A review by catherine_mack
Witherward by Hannah Mathewson

4.0

If this is the authors debut novel, I can’t wait to see how she matures as an author. The main character and the members of her newfound ‘family’ were fascinating characters with much to discover about each one. The worlds in this book were rich, complex, and dark. Both had their own histories and politics and family dynamics that unfolded and blended together over the course of the plot without any obvious stops for explanations (something that sets good fantasy apart from the rest, imo). At a few points, it felt like there were gaps in the unfolding of the plot or leaps of logic. The characters sometimes reached conclusions that left me behind and even after going back to reread, there seemed to be little given to carry me along. Perhaps it’s just me, I know I don’t read as carefully as I used to.
Overall, Ilsa hooked me in and I looked forward to getting back home to read a few chapters each night. The ending was satisfying but felt like the door was open for a sequel. I hope so!