I just can’t believe that The Near Witch is Schwab’s first book. It’s so well done, and really shows how consistent she has been in the quality of her prose.

The story was a bit darker and creepier than I had expected, but it suited the plot quite well. Schwab’s world building and development of the tone of the book was fantastic. It reminded me of the movie The Village (M. Night Shyamalan) - an isolated village with this constant feeling of dread hanging over it. I enjoyed that movie, so I’m sure that also contributed to my liking this book as much as I do.

Only one bit put me off - the dreaded YA trope of teen insta-love. Thankfully, it was secondary to the main plot, so it didn’t bother me too much. Overall, if you like her other work, I definitely recommend you give The Near Witch a try.