This review contains affiliate links, which earn me a small commission when you click and purchase, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my small business and allowing me to continue providing you a reliable resource for clean book ratings.
There are no strangers in the town of Near. Or there weren’t, until an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside Lexi’s home on the moor. The next night the children of Near start disappearing from their beds.
There is an old truth from the village. If the wind calls at night you must not listen, for the wind is lonely and always looking for company. But it’s the mysterious boy, not the magic of the moor, who falls under the villager’s suspicions. Lexi cannot believe he’s to blame for the disappearances, though. He insists on helping Lexi search for the children, and something tells her she can trust him.
There is another village tale, one filled with half truths. The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children, they say. But there are signs that hint otherwise.
As more children vanish and their trails grow cold, Lexi begins to wonder about the witch that might just be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the hidden history of this nameless stranger who speaks to her heart.
The Near Witch, Victoria (known as V.E. for her adult books) Schwab’s debut, has beautiful writing, an atmospheric setting, and a tale as nostalgic as a fairy tale. In a harsh world full of generational secrets and questionable morality, Lexi is a strong heroine, full of grit and determination. And the message of the story is clear: never be afraid to question the traditions and defy the expectations of others in order to fight for the truth.
Rated: Mild. There are 7 uses of mild language. Violence includes prejudice, some blood and injuries, abuse, kidnapping, and a tale involving murder and death. Characters kiss.
Click here to purchase your copy of The Near Witch on Amazon.
