Witch & Wizard

Witch & Wizard #1

by James Patterson

The world is changing - the government has seized control of every aspect of society, and now kids are disappearing. For fifteen-year-old Wisty and her older brother Whit, life turns upside-down when they are hauled out of bed one night, separated from their parents, and thrown into a secret compound for no reason they can comprehend. The new government is clearly trying to suppress Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Being a Normal Teenager. Imprisoned together and condemned to death, Wisty and Whit begin exhibiting strange abilities and powers they never dreamed of. Maybe there is a reason they were singled out. Can this newly discovered witch and a wizard master their skills in time to save themselves, their parents - and maybe the world?

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction, Magic, Dystopia, Paranormal, Witches

314 pages, Paperback

First published December 14, 2009

About the author

Official US Site
Official UK Site
JIMMY Patterson Books
ReadKiddoRead

James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time and the creator of such unforgettable characters and series as Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride. He has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, and Michael Crichton, as well as collaborated on #1 bestselling nonfiction, including The Idaho Four, Walk in My Combat Boots, and Filthy Rich. Patterson has told the story of his own life in the #1 bestselling autobiography James Patterson by James Patterson. He is the recipient of an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.

Reviews

[Geek Furioso · Rating 1 out of 5]

They're afraid of change, and we must change. They're afraid of the young, and we are the young. They're afraid of music, and music is our life. They're afraid of books, and knowledge, and ideas. They're most afraid of our magic.

You know what I'm afraid? I'm afraid that this book is actually a best-seller.

I've never felt such a huge amount of hate for a book. I've never felt so powerless to think how many innocent trees were cut for making paper for this shit book. I've never felt so embarrased to say that I actually like YA fantasy. If this book is "the next Harry Potter", I want to throw myself to the river.

I'm actually 21, so I still got a long way to go, but believe I don't want to find a worse book than this one. I'm not sure if I would survive. Believe when I tell you that "Witch and Wizard" has absolutely nothing to be saved. It's a literalute abomination, from start to end. Plot is cliched as fuck, characters are so freaking hateful not even Satan would want them near, world is absolutely lame and barely constructed, and don't make me start with "motherfucking-money" James Patterson's writing style. The only positive aspect I could find is that actually burns really quick.

Why the plot is cliched as fuck? Hello, fellow youngsters who their parent hid their ultery, absolutely amazing magical powers for no fucking reason! Oh, what a surprise, you're going to find that when the baddies gonna call to your door! But wait, there's more! You two are actually the ones whose powers can save the world from the baddies! Hooray!

Why the characters are so hateful? Because normally I don't kick my pillow's ass while I'm reading something. Whit or Wisty (lamest names ever, BTW) Allgood (are you fucking kidding me?) are arrogant, egocentric, blatrant, teenager pricks which I've never desired more to be in front of me so I could punch their faces. Almost everytime they acted like they were fucking ten years old. I'm 21, but if I would be a teenager, I would felt triggered by their display. When they were showing something of their "snarky, funny goody-goody attitude", I felt a nail going deeper in my humor sense.

Have you been playing in toxic waste lately?, in response to start glowing.

And I'm actually Spaniard, so I read this crap in Spanish and I could find the part of the mighty and embarrasing "smarmy beyond smarmy and tough noogies" but English doesn't need to be my mother language to find out that sounds STUPID AS FUCK.

Why is the world lame? Okay, how about this: how the fuck a nazi-parody political party take over the world "winning all elections"? (including dictatotial countries, I suppose. Their "no-fun allowed" program sounded so nice they decided to become democratic for a few minutes so they could win) How the fuck people agree with the idea of music, movies, books, religion, ever freaking chewing gum in public, to be forbidden under death penalty? And what's worse: THIS DYSTOPIA IS A SPOILED-BRAT PARADISE. I'm actually surprised nobody mentioned this. In "Witch and Wizard", all adults are lame, boring, hateful and extraordinary ugly, while youngsters and kids are goody, freedom and justice fighters, and all of them beautiful as my ass. But of course, the most beautiful being Whit and Wisty.

I would love to use citations, really. I would like to show all of you that I'm not making all of these. This book shouldn't exist. This book is death, destroyer of worlds.

Access to my full video-review in Spanish in my Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVdZx...

[Mario · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the first book that I've read and that I couldn't finish without skimming over most of it. The writing was so, so bad, the characters were so stupid and made all the wrong decision and the dialogue was so cheesy. I've been searching for at least one thing that I liked about the book, but I failed miserably. I quite like James Patterson's books, but I don't know what happened in this one. This might possibly be the worst book that I've read so far, and that really is saying something.

[Tammy Dahle · Rating 1 out of 5]

My thoughts:
I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book. I'm so glad I waited to get it from my local library rather than buying it at the book store. If I had spent my own money on it...well, it would have been even a bigger disappointment than it was.
I'm a big fan of James Patterson's adult books. I LOVE the Alex Cross series. I started getting a bit disenchanted after reading The Beach House, one of the first books he co-authored. The next book- I can't even recall the title because I didn't finish it. It was also co-authored. Our relationship has gone down hill since then.
Witch & Wizard sounded so promising. I gave it a shot. The story felt pieced together-like someone didn't edit it before sending it to be printed. The main characters, Whit and Wisty Allgood were so over the top-it was almost laughable. And the bad guys were so BAD it was laughable. What a time waster!
I finished the book but I couldn't wait until the last page so I could be done with them and their story. I won't be wasting my time with the sequel that is sure to come.

[quincy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about these two kids Whit, and Wisty that are taken away from their home in the middle of the night and accused of being a witch and a wizard. Its all because of the New Order thats run by this man called The One Who Is The One, who is trying to rid the world of all magic. I think that ANYONE can read this book and still love it! It pulled me in from the first chapter. It is defenintley a page-turner!:)

[Shep · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh.

Everything about this book was cliche and annoying: the characters, the dialogue, the plot...Nothing was well developed at all. It was just a big fat mess. When J.P. tried to be funny, I found it irritating, when he tried to be clever, I found it stupid, and when he tried to be original, I found it sadly the opposite.

I was very, very disappointed in J.P., especially since this is the first book I've read by him. Not a great first impression, sorry to say. I know he's got some other popular books, but if they are anything like this one, I know I wont be a fan.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Let me first start off by saying that I don’t mean to offend anyone who loves this book (because there seems to be a ridiculously large amount), but I H-A-T-E-D hated this book! It was so terrible, I don’t understand how people can possibly even come close to liking it. I’ll start with the main characters, Whit and Wisty Allgood. They were idiotic, terribly constructed, selfish, fools. I mean, come on! And the names! Who seriously names their two kids Wisteria and Whitford? They had absolutely no motivation for most of the things they did. The dialogue was completely unbelievable, it sounded like some fifty plus year old guy trying to sound like a teenager… oh wait, that’s what it was, and he failed at it miserably. Oh, and by the way, if you were dragged out of your house in the middle of the night, imprisoned for being a witch/wizard, then escaped with the help of some members of a rebellion, and then they told you that you were the only ones that could save a whole bunch of kids from vaporization, what would you do? Well I know what Whit and Wisty (from here on referred to as The Idiots) did! Uh… no thanks, I think I’ll go search around blindly for my parents, even though I don’t know where they are and it would only take me a day or so to save those kids. Let me say it again, complete idiocy. Okay, rewind a bit. What’s with the whole “The One Who…” thing? It’s so childish, seriously, a five-year-old could’ve written this book. I think James Patterson tried to shove too many things into one book, either he should’ve stuck with the whole fantasy thing or the sci-fi thing. And how do you not notice that your entire country is being taken over by a evil political group? The only thing that kept me reading was the hope that it would eventually get better and that I’d heard that James Patterson’s a good author.
And then, after wading through the one dimensional characters, idiotic dialogue, a terrible plot line and one hundred chapters of stupid, you finally get to the end… and you don’t find out anything. If the purpose of this was to get me to read the next book, it failed epically. If anything, it made me more sure in my decision to never read anything by James Patterson again (which I made after roughly ten chapters). Oh yeah, that and the fact that The Idiots were perfectly okay with that weasel guy, who wanted them dead just a short while ago, is now human again and he wants to follow them around and “help”. How dense are you? Seriously, I want to know. And then… nothing. Absolutely nothing. I actually hope that Bryon betrayed them, it would serve them right. However, I will never find out, because I will most definitely not be reading The Gift… Ever.

[Afton Nelson · Rating 1 out of 5]

What is worse than a flat, static main character? TWO flat, static main characters. To take it one, horrible step further, have these characters narrate their own story in short, choppy chapters. This book seems almost like a first draft or maybe even a detailed outline for the idea of a book. There is very little detail or descriptive writing. For example, on pg. 161: "You got your friends out!" the girl said, then hugged Celia, the way Half-lights hug. Hard to describe." (Really James Patterson and smallfont Gabrielle Charbonnet? You are writers for crying out loud. TRY to describe it. What are they paying you for?)

The magic the two characters possess lacks any kind of order or explanation. Sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn't. There is no rhyme or reason to it.

The alternate realities are unimaginative and lacked any kind of description other than this gem on page 176: "It's really dangerous here. There's stuff worse than bombs, if you can imagine something more terrible than being blown up."

The secondary characters are completely forgettable. When they'd pop up after a page or so of their introduction, I'd already forgotten them. The only one who wasn't forgettable was the kid who gets turned into a weasel: a scene which was probably the only redeeming one in the entire book. Then the weasel gets instantly forgiven when he cries and says how sorry he is.

I finished this book out of sheer disbelief of it's awfulness. I kept wondering if it was some kind of joke the authors and publishers were trying to pull on young readers, to see if people would really read crap if it only had "Witch and Wizard" in the title. I guess the joke is on us because this book was one of the top selling children's books of 2009.

If you must read this book, I suggest starting on page 193 where the first two thirds of the book is summed up in succinct 9 item list without missing a single important detail.

The end of the book has an appendix of sorts with an "excerpt" of New Order propaganda which bans offensive books like "The Thunder Stealer," about Percival Johnson and how he steals from the gods and incurs their wrath, "Gary Blotter and the Guild of Rejects," about a delusional boy who realizes his job of scribe is much easier when he uses his magical powers, and "Pitcher in the Wheat" a coming of age tale about a youth who tries to infect the world with his cynicism.

There are also lists of banned musicians, museums that have been razed and artists who's art is no longer acceptable. Each entry is about as imaginative and creative as a word Jumble. It was almost as if Patterson and Charbonnet were trying to be funny which doesn't match up with the tone of the story at all, which despite the awful writing, was clearly supposed to be intensely dramatic.

The only conclusion I can come to for why this book is taking up space on the bookshelves at any bookstore is that the author's name sells regardless of what is between the covers.

And that is too bad.

[Jessica Camara · Rating 1 out of 5]

I rarely refuse to continue reading a book I have started, but I just refused to finish this one...I was very interested in reading this book after seeing it described as being a new series for Harry Potter fans...which, as it turns out, is extremely misleading!! I think there were good ideas for a storyline behind this book, but the writing was so lacking (no detail, lacking any emotion, poor character development, etc.) that I just had to give up on the book completely...it's too bad, because I do think it could have been a good story if it was approached in the right way.

[Noodle The Naughty Night Owl · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had me laughing right from the start and not because of anything James Patterson had written. No, not at all. My local library, bless them, has a tendency to mis-classify book genres and had placed this book in the Thriller section, along with some of Patterson's other Thriller style books. In the front, the library had stuck their little comment sheet, a place where people can mark a book when they have read it. Old school, I know. And, here is where the laughter began.

Staunch Patterson groupies had left a few non-to-kind words. "Not for me", "Different", "X", and my favourite "Mr. Patterson, what are you doing?". Does no one read the blurb on a book any-more? What did they all think they were getting here? Who knows! But at least I was prepared for what lay within and it certainly couldn't be classed as a Thriller.

We follow Witsy & Whit, a brother and sister, who wake up one day to find the world has changed and all that they know has been replaced by a controlling government, a dictatorship hell bent on eradicating anything not in line with their clean and untainted philosophies. Unbeknownst to Witsy & Whit, they are a powerful Witch and Wizard, who have had a prophesy written about them. This makes them special, and wanted by the New Order. Being wanted is not a good thing, as they soon find out, and the New Order does not play nice.

How anyone could think a book titled Witch and Wizard was anything other than a fantasy, I do not know. It's screaming fantasy from the cover through to the blurb, but there you go. Go local library and Patterson groupies!

Witch and Wizard was a very easy read, I devoured it in one afternoon/evening. Apparently, from what I have read, this is familiar to Patterson's writing style. As this was my first Patterson read, I was pleasantly surprised.

It had an easy flow, spots of humour and what I would call a medium-grade adventure story, wrapped up in a fantasy shell. The point of view was alternated between Witsy and Whit, and a definite difference in personality, through the writing style, was evident.

There were even a few note-worthy moments, sentences or paragraphs you couldn't help smiling at and reading again...

Witsy: "You know life really sucks when you're desperately wishing to be institutionalized, drugged, or shocked back to reality. I'd gladly take a lobotomy at this point. I guess that's what you're faced with when freedom isn't even a pipe dream any longer. Give me lobotomy or give me death!"

Or

Whit: " The guard cowered and did his impression of a dashboard-mounted bobblehead in a dune buggy."

I felt the first half of the book was better than the second. It almost petered off there at the end and became more contrived and a little lame. The story at the beginning had more bite and was heading for a high NBRS score, but the last few chapters felt very Young Adult, and I mean very young Young Adult, which seemed to ruin it ever so slightly for me.

Despite that, I'm considering seeking out book two. Unfortunately, my library has not got that one, maybe they were put off by the groupies comments in the front?

Anyway, I'm giving this very easy and pleasantly enjoyable quick read a 6/10: "Good light-weight read, well done" on the NBRS.

[James · Rating 1 out of 5]

James Patterson’s “Witch and Wizard” could be summed up as Harry Potter meets 1984, except without any vision, effort or grace. The plot revolves around two teens dragged from their parents by the totalitarian “New World Order.” Prison, terror, ham-handed magic, and kewl “if teenagers ran the world” mythmaking follow before the book reverts to its opening cliffhanger, setting the way for the obligatory—and unnecessary—sequel.

What makes the book so objectionable? The first strike is the obvious lack of effort that went into its creation. Most chapters expire after two–four pages of rote plot progression. None of the characters are fleshed out; the lead voices narrate away in a kind of dashed-off “teen speak.”

Their powers are applied arbitrarily, without any notion of struggle or growth. The villains are single-note enough to be deemed unworthy of “24” fan fiction. The plot leans on tired “chosen one” tropes, the rules of this “New World” are never established, and the betrayals and retreats read like so much plot padding.

Most offensive, though, is the book’s cheap borrowing of totalitarian/eliminationist themes. The New World Order and its prisons knowingly evoke gulags and concentration camps, complete with torture and executions. But the book constantly undermines the weight of its references by failing to consistently apply its menace. The narrators shrug off torture and murder as another total bummer. Quislings are redeemed without the satisfaction of guilt, and the monstrous laws of the New World Order are equipped with a few booming loopholes to enable lazy writing.

“Witch and Wizard” plays out like a cash grab that was written and conceived in the same three-day weekend. The plot summary on Wikipedia offers as much style as the novel itself and is much less insulting to the reader’s intelligence.

[Սամուէլ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patterson paints a detailed picture of America taken over by a totalitarian dictator who calls himself "The One Who is The One" with this novel. It was really easy to connect to the characters, and this book makes the reader re-evaluate his or her appreciation for art - whether it is visual, literary, musical, or magical. The ending was a bit of a disappointment, but this was such a good book (for the most part) that I blew through it in one day. I also enjoyed making the connections between pop culture references, and Patterson's alternate history equivalents. I would give it a 4.5 star rating, the .5 taken off being the ending.

[Kogiopsis · Rating 1 out of 5]

First thoughts upon getting this galley: AWESOME COVER. I love the red slip and the way it hides words. High hopes for this one.

First thoughts upon finishing the book:
Just.
Not.
Impressed.

I used to like James Patterson- and by 'used to', I mean when I first read The Angel Experiment. It was fast-paced, it was intriguing, and it kept my interest. As the series went on, it degraded and dragged; what I expected to be a trilogy is now what, going on six books? And it's not even tongue-in-cheek like the Hitchhiker's Guide books.
But anyways...back to W&W.
I was lucky enough to miss the enormous hype before the release, since I don't watch much television, but I've heard there were actual commercials. Now, this seems a bit like overkill. Seriously. Hang on a moment; let me find it on Youtube if I can.
OH MY GOODNESS.
SOMETHING INSIDE OF ME JUST DIED.
Jeez, JP. BE MOAR PHAIL.
(Hey, can I call him JPattz? I think I might. Just for kicks.)

Okay.
Seriously?
'Now you can stop waiting for the next Harry Potter book'?
ALL SEVEN ARE OUT, YOU IDIOTS.
No one's waiting.
If this were published, hmm, let me think...THREE YEARS AGO it would have been accurate.
As it is, it's hideously out of date.
But enough about the publicity campaign- how about that book?


1. JPattz, I expected better.
Not that his books have been that good, lately, though I haven't read Max yet...but I'd hoped that the first book of a new series would have some, I don't know, actual WRITING TALENT to it? Apparently not.
It was just...flat. Like it was trying to get the energy of the Angel Experiment, but ended up getting short-circuited.
2. ENOUGH WITH THE SHORT CHAPTERS.
So, maybe that's his trademark style or something...but here, it just didn't work. Too many chapters felt like they were cut off when they shouldn't have been, just for the sake of making them short. Now, the commercial tells me you're trying to appeal to the masses who don't read much, but short chapters don't reduce the length of the book; in fact, they make it look longer. You'd be better off with longer chapters and MORE FLOW.
3. What in the world did Whit and Wisty's parents have against them?
Seriously.
'Whitford' and 'Wisteria'?
Maybe in Victorian London those names wouldn't have been out of place, but most parents are more merciful nowadays. And the names didn't fit their personalities- or at least Wisty's didn't. (Did Whit have a personality? I forget.) I mean, Wisteria? Wisty? And she's supposed to be the truant, the smartass, the girl in detention all the time? Could she have a more wispy name?
4. CAN HAS FLOW WITH A SIDE OF LOGIC, PLOX?
Very little is explained in this book. The world, the political system, the magic- it's all written as if we're supposed to recognize it. Which, in general, I did not; I'm not sure if I'm typical in this respect, but not understanding drove me up the wall. I like worldbuilding. This...this was like trying to explore the second floor of a building with a false front- THERE'S NOTHING THERE.
And come on. The 'magic'? Made no sense at all. There was no pattern, no system, no nothing.
5. Weee-oo, weee-ooo, Sue and Stu alert!
They're put in a magic-dampening prison. But sparkly little Wisty and Whit aren't affected by this...they're tooooo special, the little snowflakes.
Oh, gag me now.
You know, at the very least there could have been a reason- oh, remember that little 'Logic' thing I mentioned? Yeah, some of that would have been nice.

Okay, I'm tired of hating on this book...and quite honestly, I don't want to dwell on it. It sucked too badly.

The good things, few as they are:
Yes, the slipcover was a pain, but it was really really cool.
I did like the way everyone in the government called themselves 'The One Who' whatever. That was kinda catchy, and original.
...Hey, that's all the good I can think of.
What a surprise.

[Daniela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished this one and am already onto the next "The Gift" as this Witch and Wizard leaves you with a cliffhanger ending. It's a first person told story and switches perspectives between the sister and brother (witch and wizard).The part that was a little confusing (and thus not more stars)is that each chapter is theoretically a change of character but sometimes it isn't. So you think you're on to the other one's viewpoint, yet without discernable reason it's still the same person. There is no reason at all to break up the Chapter because the action picks up on the new page exactly where it leaves off on the previous one, so why interrupt it and confuse the reader?...
Here's how the story goes:
The world is taken over by The One Who is The One who bannes individualism, art, free thinking etc. and somehow Whit and Whisty (that's the sibblings names) are suspected of being different and get taken by the regime... this regime takes to the max every regime that ever there was and hopefully never will be. You'll see underlying references to all the different peoples that ever were persecuted and the most extreme ones made into examples to subdue the rest...
Anyway, I think it's a fun read that takes you on a wild ride and yet gives you something to think about.
The story is really fast paced and has some great new titles for good old classics in Art...play on words which I love.

[Mauoijenn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ughhhh.... Patterson. No!!!!
I did not like this book.
No way, no how. :(

[Lygeri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Στη σύγχρονη εποχή Η Νέα Τάξη Πραγμάτων, το κόμμα που έχει κερδίσει τις τελευταίες εκλογές επιβάλλει ένα απολυταρχικό καθεστώς ( Η ιστορία της Πορφύρης Δούλης, Άτγουντ) και φυλακίζει όλα τα παιδιά που πιστεύεται ότι είναι μάγοι και μαντέψτε, είναι! ( Χάρυ Πότερ, Ρόουλινγκ). Δυο έφηβα αδέρφια λοιπόν ανακαλύπτουν ότι έχουν το χάρισμα, μάχονται ενάντια στην απολυτοκρατια ( Αγώνες Πείνας βιβλίο τρίτο, Κοτσυφόκισσα, Κόλινς) και σύμφωνα με την προφητεία είναι οι εκλεκτοί που διαφέρουν από τους άλλους μάγους και θα καταφέρουν να φέρουν την ελευθερία ( και λίγο Απόκλιση, Ροθ).
Τι να πω τώρα.. Αν θέλετε ένα βιβλίο που διαβάζεται πολύ γρήγορα και όταν τελειώσει σας αφήνει μια ικανοποίηση λες και μόλις είδατε μια περιπετειώδη ταινία φαντασίας, είναι ότι πρέπει. Με μικρά κεφάλαια που δεν έχουν τα απογοητευτικά cliffhanger του Fitzek, γρήγορους ρυθμούς και ενδιαφέρουσα πλοκή. Με πολλούς χαρακτήρες που δεν αναπτύσσονται πλήρως ( είναι προφανές ότι ο συγγραφέας είχε στο νου του να συνεχίσει τη σειρά πριν ακόμη εκδοθεί το πρώτο βιβλίο), αλλά δε σε μπερδεύουν..
Όσον αφορά στη λογοτεχνική του αξία τώρα. Κατ' αρχάς ποια είμαι εγώ να προσδιορίσω την αξία του. Θα πω όμως ποια σημεία με ενόχλησαν πολύ. Patterson δεν έχω ξαναδιαβάσει, δεν ξέρω ποιο είναι το ύφος του και εάν γράφει χρησιμοποιώντας όντως πολυφορεμένες ατάκες της προηγούμενης εικοσαετίας, υπερβολικές περιγραφές και σαρκασμό- ή αν το βιβλίο χρειαζόταν καλύτερο μεταφραστή - επιμελητή ήθελε σίγουρα, το βιβλίο είχε μέσα πολλά λάθη. Ωστόσο όταν διαβάζεις " νηστικομάρα" "σκιαχτικό" και " υπερφύαλη αηδιαστική ύπουλη νυφίτσα" κάτι σε χαλάει, σωστά;
Είναι ένα βιβλίο που θα πρότεινα σε ένα δωδεκάχρ��νο που του αρέσουν οι μάγοι, ή σε ένα σκηνοθέτη που ψάχνει σενάριο για την καινούρια του ταινία. Κρίμα γιατί έχει δυναμική η υπόθεση.

[Ash Mustard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw alot of mixed reviews about this book but I enjoyed it! I kinda reminded me of Harry Potter but only a little

[Liriel27 · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of my kids lent me this, and now I'm faced with the dilemma of what to say about a series he obviously really enjoys, which I find...stupid. I think the most I can say is that the idea is interesting - that a totalitarian society suddenly springs up in a world much like our own, and the children of the world have to face both the rising of this and of their to-this-point unknown magical powers. BY FAR the most entertaining thing about this book is the Cockney-rhyming-slang allusions to books, musicians, and artists in the back. The "new-speak" vocabulary used in the book is never explained in the context of the story, though, which is problematic.

The problems with this book, in fact, are manifold. Firstly, there is far too much going on, none of which is backgrounded in any way. The world-building is spotty and incomplete, because the assumption is that it's just like ours, up until the beginning of the story. But if the point (as is made hammer-over-head blatant throughout) is for kids to wake up and take control of their own power and place in the world, then we really need to see how a new totalitarian society is made, with collaborators already behind it, overnight. What exactly is it that they are fighting? Mass hypnosis, general apathy, magical suppression of free will, a really charismatic leader offering escape from current problems, what? All of those issues are fought in different ways, so you can't, as an author, just leave it hanging, especially if you want real kids to do something in the real world.

Also, I find it a little strange to have the protagonists influenced by prophecies in a book which supposedly glorifies free will. But that's just me.

The character development is horrendously bad. We are told about the characters, rather than allowed to get to know them. And what descriptions are there are massively cliched and...well, not like any teenager would speak. Find me one 15-year-old who will describe her brother as having a "washboard tummy." Seriously. Just one. And this problem with dialogue is persistent throughout. The evil, horrible, no-good, vaporizing-kids bad guy actually says the following, apparently with a straight face:

"'You're a beautiful boy, I must say, Whitford. Tall and blond, slender yet well-muscled, perfectly proportioned.'"

and:

"'I am the One Who Is The One [sic]. Just in case you forgot or possibly repressed the memory.'"

and:

"'You see, youngins, I am everywhere, and obviously I am all-powerful, and you are not!' He looked at Whit and actually gave a wink."

Awkward. Also more than a little homoerotic (and, given Whit's age at the beginning, child-molestery), which I suspect was not the intent. He calls the male protagonist "sweet prince" also, but the rest of that quote is kind of spoilery, so I left it out.

So. If the quotes above read to you as menacing and good character-building, then maybe you'll like the uneven, choppy nature of this book. If you wince just reading those sentences, then save yourself the 3 hours it will take to read this. There is no resolution to speak of, and I've had fever dreams with more likely plot twists and coherence than this has.

Now...how do I get out of my kid trying to lend me the sequel?

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Here are the issues I take with this book in no particular order of importance:

1. Note to James Patterson: Harry Potter has already been done. No reason to try and recreate it with less likable characters. Moving on...
2. Every one of these characters annoyed me. Maybe with exception to the boy who was turned into a weasel. He didn't bother me. And to be honest, halfway through the book, I could see why he wanted to turn these obnoxious siblings into the authorities for possible execution. I'm just saying.
3. Lack of adjectives. I lost count after 23456, but that would be a rough approximation of how many times I had to read Wisty use the term "hateful, suck-up weasel" to describe Byron Swain. Come one kids, adjectives can be fun. Let's try some new ones!
4. I find it hard to believe that two teenagers, no matter how many detentions they claim to have sat through in school with their bad attitudes, would constantly have some sort of surly answer at the ready for the men who were trying to kill them. Now I'm not a teenager, but I was one. And I don't think my teenage self, when faced with imminent death, would have answered every question asked me by my accusers with sarcasm or, what I'm guessing was supposed to translate to the reader as, wit.
5. SPOILER ALERT!!!! They lived. And now there will be a sequel...

[Completely Melanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read the whole thing, and really didn't care for it. I don't plan on continuing the series. I felt like maybe because he was writing it as YA that he dumbed it down a lot. It seemed to be very simplified and childish. I really was not able to connect with any of the characters or the story at all.

[Ronda Tutt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good read by James Patterson. I thought it was some what simular to the Maxium Ride Series because of the special powers the Witch "Wisty" and the Wizzard "Whit" had, along with them being teen agers. The only difference is is that Wisty and Whit were born with their powers and the kids in the the Maxium Ride Series were created by experiments.

This Story also reminded me of The Hunger Games by Suzan Collins because of the dictatorship and how the freedoms we have in a democracy goverment are taken away.

Wisty and Whit go through imprisionment, escape, and rescueing others from The One who is the One. The travel between different deminisions and discover their are worlds beyond the world they live in. Through the trails Wisty and Whit go through they learn their abilities and start to take a little control over their powers and in the process they save many kids and hope to fulfill a prophecy that is about them where kids will rule the world.

The book leaves you hanging for the next book. It was an enjoyable read and a fast read at that.

[Erth · Rating 5 out of 5]

now i am hooked. This was such a great, easy and creative book. i was hooked after the first page.

The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.

i would highly recommend this author and this book.

[Naofumi Iwatani (from The Rising of The Shield Hero) ☯ (ヅ) ꧁꧂✨ ╰(*´︶`*)╯♡ ✿◕ ‿ ◕✿ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't a big fan of this book, some might like it, but, it is just not my type

[Sanja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zanimljivo, uzbudljivo, prožeto humorom i magijom. Knjiga je možda više namenjena za tinejdžere, ali verujem da nije problem uživati u njoj ako je u čitaocu ostao makar malo tinejdžerskog duha.

Dvoumila sam se koju ocenu dati, ali kad pogledam kojim knjigama sam davala koju ocenu i na osnovu čega, mislim da je ovo fer ocena.

[Evan Judge · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the book! The novel was greatly illustrated, with vocabulary words, which would help readers understand the characters perspective and personality. The genre of this book was science-fiction. It was filled with magic, creatures, and Intrigue. I would recommend this book to ages, ten through one-hundred. Unlike a lot of novels, this book was a mix between, Harry Potter, and The Hunger Games. This novel represented true friendship, and teamwork between the characters. It was full of suspense, and action throughout the story. James Patterson included wonderful detail and made it feel like you were in the characters shoes. One thing I liked about the book was the dialogue between the characters. Their speech and vocabulary were outstanding and it helped you understand their feelings and thoughts. One thing I did not like about the book was that it was hard to follow. There were a lot of characters, names, and magic.

In this novel the government has taken over every aspect of society, and kids are disappearing. One night, Fifteen year old Whisty and her older brother Whit, were taken from their parents, and thrown into a secret jail cell for no reason. The New order, which is the government, is trying to take over the lives of a normal teenager. While trapped in this nightmare, Whit and Whisty discover they have magical powers which can maybe help them find there lost parents, save themselves and maybe the world! But the question is can they master their skills in time?

[Michael Taylor · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a fan of James Patterson, I won't deny that. As a teacher, it's Patterson who can lure in kids who hate to read. His very short chapters and constantly "in motion" stories have the ability to capture any readers attention.

But, and yes, here comes the but... I'm surprised that James Patterson has resorted to allowing others to write his books and then put his name on them. Witch and Wizard echoes Patterson's writing with short chapters, but the story? Well it's clear that the person who wrote the majority of the book didn't have the same talents as Patterson.

The story isn't horrible. It's actually pretty good, but, and here's another but, the story seems overdone. The characters are pretty good, a little too cutesy for me. It would have been nice to see the protagonists have some flaws instead of being so perfect.

The title serves only one real purpose, to tell the reader what the brother and sister are. As for the amount of "magic" they use, minimal. I think that's what most readers would like to read about, the magic the siblings could do.

Reluctant readers love the book. I prefer Patterson's Women's Murder Club series.

[Zoni · Rating 1 out of 5]

1,5

Meu santo Apolo, esse livro é muito ruim, ruim mesmo, e eu esperava tanto dele, até porque na época de lançamento lembro que qualquer booktuber só comentava dessa história, enalteciam tanto esse livro que eu jurava que seria uma ótima história, me enganei muito. O livro beira o ridículo... Na verdade, acho que no fundo os autores queriam fazer uma paródia, e isso cagou tudo, ficou superficial, mal explorado, mal escrito, chato. Ainda estou tentando entender qual a razão de um livro tão curto ter mais de 100 capítulos. É sério autores, capítulos com 30 palavras atrapalham a leitura, parem de fazer isso, é irritante e soa preguiçoso. Os personagens não agradam em nada, são dois irmãos, e cada um narra um capítulo, mas sério SÃO A MESMA PESSOA NARRANDO, APENAS COM NOME DIFERENTE. A maior parte do tempo o livro é chato e a gente sente a necessidade de abandonar. Eles são bruxos? Não, sinceramente não, eles estão mais pra mutantes do Instituto Xavier, perdidos numa história mal contada. Já li fanficions melhores.

[Tom Mueller · Rating 1 out of 5]

In an attempt at fairness to the "author", I listened to the first of several discs, but had to force myself to get through that. While stopping short of plagiarism, this work offered nothing new. Themes and characters were rehashed from the works of Orwell's 1984, Ursula LeGuin, Bradbury, J.K. Rowlings and no doubt others. I heard nothing new. Far too many original works are left to be read; I gave this one more time than it deserved.

[Izzy. · Rating 3 out of 5]

i don’t think i laughed at a single joke that was made in this book. maybe i laughed at it. honestly there were just too many kid cliches. and the ending felt so fast paced and rushed. then again if it wasn’t so fast paced i probably would not have read the whole thing. i think the book just lacked depth and any special sort of thing about it

[Racheli Zusiman · Rating 4 out of 5]

ספר מגניב המיועד לבני נוער. מפלגה חדשה משתלטת על השלטון ומשליטה משטר דיקטטורי. בני נוער ואנשים אחרים שנחשדים בכוחות קסם או בסיוע לכאלו עם כוחות קסם, נחטפים ונעלמים. וויט ו-וויסטי הם אח ואחות שנחטפים ומגלים שהם למעשה קוסם ומכשפה. הם חוברים לבני נוער אחרים ומנסים להציל ילדים אחרים שנחטפו ולמצוא את הוריהם שנעלמו.
ספר שכתוב בצורה מאוד משעשעת ועם המון אקשן. ממש young adult קלאסי. הוא כתוב משתי נקודות מבט - של האח ושל האחות - אבל השמות שלהם מאוד דומים אז זה קצת מבלבל. בגדול לא מדובר בסוגה עילית אבל זה ספר ממש כיפי ומאוד נהניתי לקרוא אותו. החלקים על המשטר הדיקטטורי מאוד מזכירים את שלטון סטאלין ואני חושבת שזו יכולה להיות דרך לקרב בני נוער לנושא. לספר יש המשכים שלא תורגמו לעברית.

[Karin · Rating 1 out of 5]

The New Order has taken control of the government. The One Who Is The One has passed new laws that severely inhibit the citizens. Art, music, free expression, imagination, and magic are illegal and if you are caught participating in any of these activities you will be put in prison for rehabilitation or, worst case scenario, executed.

Whit and Wisty, brother and sister, are roused out of a good night’s sleep when the police bust into their home and arrest them. They are taken to a prison where they find it filled with nothing but other children. Whit and Wisty are pushed to the limit and their magical abilities are revealed without them even knowing they possessed them. It turns out that Whit is a wizard and Wisty is a witch. For this, they should be executed, but The One Who Is The One wants some information from them first.

Whit and Wisty find out their parents have been sentenced to death, but have managed to escape from capture. The make it their mission to break out of prison and find their parents. With the unexpected help, they manage to get out of their cell and begin their life on the run.

Basically, this is the rest of the book. The reader never gets to witness, which I was really hoping to, the condition of the outside world for the everyday citizens. I wanted to see what their lives were like under the oppression of the new leader. Instead, all we get to read about are Whit and Wisty running from authorities through secret passageways – away from the eyes of the townspeople.

The ending of WITCH & WIZARD leaves it COMPLETELY open for a sequel – so much so that it doesn’t even come full circle and solve even one problem, but just leave off for the next installment.

This is officially my last James Patterson book. I really had high hopes for WITCH & WIZARD. The sample chapter in the back of DANIEL X: WATCH THE SKIES sounded so good. The problem is, the first chapter is about the only good part of the book.

FYI – Gabrielle Charbonnet has published many books, but mostly for Disney and Baby-sitter’s Little Sister books.