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There are currently 26 member reviews
for The Silver Witch
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Jorie (Florida)
Bewitching prose and an ethereal duality of setting slipped through time
Tilda hugs her life close to a beguiling lake, of which entices her innate fear of water to plunder back inside the folds of her conscience; succumbing her to fits of anxiety. Her life is jarred by the sudden exit of her beloved, taken by force in a most tragic method; setting her hours a bit off-kilter to her natural rhythm. The closeness of her tucked away cottage to the water, breathes a bit of new possibilities into her heart, yet her mind is keenly attached to her grief.
Little bits of disturbances are shifting forward into Tilda's waking hours, wherein she is being given little insights of forethought on behalf of what her truer gift might be outside of her pursuit of clay and kiln. As her sensory awakening starts to quicken, time continues to shift and slide into her own world whilst it arches backwards to provide a bit of a window of explanation on her behalf. A story told half in the modern era and half within a time of uncertainty where loyalty and first sight were equally measured as tools a ruler must attach his trust upon.
Seren by far has the harder route to take, as she's already wholly full-on into her life's work and path, whereas Tilda has stepped outside of her time; opening her up to a new dimension where she forsakes what her eyes see and her heart can sense. Seren is a wizened owl, trusting her own instincts even if she is uncertain if those during her time will accept the scope of what her kind can contribute. Tilda is the unexpected heroine you love to curl up inside a novel to discover, for she is both innocent and astute in observation; seeking knowledge out of chaos, whilst setting herself free to find meaning where others only see a foggy mist.
Book Browse First Impressions Programme: I received a complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review on Book Browse from the publisher Thomas Dunne Books (an imprint of St. Martin's Press. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
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Mark B. (Jackson, MI)
The Silver Witch
A great story combining past and present storylines. If you like supernatural tales, you'll enjoy this read. I am not a fan of supernatural tales, but enjoyed this book, I recommend reading The Silver Witch.
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Karen H. (Centreville, MD)
The Silver Witch
The Silver Witch puts an interesting and compelling spin on the concept of witches being "others," or marked as different from the rest of society. Tilda's albinism makes her seem ethereal and vulnerable, a perfect character to be transformed with power. This combination creates an appealing main character that the reader wants to see overcome her grief, triumph over evil, and find love again. The alternating narrative—past and present, Tilda and Seren—heightens the tension in Tilda's journey to discover the source of her powers and to fight the evil she senses and sees. Seren's perspective also illuminates the struggles associated with being different; for Tilda it is uncomfortable, but for Seren it is a matter of life and death. She must command respect with her power or she and her daughter will be destroyed. On the whole, the Tilda sections are more gripping than the Seren sections, and are what keep the reader engaged. Grounded in a beautiful setting and plausible historical background, the book presents a unique version of a character struggling with her identity and overcoming obstacles to find happiness.
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Colleen T. (Lakewood, CO)
The Silver Witch by Paula Brackston
This is a fascinating story that I became completely immersed in and enjoyed. It's interesting how the author intertwines the past and the present together with a mystical backdrop to tell the story of a woman coming to terms with herself, understanding her gifts and understanding her relationship with her environment and the other characters. I thought this was a great way to give a story a fresh perspective. My only complaint is that the epilogue doesn't wrap up all the events/characters stories that were introduced and I, for one, would really like to have all the events/characters stories finished.
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Terrie J. (Eagan, MN)
Fantasy and Mystery Combined
I really liked this book. It was a great way to keep the characters aligned by jumping back and forth between the characters and the time period. The descriptions were so vivid - it was easy to see what Tilda was seeing through her eyes. All of the characters were formed as they were introduced, so it was easy to keep them straight from the beginning. I loved the addition of the dog as a key character.,
I don't often like a fantasy book, but this one was so well done. This was the first Paula Brackstonbook that I have read - I will definitely read more.
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Sue P. (Richardson, TX)
The Silver Witch
I love fantasy, supernatural, magic and anything Celtic, so I dove into this novel with high expectations . The premise of two people connecting over the centuries was intriguing I and thought Tilda and Seren were both well characterized. As Tilda's powers grow and the story unfolds, I found myself very engrossed. The ending seemed a bit rushed, but overall, this was a good, solid, fun read.
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Diana C. (Delray Beach, FL)
Disappointing Final Pages
I have read Paula Brackston in the past and looked forward to reading her latest, The Silver Witch. The story alternates between modern day Wales and ancient Celtic times, telling the story of a ceramic artist with an intuitive nature and a Celtic shaman seemingly connected through time. It's a provocative read, and kept me interested until the last few pages wherein it seems the author, in her haste to wrap things up in a tidy way, threw in everything but the proverbial kitchen sink. Sadly for me, this left me feeling as if the story was unfinished and poorly constructed. I gave it 4 stars because prior to the last few pages the story had serious credibility and potential.
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