Review: The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

The Near Witch
by Victoria Schwab
Published by Disney-Hyperion
YA, fantasy, paranormal, romance

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 withc thta 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 love Schwab's books, so I was overjoyed when I managed to find an used copy of The Near Witch, which is out of print. I went in knowing that it's a debut and might not be as good as some of her latest work, but I still loved this story. The most unique aspect in The Near Witch is the poetic, descriptive language. It's absolutely beautifully written and Schwab certainly knows how to play with words. It's a joy and wonder to read!

While the language was poetic and absolute joy, the plot was a little simple and characters were a bit tropey. The main character Lexi was quite bland as she got least development and her feelings weren't explained. It was difficult for me to identify with Lexi when her main objective seemed to be rebellious against her uncle Otto, and she made some stupid mistakes because of it. I was also a bit disappointed because the lack of suspense as it was easy for reader to see what's going on based on blurb and first clues alone.

Despite of the small disappointments with lack of suspense and character development, I enjoyed The Near Witch. However, there was plenty of intriguing side characters, such as the stranger Cole and the witches of Near, Magda and Dreska. Despite the criticism I have for some aspects, I truly enjoyed the story and poetic language. It was captivating, and I would have read a sequel if there was one. A good debut from Schwab, I'd say.

4 of 5 stars

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