Release Date: June 30, 2016
Publisher: Egmont
Series: The Witching Legacy, Book 1
Rated: MG/YA 12+
Format: ARC
Source: Pansing
Buy: Available at all good bookstores!
Goodreads ● Website
Something is brewing in the town of Whitby. To best friends Lil and Verne, it just seems like a particularly bad storm. But Cherry Cerise, the last of the Whitby witches, fears that ancient forces are at work, reviving the curse of a long lost magical artifact.
The legend goes that the Nimius was created by magician Melchior Pyke, with the assistance of a young witch known as Scaur Annie. But they were both betrayed by Pyke’s villainous manservant, Mister Dark, causing a feud that has survived even beyond death.
As Mister Dark, with his horrific winged familiar, arises to mastermind Whitby’s very own apocalypse and take the Nimius for his own evil purposes, can Lil and Verne join with Cherry to quell his plans and save their home?
The legend goes that the Nimius was created by magician Melchior Pyke, with the assistance of a young witch known as Scaur Annie. But they were both betrayed by Pyke’s villainous manservant, Mister Dark, causing a feud that has survived even beyond death.
As Mister Dark, with his horrific winged familiar, arises to mastermind Whitby’s very own apocalypse and take the Nimius for his own evil purposes, can Lil and Verne join with Cherry to quell his plans and save their home?
When I received The Power of Dark in the mail, I had no idea what to expect. I'd never heard of it before, but it looked really interesting. The cover and synopsis screamed "fantasy," and because it's been a while since I'd last picked up a fantasy book, I decided to jump right into it. It actually took me a while to get into it, not gonna lie. Not because it wasn't good–this one was actually really great–but I was otherwise distracted and would often not be able to read huge chunks in one sitting. I finally did make it through, practically inhaling the second half of the book, and, overall, I found myself pleased with the book.
While the characters were a little younger than what you'd typically find in a young adult novel, I did enjoy reading their adventure. Verne and Lil (very suitably named, as well) were fantastic characters, and I enjoyed reading about their own personal conflicts in the midst of the larger problem they both come to face. Cherry was absolutely hilarious and I came to love the magical hippie. At first it was confusing when the narrative jumped to the histories of Annie and Pyke, but the two stories come together and form the foundation for the start of an exciting new series.
It was such an interesting concept–magic against machinery. It's truly a gothic novel that harnesses both, and pits them against one another. I really enjoyed the history behind Whitby and the reason for the brewing war between the two sides. It seemed quite strange, the modern-day setting infused with something brought to the present from a few hundred years ago, but it worked well. The climax was a titchy bit lacking in climactical momentum (aka a big WOW moment), but by the end of the novel I wanted more.
The Power of Dark reminded me so much of the fantasy books I used to devour when I was younger. There's a magical tone–that special spark–that many fantasy novels don't have, but I'm glad to say that this one definitely did. Robin Jarvis is a talented storyteller, and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
While the characters were a little younger than what you'd typically find in a young adult novel, I did enjoy reading their adventure. Verne and Lil (very suitably named, as well) were fantastic characters, and I enjoyed reading about their own personal conflicts in the midst of the larger problem they both come to face. Cherry was absolutely hilarious and I came to love the magical hippie. At first it was confusing when the narrative jumped to the histories of Annie and Pyke, but the two stories come together and form the foundation for the start of an exciting new series.
It was such an interesting concept–magic against machinery. It's truly a gothic novel that harnesses both, and pits them against one another. I really enjoyed the history behind Whitby and the reason for the brewing war between the two sides. It seemed quite strange, the modern-day setting infused with something brought to the present from a few hundred years ago, but it worked well. The climax was a titchy bit lacking in climactical momentum (aka a big WOW moment), but by the end of the novel I wanted more.
The Power of Dark reminded me so much of the fantasy books I used to devour when I was younger. There's a magical tone–that special spark–that many fantasy novels don't have, but I'm glad to say that this one definitely did. Robin Jarvis is a talented storyteller, and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
▪ ▪ ▪ Thank you so much to Sasha at Pansing for sending me a copy for review! ▪ ▪ ▪
If you like this, try...
- Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper ● Goodreads
- Trollhunters by Guillermo del Toro & Daniel Kraus ● Goodreads
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