Book Review: The Witch's Boy by Kelly Barnhill

Hello, Fellow Book Worms!

  Let me tell you a story... Of three witches: a mother, her daughter, and her granddaughter. They possessed a great magick that was wanted by the King. But they fought bravely to protect the magick, until only one of the three stood defiant. And the woods sprung up from the ground and consumed the kingdom, even destroying the royal castle! And the magick lived from generation to generation, handed down the bloodline....

  Yes, I am back with another book review! I seem to be on reading a lot lately, which is more than I can say for 2015. And this year I promised myself that I would read from different genres and age-ranges. My first entry into the world of younger fiction this year is the Witch's Boy by Kelly Barnhill, published by Algonquin Young Readers. 

  Set in an enchanting world of witches, kings, queens, and magical beings, this book begins with a tragedy. Two brothers embark on a rafting trip. Their raft is handmade and very flimsy. They tumble into the river and only one survives, Ned. The town says that the wrong boy was saved, that Ned's brother was the smarter of the two and should have lived. His mother, the one called Sister Witch, ignores the villagers and tends to her family's grief. Meanwhile across the kingdom, past the Deadly Forest, a woman lies dying. Her young daughter, Aine, is beset with grief, but strong for her father. Her mother tells her that the wrong boy will save her life. And she will save his. And before she can say another word, she passes ending with, "And the wolf..."

  The Witch's Boy sees our two child protagonists embark on an amazing journey that ultimately leads to their meeting one another. Pursued by Bandits, evil kings, giants, and magical forces, they must race against time.  For the kingdom is about to be destroyed by the evil King Ott's plan to conquer the lands surrounding his domain. He also wants the magick that Ned's family has been guarding for decades, and he will stop at nothing to get it. Chapter after chapter I was sucked into this tale quickly. There was not one character that I did not like, and I even liked the Bandits! Just when you think that the adventure could not get any more exciting, the author removes your sense of security, creating new peril for our child heroes.

 The Witch’s Boy is fun, fast-paced, and cleverly written. This is Kelly Barhill's third novel, and already it has gone through many printings and has been nominated (and won) several literary awards. Barnhill’s narrative is whimsical, fun, and to the point. Her world building is rich with history and is lived-in, with an amazing amount of detail for the eyes to consume.  I found this fantasy tale to be refreshing and very enjoyable. It is a book that makes you care for the characters and cheer for their triumphs. I read this story in part with the audiobook that was performed by Ralph Lister. His penchant for voices and expressive reading added a wonderful new dimension to Barnhill’s words. I loved the production.

  I give the Witch’s Boy five out of five stars. It is a fantastic and whimsical read that I believe everyone should pick up at some point this year. I was sad to see these amazing characters’ story end, but I had a sensational time living all the adventure that Barnhill has created. I hope that along the way to her next books that she decides to continue the story of Ned and Aine. This book is great for Roald Dahl and Harry Potter fans. Besides, who does not need a bit of whimsy to go with their adventure?

Because there is always time to read,
Xepherus3

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All written content (c) Copyright 2015 by Thomas Bahr II

 

Cover photo (c) Copyright 2015 by the publisher