Author: Hester Fox
Publication Information: Graydon House. 2018. 368 pages.
ISBN: 1525833014 / 978-1525833014
Book Source: I received this book through NetGalley free of cost in exchange for an honest review.
Opening Sentence: "It was the Bishop boy who started it all."
Favorite Quote: "Fairy stories they might be, but every story starts from a seed of truth; if not, why would we be drawn to them as we do?"
Willow Hall has a tainted and tragic past. The Montrose family, who now calls Willow Hall home has a tainted and tragic past. The house and the family share that trait. The question is whether that past will reach out into the present and destroy this family and its future.
Father, Mother, and the three Montrose sisters - Catherine, Lydia, and Emeline - leave Boston permanently to take up residence at Willow Hall in New Oldbury. A scandal, which is gradually revealed thorughout the book, drives the Montrose family away from Boston and from society in general. A scandal also surrounds Willow Hall itself and the family of its former owner, John Barrett.
One aspect of the book I don't understand is the description and eventual reveal of the initial scandal that sends the Montrose family running from Boston. Of all the possible scandalous situations to put into a story, that seems an extreme choice. It is also never explained in the book, and nothing really comes of it. The points made are that it is scandalous beyond belief, that it is loathsome to society and to family, and that the extent of it must never become public. The reasons for it could probably be an entire book on its own. The back story of how and why is never explained in this book. It remains an unresolved, jarring note - one that may perhaps be more memorable than the main story itself.
Interestingly, this scandal is not the main story of this book. It is the background that precipitates the events. The main story, however, is made clear by the book's title - witch. This book is about a young woman coming to terms with who and what she is and about taking control of it. In the center is Lydia. "It is one thing to know what to do, but another to find the strength and courage to do it." That is Lydia's journey. The first step is to acknowledge and accept. The second is to learn what to do. The third is to actually do it and to control it.
Embedded in the story are the emotions of family love and a romance. Surrounding it are ghost stories and the setting of an atmospheric old house, an abandoned mill, a pond, and a forest. At the heart of it is also a sibling rivalry to an extreme. "I don't know what it is about my sister, but she has the power to cut me down like no one else. My insecurities come rushing back, winding their way up my bones like ivy." There is even a duel thrown in for good measure.
Ultimately, this book is a romance and family drama much more so than about witches and ghosts. Either way, suspend disbelief, and the setup makes for a very quick, entertaining read. The Witch of Willow Hall is a debut novel. The fact that the back story of the scandal is not explained in this book and that the ending is the beginning of new relationships makes me wonder if other books are planned following the same characters. I suppose it remains to be seen.
Willow Hall has a tainted and tragic past. The Montrose family, who now calls Willow Hall home has a tainted and tragic past. The house and the family share that trait. The question is whether that past will reach out into the present and destroy this family and its future.
Father, Mother, and the three Montrose sisters - Catherine, Lydia, and Emeline - leave Boston permanently to take up residence at Willow Hall in New Oldbury. A scandal, which is gradually revealed thorughout the book, drives the Montrose family away from Boston and from society in general. A scandal also surrounds Willow Hall itself and the family of its former owner, John Barrett.
One aspect of the book I don't understand is the description and eventual reveal of the initial scandal that sends the Montrose family running from Boston. Of all the possible scandalous situations to put into a story, that seems an extreme choice. It is also never explained in the book, and nothing really comes of it. The points made are that it is scandalous beyond belief, that it is loathsome to society and to family, and that the extent of it must never become public. The reasons for it could probably be an entire book on its own. The back story of how and why is never explained in this book. It remains an unresolved, jarring note - one that may perhaps be more memorable than the main story itself.
Interestingly, this scandal is not the main story of this book. It is the background that precipitates the events. The main story, however, is made clear by the book's title - witch. This book is about a young woman coming to terms with who and what she is and about taking control of it. In the center is Lydia. "It is one thing to know what to do, but another to find the strength and courage to do it." That is Lydia's journey. The first step is to acknowledge and accept. The second is to learn what to do. The third is to actually do it and to control it.
Embedded in the story are the emotions of family love and a romance. Surrounding it are ghost stories and the setting of an atmospheric old house, an abandoned mill, a pond, and a forest. At the heart of it is also a sibling rivalry to an extreme. "I don't know what it is about my sister, but she has the power to cut me down like no one else. My insecurities come rushing back, winding their way up my bones like ivy." There is even a duel thrown in for good measure.
Ultimately, this book is a romance and family drama much more so than about witches and ghosts. Either way, suspend disbelief, and the setup makes for a very quick, entertaining read. The Witch of Willow Hall is a debut novel. The fact that the back story of the scandal is not explained in this book and that the ending is the beginning of new relationships makes me wonder if other books are planned following the same characters. I suppose it remains to be seen.
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