting to find out more. When the plot was thick with witchy elements and the scene setting was on point it was actually a decent read.
Shame it just failed on so many parts throughout. The last quarter of the book was good so it did make up for it.
I am glad I read it tho to be fair. I did enjoy regardless.
This is my first book by this Author, although I have seen the film Billy Elliot. Its hard for me to imagine it being produced by the same Author.
Anyway, the other parts of the story outwith this I found quite good. They were intriguing and it did have me wanting to find out more. When the plot was thick with witchy elements and the scene setting was on point it was actually a decent read.
Shame it just failed on so many parts throughout. The last quarter of the book was good so it did make up for it.
I am glad I read it tho to be fair. I did enjoy regardless.
August 6, 2018
'The Lost Witch' by Melvin Burgess was a let down.
Synopsis: After an eventful night on the moors with her family, Bea is able to see and hear things that no one else can. Soon a girl starts talking to her, telling her she is special; Bea is a witch. Not only that, she's in grave danger from The Hunt, a group who seek to eradicate all witches. The girl tells her to leave her family, for their safety and hers but can Bea really leave the only life she's ever known behind?
This review is going to be harsh. It's my first Burgess novel and it is also the last. I found this book very difficult to get into and I blame the scattiness of the prose. There were so many unnecessary sentences and exclamation marks that I was half confused the entire length of the story. Some parts where explained in length, and others (probably important parts) where glossed over with only a sentence or two. How am I supposed to connect with the story if I physically struggle to even read/understand it?
I didn't like any of the characters in this book. I found Bea so naive and just stupid that I wanted to smack her. Her personality and strength of mind doesn't change at all. She may as well have been a talking plank of wood. None of the other characters are even worth mentioning. Also, was Burgess high when he wrote this? There were so many scenes that where kinda f*cked up and just downright bloody weird. The man with two faces for instance. His face can travel along his whole body. WTF.
This was 100% a cover buy and it's gone terribly wrong. It wasn't at all what I was expecting and I'm actually upset about it. I wanted more mystery and more spells. I wanted things to be developed more. I wanted a MC who had a brain and functioning heart. The one thing I can say, is that there is a lot of creative imagery in this but I feel like I should commend whatever narcotics Burgess was using instead of the author himself. I know this is a brutal review but I really didn't like it.
"If you want to be yourself, you must join us. You must put away everything you know, everyone you love, and you must follow us."
Synopsis: After an eventful night on the moors with her family, Bea is able to see and hear things that no one else can. Soon a girl starts talking to her, telling her she is special; Bea is a witch. Not only that, she's in grave danger from The Hunt, a group who seek to eradicate all witches. The girl tells her to leave her family, for their safety and hers but can Bea really leave the only life she's ever known behind?
This review is going to be harsh. It's my first Burgess novel and it is also the last. I found this book very difficult to get into and I blame the scattiness of the prose. There were so many unnecessary sentences and exclamation marks that I was half confused the entire length of the story. Some parts where explained in length, and others (probably important parts) where glossed over with only a sentence or two. How am I supposed to connect with the story if I physically struggle to even read/understand it?
I didn't like any of the characters in this book. I found Bea so naive and just stupid that I wanted to smack her. Her personality and strength of mind doesn't change at all. She may as well have been a talking plank of wood. None of the other characters are even worth mentioning. Also, was Burgess high when he wrote this? There were so many scenes that where kinda f*cked up and just downright bloody weird. The man with two faces for instance. His face can travel along his whole body. WTF.
This was 100% a cover buy and it's gone terribly wrong. It wasn't at all what I was expecting and I'm actually upset about it. I wanted more mystery and more spells. I wanted things to be developed more. I wanted a MC who had a brain and functioning heart. The one thing I can say, is that there is a lot of creative imagery in this but I feel like I should commend whatever narcotics Burgess was using instead of the author himself. I know this is a brutal review but I really didn't like it.
"If you want to be yourself, you must join us. You must put away everything you know, everyone you love, and you must follow us."
August 17, 2023
Gritty and unusual, with shades of Norse mythology, ancient witchcraft, modern teen angst, just so much knotted together so intricately that it took my breath away!
Bea finds out she's a witch due to a strange incident on a rainy road that her parents seem to laugh off and forget about, but she can't. Now conflicted by the welter of information, the warnings, the strange visions, given to her by the small family of witches that are the first to recognize her, and traumatized by her parents' insistence that she is mentally ill, Bea is truly alone. She is taken advantage of, held hostage, manipulated, and abused, by those who covet her power and those who don't understand it.
I won't lie: a lot of this isn't easy to read. It's definitely for older teens, even though Bea starts out as a naive 13yo. This is also probably the first time that I've ever actively hated a coven of good witches. I think everyone was awful, and I cheered when Bea finally stood up for herself. But that's what made it so realistic to me: no one, even the powerful witches, had all the answers. Everyone was selfish, everyone made mistakes. People, even witches, can be assholes.
Bea finds out she's a witch due to a strange incident on a rainy road that her parents seem to laugh off and forget about, but she can't. Now conflicted by the welter of information, the warnings, the strange visions, given to her by the small family of witches that are the first to recognize her, and traumatized by her parents' insistence that she is mentally ill, Bea is truly alone. She is taken advantage of, held hostage, manipulated, and abused, by those who covet her power and those who don't understand it.
I won't lie: a lot of this isn't easy to read. It's definitely for older teens, even though Bea starts out as a naive 13yo. This is also probably the first time that I've ever actively hated a coven of good witches. I think everyone was awful, and I cheered when Bea finally stood up for herself. But that's what made it so realistic to me: no one, even the powerful witches, had all the answers. Everyone was selfish, everyone made mistakes. People, even witches, can be assholes.
August 19, 2018
I DNF this book around 53% as it was awful.
Well.
This book sucked. It sucked so much that I did something that I have only ever done once with a book.
I DNF’d. I couldn’t do it. I managed about 53% before I had to throw the towel in and accept that this book was not going to get any better.
So, let me dive into some of the reasons why I had to put this book down.
The writing was childish, making unbearable to read.
The main character, whose name I have forgotten as she wasn’t memorable, was the worst. Dull, boring, pretty much a piece of wood.
THE WORLDBUILDING SUCKED. There was no development. You are thrust into it from the moment you start reading. HATE THIS SO MUCH.
Main character pretty much finds out from the very beginning she’s a witch and she’s just like, “Ah no, okay cool I’ll deal with it” !?!?!?!? WHAT.
A 17-year-old boy is coming onto her and I swear she’s only 13!? Sorry, no thanks.
The plot felt rushed and all over the place.
I probably could think of tons more but I think you get the picture. The book felt rushed and the thought process behind it felt as if it lacked any real planning.
I NEVER WANT TO SEE THIS BOOK AGAIN. Unfortunately I had to give this book a 1/5* on Goodreads but in my opinion, it’s a -10000000000.
Well.
This book sucked. It sucked so much that I did something that I have only ever done once with a book.
I DNF’d. I couldn’t do it. I managed about 53% before I had to throw the towel in and accept that this book was not going to get any better.
So, let me dive into some of the reasons why I had to put this book down.
The writing was childish, making unbearable to read.
The main character, whose name I have forgotten as she wasn’t memorable, was the worst. Dull, boring, pretty much a piece of wood.
THE WORLDBUILDING SUCKED. There was no development. You are thrust into it from the moment you start reading. HATE THIS SO MUCH.
Main character pretty much finds out from the very beginning she’s a witch and she’s just like, “Ah no, okay cool I’ll deal with it” !?!?!?!? WHAT.
A 17-year-old boy is coming onto her and I swear she’s only 13!? Sorry, no thanks.
The plot felt rushed and all over the place.
I probably could think of tons more but I think you get the picture. The book felt rushed and the thought process behind it felt as if it lacked any real planning.
I NEVER WANT TO SEE THIS BOOK AGAIN. Unfortunately I had to give this book a 1/5* on Goodreads but in my opinion, it’s a -10000000000.
May 11, 2024
3.5 stars
To Burgess’ credit, this story is clever and full of unexpected twists and turns with some rather fun magical elements for readers that enjoy stories revolving around witchcraft. Overall, it’s an imaginative and satisfying read that gets you thinking about the spirit world and things that we can’t “see.”
However, I almost put this back on the bookshelf after a few chapters. As an adult reader, it often falls flat in terms of the conversational interactions between the characters, with dialogue that’s rather cringy and childish, making you wish the author had left out the dialogue altogether. Childish dialogue may have been the author’s intention, right, given that the recommended reading age is mid-teens and the protagonist is 13 at the beginning of the story and 15 by the end of it, but mid-teens seems off balance with some of the main events of the story. The storyline gets slightly dark in places (drugging and sex), and I think the content seems better suited to a more mature audience with a bit of life experience. I’m a pretty open-minded parent, but I certainly wouldn’t want my own child reading this before 17. Or maybe this is everyday life for mid-teens these days?
Anyway, I’m glad I kept reading this one, despite the slow start.
To Burgess’ credit, this story is clever and full of unexpected twists and turns with some rather fun magical elements for readers that enjoy stories revolving around witchcraft. Overall, it’s an imaginative and satisfying read that gets you thinking about the spirit world and things that we can’t “see.”
However, I almost put this back on the bookshelf after a few chapters. As an adult reader, it often falls flat in terms of the conversational interactions between the characters, with dialogue that’s rather cringy and childish, making you wish the author had left out the dialogue altogether. Childish dialogue may have been the author’s intention, right, given that the recommended reading age is mid-teens and the protagonist is 13 at the beginning of the story and 15 by the end of it, but mid-teens seems off balance with some of the main events of the story. The storyline gets slightly dark in places (drugging and sex), and I think the content seems better suited to a more mature audience with a bit of life experience. I’m a pretty open-minded parent, but I certainly wouldn’t want my own child reading this before 17. Or maybe this is everyday life for mid-teens these days?
Anyway, I’m glad I kept reading this one, despite the slow start.
November 22, 2018
True rating; 2.25 stars
Purposefully downgraded to 1 for rating because I cannot express how much I deeply recommend no one read this book.
First to explain, my true rating is higher because the writing of this book is perfectly acceptable (as opposed to the content of the writing which we will get to). There's no clunky metaphors or glaring plot discrepancies, and it starts fairly blandly with a dash of intrigue as the possibility of different worlds means they imply Bea is having schizophrenic episodes and has imaged all her magical interactions.
But that's where it ends.
If the implication of mental illness and Bea's treatment by medical professionals wasn't bad enough, it takes a nosedive into other areas which are listed in the content warnings and while I don't think it's inherently inappropriate to include mature issues in a novel aimed at Young Adults - the way they are handled or explicitly not handled, unforgivably mishandled and completely swept under the figurative carpet is definitely inappropriate for a book aimed at younger readers.
Especially so considering the topics the book raises that suggests a more mature readership as opposed to the finale of the book which is neatly tied up as though it were resolving a children's fable.
Content warning; mental health used as a plot point (not sensitively handled), grooming, sexual coercion, sexual abuse, child soldiers, victim blaming.
My specific issues / rant with subjects outlined in the content warnings;
Purposefully downgraded to 1 for rating because I cannot express how much I deeply recommend no one read this book.
First to explain, my true rating is higher because the writing of this book is perfectly acceptable (as opposed to the content of the writing which we will get to). There's no clunky metaphors or glaring plot discrepancies, and it starts fairly blandly with a dash of intrigue as the possibility of different worlds means they imply Bea is having schizophrenic episodes and has imaged all her magical interactions.
But that's where it ends.
If the implication of mental illness and Bea's treatment by medical professionals wasn't bad enough, it takes a nosedive into other areas which are listed in the content warnings and while I don't think it's inherently inappropriate to include mature issues in a novel aimed at Young Adults - the way they are handled or explicitly not handled, unforgivably mishandled and completely swept under the figurative carpet is definitely inappropriate for a book aimed at younger readers.
Especially so considering the topics the book raises that suggests a more mature readership as opposed to the finale of the book which is neatly tied up as though it were resolving a children's fable.
Content warning; mental health used as a plot point (not sensitively handled), grooming, sexual coercion, sexual abuse, child soldiers, victim blaming.
My specific issues / rant with subjects outlined in the content warnings;
September 1, 2018
What a let down. This book is all over the place character and plot wise, but also it is HUGELY problematic. It should definitely hunt as to the contents more in the blurb, and probably include trigger warnings (though I don’t know too many books that do). I am not marking this review for spoilers, even though some of it is, because I don’t want that to put people off from reading about why it’s problematic.
Bea is 13 when it starts, and it’s a bit more middle grade than I was expecting at this point, especially given the cover shows a grown woman. I actually liked the beginning, it’s the only bit I did. She begins to realise things aren’t what they seem and also learns to skateboard. All good. She then meets other witches, who straight away tell her, at 13, to run away and leave her family, and are shocked when she doesn’t want to. Wtf.
It only goes downhill from there. She is kidnapped, abused, and basically develops Stockholm syndrome. They have sex, which is both rape (even if it is consensual, it is done after months of abuse and conditioning) and paedophilia.
When she gets away, she is treated like it’s all her fault, and abused by her mums spirit, and put on trial. Victim blaming all the way. Even though she’s back with the “good guys” at this point it’s basically still conditioning by a different manner. They even say she should have known witches “don’t do that”. How?! In the five seconds she had to learn about witches before being taken? What the actual ****.
And then it ends pretty suddenly. With a relatively big reveal about the only character I actually liked, and that’s literally it. What happened next? Where’s everyone realising that Bea was 13-15 through all of this and is trying her best? Where’s the authors note suggesting if this was upsetting or sounds familiar maybe talk to people?
I just can’t get over the problematic nature of basically everything in the book. I’ve seen reviews saying Bea isn’t a great character. And she’s not in many ways, but she is THIRTEEN when kidnapped and everything she knows is basically not true. What else should she have done? I think she does the best she can with the info she has and the circumstances she’s in.
TL;DR: do NOT read this book.
Bea is 13 when it starts, and it’s a bit more middle grade than I was expecting at this point, especially given the cover shows a grown woman. I actually liked the beginning, it’s the only bit I did. She begins to realise things aren’t what they seem and also learns to skateboard. All good. She then meets other witches, who straight away tell her, at 13, to run away and leave her family, and are shocked when she doesn’t want to. Wtf.
It only goes downhill from there. She is kidnapped, abused, and basically develops Stockholm syndrome. They have sex, which is both rape (even if it is consensual, it is done after months of abuse and conditioning) and paedophilia.
When she gets away, she is treated like it’s all her fault, and abused by her mums spirit, and put on trial. Victim blaming all the way. Even though she’s back with the “good guys” at this point it’s basically still conditioning by a different manner. They even say she should have known witches “don’t do that”. How?! In the five seconds she had to learn about witches before being taken? What the actual ****.
And then it ends pretty suddenly. With a relatively big reveal about the only character I actually liked, and that’s literally it. What happened next? Where’s everyone realising that Bea was 13-15 through all of this and is trying her best? Where’s the authors note suggesting if this was upsetting or sounds familiar maybe talk to people?
I just can’t get over the problematic nature of basically everything in the book. I’ve seen reviews saying Bea isn’t a great character. And she’s not in many ways, but she is THIRTEEN when kidnapped and everything she knows is basically not true. What else should she have done? I think she does the best she can with the info she has and the circumstances she’s in.
TL;DR: do NOT read this book.
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September 1, 2018I just.... I lack the words for what I have read.
This was just a BAD book, with both the blurb and cover completely misleading you as to what it's about.
First off, the main character Bea was much younger than I was expecting.
The adults in this book seemed useless, despite the fact that it very much shows Bea as a young girl in need of her family. This book glosses over some quite serious topics, not showing any love, compassion or understanding for some quite scaring events. This book wasn't really engaging and was very frustrating to read. The ending felt rushed and seemed a complete non-ending, leaving you with lots of unresolved feelings and hurt.
I just... I would really not recommend this book. To anyone.
This was just a BAD book, with both the blurb and cover completely misleading you as to what it's about.
First off, the main character Bea was much younger than I was expecting.
The adults in this book seemed useless, despite the fact that it very much shows Bea as a young girl in need of her family. This book glosses over some quite serious topics, not showing any love, compassion or understanding for some quite scaring events. This book wasn't really engaging and was very frustrating to read. The ending felt rushed and seemed a complete non-ending, leaving you with lots of unresolved feelings and hurt.
I just... I would really not recommend this book. To anyone.
September 8, 2018
The story follows 13 year old Bea as she finds out she is a witch and there is a whole other second world is can see. The plot sounded good and o couldn’t wait to pick it up and start reading. The cover captivated me and the plot- although not unique- sounded really and something I might enjoy.
The storyline was slow going and it was only at around page 170 that I started to really get into it. I almost gave up reading it a few times but I powered thought but I can’t say I was happy I did.
Everything was predictable. I’m not sure if this book was meant to be for someone younger (although I hope not because I don’t think that some of the things that happened in the book would be appropriate for younger readers) but I just couldn’t get a feel for the characters or the events. It was like I was being told them rather then shown. I can’t say I really felt anything either. Sad moments and happy, it was like the character didn’t feel anything.
Character Development
The character development was nonexistent. None of them really grew beyond words on a page and none of them were strong to begin with.
Strengths
Despite all that is bad about this novel, there are some parts I did like about it and made it unique. Unique take on witches was one of the best thing about this novel. Each witch has there own unique powers, and some of them I had never really thought of before and I liked that.
The take on witches being hunted is another thing this novel did well. I liked this take on it then having to hide away.
Weakness
There are a lot of weaknesses: one of the ones that stud out to me the lost was the abuse in this novel. The mental, physical and emotional abuse is unreal and I don’t like the way it was handled at all. I don’t want to give much away but I hate how it was glossed over. It happened fast, finished suddenly then forgotten about like it never happened. Something like this would stick with a person, but it’s like none of the characters even cared about it happening. Especially Bea.
Victim blaming is another thing that got in my gears. After everything happened and Bea was meant to be safe, it was none of cared what she had been though for the past two years. They only seemed to care about the things she did wrong, and in other versions of the same present she was stronger and didn’t do anything. But I’m not about to say what she went though wasn’t hard, I know it was and I won’t say I wouldn’t have done what she did to make sure she lived. But all everyone else seemed to care about is she did unspeakable things. No one- and I mean no one- asked her, really asked her, how she was doing. As soon as she got home, that was it. She was on trial and no one cared that she wasn’t even coping, that she couldn’t think straight. They only cared about justice.
The writing throughout this novel was just plain bad. Simple as that. I couldn’t get into the novel because of it.
The plot was all over the place. Glossing over things, forgetting about things. Going from one thing to the next without much thought. It was like three novels all in one. None of the sections really fitted together either.
The ending was by far one of the worst things the happen. It was very anticlimactic. It was rushed and didn’t make much sense and it felt like there should have been more.
Overall review
Overall review is the novel was weak and I wouldn’t recommend the novel. 2/5 stars to me (and that’s only because of the strong points mentioned).
The storyline was slow going and it was only at around page 170 that I started to really get into it. I almost gave up reading it a few times but I powered thought but I can’t say I was happy I did.
Everything was predictable. I’m not sure if this book was meant to be for someone younger (although I hope not because I don’t think that some of the things that happened in the book would be appropriate for younger readers) but I just couldn’t get a feel for the characters or the events. It was like I was being told them rather then shown. I can’t say I really felt anything either. Sad moments and happy, it was like the character didn’t feel anything.
Character Development
The character development was nonexistent. None of them really grew beyond words on a page and none of them were strong to begin with.
Strengths
Despite all that is bad about this novel, there are some parts I did like about it and made it unique. Unique take on witches was one of the best thing about this novel. Each witch has there own unique powers, and some of them I had never really thought of before and I liked that.
The take on witches being hunted is another thing this novel did well. I liked this take on it then having to hide away.
Weakness
There are a lot of weaknesses: one of the ones that stud out to me the lost was the abuse in this novel. The mental, physical and emotional abuse is unreal and I don’t like the way it was handled at all. I don’t want to give much away but I hate how it was glossed over. It happened fast, finished suddenly then forgotten about like it never happened. Something like this would stick with a person, but it’s like none of the characters even cared about it happening. Especially Bea.
Victim blaming is another thing that got in my gears. After everything happened and Bea was meant to be safe, it was none of cared what she had been though for the past two years. They only seemed to care about the things she did wrong, and in other versions of the same present she was stronger and didn’t do anything. But I’m not about to say what she went though wasn’t hard, I know it was and I won’t say I wouldn’t have done what she did to make sure she lived. But all everyone else seemed to care about is she did unspeakable things. No one- and I mean no one- asked her, really asked her, how she was doing. As soon as she got home, that was it. She was on trial and no one cared that she wasn’t even coping, that she couldn’t think straight. They only cared about justice.
The writing throughout this novel was just plain bad. Simple as that. I couldn’t get into the novel because of it.
The plot was all over the place. Glossing over things, forgetting about things. Going from one thing to the next without much thought. It was like three novels all in one. None of the sections really fitted together either.
The ending was by far one of the worst things the happen. It was very anticlimactic. It was rushed and didn’t make much sense and it felt like there should have been more.
Overall review
Overall review is the novel was weak and I wouldn’t recommend the novel. 2/5 stars to me (and that’s only because of the strong points mentioned).
September 7, 2018
The Lost Witch written by Melvin Burgess is a story about witches set in the modern world. I was very excited for this book, because I find witches fascinating and was very curious what kind of tale the author will tell us. But I find this book very confusing.
Firstly, the cover, which is very beautiful, is very misleading (although this is publisher fault, the author said he didn't like it either). It shows a young woman, when in fact the main character, Bea, is just thirteen years old when the book starts. It was very difficult for me to read through the first scene, where the initial action has happened. It was really bizarre, I had to constantly reread some fragments to make sure I understand what was going on.
After that it's getting a little bit better. Bea is a young girl who starts seeing weird things (like, super weird in my opinion). She's struggling to understand what is going on and fears she's going mad. Then she meet fellow witches who explain some of the things she is seeing.
I did like the magical world the author has created. The concept that everything that is alive has it's own spirit, but only witches are able to see it and interact with it. Also every witch has different powers, depending on their connection with the spirits. Soon we find out, that there is also the Hunt, an evil organisation which goal is to exterminate all witches and harvesting their powers.
And from then everything is going downhill basically. The witches are behaving like some kind of sect. They are pushing Bea to leave her family behind and come to live with them in their small community. They get very surprised and angry when she refused (like, really? What did you expect from 13 years old girl?!). And I'm not spoiling to much, cause that's basically first few chapters from the book.
What happens next is hard to describe without revelling too much. Let's just say, that Bea finds herself in very dire, dangerous situation. She has a great power, but she's just a young girl, so she bacame a victim for very dark forces. And after a long hardship she finds herself accused and trailed without mercy by her own kind. I really didn't like it. It left a bitter taste after reading it.
It's hard also to feel any connection with the characters. I don't dislike the main heroine, she is just very unlucky girl. I feel like the only one worth mention was Silvis, who was the only true friend for Bea through entire book.
The ending was also kind of rushed in my opinion. Everything important happen in the last chapter through ten pages. There was no conclusion or description of what happen to characters afterword. It lacks closure.
I was thinking long and hard how should I score the book. It was ok, but it was also a bit annoying, so my final score is 2 out of 5 stars.
Firstly, the cover, which is very beautiful, is very misleading (although this is publisher fault, the author said he didn't like it either). It shows a young woman, when in fact the main character, Bea, is just thirteen years old when the book starts. It was very difficult for me to read through the first scene, where the initial action has happened. It was really bizarre, I had to constantly reread some fragments to make sure I understand what was going on.
After that it's getting a little bit better. Bea is a young girl who starts seeing weird things (like, super weird in my opinion). She's struggling to understand what is going on and fears she's going mad. Then she meet fellow witches who explain some of the things she is seeing.
I did like the magical world the author has created. The concept that everything that is alive has it's own spirit, but only witches are able to see it and interact with it. Also every witch has different powers, depending on their connection with the spirits. Soon we find out, that there is also the Hunt, an evil organisation which goal is to exterminate all witches and harvesting their powers.
And from then everything is going downhill basically. The witches are behaving like some kind of sect. They are pushing Bea to leave her family behind and come to live with them in their small community. They get very surprised and angry when she refused (like, really? What did you expect from 13 years old girl?!). And I'm not spoiling to much, cause that's basically first few chapters from the book.
What happens next is hard to describe without revelling too much. Let's just say, that Bea finds herself in very dire, dangerous situation. She has a great power, but she's just a young girl, so she bacame a victim for very dark forces. And after a long hardship she finds herself accused and trailed without mercy by her own kind. I really didn't like it. It left a bitter taste after reading it.
It's hard also to feel any connection with the characters. I don't dislike the main heroine, she is just very unlucky girl. I feel like the only one worth mention was Silvis, who was the only true friend for Bea through entire book.
The ending was also kind of rushed in my opinion. Everything important happen in the last chapter through ten pages. There was no conclusion or description of what happen to characters afterword. It lacks closure.
I was thinking long and hard how should I score the book. It was ok, but it was also a bit annoying, so my final score is 2 out of 5 stars.
September 7, 2018
I usually enjoy witchy stories, especially ones set in the real world where you get to see a glimpse of magic and the supernatural. I really wanted to like this book (the cover is fab!) but it was a huge disappointment.
I couldn't connect with the main character Bea. Lots of scenes felt rushed and lacking in emotional depth. The skater boy was introduced with a couple of lines and felt cardboard cut-out / unrealistic. Even the descriptions of the hunt and magical scenes that should have been exciting felt lacking somehow. Her parents and their reactions were odd too. It was almost as if the author was bored, or not really connected to the story.
I forced myself to finish the book (despite it being a v frustrating read!). The ending felt rushed and non-eventful, leaving me with even more questions rather than resolving anything.
Not one I would recommend.
I couldn't connect with the main character Bea. Lots of scenes felt rushed and lacking in emotional depth. The skater boy was introduced with a couple of lines and felt cardboard cut-out / unrealistic. Even the descriptions of the hunt and magical scenes that should have been exciting felt lacking somehow. Her parents and their reactions were odd too. It was almost as if the author was bored, or not really connected to the story.
I forced myself to finish the book (despite it being a v frustrating read!). The ending felt rushed and non-eventful, leaving me with even more questions rather than resolving anything.
Not one I would recommend.
October 7, 2018
I honestly lack the words to formulate a review for this book, I honestly am shocked at what I have read.
June 14, 2019
This is going to be a tricky one to review. On one hand, it is a chilling look at manipulation, mixed with the wonder of discovering that magic is real. On the other hand, it has some deeply, deeply problematic messages which are never fully challenged or acknowledged.
Going into this I was a little cautious because, as much as I love stories about witches, I know that Melvin Burgess' writing can be hit-or-miss for many people and I had heard seem mentions of problematic content in this story.
I was pleasantly surprised by the start of the book - the wonder and mayhem of the Hunt, the hares leaping into the car, the strong bonds in Bea's family - all of this is established in just a few pages and it is magical. As the story continues we get to know a little more about Bea and her confusion and caution over what is happening to her is very realistic. I also loved that her parents are fully present and care about her - in fact they even get in the way, but it is great to see parents actually parent in a MG/YA book!
It is when we meet Lars that the book began to take on a sour taste for me. He is clearly manipulating Bea from their first meeting. This sense of wrongness only grew as I read on, but the part of the book that is most problematic is when Bea finally escapes his control...and is put on trial for the acts she committed while with him. She was aged 13 when she was, essentially, kidnapped and brainwashed, almost 16 when she escapes. Even her mother's spirit seems to blame her rather than support her rehabilitation.
Things make more sense when it is revealed that one of the witches calling most fervently for her punishment is not entirely herself, but there is a persistent message that Bea is to blame and must never be forgiven or forgive herself. While this dark view is definitely one that we have all heard, I feel that it borders on irresponsible to have this message come through so strongly without any acknowledgement, challenges or at least a note by the author or publisher to say that this account could be triggering for some reading it, or perpetuate tired victim-blaming stereotypes for others.
Overall, this book is a chilling look at the power of manipulation to change your view of the world and yourself and it has some truly magical moments, but I would not be recommending it to anyone without warning attached.
Going into this I was a little cautious because, as much as I love stories about witches, I know that Melvin Burgess' writing can be hit-or-miss for many people and I had heard seem mentions of problematic content in this story.
I was pleasantly surprised by the start of the book - the wonder and mayhem of the Hunt, the hares leaping into the car, the strong bonds in Bea's family - all of this is established in just a few pages and it is magical. As the story continues we get to know a little more about Bea and her confusion and caution over what is happening to her is very realistic. I also loved that her parents are fully present and care about her - in fact they even get in the way, but it is great to see parents actually parent in a MG/YA book!
It is when we meet Lars that the book began to take on a sour taste for me. He is clearly manipulating Bea from their first meeting. This sense of wrongness only grew as I read on, but the part of the book that is most problematic is when Bea finally escapes his control...and is put on trial for the acts she committed while with him. She was aged 13 when she was, essentially, kidnapped and brainwashed, almost 16 when she escapes. Even her mother's spirit seems to blame her rather than support her rehabilitation.
Things make more sense when it is revealed that one of the witches calling most fervently for her punishment is not entirely herself, but there is a persistent message that Bea is to blame and must never be forgiven or forgive herself. While this dark view is definitely one that we have all heard, I feel that it borders on irresponsible to have this message come through so strongly without any acknowledgement, challenges or at least a note by the author or publisher to say that this account could be triggering for some reading it, or perpetuate tired victim-blaming stereotypes for others.
Overall, this book is a chilling look at the power of manipulation to change your view of the world and yourself and it has some truly magical moments, but I would not be recommending it to anyone without warning attached.
October 11, 2018
I received a copy from Net Galley.
I was really looking forward to this book. The plot sounded really interesting and the cover is gorgeous however this did not live up to my expectations. In this book, we follow Bea who discovers that she is a witch and is in danger from being destroyed by The Hunt.
I found the plot to be really slow moving in parts and the parts that were most important seemed to be really rushed. I got really confused in parts of the book and had to go back and reread parts. Throughout the book, I did consider giving up as I didn't really enjoy it. I did really like the main character either. I know she was only 13 but she felt and acted much younger.
Overall this book wasn't for me and I really did not enjoy it. The plot wasn't really what I was expecting and I had a lot of issues with the pacing and the characters.
I was really looking forward to this book. The plot sounded really interesting and the cover is gorgeous however this did not live up to my expectations. In this book, we follow Bea who discovers that she is a witch and is in danger from being destroyed by The Hunt.
I found the plot to be really slow moving in parts and the parts that were most important seemed to be really rushed. I got really confused in parts of the book and had to go back and reread parts. Throughout the book, I did consider giving up as I didn't really enjoy it. I did really like the main character either. I know she was only 13 but she felt and acted much younger.
Overall this book wasn't for me and I really did not enjoy it. The plot wasn't really what I was expecting and I had a lot of issues with the pacing and the characters.
May 20, 2019
"Don't judge a book by its cover"
The phrase fits Burgess' book perfectly. The cover of this book is lovely, it portrays a girl looking around the age of 16. In a forest and with a wolf's in the background. It gives you the feeling that this will be a mystical, dark book about a young adult. However this is not what I read. I read a book which was slow at some point and dragged on and some which were so fast I forgot what was going on. Yes there where parts of the book that I liked, like how different witches have different unique powers and that witches are slowly becoming extinct and the witches world is slowly becoming invisible to humans. Bit of never felt conested to Bea the main character, and there where important parts which where just glossed over. I didn't like the writhing style and I don't think I will be reading anymore of Burgess books. It felt like I had to read not like I wanted to. Overall I would not recommend this book to anyone!
The phrase fits Burgess' book perfectly. The cover of this book is lovely, it portrays a girl looking around the age of 16. In a forest and with a wolf's in the background. It gives you the feeling that this will be a mystical, dark book about a young adult. However this is not what I read. I read a book which was slow at some point and dragged on and some which were so fast I forgot what was going on. Yes there where parts of the book that I liked, like how different witches have different unique powers and that witches are slowly becoming extinct and the witches world is slowly becoming invisible to humans. Bit of never felt conested to Bea the main character, and there where important parts which where just glossed over. I didn't like the writhing style and I don't think I will be reading anymore of Burgess books. It felt like I had to read not like I wanted to. Overall I would not recommend this book to anyone!
July 15, 2023
i actually liked the idea behind the story and the world building quite a bit! BUT..
i’m veerrrryyy much not a fan of the incredibly overwhelming victim blaming going on in part 3… like idc how fictional a book is To sit and write a rape and manipulation storyline like that and then rather than letting the victim recover, putting them on trial ? “you must never forgive yourself, you must live with your sims forever” WHAT?!?! WEIRD AS HELL!
see what he did with odi being an allfather type figure, lok being a liar/trickster and then that rando tor having weather based powers ? there’s probably more hidden gods in there but i didn’t really keep an eye out
i’m veerrrryyy much not a fan of the incredibly overwhelming victim blaming going on in part 3… like idc how fictional a book is To sit and write a rape and manipulation storyline like that and then rather than letting the victim recover, putting them on trial ? “you must never forgive yourself, you must live with your sims forever” WHAT?!?! WEIRD AS HELL!
see what he did with odi being an allfather type figure, lok being a liar/trickster and then that rando tor having weather based powers ? there’s probably more hidden gods in there but i didn’t really keep an eye out
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 13, 2018
The Lost Witch by Melvin Burgess
Title - The Lost Witch
Author - Melvin Burgess
Published - July '19
Publisher - Andersen Press
Genre - #Young Adult #Fantasy #Supernatural
Pages - 336
Price on Amazon - Paperback - £7.99 Kindle - £8.99
ISBN - 1783448350
Bea has started to hear and see things that nobody else can. It all started with rabbits and now she has no idea what is happening. Until one day when strangers appear and tell Bea she is special, different, she's a witch. A witch with very special powers. The strangers also warn Bea she is being hunted. There are Witch hunters out there and they would kill to get their hands on her powers.
Bea's parents think she is ill and needs psychiatric help. All Bea wants is to get on with her life and to be normal. But in the world of witches, Bea's destiny has already been decided and her help is needed.
I got this book from my Book Box Club one month. (See July Reveal Post) I was unsure about this book as I found it very slow in the beginning and almost gave up on it. However, The more I read the more I enjoyed it and I am glad I stuck it out.
I found Bea to be a bit annoying at first but warmed up to her the more I read on. Although the fact that she couldn't see what was going on right in front of her was really annoying. I found the plot to be rather predictable as I was able to guess the whole Lok secret and it did annoy me how long it took Bea to click on.
I found the plot to be a bit all over the place at times. But like I said earlier if you stick with it, it does get better. For all these reasons I have chosen to give this book three stars.
Rating - Three out of Five Stars
Would I Read Again? - No
Would I Recommend? - Maybe
Would I read other books by the same author? - Yes
Reviews for this book can be found on:
Amazon (UK) under Lu's Reviews
Goodreads,
Net Galley (If a NetGalley Book)
My Blogs at http://www.readingbeyondobsession.co.uk/
Links to this review can be found at:
Twitter: @lusreviews
Facebook: @lucyluisbookreviews
Instagram: lusreviews
Title - The Lost Witch
Author - Melvin Burgess
Published - July '19
Publisher - Andersen Press
Genre - #Young Adult #Fantasy #Supernatural
Pages - 336
Price on Amazon - Paperback - £7.99 Kindle - £8.99
ISBN - 1783448350
Bea has started to hear and see things that nobody else can. It all started with rabbits and now she has no idea what is happening. Until one day when strangers appear and tell Bea she is special, different, she's a witch. A witch with very special powers. The strangers also warn Bea she is being hunted. There are Witch hunters out there and they would kill to get their hands on her powers.
Bea's parents think she is ill and needs psychiatric help. All Bea wants is to get on with her life and to be normal. But in the world of witches, Bea's destiny has already been decided and her help is needed.
I got this book from my Book Box Club one month. (See July Reveal Post) I was unsure about this book as I found it very slow in the beginning and almost gave up on it. However, The more I read the more I enjoyed it and I am glad I stuck it out.
I found Bea to be a bit annoying at first but warmed up to her the more I read on. Although the fact that she couldn't see what was going on right in front of her was really annoying. I found the plot to be rather predictable as I was able to guess the whole Lok secret and it did annoy me how long it took Bea to click on.
I found the plot to be a bit all over the place at times. But like I said earlier if you stick with it, it does get better. For all these reasons I have chosen to give this book three stars.
Rating - Three out of Five Stars
Would I Read Again? - No
Would I Recommend? - Maybe
Would I read other books by the same author? - Yes
Reviews for this book can be found on:
Amazon (UK) under Lu's Reviews
Goodreads,
Net Galley (If a NetGalley Book)
My Blogs at http://www.readingbeyondobsession.co.uk/
Links to this review can be found at:
Twitter: @lusreviews
Facebook: @lucyluisbookreviews
Instagram: lusreviews
April 27, 2020
Hmm, I don't know what this book was about and frankly I don't understand who the target audience was supposed to be...
It reads like a middle grade in parts, since the main character is 12 or 13 when the book starts, but the whole plot is a poor attempt at Alice in Wonderland type adventure and clearly not suitable for young readers. Nothing makes sense. There is no logic to the plot. Oh, and the cover is an example of some seriously terrible marketing. The woman on the cover looks 25 years old, and there is a wolf, which screams to me paranormal shapeshifting romance, which this definitely is not.
It reads like a middle grade in parts, since the main character is 12 or 13 when the book starts, but the whole plot is a poor attempt at Alice in Wonderland type adventure and clearly not suitable for young readers. Nothing makes sense. There is no logic to the plot. Oh, and the cover is an example of some seriously terrible marketing. The woman on the cover looks 25 years old, and there is a wolf, which screams to me paranormal shapeshifting romance, which this definitely is not.
August 29, 2018
I actually did not finish this book, I have no plans to in the near future but I may try to revisit it at some point.
I just found it very difficult to stay interested in the story; I thought I was going to love it because it sounded really interesting and I do think the idea is a good one, I just couldn’t get into it for some reason.
Then what made me decide to actually put it down and not pick it up again happened just gone halfway through. Something started happening that I did not agree with and after that I just wasn’t interested any more.
I am sad that I didn’t like this book, I really did try to, but when you have a TBR that is 60 books deep there is no time to waste on something you aren’t fully enjoying.
I just found it very difficult to stay interested in the story; I thought I was going to love it because it sounded really interesting and I do think the idea is a good one, I just couldn’t get into it for some reason.
Then what made me decide to actually put it down and not pick it up again happened just gone halfway through. Something started happening that I did not agree with and after that I just wasn’t interested any more.
I am sad that I didn’t like this book, I really did try to, but when you have a TBR that is 60 books deep there is no time to waste on something you aren’t fully enjoying.
June 30, 2020
There are too many issues with this book to count. Even if you were to overlook the scattered plot and lack of any form of development, you can not overlook the way that abuse and rape are simply overlooked. Honestly, the abuse and statutory rape are just skimmed over. In fact they are just insignificant. It is arrogant and disgusting. I have no idea how this book got published.
May 17, 2022
Definetely, this is not the book i will reread. I completely dislike the way the characters are written. Throughout all the book, I just hoped that maybe the main character would do something herself, but it was in vain. Maybe I just found this book too late.
But anyway there is one thing that i liked. The concept of this magical world is that almost everything alive has it's own spirits. And it's like the hiden second world, and not all witches can accept and believe in it.
But anyway there is one thing that i liked. The concept of this magical world is that almost everything alive has it's own spirits. And it's like the hiden second world, and not all witches can accept and believe in it.
January 4, 2021
*1.5
I wrote a review on Bookstagram @shelf.of.a.bibliophile 🌻
This book should contain some kind of trigger warning. It is really problematic. Just to mention a few things: emotional and physical abuse, rape, victim blaming, pedophilia
I wrote a review on Bookstagram @shelf.of.a.bibliophile 🌻
This book should contain some kind of trigger warning. It is really problematic. Just to mention a few things: emotional and physical abuse, rape, victim blaming, pedophilia
December 27, 2022
Never seen a book with such bad reviews, curiosity about why made me check it out and… yeah I get it. DNF even the first chapter the writing is awful
August 9, 2019
Bea is a typical teenager. She wants nothing more than to spend time with her friends and sneak glances at the handsome skateboarder who seems strangely interested in her. Yet sometimes we can’t choose what happens to us, and despite Bea’s wishes, her world is changing. She has begun to see and hear things that no one else can, and, when she voices her thoughts, she is approached by a group of strangers who tell her that she has the rare powers of a witch.
There once was a time when witches were quite common, but now they are being hunted. Witchfinders throughout the world have dedicated their lives to tracking down witches and taking their powers – and sometimes their lives – away from them. Now, only a few witches remain, and Bea is one of them.
She lives between two worlds: the world of the witches, where her life is constantly in danger, and the world that she shares with her family. Unfortunately, Bea’s parents are worried about her. They know that she’s been acting oddly, and they have seen her spending time with an old man who lives in a caravan. They think she’s hallucinating and want to take her to hospital, yet if they do, they will be placing Bea right in the hands of the Witchfinders.
The Lost Witch is a young adult fantasy novel that tells a tale that is interwoven with magic. For, in order to survive, Bea must make sacrifices, follow her instincts, and make impossible decisions, even as she tries to keep her identity a secret.
The Review
The Lost Witch has an unusual premise; although there are plenty of books about witches and wizards living among us, there are not all that many that suggest their world is coming to an end. This is what makes The Lost Witch unique; throughout the book, the constant presence of the Witchfinders becomes a threat that reflects the desperation of the surviving witches. There are hardly any of them left, and so when Bea discovers her true identity, she becomes necessary to their survival.
This might seem like a bit of a cliché. After all, the whole of the magical world ends up depending on Bea. She is the chosen hero who has the power to save them all. Yet this seemingly unoriginal storyline is countered by the other aspect of The Lost Witch‘s originality. This concerns her parents; when they suspect Bea of suffering from a mental illness, an element of doubt is introduced to the narrative. It suddenly seems that perhaps Bea’s magical world doesn’t exist at all and that, instead, she is suffering from severe delusions. This ambiguity adds a lot to the narrative, and it makes a welcome change from the books where the families of the chosen, magical heroes accept their stories without question.
Yet despite the originality of The Lost Witch, it certainly has its problems. The most major of these is, unfortunately, the plot. About halfway through this book, the story seems to change. It is as though two very separate books have been mashed together to form one: the first part is a sweet young adult tale about a girl discovering her magical powers, and the second part is a story with very adult themes, including sexual and domestic abuse. This is unexpected, and it is sure to put a lot of readers off The Lost Witch, particularly as the two halves of the book don’t seem to blend into each other very well. There is a distinct, jarring line between the two; this makes it quite difficult to keep up with the plot, as readers are likely to be too taken aback to follow along with it.
It is difficult to redeem this sudden change of tone, and so although the characters are interesting and the story is original, this book just feels like a disappointment. It’s a shame, because the idea behind it really was magnificent, and it had potential oozing out of its every page, yet, when it comes down to it, The Lost Witch seems confusing. It is an adult tale masked as a young adult book, and that isn’t easy to get your head around. After reading the first half, you could happily give this book to any teenager to read. Yet this would be a mistake; the themes of sexual assault running through the latter part of this book arguably make it unsuitable for any child under the age of 16. It is really quite harrowing at times, and although that says something about the power of Burgess’ writing, it surely makes it unsuitable for its intended audience.
I expected so much more from The Lost Witch, for, during the first half of the book, I felt really invested in its story. I enjoyed the ending, too, but I was certainly shocked at the change of tone, and it is for this reason that I cannot give The Lost Witch the four-star rating that it should have deserved. If you enjoy magic and are unlikely to be put off by the adult themes that I have mentioned in this review, it might be worth a read. It is not, after all, badly written. Unfortunately, though, I can’t recommend this book. It just wasn’t what I was expecting, and, honestly, I think that this may be the case for a lot of readers.
There once was a time when witches were quite common, but now they are being hunted. Witchfinders throughout the world have dedicated their lives to tracking down witches and taking their powers – and sometimes their lives – away from them. Now, only a few witches remain, and Bea is one of them.
She lives between two worlds: the world of the witches, where her life is constantly in danger, and the world that she shares with her family. Unfortunately, Bea’s parents are worried about her. They know that she’s been acting oddly, and they have seen her spending time with an old man who lives in a caravan. They think she’s hallucinating and want to take her to hospital, yet if they do, they will be placing Bea right in the hands of the Witchfinders.
The Lost Witch is a young adult fantasy novel that tells a tale that is interwoven with magic. For, in order to survive, Bea must make sacrifices, follow her instincts, and make impossible decisions, even as she tries to keep her identity a secret.
The Review
The Lost Witch has an unusual premise; although there are plenty of books about witches and wizards living among us, there are not all that many that suggest their world is coming to an end. This is what makes The Lost Witch unique; throughout the book, the constant presence of the Witchfinders becomes a threat that reflects the desperation of the surviving witches. There are hardly any of them left, and so when Bea discovers her true identity, she becomes necessary to their survival.
This might seem like a bit of a cliché. After all, the whole of the magical world ends up depending on Bea. She is the chosen hero who has the power to save them all. Yet this seemingly unoriginal storyline is countered by the other aspect of The Lost Witch‘s originality. This concerns her parents; when they suspect Bea of suffering from a mental illness, an element of doubt is introduced to the narrative. It suddenly seems that perhaps Bea’s magical world doesn’t exist at all and that, instead, she is suffering from severe delusions. This ambiguity adds a lot to the narrative, and it makes a welcome change from the books where the families of the chosen, magical heroes accept their stories without question.
Yet despite the originality of The Lost Witch, it certainly has its problems. The most major of these is, unfortunately, the plot. About halfway through this book, the story seems to change. It is as though two very separate books have been mashed together to form one: the first part is a sweet young adult tale about a girl discovering her magical powers, and the second part is a story with very adult themes, including sexual and domestic abuse. This is unexpected, and it is sure to put a lot of readers off The Lost Witch, particularly as the two halves of the book don’t seem to blend into each other very well. There is a distinct, jarring line between the two; this makes it quite difficult to keep up with the plot, as readers are likely to be too taken aback to follow along with it.
It is difficult to redeem this sudden change of tone, and so although the characters are interesting and the story is original, this book just feels like a disappointment. It’s a shame, because the idea behind it really was magnificent, and it had potential oozing out of its every page, yet, when it comes down to it, The Lost Witch seems confusing. It is an adult tale masked as a young adult book, and that isn’t easy to get your head around. After reading the first half, you could happily give this book to any teenager to read. Yet this would be a mistake; the themes of sexual assault running through the latter part of this book arguably make it unsuitable for any child under the age of 16. It is really quite harrowing at times, and although that says something about the power of Burgess’ writing, it surely makes it unsuitable for its intended audience.
I expected so much more from The Lost Witch, for, during the first half of the book, I felt really invested in its story. I enjoyed the ending, too, but I was certainly shocked at the change of tone, and it is for this reason that I cannot give The Lost Witch the four-star rating that it should have deserved. If you enjoy magic and are unlikely to be put off by the adult themes that I have mentioned in this review, it might be worth a read. It is not, after all, badly written. Unfortunately, though, I can’t recommend this book. It just wasn’t what I was expecting, and, honestly, I think that this may be the case for a lot of readers.
August 4, 2020
Okay this was almost my first DNF for the year.. The synopsis of a witch with undiscovered powers only to find herself amongst a witch war drew me in, however there is definitely a need for trigger warnings in this story, especially as it is intended for ages 12+.
We follow 13 year old Bea who early in the story discovers she is a witch and that she is in danger from witch hunters. While other witches are encouraging her to hide with them, her parents think she is experiencing psychological issues. Unfortunately I did not enjoy the book at all, the plot seemed scattered and I was not at all engaged by the writing style, this book was honestly a struggle to finish.
Thank you Walker for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
We follow 13 year old Bea who early in the story discovers she is a witch and that she is in danger from witch hunters. While other witches are encouraging her to hide with them, her parents think she is experiencing psychological issues. Unfortunately I did not enjoy the book at all, the plot seemed scattered and I was not at all engaged by the writing style, this book was honestly a struggle to finish.
Thank you Walker for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 24, 2020
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Well this was almost gonna be the first book I DNF'd for 2020.
Dull characters
Bland plot
not a fan
Bookstagram
Website
Well this was almost gonna be the first book I DNF'd for 2020.
Dull characters
Bland plot
not a fan
September 4, 2018
Thank you to Netgalley for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.
I had to abandon at about 25% because I was struggling. I liked the sound of the book but as I started reading it I felt completely disconnected from all of the characters, I could not warm to Bea and I wasn't a fan of the style of writing. I didn't like how we weren't introduced to any of Bea's friends (they are simply referred to as 'her friends') which I think may have helped to make Bea more relatable. I will attempt to revisit The Lost Witch another time but for now its a no from me.
I had to abandon at about 25% because I was struggling. I liked the sound of the book but as I started reading it I felt completely disconnected from all of the characters, I could not warm to Bea and I wasn't a fan of the style of writing. I didn't like how we weren't introduced to any of Bea's friends (they are simply referred to as 'her friends') which I think may have helped to make Bea more relatable. I will attempt to revisit The Lost Witch another time but for now its a no from me.
August 31, 2018
I struggled with this book. It started off OK, although I thought it was YA, especially since the woman on the cover seemed older. This was a hard book to read. The further you read, the more disturbing the story gets. Bea is thirteen years old and is being manipulated by an older man. Groomed to be used and abused mentally and sexually. Then this young girl is blamed for everything as if it is her own fault. Yes, very hard to read.
I also didn't think much of the ending. In my opinion, the story did not end at all. There are so many things still unanswered.
I also didn't think much of the ending. In my opinion, the story did not end at all. There are so many things still unanswered.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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