Witch

A breathtaking debut about the power of women, witchcraft, fury, revenge and the ties that bind us.

In 17th-century England, civil war rages and witches have become pawns in a plot to oust the king. Red-haired Evey does not want to be a witch, but she cannot deny the magick coursing through her veins.

After witnessing the brutal murder of her mother by witch-hunters, Evey vows to avenge her and track down the killers. Fury burns in her bright and strong. But she has promised her mother that she will keep Dill, her little sister, safe.

As the lust for blood and retribution rises to fever pitch, will Evey keep true to the bonds of sisterhood and to the magick that is her destiny?

Finbar Hawkins is a visceral, lyrical, dazzling new voice in storytelling.

PRAISE FOR WITCH:

'Raw, mystical and beautifully told, Witch is the story of a young woman's self-discovery in a hostile world. A striking debut.' - Kirsty Applebaum, author of The Middler

'Bold, original, powerful story-telling. This story of fierce love, anger and revenge, war and witch hunts, is tense and bloody and compelling.' - Julia Green, author of The House of Light

'Witch is a rare thing, a book both brilliant and original, as strange and dark as it is beautiful.' - Chris Vick, author of CILIP Carnegie shortlisted Girl.Boy.Sea

Evey is a marvellous, complex, flawed heroine... Hawkins is a master of raising and re-raising the stakes... The tale builds to a climax of incredible, cinematic imagery... A fantastic first outing' -- Cory Doctorow, author of Surface Attack
Raw, mystical and beautifully told, Witch is the story of a young woman's self-discovery in a hostile world. A striking debut -- Kirsty Applebaum, author of Waterstone's shortlisted The Middler
Witch is a rare thing, a book both brilliant and original, as strange and dark as it is beautiful. A tale of revenge set in war-ravaged landscape, ruled by fear and superstition; of redemption and love between two sisters; of the corrupting power of 'Magick.' All this. And more besides -- Chris Vick, author of CILIP Carnegie-shortlisted Girl Boy Sea
I couldn't stop reading this 5-star story for teens, full of witchcraft, revenge and the power of women -- Mel Darbon, author of Rosie Loves Jack.
Bold, original, powerful story-telling. This story of fierce love, anger and revenge, war and witch hunts, is tense and bloody and compelling -- Julia Green, author of The House of Light
I felt its dark jewelled cloak fall about my shoulders and magic me to the time of witch-craft. A story that captures sibling rivalry so perfectly and tells its tale so beautifully I didn't want it to finish -- Jasbinder Bilan, author of the Costa-winning Asha and the Spirit Bird
An assured debut of sisterhood and fury The Bookseller
Dark, spooky, and with beautiful lyrical prose, this is the ideal book to curl up with as the nights get darker and colder in the run up to Halloween BookTrust
A book filled with enchantment, in every sense. Dark, exciting and pacy, Witch brilliantly balances magic and realism -- Anthony McGowan, author of CILIP Carnegie Medal winner Lark
There is real magic here, though what leaps off the page is the creepy atmosphere and the raw emotion of a grieving, raging girl... Perfect reading for a dark, stormy night' Irish Times Weekend
I loved it. I loved how atmospheric it was, I loved the fierce loyalty of Evey and Dill, I loved how I could smell the weather on every page -- Emma Kennedy, author of the Wilma Tenderfoot series
A gobble-it-up fiery and intense yet thoughtful debut novel about family, betrayal, and witchcraft. Opening the pathway to a fabulous historical fantasy series this calls out as a must-read for young adults... Witch is a read that fair on crackles with energy, it also encourages thoughts to both consider and soar' LoveReading
No avid reader who is old enough should miss this wonderful writing from a debut writer. When the power of language and the power of story meld so thrillingly together, they make something very special, and important – witching magic -- Magic Fiction Since Potter
From the first page, my heart was hooked by this dark and twisty tale of old magic, love and revenge. The story thunders like a force of nature -- Julie Pike, author of The Last Spell Breather
Witch grips you in its spell from first page to last. It's a stunningly written story of loss and love, of eerie magic, high adventure, and the ties that keep us strong in darkness and bring us safely home. As fierce, beautiful and thrilling as a bird of prey in flight -- Jonathan Stroud, author of the Lockwood & Co. series
Be enchanted by this dark, wintery and lyrical story. A powerful debut that will leave you gasping for the breath that you have held whilst reading it! A book packed with history, witchcraft, power and love Armadillo
Hawkins' descriptive power is considerable Financial Times
[An] adventure story where good triumphs over evil. The more perceptive and mature reader may well see echoes of the battle between patriarchy and the traditional ways of healing which were mostly the domain of trusted womenfolk. The lyrical prose and the attempt at an appropriate historical idiom are attractive The School Librarian
Finbar Hawkins's debut novel is notionally a young adult title, but grown-ups will find it darkly satisfying – a brilliantly paced and compellingly atmospheric story of society's need to find victims, how fear spawns mania and how the 'other' is persecuted. Should sound familiar in 2020 Time Out
Civil war rages and witches have become pawns in a plot to oust the king. When her mother is killed by a mob Evey vows to avenge her in this assured debut of sisterhood and fury, well reviewed in hardback -- Fiona Noble, The Bookseller

Finbar Hawkins is a graduate of the Bath Spa MA in Writing for Young People. He grew up in Blackheath, London and now lives in Wiltshire with his family, in a landscape steeped in myth and legend. He is a creative director for Aardman Animations in Bristol, where he makes fun interactive things for children of all ages.

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