Book Review: The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

Image (c) Hyperion Books CH

The Near Witch (The Near Witch #1) by Victoria Schwab
Release Date: August 2nd, 2011
Book Format: Library book
Rating: Four Stars

The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.

If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.

And there are no strangers in the town of Near.

These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.

But when an actual stranger-a boy who seems to fade like smoke-appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.

The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.

As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi's need to know-about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab's debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won't soon forget.

 Despite owning most of Miss Schwab's stories in my book library, for some reason I decided to read her debut book instead. Nothing bad about that, of course, but it's nice to see where one well-known author had their humble beginnings.

This book centers around Lexi, a young teenager who loves stories and remembering those that she have been told from her late father. She also has a little sister named Wren. They're probably one of the very few siblings in stories that rarely every fight and actually care for each other. It's cute.

There's also something strange lurking around. Or... is there? Whatever it is, it only comes out at night, and Lexi can't help but wonder if it's only just a dream... or if it was only just the wind. Her thoughts are confirmed wrong when, in the morning, she learns of horrible news: one of the kids have been kidnapped and no one knows why. They search, to no avail, but when there's mention of a new stranger roaming Near, Lexi realizes that maybe what she saw in the night wasn't a nightmare at all and that Wren just might be next to join in with the other kids.

The words are beautifully written, almost lyrical. Almost musical, even. It tells you a story but it feels like a fairy tale. Scenes that could easily come off as being boring and dry pick up life with the determination of Lexi's thoughts of discovering and learning why kids of Wren's age are just going away with no signs of struggle. Witchcraft? One thing's for sure- Lexi refuses to lose her family. Even if it means going against her step dad.

Still, despite the positives, it was still lacking in some areas. This book could have easily been so much longer than it is. What happened to Lexi's father? Her mother? What's the backstory between Otto and Lexi's father? It was clear that there was some sort of conflict going on between them? The witches that remain on the outskirts of Near? 'The Near Witch'? The plot is simple but it works. There is little romance (ignoring Tyler's forcefulness on Lexi) that balanced things out well. It was there but Lexi's focus still remained primarily on the missing kids and on protecting her little sister.

After all that had happened through this book, the ending felt a bit flat. It wasn't exactly what I was expecting (or hoping for?) and I was hoping for a much better resolve than what I got. It did still satisfy my needs for stories involving witches but... only a little.

I'm happy I read this book first before her most recent releases - I have a feeling part of me would have not loved The Near Witch as much as I did now due to probably a huge shift in writing style. It's not a bad thing - improvement is the best part about consistently writing and writing. I'm glad I got to feel the original spark that led people to adore Miss Schwab's storytelling.

This is a good way to introduce yourself to this author's writing but, beyond that, it's an okay story. It's definitely the writing style that kept me reading and reading. For someone that's been in a reading slump for almost the whole year, it means a lot to me.

Merry (belated) Christmas, everyone, and Happy New Year's Eve! <3