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The Grace of Wild Things

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An inventive and fantastical reimagining of Anne of Green Gables—with magic and witches!—that explores found family, loss, and the power of a girl's imagination, from the acclaimed author of The Language of Ghosts and The School Between Winter and Fairyland. Perfect for readers who loved The Girl Who Drank the Moon and Serafina and the Black Cloak.

Grace has never been good at anything except magic—not that anyone believes her.

While other children are adopted from the orphanage, nobody wants Grace. So she decides to make a home for herself by running away and offering herself as an apprentice to the witch in the nearby woods. After all, who better to teach Grace to use her magic? Surely the witch can’t be that bad.

But the witch is that bad—she steals souls for spells and gobbles up hearts. So Grace offers a If she can learn all 100½ spells in the witch’s grimoire, the witch will make Grace her apprentice. But if Grace fails, the witch can take her magic. The witch agrees, and soon an unexpected bond develops between them.

But the spells are much harder than Grace expected, and when a monster from the witch’s past threatens the home Grace has built, she may have to sacrifice more than her magic to save it.

365 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 14, 2023

319 people are currently reading
20193 people want to read

About the author

Heather Fawcett

23 books10.1k followers
Hello! Welcome to my page.

I'm the author of books for adults and children, including Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries, Even the Darkest Stars, Ember and the Ice Dragons, The School Between Winter and Fairyland, and more.

I'm only occasionally on Goodreads, so if you want a more reliable way to get in contact with me, I'd recommend using social media (I'm on Instagram and Facebook) or the contact form on my website.

Review policy: I only review books that I love, which is why you'll only see 4 and 5 star reviews here. Because readers often ask me about my favourite books and authors, I'm aiming to use this page as a place to collect all of my recommendations.

Also, I am NOT the author of More Than a Mom: Living a Full And Balanced Life When Your Child Has Special Needs. I've asked Goodreads to remove it from my page several times but it keeps getting re-added. If you have questions about this title, please direct them to the other Heather Fawcett!

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,079 reviews
Profile Image for Rosh ~catching up slowly~.
2,385 reviews4,907 followers
February 16, 2023
In a Nutshell: A witchy retelling of ‘Anne of Green Gables’! Good for middle graders who don’t get scared easily. Knowing the original tale isn’t necessary, though it helps. If you are an adult fan of Anne and also like fantasy, you might wanna add this to your agenda.

Story Synopsis:
Grace is a young orphan who has run away from the children’s home with just one aim in mind: she is going to convince the witch who lives in the nearby woods to take her on as an apprentice. After all, she knows she can do a little magic; so what if she can’t control it? What Grace doesn’t realise is that the witch is as bad as the locals say. However, a she doesn’t want to return to the dreary orphanage, she makes a deal with the witch. Grace now has to learn all the 100½ spells in the witch’s grimoire within the next 7-8 months, or else she has to surrender her magic to the witch. Will Grace be able to save herself and her magic?


Where the book worked for me:
👻 I love it when retellings don’t just rehash the original story but take it as the foundation to create a whole new experience. In many ways, this book is like Anne of Green Gables, and yet it is not. There are subtle nods to the key scenes from the original such as the slate scene or the raspberry cordial scene, but nothing is replicated outright. You will also find an equivalent of all the key characters such as Marilla, Matthew, Gilbert, Diana and even Rachel Lynde. However, none of them are called by the same or even a similar name in this book, thus making this story a fresh experience and allowing the new characters to stand tall without the shadow of their predecessors covering them.
(Funnily, many story elements also reminded me of Hansel and Gretel.)

👻 Grace’s character lives up to the high expectations set by Anne Shirley. Grace is just as curious, loquacious, vivacious, and audacious as Anne was. She is a wonderful character to have as the main protagonist. There are many other characters I liked, but my favourite of these was Windweaver the poetry-loving crow.

👻 The book begins on a somewhat slow pace but soon picks up the momentum. It is almost episodic at times, just as the original was, but reading the adventures in this style is better, especially as it is kinda long (at 368 pages) for its target age group of 8-12 years.

👻 Kids will surely enjoy reading about the bizarre ingredients Grace requires to carry out the spells from the grimoire. The magical elements and the spells are fun.

👻 This is not just a story of found family but also a tale of friendship, determination and loyalty. As a children’s book, this has many lessons to offer along with the entertaining bits. There are some really beautiful quotes too.

👻 The worldbuilding needs to be spot on for a fantasy to work, and this book doesn’t fail us. Prince Edward Island is transformed into a magical place, what with mysterious woods and fairy realms intermingled with the regular village people.


Where the book could have worked better for me:
☠ There were a few elements that go unexplained, and a few scenes that are too hurried. The ending is especially abrupt. (There’s no cliffhanger though.)

☠ The character who is introduced towards the final section doesn’t add much to the story. I get why her track was required, but it felt superfluous. Only if there’s a sequel planned (of which I know nothing right now) is her appearance justified.


You don’t need to know the original at all to enjoy this story; it stands perfectly well on its own. But knowing the original will certainly help you see how well the author has transposed the children’s classic into this fantasy version.

Overall, this is a nice book for middle graders who have a preference for the fantastical and would like to read a story of friendship and courage.

4 stars. (I’d have happily gone with a higher rating had the final few chapters been written better.)

Note: There are a few scary elements in here, so if your child is sensitive about ghosts or nightmares or evil witches who eat children, do proceed with care.


My thanks to HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Grace of Wild Things”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.




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Profile Image for A Mac.
1,596 reviews223 followers
March 9, 2023
Grace knows that she’s different – not only because she loves poetry and makes grownups uncomfortable, but also because she’s magic. After being overlooked for adoption yet again, she runs away from the orphanage, intent on becoming an apprentice for the scary witch who lives in the woods. Ever the optimist, she doesn’t expect that the tales surrounding the witch are true, but when she’s nearly eaten, she’s forced to reconsider her plan. Striking a bargain with the witch, she finds herself tasked with a nearly impossible chore that will cost her her magic and her happiness if she fails.

This was a stunning Middle Grade read that I highly recommend to readers of all ages! I grew up reading the Anne of Green Gables books and have a soft spot for them, and the way the author incorporated the original stories into this one was excellently done. Grace very much thinks and speaks like Anne, and the way that her flowery prose was incorporated into her magic was perfect. There were many other subtle nods to the story, and the author found creative ways to incorporate the original work while still making it something brand new (the cherry cordial scene was excellently done).

The magic was also a strong aspect of this work. It was so fun to see some of the different spells and how absurd and creative the ingredients were. I think this aspect of the work will be especially fun for younger readers. The friendships in this work were beautiful, and the character growth was done well. Each chapter also began with a short excerpt from a poem, which added not only to that specific chapter but also to Grace’s character. I do wish the ending had been a little less abrupt, but it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the read as a whole.

This book would be lovely for Middle Grade readers and older, and could be especially fun for parents to read with their kids. Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Shoutout to my GR friend Rosh for making me aware of this read!
Profile Image for Dona's Books.
1,313 reviews273 followers
January 10, 2023
Thank you to the author, Heather Fawcett, Publishers Harper Collins Children's Books and Balzer & Bray, and as always NetGalley, for an advance digital copy to read of THE GRACE OF WILD THINGS.

In this book, which is a retelling of Anne of Green Gables, Grace is a young witch who leaves her society behind because she doesn't belong. She seeks shelter with the old witch in the cabin in the woods, to be the old witch's apprentice. The old witch does so, but treats Grace horribly. She still agrees to teach Grace the ways of magic, and Grace makes her way, a new life for herself in the new forest-- until she faces the need to defend it, herself, and all she cares for.

I think THE GRACE OF WILD THINGS suffers from a bit of an identity crisis. It's a middle grade novel, meant for kids in grades 3 to 7, or ages 8 to 12, according to the information in the Kindle Store. But it's also almost 400 pages and its form is challenging-- meandering and without the benefit of a clearly defined plot. Some of the story's themes hang a bit low and obstructive on this thin string of plot. Despite these issues, the setting and source material come together to create a moody story that readers will find alluring.

Rating: 🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛ / 5 bright black birds
Recommend: yes
Finished January 9 2023
Read this if you like:
🧙‍♀️ Witch fiction
🏚🌲 Cabin in the woods
🐈‍⬛ Talking animals
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Found family
🪄 Magic spells
Profile Image for Jorie.
365 reviews223 followers
January 12, 2024
Definitive cozy fantasy. It takes a work already so nostalgic and comforting for so many, Anne of Green Gables, and retells it as a fairytale.

Like Anne, our heroine Grace is a freckled, grandiloquent 12-year-old orphan, embarking on what she hopes will be a new turn in her life. She enters an enchanted forest on Prince Edward Island, seeking out the witch. You know the one; the one with the quaint cottage, grandmotherly-looking, but one who secretly cooks children in her big, bone-filled oven.

But Grace approaches her with purpose: She has magic and wants to learn to use it. Her hope is that the witch will accept her as her apprentice.

The witch receives her with Marilla Cuthbert-like coolness and practicality. She doesn't want an apprentice, and especially not one as fanciful as Grace, but recognizes her magic ability. They strike a bargain: Grace has one year's time to attempt all the spells in the witch's grimoire. If she fails, the witch takes her magic.

If she succeeds, she finally gets a home 💗

It's a lovely story, and I enjoyed the magical additions overall. There were some, however, that were weaker than others. I didn't like Rum at all, the fairy prince analogue to Gilbert, and thought he was used in the story strangely.

Grace saves him from a magical trap, and requires him to be her servant for 3 years; a convenience the book doesn't take advantage of often. Stranger still is that he's not a regular schoolmate of Grace's, but appears in the classroom just to bug her. As he's largely overlooked by the other students, it's another character that Grace hits over the head with her slate, which is disappointing. I love that part of Anne and Gilbert's story.

But those are the tiniest of pitfalls. It's a really special book, warm and cozy. I had a magical time reading it.
Profile Image for Manybooks.
3,816 reviews101 followers
June 28, 2025
In Heather Fawcett's 2023 middle grade novel The Grace of Wild Things twelve-year-old Grace Green runs away from the dreary Prince Edward Island orphanage that is her "home" (quotes are mine) in search of the legendary forest witch Miss Puddlestone even though Grace is familiar with all of the stories about Miss Puddlestone's wickedness but is convinced that they both cannot be entirely true and is also rather prepared to ignore said rumours.

For Grace (who has recently discovered that she possesses magical abilities and powers) desperately wants to be be away from the orphanage and to also become Miss Puddlestone's apprentice as she needs a teacher, she requires someone to train and to help her understand and refine her nascent talents. Unfortunately (although perhaps also not surprisingly) The Grace of Wild Things shows (and in particular at the beginning of Heather Fawcett's story) that Miss Puddlestone is pretty much as evil as the rumours have made her out to be (and also hugely cantankerous) and therefore at first flatly refuses Grace's proposal until Miss Puddlestone notices something in Grace that makes her reconsider. So yes, if Grace can prove her magical talent by successfully casting all one-hundred and a half spells in the witch's grimoire by the time the cherry tree blooms, she will be able stay on as Miss Puddlestone's apprentice, albeit if Grace fails, the witch will get to take away all of Grace's magic (a difficult test and quest, but to which Grace enthusiastically agrees). But will Grace succeed and will she be able to thaw out Miss Puddlestone and find the home she so craves and needs even more than magic and magical instruction, well maybe, maybe not, and indeed giving away more plot and specifically content based elements regarding The Grace of Wild Things would be far far too spoilerish and in particular for a witchy fantasy like The Grace of Wild Things (but yes, The Grace of Wild Things is definitely thematically tied and linked to L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables and pointing this out is in my humble opinion not giving anything problematic away).

And although when I read the synopsis of The Grace of Wild Things on Goodreads, I was at first kind of wondering if I would manage to enjoy Fawcett's story and that The Grace of Wild Things is meant to kind of represent a reimagining of Anne of Green Gables (as I am both not always a huge fan of witch-themed novels and also wondered how The Grace of Wild Things would and could tie in to AOGG and to L.M. Montgomery's thematics and words). But indeed, Heather Fawcett's textual creation for The Grace of Wild Things is delightful and is also thankfully its own entirely original tale and thus NOT really a witch-themed retelling or worse a mash-up of Anne of Green Gables (and indeed, which I definitely would majorly and vehemently despise). Sure, there are in The Grace of Wild Things definitely (and in my opinion also deliberate) tie ins and nods to Anne of Green Gables present, but a reader not familiar with L.M. Montgomery's Anne Shirley should still find The Grace of Wild Things enjoyable (and in particular if they enjoy witches, fantasy and friendship tales) since Grace Green is a unique protagonist, is not just Anne Shirley in disguise and Grace's story is a whimsical and enchanting and engagingly romping adventure. Yes, like L.M. Montgomery's Anne, Heather Fawcett's Grace is also melodramatic, imaginative, passionate, and filled with a deep sense of love for the natural world and all of its wonders, but Grace Green is Grace Green and Anne Shirley is Anne Shirley and while Fawcett has shown a spiritual kinship between Anne and Grace and thus of course also between The Grace of Wild Things and Anne of Green Gables, both the characters and the thematics/contents of The Grace of Wild Things come across as distinct, unique and not ever as being in any way simply a copying or a retelling of Anne of Green Gables (an homage to L.M. Montgomery to be sure, but first and foremost Heather Fawcett has written a wonderful original story with delightful characters and scenarios and I certainly appreciate how The Grace of Wild Things is tied to many of L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables themes and motifs but is first and foremost a unique tory and as such not simply a rehashing of Anne Shirley and company).
Profile Image for Katie Ziegler (Life Between Words).
468 reviews983 followers
March 18, 2023
I really enjoyed this “witchy” retelling of Anne of Green Gables—partly because it wasn’t a complete 1:1. That would not have worked for me. But there were enough crossovers to delight me. I recognized the beloved characters and there were some episodes that were heavily inspired by episodes in the book (getting drunk—in this case from a spell—and a reference to raspberry cordial). I loved who the author imagined Matthew to be in this world—it was perfect (I don’t want to say because it’s maybe too close to a spoiler). And Grace—our Anne character—was spirited and chatty and imaginative.

The writing was also lovely and occasionally very lush—a wonderful nod to L M Montgomery. It was such a sweet story of found family. Magical, whimsical, and full of friendship and heart.

But there were a couple things that just didn’t *quite* land for me. The biggest is that witch was just too wicked…she roasted children in the oven and left their bones…eek! It was very hard for me to set aside my disbelief that Grace would find a warm and comfortable home with her. I would have really loved for the witch to have been cold and misunderstood—maybe a little hard-hearted—but not truly wicked. Sort of like when Anne says about her ideal husband, “I wouldn’t want to marry anyone who was truly wicked. But I think I’d like it if he could be wicked and wouldn’t.” I just think it would have been truer to the spirit of Marilla—and Anne herself. Even if the witch is somewhat redeemed at the end, she still spent much of her life roasting children in her oven. Just…it was a hard thing for me to get past.

I also found some of the magic a little too convenient. Whenever Grace is stumped at a spell ingredient she just…feeeeeeels her way to it. As the story went on, I let it go, but I wish that part of the world would have been a smidge more developed.

But—overall it was a lovely read!
Profile Image for Nazifa Islam.
Author 8 books33 followers
May 6, 2023
I read the 'Anne of Green Gables' series twice a year. I've never—over the course of so many rereadings—asked myself, "Would Anne Shirley be annoying as fuck written by someone other than L.M. Montgomery?" But now, having read this book, I know the answer to that question is "Yes."

I started this book with high expectations, which probably contributed to my irritation with it. I mention that just to make the point that I didn't start reading with a vindictive no-one-compares-to-L.M.-Montgomery mindset. I honestly thought I would enjoy it. I love Anne and I love fantasy novels. I thought this would be a home run. Alas.
Profile Image for Em.
418 reviews40 followers
November 16, 2024
I read this largely because I loved the Encyclopedia of Faeries books, and I was having withdrawal from them🤣. Fawcett always writes solid prose, and this one is no exception. But this one is definitely intended for a younger audience, and as you'd then expect, it's far less involved and less developed than her Encyclopedia of Faerie books. It follows the story of a girl who finds a home with an older woman in the wild woods. There she studies to become a white witch. It's a sweet little story which I enjoyed enough to finish quickly. But it didn't quite scratch the itch I was having. I think it would be very enjoyable for the right age group (maybe 5th-7th grade).
Profile Image for Anniek.
2,562 reviews883 followers
January 22, 2024
Anne of Green Gables meets Hansel and Gretel, with a main character who will steal your heart, lots of witchy shenanigans, and a wise and funny writing style. I'm a fan!
Profile Image for Nichole.
115 reviews2 followers
March 24, 2025
These children are insufferable lol
Profile Image for ß.
544 reviews1,264 followers
June 20, 2023
whimsical and fun stuff like this is why i love reading middle grade books so much
Profile Image for Trisha.
5,925 reviews231 followers
January 30, 2023
I think I may be one of the few early readers that started this without knowing Anne of Green Gables really at all. I liked the themes in this one - Grace is adorable and spirited. I love that she finds her own way to do things. I think I may have enjoyed this more if I was able to tie these witch-driven stories with the original source material. But, on its own without knowing the other stories, I think it stood well on it's own.

But this one is definitely long for a middle grade read. The chapters almost read like little folktales or stories on their own, so it should be easy to break up the readings to get through the length. I really appreciated the theme of good vs being not good. I like that Grace was struggling to find who she was since she felt she was a witch and wasn't so sure they could be "good". I also felt her struggle to fit in very universal and I think early readers will be entertained while identifying with the struggles. Cute but long with a lot of really adorable adventures!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
Profile Image for Anna.
316 reviews22 followers
December 31, 2022
I always loved Anne of Green Gables, so when I read that this was a reimagining of Anne of Green Gables - with witches and magic - I definitely had to give it a try.

Grace, an orphan with a big imagination, a love of poetry, and a belief that she is a witch, shows up on the doorstep of a cottage in the woods. The witch who lives there is probably the one about which the story of Hansel and Gretel is written. Probably. The witch grudgingly agrees to let Grace stay and the two form a pact - if Grace can complete the tasks given to her before the cherry tree blooms again, she will become the witch's apprentice; if she can't, she must give up her magic.

Through it all Grace makes new friends and learns more about who she is. I enjoyed it thoroughly. The story was good, and I particularly liked the poetry at the beginning of each chapter.

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the ARC.

The Grace of Wild Things will be available February 14, 2023
Profile Image for katayoun Masoodi.
782 reviews152 followers
February 25, 2023
i enjoyed this story so much. not sure if loving anne of green gables added to this enjoyment or not; i love that story and there were echoes of that here, definitely. i think if you haven't read the book, you would still love this lovely fantasy, not sure if you would love it more, or that if you love anne too much you would resent some things or you would love this cause seeing a beloved story in a different setting.
the story was beautifully told, there were some little skips and some jumps over some timelines, it could have been more detailed at some parts. the characters were very likeable all of them, though some were just mere shadows, i think i would have liked more of this, more detail more everyday life. adding the magic and talking about the magic made the everyday life parts and interactions smaller.
overall a lovely, lovely enjoyable story, would love to see how friends feel about it.
Profile Image for Jacky.
49 reviews
January 5, 2023
In het Nederlands gelezen als Het jaar van Lente
Profile Image for Mimi Smith.
722 reviews117 followers
September 22, 2025
Finally - the omage to “Anne of Green Gables” I didn’t know I wanted! There’s been a gazillion “Pride and Prejudice” riffs, and I love this author for taking the favorite tale of my childhood into a fantasy realm instead.

As in Emily Wilde, the writing is delightful. Here, young Grace is the perfect mix of dreamy and dramatic, as she storms the house of an evil witch, enters a gloomy magical bargain, makes friends with both humans and fae, and secures herself a perfect witchy home. I just adored her.

Due to her bargain, we’re on the clock as Grace must learn a hundred (and a half!) impossible spells in a year. This gives the story a sense of urgency, and provides all the kids and the reader something to gather around in wonder.

While this story is accessible to children, I believe adults would find plenty in here to enjoy, too. Mysteries of friendship, how we can love even the most terrible as family (and how they can love us too), how to be our best selves for others even when it hurts…

I smiled so much, and am even more in the author’s camp now!
Profile Image for Dilliemillie.
1,106 reviews6 followers
September 22, 2023
Some good elements even if it reaaaally didn't work for me.

The Grace of Wild Things is a magical witchy Anne of Green Gables retelling. The storyline is fun and the setting lovely. Main character Grace is an inexperienced witch with the talkative and imaginative spirit of Anne. I remember Anne fondly as awkwardly romantic and charming, a girl who feels things deeply and is wholeheartedly genuine. Grace is just plain awkward. She comes off as cringey rather than whimsical, a child clearly written by an adult that doesn't resonate childlike. I found her downright annoying and very nearly DNFed the book.

The story itself mixes cozy witchy elements with some seriously dark parts. The morals are pretty confused -

As for the magic, it's vaguely explained at best. However, the flexibility of the magic and the creativity in collecting impossible ingredients is a lot of fun!

It isn't the fault of the book or author that I failed to notice the middle grade tag before jumping in, but that certainly didn't help my experience. The only other book I have read by Fawcett is Emily Wilde and I was expecting something in the same general style. I definitely wasn't in the mood for middle grade when I began.
Profile Image for Emily.
Author 1 book647 followers
February 6, 2023
This was just delightful. I am a huge fan of Anne of Green Gables, and this book was just such a pleasure to read.

Grace is an orphan and she believes no one wants her, so rather than wait around any longer at the orphanage, she decides to strike out on her own and make a bargain with a witch. Grace is magical, you see, and she wants to become the witch's apprentice. But the witch doesn't want a little girl underfoot. Reluctantly, she agrees, that if Grace can do all 100 and a half spells in her grimoire by spring, she will take her on as an apprentice. If she fails, the witch will take away her magic. And so begins our tale.

I think that this book does what I want a retelling to do - it takes the source material and then makes it into something new. I think Anne Shirley would absolutely love that in this story she is cast as a witch who can work magic, that she has a talking crow, and is friends with an actual fairy. It's the most Anne thing ever and I feel that L.M. Montgomery would approve.
Profile Image for abi.
1,186 reviews138 followers
Want to read
April 23, 2023
I barley read middle grade anymore, but it’s Heather Fawcett so it’s probably good.
Profile Image for Melissa’s Bookshelf.
2,539 reviews177 followers
July 17, 2023
As a huge fan of Anne of Green Gables, I was excited to read The Grace of Wild Things. It’s billed as a magically inspired version of Anne of Green Gables for middle grade readers, and definitely lived up to that expectation. While there were many similarities to the beloved classic, there were enough differences to make it uniquely it’s own. One thing I really appreciated was that the author really captured Anne Shirley’s whimsical, enchanting personality in Grace.

As an unwanted orphan whose only talent is magic, Grace runs away from the orphanage to visit the legendary wicked witch in the forest. The witch is every bit as wicked as you would imagine, easily comparable to Hansel and Gretel’s witch. After nearly getting eaten by the witch, Grace strikes a bargain with her to become her apprentice if she can learn all 100 1/2 spells in the witch’s grimoire before the cherry tree blooms.

As Grace works to learn the spells, her sunny disposition begins to affect the cold hearted witch. Little by little, the witch begins to grudgingly care for Grace, allowing her to go to school and providing her with the home she’s always dreamed of. However, learning all the spells is more difficult than Grace thought. With a little help from newfound friends and her familiar crow named Windweaver, Grace might just be able to meet the witch’s bargain.

While I absolutely adored all the nods and familiar scenes from Anne and the exceptional world building, I wasn’t sure how I felt about certain things. Reading Anne as an adult, I’ve come to really appreciate Marilla. While the witch in many ways embodies that gruff, tough yet lovable persona, it’s hard to reconcile the fact that she nearly ate Grace and did lots of other really wicked things. I ultimately liked the way things turned out between Grace and the witch, but their relationship is more complicated than Anne’s and Marilla’s.

At almost 370 pages, it’s quite a hefty read for a middle grader. There were some parts that lagged a bit and it took me awhile to get into the story. However, once Grace goes to school and meets new friends, it became really enjoyable for me. I enjoyed identifying characters in the story who matched those in Anne of Green Gables. There are quite a few familiar scenes like the slate scene, elderberry wine, nursing a sick child, and the antagonism with Marilla’s friend Rachel. The villain introduced in the last portion of the story kind of came out of nowhere, but it made for an interesting twist. I also liked the positive messages of friendship and loyalty.

Parents should be aware that there might be some potentially scary things for young readers. If nightmares, witches eating children, ghosts, and scary forests are upsetting, you may want to read it first before giving it to your child. There are also witchcraft elements like spells, and making potions. While there are a lot of similarities to Anne of Green Gables, you don’t necessarily have to be familiar with that story to enjoy this book. Fans of magical fantasy and Anne of Green Gables might enjoy this. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and voluntarily given. 3 1/2 stars
Profile Image for Laura Hoffman Brauman.
3,121 reviews46 followers
March 26, 2023
After a week where you can’t turn away from some of the harsh realities of life and loss, this turned out to be the book I needed. The Grace of Wild Things is a middle grade fantasy reimagining of Anne of Green Gables. Grace is an orphan - and a witch. She has watched the other children get picked for homes, and she is left behind - even those who don’t recognize magic can sense that something is a little different about her. She flees the orphanage to find the witch she has heard about, in hopes that this will be one place where she can belong. As you might expect, witches aren’t known for their warm welcomes, but a deal is struck, and if Grace can complete 100 1/2 spells by spring, the witch will make her an apprentice As with most impossible things, you can only get through them with the help of your friends and while regret and loss are a part of life, in The Grace of Wild Things, they are also a testament to love and a life fully lived. Grace is full of spirit, and I fell in love with her. The right read at the right time. (And also a great book for middle graders - they will love the way Grace and the other kids triumph over adults)
Profile Image for Sara Jesus.
1,673 reviews123 followers
March 17, 2023
Lovely reteling of "Anne Green Gables" with a mix of magic and a groupy witch. Grace is exactly like Anne full of imagination and otimism in life. But she have insecurites too, just like the fact of be afraid be alone or lost the home that she found. I just love all of her group of friends help her to learn the spells for the witch griomere, and did have much fun with the witch that seems mean but really enjoy Grace company.

It is the perfect book to read in spring and observe the blossoming of flowers.
Profile Image for Jeni—Bookish.Bestie.909.
354 reviews10 followers
September 13, 2023
4.5⭐️ I adored this book from start to finish. Grace is a 12 year old orphan witch who is still discovering her magic when she encounters the witch of the woods living alone in a cozy but creepy cottage. A talking crow named Windweaver is a fun unexpected character that helps Grace stay out of trouble (or get into trouble, depends how you look at it). I loved the fun banter between the characters, the different take on magic spells, and the poetry incorporated throughout. All sweet Grace wants is to learn how to use her magic and have somewhere to call her home. This was such a fun read to start off spooky season.
Profile Image for el (celestialbronz).
567 reviews185 followers
April 7, 2023
bawling my eyes out. this was so beautiful & heartwarming and SAD

the references of Anne of Green Gables were rich but with subtle alterations to fit the book's theme. Grace is exactly like Anne: a super talkative orphan who thought that nobody wanted her, super dramatic, prone to mess up things but never meant to let anyone down. the friendship between Grace and her friends, especially Sareena, was so precious I was so afraid if something would happen to them. The ending was quite different from AoGG but I still love it, it just fits well while there's still loose aspect from the original tale. AoGG made me cry and so did this book.

TBH I still need to process everything so that's it for now. I love this book.
Profile Image for bailey elizabeth smith.
448 reviews228 followers
May 2, 2024
4⭐️

“Being wise, apparently, was not knowing a lot of things, but knowing all the things you didn’t know. It was dreadful. She felt very sorry for all the wise people of the world.”

...

You can't tell me this isn't Emily and Wendell, the younger years!!!

This was a very cute and witchy retelling of Anne of Green Gables filled with whimsy, magic, self-discovery, and found family.

Our FMC, Grace, is an orphan who seeks out the witch in the woods to become her apprentice. She is also accompanied by her very cute crow animal companion whom she has used her magic to be able to to speak to! She makes friends along the way in the neighboring village to the witch's cottage and slowly builds a relationship with the witch. It also seems that the adults simply think that the witch is a cooky old woman, and only the children believe she is a witch as adults grow out of believing in magic. There is also a fae friend whose name is Rum (he is so Wendell to me haha).

Overall, this was very cute (albeit a little juvenile though it is meant to be so) and cozy! I took away a star because I felt the ending to be rushed, and that the book ended very suddenly. I also found the villain to come out of nowhere with not much leadup. Otherwise, this was a fun read that I would recommend!
Profile Image for Star Gater.
1,865 reviews57 followers
April 5, 2023
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Audio for accepting my request to read and review The Grace of Wild Things.

Published: 02/14/23

This didn't work for me, and I'm not sure why I requested to read it. I'm not a fan of Children's Fiction, Middle Grade or Sci Fi & Fantasy at any level. In addition I have never read Anne of Green Gables. I've requested enough books on NetGalley to recognize it is my error.

Three stars. Overall, with the above said, the story was okay. In all actuality I gave this 2.5 stars and rounded up. I was bored, stymied, perplexed. A few times I walked away, regrouped mentally, and carried on. I liked that Grace was a little girl.

I recommend reading the synopsis and judging for yourself, paying close attention to the genres.

My sincere apologies to the author -- Heather Fawcett and publisher -- Harper Audio, as well as all the people involved with my error in judgement.
Profile Image for Yamini.
645 reviews36 followers
January 31, 2023
I have already found a book to recommend to you for Halloween! This book is all spooky, witchy, magic, apprentice, forest, spells and more!!! If that's your vibe definitely pick this up

The book is focused towards teens and has a whimsical world buildup. I absolutely loved the grumpy witch's character and Grace's spirit towards life. The book is also paced well as events are constantly churning and no plot aspect is dragged on. Which is exactly the kind I like. You may get a lot of anticipation building up towards the end - but it pays off well.

Genre: #fantasy #magic #teens
Rating: 4/5 ⭐

Thankyou @this_is_edelweiss @harpercollinsch and @heather_fawcett for the Digital ARC
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