The Witch Hunter (The Witch Hunter, #1) in SpecFic Buddy Reads

Nov 20, 2016 Justine rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2016-read

I really enjoyed this one, but I also haven't been burned out by reading all the witches-in-alternative-England books that seem to be out there at the moment. I'm always a bit touch and go with alternative history, and I tend to prefer ones like this that are more story focused than history focused. Although the setting is supposed to be an alternative England, it really could be set anywhere in the sense that there wasn't anything definitively English about it.

The writing is good and the charac ...more

20 likes · Like · see review

Nov 15, 2016 Lindsay rated it it was ok

Elizabeth Grey is a 16-year old girl trained to be an elite magically-enhanced witch hunter in Anglia, an alternate England, and working for this world's version of Oliver Cromwell. In Anglia the various supernatural creatures, witches and wizards are persecuted and to perform magic or even possess herbs is to risk being burned at the stake. Then Elizabeth is accused of witchcraft and has to be rescued by people that she thinks are her enemies.

All reviews are subjective, almost by definition. Th ...more

16 likes · Like · see review

Apr 14, 2016 Candace rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, fantasy, first-in-series, kindle

This is a YA alternative history set in 16th century England. The plague was caused and spread by magic and therefore afterwards no magic is tolerated at all. King Malcolm protects England by burning or hanging everyone who is found doing magic by his witch hunters. Elizabeth Grey and Caleb are witch hunters and close friends. Elizabeth is shown to be an ambitious, competitive fighter. We have a strong female heroine even if she is pining for her coworker Caleb. One night as they are returning t This is a YA alternative history set in 16th century England. The plague was caused and spread by magic and therefore afterwards no magic is tolerated at all. King Malcolm protects England by burning or hanging everyone who is found doing magic by his witch hunters. Elizabeth Grey and Caleb are witch hunters and close friends. Elizabeth is shown to be an ambitious, competitive fighter. We have a strong female heroine even if she is pining for her coworker Caleb. One night as they are returning to Elizabeth’s room, Elizabeth is arrested for being a witch. She is arrested for being in possession of herbs which witches commonly use. I think there is probably an explanation, that Elizabeth is innocent based on her character but Elizabeth gives a little backstory while explaining her situation to Caleb and it turns out that she is guilty. Caleb says he will help her.

1. While this book was marketed to me as alternative history, don’t read it expecting to see an examination of how the world would be different on a significant issue if something different were to happen. In fact, I wouldn’t call the book alternative history. The book merely states the plague was caused and spread by magic and therefore afterwards no magic is tolerated at all. (This is our different fact in history as far as I can tell)- the book then supposedly looks at how the world would be different if magic WEREN’T allowed- what a stretch! The King protects England by burning or hanging everyone who is found doing magic by his witch hunters. Better to just think of this as pseudo-medieval fantasy, (Nothing wrong with that, one of my favorite sub-genres.) that doesn't give you a lot of explanation or background into its world.

2. Elizabeth is telling a strong story until she gives her explanation of the possession of the herbs. I don’t want to spoil too much for telling why she has them; however, the reason does not fit with the strong character that I had known up until this explanation. For something so important and meaningful in her life (and key to the story), this was glossed over. I know this reason is supposed to make a kick-ass character seem vulnerable, but that’s exactly why there has to be more of an explanation. I don’t believe the Elizabeth that I met in the beginning of the book is the Elizabeth that would allow herself to be here based on what little I have read in the book.

Despite the reason for now, Elizabeth is placed in a position where she has to question who is right and who is wrong? Who can she trust? These issues are what really make the book interesting, and the characters she meets along her journey make the book fun.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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Dec 06, 2016 Helen rated it liked it · review of another edition

Initially, this book slightly irritated me. Partly due to the first-person narration. I seem to be reading a lot of first-person lately, I don't usually mind it but this felt clunky.

However, the story began to drag me in. I didn't feel that the narrator was keeping anything back, this made the journey more exciting. Some characters felt like window dressing but on the whole likeable.

I'm reading straight on to book two. ...more

3 likes · Like · see review