Skip to main content

Forest of Whispers (Hedge Witch Book #1) by Jennifer Murgia: A Book Review

Forest of Whispers (Hedge Witch Book #1)
Author: Jennifer Murgia
Genre: YA, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Release Date: 2014
Pages: 328
Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: "This is who I am. I am no longer the simple girl hidden behind the safety of a make-believe forest. I am the story. I am the tall tale . . . I am the witch."

     Raised by an old fortune-teller within the dark veil of the Bavarian Black Forest, Rune has learned two valuable lessons: only take from the forest that which you can use, and never, never look anyone in the eye in the village. For something terrible happened in the forest long ago... and now, the whispers of a long-dead mother with a vengeful secret have come haunting.


     Forced to flee all she has ever known, Rune soon learns of a legacy she is bound to--one that is drenched in fear, witchcraft and murder--a birthright that stretches beyond the grave to the trees where Rune is no longer safe.


     My Review: Rune has always lived in the forest with an old-fortune teller named Matilde. She learns that the forest holds a dark secret that involves her birth mother. One day she learns the truth that she is a witch. When she becomes a target to the witch hunters in a village nearby her forest, Rune struggles with her identity while trying to protect herself. She realizes that the only person who believes that her witchcraft could be used for good is Laurentz, the son of the Electorate. In order to come to terms with her identity, Rune must learn the truth of the forest’s dark secrets, whose past haunt those around them.

     Rune learns that her birth mother is an evil witch who has done many terrible things. Throughout the novel, she is determined to not be like her mother. She is often conflicted with hard choices, and tries to do the right thing. Rune is often trying to find her identity and to find happiness. There really is not much character development in Rune. She is a weak character. She does not really do anything, nor does she save herself. In fact, it is those around her, especially her mother that does her actions. As for Rune’s power, I really did not get a sense of her magic. The author tells us that she is the most powerful witch in Bavaria, but there is no action that shows us how powerful she is. That is another issue that I had about the book. The author tells us the actions of the characters, she does not show. It is said that her mother is evil, but she does not tell us the evil things she has done. I also thought that there needs to be more character development for Laurentz. He also does not really do anything in the novel.

     Overall, this story is about a woman finding her identity. While the characters need some work, and the plot was predictable, I did find the storyline to be interesting. I really like how it was about the witch trials in Bavaria. The setting is atmospheric and dark, and the forest is very mysterious. Forest of Whispers kept me interested enough for me to read the sequel when it comes out. I am interested in finding out what happens to Rune, and if she has grown into a stronger character. I recommend this book to those who are interested to fans of historical fiction and fantasy.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn: A Book Review

The Rose Code Author: Kate Quinn Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Harper Collins Release Date: 2021 Pages: 635 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: 1940, Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire.        Three very different women are recruited to the mysterious Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes.       Vivacious debutante Osla has the dashing Prince Philip of Greece sending her roses – but she burns to prove herself as more than a society girl, working to translate decoded enemy secrets. Self-made Mab masters the legendary codebreaking machines as she conceals old wounds and the poverty of her East-End London upbringing. And shy local girl Beth is the outsider who trains as one of the Park’s few female cryptanalysts.       1947, London.        Seven years after they first meet, on the eve of the royal wedding between Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip, disaster threatens. Osla, Mab and Beth are estranged,

The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post by Allison Pataki: A Book Review

The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post Author: Allison Pataki Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Ballantine Release Date: February 15, 2022 Pages: 381 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Mrs. Post, the President and First Lady are here to see you. . . . So begins another average evening for Marjorie Merriweather Post. Presidents have come and gone, but she has hosted them all. Growing up in the modest farmlands of Battle Creek, Michigan, Marjorie was inspired by a few simple rules: always think for yourself, never take success for granted, and work hard—even when deemed American royalty, even while covered in imperial diamonds. Marjorie had an insatiable drive to live and love and to give more than she got. From crawling through Moscow warehouses to rescue the Tsar’s treasures to outrunning the Nazis in London, from serving the homeless of the Great Depression to entertaining Roosevelts, Kennedys, and Hollywood’s biggest stars, Marjorie Merriweath

The Seven Sisters (The Seven Sisters #1) by Lucinda Riley: A Book Review

The Seven Sisters (The Seven Sisters #1) Author: Lucinda Riley Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance Publisher: Atria Release Date: 2015 Pages: 463 Source: My State Public Library Synopsis: Maia D’Apliese and her five sisters gather together at their childhood home, “Atlantis”—a fabulous, secluded castle situated on the shores of Lake Geneva—having been told that their beloved father, who adopted them all as babies, has died. Each of them is handed a tantalizing clue to her true heritage—a clue which takes Maia across the world to a crumbling mansion in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Once there, she begins to put together the pieces of her story and its beginnings. Eighty years earlier in Rio’s Belle Epoque of the 1920s, Izabela Bonifacio’s father has aspirations for his daughter to marry into the aristocracy. Meanwhile, architect Heitor da Silva Costa is devising plans for an enormous statue, to be called Christ the Redeemer, and will soon travel to Paris to find the right sculptor to