The Witching Hour: A Review

So, yes, this is a proper book review, with stars and everything. I've not done one of these before, which as you can imagine, is scary and exciting and nerve-wracking because OH MY BOOKWORM GOSH I AM WRITING A REVIEW.

I must remain calm in order to actually finish this, so I shall. I shall, do you hear?

The book I have so carefully chosen (well, I just finished reading it, so it seemed natural) is The Witching Hour (also known as The Betrayal of Maggie Blair) by Elizabeth Laird. I read a print copy, but it was a library book, and was . . . inadvertently returned before photographing.  You'll have to make do with a stock photo.

Firstly, I would like to announce that Miss Laird (of the awesomeness brigade) is basically my favourite historical author because she researches her books so well. This particular collection of words is set in seventeenth-century Scotland, in the years coming up to the English Civil War. BTW, if you don't have any idea what I'm on about, click here. The Civil War was far too complicated for me to explain here.

At the beginning of the book, fourteen-year-old orphan Maggie Blair is living with her Grandmother on the tiny Isle of Bute. It's the kind of place where everyone knows everyone, and Maggie's gran isn't the best at getting along with the neighbours.

But no-one ever thought she'd be arrested as a witch.

Guilty by association in the eyes of the island authorities, Maggie flees for her life toward the mainland - away from everything and everyone she's ever known. But with the English Civil War brewing in Southern Scotland, she's jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire . . .

Okay, so pros - Maggie was pretty amazing. She adapted quickly, wasn't afraid to work hard, and was all - round tough as nails. As for the downsides, I struggled at first to work out how old Maggie was, but it turned out my initial guess of 'my age' was about right.

The whole problem could probably have been solved by READING THE BLURB. I'm a silly pumpkin sometimes.

I'm going to give The Witching Hour 3.5 out of 5, not because it was mediocre. IT WASN'T. The sheer fact that I've given it a score above halfway should show that - methinks - I just think that, when I'm listing my favourite books, I won't remember this one as much as other books by Elizabeth Laird (who I still think is awesome). Plus, I'm a pretty harsh marker. One has to remember this.

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Now, I really, really want to get better at book reviewing, so do you guys have any tips? And what would you like me to review next?

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Labels: Reviews