In the dark and eerie village of Grunswick, rumors spread like wildfire about the revenge of the witch. The very mention of her name sent chills down the spines of the villagers. From generation to generation, the tale of the witch's fury was passed down, a cautionary tale of what happens when you anger an all-powerful sorceress. As the legend goes, the witch was once a villager herself, but her thirst for power led her down a dark path. She dabbled in forbidden magic, harnessing the forces of the supernatural to increase her powers. Her hunger for control grew, and with each spell she cast, she became more twisted and malicious.
Her hunger for control grew, and with each spell she cast, she became more twisted and malicious. The villagers became fearful and mistrustful of her, sensing the darkness that surrounded her. They pleaded with her to abandon her wicked ways, but she ignored their pleas and continued to deepen her dark powers.
Book Review: The Last Apprentice (Revenge of the Witch) by Joseph Delaney
I forget who (or what site) recommended this book, but I remember it promised a dark tale (fun for horror lovers) that was appropriate for a middle grade reader who liked creepy things. The book fits that promise. I’m reading more middle grade now in anticipation of my own kids wanting to read independently. When my three-year-old son (whose favorite holiday is Halloween) saw me reading it, he asked what the story was about, and he was intrigued.
The Last Apprentice follows twelve-year-old Tom, who is the seventh son of a seventh son, and as such, he is an appropriate apprentice for “The Spook,” a man whose job it is to “deal with” all manner of supernatural beings that plague humanity. The Spook has had several apprentices over the years, and it’s implied that they either left the trade or were killed after making too many mistakes: the witches and ghosts (and other supernatural enemies) are all dangerous.
Tom is not happy about his chosen role, but his older brother already has possession of his parents’ farm, and there isn’t much else left for him. Besides, we learn later that his mom (who has many hidden secrets that are only hinted at in this book) intentionally had seven children so that she could apprentice her seventh to The Spook. She hints at a darkness coming that her son will play a role in stopping.
The book builds in suspense in a steady way. For someone like me, who likes dark and spooky things and whose favorite season is Halloween, this would have been a perfect book for me as a young reader. There are black and white illustrations at the start of each chapter that provide shadowy clues as to what characters look like, but really the imagery of the novel carries the story. I can picture the creepiness of what Tom experiences in a way that isn’t too intense (for a kid), while at the same time allowing my imagination to run away with itself if I allow.
As a protagonist, Tom is only twelve, so his mistakes are excusable, but at the same time, there is that nice tension of the reader watching the character make mistakes that we know should have been avoided. The book builds to a nice conclusion while still leaving room for more (future works).
I did see that there was a movie made in 2014, but the movie itself received poor ratings, and the trailer makes it seem very different from the book. The book for me was great: atmospheric, moody, and focused on the world through the eyes of the twelve-year old protagonist. It’s a manageable amount of information for a middle grade reader while still keeping enough details to intrigue older readers like me.
One fateful night, fueled by her anger and resentment, the witch unleashed her wrath upon the village. Dark magic filled the air as she called upon ancient curses and summoned horrifying creatures from the depths of her nightmares. Chaos engulfed Grunswick as terrified villagers scattered and screamed. The witch reveled in their suffering, delighting in the power and control she now possessed. But the villagers, despite their fear, were not willing to surrender. They gathered their strength and devised a plan to stop the witch's reign of terror. They sought out the ancient artifacts said to hold the key to her defeat. With hope and determination, they set out on a treacherous journey to reclaim their village from the clutches of the witch. The battle between good and evil raged on as the villagers confronted the witch. The air crackled with magic as spells clashed and curses were thrown. It was a battle of wills, of darkness and light. The villagers fought bravely, fueled by their love for their village and their desire for justice. In the end, it was the strength of unity and perseverance that prevailed. The villagers managed to weaken the witch, slowly draining her of the power she had so recklessly sought. She was defeated, her reign of terror finally brought to an end. The tale of the revenge of the witch serves as a warning, a reminder of the consequences of greed and the corrupting nature of power. It teaches us the importance of compassion, unity, and the strength to stand up against evil. May we never forget the lessons learned from the revenge of the witch and strive to create a world where darkness is overcome by the light of hope and justice..
Reviews for "Burning With Vengeance: The Witch Seeks Retribution"
- John - 2 stars - I was really excited to read "Revenge of the witch" after hearing so many positive reviews, but I have to say, I was completely disappointed. The writing was mediocre, the characters were flat and the plot felt disjointed. I just couldn't get into the story and found myself skimming through the pages. Overall, I found the book to be underwhelming and wouldn't recommend it.
- Sarah - 1 star - "Revenge of the witch" was a big letdown for me. The pacing was slow, the world-building was lacking and the dialogue felt forced. I struggled to connect with the main character and found their decisions to be unrealistic and unrelatable. Additionally, the twist at the end felt contrived and predictable. I wouldn't waste my time reading this book again.
- Mark - 2 stars - I had heard great things about "Revenge of the witch", but unfortunately, I found it to be quite boring. The story lacked depth and the writing style felt dull. The action scenes were lackluster and I never felt any sense of danger or excitement. I kept waiting for something interesting to happen, but it was a constant disappointment. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone looking for an entertaining read.