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arkyver's review against another edition
dark
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
4.0
tattooedlibrarian's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
dullshimmer's review against another edition
4.0
Revenge of the Witch wasn't exactly the book I was expecting. I didn't quite realize that it was more middle grade or young adult horror/fantasy. This doesn't really make it good or bad, but it just wasn't what I was expecting. I guess that's what happens when you look at a book series once you hear it was getting a movie adaptation.
Revenge of the Witch introduces us to Tom Ward, the seventh son of a seventh son, who due to this is able to be a spook, someone tasked with facing off against the forces of darkness like the undead, ghosts, boggarts, and witches. The book doesn't really say why this is the case, just that it is. Maybe it will be explained more in future books, here it just assumed.
There seems to be a lot that can fall under that heading of "maybe it will be explained more in future books" in Revenge of the Witch. Tom seems to have something extra about himself that is mentioned in a few places, but no real indication of what that is. Mam, Tom's mother, is an enigma and much more than she appears to be, there are just lots of things that are not fully explained that leave room for further plot exploration.
That's not to say there isn't a complete story here. I would say that there is. This focuses on one of Tom's first big mistake as a spook's apprentice. He winds up getting manipulated into freeing one of the witches that the current spook has captured on his property. This causes quite the first trial for Tom, but the book completes the tale and is a full story. There is just much that isn't wrapped up and is left to explore in future books.
While I enjoyed the book, there wasn't really anything that wowed me. The world seems interesting, but also kind of bleak. The characters were okay, but I didn't find myself super invested in any of them. I was maybe curious about learning more about them, but I didn't really feel that this book really connected me to any of the characters too much.
It is also a pretty easy read, it may be almost three hundred and fifty pages, but the print is pretty big and its not a very complex read. So it is great for younger readers wanting to dip their toes into a bit of a darker fantasy or horror side of things or for a nice quick read in between heavier books.
Given all this I would say that I liked the book well enough and am curious enough to want to continue the series. Even so, I wouldn't say that I loved it. It has potential to be a series I really enjoy, but it is hard to say if it will realize that potential or go downhill. There's only one way to find that out, by reading the next book in the series.
Revenge of the Witch introduces us to Tom Ward, the seventh son of a seventh son, who due to this is able to be a spook, someone tasked with facing off against the forces of darkness like the undead, ghosts, boggarts, and witches. The book doesn't really say why this is the case, just that it is. Maybe it will be explained more in future books, here it just assumed.
There seems to be a lot that can fall under that heading of "maybe it will be explained more in future books" in Revenge of the Witch. Tom seems to have something extra about himself that is mentioned in a few places, but no real indication of what that is. Mam, Tom's mother, is an enigma and much more than she appears to be, there are just lots of things that are not fully explained that leave room for further plot exploration.
That's not to say there isn't a complete story here. I would say that there is. This focuses on one of Tom's first big mistake as a spook's apprentice. He winds up getting manipulated into freeing one of the witches that the current spook has captured on his property. This causes quite the first trial for Tom, but the book completes the tale and is a full story. There is just much that isn't wrapped up and is left to explore in future books.
While I enjoyed the book, there wasn't really anything that wowed me. The world seems interesting, but also kind of bleak. The characters were okay, but I didn't find myself super invested in any of them. I was maybe curious about learning more about them, but I didn't really feel that this book really connected me to any of the characters too much.
It is also a pretty easy read, it may be almost three hundred and fifty pages, but the print is pretty big and its not a very complex read. So it is great for younger readers wanting to dip their toes into a bit of a darker fantasy or horror side of things or for a nice quick read in between heavier books.
Given all this I would say that I liked the book well enough and am curious enough to want to continue the series. Even so, I wouldn't say that I loved it. It has potential to be a series I really enjoy, but it is hard to say if it will realize that potential or go downhill. There's only one way to find that out, by reading the next book in the series.
ljfarve28's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ko2h3ckh's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Animal death
meihessen's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
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
4.0
hellothereforeitsalex's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
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? No
3.75
A firm start to a series, a good place to start for younger readers to get into fantasy.
nicole_schmid's review against another edition
dark
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? Yes
3.0
[read in the German translation by Tanja Ohlsen]
I quite enjoyed this book! It was a lot darker than I'd expected, and also more action-packed. The descriptions (and the creatures, of course) were very creepy. Another thing that was creepy is the attitude towards women, which the main character thankfully challenges. I hope this point comes up again in future novels and is resolved there satisfactorily.
I didn't quite get the mentor's attitude. He knows there's danger out there, even danger aimed specifically at the main character, danger that he's untrained for, and he just... gives him tasks that would lead him out of the protected area? Even for weeks at a time? This is not meant as a trap; it's not a morally questionable tactic of using unsuspecting bait. He just lets him go and hopes for the best, I guess?
The worldbuilding is interesting.
A few words about the translation:
Ich hab die Übersetzung sehr gut gefunden! Nur manchmal gibt es ein Problemchen mit der Konsistenz. Der Spook wird manchmal mit Sir angesprochen, dann mit Meister (was jedoch auch im Original so sein könnte). Was jedoch mit dem Englischen sicher nichts zu tun hat, ist, dass er einmal plötzlich gedutzt wird, dann geht es munter mit Siezen weiter. Ich weiß, pedantisch, aber das ist mir aufgefallen. Auch ist mir nicht ganz klar, warum die Bergnamen, zum Beispiel, nicht übersetzt sind. Ich weiß, größtenteils einfaches Englisch, aber da sich das Buch eher an Kinder richtet, die die Sprache noch lernen, wäre ein deutschen Äquivalent vielleicht besser gewesen. Aber da kann man sich ja streiten.
I quite enjoyed this book! It was a lot darker than I'd expected, and also more action-packed. The descriptions (and the creatures, of course) were very creepy. Another thing that was creepy is the attitude towards women, which the main character thankfully challenges. I hope this point comes up again in future novels and is resolved there satisfactorily.
I didn't quite get the mentor's attitude. He knows there's danger out there, even danger aimed specifically at the main character, danger that he's untrained for, and he just... gives him tasks that would lead him out of the protected area? Even for weeks at a time? This is not meant as a trap; it's not a morally questionable tactic of using unsuspecting bait. He just lets him go and hopes for the best, I guess?
The worldbuilding is interesting.
A few words about the translation:
Ich hab die Übersetzung sehr gut gefunden! Nur manchmal gibt es ein Problemchen mit der Konsistenz. Der Spook wird manchmal mit Sir angesprochen, dann mit Meister (was jedoch auch im Original so sein könnte). Was jedoch mit dem Englischen sicher nichts zu tun hat, ist, dass er einmal plötzlich gedutzt wird, dann geht es munter mit Siezen weiter. Ich weiß, pedantisch, aber das ist mir aufgefallen. Auch ist mir nicht ganz klar, warum die Bergnamen, zum Beispiel, nicht übersetzt sind. Ich weiß, größtenteils einfaches Englisch, aber da sich das Buch eher an Kinder richtet, die die Sprache noch lernen, wäre ein deutschen Äquivalent vielleicht besser gewesen. Aber da kann man sich ja streiten.
jessicahcasey's review against another edition
4.0
Good book. It was a little dark but very interesting!