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The Forest of Moon and Sword
When Art's mother is accused of witchcraft, she is determined to get her back - at any cost. A lyrical adventure with folklore at its heart, for fans of THE HOUSE WITH CHICKEN LEGS.
Twelve-year-old Art lives in a small village in Scotland. Her mother has always made potions that cure the sick, but now the townspeople say she is a witch.
One cloudless night, Art's mother is accused of Witchcraft, arrested, and taken from Scotland to England. Art mounts her horse, taking a sword, a tightrope, and a herbal recipe book, and begins a journey through wild forests to find her mother before summer solstice, using nature's signs and symbols to guide her.
On her journey, Art will discover what sacrifices she will need to make to be reunited with her mother - and to alter the fate of women everywhere. But will she reach her, before it's too late?
Twelve-year-old Art lives in a small village in Scotland. Her mother has always made potions that cure the sick, but now the townspeople say she is a witch.
One cloudless night, Art's mother is accused of Witchcraft, arrested, and taken from Scotland to England. Art mounts her horse, taking a sword, a tightrope, and a herbal recipe book, and begins a journey through wild forests to find her mother before summer solstice, using nature's signs and symbols to guide her.
On her journey, Art will discover what sacrifices she will need to make to be reunited with her mother - and to alter the fate of women everywhere. But will she reach her, before it's too late?
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 7, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
November 17, 2020
Not entirely a book that was for me, but the author is a great writer so I'd be willing to still read more from this author in the future.
Art's mother is taken away and accused of being a witch, leading to Art going on an adventure to save her. She tries to use nature and all she learned from her mother to guide her.
On paper, the premise is great and I loved the idea of it. The setting was done very well actually and I enjoyed the peril and tone of the book, as it is rather dark. However, I thought there was some imbalance in tone due to some unrealistic events that happen in the end that contradicts said tone. There was a lot of convenience that took me out of the story and it did feel like this could have benefitted from being longer to really give the story justice.
I also didn't really feel a connection to characters and felt myself a little dejected from the story by the end. All in all, I think this could be a great read for others, so don't let me put you off. There is also a swear word in the very first chapter, and some scenes of violence, just to let you be aware if you are going to give this book to a child.
Art's mother is taken away and accused of being a witch, leading to Art going on an adventure to save her. She tries to use nature and all she learned from her mother to guide her.
On paper, the premise is great and I loved the idea of it. The setting was done very well actually and I enjoyed the peril and tone of the book, as it is rather dark. However, I thought there was some imbalance in tone due to some unrealistic events that happen in the end that contradicts said tone. There was a lot of convenience that took me out of the story and it did feel like this could have benefitted from being longer to really give the story justice.
I also didn't really feel a connection to characters and felt myself a little dejected from the story by the end. All in all, I think this could be a great read for others, so don't let me put you off. There is also a swear word in the very first chapter, and some scenes of violence, just to let you be aware if you are going to give this book to a child.
January 8, 2021
Twelve-year-old Art Flyntt lived in a cottage in Kelso, Scotland with her mother after her father and brother were gone, even her beloved cat Malkin was gone. But in 1647 the men were in fear of women who produced herbal remedies, calling them potions and the women witches. The night the soldiers surrounded their house, they were hidden in the attic. But still Art’s mother was taken and as Art watched and listened, she learned her mother would be taken to Essex in England to stand trial and be hanged on the day of the summer solstice.
Art set out on her beloved horse Lady, armed with her sword, dressed in boy’s clothes with her hair cut. She wouldn’t be questioned as a boy. Adventures on the way, through the forests, meeting friend and foe. But could Art make it to Essex and the castle before the solstice? Would she be able to save her mother?
The Forest of Moon and Sword is a delightful children’s story by Amy Raphael which I really enjoyed. My eleven-year-old granddaughters have already said they want to read it as well. Mystery, magic, both good and evil, friendship and loyalty weave their way through this book. The accusations of witchcraft from that era is well known; the author turning it into a children’s story is done with care and creativity. Highly recommended to children from around 10 years of age.
With thanks to Hachette AU for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Art set out on her beloved horse Lady, armed with her sword, dressed in boy’s clothes with her hair cut. She wouldn’t be questioned as a boy. Adventures on the way, through the forests, meeting friend and foe. But could Art make it to Essex and the castle before the solstice? Would she be able to save her mother?
The Forest of Moon and Sword is a delightful children’s story by Amy Raphael which I really enjoyed. My eleven-year-old granddaughters have already said they want to read it as well. Mystery, magic, both good and evil, friendship and loyalty weave their way through this book. The accusations of witchcraft from that era is well known; the author turning it into a children’s story is done with care and creativity. Highly recommended to children from around 10 years of age.
With thanks to Hachette AU for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
February 10, 2021
An absolutely amazing book. I really enjoyed reading this book as it was very gripping and I did not know what would happen next. This book is set when Mathew Hopkins is in charge of witch-hunting - hanging and drowning innocent women. This is quite a sad read so I would recommend Y6+.
May 17, 2022
I really enjoyed this one! The writing style is quite different to anything I’ve read before though, & it was hard for me personally to get used to. Art lives in a small village in Scotland. Her mother has always made potions that cure the sick, but now the townspeople say she is a witch. One cloudless night, Art's mother is accused of Witchcraft, arrested, & taken from Scotland to England. Art mounts her horse, taking a sword, a tightrope, & a herbal recipe book, & begins a journey through wild forests to find her mother before summer solstice, using nature's signs & symbols to guide her. On her journey, Art will discover what sacrifices she will need to make to be reunited with her mother - and to alter the fate of women everywhere. But will she reach her, before it's too late? This is full of adventure, nature, prejudice, hope, & bravery. A hate this strong for witches(women period)that gets so bad no woman is safe, & all women are judged as being evil is the real evil. I love how the “magic” that is so feared by people in this, is actually nature & the remedies it itself offers. It’s a beautiful thing. I really loved the friendship that formed between Art & Mercy too. Lady has my heart though. While I really enjoyed this(other than the writing style being different for me)I think it could have really benefited it if it were longer, & fleshed out more. It could have been even more enjoyable. Had a fun time though, very quick read. BEAUTIFUL cover, & inside illustrations by August Ro as well!💜
December 6, 2022
Did I skim read over half of this book because I didn’t like the writing style & couldn’t care less for the characters? Unfortunately yes 🥲
November 13, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an eARC of this book.
I have really mixed feelings about this one to be honest.
First of all, I think the overall general premise of this book was really good, and I enjoyed that aspect. I also really enjoyed the strong independent girls in this book and how they came together to get the job done that they were aiming to do. Definitely a strong message to be sending to young girls.
I think the issues I had with this book were the pacing and the editing which kind of bounce off each other with this book. I feel like this book was originally maybe 350-400 pages and was then edited down to 288 pages that it now is, but without another round of proper editing afterward. Some of the paragraphs just feel like they've had entire chunks taken out of them part way through a conversation or a scene and it's not been rework to then make some semblance of sense which therefore throws the pacing off. The ending was something else that bothered me as well. It all just ended a bit too neatly. The virtually impossible mission of Art rescuing her mum just appeared to go off without a hitch and it was just a little bit too convenient and unrealistic for me.
I also wanted to mention that there is a swear word in the first chapter and that this is a relatively violent book, considering its a middlegrade. Five 11-12 year old girls sword fighting with soldiers and described in reasonable detail about how they disarm/harm them.
I really do this this book could have benefited from another 100 pages, just to flesh it out a little bit, give us more time getting to know the characters a bit more and slow the ending down a little bit.
I have really mixed feelings about this one to be honest.
First of all, I think the overall general premise of this book was really good, and I enjoyed that aspect. I also really enjoyed the strong independent girls in this book and how they came together to get the job done that they were aiming to do. Definitely a strong message to be sending to young girls.
I think the issues I had with this book were the pacing and the editing which kind of bounce off each other with this book. I feel like this book was originally maybe 350-400 pages and was then edited down to 288 pages that it now is, but without another round of proper editing afterward. Some of the paragraphs just feel like they've had entire chunks taken out of them part way through a conversation or a scene and it's not been rework to then make some semblance of sense which therefore throws the pacing off. The ending was something else that bothered me as well. It all just ended a bit too neatly. The virtually impossible mission of Art rescuing her mum just appeared to go off without a hitch and it was just a little bit too convenient and unrealistic for me.
I also wanted to mention that there is a swear word in the first chapter and that this is a relatively violent book, considering its a middlegrade. Five 11-12 year old girls sword fighting with soldiers and described in reasonable detail about how they disarm/harm them.
I really do this this book could have benefited from another 100 pages, just to flesh it out a little bit, give us more time getting to know the characters a bit more and slow the ending down a little bit.
February 1, 2021
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I have to admit, I read two books with the same basic plot, one was meant to be a dark and brooding tale while this one is a fluffy middle grade. Oddly enough (And probably the first time ever) the dark and brooding book fell short to this middle grade.
What I loved about this book was the amount of detail that went into scenes. You got the details of the sword fights, how they could strike their opponent or disarm them. I know this seems like a pitiful detail to rave about this book. But honest to god, the younger generation are not marshmallows, they know more dirty jokes then I do, they know what death and harm is. I mean have you seen some of the stuff they watch on TV? This is the kind of book that they would enjoy, that doesn’t get dumbed down for them. That doesn’t get ‘oh and I waved my sword and disarmed him,’ you actually get detail!!! I’m not talking about arm chopped off and blood EVERYWHERE kind of detail, but enough detail that the younger generation deserves. After what they have seen on the news in 2020, they can definitely handle this book and most likely enjoy it as much as I did.
Besides the level of detail, this book was enjoyable and like I mentioned previously, had an interesting plot! If you are a fan on middle grade or know someone in that age bracket, then this is the book you should add to your collection.
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I have to admit, I read two books with the same basic plot, one was meant to be a dark and brooding tale while this one is a fluffy middle grade. Oddly enough (And probably the first time ever) the dark and brooding book fell short to this middle grade.
What I loved about this book was the amount of detail that went into scenes. You got the details of the sword fights, how they could strike their opponent or disarm them. I know this seems like a pitiful detail to rave about this book. But honest to god, the younger generation are not marshmallows, they know more dirty jokes then I do, they know what death and harm is. I mean have you seen some of the stuff they watch on TV? This is the kind of book that they would enjoy, that doesn’t get dumbed down for them. That doesn’t get ‘oh and I waved my sword and disarmed him,’ you actually get detail!!! I’m not talking about arm chopped off and blood EVERYWHERE kind of detail, but enough detail that the younger generation deserves. After what they have seen on the news in 2020, they can definitely handle this book and most likely enjoy it as much as I did.
Besides the level of detail, this book was enjoyable and like I mentioned previously, had an interesting plot! If you are a fan on middle grade or know someone in that age bracket, then this is the book you should add to your collection.
January 20, 2021
First book I’ve read in 3 months! and it was lovely!
A book full of conveniences and a few glossed over plot points, but a very heart warming book about family, friendship, determination and love. And, to top of it, a brilliant story on historical witches! Such a great read, especially for a children’s book. Sophisticated and addictive.
A book full of conveniences and a few glossed over plot points, but a very heart warming book about family, friendship, determination and love. And, to top of it, a brilliant story on historical witches! Such a great read, especially for a children’s book. Sophisticated and addictive.
December 7, 2021
The Forest of Moon and Sword is a well written tale full of atmosphere and tension, however it felt rushed and a little choppy in places and the ending in particular felt unrealistic, as though there should have been more to make it more believable but it had been cut to bring it down to a children's book length. Probably aimed at ten years old and above, this is an interesting story but falls short of being great.
The author manages to convey the atmosphere of the setting excellently, bringing life to the mid 1650's when the witch hunts were in full flow. Any woman or girl seen as 'odd' or strange, any local healer or herb crusher could be accused with little to no chance of defending themselves.
Art's mother is one of those women, and Art herself would likely have been condemned as well had she not hidden. But life in her small village is untenable now her mother has been taken, so disguising herself as a boy she sets off on a journey through Scotland and across the border to rescue her mother. On the way she finds friends and allies, but it is her own strength that will be tested.
It's a brilliant premise and largely well executed, but as mentioned above, I couldn't help but feel like important aspects had been cut to bring it down to size. This meant that whilst Art's character was well developed, the vast majority of those she comes across on her journey are less so. There's an element of magical realism here as well, but it isn't really explored at all. It either needed to be removed completely or explored in more depth, as what's left feels like a hanging thread that never really came together with the novel as a whole. Art's mother was another hanging thread; the entire story is about Art rescuing her from the dungeons and yet she gets perhaps a page or two of time in total, so I never really cared about her.
All in all, an enjoyable little tale but one that felt like it really needed to be fleshed out in far more detail. Parts of it felt choppy, like someone had over edited in order to bring down the page count but without thinking about how that would impact the pacing or the character development. The ending felt... a little too pat, a little too easy. I think editors and publishers need to remember that children don't necessarily have the attention span of a gnat and would far prefer a story with excellent pacing and characters than one that has been chopped down to size for the sake of it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my free review copy of this title.
The author manages to convey the atmosphere of the setting excellently, bringing life to the mid 1650's when the witch hunts were in full flow. Any woman or girl seen as 'odd' or strange, any local healer or herb crusher could be accused with little to no chance of defending themselves.
Art's mother is one of those women, and Art herself would likely have been condemned as well had she not hidden. But life in her small village is untenable now her mother has been taken, so disguising herself as a boy she sets off on a journey through Scotland and across the border to rescue her mother. On the way she finds friends and allies, but it is her own strength that will be tested.
It's a brilliant premise and largely well executed, but as mentioned above, I couldn't help but feel like important aspects had been cut to bring it down to size. This meant that whilst Art's character was well developed, the vast majority of those she comes across on her journey are less so. There's an element of magical realism here as well, but it isn't really explored at all. It either needed to be removed completely or explored in more depth, as what's left feels like a hanging thread that never really came together with the novel as a whole. Art's mother was another hanging thread; the entire story is about Art rescuing her from the dungeons and yet she gets perhaps a page or two of time in total, so I never really cared about her.
All in all, an enjoyable little tale but one that felt like it really needed to be fleshed out in far more detail. Parts of it felt choppy, like someone had over edited in order to bring down the page count but without thinking about how that would impact the pacing or the character development. The ending felt... a little too pat, a little too easy. I think editors and publishers need to remember that children don't necessarily have the attention span of a gnat and would far prefer a story with excellent pacing and characters than one that has been chopped down to size for the sake of it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my free review copy of this title.
September 5, 2021
This young middle-grade book is set in the 17th during the time where women were hunted down as witches.
Our Scottish heroine has been rejected by her townsfolk ever since her mother being taken away as a witch, all because her mother knew the medicinal properties of plants. She runs away and journeys down south to Essex, where her mother was to be tried and killed. Along the way she encounters animals and omens, and makes friends with other children in the same plight.
I particularly l enjoyed reading about the healing properties of various plants. My one wish would be images of the plants. I was very glad that, in the acknowledgements, the author had included the references where she got her research from.
This book will appeal to a younger middle-grade audience for its simple plot.
Opening line : I wake up in the dark.
Our Scottish heroine has been rejected by her townsfolk ever since her mother being taken away as a witch, all because her mother knew the medicinal properties of plants. She runs away and journeys down south to Essex, where her mother was to be tried and killed. Along the way she encounters animals and omens, and makes friends with other children in the same plight.
I particularly l enjoyed reading about the healing properties of various plants. My one wish would be images of the plants. I was very glad that, in the acknowledgements, the author had included the references where she got her research from.
This book will appeal to a younger middle-grade audience for its simple plot.
Opening line : I wake up in the dark.
August 15, 2023
Words can't express my love for this book right now. Art is so brave and beautiful. All the characters are so well written. It's to do with the witch trials and an ongoing was and the betrayals people face in order to become stronger and build new relationship
March 31, 2021
A beautiful little story with lovely illustrations. Very accessible for younger readers.
July 4, 2023
Not entirely a book for me. Maybe I had high expectations because of the summary. I didn't connect with the characters and the story felt very flat. I did enjoy the writing style.
August 26, 2021
Full review here Please go and check it out!
Okay, this was one of the first books that I read this year. Another book I read in a single sitting. It was brilliant and charming and heartwarming. Definitely recommend it!
Okay, this was one of the first books that I read this year. Another book I read in a single sitting. It was brilliant and charming and heartwarming. Definitely recommend it!
December 31, 2021
Okay so I went in to this with such high expectations and the premis was right up my alley but the execution just let me down.
I didn't feel like we got to know there characters in any kind of depth and the plot was just a bit too fast paced for me.
For a shorter book to fit everything in that is needed for a book it needs to be a story that is easily wrapped up within that time but this wasn't
it felt rushed and a bit like it had been over edited in order to get it below 300 pages.
The writing didn't flow for me and i just felt that the whole book could have done with being 100-150 pages longer so that the plot and characters could have been fleshed out more.
I still had a good time reading it . The story was okay.. I just felt that everything was rush ed and the ending was very conveniently wrapped up neatly with no issues. Given the fact a 12 year old girl went on a epic joruney to save her mother I was expecting intrigue and adventure, however, I felt that it fell a little flat
I didn't feel like we got to know there characters in any kind of depth and the plot was just a bit too fast paced for me.
For a shorter book to fit everything in that is needed for a book it needs to be a story that is easily wrapped up within that time but this wasn't
it felt rushed and a bit like it had been over edited in order to get it below 300 pages.
The writing didn't flow for me and i just felt that the whole book could have done with being 100-150 pages longer so that the plot and characters could have been fleshed out more.
I still had a good time reading it . The story was okay.. I just felt that everything was rush ed and the ending was very conveniently wrapped up neatly with no issues. Given the fact a 12 year old girl went on a epic joruney to save her mother I was expecting intrigue and adventure, however, I felt that it fell a little flat
November 6, 2020
(I received an early e-arc copy of this book for purposes of review)
I, unfortunately, have to admit that this is the first book in a long time that I didn't enjoy virtually any aspect of.
Initially, I was extremely excited when I heard about the premise for this title.
A middle grade set in 1600s Scotland following a young girl who attempts to save her mother from the witch trials. I enjoy Scotland as a setting and am hugely interested in this period of history, so of course I jumped at the opportunity to read an advanced copy.
However, I had so many issues with this story in terms of writing and plot.
Firstly, the style of writing is extremely simple, to the point of it reading as stilted and choppy.
The dialogue between characters and even inner monologue is so awkward and unrealistic, especially for a young girl living in the 17th century Scottish countryside. I don't know if this unrealistic dialogue was an attempt at speech likely of a historical setting but it really took me out of the story so many times because of how many issues I had with it and how unenjoyable it was of a reading experience.
The characters had absolutely no personality that I could see. They were very much a cardboard cut outs with little to no fleshing out. The fact that our protagonist had to save her mother was the only thing I could see in her character. Her mother who we barely see in over 200 pages is hardly even worth mentioning for how little she featured. There weren't even any flash back scenes or memories to show the reader the relationship between mother and daughter so they would be invested when she gets captures by the Witchfinder's soldiers.
The fact that this capture happens the first few pages in the book is another issue I had with pacing throughout the story. We jump huge sequences of Art travelling from Scotland to England, one paragraph she's in Scotland and then jumps to her suddenly already having crossed the border and is now well within England. Again, here I have huge issues with realism as a child of 11 or 12 would really struggle with this journey, having no help and the small amount of food she took from home.
Granted this is a middle grade story and I don't expect the same level of plot detail as I would from a YA or adult novel, however, children are smart enough to understand when plot doesn't make sense to them and need to be given more credit. Making this writing seem quite lazy and underdeveloped with its planning and level of detail.
Coming back to the awkward dialogue, every single character that Art meets through her travels none of them have a natural flowing conversation. They, each after one paragraph, start to delve into their own personal feelings and history which makes no sense why they would act that way to a complete stranger, and a child at that, in any realistic context. We meet characters for a few pages to then never hear of them again, which is a huge pet peeve of mine and again just seems indicative of bad writing.
Another pitfall associated with bad writing is shoe-horning too much detail or research into writing that isn't relevant or natural for the context or scene. This happens throughout multiple passages in the book, rather than using descriptive language to build a scene for the reader, the author just continually lists off every type of flower or tree in the area, which certainly isn't the same thing. Also, there is very basic level research done into the historical period (or at least reads that way) where again it seems like the characters are just learning off paragraphs of a Wikipedia article on historical context or use of medicinal plants.
Unfortunately, this was some of the worst dialogue and writing I have seen written, in children's or adult fiction.
Time and time again I came up against issues with the unrealistic situations in this book. Namely the fact of an 11 year old travelling alone with little to no trouble, guards letting Art, as a stranger, into the castle stronghold with no questioning, and especially, the fact that Art disarms and kills 3 guards by herself when freeing her mother from the dungeon. The plot conveniences were way too on the nose even for a children's story and the wrap up to this entire mission was so rushed and badly written, in my opinion.
It always saddens me to come away from a book not being able to take anything away from the reading experience, however I strive to always be honest in all reviews.
I, unfortunately, have to admit that this is the first book in a long time that I didn't enjoy virtually any aspect of.
Initially, I was extremely excited when I heard about the premise for this title.
A middle grade set in 1600s Scotland following a young girl who attempts to save her mother from the witch trials. I enjoy Scotland as a setting and am hugely interested in this period of history, so of course I jumped at the opportunity to read an advanced copy.
However, I had so many issues with this story in terms of writing and plot.
Firstly, the style of writing is extremely simple, to the point of it reading as stilted and choppy.
The dialogue between characters and even inner monologue is so awkward and unrealistic, especially for a young girl living in the 17th century Scottish countryside. I don't know if this unrealistic dialogue was an attempt at speech likely of a historical setting but it really took me out of the story so many times because of how many issues I had with it and how unenjoyable it was of a reading experience.
The characters had absolutely no personality that I could see. They were very much a cardboard cut outs with little to no fleshing out. The fact that our protagonist had to save her mother was the only thing I could see in her character. Her mother who we barely see in over 200 pages is hardly even worth mentioning for how little she featured. There weren't even any flash back scenes or memories to show the reader the relationship between mother and daughter so they would be invested when she gets captures by the Witchfinder's soldiers.
The fact that this capture happens the first few pages in the book is another issue I had with pacing throughout the story. We jump huge sequences of Art travelling from Scotland to England, one paragraph she's in Scotland and then jumps to her suddenly already having crossed the border and is now well within England. Again, here I have huge issues with realism as a child of 11 or 12 would really struggle with this journey, having no help and the small amount of food she took from home.
Granted this is a middle grade story and I don't expect the same level of plot detail as I would from a YA or adult novel, however, children are smart enough to understand when plot doesn't make sense to them and need to be given more credit. Making this writing seem quite lazy and underdeveloped with its planning and level of detail.
Coming back to the awkward dialogue, every single character that Art meets through her travels none of them have a natural flowing conversation. They, each after one paragraph, start to delve into their own personal feelings and history which makes no sense why they would act that way to a complete stranger, and a child at that, in any realistic context. We meet characters for a few pages to then never hear of them again, which is a huge pet peeve of mine and again just seems indicative of bad writing.
Another pitfall associated with bad writing is shoe-horning too much detail or research into writing that isn't relevant or natural for the context or scene. This happens throughout multiple passages in the book, rather than using descriptive language to build a scene for the reader, the author just continually lists off every type of flower or tree in the area, which certainly isn't the same thing. Also, there is very basic level research done into the historical period (or at least reads that way) where again it seems like the characters are just learning off paragraphs of a Wikipedia article on historical context or use of medicinal plants.
Unfortunately, this was some of the worst dialogue and writing I have seen written, in children's or adult fiction.
Time and time again I came up against issues with the unrealistic situations in this book. Namely the fact of an 11 year old travelling alone with little to no trouble, guards letting Art, as a stranger, into the castle stronghold with no questioning, and especially, the fact that Art disarms and kills 3 guards by herself when freeing her mother from the dungeon. The plot conveniences were way too on the nose even for a children's story and the wrap up to this entire mission was so rushed and badly written, in my opinion.
It always saddens me to come away from a book not being able to take anything away from the reading experience, however I strive to always be honest in all reviews.
January 2, 2021
I received an ARC of this book from Orion Children's books and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This story is set during the English Civil War. It follows the story of Art, whose mother is accused of witchcraft and taken from their small village in Scotland to Manningtree in Essex to be tried (and likely executed) by the Witchfinder General. Alone and desperate, Art decides to make the perilous journey across the countries to find her mother and hopefully save her from this gruesome fate. However, time is running out and Art is a young girl in an unfamiliar country with only a sword, a rope and her mother's herbal recipe book to help her.
One thing I really liked about this book was its setting. I always appreciate historical fiction books when the setting is done well and I thought that the depiction of 17th Century England was both interesting and accurate.
Unfortunately, other than that I had quite a few problems with this story.
First of all, both the title, the cover and the mention of folklore in the book's description made me think this was a historical fantasy. Whilst there are some rather unbelievable (see next point for more on this issue) event in this book, they are all clearly rooted in the real world and one of the main points made in this book is that these women were not witches. They were just people who knew a lot of herblore and fell under suspicion because of their supersticious neighbours. There isn't really any magical element in this story, which because I was expecting one, I felt its absence.
Secondly, there are a lot of unbelievable occurances. The main character goes from being a quite child living in a small Scottish village to crossing almost the whole of England, mainly alone, in a few days. She has amazing horse riding and sword fighting skills that are just too unbelievable for a 12 year old girl to have had back then even with the excuse of secret lessons and practising in private. Plus she has even more skills that seem more there because the plot needed them than because they are realistic.
Thirdly, the book is quite short. As a result of this, plus the brief timescale covered in the story, all of Art's relationships seem to go from not knowing a person to being their best friend and willing to die for them in the space of a chapter.
Finally, the historical inaccuracy. I know earlier, I mentioned liking the setting and I really did. However, when you choose to include real historical figures in your books (Matthew Hopkins, the Witchfinder General) you have to deal with the problem that the reader knows or can find out what really happened to them. I am happy for creative license to be taken by filling in the parts of their lives we don't know much about, but when an author changes concrete facts that we do know, I'm not a fan and it makes it difficult for me to recommend the book to the children I teach as I don't like giving them factually incorrect information.
Overall, this didn't quite live up to my expectations, but I did like the setting and writing style so I am still interested in reading other books from this author.
This story is set during the English Civil War. It follows the story of Art, whose mother is accused of witchcraft and taken from their small village in Scotland to Manningtree in Essex to be tried (and likely executed) by the Witchfinder General. Alone and desperate, Art decides to make the perilous journey across the countries to find her mother and hopefully save her from this gruesome fate. However, time is running out and Art is a young girl in an unfamiliar country with only a sword, a rope and her mother's herbal recipe book to help her.
One thing I really liked about this book was its setting. I always appreciate historical fiction books when the setting is done well and I thought that the depiction of 17th Century England was both interesting and accurate.
Unfortunately, other than that I had quite a few problems with this story.
First of all, both the title, the cover and the mention of folklore in the book's description made me think this was a historical fantasy. Whilst there are some rather unbelievable (see next point for more on this issue) event in this book, they are all clearly rooted in the real world and one of the main points made in this book is that these women were not witches. They were just people who knew a lot of herblore and fell under suspicion because of their supersticious neighbours. There isn't really any magical element in this story, which because I was expecting one, I felt its absence.
Secondly, there are a lot of unbelievable occurances. The main character goes from being a quite child living in a small Scottish village to crossing almost the whole of England, mainly alone, in a few days. She has amazing horse riding and sword fighting skills that are just too unbelievable for a 12 year old girl to have had back then even with the excuse of secret lessons and practising in private. Plus she has even more skills that seem more there because the plot needed them than because they are realistic.
Thirdly, the book is quite short. As a result of this, plus the brief timescale covered in the story, all of Art's relationships seem to go from not knowing a person to being their best friend and willing to die for them in the space of a chapter.
Finally, the historical inaccuracy. I know earlier, I mentioned liking the setting and I really did. However, when you choose to include real historical figures in your books (Matthew Hopkins, the Witchfinder General) you have to deal with the problem that the reader knows or can find out what really happened to them. I am happy for creative license to be taken by filling in the parts of their lives we don't know much about, but when an author changes concrete facts that we do know, I'm not a fan and it makes it difficult for me to recommend the book to the children I teach as I don't like giving them factually incorrect information.
Overall, this didn't quite live up to my expectations, but I did like the setting and writing style so I am still interested in reading other books from this author.
March 2, 2021
It is the year of 1647. This is a time where a man who calls himself The Witchfinder General has whipped The Forest of Moon and Sword Book REview Coverup a frenzy of hate towards any woman who uses herbs to heal, is left-handed, or just different. He’s made everyone believe these women are witches!
Villagers across the land are hungry and poor and many leap at the chance to be paid for information about possible witches among them. Women are being rounded up by soldiers and taken away.
12 yr old Art Flynt and her mother hide in their attic, knowing their time left together is not long. Soldiers are on their way. Art has an escape plan but her mother cannot. Moments before they are discovered by the soldiers, Art slips away, already determined to save her mother.
Her mother left her with a letter only to be opened when she is safe. This letter tells Art of witch trials and murder. These trials are scheduled on the summer solstice (the longest day), which is only a week away. The letter also gives Art advice, love and courage.
And so begins Art’s journey. She meets others along the way, and is wary of all. Some support the evil Witchfinder General, but some are wise and helpful. Art must remember all she has been taught and use her wits and skills well if she is ever to save her mother from the noose.
A historical tale full of courage, adventure and rich in plant and herb lore. Much folklore and superstition are shared along the way, friendships are made and the reader can experience a time based on fact. Matthew Hopkins was a self-imposed Witch Hunter from 1644 to 1647.
Villagers across the land are hungry and poor and many leap at the chance to be paid for information about possible witches among them. Women are being rounded up by soldiers and taken away.
12 yr old Art Flynt and her mother hide in their attic, knowing their time left together is not long. Soldiers are on their way. Art has an escape plan but her mother cannot. Moments before they are discovered by the soldiers, Art slips away, already determined to save her mother.
Her mother left her with a letter only to be opened when she is safe. This letter tells Art of witch trials and murder. These trials are scheduled on the summer solstice (the longest day), which is only a week away. The letter also gives Art advice, love and courage.
And so begins Art’s journey. She meets others along the way, and is wary of all. Some support the evil Witchfinder General, but some are wise and helpful. Art must remember all she has been taught and use her wits and skills well if she is ever to save her mother from the noose.
A historical tale full of courage, adventure and rich in plant and herb lore. Much folklore and superstition are shared along the way, friendships are made and the reader can experience a time based on fact. Matthew Hopkins was a self-imposed Witch Hunter from 1644 to 1647.
January 27, 2022
Set after the civil war in England in 1647 and Cromwell's takes control of the new parliament, and the witch hunts which started in medieval times intensify, whipped into a frenzy but Witchfinders, in particular,Matthew Hopkins, known as the Witchfinder General. With the population in desperate poverty friends, neighbours and families denounce their wives and daughters for a few coppers and women across the country are executed as witches.
Across the border in Scotland, Art Flynt is twelve years old when her mother is taken away by the soldiers accused of witchcraft. She heads south on a desperate journey to save her mother. Dressed as a boy and always in danger, Art also encounters mystical signs along the way to guide her safely to her destination where she is supported by other brave girls who are dedicated to bringing the witch hunts to an end.
The females in this book are all strong and determined and the book offers a window into a past time where being female and poor could get you killed. Tension mounts as the each chapter acts as a countdown to the witch trials so the pressure is maintained for Art to reach her destination and then save her mother. Solid pencil illustrations add to the tale, including herbal plants and symbols of importance. There is lots of historical background in this adventure story, but the quest and resolution are somewhat hopeful an unrealistic.
Across the border in Scotland, Art Flynt is twelve years old when her mother is taken away by the soldiers accused of witchcraft. She heads south on a desperate journey to save her mother. Dressed as a boy and always in danger, Art also encounters mystical signs along the way to guide her safely to her destination where she is supported by other brave girls who are dedicated to bringing the witch hunts to an end.
The females in this book are all strong and determined and the book offers a window into a past time where being female and poor could get you killed. Tension mounts as the each chapter acts as a countdown to the witch trials so the pressure is maintained for Art to reach her destination and then save her mother. Solid pencil illustrations add to the tale, including herbal plants and symbols of importance. There is lots of historical background in this adventure story, but the quest and resolution are somewhat hopeful an unrealistic.
April 26, 2021
We were lucky enough to win a set of books from The Reading Agency for the children to review and keep. Here's what they thought.
The whole story was very descriptive and painted a picture in your head. It felt magical and mysterious even though there was no actual magic in it. Art was unique and brave. I would recommend it to my friends. CG
This is written so you actually feel you're there. I liked all the characters along the way and the history. It was perfect for me. I loved it and think others will too. EB
I liked that it's about friendship. I liked the history of it too. I would recommend it to some of my friends, the ones who like history. JC
I liked Art, with her sword and her horse. I wouldn't recommend it to my friends though because it's quite a dark story, quite sad. GM
I absolutely loved the journey Art goes on to find her mother. I didn't like her aunt though. When she cut her hair it was a shocking surprise. AB
It was enchanting. I enjoyed it, especailly when she got the moonstone. HRC
I found the scene setting of the first few chapters best. TG
I found it very detailed and full of suspense. JB
I liked that Art had to go and find her mother but I don't think it's the kind of book my friends would enjoy as much. BA
The whole story was very descriptive and painted a picture in your head. It felt magical and mysterious even though there was no actual magic in it. Art was unique and brave. I would recommend it to my friends. CG
This is written so you actually feel you're there. I liked all the characters along the way and the history. It was perfect for me. I loved it and think others will too. EB
I liked that it's about friendship. I liked the history of it too. I would recommend it to some of my friends, the ones who like history. JC
I liked Art, with her sword and her horse. I wouldn't recommend it to my friends though because it's quite a dark story, quite sad. GM
I absolutely loved the journey Art goes on to find her mother. I didn't like her aunt though. When she cut her hair it was a shocking surprise. AB
It was enchanting. I enjoyed it, especailly when she got the moonstone. HRC
I found the scene setting of the first few chapters best. TG
I found it very detailed and full of suspense. JB
I liked that Art had to go and find her mother but I don't think it's the kind of book my friends would enjoy as much. BA
January 3, 2021
I loved the setting and premise for this book, historical fiction based on the witch trials and witch hunters is something I definitely want to learn more about. The story features lots of strong, determined female characters, something that I think young teenagers would enjoy and the main character, Art, is a great role model. I also enjoyed the explanations of various herbal remedies and how people used nature to heal themselves before modern medicine.
I did think at times scenes could have done with more detailed descriptions. I felt that it bounced slightly and a few times I had to stop and check I’d not missed out a section of text to help me make more sense of the action. I also felt that Art’s journey went a little too smoothly, given the size of the challenges she faced.
I did enjoy this book and would recommend it to the older children in the primary school I teach at.
Thanks so much to netgalley, the author and publishers for gifting me this ARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
I did think at times scenes could have done with more detailed descriptions. I felt that it bounced slightly and a few times I had to stop and check I’d not missed out a section of text to help me make more sense of the action. I also felt that Art’s journey went a little too smoothly, given the size of the challenges she faced.
I did enjoy this book and would recommend it to the older children in the primary school I teach at.
Thanks so much to netgalley, the author and publishers for gifting me this ARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
December 30, 2020
An adventure story that will also teach you something useful? Sign me up!
Set during the reign of Mathew Hopkins, the self appointed WitchFinder General who killed as many as 300 women in England and Scotland, this book follows a young Scottish girl as she attempts to save her healer mother. Herbal remedies feature heavily as Art has some training herself and meets another young girl who knows some as well.
This is a brilliant action story that also teaches a little bit of history. My only reservation would be that some of the dialogue sounded stilted and odd, but it's possible the two girls were speaking Latin or something as they were from different countries. As well, my copy was a proof and the dialogue may have been completely revamped before publication.
Even given that, this is a fantastic read, one that I very much enjoyed and will be happy to recommend.
Set during the reign of Mathew Hopkins, the self appointed WitchFinder General who killed as many as 300 women in England and Scotland, this book follows a young Scottish girl as she attempts to save her healer mother. Herbal remedies feature heavily as Art has some training herself and meets another young girl who knows some as well.
This is a brilliant action story that also teaches a little bit of history. My only reservation would be that some of the dialogue sounded stilted and odd, but it's possible the two girls were speaking Latin or something as they were from different countries. As well, my copy was a proof and the dialogue may have been completely revamped before publication.
Even given that, this is a fantastic read, one that I very much enjoyed and will be happy to recommend.
January 2, 2021
I read this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I went into this not realising it was a children’s book. However I really enjoyed it and thought it was a great introduction to the historical fiction genre for young readers. While it wasn’t overly graphic or violent, it also didn’t shy away from the reality of the era. I also liked the fact that it used the real life Mathew Hopkins, aka The Witchfinder General as one of the characters. As well as being a great story, it gives young readers an insight into this period of British history. I also felt that it had the feel of a fantasy novel. I’ve given this book four stars, it would have been five only for the fact that it was for a much younger age group than I fit in to.
I went into this not realising it was a children’s book. However I really enjoyed it and thought it was a great introduction to the historical fiction genre for young readers. While it wasn’t overly graphic or violent, it also didn’t shy away from the reality of the era. I also liked the fact that it used the real life Mathew Hopkins, aka The Witchfinder General as one of the characters. As well as being a great story, it gives young readers an insight into this period of British history. I also felt that it had the feel of a fantasy novel. I’ve given this book four stars, it would have been five only for the fact that it was for a much younger age group than I fit in to.
December 29, 2020
I really looked forward to reading this book, as this period of history has fascinated me. Art's journey to find her mother was complex, and I enjoyed reading through the twists and turns. Sometimes, I felt like more could have been said - almost as if it had been edited, but this didn't detract from the enjoyment overall. There were quite 'raw' parts to the book, particularly in the fighting scenes, and the times in the castle. Overall though, I thoroughly enjoyed Art's venture, and it is a great book to introduce younger readers to what was a horrific time for women. Thanks to NetGalley for my ARC.
January 4, 2021
I very much liked the premise of this one and I did enjoy reading it on the whole although not as much as I thought I would. I liked Art as a character, she is courageous and resourceful, but I didn't feel that she and certainly not the other characters were as well developed as they could have been. I wasn't entirely sure the plot was developed as well as it could have been either and certainly the ending felt rushed and not entirely convincing. A real disappointment was that you didn't really get a sense of travelling from Scotland to Essex at all, there is very little sense of place or atmosphere here which is a real shame particularly in a historical novel. The herbal remedies were interesting although the detail was in sharp contrast to what was lacking elsewhere. Despite the flaws it is a book I think children will enjoy reading, it does highlight the dangerous world women lived in in the late 1600s, the threat of witchcraft accusations, the fear and intolerance within society. As I said at the start I did enjoy it but it could have been so much more.
October 28, 2020
Art has until summer solstice to get from Scotland to Essex. She will then have to find her mother amongst 100 other women taken from around England as witches to be executed by the Witch hunter.
A perilous Road lies ahead, but with her mother's last words of guidance and knowledge of herblore and her brother's sword by her side. , Art finds the courage to start out on a journey to save her mother.
A great tale seeped in herb and folklore knowledge.
Thank you Emily @5getbookish for my early gifted copy
A perilous Road lies ahead, but with her mother's last words of guidance and knowledge of herblore and her brother's sword by her side. , Art finds the courage to start out on a journey to save her mother.
A great tale seeped in herb and folklore knowledge.
Thank you Emily @5getbookish for my early gifted copy
June 18, 2023
I went into this book not thinking too much of it, but once I started reading, I barely ever stopped until I finished it. This book took me 3 days to read, even though I finished it 13 days after I started it.
I loved this story and hope others will enjoy it as well.
The only cons of this story were the counting and mention of breaths (very annoying to me), so this one lost a star for this reason. Other than that, the book was great and I recommend it to kids and adults who enjoy a middle-grade read.
I loved this story and hope others will enjoy it as well.
The only cons of this story were the counting and mention of breaths (very annoying to me), so this one lost a star for this reason. Other than that, the book was great and I recommend it to kids and adults who enjoy a middle-grade read.
January 2, 2021
I am a 10 year old boy and I have just read the book. I think I am the first kid to read it. I love it. The character, Ant, was realistic and relatable. It has some very good historical accuracy and that made it even better as I know quite a lot about these historical events. It's good to see them in a book. It was very intense but in an adventurous way. I highly recommend it for 10-12 year olds. I think they would really enjoy it.
January 20, 2021
A solid 3 star read. I really enjoyed the premise of this book and the consistent themes of girl power, inner belief and herbalism / witchcraft throughout.
At points throughout this book, I felt like the story was lacking slightly and found that a few chapters, including the ending seemed rather rushed. That being said, I think that I would have absolutely loved this book when I was younger and would still recommend to anyone that enjoys middle grade books.
At points throughout this book, I felt like the story was lacking slightly and found that a few chapters, including the ending seemed rather rushed. That being said, I think that I would have absolutely loved this book when I was younger and would still recommend to anyone that enjoys middle grade books.
March 7, 2021
Whilst I found it hard to believe a young Scottish girl would be quite so able to head to Southern England with such ease as Art does and I'm not sure that Scottish women were taken all the way to Essex for trial, it is an interesting story which serves to remind us of how many women were treated so badly.
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