The Orphan Witch

A Novel

By: Paige Crutcher

Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld

Length: 11 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

"Mystical, magical, and wildly original.... If Alice Hoffman and Sara Addison Allen had a witchy love child, she would be Paige Crutcher. Do not miss this beautifully realized debut!" (JT Ellison, New York Times best-selling author of Her Dark Lies)

A deeper magic. A stronger curse. A family lost...and found.

Persephone May has been alone her entire life. Abandoned as an infant and dragged through the foster care system, she wants nothing more than to belong somewhere. To someone. However, Persephone is as strange as she is lonely. Unexplainable things happen when she’s around - changes in weather, inanimate objects taking flight - and those who seek to bring her into their family quickly cast her out. To cope, she never gets attached, never makes friends. And she certainly never dates. Working odd jobs and always keeping her suitcases half-packed, Persephone is used to moving around, leaving one town for another when curiosity over her eccentric behavior inevitably draws unwanted attention. 

After an accidental and very public display of power, Persephone knows it’s time to move on once again. It’s lucky, then, when she receives an email from the one friend she’s managed to keep, inviting her to the elusive Wile Isle. The timing couldn’t be more perfect. However, upon arrival, Persephone quickly discovers that Wile is no ordinary island. In fact, it just might hold the very things she’s been searching for her entire life. 

Answers. Family. Home. 

And some things she did not want. Like 100-year-old curses and an even older family feud. With the clock running out, love might be the magic that saves them all. 

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Griffin

©2021 Paige Crutcher (P)2021 Macmillan Audio

So much potential!

I felt like it was several books in one. Several aspects of the story deserved more flushing out while others could have been left out. The plot felt convoluted and as though the author was always adding another bit of information. It didn't help build the plot in a progressive way but pile it up in a heap.
The overarching story line was great. I loved everything about the lost library. I wished it was written in first person. Would have helped connect to the main character and flush out some of the story as it unraveled.

EXCELLENT

Applause to you, Paige Crutcher. Your Book is excellent, The setting, the characters, the plot, the intrigue carries you from page one to the end. Write More---I will be waiting.

Saskia Maarleveld 's narration is flawless. Applause

I really tried

I listened into chapter 9, I really tried to like it but I finally just gave up. I’ve never given up on a book before. I feel like it needed to be written in first person, or at the very least use some pronouns because it used the main character’s name, Persephone over and over and over. The story just felt like it was all over the place, I get that the main character was looking for answers and so not much was revealed to the listener, but at some point things have to start making sense and if by chapter nine they’re really not, I’m out.

It was a good book, but …

I dont know if it was just me, or maybe they did it for clarification since it was an audio book, but it seemed like the characters name was used excessively. Persephone. Thats all I heard after awhile and at times couldnt focus on the actual story. Other than that it was a good read.

A magical book recommended for all who love magic!

this book impressed me beyond all expectations!! I'm sad it's a stand alone book as I fell in love with the world and the characters and want to keep hearing/ reading more about them. I recommend this book for anyone who loves witchy tales and magical worlds!! the only thing I was sad about is that it had to end.

ENJOYABLE BUT CONFUSING

Narrator great...struggled to understand it all...felt finished but unfinished...might try author again. Was confusing at times.

Well written

Very good listen! A well-written story with a good plot and attention to detail and a wonderful narration that made it a pleasure to listen to and me a little sad when it was done. I will look for more by this author and narrator:)

I wanted to like it but I didn’t

I was so intrigued for the first 1/3 of the book and then it started pulling in too many directions. The chapters that were from the past were random and choppy and didn’t really fit in with the story. It was really hard to keep each character straight and what magic they each had and how they related to the main character.

Meh.

Magic exacts it’s price. Repeated ad nauseam throughout the novel. The book started well but dragged on so much by the end I had to force myself to finish.

Predictable

I always know when I set an audiobook to an increased speed, it's usually not a good sign. This one wasn't quite a DNF, but it was just lacking something, or many things. It felt predictable, and not in a good way. Was it flat? maybe? Having a hard time pinning it down. I just wanted it to end.

Saving graces were Dorian and Moira.

Lacklustre

Narrator was excellent but the story plot and characters weren’t great. The main character was somewhat annoying and the magical aspects became very repetitive and dull. Wouldn’t recommend