Title : The Near Witch

Author : V.E.Schwab

Publisher : Titan Books

Genre : Fantasy

My rating : 4.5/5⭐

Blurb (as on the book):

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.

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.

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.

Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab’s debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won’t soon forget.

My Take:

This was my first V.E.Schwab book and The Near Witch turned out to be my very first fantasy read too. What interested me to read this book was the gorgeous cover and the title. Who wouldn’t love to read about witches, magic and an action-packed adventurous female-centric story? at least I would.

Schwab’s writing is magical. It sure has the enchantment that will draw the readers into the fictional world that she had so brilliantly and atmospherically created. The tale has a strong protagonist and the strongest antagonist which really made this book an interesting read.

Coming to character development, Lexi was my favourite amongst others. She was strong, rebellious and adventurous. The sibling bond between Lexi and Wren (her little sister) was so beautifully shown.

While reading and after completing “The Near Witch” I felt that Cole’s character could have been shaped in an even better way. But later on, after reading the short story i.e “The Ash-born boy” which is the backstory of Cole, I understood why the way he was in The Near Witch.

The book has been mentioned as a part fairy tale and part love story. But it also has an equal amount of Suspense and mystery. The romance part was neat and I’m happy that it didn’t spoil the storyline.

I can talk about this book all day long, but I’m afraid that it might be a spoiler. Schwab is a born storyteller and I couldn’t agree more. Right from the beginning till the end I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.

Near Witch is an unputdownable work with a unique plotline filled with magic and mystery. I would like to thank Bloomsbury India for providing me with the review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

My Rating: 4.5/5