scampr's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
tense
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? Yes
4.5
With Halloween and bonfire night imminent as I began, The Witchfinders novelisation jumped out to me as the perfect read for this time of year - and it did not disappoint!
The original TV version of this story is one of my favourite 13th Doctor episodes, and so I was really intrigued to see which elements the writer would flesh out further, whether there would be any new additions, and if any of the nit-picks I had (namely the slightly rushed ending) would be remedied.
First of all, you can tell that the author understands and appreciates Jodie's portrayal of the Doctor, as she's a real highlight throughout this novel. And while they aren't a huge focus, Ryan, Graham and Yaz are also captured well.
As with most target novelisations, this story is shorter than your typical Doctor Who book, so it was a pretty easy read. This is helped further by the swift pacing and engaging flow of the narrative - there's some seriously good chapter cliff-hangers too!
Joy Wilkinson is predominantly faithful to her original plot, but we do get some additional scenes to explain the backstory and imprisonment of the Morax at the beginning. Furthermore, the final stretch of the book takes some time to explore the aftermath of the adventure and tie up loose ends with an older Willa. The bulk of the story in-between is not just a simple retelling however; Wilkinson takes advantage of the prose format to greatly expand upon the characterisation of Becka Savage, Willa Twiston and King James - adding flashbacks and internal monologues that simply wouldn't have been possible in the TV script.
King James is just as enjoyable as Alan Cumming's memorable performance was, but the novel brings an extra level of complexity and scrutiny to his character. Willa is also made a much more complex individual, but remains an incredibly likeable ally of the Doctor and the 'fam', as well as the emotional heart of the story. Becka is perhaps the most broadened character, a deeply flawed woman that is just as much a victim as she is the antagonist.
But it doesn't stop there, as other, less prominent characters still receive some fleshing out! We also get a much more detailed perspective of the setting, Bilehurst Cragg, and a deeper look into the history of its people.
While the Morax aren't fantastic villains by any means, they get development across the story this time and are no longer relegated to being a surprise reveal. The body horror is great and they feel more threatening, whilst not imbalancing the other dangers at play in this time period/setting.
Altogether, it makes for an enjoyable historical mystery with a great atmosphere, and potent thematic discussions about gender, religion, community, repression, and scapegoating. This is exactly what you want from a story about the witch hunts, and Wilkinson brilliantly expands upon the strengths of her episode with this revisit, and I really hope she writes for the series again sometime!
The original TV version of this story is one of my favourite 13th Doctor episodes, and so I was really intrigued to see which elements the writer would flesh out further, whether there would be any new additions, and if any of the nit-picks I had (namely the slightly rushed ending) would be remedied.
First of all, you can tell that the author understands and appreciates Jodie's portrayal of the Doctor, as she's a real highlight throughout this novel. And while they aren't a huge focus, Ryan, Graham and Yaz are also captured well.
As with most target novelisations, this story is shorter than your typical Doctor Who book, so it was a pretty easy read. This is helped further by the swift pacing and engaging flow of the narrative - there's some seriously good chapter cliff-hangers too!
Joy Wilkinson is predominantly faithful to her original plot, but we do get some additional scenes to explain the backstory and imprisonment of the Morax at the beginning. Furthermore, the final stretch of the book takes some time to explore the aftermath of the adventure and tie up loose ends with an older Willa. The bulk of the story in-between is not just a simple retelling however; Wilkinson takes advantage of the prose format to greatly expand upon the characterisation of Becka Savage, Willa Twiston and King James - adding flashbacks and internal monologues that simply wouldn't have been possible in the TV script.
King James is just as enjoyable as Alan Cumming's memorable performance was, but the novel brings an extra level of complexity and scrutiny to his character. Willa is also made a much more complex individual, but remains an incredibly likeable ally of the Doctor and the 'fam', as well as the emotional heart of the story. Becka is perhaps the most broadened character, a deeply flawed woman that is just as much a victim as she is the antagonist.
But it doesn't stop there, as other, less prominent characters still receive some fleshing out! We also get a much more detailed perspective of the setting, Bilehurst Cragg, and a deeper look into the history of its people.
While the Morax aren't fantastic villains by any means, they get development across the story this time and are no longer relegated to being a surprise reveal. The body horror is great and they feel more threatening, whilst not imbalancing the other dangers at play in this time period/setting.
Altogether, it makes for an enjoyable historical mystery with a great atmosphere, and potent thematic discussions about gender, religion, community, repression, and scapegoating. This is exactly what you want from a story about the witch hunts, and Wilkinson brilliantly expands upon the strengths of her episode with this revisit, and I really hope she writes for the series again sometime!
lordroose's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-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? Yes
4.75
stephen_on_a_jet_plane's review against another edition
4.0
Joy Wilkinson adds a lot to her tv episode here with rich character backstories and compelling world building.
tempus's review against another edition
medium-paced
3.75
This is how you novelise a Doctor Who story.
ameliataylor's review against another edition
4.0
Loved the extra bits from this novelisation that we didn’t get in the tv show. Would definitely recommend to anyone wanting more from the thirteenth doctor’s era
davidinthetv's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-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? Yes
3.5
helenaeoftroy's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
anam_ali's review against another edition
4.0
Damn, I wasn't expecting that ending but am so glad for it.
thoroughlymodernreviewer's review against another edition
5.0
4.5/5 stars
From what I remember of The Witchfinders, the episode was a fairly average historical romp that suffered from its villains being underdeveloped but was saved by an absolutely delightful performance by Alan Cumming. While the novelization is definitely missing Cumming's commitment to hamming it up at all times, it does largely improve upon my problems with the episode. On the surface, it's recognizably the same story. Wilkinson doesn't try to remix anything here or retell the plot in some new, gimmicky way. Instead, she simply takes her original plot and expands upon it. The TARDIS still turns up in early-1600s Lancashire, where the Doctor and her friends stumble across a village in the throes of a witch trial. If you've seen the episode, you'll know exactly how it plays out, and the novelization follows the episode fairly closely. The only real differences to the plot come in the form of a framing device, revolving around Willa, but to go into any real detail about that would venture into spoiler territory (and the book’s ending may be slightly divisive with fans). Needless to say, this isn't a novelization that changes the plot much, it just provides a lot of extra context.
Most of that extra context comes in the form of much deeper, expanded backstories and motivations for the characters. Every single character in The Witchfinders benefits from the kind of internal characterization that a novel can provide. This greater exploration allows readers the chance to better understand these characters that weren't as well explored on screen. The Doctor, Yaz, Ryan, and Graham all get a bit more development, with Yaz being given the most depth in her conversations with Willa. Willa is fleshed out a lot more here than she was in the episode, with her backstory and connection to Becka better spelled out. Becka Savage's motivations are much clearer, with a good amount of backstory being given to her, making her utter devotion to the whole witch-hunting thing make a lot more sense. The Morax felt underdeveloped in the episode, so the book literally opens with a bit of backstory for the Morax, making their reveal, later on, feel more natural. Given the greater depth provided to the Morax, the novel doesn't feel quite as concerned with witches as the episode did, but the story's conclusion ends up being more satisfying as a result of the Morax's better development. Overall, Wilkinson really took the opportunity to give the characters of The Witchfinders more depth, and it’s a better story for it.
All in all, The Witchfinders is worth reading if you left the episode feeling like the characters needed more development. I wish the episode, itself, could’ve incorporated some of the expanded backstories found in the novelization. Just ten more minutes could’ve made such a difference. As it is, The Witchfinders was a solid historical story on TV and it’s an even better historical story in prose. Wilkinson’s prose is easy to read, spending more time delving into characters than overexplaining the visual elements. I don’t think it’ll really make anyone who hated the TV story fall in love with it, but for those of us who just wanted a bit more context and expansion for the characters, this book hits the nail on the head. It’s a great read that takes a solid episode and makes it better. What more can you ask of a Doctor Who novelization?
From what I remember of The Witchfinders, the episode was a fairly average historical romp that suffered from its villains being underdeveloped but was saved by an absolutely delightful performance by Alan Cumming. While the novelization is definitely missing Cumming's commitment to hamming it up at all times, it does largely improve upon my problems with the episode. On the surface, it's recognizably the same story. Wilkinson doesn't try to remix anything here or retell the plot in some new, gimmicky way. Instead, she simply takes her original plot and expands upon it. The TARDIS still turns up in early-1600s Lancashire, where the Doctor and her friends stumble across a village in the throes of a witch trial. If you've seen the episode, you'll know exactly how it plays out, and the novelization follows the episode fairly closely. The only real differences to the plot come in the form of a framing device, revolving around Willa, but to go into any real detail about that would venture into spoiler territory (and the book’s ending may be slightly divisive with fans). Needless to say, this isn't a novelization that changes the plot much, it just provides a lot of extra context.
Most of that extra context comes in the form of much deeper, expanded backstories and motivations for the characters. Every single character in The Witchfinders benefits from the kind of internal characterization that a novel can provide. This greater exploration allows readers the chance to better understand these characters that weren't as well explored on screen. The Doctor, Yaz, Ryan, and Graham all get a bit more development, with Yaz being given the most depth in her conversations with Willa. Willa is fleshed out a lot more here than she was in the episode, with her backstory and connection to Becka better spelled out. Becka Savage's motivations are much clearer, with a good amount of backstory being given to her, making her utter devotion to the whole witch-hunting thing make a lot more sense. The Morax felt underdeveloped in the episode, so the book literally opens with a bit of backstory for the Morax, making their reveal, later on, feel more natural. Given the greater depth provided to the Morax, the novel doesn't feel quite as concerned with witches as the episode did, but the story's conclusion ends up being more satisfying as a result of the Morax's better development. Overall, Wilkinson really took the opportunity to give the characters of The Witchfinders more depth, and it’s a better story for it.
All in all, The Witchfinders is worth reading if you left the episode feeling like the characters needed more development. I wish the episode, itself, could’ve incorporated some of the expanded backstories found in the novelization. Just ten more minutes could’ve made such a difference. As it is, The Witchfinders was a solid historical story on TV and it’s an even better historical story in prose. Wilkinson’s prose is easy to read, spending more time delving into characters than overexplaining the visual elements. I don’t think it’ll really make anyone who hated the TV story fall in love with it, but for those of us who just wanted a bit more context and expansion for the characters, this book hits the nail on the head. It’s a great read that takes a solid episode and makes it better. What more can you ask of a Doctor Who novelization?
katsala's review against another edition
4.5
there are a few technical errors, like missing quotations marks, and it’s not super accessible to someone unfamiliar with the TV show, but I loved it! It’s well worth a read for any fan of 13.