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takarakei's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This one is real hard to review because I didn't like the narrator for the audiobook. They spoke. Very. Stunted. Without. Any. Flow. ...I don't believe that is how the book was written as that is not my experience of Schwab's writing. I do think you can tell this is early on in Schwab's career as her writing really has improved with her subsequent novels. It is a very typical YA kind of romance between characters (a bit insta lovey).
Overall it was hard to get through with the narrator, and if I wasn't reading it for a book club I might've switched to a physical book or DNF'd.
Overall it was hard to get through with the narrator, and if I wasn't reading it for a book club I might've switched to a physical book or DNF'd.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Kidnapping
Moderate: Grief and Death
Minor: Blood, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Child death
voilajean's review against another edition
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Body horror, Bullying, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, and Kidnapping
avi_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent
tkatt20's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I loved this book. Its a really quick read if you're looking for something with a relatively simple magic system and high tension. I thought the pacing was wonderful for it being a standalone (accompanied by a short story) partially because it had such an interesting writing style and I felt like I could really connect emotionally to the characters which kept me reading. It also didn't feel like too much of an info dump which I run into sometimes with standalones and all the characters had depth and personality outside of the main character. My only complaint was the romance seemed to be very insta love which I'm not a huge fan of but considering that isn't the main plot, this book was great. Gave me major salem witch trial vibes too which I loved!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Self harm, Kidnapping, and Death of parent
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Child abuse
Minor: Blood and Animal death
claudiamacpherson's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Kidnapping
Minor: Blood, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexism, Violence, and Xenophobia
whatiskatelynreading's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Grief
rini's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The story really just didn't grab me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Sexual harassment, Violence, and Sexism
eve_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Overall Thoughts:
⁕ The strongest aspects of this book were its lyrical writing style and gloomy atmosphere. I got major Grimm’s Fairytale vibes; this is definitely a good fall-time read!
⁕ There are some big YA tropes in here: a dark and mysterious love interest, the death of parent, and a rebellious main character. All of them were well-written!
⁕ I didn’t fall in love the characters as I have with Schwab’s other books. That’s not to say they aren’t believable, I just didn’t get as invested.
To read my full review, visit: https://evereads.online
For regular book-related content, follow my Instagram account: @eve_reads
⁕ The strongest aspects of this book were its lyrical writing style and gloomy atmosphere. I got major Grimm’s Fairytale vibes; this is definitely a good fall-time read!
⁕ There are some big YA tropes in here: a dark and mysterious love interest, the death of parent, and a rebellious main character. All of them were well-written!
⁕ I didn’t fall in love the characters as I have with Schwab’s other books. That’s not to say they aren’t believable, I just didn’t get as invested.
To read my full review, visit: https://evereads.online
For regular book-related content, follow my Instagram account: @eve_reads
Content Warnings
Moderate: Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Death of parent, and Self harm
andromeda_1998's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The near witch is an other one of V.E. Schwab amazing books. It’s right in my ally. It has magic, amazing characters and together it forms a dark fairytale everyone should read. The near witch is lesser known then some of her other books and I think that it has something to do with the fact that it’s a young adult book instead of adult or middle grade.
The story:
The story focuses on Lexi who lives in the town of Near. She has never left her home town and she doesn’t particularly feels the need ago. She wants to stay in the house overlooking the moor.
In this little town a couple of things are sure:
1. There are no strangers in Near
2. The near witch is nothing more than an old wives tale
3. Don’t listen to the wind since the wind always looks for company.
These are the rules Lexi lives by and they have been told to her all her live. But everything changes when one day a stranger is seen around the village. The very next day children start to disappear in the night and the stranger falls under suspicion.
Lexi needs to find out the truth about the missing children, the time is ticking, since she has a little sister to protect.
My opinions (spoiler free)
I really liked this amazing story. The stakes are high and the story is a bit dark. I like these kinds of darker magical fairytales. The story his been written in a faster pace and the storytelling is amazingly done. V.E. Schwab has an amazing way of writing a story and she always delivers with her beautiful writing-style. Like always I cannot wait to read more from her.
V.E. Schwab knows her character building. She has again made some complex characters. The thing I liked less though is that you really need the short story “The Ash-born boy” to understand Cole’s character fully. I wouldn’t mind that so much if the short was included in all the different editions of this book but it isn’t. For as far as I know you really need the red edition by titan books to get the short included. (ISBN:9781789091144)
The worldbuilding has been done well but it only includes one little village and the moors around it. Something that isn’t bad but I would love to know more about the world she has created and I would love it if she would go back to write more story’s in this world 😂.
Favorite quotes:
“If the moor wind ever sings, you mustn’t listen, not with all of your ears. Use only the edges. Listen the way you would look out the corners of your eyes. The wind is lonely, love, and always looking for company
Other books you should read if you loved the near witch or if you loved these books the near witch is something you would like:
- Uprooted or Spinning silver by Naomi Novik
- The winternight trilogy by Kathrine Arden.
- Into the heartless woods by Joanna Ruth Meyer
- The enchantment of Ravens or Sorcery of thorns by Margret Rodgerson
- The bone houses by Emily loyd-Jones
The story:
The story focuses on Lexi who lives in the town of Near. She has never left her home town and she doesn’t particularly feels the need ago. She wants to stay in the house overlooking the moor.
In this little town a couple of things are sure:
1. There are no strangers in Near
2. The near witch is nothing more than an old wives tale
3. Don’t listen to the wind since the wind always looks for company.
These are the rules Lexi lives by and they have been told to her all her live. But everything changes when one day a stranger is seen around the village. The very next day children start to disappear in the night and the stranger falls under suspicion.
Lexi needs to find out the truth about the missing children, the time is ticking, since she has a little sister to protect.
My opinions (spoiler free)
I really liked this amazing story. The stakes are high and the story is a bit dark. I like these kinds of darker magical fairytales. The story his been written in a faster pace and the storytelling is amazingly done. V.E. Schwab has an amazing way of writing a story and she always delivers with her beautiful writing-style. Like always I cannot wait to read more from her.
V.E. Schwab knows her character building. She has again made some complex characters. The thing I liked less though is that you really need the short story “The Ash-born boy” to understand Cole’s character fully. I wouldn’t mind that so much if the short was included in all the different editions of this book but it isn’t. For as far as I know you really need the red edition by titan books to get the short included. (ISBN:9781789091144)
The worldbuilding has been done well but it only includes one little village and the moors around it. Something that isn’t bad but I would love to know more about the world she has created and I would love it if she would go back to write more story’s in this world 😂.
Favorite quotes:
“If the moor wind ever sings, you mustn’t listen, not with all of your ears. Use only the edges. Listen the way you would look out the corners of your eyes. The wind is lonely, love, and always looking for company
Other books you should read if you loved the near witch or if you loved these books the near witch is something you would like:
- Uprooted or Spinning silver by Naomi Novik
- The winternight trilogy by Kathrine Arden.
- Into the heartless woods by Joanna Ruth Meyer
- The enchantment of Ravens or Sorcery of thorns by Margret Rodgerson
- The bone houses by Emily loyd-Jones
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping and Death of parent
Moderate: Death, Toxic friendship, Sexism, and Misogyny
Minor: Confinement and Fire/Fire injury
nicheinterests's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping and Self harm
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Death of parent