Earwig and the Witch is a troupe that was first introduced in the 2011 novel of the same name, written by Diana Wynne Jones. The novel follows the story of Earwig, a young girl who is adopted by a witch and finds herself embroiled in a magical world of spells and potions. The Earwig and the Witch troupe is comprised of a cast of unique and eccentric characters, each with their own distinct personalities and abilities. The troupe is led by Bella Yaga, a witch who is known for her cunning and powerful magic. Bella Yaga takes Earwig under her wing and teaches her the ways of witchcraft, much to Earwig's delight. Throughout the story, the Earwig and the Witch troupe encounter various challenges and obstacles, both magical and mundane.
For years, animation mavens have been debating whether Pixar or Ghibli was the more gifted animation studio, which was a fairly abstract argument when the techniques were different. But now that the latter has produced its first fully CG feature, there’s just no comparison. “Earwig” is inferior on nearly every level, looking barely better than a small-screen special (which, admittedly, it is, having been commissioned for and broadcast on Japanese network NHK on Dec. 30, 2020). But it’s the storytelling that feels most anemic.
One thing Earwig has going for it is the musical component, opening as it does with her mom singing original number Don t Disturb Me as she races down the highway. Many of her earlier children s books were out of print in recent years, but have now been re-issued for the young audience whose interest in fantasy and reading was spurred by Harry Potter.
Throughout the story, the Earwig and the Witch troupe encounter various challenges and obstacles, both magical and mundane. They must navigate the delicate balance between their magical abilities and the human world they inhabit. The troupe's interactions with other witches and magical creatures provide both comedic and dramatic moments, adding depth and complexity to the story.
Earwig and the Witch
Most orphanages are horrible, but Earwig has a surprising amount of power over everyone at St Morwald’s Home for Children, and loves it there. The last thing she wants is to be adopted by the very strange Bella Yaga, demon-attended Mandrake, and talking black cat Thomas. Earwig wants to learn magic, but will need all her ingenuity and help from a familiar to survive. Expressive big eyes, twisty mouths, on stick figures flesh out the characters, action, and ravens and spiders adorn the margins.
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Genres FantasyChildrensMiddle GradeFictionMagicWitchesHumor
140 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2011
Book details & editions Loading interface. Loading interface.About the author
Diana Wynne Jones
133 books 10.5k followersDiana was born in London, the daughter of Marjorie (née Jackson) and Richard Aneurin Jones, both of whom were teachers. When war was announced, shortly after her fifth birthday, she was evacuated to Wales, and thereafter moved several times, including periods in Coniston Water, in York, and back in London. In 1943 her family finally settled in Thaxted, Essex, where her parents worked running an educational conference centre. There, Jones and her two younger sisters Isobel (later Professor Isobel Armstrong, the literary critic) and Ursula (later an actress and a children's writer) spent a childhood left chiefly to their own devices. After attending the Friends School Saffron Walden, she studied English at St Anne's College in Oxford, where she attended lectures by both C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien before graduating in 1956. In the same year she married John Burrow, a scholar of medieval literature, with whom she had three sons, Richard, Michael and Colin. After a brief period in London, in 1957 the couple returned to Oxford, where they stayed until moving to Bristol in 1976.
According to her autobiography, Jones decided she was an atheist when she was a child.
Jones started writing during the mid-1960s "mostly to keep my sanity", when the youngest of her three children was about two years old and the family lived in a house owned by an Oxford college. Beside the children, she felt harried by the crises of adults in the household: a sick husband, a mother-in-law, a sister, and a friend with daughter. Her first book was a novel for adults published by Macmillan in 1970, entitled Changeover. It originated as the British Empire was divesting colonies; she recalled in 2004 that it had "seemed like every month, we would hear that yet another small island or tiny country had been granted independence."Changeover is set in a fictional African colony during transition, and begins as a memo about the problem of how to "mark changeover" ceremonially is misunderstood to be about the threat of a terrorist named Mark Changeover. It is a farce with a large cast of characters, featuring government, police, and army bureaucracies; sex, politics, and news. In 1965, when Rhodesia declared independence unilaterally (one of the last colonies and not tiny), "I felt as if the book were coming true as I wrote it."
Jones' books range from amusing slapstick situations to sharp social observation (Changeover is both), to witty parody of literary forms. Foremost amongst the latter are The Tough Guide To Fantasyland, and its fictional companion-pieces Dark Lord of Derkholm (1998) and Year of the Griffin (2000), which provide a merciless (though not unaffectionate) critique of formulaic sword-and-sorcery epics.
The Harry Potter books are frequently compared to the works of Diana Wynne Jones. Many of her earlier children's books were out of print in recent years, but have now been re-issued for the young audience whose interest in fantasy and reading was spurred by Harry Potter.
Jones' works are also compared to those of Robin McKinley and Neil Gaiman. She was friends with both McKinley and Gaiman, and Jones and Gaiman are fans of each other's work; she dedicated her 1993 novel Hexwood to him after something he said in conversation inspired a key part of the plot. Gaiman had already dedicated his 1991 four-part comic book mini-series The Books of Magic to "four witches", of whom Jones was one.
For Charmed Life, the first Chrestomanci novel, Jones won the 1978 Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, a once-in-a-lifetime award by The Guardian newspaper that is judged by a panel of children's writers. Three times she was a commended runner-up[a] for the Carnegie Medal from the Library Association, recognising the year's best children's book: for Dogsbody (1975), Charmed Life (1977), and the fourth Chrestomanci book The Lives of Christopher Chant (1988). She won the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award, children's section, in 1996 for The Crown of Dalemark.
One of the main themes of Earwig and the Witch is the power of self-belief and resourcefulness. Earwig, despite her young age and lack of magical abilities, is able to outsmart and overcome challenges through her quick thinking and cleverness. This theme is reinforced through the interactions and relationships within the troupe, as each character discovers their own unique strengths and talents. The Earwig and the Witch troupe also explores the concept of family and belonging. Earwig, who initially resents being the adopted child of a witch, gradually develops a bond with the other members of the troupe. This sense of belonging and acceptance gives Earwig a newfound confidence and empowers her to embrace her own identity. In conclusion, the Earwig and the Witch troupe is a captivating and enchanting ensemble of characters that brings to life the magical world of witches and spells. With its engaging storyline and vibrant cast of characters, this troupe is sure to delight readers of all ages..
Reviews for "The Reception and Reviews of Earwig and the Witch Troupe: Exploring Criticisms and Praises"
1. John - 1/5
I found "Earwig and the witch troupe" to be a disappointment. The storyline lacked depth and was unengaging. The characters were poorly developed and lacked any charisma or relatability. The animation felt stiff and lacked the charm and vibrancy that Studio Ghibli films are known for. Overall, it was a forgettable and underwhelming experience.
2. Emily - 2/5
I had high hopes for "Earwig and the witch troupe", being a fan of Studio Ghibli's previous works. However, I found this film to be confusing and disjointed. The plot was convoluted and difficult to follow, and the pacing felt off. Additionally, the voice acting was lackluster, and the characters failed to draw me in emotionally. It's unfortunate, but this film fell short of my expectations.
3. Peter - 2/5
I was excited to see "Earwig and the witch troupe" as I am a fan of Studio Ghibli's films. However, I was left disappointed by this one. The animation style was a departure from their usual hand-drawn style, and I found it to be distracting. The story felt rushed and lacked the depth and coherence that I have come to expect from Studio Ghibli. Overall, it was a forgettable experience that didn't live up to the studio's reputation.