Scan barcode
mac_1mc's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
khantourage's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
guillaume_rho's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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? Yes
5.0
“My father used to say that change is like a garden. It doesn’t come up overnight, unless you are a witch.”
- The Near Witch
“The two hardly ever looked each other in the eyes, Will out of a sense of respect—enforced as opposed to earned—and Robert out of a sense of distaste, the boy’s dark eyes being the most offensive part of him.”
- The Ash-Born Boy
With so many books under her belt, it would be easy to think that V.E. Schwab didn’t start her career strong, but The Near Witch is a beautifully touching story, mixing fantasy with an undescribed world that is part secondary-world, part real-world with magic. The vibe of the book reminded me a lot of Gallant and Addie LaRue (to a lesser extent). This is a story about not belonging, trusting in your instinct and about a young, head-strong girl (which is a character archetype that comes back often in Schwab’s books).
The magic in this world was nothing new, being the control of wind and nature around those who have powers, but it was beautifully portrayed in its poetic writing. The Near Witch herself was very cool and impressive once we got to see her, but I won’t say how/why because that would be a spoiler.
This is a slow story that sometimes meandered. I found this to be the only indicator of Schwab’s earlier, less-developed skills. There was a lot of going back and forth to the same places, only partially accomplishing some objectives that could have been tightened to make the story punchier and faster paced. Also, I wasn’t really sold on the relationship between Lexi and Cole; it felt a bit forced to me.
With those thoughts, I would have given The Near Witch 4 stars, but the addition of the short story about Cole’s backstory brought it all the way back to a 5-star rating. It was so captivating and unexpected. His past expanded the world in ways I had not foreseen from this story, bringing us to a larger city, with lords and titles.
Seeing Cole’s perspective on his magic was poignant. The way it manifests itself reminded me of the overwhelming strength of panic attacks and anxiety, which I wouldn’t be surprised was done on purpose by V.E. Schwab. Also, his father’s will to deny his magic was a strong queer parallel that landed like a punch to the gut.
I felt everything that Cole went through and would have taken a full book of his story, but the bite-size of it made it all the more precious and the ending all the more tragic.
lou_noel's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
a good read to see how it all started for one of my top 3 authors.
jankaobezjanka's review against another edition
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0