The Black Witch

The Black Witch 
By Laurie Forest
Harlequin Teen, 2017. 601 pgs. Young Adult Fiction

Elloren is the spitting image of her grandmother who was the Black Witch who kept her race safe during the Realm War. Even though she looks like her grandmother she has no magical abilities in a world where little else is important. When Elloren finally gets to go to University with her brothers to pursue her dream of becoming an Apothecary, but she soon comes to understand that this school which allows all manner of people to attend, is not the safest place for granddaughter and look alike of the Black Witch.

I absolutely loved this book! This has been my favorite book I have read so far this year. I will acknowledge, you will probably either love this book or you will hate it. There are not many people who seem to stay on the fence about this book. This book has a lot of emotional themes as you follow the story of this girl who was born into a dominant race and then when she goes to the University she then has to question a lot of her core beliefs. It wasn’t simple it did not magically come together but I found it so fascinating to watch Elloren grow and become a person who had a broader perspective of life after she met these people verses at the beginning when she felt like she had an understanding of how the world worked. This is a very racially charged book and may cause some emotional conflict but I think this book has potential to broaden a person’s perspective and if you are willing to go on that kind of journey this is a fantastic story.

MH