The Black Witch
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4.5 • 267 Ratings
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- $8.99
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
Critics are raving about Laurie Forests incredible debut, The Black Witch:
"Elloren learns to question authority and Gardnerian history, while developing real empathy for different races and species. Forest uses a richly imagined magical world to offer an uncompromising condemnation of prejudice and injustice." —Booklist, starred review
"Exquisite character work, an elaborate mythology, and a spectacularly rendered universe make this a noteworthy debut, which argues passionately against fascism and xenophobia." —Publishers Weekly, starred review
"This briskly paced, tightly plotted novel enacts the transformative power of education, creating engaging characters set in a rich alternative universe with a complicated history that can help us better understand our own." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
A new Black Witch will rise…her powers vast beyond imagining.
Elloren Gardner is the granddaughter of the last prophesied Black Witch, Carnissa Gardner, who drove back the enemy forces and saved the Gardnerian people during the Realm War. But while she is the absolute spitting image of her famous grandmother, Elloren is utterly devoid of power in a society that prizes magical ability above all else.
When she is granted the opportunity to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming an apothecary, Elloren joins her brothers at the prestigious Verpax University to embrace a destiny of her own, free from the shadow of her grandmother's legacy. But she soon realizes that the university, which admits all manner of people—including the fire-wielding, winged Icarals, the sworn enemies of all Gardnerians—is a treacherous place for the granddaughter of the Black Witch.
As evil looms on the horizon and the pressure to live up to her heritage builds, everything Elloren thought she knew will be challenged and torn away. Her best hope of survival may be among the most unlikely band of misfits…if only she can find the courage to trust those she's been taught to hate and fear.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this intoxicating tale of rebellion and star-crossed romance, 17-year-old Elloren Gardner enrolls at Verpax University to study healing. Elloren's grandmother Carnissa was a powerful Mage known as the Black Witch, who led Gardneria to victory in the Realm War. Some think Elloren will fulfill a legendary prophecy and follow in Carnissa's footsteps, but though Elloren resembles the Black Witch, she possesses no magic. Still, Elloren is hated by those on campus whose people Carnissa helped subjugate. Out of loneliness, Elloren befriends Verpax's other outcasts, many of whom belong to races she's been taught to fear or disdain. She begins to question everything she knows about Gardneria's history and culture, and realizes that there's good reason for the growing opposition to her country's new government. Exquisite character work, an elaborate mythology, and a spectacularly rendered universe make this a noteworthy debut, which argues passionately against fascism and xenophobia. Though the worldbuilding is initially dense, the pace and stakes increase exponentially, and the thrilling conclusion will leave readers eager for the next book in this series. Ages 14 up.
Customer Reviews
Personal opinion
Overall this book was good. It had a lot of interesting characters that changed and developed over time and I also liked the love interest in this book. That might just be me, but 🤷🏽♀️. One thing however that I found irritating was the fact that it took SOOOO LONNNGGG for the girl to find out who she was. It was so annoying to me that it dragged on and on, but for the whole book itself I have to say it was really good. 👍👍👍👍👍
Snooze
Compelling story, however the prologue sets you up expecting the main character to realize she is in fact the powerful black witch, as the title of this story implies. I’m sure in the later books it will turn out she is in fact this person however she does not produce a single ounce of magic throughout this book and is highly misleading if that’s what you’re looking for. Story wise it’s fine, just missing the one thing I was looking for in this book.
Amazing Book!
A great book with a varied and interesting cast of characters. Read the whole thing in one sitting, I was so enthralled.
I will say I do think its funny that the main character will go on and on about every woman she cones across, painstakingly detailing their beauty, and describes most men as same and boring, while being aghast at the thought of her being attracted to women. I was unsure myself for much of the novel of where she landed, haha!