132,956
edits
Changes
no edit summary
|date=August 2015
|isbn=9781447283553
|video=SmqFp-S2vYc
|aznuk=1447283554
From the very first lines we know we're in the midst of a story full of sinister forces. A blind old hedge-witch has a mysterious visitor late at night, whose soft voice conceals menace and threat. He's seeking a particular witch, and he will use anything, even a demon, to get what he wants. Contrast him, with his power and willingness to break the rules of magic in order to achieve his ends, with our heroine: young, vulnerable and innocent of the world outside the Border Hedge – in fact, her magical powers haven't even begun to manifest themselves yet. Sadly, the shock of seeing Hecate carried off provokes Hazel's gift – the ability to unleash boiling waves of fire – but too late: her mother is gone.
What follows is a traditional but nonetheless thrilling quest. Hazel and Bramley set off in pursuit and soon decide to join forces with Titus White and his handsome apprentice David, a couple of demon hunters. In theory, their skills as hunters plus her magic means mean they should soon catch up with the evil creature, but unfortunately Hazel has to hide her true identity as the men also hunt witches. One slip of the tongue, one accidental use of her gift, and Hazel will find herself handed over to the authorities to be tried and killed.
This may sound a gloomy tale, but it's not. The acerbic comments of the chattiest dormouse in the history of the world manage to cheer even the scariest scenes, and poor Hazel's gooey-eyed encounter with the first boy she's ever met will cause readers to chuckle. Matt Ralphs gives the reader just enough of the background to this fantasy world, which is based on the terrible conflicts that tore England apart in the seventeenth century, but with the additional premise that magic is real. Against such a frightening and dangerous background the story of Hazel and her companions occasionally approaches horror, but never too close: it is, after all, only the first in a series. It's funny, exciting, nail-biting and utterly gripping, and Bookbag strongly recommends it for both boys and girls.
If you enjoy stories full of mystery and adventure with more than a touch of danger, try [[Lockwood and Co: The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud]] and the sequel [[Lockwood and Co: The Whispering Skull by Jonathan Stroud|The Whispering Skull]]. Creepy! Or else, if you fancy something a bit more whimsical, there's [[The Snow Merchant by Sam Gayton]] about a girl who's been warned she must never, ever touch the ground. We also have a review of [[Fire Witch by Matt Ralphs]].
{{amazontext|amazon=1447283554}}