What do you think?
Rate this book
Witch
Set in the 17th century, a breathtaking debut, and a potential prize-winner, about the power of women, witchcraft, fury, revenge and the ties that bind us.
After witnessing the brutal murder of her mother by witch-hunters, Evey vows to avenge her and track down the killers. Fury burns in her bright and strong. But she has promised her mother that she will keep Dill, her little sister, safe.
As the lust for blood and retribution rises to fever pitch, will Evey keep true to the bonds of sisterhood and to the magick that is her destiny?
Cover artwork by Edward Bettison
After witnessing the brutal murder of her mother by witch-hunters, Evey vows to avenge her and track down the killers. Fury burns in her bright and strong. But she has promised her mother that she will keep Dill, her little sister, safe.
As the lust for blood and retribution rises to fever pitch, will Evey keep true to the bonds of sisterhood and to the magick that is her destiny?
Cover artwork by Edward Bettison
384 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2020
256 people are currently reading
5471 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 509 reviews
November 17, 2024
⭐3.3
⛥Plot:
Set in a dark historical world gripped by superstition and plagued by an unyielding fear of magical practitioners, 'Witch' explores the brutality and paranoia surrounding witch trials. The story offers a compelling premise rooted in revenge and survival amidst harrowing societal persecution. The atmospheric world-building effectively creates an air of mystery and dread but falls short of deeper exploration. While generally engaging, the plot occasionally falters with rushed or underdeveloped moments, leaving certain key events feeling disjointed.
⛥Writing:
Hawkins’ lyrical prose and evocative descriptions vividly capture the harsh mindset of the era. The appropriately dark tone conveys the emotional torment of the situation, though uneven pacing hinders momentum, and fragmented narration reduces immersion at times.
⛥Characters:
Evey, the protagonist, is humanised by her ability to take accountability during times of strife, and her journey is suitably emotionally charged. While a few supporting characters and their respective relationships shine with authenticity, others remain somewhat underexplored.
⛥Impact:
The novel elicits a mix of emotions, from anger and sorrow to fleeting moments of triumph, but its long-term resonance may vary depending on the reader. Its exploration of themes like vengeance, oppression, and the power of sisterhood is thought-provoking, though these concepts could have had a deeper impact had they been explored more intricately. The story has the potential to linger with readers, particularly due to a brief but disturbing depiction of cruelty and violence inflicted upon an innocent woman in the first chapter. Consider yourself warned—this gritty tale may feature magic, but it is by no means a comfort read.
⛥Entertainment Value:
'Witch' offers a provocative experience for those seeking a relatively short dive into an era of widespread atrocity, with a light sprinkling of fantasy. Though this may not be a tale for all tastes, its dark exploration of historical oppression and survival renders the book a haunting choice for readers who are intrigued by the horrors of witch trials.
⛥ ⛥ ⛥ ⛥ ⛥ ⛥ ⛥ ⛥
Trigger Warnings:
☢Graphic Violence
☢Death of innocent women and children
☢Public execution
Themes and Tropes:
⛥Witch trials
⛥Oppression
⛥Revenge
⛥Survival
⛥Sibling Rivalry
⛥Magic
⛥Plot:
Set in a dark historical world gripped by superstition and plagued by an unyielding fear of magical practitioners, 'Witch' explores the brutality and paranoia surrounding witch trials. The story offers a compelling premise rooted in revenge and survival amidst harrowing societal persecution. The atmospheric world-building effectively creates an air of mystery and dread but falls short of deeper exploration. While generally engaging, the plot occasionally falters with rushed or underdeveloped moments, leaving certain key events feeling disjointed.
⛥Writing:
Hawkins’ lyrical prose and evocative descriptions vividly capture the harsh mindset of the era. The appropriately dark tone conveys the emotional torment of the situation, though uneven pacing hinders momentum, and fragmented narration reduces immersion at times.
⛥Characters:
Evey, the protagonist, is humanised by her ability to take accountability during times of strife, and her journey is suitably emotionally charged. While a few supporting characters and their respective relationships shine with authenticity, others remain somewhat underexplored.
⛥Impact:
The novel elicits a mix of emotions, from anger and sorrow to fleeting moments of triumph, but its long-term resonance may vary depending on the reader. Its exploration of themes like vengeance, oppression, and the power of sisterhood is thought-provoking, though these concepts could have had a deeper impact had they been explored more intricately. The story has the potential to linger with readers, particularly due to a brief but disturbing depiction of cruelty and violence inflicted upon an innocent woman in the first chapter. Consider yourself warned—this gritty tale may feature magic, but it is by no means a comfort read.
⛥Entertainment Value:
'Witch' offers a provocative experience for those seeking a relatively short dive into an era of widespread atrocity, with a light sprinkling of fantasy. Though this may not be a tale for all tastes, its dark exploration of historical oppression and survival renders the book a haunting choice for readers who are intrigued by the horrors of witch trials.
⛥ ⛥ ⛥ ⛥ ⛥ ⛥ ⛥ ⛥
Trigger Warnings:
☢Graphic Violence
☢Death of innocent women and children
☢Public execution
Themes and Tropes:
⛥Witch trials
⛥Oppression
⛥Revenge
⛥Survival
⛥Sibling Rivalry
⛥Magic
July 8, 2020
I was sent this proof for free by Head of Zeus for the purposes of providing an honest review.
Trigger and content warnings are in spoiler tags as there are quite a few of them.
Witch sounded like a story that would be right up my street, but sadly, it was quite disappointed.
Witnessing the murder of her mother for being a witch, Evey swears to avenge her death on every man involved. But doing so is difficult with her nine-year-old sister Dill in tow, especially when it's so dangerous. Fighting with her conscience, she leaves Dill with her aunt Grey and the rest of her mother's coven, and sets out to kill those who killed her. She has no plan, only fury and her mother's scrying stone. With the help from surprising people along the way, and an unlikely friendship developing, Evey gets ever closer to her goal. But the witch hunters know she's still out there, and are hunting her, too. Will Evey be the victorios hunter, or will she be prey?
I have a number of problems with Witch, but I'll start with a positive. The writing style is quite different, and got a bit of getting used to. Evey narrates the story, but she has an old fashioned way of speaking. Not too long in I realised that she talks quite similarly to the common folk in Poldark, and once I made that connection, it kind of clicked into place. It's actually quite beautiful, and made reading Witch quite easy; there's something soothing about the way Evey tells the story, and I was quite lulled.
However, while Witch is a quick read, it took me far too long to read it. While the writing style had me enthralled when I was reading Witch, I was never really motivated to pick it up again once I put it down. Considering it's subject matter, I was really surprised how I wasn't particularly interested in Evey's story. I just wasn't gripped, and didn't really care about the characters or the outcome. It was also quite slow, considering how short it is; it's 252 pages long, but the font is quite large, so I really flew through it when reading. But not a huge amount actually happens in the great scheme of things until the fairly near the end. It's just Evey trying to find the people who killed her mother, and her obsession with killing them.
And then there's Evey herself. She's self-centered and jealous, resentful and remorseful, rash and reckless, and at times completely thoughtless. She's a spoilt brat, really, and a bit of an unreliable narrator, as she lies to herself. With all this in mind, you would understand if I really couldn't stand Evey. But while I rolled my eyes at her a number of times, I couldn't bring myself to feel anything strongly for her one way of the other. As I've said, I just didn't really care.
The events of Witch are actually quite dark and disturbing. It starts off with a murder, breaking bones, urinating and spitting on a dead body. There are a number of deaths throughout. There is abduction of children and adults, "arrested" for witchcraft. There is a witch trial. There is a hanging. There are so many things that take place that are just horrific, but I was completely unaffected. I've read about these things before, and the anger, disgust, and horror was overwhelming. But Witch fails to bring about any real emotion in me. I didn't care about the story, I wasn't bothered by Evey one way or the other, and I wasn't affected by the terrible things that happen. I just feel there was something crucial missing from this story.
Then there's the fantasy of this historical fantasy. At first, it seems like the witches of Witch are more traditional wise women/cunning folk; there's the mention of healing, of brews and poltices, of midwifery, of turning to witches when doctors can't help. But that's all there is - mentions. You never actually see any witches doing any of this kind of magic. There's no information about what they did and how they did it. And sure, this is partly due to the fact that the story is about Evey wanting to avenge her mother's death, and that she herself spurns magic. But it also felt like it didn't matter what they did or didn't do, just that there were witches, and witches were being hunted. That's all we need to know.
But then the story takes a strange turn at around the last third/final quarter of the book, and it turns out these witches are also able to use fantasy magic... and I have absolutely no idea about how it all works. There isn't much in the way of explanation and description when this magic takes place. I never knew exactly what was happening, why it was happening, or how it led to what happened. Because of not wanting to spoil the story, I'm going to keep this quite basic, but the scrying stone would be held, and there would be thoughts, and then things would happen. Why? What does the scrying stone do? How does it work? How does it connect to your thoughts? If that is indeed what is happening, because I'm not even sure of that. And how does that lead to the actual magic? I can't tell you. It's really very sketchy.
And when it comes to history, it's also very sketchy. There's not a huge deal of historic detail that that gives a sense of time and place. Evey's in the woods, she's by a river, she's in a lord's house with stairs and hallways and paintings, she's in a rose garden, she's in a town. But we get very little in way of description to root the story in a specific time. But it's not just about description either; there would be things that happened that just didn't feel true to the time, and I'd have to suspend disbelief and just accept that what's happening even if it didn't seem very realistic. For example the friendship that develops between Evey and Anne, the high born daughter of Lord Whitaker. I'm absolutely no expert on history, but I don't believe they would actually have become as fast friends as they did in reality. There was prejudice and inequality between the high born and the low born. I'm not saying there were no decent nobles, who didn't treat everyone below them dispicably, but I really don't think Anne would actually have helped Evey as much as she does. Forget the fact that they've only known each other for five minutes and they're the best of friends, even if they had known each other longer, I can't see their friendship becoming as strong, them becoming as close, as they did. And then there's the civil war. The civil war is integral to Evey's story - or rather the fact that a civil war is taking place is integral. The civil war itself is actually unimportant. What civil war, exactly? Why is the government trying to oust the king? Which king? Unless you actually know your history, you're going to be none the wiser, because none of those details matter.
There were also two moments in the book that I really wasn't keen on. There is a young boy in Witch we see very little of, Bob, who seems to have a developmental disability. We're never told his age, but it's made clear he's older than he acts. He doesn't recognise dangerous situations, he seems to think of everyone as a friend, and he smiles and waves at everyone. At one point, Evey describes him as being "as mad as a hare." Now I know this is a historic novel, and they didn't have the language then that we do now, but there was really no need for this description. From what his mother tells Evey and from seeing how he acts, we know he has a disability, there's absolutely no need for Evey to call him "mad." There's no reason for that use of language, nor using it to tell us what we already know. I just think it's highly offensive.
At another point, Evey needs to go out in a crowd and not be recognised, and through Fay, a little girl she meets, playing dress up with her and Anne, she comes up with the idea of disgusing themselves. The up coming witch trial is basically a holiday and an excuse for merriment, and there's all kinds of entertainers outside. So Evey covers her face in ash - as part of a spell, because ash is binding - and with her and Anne's faces painted, they'll be mistaken for entertainers. However, as Fay has painted Anne's face white, she is the white witch. When Fay sees Evey's face, in delight, she calls her the black witch, because she is bad and dark. There are racial implications behind white magic/witch being good and black magic/witch being bad, but this idea with these racial implications mentioned because Evey's face is covered in ash made me very uncomfortable. It just smacks of blackface to me. Because she has ash on her face, her skin is "dark", and therefore she is bad. Evey is not trying to make herself look like a Black person, she's using ash as part of a spell and to disguise herself, so I don't think blackface is intended. But even so, I think this is hugely problematic.
I have to say, I did love Dill and Fay. Hawkins does a brilliant job at writing children. These were the only two characters I felt anything for; they were adorable and so cute! They both brought smiles to my face, and I wish both were present for more of the story. But apart from those two and the writing style, I didn't really like this book, and was quite disappointed.
Witch really wasn't for me, sadly, but other people have enjoyed it, so do read other reviews before deciding whether or not to read it yourself.
Trigger and content warnings are in spoiler tags as there are quite a few of them.
Witch sounded like a story that would be right up my street, but sadly, it was quite disappointed.
Witnessing the murder of her mother for being a witch, Evey swears to avenge her death on every man involved. But doing so is difficult with her nine-year-old sister Dill in tow, especially when it's so dangerous. Fighting with her conscience, she leaves Dill with her aunt Grey and the rest of her mother's coven, and sets out to kill those who killed her. She has no plan, only fury and her mother's scrying stone. With the help from surprising people along the way, and an unlikely friendship developing, Evey gets ever closer to her goal. But the witch hunters know she's still out there, and are hunting her, too. Will Evey be the victorios hunter, or will she be prey?
I have a number of problems with Witch, but I'll start with a positive. The writing style is quite different, and got a bit of getting used to. Evey narrates the story, but she has an old fashioned way of speaking. Not too long in I realised that she talks quite similarly to the common folk in Poldark, and once I made that connection, it kind of clicked into place. It's actually quite beautiful, and made reading Witch quite easy; there's something soothing about the way Evey tells the story, and I was quite lulled.
However, while Witch is a quick read, it took me far too long to read it. While the writing style had me enthralled when I was reading Witch, I was never really motivated to pick it up again once I put it down. Considering it's subject matter, I was really surprised how I wasn't particularly interested in Evey's story. I just wasn't gripped, and didn't really care about the characters or the outcome. It was also quite slow, considering how short it is; it's 252 pages long, but the font is quite large, so I really flew through it when reading. But not a huge amount actually happens in the great scheme of things until the fairly near the end. It's just Evey trying to find the people who killed her mother, and her obsession with killing them.
And then there's Evey herself. She's self-centered and jealous, resentful and remorseful, rash and reckless, and at times completely thoughtless. She's a spoilt brat, really, and a bit of an unreliable narrator, as she lies to herself. With all this in mind, you would understand if I really couldn't stand Evey. But while I rolled my eyes at her a number of times, I couldn't bring myself to feel anything strongly for her one way of the other. As I've said, I just didn't really care.
The events of Witch are actually quite dark and disturbing. It starts off with a murder, breaking bones, urinating and spitting on a dead body. There are a number of deaths throughout. There is abduction of children and adults, "arrested" for witchcraft. There is a witch trial. There is a hanging. There are so many things that take place that are just horrific, but I was completely unaffected. I've read about these things before, and the anger, disgust, and horror was overwhelming. But Witch fails to bring about any real emotion in me. I didn't care about the story, I wasn't bothered by Evey one way or the other, and I wasn't affected by the terrible things that happen. I just feel there was something crucial missing from this story.
Then there's the fantasy of this historical fantasy. At first, it seems like the witches of Witch are more traditional wise women/cunning folk; there's the mention of healing, of brews and poltices, of midwifery, of turning to witches when doctors can't help. But that's all there is - mentions. You never actually see any witches doing any of this kind of magic. There's no information about what they did and how they did it. And sure, this is partly due to the fact that the story is about Evey wanting to avenge her mother's death, and that she herself spurns magic. But it also felt like it didn't matter what they did or didn't do, just that there were witches, and witches were being hunted. That's all we need to know.
But then the story takes a strange turn at around the last third/final quarter of the book, and it turns out these witches are also able to use fantasy magic... and I have absolutely no idea about how it all works. There isn't much in the way of explanation and description when this magic takes place. I never knew exactly what was happening, why it was happening, or how it led to what happened. Because of not wanting to spoil the story, I'm going to keep this quite basic, but the scrying stone would be held, and there would be thoughts, and then things would happen. Why? What does the scrying stone do? How does it work? How does it connect to your thoughts? If that is indeed what is happening, because I'm not even sure of that. And how does that lead to the actual magic? I can't tell you. It's really very sketchy.
And when it comes to history, it's also very sketchy. There's not a huge deal of historic detail that that gives a sense of time and place. Evey's in the woods, she's by a river, she's in a lord's house with stairs and hallways and paintings, she's in a rose garden, she's in a town. But we get very little in way of description to root the story in a specific time. But it's not just about description either; there would be things that happened that just didn't feel true to the time, and I'd have to suspend disbelief and just accept that what's happening even if it didn't seem very realistic. For example the friendship that develops between Evey and Anne, the high born daughter of Lord Whitaker. I'm absolutely no expert on history, but I don't believe they would actually have become as fast friends as they did in reality. There was prejudice and inequality between the high born and the low born. I'm not saying there were no decent nobles, who didn't treat everyone below them dispicably, but I really don't think Anne would actually have helped Evey as much as she does. Forget the fact that they've only known each other for five minutes and they're the best of friends, even if they had known each other longer, I can't see their friendship becoming as strong, them becoming as close, as they did. And then there's the civil war. The civil war is integral to Evey's story - or rather the fact that a civil war is taking place is integral. The civil war itself is actually unimportant. What civil war, exactly? Why is the government trying to oust the king? Which king? Unless you actually know your history, you're going to be none the wiser, because none of those details matter.
There were also two moments in the book that I really wasn't keen on. There is a young boy in Witch we see very little of, Bob, who seems to have a developmental disability. We're never told his age, but it's made clear he's older than he acts. He doesn't recognise dangerous situations, he seems to think of everyone as a friend, and he smiles and waves at everyone. At one point, Evey describes him as being "as mad as a hare." Now I know this is a historic novel, and they didn't have the language then that we do now, but there was really no need for this description. From what his mother tells Evey and from seeing how he acts, we know he has a disability, there's absolutely no need for Evey to call him "mad." There's no reason for that use of language, nor using it to tell us what we already know. I just think it's highly offensive.
At another point, Evey needs to go out in a crowd and not be recognised, and through Fay, a little girl she meets, playing dress up with her and Anne, she comes up with the idea of disgusing themselves. The up coming witch trial is basically a holiday and an excuse for merriment, and there's all kinds of entertainers outside. So Evey covers her face in ash - as part of a spell, because ash is binding - and with her and Anne's faces painted, they'll be mistaken for entertainers. However, as Fay has painted Anne's face white, she is the white witch. When Fay sees Evey's face, in delight, she calls her the black witch, because she is bad and dark. There are racial implications behind white magic/witch being good and black magic/witch being bad, but this idea with these racial implications mentioned because Evey's face is covered in ash made me very uncomfortable. It just smacks of blackface to me. Because she has ash on her face, her skin is "dark", and therefore she is bad. Evey is not trying to make herself look like a Black person, she's using ash as part of a spell and to disguise herself, so I don't think blackface is intended. But even so, I think this is hugely problematic.
I have to say, I did love Dill and Fay. Hawkins does a brilliant job at writing children. These were the only two characters I felt anything for; they were adorable and so cute! They both brought smiles to my face, and I wish both were present for more of the story. But apart from those two and the writing style, I didn't really like this book, and was quite disappointed.
Witch really wasn't for me, sadly, but other people have enjoyed it, so do read other reviews before deciding whether or not to read it yourself.
December 1, 2020
Finbar Hawkins has written an excellent debut YA novel, “Witch”, that features witchcraft, revenge, the trauma from grief and strong family ties. Set in 17th century England during the English civil wars, the beautiful lyrical writing truly sets the scene for a dark, haunting atmosphere that makes a perfect winter read for the 12+ age group. As an adult I found the story just as entertaining and at times quite scary, with an opening scene that was rather violent and could be upsetting to some very young readers.
Young Evey, red-haired and strong willed doesn’t want to be a witch but she can’t deny the ‘magick’ coursing through her veins. After witnessing her mother’s vicious murder by ‘witch hunters’ she promises her mother to keep her younger sister Dill, safe. Feeling the need for retribution, she abandons Dill at a family coven in the woods and sets off into town, where people are gathering for the witch trials. As the intense lust for blood towards her mother’s killers grows, how will she bring the hunters to justice for their actions and will she revert to her witching ways?
I’ve always been intrigued by the historical witch trials and the subjugation of women who didn’t conform to normality of those times and this story is a prime example of the injustice of it all. Enchanting, breathtaking and exquisitely written in the voice of the era, “Witch” is an exceptional story that had me engrossed from the first page and I’d have no hesitation in recommending this author and his debut book to readers from the age of 12.
4 stars
Young Evey, red-haired and strong willed doesn’t want to be a witch but she can’t deny the ‘magick’ coursing through her veins. After witnessing her mother’s vicious murder by ‘witch hunters’ she promises her mother to keep her younger sister Dill, safe. Feeling the need for retribution, she abandons Dill at a family coven in the woods and sets off into town, where people are gathering for the witch trials. As the intense lust for blood towards her mother’s killers grows, how will she bring the hunters to justice for their actions and will she revert to her witching ways?
I’ve always been intrigued by the historical witch trials and the subjugation of women who didn’t conform to normality of those times and this story is a prime example of the injustice of it all. Enchanting, breathtaking and exquisitely written in the voice of the era, “Witch” is an exceptional story that had me engrossed from the first page and I’d have no hesitation in recommending this author and his debut book to readers from the age of 12.
4 stars
March 25, 2021
I thought I would really like Witch, but I didn't enjoy it at all.
The writing style is very different, it's written in a way that portrays an old way of speaking but there was nothing to confirm the time period or setting so it just felt awkward. I found it hard to get into because the sentences weren't structured the 'normal' way so I felt like I was having to work pretty hard to understand what was being said - maybe that's just me!
I didn't click with any of the characters, I just didn't feel anything for them. Evey sets out to take revenge on the men who murdered her mother during a witch hunt, which really ought to evoke some sort of emotions but there was nothing there for me. Evey's mother is killed off really early in the story so other than being told that it's her mother and she feels this way, there was no emotional connection for me to grab on to.
As for the magic - for a book about witches, there's barely any witchy stuff going on. At first, I thought it was because it was focusing on healing and midwifery, more wise woman style witches than magic witches, but even then there was nothing shown. It was a case of being told that these people are witches and they're being hunted. End of story.
When magic did come into play near the end, I had no idea what was happening or how. Crows seem to appear from nowhere because Evey was holding the scrying stone but why? How? Evey spent the whole book telling us she didn't have magic...
It's a shame, I really wanted to like it but I was so close to DNFing around the 250 mark. The one thing I did really enjoy was the artwork, every chapter finishes with a hand-drawn image and near the end of the book the art creeps onto the main pages - it was beautifully done.
The writing style is very different, it's written in a way that portrays an old way of speaking but there was nothing to confirm the time period or setting so it just felt awkward. I found it hard to get into because the sentences weren't structured the 'normal' way so I felt like I was having to work pretty hard to understand what was being said - maybe that's just me!
I didn't click with any of the characters, I just didn't feel anything for them. Evey sets out to take revenge on the men who murdered her mother during a witch hunt, which really ought to evoke some sort of emotions but there was nothing there for me. Evey's mother is killed off really early in the story so other than being told that it's her mother and she feels this way, there was no emotional connection for me to grab on to.
As for the magic - for a book about witches, there's barely any witchy stuff going on. At first, I thought it was because it was focusing on healing and midwifery, more wise woman style witches than magic witches, but even then there was nothing shown. It was a case of being told that these people are witches and they're being hunted. End of story.
When magic did come into play near the end, I had no idea what was happening or how. Crows seem to appear from nowhere because Evey was holding the scrying stone but why? How? Evey spent the whole book telling us she didn't have magic...
It's a shame, I really wanted to like it but I was so close to DNFing around the 250 mark. The one thing I did really enjoy was the artwork, every chapter finishes with a hand-drawn image and near the end of the book the art creeps onto the main pages - it was beautifully done.
October 1, 2020
In 17th-century England, civil war rages and witches have become pawns in a plot to oust the king. Red-haired Evey does not want to be a witch, but she cannot deny the magick coursing through her veins. In a country seething with civil war, superstition, dread and dark forces are at work. A storm is coming. After witnessing the brutal murder of her mother by witch-hunters, Evey vows to avenge her and track down her killers. Fury burns in her bright and strong. But she has promised her mother that she will keep Dill, her little sister, safe. Dill: the gifted one, their mother's favourite. Dill, who their mother entrusted with the scrying stone, which should rightfully be Evey's. Battling a terrible jealousy of Dill, Evey seizes the scrying stone and abandons her little sister with their aunt Grey at the coven in the woods. Even though Evey longs to be free, she has a promise to keep, and she cannot rest until justice is done. She sets off to town where the men who murdered her mother are gathering for the witch trials. But as the lust for blood and retribution rises to fever pitch, will Evey keep true to the bonds of sisterhood and to the magick that is her destiny?
Witch is the debut novel of Finbar Hawkins and a breathtaking story about the power of women, witchcraft, fury, revenge and the ties that bind us. It is the perfect autumn treat for when the nights draw in and you wish to curl up with a good book by the fire. It captures the intense nature of sibling rivalry so eloquently and in such a compelling fashion that I was bereft when I reached the end of the book. If you enjoy stories filled with dark magic, beautifully wrought and quick-paced, then this is a must-read. Impressively balancing magic and realism, it is a strong starter and starts as it means to go on; right from the opening page, Hawkins knows exactly how to grab your attention with this strange, enticing delight. Original, opulent, exciting and, perhaps most importantly, enchanting. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Zephyr for an ARC.
Witch is the debut novel of Finbar Hawkins and a breathtaking story about the power of women, witchcraft, fury, revenge and the ties that bind us. It is the perfect autumn treat for when the nights draw in and you wish to curl up with a good book by the fire. It captures the intense nature of sibling rivalry so eloquently and in such a compelling fashion that I was bereft when I reached the end of the book. If you enjoy stories filled with dark magic, beautifully wrought and quick-paced, then this is a must-read. Impressively balancing magic and realism, it is a strong starter and starts as it means to go on; right from the opening page, Hawkins knows exactly how to grab your attention with this strange, enticing delight. Original, opulent, exciting and, perhaps most importantly, enchanting. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Zephyr for an ARC.
March 30, 2021
This was a really nice book, lovingly written and it felt like a very old tale being told which was full of atmosphere. The writing itself was old fashioned which helped bring a witchy old timey feeling to it, although at times it was a little harder to read or grasp exactly what was going on but for the most part it was an easy read, and I always got the gist of it at least.
In many ways a classic tale of love and death and most importantly revenge. I really loved all the strong female characters, including a warrior witch. Lots of action and adventure throughout with a sprinkling of magic, and of mother earth's/the natural world’s secrets and beauty.
This was a YA book which I did not realise at first, I’m not usually a fan and I felt some of the story was a little simplified on that basis, but it had such lovely writing it was a real pleasure to read.
A very solid 4*/5
In many ways a classic tale of love and death and most importantly revenge. I really loved all the strong female characters, including a warrior witch. Lots of action and adventure throughout with a sprinkling of magic, and of mother earth's/the natural world’s secrets and beauty.
This was a YA book which I did not realise at first, I’m not usually a fan and I felt some of the story was a little simplified on that basis, but it had such lovely writing it was a real pleasure to read.
A very solid 4*/5
May 28, 2021
C’était intriguant, mais je suis un peu passée à côté je pense. Le style d’écriture était assez particulier, plutôt original et beau mais j’ai eu du mal à rentrer dans l’histoire qui avait un rythme un peu spécial à mon goût ... j’ai du mal à l’expliquer mais oui, je suis pas entièrement convaincue par cette lecture 🙊
December 24, 2020
Full review can be found here: https://joyzineuk.wordpress.com/2020/...
April 1, 2021
I loved this short novel, based on 17th century witch hunts. It's engagingly written and truely has some beautiful passages. Some chapters were a little confusing to me, but that was solved after rereading some pieces a few times. Loved the main characters and the setting. Definetely recommended for people who love magical reads.
August 24, 2022
To nie jest dobra książka o Czarownicach. Taka brutalna, infantylna i stereotypowa...
October 6, 2020
I am a huge fan of any witchy books and this has been a book I have been dying to read for ages and I can confirm that it was utterly AMAZING!
Witch is such a moving, powerful and fast paced story. I read it in two sittings as I could not tear my eyes away from the pages. The setting is very eerie and it is during a period of history where women were taken from their homes and accused of witchcraft and either murdered or taken to trial. It really is a dark story. The very start of the book is so shocking to read about with Evey and her sister witnessing the brutal murder of their mother. This is a tale of revenge and Evey is determined to find the men who killed her mother and make them pay.
I absolutely adored the character of Evey. She is such a brave, strong-willed young girl who at times is a bit headstrong and rash in her decisions but she acts exactly what a young girl her age would do. Her relationship with her little sister Dilly, is tainted with a bit of jealousy and the usual sibling rivalry. But what Evey goes through trying to protect her little sister is very courageous and moving. Evey’s friendship with the kind, loyal Anne really shines a light in this dark book and so do more wonderful characters who eventually come into this brilliant story.
The author’s style of writing is lyrical, stunning and haunting. There is so much of a witchy, creepy atmosphere built up throughout this story that will let your imagination be swept away by these captivating, magical pages.
I honestly could read this book over and over again, it was completely breath-taking and bewitching. It is also the perfect book to read for this time of year sitting all cosy by the fire on these dark nights. I urge readers to buy this incredible book as you will be in for such a magnificent treat. I cannot wait to read more from this author in the future.
Witch is such a moving, powerful and fast paced story. I read it in two sittings as I could not tear my eyes away from the pages. The setting is very eerie and it is during a period of history where women were taken from their homes and accused of witchcraft and either murdered or taken to trial. It really is a dark story. The very start of the book is so shocking to read about with Evey and her sister witnessing the brutal murder of their mother. This is a tale of revenge and Evey is determined to find the men who killed her mother and make them pay.
I absolutely adored the character of Evey. She is such a brave, strong-willed young girl who at times is a bit headstrong and rash in her decisions but she acts exactly what a young girl her age would do. Her relationship with her little sister Dilly, is tainted with a bit of jealousy and the usual sibling rivalry. But what Evey goes through trying to protect her little sister is very courageous and moving. Evey’s friendship with the kind, loyal Anne really shines a light in this dark book and so do more wonderful characters who eventually come into this brilliant story.
The author’s style of writing is lyrical, stunning and haunting. There is so much of a witchy, creepy atmosphere built up throughout this story that will let your imagination be swept away by these captivating, magical pages.
I honestly could read this book over and over again, it was completely breath-taking and bewitching. It is also the perfect book to read for this time of year sitting all cosy by the fire on these dark nights. I urge readers to buy this incredible book as you will be in for such a magnificent treat. I cannot wait to read more from this author in the future.
September 29, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley, Finbar Hawkins and Head of Zeus for providing me with an arc of Witch in exchange for an honest review.
A witchy tale! I loved the overall plot of this book and I grew to love the characters too. I especially liked Anne!
Initially I found this book rather difficult to get into, however I stuck with it. I think it was the writing style that I found hard to personally connect with. However I also understand that other people would appreciate and enjoy this style of writing as it sounds more appropriate for the time in which the story is set.
On the other hand I really liked the overall idea of the plot and the story itself, however once more it was difficult at times for a smooth read due to the way it was written. I however cannot fault the core of the plot as I did enjoy that, I also think this would translate quite well into a film or television show.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this book as it was definitely an adventure I was glad I experienced.
A witchy tale! I loved the overall plot of this book and I grew to love the characters too. I especially liked Anne!
Initially I found this book rather difficult to get into, however I stuck with it. I think it was the writing style that I found hard to personally connect with. However I also understand that other people would appreciate and enjoy this style of writing as it sounds more appropriate for the time in which the story is set.
On the other hand I really liked the overall idea of the plot and the story itself, however once more it was difficult at times for a smooth read due to the way it was written. I however cannot fault the core of the plot as I did enjoy that, I also think this would translate quite well into a film or television show.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this book as it was definitely an adventure I was glad I experienced.
August 26, 2022
Niestety okropnie się zawiodłam. Nieskładna akcja, główna bohaterka, „kilkunastoletnia”, zachowująca się gorzej niż jej 9-o letnia siostra. Nie wiem i chyba już się nie dowiem co się tam dokładnie wydarzyło. Wydawnictwo określiło książkę na 16+, zapewne ze względu na tematykę, ale dialogi w tej książce są na poziomie rozmowy dzieci ze wczesnej podstawówki. Zamysł super- wykonanie beznadziejne (może jest to też poniekąd wina tłumaczenia, nie wiem). Jedyne co mi się podobało to okładka i ilustracje przy rozdziałach.
Read
September 21, 2024Dnf, я отказываюсь читать книги с тупыми главными героинями
April 23, 2021
This review was originally posted on The Moonlight Library
I did not enjoy most of this book.
I don't really want to write a 'negative' review, because I can see how some people might have enjoyed this. But the writing style - although unique, and with an excellent narrative voice, did not gel with me.
The book was written with archaic language, playing with grammatical structure reminiscent of language used in the 17th century. However, I did not enjoy it. By all means, I do not expect or even want a historical fiction book to be written in a modern day vernacular, but it's not the specific word choices that were used that annoyed me. It was written from Evey's point of view, and that uneducated girl is not going to be grammatically correct. I got used to that after a while.
The writing was so vague and deliberately overly flowery that I couldn't quite figure out what was going on half the time. It seemed to be missing context. For example, instead of describing a person stabbing another, it was described as
"He swung, I flung, and I watched my knife fly. Brighter than his dull blade. It was swift, and deadly."
I honestly had to rewind because I wasn't sure if the character had been stabbed or not. The entire book is written this way, and it was a bit of a slog to get through. I can understand why some people would like this style, but it did not gel with me.
I also didn't like Evey. I didn't mind at all that she started in a very selfish place: in fact, I liked that. It gave room for growth. But I didn't like how the book made Evey seem very normal, completely helpless at times and needing to be rescued, and then when it was convenient, all of a sudden she not only embraced being a witch, which she had busy been denying the entire book (one of the reasons she was jealous of her little sister was that her mother favoured Dill for being a witch, but Evey was not), but she was incredibly powerful out of nowhere. The book tried to use this magical device to explain her sudden power and her adeptness at using it, but it seemed more like a cheap explanation at odds with Evey telling us for the entire book that she wasn't a witch. It didn't go into any detail on how the magic was used, nor what Evey did to use it. Just bam! She's a witch now, and kicking butt.
Besides, for most of the book, witches acted as wise women and healers, so having Evey use actual magic seemed out of place. The book seemed to be saying that women were persecuted and just accused of being witches by other jealous women, or as scapegoats for men, but it was also made clear that magic was a real thing witches could do/have access to, so I wasn't quite sure what it was supposed to be saying except that women are at the mercy of men who are terrible.
Also, Evey had no plan for the entire book. It was supposed to be about her getting revenge for the murder of her mother, but she had no plan. She also kept telling the bad guys looking for her exactly who she was. And it's not like she had zero sense of self-preservation: she knew when to run. But she kept going, "I am the person you seek!" to the witch hunters. WHY. WHY DID SHE DO THAT. She didn't have a plan! She didn't plan to get captured. She didn't plan to kill anyone. She was improvising the whole time, and everything turned out great for her. Even when she was supposed to be in disguise, and she's like, LOOK, HERE I AM, she had no plan. It was Anne that saved her butt most of the time.
Anne literally came out of nowhere, fought a man to the death for a girl she didn't even know, then they were BFF, like, instantly. She always came to the rescue. She provided Evey with everything she needed: first aid, transport, shelter, reputation, connections. Evey just kind of floated through this book while Ann did all the hard work. I sometimes felt as if the book would have been better told from Anne's point of view.
Also, Evey and Ann are totally gay and I will not enter into discussions that say otherwise. I know I literally wrote a blog post a few weeks ago arguing not to ship every straight relationship into a gay one, but these two were clearly gay and into each other, I was just waiting for them to kiss.
Gemma Whalen did a really good job narrating this audiobook, and I think her soft West Country accent (not sure if she's putting it on or if it's natural, she was that consistent with it and also she's a brilliant actress) helped me digest the scrappy, vague, context-less writing style.
Overall I think this is a book that you might want to check out a preview for, borrow from a library, or read a page in a bookshop before committing to.
I did not enjoy most of this book.
I don't really want to write a 'negative' review, because I can see how some people might have enjoyed this. But the writing style - although unique, and with an excellent narrative voice, did not gel with me.
The book was written with archaic language, playing with grammatical structure reminiscent of language used in the 17th century. However, I did not enjoy it. By all means, I do not expect or even want a historical fiction book to be written in a modern day vernacular, but it's not the specific word choices that were used that annoyed me. It was written from Evey's point of view, and that uneducated girl is not going to be grammatically correct. I got used to that after a while.
The writing was so vague and deliberately overly flowery that I couldn't quite figure out what was going on half the time. It seemed to be missing context. For example, instead of describing a person stabbing another, it was described as
"He swung, I flung, and I watched my knife fly. Brighter than his dull blade. It was swift, and deadly."
I honestly had to rewind because I wasn't sure if the character had been stabbed or not. The entire book is written this way, and it was a bit of a slog to get through. I can understand why some people would like this style, but it did not gel with me.
I also didn't like Evey. I didn't mind at all that she started in a very selfish place: in fact, I liked that. It gave room for growth. But I didn't like how the book made Evey seem very normal, completely helpless at times and needing to be rescued, and then when it was convenient, all of a sudden she not only embraced being a witch, which she had busy been denying the entire book (one of the reasons she was jealous of her little sister was that her mother favoured Dill for being a witch, but Evey was not), but she was incredibly powerful out of nowhere. The book tried to use this magical device to explain her sudden power and her adeptness at using it, but it seemed more like a cheap explanation at odds with Evey telling us for the entire book that she wasn't a witch. It didn't go into any detail on how the magic was used, nor what Evey did to use it. Just bam! She's a witch now, and kicking butt.
Besides, for most of the book, witches acted as wise women and healers, so having Evey use actual magic seemed out of place. The book seemed to be saying that women were persecuted and just accused of being witches by other jealous women, or as scapegoats for men, but it was also made clear that magic was a real thing witches could do/have access to, so I wasn't quite sure what it was supposed to be saying except that women are at the mercy of men who are terrible.
Also, Evey had no plan for the entire book. It was supposed to be about her getting revenge for the murder of her mother, but she had no plan. She also kept telling the bad guys looking for her exactly who she was. And it's not like she had zero sense of self-preservation: she knew when to run. But she kept going, "I am the person you seek!" to the witch hunters. WHY. WHY DID SHE DO THAT. She didn't have a plan! She didn't plan to get captured. She didn't plan to kill anyone. She was improvising the whole time, and everything turned out great for her. Even when she was supposed to be in disguise, and she's like, LOOK, HERE I AM, she had no plan. It was Anne that saved her butt most of the time.
Anne literally came out of nowhere, fought a man to the death for a girl she didn't even know, then they were BFF, like, instantly. She always came to the rescue. She provided Evey with everything she needed: first aid, transport, shelter, reputation, connections. Evey just kind of floated through this book while Ann did all the hard work. I sometimes felt as if the book would have been better told from Anne's point of view.
Also, Evey and Ann are totally gay and I will not enter into discussions that say otherwise. I know I literally wrote a blog post a few weeks ago arguing not to ship every straight relationship into a gay one, but these two were clearly gay and into each other, I was just waiting for them to kiss.
Gemma Whalen did a really good job narrating this audiobook, and I think her soft West Country accent (not sure if she's putting it on or if it's natural, she was that consistent with it and also she's a brilliant actress) helped me digest the scrappy, vague, context-less writing style.
Overall I think this is a book that you might want to check out a preview for, borrow from a library, or read a page in a bookshop before committing to.
August 1, 2020
After witnessing the brutal murder of her mother by witch-hunters, Evey vows to avenge her and bring those responsible the justice they deserve. Fury burns in her bright and strong. But Evey promised her mother that she will keep her little sister, Dill safe.
As her lust for revenge and blood, retribution and justice rises to fever pitch, will Evey keep her word and her true bonds of sisterhood, magick and destiny, or will she betray all that she knows in order to see the blood spilled of those guilty...
Set against a gorgeously dark backdrop of the 17th century, you follow Evey as she begins her relentless campaign to track down those who have wronged her, and who took someone so precious away from this life.
What ensues is a story that feels something akin to a Grimm fairytale, with such beautifully realised surroundings and characters: Evey having to try and keep her emotions in check as she relentlessly pushes on with finding these people who thought it such a thrill to take what was hers.
The power of magick and nature working to both help and hinder her.
Evey must make difficult decisions to keep her little sister, Dill safe from the harm of mere mortals but when she insists on removing something from Dills possession, her true taste for bloodlust starts to slowly take shape, but surely this isn’t the path she should be taking. What would her mother say if she could see just what sort of witch Evey is becoming.
Upon her journey, Evey makes unlikely allies and powerful enemies, wreaking havoc, panic and leaving the marks of magick in her wake.
But will she succeed in bringing the barbaric witch-hunters to their knees, begging for their life just like her mother did or will Evey lose someone else all in her heated persuit to see an end to the destruction of both her past and her future?
Full of joy, heartache, loss, love, and of course, plenty of magick, this story feels fresh, original and unforgiving.
As her lust for revenge and blood, retribution and justice rises to fever pitch, will Evey keep her word and her true bonds of sisterhood, magick and destiny, or will she betray all that she knows in order to see the blood spilled of those guilty...
Set against a gorgeously dark backdrop of the 17th century, you follow Evey as she begins her relentless campaign to track down those who have wronged her, and who took someone so precious away from this life.
What ensues is a story that feels something akin to a Grimm fairytale, with such beautifully realised surroundings and characters: Evey having to try and keep her emotions in check as she relentlessly pushes on with finding these people who thought it such a thrill to take what was hers.
The power of magick and nature working to both help and hinder her.
Evey must make difficult decisions to keep her little sister, Dill safe from the harm of mere mortals but when she insists on removing something from Dills possession, her true taste for bloodlust starts to slowly take shape, but surely this isn’t the path she should be taking. What would her mother say if she could see just what sort of witch Evey is becoming.
Upon her journey, Evey makes unlikely allies and powerful enemies, wreaking havoc, panic and leaving the marks of magick in her wake.
But will she succeed in bringing the barbaric witch-hunters to their knees, begging for their life just like her mother did or will Evey lose someone else all in her heated persuit to see an end to the destruction of both her past and her future?
Full of joy, heartache, loss, love, and of course, plenty of magick, this story feels fresh, original and unforgiving.
July 27, 2020
Witch took a hold of my heart on the first page and didn’t let go.
MC Evey witnesses the death of her mother at the hand of witch hunters and from that dramatic start, her voice drives the action, which doesn’t let up, doesn’t let you go and barely lets you breathe.
So yes, it’s a page-spinner alright. But also a tale as strange and dark as it is beautiful. A tale of revenge set in war-ravaged landscape, ruled by fear and superstition; of redemption and love between two sisters; of the corrupting power of ‘Magick.’
All this. And more besides. I often feel really great books, are hard to define. Yes, you can see the influences and references, but there is something a bit mysterious there too.
Above all it is beautifully written. It manages to feel totally true to its time and fresh and modern at the same time. The highly original language convinces us we are in the 17th Century, and that we are looking through a glass darkly into Evey’s soul and every thought and action. She is complex , we both root for her, and question her motivations. She teeters between being a heroine and going too far. When does a hunger for justice become revenge? Is she doing all she does for the sake of her sister, or has her desire to carry on with her quest, till ‘balance be got,’ corrupted her? No spoilers, suffice to say, she is wonderfully countered by her sister, Dill and friend, Anne ‘Green Eye.’
Witch is that rare thing, a book both brilliant and original. I can’t wait for more of Mr. Hawkins’s work.
MC Evey witnesses the death of her mother at the hand of witch hunters and from that dramatic start, her voice drives the action, which doesn’t let up, doesn’t let you go and barely lets you breathe.
So yes, it’s a page-spinner alright. But also a tale as strange and dark as it is beautiful. A tale of revenge set in war-ravaged landscape, ruled by fear and superstition; of redemption and love between two sisters; of the corrupting power of ‘Magick.’
All this. And more besides. I often feel really great books, are hard to define. Yes, you can see the influences and references, but there is something a bit mysterious there too.
Above all it is beautifully written. It manages to feel totally true to its time and fresh and modern at the same time. The highly original language convinces us we are in the 17th Century, and that we are looking through a glass darkly into Evey’s soul and every thought and action. She is complex , we both root for her, and question her motivations. She teeters between being a heroine and going too far. When does a hunger for justice become revenge? Is she doing all she does for the sake of her sister, or has her desire to carry on with her quest, till ‘balance be got,’ corrupted her? No spoilers, suffice to say, she is wonderfully countered by her sister, Dill and friend, Anne ‘Green Eye.’
Witch is that rare thing, a book both brilliant and original. I can’t wait for more of Mr. Hawkins’s work.
January 19, 2021
Insomnia struck and I read this in one sitting through the night.
A must read for anyone interested in magicks, witches, the witch hunts and Witchfinders.
Evey and her sister Dil watch their mother die at the hands of the witch hunters. Evey must keep her sister safe but the need to avenge her mother is too strong and so begins her voyage of self-discovery.
It is a very atmospheric tale of magick, love, revenge and friendship. Wonderful illustrations too.
A must read for anyone interested in magicks, witches, the witch hunts and Witchfinders.
Evey and her sister Dil watch their mother die at the hands of the witch hunters. Evey must keep her sister safe but the need to avenge her mother is too strong and so begins her voyage of self-discovery.
It is a very atmospheric tale of magick, love, revenge and friendship. Wonderful illustrations too.
March 19, 2023
ja nie mogeee.. jakie to było dobre!! uwielbiam tą relacje pomiędzy siostrami a napiecie w tej książce ani na chwile nie ustępowało
October 1, 2020
https://lynns-books.com/2020/10/01/wi...
My Five Word TL:DR Review : Beautiful, brutal, tale of revenge
Witch is an unusual story set in a particularly frightening period of history when women and children were taken from their homes and brutalised on the most flimsy of pretexts.
I will start this review just by mentioning that there will be triggers for some readers amongst these pages, the opening chapters in fact contain the murder of Evey and Dill’s mother and being set in a time of civil war definitely gives this book a feeling of things being on a knife edge, like bloody violence is a real possibility that could erupt with almost any turn of the page. This isn’t a sweet, or Disney style take on witches so be aware.
As the story begins, as mentioned, Dill and Evey witness (from afar) the murder of their mother at the hands of men accusing her of witchcraft. The two girls run and hide and their mother makes Evey promise to take her little sister to their aunt for safety’s sake. Evey is hellbent on revenge, consumed by the need for it in fact and this is the fuel for the majority of the story.
In terms of plot, well this really is as simple as I’ve mentioned above. This is a tale of one girl’s determination to avenge her dead mother. Of course there are ups and downs, mistakes and mishaps along the way, usually driven by Evey’s lack of planning or impulsive and often times reckless behaviour.
The characters. Evey is an angry young woman. She’s angry about her mother’s death, she’s angry at her newfound responsibility, she’s angry that her mother seemed to favour Dill to such an extent that she left her scrying stone to Dill instead of her. There’s a complexity of emotions running amok, anger, jealousy, resentment, sorrow, and this makes Evey a difficult and complex character. I liked that she could be sometimes annoying, it lends her the cloak of reality. Dill is the sweet younger sister. She’s much more measured and self assured. She has an affinity with animals and seems to be more like her mother than Evey. We have another character called Anne, daughter to a nobleman Anne carried a lot of sorrow which makes her desire to help Evey a littler easier to understand. There is perhaps an element of ‘insta-friendship’ going on here but I went with it given the element of sadness that both characters shared.
Without doubt, for me, the winning element of this book is also maybe the element that will put some readers off – the style of writing. It’s beautiful, lyrical, haunting, atmospheric and simple. It seems to capture the time and voice of the period and I loved reading it. It’s also a strange counterbalance to the violence it depicts, it’s as though I was enjoying the author’s style so much that it sometimes belied the events unfolding on the page. It feels old fashioned and yet accessible. I think it maybe took me a few pages to get into the style but then I was pretty much swept away and I read the book in one sitting, unable to put it down.
In terms of criticisms. Nothing major. The fantasy elements only really come into play during the last few chapters, up to that point this could be a historical novel depicting a period where women were persecuted for being strong or resourceful. I think the plot is very simple, but, again, I didn’t find this a problem as I was enjoying the way in which the story is told more than the drama of what was taking place.
In conclusion, I enjoyed Witch. I would say that it was quite different from what I was expecting – and I’m not sure why that is, perhaps the cover (which I love by the way) maybe led me to think this would be a much lighter take on witches when the reality is quite the opposite. A beautifully grim depiction of harsh times and the strength found in friendship and sisterhood.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My Five Word TL:DR Review : Beautiful, brutal, tale of revenge
Witch is an unusual story set in a particularly frightening period of history when women and children were taken from their homes and brutalised on the most flimsy of pretexts.
I will start this review just by mentioning that there will be triggers for some readers amongst these pages, the opening chapters in fact contain the murder of Evey and Dill’s mother and being set in a time of civil war definitely gives this book a feeling of things being on a knife edge, like bloody violence is a real possibility that could erupt with almost any turn of the page. This isn’t a sweet, or Disney style take on witches so be aware.
As the story begins, as mentioned, Dill and Evey witness (from afar) the murder of their mother at the hands of men accusing her of witchcraft. The two girls run and hide and their mother makes Evey promise to take her little sister to their aunt for safety’s sake. Evey is hellbent on revenge, consumed by the need for it in fact and this is the fuel for the majority of the story.
In terms of plot, well this really is as simple as I’ve mentioned above. This is a tale of one girl’s determination to avenge her dead mother. Of course there are ups and downs, mistakes and mishaps along the way, usually driven by Evey’s lack of planning or impulsive and often times reckless behaviour.
The characters. Evey is an angry young woman. She’s angry about her mother’s death, she’s angry at her newfound responsibility, she’s angry that her mother seemed to favour Dill to such an extent that she left her scrying stone to Dill instead of her. There’s a complexity of emotions running amok, anger, jealousy, resentment, sorrow, and this makes Evey a difficult and complex character. I liked that she could be sometimes annoying, it lends her the cloak of reality. Dill is the sweet younger sister. She’s much more measured and self assured. She has an affinity with animals and seems to be more like her mother than Evey. We have another character called Anne, daughter to a nobleman Anne carried a lot of sorrow which makes her desire to help Evey a littler easier to understand. There is perhaps an element of ‘insta-friendship’ going on here but I went with it given the element of sadness that both characters shared.
Without doubt, for me, the winning element of this book is also maybe the element that will put some readers off – the style of writing. It’s beautiful, lyrical, haunting, atmospheric and simple. It seems to capture the time and voice of the period and I loved reading it. It’s also a strange counterbalance to the violence it depicts, it’s as though I was enjoying the author’s style so much that it sometimes belied the events unfolding on the page. It feels old fashioned and yet accessible. I think it maybe took me a few pages to get into the style but then I was pretty much swept away and I read the book in one sitting, unable to put it down.
In terms of criticisms. Nothing major. The fantasy elements only really come into play during the last few chapters, up to that point this could be a historical novel depicting a period where women were persecuted for being strong or resourceful. I think the plot is very simple, but, again, I didn’t find this a problem as I was enjoying the way in which the story is told more than the drama of what was taking place.
In conclusion, I enjoyed Witch. I would say that it was quite different from what I was expecting – and I’m not sure why that is, perhaps the cover (which I love by the way) maybe led me to think this would be a much lighter take on witches when the reality is quite the opposite. A beautifully grim depiction of harsh times and the strength found in friendship and sisterhood.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
June 26, 2021
Abandon p235 (69%)
- déçue: le résumé nous laisse penser à une histoire ensanglantée avec la vengeance d’une sorcière, je m’attendais à une héroïne badass et un récit plus obscur.
- j’ai vraiment ressenti une atmosphère sombre comme la couverture, dans une forêt glaçante avec cette idée de vengeance que je gardais dans un coin de ma tête mais je me suis totalement ennuyée et la magie est quasi absente ! L’écriture était jolie mais beaucoup trop de descriptions qui ont fait qu’après la moitié du livre, je commençais à lire en diagonal.
- j’aime beaucoup les histoires de sorcières et celles de vengeance, l’idée des deux réunies m’a directement attirée mais cela ne m’a pas plu comme je me l’avais imaginé !
- déçue: le résumé nous laisse penser à une histoire ensanglantée avec la vengeance d’une sorcière, je m’attendais à une héroïne badass et un récit plus obscur.
- j’ai vraiment ressenti une atmosphère sombre comme la couverture, dans une forêt glaçante avec cette idée de vengeance que je gardais dans un coin de ma tête mais je me suis totalement ennuyée et la magie est quasi absente ! L’écriture était jolie mais beaucoup trop de descriptions qui ont fait qu’après la moitié du livre, je commençais à lire en diagonal.
- j’aime beaucoup les histoires de sorcières et celles de vengeance, l’idée des deux réunies m’a directement attirée mais cela ne m’a pas plu comme je me l’avais imaginé !
September 30, 2020
Exciting and atmospheric, the story follows Evey on her quest to avenge the death of her mother at the hands of a band of witch hunters. To do this, Evey leaves her gifted younger sister, Dill, in the care of their aunt and her coven, secretly relieved to be rid of the favourite child she bitterly envies. But as Evey begins to find her own witching way, she realises that she and her sister must work together to bring balance back to their lives... revenge fuelled by anger and fear will only amplify the evil at work in this town.
If you loved The Deathless Girls by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, then you should definitely read this beautiful debut.
If you loved The Deathless Girls by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, then you should definitely read this beautiful debut.
February 8, 2022
This book is insanely pretty, I think it is my most beautiful book, there are illustrations that are very much my jam, animals, birds, trees and what not. This is labeled as a children's book....No. Do not give this to children, mom is brutally murder in the first 3 pages and then the murderer pisses on mum's corpse.
There is not a lot of happy in this, also as a public service announcement the dog does not make it, which upset me and I didn't enjoy the rest of the book.
There is not a lot of happy in this, also as a public service announcement the dog does not make it, which upset me and I didn't enjoy the rest of the book.
September 3, 2022
2.5
Wprowadziło mnie w zastój, wynudziło. Zupełnie nie przywiązałam się do bohaterów, nawet, gdy pojawiły się plot twisty, zupełnie nie zrobiły na mnie wrażenia. Książka wg. mnie zupełnie przewidywalna. Jedna z gorszych książek w tym roku :(
Jednak, przez pierwsze 40 stron mnie zaciekawiła, lecz jest to książka którą się zapomni po kilku dniach.
Wprowadziło mnie w zastój, wynudziło. Zupełnie nie przywiązałam się do bohaterów, nawet, gdy pojawiły się plot twisty, zupełnie nie zrobiły na mnie wrażenia. Książka wg. mnie zupełnie przewidywalna. Jedna z gorszych książek w tym roku :(
Jednak, przez pierwsze 40 stron mnie zaciekawiła, lecz jest to książka którą się zapomni po kilku dniach.
Read
July 15, 2020I'll leave a review a week before publication date, at the request of the publisher.
September 20, 2021
Ah, cette ambiance ! Si sombre et pesante. C'est tout de même le point fort du roman car l'histoire est parfois déconcertante.
Evie et sa sœur Dill assistent avec horreur à l'assassinat de leur mère par quatre hommes dont la mission consistait à éliminer la « sorcière ». En sa qualité d'aînée, Evie doit fuir le plus loin possible pour protéger la fillette. Mais Evie ne l'entend pas de cette oreille. D'abord, elle veut retrouver les meurtriers de sa mère. La quête sera rude et peut-être sans retour. Elle décide donc de confier sa sœur à leur tante (qui vit isolée parmi une communauté de femmes). Sauf que, dans le fond, Evie souhaitait se débarrasser de Dill. L'effacer de sa vie car elle ne supportait plus ses blablas de sorcellerie (qui se résument à une sensibilité très poussée sur la nature, les plantes, les animaux, une communion d'esprit). Depuis toujours, Evie se sent étrangère à cette pratique et a longtemps jalousé la relation entre sa mère et sa sœur. Elle finit par s'enfoncer seule dans les bois, volontaire mais inconsciente du danger, quand elle croise en chemin un cavalier puis une dame aux yeux verts.
En fait, ce roman est très déroutant. Il parle de vengeance (celle qui tient debout notre héroïne) mais ne propose pas de plan cohérent. Au lieu de ça, on suit la jeune fille subir son destin, suivre des inconnus, accepter son sort, se rebiffer et rager dans sa barbe. Elle est spectatrice de tant de drames que son histoire en devient poignante. Le roman est cependant très sombre et amer, il évoque la violence subie par des femmes dont le seul tort était d'être différentes (des sorcières ? non, des guérisseuses). Le procès est injuste et les rebondissements sont également sidérants. J'en sors néanmoins perplexe : tant de promesses et une exécution rudimentaire. Bof pour moi.
Evie et sa sœur Dill assistent avec horreur à l'assassinat de leur mère par quatre hommes dont la mission consistait à éliminer la « sorcière ». En sa qualité d'aînée, Evie doit fuir le plus loin possible pour protéger la fillette. Mais Evie ne l'entend pas de cette oreille. D'abord, elle veut retrouver les meurtriers de sa mère. La quête sera rude et peut-être sans retour. Elle décide donc de confier sa sœur à leur tante (qui vit isolée parmi une communauté de femmes). Sauf que, dans le fond, Evie souhaitait se débarrasser de Dill. L'effacer de sa vie car elle ne supportait plus ses blablas de sorcellerie (qui se résument à une sensibilité très poussée sur la nature, les plantes, les animaux, une communion d'esprit). Depuis toujours, Evie se sent étrangère à cette pratique et a longtemps jalousé la relation entre sa mère et sa sœur. Elle finit par s'enfoncer seule dans les bois, volontaire mais inconsciente du danger, quand elle croise en chemin un cavalier puis une dame aux yeux verts.
En fait, ce roman est très déroutant. Il parle de vengeance (celle qui tient debout notre héroïne) mais ne propose pas de plan cohérent. Au lieu de ça, on suit la jeune fille subir son destin, suivre des inconnus, accepter son sort, se rebiffer et rager dans sa barbe. Elle est spectatrice de tant de drames que son histoire en devient poignante. Le roman est cependant très sombre et amer, il évoque la violence subie par des femmes dont le seul tort était d'être différentes (des sorcières ? non, des guérisseuses). Le procès est injuste et les rebondissements sont également sidérants. J'en sors néanmoins perplexe : tant de promesses et une exécution rudimentaire. Bof pour moi.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 509 reviews