This review is part of the Speculative Fiction Indie Novella Championship (SFINCS). SFINCS, pronounced “sphinx”. This is a yearly competition to recognize, honor, and celebrate the talent and creativity present in the indie community. It’s a sister competition to both SPFBO and SPSFC, and it highlights greatness in the novella format in all areas of speculative fiction (fantasy, science fiction, horror, etc.).
To see more information on my team Behind the Musings check out this post!
Blurb for To Catch a Witch
Caught in a scandal with Lord Arle that draws the attention of King Harald’s Inquisition, Shenagh is forced to flee her home into the Dark Wood. The young hedge witch, pursued by Master Macon den Lough and his henchman, Cobb, is tested by the forest’s rugged terrain, dangerous predators, and legendary monsters.
To Catch a Witch Book Review
To Catch a Witch is told from two different perspectives, Shenagh’s and the men who hunt her. Caught in a scandal she never wanted to be a part of, Shenagh is forced to flee as the only home she knew is burnt to the ground. As readers journey alongside Shenagh they will discover the misconceptions others have. As a hedgewitch, Shenagh can gather power from living things, but there is another power nested within her that others seek to take advantage of whether she is a willing participant or not.
The ability to see from the hunters’ point of view is the perfect way to capture how witches are seen as something other than human. With no regard to how they feel, or the reason for their actions. Instead, Shenagh is seen as a threat that must be eliminated. Yet through Shenagh’s eyes, she simply wants to survive and rid herself of the physical remnants of trauma that was forced on her.
There are so many subtle ways E.L. Montague builds up Shenagh’s character. From the quiet determination she has to survive, to her gentleness with the deadly denizens of the forest. This will lead readers into being immersed in Shenagh’s fate and on edge with the tension of the witch hunt building overtime.
To Catch a Witch is a novella that will offer a fast paced snippet into a world with so much more to offer. The brief foray into the forest and the extent of Shenagh’s magic is well written and paced. Readers will be sure to come away satisfied yet craving more of this world.
To Purchase: Amazon | Author's Website
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