Witchery Hill

by Welwyn Wilton Katz

The Channel Island of Guernsey seems to be an ideally peaceful place for summer holidays — or so 14-year-old Mike thinks until he sees the strange flickering lights up on Trepied Hill, just behind the house where he is staying with his divorced father. His new friend Lisa insists a coven of witches meets each Friday night at a prehistoric tomb on the hill, but Mike, taught by his father that everything has a logical explanation, is skeptical. Soon a series of terrifying events occur as Lisa falls into the hands of the enemy and Mike is confronted by inexplicable forces. He must draw on all his courage and determination to fight the terrifying evil that threatens to engulf them. Award-winning writer Welwyn Wilton Katz is noted for her keen knowledge of ancient mythologies and her ability to bring shudders to young readers. Called a "genuine junior Gothic chiller" by Quill and Quire, this gripping novel — a Canadian Library Association Book of the Year for Children Award nominee — is no exception.

Genres: Fantasy, Childrens, Young Adult

245 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

Everyone has interests. Some people like my father had very few but he knew everything about them and received an OBE for the work he did on one of them during the second world war. Obviously this anecdote shows that having only a few interests isn't a bad thing. However, sometimes I think that the more things people are interested in, the more chance they have of becoming a traditionally published author. For example, here is a vastly incomplete list of my own interests: making jewelry (which I never thought would enter into my writing but is starting to, in the book I'm mentally reconstructing now), Rumi (because his poems are so beautiful and help me step back onto my own spiritual path if I've gone astray for a time), standing stones and dowsing and other new age tidbits as you will see in my book Sun God Moon Witch, playing the transverse flute and recorder and learning the Indian flute and the Japanese (zen) shakuhachi, folklore, legends, mythology [as most readers will see were resources in my books [book:False Face], The Third Magic,Witchery Hill Come Like Shadows), a writerly interest in character growth over certain excellent television series such as NCIS and Bones, yoga (both physical and its philosophical monism - a spiritual path I find fascinating), social issues such as prejudice and the changing of country boundaries because of it as shown in my books False Faceand Come Like Shadows, interspecies communication particularly with whales as in my book Whalesinger, climate change as has already outpaced my imagination as shown in my book Time Ghost, sketching, gorgeously impossible golf courses even though I don't play golf, Stonehenge and other standing stones as well as the math and science of prehistoric peoples, online shopping, murder mystery novels, J.S.Bach's and Mozart's music though mostly I prefer medieval music and some modern songs such as "You" by Fisher (album The Lovely Years),"Japanese Music Box" by Itsuki No Komoriuta (album "Forest" played by George Winston), "The Lady of Shalott" by Loreena McKennitt (album The Vist), "Leonard Cohen Live in London" (double album, all of it), "Someone to Watch Over Me" by Willie Nelson (album Stardust), "Autumn" by George Winston (whole album), "Fragile" by Jorane (The You and the Now), and "Words Can't Go There" by John Kaizan Neptune (album of same name).

Like you I love movies, nature, some TV, and I play bridge and even some video games (Wii, PS2, Nintendo DS: favourites Kingdom Hearts, and P4). Books, of course. We'll find out more about each other in my blog, I'm sure.

Reviews

[C. (Don't blank click my reviews, comment please! · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have enjoyed Welwyn Wilton Katz before. The tie-in of Canadian and Scottish politics with magic in “Come Like Shadows”, made an exceptionally original novel. People who enjoy the spice of life want unconventional spirituality or ethnic adventures, which Welwyn makes-up. Often we seek it in children’s books because adult literature seldom delivers a paranormal premise boldly. In “Witchery Hill”, a boy and his Dad visit a friend in Guernsey, England. It’s apparent the man’s daughter dislikes his wife. My first criticism is that we never know the point of marrying him. Why sneak? Why not marry someone interested in her.... hobbies?

The first problem for me, is that one eventually discovers it is about satanism; something I want nothing to do with. If it was a blemish of the past and stories were told in the village of ancient horrors; that is expected in old places like Europe. I did not care for a novel in which it had continued. I could certainly never give five or even four stars, to a novel in which a baby animal is found dead! I object that sacrificing a puppy is unsuitable in any medium for kids! The author could have emphasized cult atrocities without that awful revelation occurring in the present day timeline of the novel.

I disliked the boy’s Father immensely! The author pushed his disbelief more than necessary. Puppy-killing is sufficient for calling the police! It was outrageous that warning them of trouble was useless and that they only came on the scene after neighbours heard explosions. The idea of an unseen book was very cleverly played out. The mistake was in not frankly referring to the kooks as devil-worshippers. Lumping witches with devils is what caused a negative association with peaceful, positive healers of folk traditions.

[DeadlyNightShade818 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to reread this as I read it in grade 6. Something must have been good about it because I never forgot it and always had a creepy, yet fun memory of reading this with my class.

[Ruby Hollyberry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I really enjoyed this book both as an adolescent and later, I think I got rid of it because it disturbed me so much to have witchcraft equated with Satanism in it. It is a fun horror thriller, pitting a normal boy against his evil stepmother - who in this case is REALLY EVIL. Great, exciting, climactic ending.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Childrens book but I enjoyed it.

[Gigi · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favourite books during my preteen years. I'll have to so a reread soon and write a proper review.