Title: The Near Witch Author: Victoria Schwab Pages: 282 (ARC) Publication Date: Aug. 2nd, 2011 For: Age 13 and up Source: From publisher for review |
Back Cover
The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.
If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.
And there are no strangers in the town of Near.
These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life. But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.
The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.
As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.
First Lines
"It starts with a crack, a sputter, and a spark. The match hisses to life."
In a Sentence
Though the romance developed a bit too quickly for my taste, The Near Witch is still a beautifully written book with a wonderfully spooky premise.
My Thoughts
The Near Witch is a book that doesn't take long to get into. With the exception of the first forty pages, which I had started the day before, I read the book in one sitting. The Near Witch has a creepy, Gothic setting with a dystopian-esque feel, which I loved. Reading The Near Witch was like watching a thriller...it kept me turning pages late into the night, and when I finally turned the lights out, I was kind of tempted to hide under the covers.
The interaction between the main character, Lexi, and her family was great. The way she cared about her little sister, Wren, was sweet and real, and it actually reminded me a bit of the relationship between Katniss and Prue in Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games. Furthermore, I liked that Schwab took the time to develop the character of Lexi's mother. At first, she isn't very likeable, mainly because she's seemed like a shell of a person since the death of Lexi's father, which happened before the book begins. But as the book progresses, I saw that Lexi's mother truly did care about her daughter, and if I looked closer, I could see her showing it in many little ways. Lexi's mother definitely has a hidden strength about her, but you have to take the time to look for it.
Ironically, what I found to be the most disturbing element of The Near Witch wasn't the supernatural happenings that occurred in the book, but the actions of the townspeople. Yes, children disappearing from their beds in the night is definitely scary, but what's worse (in my opinion) is seeing how an entire community can be driven to believe lies and do awful things in the name of justice. I respected Lexi a lot as a character for not simply doing what she was told. Instead, she questioned the logic of what was happening, did her own investigation, and made her own decisions. Though Lexi's still a teenager, I thought that showed a lot of maturity on her part.
The one thing that I had trouble with in The Near Witch was the romance. Don't get me wrong, I actually liked Cole. I thought he was an interesting character and I enjoyed reading about him. However, I also thought that the speed at which the romance developed between him and Lexi was unrealistic. The rest of The Near Witch was so well-developed and unique, but I felt that this aspect kind of fell victim to the stereotypical YA paranormal romance syndrome. However, even though this part of the book bothered me, it didn't ruin the book for me. I still really enjoyed The Near Witch, and I would recommend it to fans of (the real) Grimm's Fairy Tales, or to those of you who are on the lookout for a good, suspenseful read.
Not sure about this review? Compare our tastes in books. (Goodreads)
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Ooh. I must try this! Fast romances aren't my fav, but the family relationships balance that out in my opinion--I'd love anything that mirrors Katniss and her sister. :-)
ReplyDeleteGreat review! I'm really looking forward to reading this book soon. I think i'll really enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteTia @Falling For Books
Love how you describe this! I always enjoy anything with a gothic setting or feel to it!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the review. I get what you mean about the romances not always feeling realistic. But this sounds like a really good book I'd like to read.
ReplyDeleteThis one looks really good! Glad you enjoyed it, and I definitely understand what you mean about ultra-rushed romances (I'm having that problem with CARRIER).
ReplyDeleteOooh I so want this book!! I've heard so many people gushing about it. Despite a minor hiccup with the romance, Lexi sounds like a fantastic character and the story definitely sounds like it has a nice creepy/spooky vibe, which I really love. Excellent review :D
ReplyDeleteSounds like one to add to my list!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your thoughts. I don't like insta-love either and it's too bad the author didn't develop it more as it sounds like you loved everything else in the story. I still want to read this one though.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't heard of this, but based on how much you liked it, I instantly added it to my TBR :)
ReplyDeleteI've heard lots of great things about this one! The Gothic atmosphere sounds fabulous and your comparison to Grimm's Fairy Tales makes me think this is definitely going to be a dark and creepy read. A pity that the romance was a bit disappointing, though :(
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to read this one.
ReplyDeleteThis sound deliciously dark and intriguing. Loved your discussion of the towns people and the setting is right up my alley. Great review.
ReplyDeleteLexi sounds like quite the remarkable character is she is willing to stand up against an entire community.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear they did a good job with the family and the heroine sounds like a strong one. Love the sound of all the suspense!
ReplyDeleteI like what you said about Lexi's mother. At first I didn't like her much, but the more I read the more I saw all those little ways she did show she cared. I realized I had to cut her some slack (her husband died!) and that she was a lot more than I had originally given her credit for.
ReplyDeleteI have been wondering about how this book will be and I am pleased and hopeful about it. I can't wait t read it. You have a beautiful blog!
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