Hannah Mathewson’s debut and the beginning of a new fantasy series, has been a nice read.

‘Witherward’ follows seventeen-years-old Ilsa, living in Victorian London – or like, we later come to know, Otherworld – and working as a magician’s assistant in the theatre. Only that her magic is more than tricks. It’s real, and she has spent her whole life trying to find others like her. Now, she’s attacked, and her friend murdered, only to be taken to another world, Witherward, to realise that there’s more to her and magic than she has ever imagined. And that she may not be all alone in the world.

‘Witherward’ is full of interesting characters and magic, and I have enjoyed the book quite a lot. It has a great atmosphere and interesting world, though at moments similar to many of the books of this genre. I felt like sometimes the action was not fast-paced enough, or the descriptions were telling more than showing, but overall it has been a nice read and a promising start to a new series.

4 of 5 stars
https://lynns-books.com/2021/03/02/witherward-witherward-1-by-hannah-matthewson/#comment-53223
My Five Word TL:DR Review – I thoroughly enjoyed this one

The thing is, I’m quite a lot less inclined to pick up YA these days. In fairness I’m not the target audience and more often than not I find myself coming away from them with more questions than answers. Witherward was such a lovely surprise, the world building was impressive, the plot kept me hooked and I enjoyed the characters. On top of which there is a very low key romance that is simmering away. Yeah, I had a good time with this one.

Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t necessarily say that there’s anything groundbreaking here and it has something of a ‘chosen one’ trope but there are some lovely refreshing elements, good writing,strong foundations and a number of twists.

This is a world with two Londons. One quite hidden and accessed via portals, known as Witherward, where all sorts of magic and supernatural elements exist. The other London – the one we, the readers, are familiar with – is known as Otherworld Witherward has a number of different factions. On the face of it they exist amicably, well, mostly. Changelings are exactly what they sound like- they can shift into virtually any animal, bird or even a different person providing their magic is strong enough and they can hold the image in their mind. The other factions are Wraiths, Whisperers, Oracles, Sorcerers, and Psi – each with their own particular strengths. There is an accord between the factions to keep them in line, they each inhabit particular areas but the Changelings are relatively new and at this point, not entirely accepted. So, for the purposes of this story we follow the Changelings as they withstand various conspiracies.

Ilsa is a Changer who has lived in the Otherworld for as long as she can remember. Initially at an orphanage until the cruel treatment she received eventually forced her to run away and carve out a life on the streets. As the story begins Ilsa is taken, ripped from everything she has ever known and taken to Witherward. From there, everything she has ever known is turned upside down, Amongst strangers she discovers a whole new world full of possibilities that she never imagined, although this is of course tinged with constant threats to life and limb.

What did I enjoy about this? Such a lot. The world building is really well done. Admittedly, there is a lot to take on board initially but it’s all really well grounded with history and emotions that run deep. I liked the characters. Ilsa is easy to like. She’s not perfect by a long stretch of the imagination but she is resourceful and independent. I also liked a number of the other characters and it felt very easy to get on board with them. I enjoyed the way that we discover things along with Ilsa. It felt natural and unforced. I liked the dialogue that came across easy to read and natural. The plot was intriguing and there were a number of twists.

Overall this makes a great start to series. We have something of an enemies to love interest ‘thing’ going on which is enticing and well paced and actually was quite unique in the direction it eventually takes and is a definite draw in terms of book 2 (which I’m really looking forward to given how this one ends).

In terms of criticisms. I don’t really have anything. This was a really enjoyable read for me that quite outdid itself in terms of my expectations for YA. I feel like I’m perhaps not giving this as glowing a review as I would like – so, for the avoidance of doubt, this was great.

I received a copy through Netgalley courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

Thank you so much to Titan Books for sending me a copy of Witherward by Hannah Mathewson for review! I was on the Instagram tour for the release and I had a fun time reading it. This is a YA fantasy book which released a few days ago, so check it out if it sounds interesting to you!

The synopsis of this book intrigued me immediately. The book focuses on a London alternate to our own, with conflict between different magical factions. Isla, a Changeling, finds herself transported from a London where real magic is seen as satanic, to the Witherward. There are themes of the Victorian Era, as well as a search for a long-lost family member, and Isla gets caught up in all of this drama. It sounded so cool!

The world-building combines magic, politics and intrigue to captivate the reader. I really liked learning about the different types of magic-wielders in this world and how their histories intertwined to form London. All the abilities sound so cool – especially Changelings and Wraiths. I’m hoping we’ll hear more about the political history between them in the next book, because I really enjoyed that. There is also a lot of history that Isla doesn’t have the answers to yet, so I’m looking forward to seeing how that part of the story develops.

Isla was an interesting character to read about, especially since she was thrust into a world she knew nothing about, just as the reader was. She was strong in coming to terms with her new identity, and I have no doubt that she will develop even more as the series continues. I didn’t completely fall in love with her – she did kind of seem like a generic protagonist at times. This might be just me, but sometimes I forgot that she had a Cockney accent and suddenly it would seem really strong, but I’m not sure if I was imagining the inconsistencies. But that’s just a random note!

I also found the book to move pretty quickly, and this was helped along by the mystery element of the book. It’s unknown what exactly happened to Isla’s parents, and her brother is also missing. Everyone in the Witherward is keeping secrets, and Isla doesn’t know who to trust. I’m not completely sold on the romance yet, but there is definitely intrigue there and I just think it needs time to develop.

Overall, I did have a fun time reading this book! I’m struggling a bit with my rating, because while I did enjoy reading it, something was missing. I think I just wish I felt more connected to the characters, but to be fair I don’t always get that with the first book of the series. I am still intrigued to see where the story will go, – I read it very quickly and I would recommend it.

3.5/5 stars

It was a very enjoyable read I would (and will) recommend to others. It provides an entertaining plot, compelling characters, and intriguing magic. A strong debut.

I had high expectations of Wiherward due to the description on Netgalley which alluded to Victoria Schwab, Six of Crows and The Prestige!! Often my expectations are too high when publishers do things like this but actually it was justified in this case. This was an enjoyable, entertaining and engrossing read which has a likeable heroine at it's heart.

I absolutely loved the character of Ilsa and I was drawn to her from the very beginning and invested in her story. I also loved the alternate Victorian fantasy London and the different factions which exist within it. It reminded me of A Darker Shade of Magic but it's an original stroy in its own right and quite original in storyline and setting. The cast of characters are also very diverse and the book is well written and engaging.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for a chance to read and review this book.

I loved the mix of magic and action in Witherward and how the book just oozed steampunk, victorian vibes. If you’ve ever seen The Prestige (a film about Victorian magicians) you’ll know EXACTLY what I mean by that. With plenty of intrigue and magic, this is a book I think a lot of Fantasy buffs will really enjoy.

The idea of magical versions of our own world is a long-standing part of fantasy from Diana Wynn Jones to Neil Gaiman and VE Schwab many authors have played with the idea of magical worlds just outside the corner of our eyes. If we are fantasy fans deep down in our hearts, we all believe in the possibility of magic. I am always interested to see what versions of our world can exist. In Witherward by Hannah Mathewson we have a promising start to new fantasy series that has the potential to tell some really interesting stories.

The story begins in Victorian London where magicians assistant Ilsa is about to work for her rather sozzled friend in the theatre when she is stunned to see someone perform actual magic on the streets of London. The issue is she thought she was the only person who could do that. Ilsa has the ability to change shape into animals or even look like another person hence now working for the Great Balthazar known backstage as Blume. The day gets stranger when she feels she is being watched backstage and finally the evening ends with a brutal murder and Ilsa being forcefully taken to where she is told she belongs…Witherward. An alternate London comprised of semi-warring factions. Ilsa is told she is a changeling of which there are many here and she is the believed dead daughter of one of the most famous leaders of the groups killed in a brutal attack. Ilsa discovers she has a brother she never knew about, but he is now missing and for some reason a group of people now also want Ilsa dead.

The start of this story is really well told. We get a fascinating character in Ilsa as Mathewson also creates a wonderful sense of weirdness and tension culminating in a quite shocking death that firmly underlines that we are in adult fantasy territory. This is not a safe Victorian London and Ilsa’s assailants and even her rescuer feels a bit different. I was also intrigued by Ilsa’s past and the mystery of this hidden magic. Very strong opening but this gets a little side-tracked in the second quarter of the book. When Ilsa arrives, she is sent to the Changeling’s HQ, meets the key cast and then gets an awful lot of exposition explaining the world, the magical factions, the magic and the history of the location. This section was a bit hard to get through and drained the urgency of the initial opening. Its always tricky in a new series establishing the ground rules but, in this case, I really did question if I really needed to know everything before anything else really happened. It would have been better I think to walk us around and show us this London and not be told about it first. The great news though is after this section of the book it lets loose and really starts to turn into something special and hard to put down.

The cast of characters we meet are really interesting I loved the taciturn broody yet occasionally Charming Elliot who seems the black sheep of the group yet shares Ilsa’s humour, the young brilliant but shy Fyfe who is exploring how you can replicate and stop magic through technology, the cunning definitely not a spy Aelius and the initially very placid but underneath quite dangerous Cassia and their current leader in her brother’s absence Hester – sharp, cold and recovering from her back being broken in a recent attack and the subsequent loss of her powers. This core group really work well each bringing out a different side to Ilsa and helping explore the world she is now in. Ilsa though is just a fun character a Victorian urchin merged with the ability to lie, deduct problems, and pickpocket she is very easily a match for the best of the Changelings and while there is a great hurdle for her to climb, she is fascinating to watch develop and flourish in this world. Mathewson’s big strength is the character scenes where the emotional stories of the characters come out be they hostile, fun or romantic and that’s what really pulled me into the story. I ended up caring for what happened to this group which is always key to a series’ success.

In terms of adversaries the Witherward is amazingly dangerous. There is no central government just warring factions vying for power or protecting their own depending upon your point of view. We have six magical groups all with their own powers and for this story I think the key groups to highlight are the mysterious Oracles who see past present and future all at once – in particular angry with Ilsa for reasons unknown; the dangerous Wraiths who can pass through any objects and for whom we meet the most fascinating possibly an assassin Captain Fowler who steals all his scenes and the strange Whisperers who can hear thoughts, plant memories and make you question reality. These groups are all found to have their own secrets and inner factions so there is a clear number of other stories to be told alongside what has happened to Ilsa’s brother Gedeon. Nothing feels safe and you get the feeling the bigger story is lurking underneath as we see double-crosses, treachery and death are all normal in the Witherward. Also the magical battles are very well thought through and make some great tense set pieces!

I found this a very entertaining debut after the ground rules are set in. It is a very promising start to what could be quite an unusual series. I hope that the next tale relaxes a bit now the rules of the world are set and we can get to having a lot of fun. A series to keep an eye on because I think this set of adventures is going to be a lot of fun!

Witherward was a fast-paced, magical tale that kept me hooked right until the very end. It was surprising at every turn!

Witherward is a world very much like our own, except it's populated by people with incredible powers, and London is a city divided by factions. Changelings, Wraiths, Whisperers, Oracles, Sorcerers, and Psi. But the concepts for each of these are very different from what is usually seen in fiction; changelings aren't fae and wraiths have nothing to do with ghosts.

This story follows Ilsa as she discovers an entirely new London after being rescued from an assassination attempt that killed her friend instead. Isla finds out she wasn't abandoned, after all, but that her family believed she was dead until recently.
I loved Ilsa's character! She was so resourceful, clever, naturally cautious of others because of how she grew up but still so kind!

This idea of an alternative London and warring supernatural factions really reminded me of both A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab and The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon, so if you enjoyed this book, you might enjoy those two (or vice versa).

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read the sequel!

Ilsa is a shapeshifter, getting by in our Victorian London by using her talents to make her the perfect stage magician's assistant. When someone tries to kill her she discovers that for the first 17 years of her life she's been marooned in the wrong London. Her parallel London is a city divided between magical factions and she's the lost member of the Ravenswood Clan, a leading Changeling family..

Having believed herself an orphan all her life, Ilsa discovers she has a brother who is missing. Times are dire. The new London is on the brink of civil war and Ilsa has a part to play.

This book was announced as Six of Crows meets The Prestige, so (loving Six of Crows) I might have gone into this with expectations set too high. Sadly it did not meet them. In fact there were times when I might have put the book down and not picked it up again, but it kept me reading... just. The world building is elaborate (though I confess I sometimes lost track of the different magical clans). The pace is a bit slow and - though there's depth - it isn't always in the right place. The premise sounded interesting, but in the end I didn't care enough about the characters. A pity because i really wanted to like it.

I'm honestly so surprised I haven't seen more hype for this! Not because it's the best book I've ever read, but it seems like exactly the kind of thing that would become a book community darling: it's got the spunky heroine who's out of place in her own life; the parallel magical London; family secrets; the dark, mysterious, initially-antagonistic love interest...

I found a lot of the worldbuilding quite confusing - I really struggled to keep all the different factions and types of magic straight, and the fact that Witherward has all the same place names as regular London, but in a different arrangement, really threw me off! On the other hand, we got a lot of details about the intricacies of shapeshifting, and I really loved those granular details about the rules of the magic!

I enjoyed Ilsa's character, and the friends she makes in Witherward (especially Fyfe!) - found family will always get me! It also seems to be setting up for the sequel to have one of my favourite romance tropes, so I'm excited to see where the story goes next!

Witherward is an amazing adventure, with high stakes and an interesting political climate.

In Witherward we meet Ilsa, a young magician’s assistant, who can do actual magic. As a Changeling she can change shape, into any animal she knows and even in other people. When she gets taken to an alternate version of London, in an alternate world called the Witherward, she quickly learns there are many more Changelings like her, and even five other types of magic. This alternate London is on the brink of a magical civil war, and Ilsa might be the key to stopping it.

I absolutely devoured Witherward. I could not put it down, I was reading when cooking, brushing my teeth, when walking the dog. I loved Ilsa. She felt like a real, fleshed out person with flaws and a history. Her traumatic history wasn’t taken lightly, and it both helped and obstructed her.

The other characters were great as well. They all had their own distinct personalities, their own flaws and secrets. The romance was done very well, as well. It was a slow enough burn to keep me interested, giving just enough flirtation throughout the book.

The story itself was exciting. We learn how the world works at the same time as Ilsa does, which works very well to build up a world. There is a lot of political warfare going on between the six different factions of London, and the stakes are high. There wasn’t a happily-ever-after type of ending, which I appreciate, especially since this is only the first part of a series.

I’m almost sad I rushed through Witherward as I did - I could spend forever with Ilsa and Eliot, Cassia, Fyfe, Oren, Aulius, Fowler and Hester. I can’t wait for the second book to come.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

I am genuinely surprised by how much I liked this book; there are many things wrong with it, such as all the main characters being so trusting of Ilsa (and a lot of other things that I thought of at 2 am, but can't remember as I'm writing this). I genuinely find it hard for a lot of books to hold my attention in doses of longer than 10 minutes, but for this one it was easy; it didn't become slow and boring as it built up the world; it did so through the actions of Ilsa.

In some ways, I don't like Ilsa, but the other characters around her, Hester, Cassia, Elliot, Fyfe, Gedeon, and even Oren are fantastic complicated characters who I want to see more of. I think even Ilsa is sticking around to see more of them.

I will genuinely go out and read the next book when it comes!

Yes! Yes, to more books set in Witherward. And if at all possible, can it be right now?

Unique, fascinating, exciting, mysterious - the world you step into with this book is an unforgettable one.

What I liked:

1) The author creates this intricate, fascinating world that is very complex. I appreciate the fact that we got to learn about the history of the world as well, not just as it is today, which made this world so much more believable.

2) This will possibly sound odd, but this didn't feel like a typical fantasy. Yes, there were fighting scenes, shapeshifting, magical amulets, all of that, but there was this element of solving a mystery that I couldn't shake. It felt like our MC couldn't trust anyone in this new world, and she went on a mission of gathering intel. It was actually quite interesting to experience that in fantasy because I do love mysteries too.

3) I'm just thrilled that neither of the characters were annoying! We usually get a frustrated, historical MC, thrust into a new world, making one mistake after the other because of her stubbornness. But this wasn't the case, and I actually really warmed up to our MC. She was humble, simple, down to earth, unstoppable.

4) The camaraderie, which may not have been so obvious in the beginning, but it's still lovely to follow all of these semi-mysterious people around our MC who have her back and are there to take care of her and help her.

What I didn't like:

There are two reasons why I cannot give this story five stars:

1) I prefer a bit more characterisation when it comes to characters in a fantasy novel, because that's what's going to MAKE the entire story. Otherwise, all of the characters can just be fall into a mold that we have already read or seen somewhere before. Just a dash more of getting to know each of the characters would have made this story even more enjoyable.

2) There was a part in the story where I felt like our MC was a detective. Everyone kept coming to her, confiding their version of the events in the past. And it happened so consecutively, it became a bit exhausting. I kept waiting for something to happen, to grab me by the shoulders and give me a good shake.

This is definitely a slow-burner, so be aware of that. It feels like a great fantasy to pick up when you want to escape reality for a few days.

The element of romance here wasn't overdone, it wasn't corny, wasn't made out to be the center of the story, and thank you for that!

Who would like it? Any fantasy lover who loves elaborate world-building and a complex magic system, stories that blend our existing world and an alternate realm all in one, stories with oracles, shapeshifters, mystery.

Witherward is the debut novel by Hannah Mathewson. It’s a young adult portal fantasy set in Victorian London and starts a series of the same name.

This is a book that relies heavily on its unique world, occasionally at the expense of the plot. Alongside with and unbeknownst to the normal world, Otherworld, is Witherward where seasons and times of day are the exact opposite, with some similarities to Otherworld but with its own rich history. It’s populated by people with magical abilities. There are Changelings who can change into any animal or person, or make a more attractive version of themselves; Sorcerers can manipulate the world around them, Psis can move things with their mind, Oracles see the future, Whisperers can read and manipulate minds, and Wraiths have supernatural strength and speed, and they can move through walls. They all hate one another and Changelings above all. London has been divided into sectors to maintain a semblance of peace, but strife and warfare are constant.

Ilsa is a seventeen-year-old Changeling who has lived her whole life in Otherworld London not knowing why she has the skill to change into animals and people. She’s fled the orphanage she grew up in because they treated her like a devil there, and has supported herself with thieving and, later, as a magician’s assistant, relying on her special skills. Then—out of the blue—she’s whisked to the Witherward London to save her life. But she might not be much safer there.

Ilsa learns that she’s a long-lost daughter of the leading family of Changelings. Most of her family are dead in the hands of a secret group, but she has a brother, Gedeon. Only, he’s gone missing. With the help of people who lead and protect the Changelings, she sets out to finding him. But it’s not easy to learn the rules of her new world, and there are secrets and spies everywhere.

The plot is fairly good, but rather slow to unfold. The book consists mostly of scenes where Isla either learns a new skill or gets to know the people around her, and only every now and then the search for Gedeon moves forward. But there are enough action scenes to keep the reader’s interest. True to the YA genre, there’s romance too, though it doesn’t dominate the story or become the driving force of Ilsa’s actions.

Ilsa is a great character, resourceful and resilient, despite traumas from her childhood that occasionally cripple her. The side characters are interesting too, with their own backstories and ghosts. They never really come together as an ensemble, but that reflects the state the household is in because of Gedeon’s absence. Everyone is distrustful of everyone else. The ending is good and complete enough to make the book work as a standalone, but it sets the stage for the next book too, which makes me want to continue with the series. All in all, a very good debut.

It was an absolute pleasure to spend time in the Witherward, a world similar to our own but ruled by waring magic factions. Ilsa, our MC, has grown up an orphan in London living by her wits and hiding her unexplainable magic, not knowing that there is another London existing in opposite time to our own.

I really enjoyed getting to know the cast of characters, each with their own quirks, tensions & pre-existing relationships that Ilsa has to uncover as she finds her way in this new world. Fyfe was my favourite with his loyalty, enthusiasm & intelligence, though it was a tough choice as Eliot & Fowler were fantastic too. This story draws you in & without realising it I was completely hooked. There are obviously slower moments, it's not all magic & action, but these all build towards the bigger story. My only gripe was with Ilsa's accent, which was totally in keeping with her character and well done, but took a little getting used to reading.

I'm genuinely excited for the next book, this doesn't end on a cliffhanger & would be totally satisfying as a stand alone, but I want more! There are a few questions unanswered & relationships that need exploring further.

Witherward follows Ilsa, a young woman with a tragic past who's working as a magicians assistant in London; her big secret, Ilsa can actually do real magic.

After growing up in an orphanage where she was treated as a monster, where her abilities to change her appearance and turn into animals had her labelled as a demon child Ilsa escaped, growing up on the streets picking pockets until she attracted the attention of a magician who recognised that she had real magical abilities. Now a young woman, she's settled into a life working on the stage, hiding her true abilities, all whilst searching for others who are like her. However, when strange figures start stalking her she begins to suspect that there may be something else going on.

When she and her friend are attacked, and her friend is killed, Ilsa is rescued by a mysterious man with powers of his own, who whisks her away to the Witherward, another version of London similar to her own, but where the city has been divided up by different magical factions, all of whom exist in tenuous peace. Here Ilsa learns that not only is she a Changeling, a person with shape-shifting abilities, but that she's part of the most powerful Changeling family, one who is on the brink of war with the other factions. Thrown into a world she barely understands, Ilsa is forced to use every trick she's learnt on the streets and on the stage just to stay alive.

Whilst Witherward follows some very familar paces from the Urban Fantasy genre, a young woman learning about a secret world of magic, finding out that she's special in some way, and falling for a dark and brooding guy, Witherward does things very differently, and quickly stood out as special because of this. The first major departure is that instead of being a modern story it's set during the Victorian era (though I'm not sure that's the right word for the Witherward itself as there's no indication they have a Queen Victoria). I'm always a sucker for this time period, and any story that uses Victorian London as a big part of its setting is always going to win me over quickly, but Witherward did it so well, starting readers in a version of London that's familiar, before moving in to somewhere new and fantastical.

Another great thing the book does is instead of revealing a secret world hidden away from regular people it just takes Ilsa and plants her in another version of London, a connected parallel world where there are some surface similarities, but so many things are altered. The first thing that we notice is that when it's day in London it's night in the Witherward, and that the seasons are flipped, with the cold London winter being left behind for the war summer of this other world. This immediately sets the two locations apart before we even learn any details, and puts Ilsa on the back-foot straight away, forcing a confident character into realising she's not in a situation she ever faced before. It also makes it easier for things to be really, really different, and not having to juggle issues like staying hidden from 'regular' human beings. Instead the Witherward can be bold and in-your-face with the things that make it magical and wonderful.

Whilst the world of Witherward is an exciting new place, the characters that fill it make for an interesting bunch. The changeling faction are the people we spend the most time with, and the inner circle are a varied group to be sure. There's Hester, Ilsa's cousin who's been running the faction but has since been seriously injured, Fyfe, the young inventor, Cassia, the young sorcerer, and Aelius, the crafty spymaster to name just a few. Suddenly Ilsa finds herself in the middle of what could be considered a crime family, surrounded by these characters where she doesn't know who to trust. You really feel for her as this fish-out-of-water character who's been dropped in the middle of this impossible situation.

Despite this Ilsa proves to be an incredibly strong lead character, and is one of the more believable and likeable young woman protagonist I've read. So often there are leads who have no experience but suddenly find they're amazing fighters, or they're shrinking violets who're always needing others to save them. Ilsa is a young woman who's always had to fight for herself, whose wits and skills have kept her alive, and who you truly believe is a strong and capable person, able to do what she does in this book. It's a genuine joy to read a lead character who feels so real, so strong, and so well earned.

This marks the first book in a series, and sets up for an incredibly interesting and detailed world, one that readers have barely begun to discover even after spending 400 pages in it. Whatever happens next in this universe, whatever Hannah Mathewson chooses to do with these characters it's sure to be as imaginative and original as this book.

I have mixed feelings about this book. First, it had such an amazing premise with the magical factions in an alternate London. The world building was incredible, however, I found it difficult to keep up with the different factions. It started off slow, and I struggled to get into it, but it picked up about 25% of the way through.  

Ilsa really annoyed me. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but she just wasn’t likeable. For that reason, I couldn’t connect to her and it put a dampener on my enjoyment of the book 

Although I had a few problems, I think I’d like to see where this series goes because there’s so much potential there.

Oh my word, but I loved this book. The writing is fluid and tells the story with an ease that I envy. The story is addictive and compelling, with more than a few gasp-out-loud and grab-the-tissues moments. It does build slowly, but that just makes it better! The characters are beyond awesome. Ilsa is probably one of my top ten characters - ever! The best news is that "Witherward" is just the beginning...

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.

4.25 stars.

I really liked this story. I loved the main character. I enjoyed the story and the different worlds. All I could think of while reading was that this was My Fair Lady solving mysteries in a magical London. And I loved My Fair Lady! So this was right up my ally.

I love good rules for magic and this book has that. The magic is very well defined into sections. The different type of being determines what type of magic they can or can't use. Then within that, the individual determines who strong they are and if they can handle the negative side of the magic eg the pain in the bones that comes when changing into something else, etc. It's very well done. Its got rules and limitations and I love the fact that there are people who can't handle the pain or nausea, it makes it more tangible or real.

Ilsa is the main character. As a cockney, she is badass, strong and clever in her own way, and obviously, she can pick a few pockets and is really good a cards. I really liked her!

But there were a lot of well written good side characters like Fyfe, Eliot, Captain F, Cassia, Aelius, and Oren. I think I prefer Captain Fowler and I'm very curious to see what role he plays in the next book because I feel he will play some sort of role small or large but it will be significant. I think.

In Summary
Very enjoyable read and I'm definitely picking up the next in the series. I'm very curious to see where this goes :)

I went into this book with a little apprehension, mostly just because I felt like this was going to feel similar to things I’d read before – the orphan street rat discovers she is in fact not poor and has a family and they have power is not a particularly new idea you have to admit. While this book does have some unique elements to it including some of the ways in which the different kinds of magic interact, I don’t think the broad storyline felt particularly new to me.

With that in mind, for this book to still hit the spot it would need to have exceptional writing or a totally different take on some of these ideas. There were some aspects of the story that I very much enjoyed. While I am never going to be a fan of a character who’s ‘commonness’ is conveyed by phonetically writing out some of her accent I nonetheless found Ilsa to be an enjoyable main character – a must have in a story like this one. What I liked about her is that she didn’t feel as though she just blindly trusted anyone who was nice to her which is often a pitfall of this kind of character.

The exploration of this alternative London also had some great moments, I liked the idea of different territories within the city belonging to different groups as well as the ways in which both Londons might intersect. Again not something totally novel and perhaps something that could have been brought out a little bit more within the story – but still interesting and there’s the seeds of something there. I think what was missing for me was a real sense of ‘London-ness’ which may be me nitpicking but I felt like this could have been any city, it just had London names. If the city is important to the story then I feel like you need to either have a fantasy city we don’t need to recognise or intentionally make things feel London – beyond a cockney accent…

I will say that I thought the last 10-20% of the book showed real promise, where the elements of the plot that had been swirling around up until that point started to mesh together it all felt very quick-paced and exciting. I could definitely see the promise of this book and of this series so I’ll be interested to see where it all goes next.

Overall, I don’t know that this book was for me, partly because this isn’t really the kind of fantasy that I enjoy – and if you enjoy it then that’s totally valid – but also there was just a bit of missing depth for me – which may be a first book problem or a debut problem or both or neither. I would say that for those that love this kind of story I think this would be a fun read and it is worth sticking out the beginning to get to the end. I’ll be keeping an eye on Hannah Mathewson – the potential is definitely there…

My rating: 3/5 stars

I received a free digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley all opinions are my own.

Witherward is out February 16th!