The Tale of the Young Witch

De: Joseph Minart, Davon Custis

Narrado por: Virtual Voice

Winner of Literary Titan Silver Book Award July 2023.
Winner of Readers’ Favorite Bronze Medal – YOUNG ADULT – FANTASY – EPIC September 2023.
Winner of American Book Fest Best Book Awards 2023 Finalist Medal (Fiction: Fantasy) – November 2023.

When the age of witchcraft and sorcery died out, the world moved on, and most people believed they would never see its magical influences ever again. But it wasn’t so. The past has an uncanny habit of reinventing itself in the present, and the magic surrounding witchcraft cannot easily be undone.

Now, in 1901, 450 years after the perceived death of witchcraft, an unsuspecting teenager, Amelia Twigg, is about to discover that not only does magic and witchcraft still exist, but it has found in her a vessel in which to manifest itself.

When a floating broom in her cellar makes it clear that magic is still around, Amelia is initially skeptical. But when it becomes apparent that she is indeed a witch, with powers that she could scarcely believe, she is hesitant to use them, fearful of the consequences and the future.

All that, however, is quickly put aside when she becomes the target of a secretive cabal that is intent on unlocking the secrets of witchcraft for their own use once more.

Now, relentlessly hunted by this group, Amelia must find a way to stay one step ahead as she comes to terms with her abilities. But can she evade them long enough to learn how to use the powers she has been granted? Or will they find her before the magic inside of her can truly become effective?

Magic, magic everywhere

If you enjoy battles fought between wielders of magical spells, this is the tale for you. This story is about magic, acquiring magic, and the evil that comes from abusing magic. The tale centers on Amelia Twigg, a teenager living a pleasant life with her father in an age when magic is supposed to no longer exist. Everything changes when her hometown is destroyed by an invading army and Amelia becomes the target of a secretive cabal of wizards and witches. Amelia, it appears, has some magical abilities which make her valuable to the cabal.

After her father's death, Amelia flees the city with the help of a friend and a benefactor. The pair stay one step ahead of the cabal and meet some interesting characters. Various catastrophes befall Amelia, but she also improves her magical skills as she searches for a hidden jewel at the center of magic in her world. The cabal, whose members also seek the jewel, believe that Amelia is key to finding it. The story moves through many twists and turns towards an epic conclusion.

The Tale of the Young Witch is a well-written coming of age story that explores Amelia's handling of new responsibilities and powers that are thrust on her under difficult circumstances. The world-building is well done and the cast of characters is interesting. The pacing is also good. There is plenty of action to keep the reader interested. Highly recommended to fans of fantasy and magic.

The performance was good. The AI voice was pleasant and easy to listen to and did a reasonable job pronouncing everything. I missed the voices for different characters that a voice actor would have brought to the table.