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A review by shona_reads_in_devon
The Ravenswood Witch by Jenni Keer
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the chance to read this in exchange for my thoughts.
An unknown woman on the run. A mysterious man by the riverside. A fortuitous meeting in the night that provides a cover for both their secrets.
The premise of The Ravenswood Witch is full of spooky potential - the setting, the secrets, the suspicious villagers full of superstition. Witchcraft and the occult. If a classic cosy autumn spooky read is what you're after this October then this delivers in spades.
For me though, I wanted something a bit more original and it's a shame that this novel couldn't deliver the road less travelled with this starting point. What follows is a largely predictable plot, cardboard cut-out characters and nothing strikingly original to set it apart from other novels of this kind.
The dual POV was a nice touch and the little twist with these that I did not see coming was absolutely refreshing and jogged me out of the viewpoints I was harbouring about certain characters.
The writing was nice enough but the pacing was uneven - the first two thirds quite slow and all the action in the last third. It didn't need to be this long. The final reveal was anti-climatic at best and did nothing new or exciting and the tying up of loose ends was rushed and badly developed.
Overall it was fine, but I was hoping for something less run-of-the-mill.
An unknown woman on the run. A mysterious man by the riverside. A fortuitous meeting in the night that provides a cover for both their secrets.
The premise of The Ravenswood Witch is full of spooky potential - the setting, the secrets, the suspicious villagers full of superstition. Witchcraft and the occult. If a classic cosy autumn spooky read is what you're after this October then this delivers in spades.
For me though, I wanted something a bit more original and it's a shame that this novel couldn't deliver the road less travelled with this starting point. What follows is a largely predictable plot, cardboard cut-out characters and nothing strikingly original to set it apart from other novels of this kind.
The dual POV was a nice touch and the little twist with these that I did not see coming was absolutely refreshing and jogged me out of the viewpoints I was harbouring about certain characters.
The writing was nice enough but the pacing was uneven - the first two thirds quite slow and all the action in the last third. It didn't need to be this long. The final reveal was anti-climatic at best and did nothing new or exciting and the tying up of loose ends was rushed and badly developed.
Overall it was fine, but I was hoping for something less run-of-the-mill.