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The Near Witch

V. E. Schwab

Ages 13–17

Readers rate it 3.4 (148 on Hardcover)

321 pages · Released Mar 12, 2019

Content report card

The Near Witch parent’s guide: what’s inside

Medium confidence

LGBTQ+ themes

Substance use

What it offers

Educational value

A note for parents

The Near Witch is a dark, atmospheric fantasy with gothic fairy-tale elements and a mysterious, somewhat melancholic tone. While it contains some frightening and tense moments involving missing children and supernatural elements, violence is not graphic and the story emphasizes emotional depth and mystery over action. The book rewards curiosity, loyalty, and questioning assumptions, making it suitable for mature teens who enjoy atmospheric, reflective YA fantasy.

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From the publisher

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY'S BEST YA OF THE DECADE NEW YORK TIMES bestseller Brand new edition of Victoria Schwab's long out-of-print, stunning debut. All-new deluxe edition of an out-of-print gem, containing in-universe short story "The Ash-Born Boy" and a never-before-seen introduction from V.E. Schwab. The Near Witch is o... ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY'S BEST YA OF THE DECADE NEW YORK TIMES bestseller Brand new edition of Victoria Schwab's long out-of-print, stunning debut. All-new deluxe edition of an out-of-print gem, containing in-universe short story "The Ash-Born Boy" and a never-before-seen introduction from V.E. Schwab. 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 witch that 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. Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab's debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won't soon forget.

Shelved under

  • Fiction
  • Not Diverse Characters
  • Unloveable Characters
  • A mix driven
  • Weak Character Development
  • Strong Character Development
  • Plot driven
  • Loveable Characters
  • mysterious
  • Adventurous
  • tense
  • dark

Books in The Near Witch

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ISBN 9781789091137 · Titan Books (US, CA)

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