Author: Victoria Lamb
Publication Date: September 24th 2013
~A copy was provided by Harlequin Teen, via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.~
If she sink, she be no witch and shall be drowned. If she float, she be a witch and must be hanged.
Meg Lytton has always known she is different; that she bears a dark and powerful gift. But in 1554 England, in service at Woodstock Palace to the banished Tudor princess Elizabeth, it has never been more dangerous to practice witchcraft. Meg knows she must guard her secret carefully from the many suspicious eyes watching over the princess and her companions. One wrong move could mean her life, and the life of Elizabeth, rightful heir to the English throne. With witchfinder Marcus Dent determined to have Meg's hand in marriage, and Meg's own family conspiring against the English queen, there isn't a single person Meg can trust. Certainly not the enigmatic young Spanish priest Alejandro de Castillo, despite her undeniable feelings. But when all the world turns against her, Meg must open her heart to a dangerous choice.
This review has some spoilers, since I couldn't actually write it spoiler free with my issues with it.
You know when you can read the first couple of pages and know you'll like it? You can pretty much tell by the writing and voice of the character, I was indecisive about Witchstruck and Meg for a while, I liked the beginning and I thought eventually it would evolve into something that could have been done really great.
I was really looking forward to it, witches, Tudors, magick and witch hunters. You could add another element to make it sound more perfect.
Meg was alright, the nicest of the bunch, but for someone who wants to avoid trouble and live, she was so freaking asinine to the point it was unbelievable. She knows what happens to witches if they are suspected or accused. She knows if she practices it must be a safe place where there's little chance to be interrupted or caught and yet she continuously practiced magick in the stupidest of places. It was like she wanted to get caught. Brought it on herself. But, I will say Meg was strong willed and kind, she didn't want anybody to get hurt because of her actions. She wasn't whiny, she didn't find herself troubled or hate herself because she had magick. She was proud of who and what she was, right until the end.
Rating: 3/5
If she sink, she be no witch and shall be drowned. If she float, she be a witch and must be hanged. Meg Lytton has always known she is different; that she bears a dark and powerful gift. But in 1554 England, in service at Woodstock Palace to the banished Tudor princess Elizabeth, it has never been more dangerous to practice witchcraft. Meg knows she must guard her secret carefully from the many suspicious eyes watching over the princess and her companions. One wrong move could mean her life, and the life of Elizabeth, rightful heir to the English throne. With witchfinder Marcus Dent determined to have Meg's hand in marriage, and Meg's own family conspiring against the English queen, there isn't a single person Meg can trust. Certainly not the enigmatic young Spanish priest Alejandro de Castillo, despite her undeniable feelings. But when all the world turns against her, Meg must open her heart to a dangerous choice.
This review has some spoilers, since I couldn't actually write it spoiler free with my issues with it.
You know when you can read the first couple of pages and know you'll like it? You can pretty much tell by the writing and voice of the character, I was indecisive about Witchstruck and Meg for a while, I liked the beginning and I thought eventually it would evolve into something that could have been done really great.
I was really looking forward to it, witches, Tudors, magick and witch hunters. You could add another element to make it sound more perfect.
If only the execution settled well with me. The thing with
Historical fiction, especially with using such iconic Royals in History and
mingling them with fictional characters is the interpretation, and whereas it
did have the elements and facts, it was missing the backup.
It would've helped if Witchstruck had a solid plot, for most
of it, I just felt like the story was going round in circles.
Got you. Escaped. Got you. Escaped. Got you. Escaped.
Most of the characters were...stiff and just really
unlikeable, especially Lady Elizabeth, what a whiny self-titled little bitch.
And what the hell was up with Blanche? Meg was alright, the nicest of the bunch, but for someone who wants to avoid trouble and live, she was so freaking asinine to the point it was unbelievable. She knows what happens to witches if they are suspected or accused. She knows if she practices it must be a safe place where there's little chance to be interrupted or caught and yet she continuously practiced magick in the stupidest of places. It was like she wanted to get caught. Brought it on herself. But, I will say Meg was strong willed and kind, she didn't want anybody to get hurt because of her actions. She wasn't whiny, she didn't find herself troubled or hate herself because she had magick. She was proud of who and what she was, right until the end.
I didn't get the romance between Alejandro and Meg at all,
the relationship can be summed up into one line.
A devout Catholic
Priest in training and a witch walk into a bar...
And don't even get me started on the cousin incest, I mean,
really? Really. Achyfi.
Then you have the 'villains' of the plot that were so
lacking to actually make it believable, we have the rebellions against England
becoming a Catholicism society once Mary
is married, and once she is, it's supposedly got worse, yet you saw nothing of
the sort. It's supposed to be the beginning of the up rise, and to get
Elizabeth on the throne, but there. was. nothing. to. support. it. Bar three
characters that try to get something with Elizabeth's signature on to show that
she supports the rebellion...which would send Elizabeth straight to the tower,
already on rocky accounts, or a straight penalty to death, like her mother. So,
the rationality of that is?.. there is none.
Hole.
The whole plot with the witch hunter, that takes up most of
the book that could have actually been a good piece if it hadn't had no actual
worth to it whatsoever? I have six words for you.
Welcome to Pettyville, Population: Marcus Dent.
He's a witch hunter. He wants to marry a witch. Now, maybe
he doesn't know she's a witch, you say. Oh, he knows. Yet he demands to marry her, whether she wants to or not.
'Kay. Once she refuses him, I'd say, uhm, for the 4323423 time, he wants to
show her how dare she refuse him by attempting rape.
Strike one.
When then doesn't happen he goes for her Aunt.
Strike two.
Then he calls her a witch.
Strike three.
I'm out.
I did enjoy Witchstruck though, it was interesting and had a
great concept, and finally had a main character that wasn't whiny or bitchy.
Hurrah.
