The Near Witch by V. E. Schwab - A Review

 

Hello everyone!!

Today we are reviewing The Near Witch by V. E. Schwab which is a YA fantasy novel originally published in 2011. It was the debut novel of Victoria Schwab and didn't get the recognition it deserved, so in 2019 Titan Books released it again in the world.

In the book we follow Lexi who lives in a small town named Near, where there are stories about The Near Witch. 

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. 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. 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.

I loved this book as much as the other works of V. E. Schwab that I have read so far. 

First of all, I love the setting of the book, a small town near a moor where nothing ever changes. It feels so atmospheric and mysterious at the same time. The book reads like a fairytale and the story centers around folktales about witches and strange things that begin to happen in the town of Near. 

I loved the writing and the characters. Lexi is so caring for her family but also smart, strong and determined to find the truth.

Highly recommend it!

Rating: 5 Stars

See you in the next post and don't forget to keep reading!!!

Athina