“THE WITCH HUNTER,” by Virginia Boecker, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, June 2, 2015, Hardcover, $18 (young adult)
Elizabeth is a witch hunter — strong, smart and quick on her feet. Her life is more than she ever expected it could be until suddenly, it’s not. Elizabeth is accused of being a witch herself and is sentenced to burn at the stake.
Sick and afraid, Elizabeth sits in jail awaiting her fate, but fate has other plans for her. The kingdom’s most powerful wizard, Nicholas Perevil, rescues Elizabeth and offers her a deal — he’ll keep her from burning if she’ll break the curse he’s under.
No big deal for a trained witch hunter, right? Wrong. No one knows of Elizabeth’s witch hunting past, and if Nicholas and his followers find out, burning at the stake will seem like small beans. Elizabeth finds herself in the middle of the magical world and must embrace everything she fought against if she wants to stay alive.
“The Witch Hunter” is Virginia Boecker’s fantasy debut, but her book doesn’t read like a debut. It’s a fast-paced, nuanced read with smooth transitions and a compelling storyline. The idea of a protagonist transitioning from the hunter to the hunted is certainly not new, but Boecker has successfully created a main character that stands out. And Elizabeth’s supporting cast helps fill in any voids.
Minor details and personal preferences place “The Witch Hunter” in the mid-to-upper level when compared to other fantasy novels I’ve read this year. It’s not the best I’ve read, but it certainly stands out as a strong entry into a crowded YA fantasy field.
