Curse Repelling Whiz Kid Once upon a time, in a small village called Castlebrook, there lived a young boy named Oliver. Oliver was known as the Curse Repelling Whiz Kid because he had an extraordinary talent for breaking curses. The villagers of Castlebrook had been suffering from a series of strange curses that had plagued the village for many years. No one knew how or why these curses had come upon them, but they wanted nothing more than to be free from their curse-filled lives. Oliver discovered his curse-breaking abilities at a very young age. Whenever someone in the village was cursed, they would turn to him for help.
Whenever someone in the village was cursed, they would turn to him for help. He had a natural knack for finding the source of the curse and coming up with a solution to break it. It was said that Oliver had a special connection with the magical world.
REVIEW: the Witch King by H.E. Edgmon
In Asalin, fae rule and witches like Wyatt Croft…don’t. Wyatt’s betrothal to his best friend, fae prince Emyr North, was supposed to change that. But when Wyatt lost control of his magic one devastating night, he fled to the human world.
Now a coldly distant Emyr has hunted him down. Despite transgender Wyatt’s newfound identity and troubling past, Emyr has no intention of dissolving their engagement. In fact, he claims they must marry now or risk losing the throne. Jaded, Wyatt strikes a deal with the enemy, hoping to escape Asalin forever. But as he gets to know Emyr, Wyatt realizes the boy he once loved may still exist. And as the witches face worsening conditions, he must decide once and for all what’s more important—his people or his freedom.
Tran MC, diverse supporting characters, queer fantasy, past trauma, some language/ dialogue may be upsetting to some readers.
I was excited when I became aware of this book. This is the debut novel of H.E. Edgmon and I will be looking forward to more of his writing. While “The Witch King” is well-written and creative but I didn’t really connect with it. I respect the fact that the author wrote in an introduction that the novel was a part of his own self-discovery process so I don’t doubt the authenticity of the voice. I think it’s wonderful for such a relevant “own-voice” novel to be on the horizon.
Wyatt is an interesting character. He has been born a “witch” in the Fae world which means that he is not only discriminated against but he has been committed to an arranged marriage by his parents. Wyatt was to marry Emry – the Prince heir to the throne. Unable to deal with the possibilities of his upcoming life, Wyatt fled to the human world and his new family (complete with lovely best friend, Briar). In the human world Wyatt is able to live as the man he has always been.
I did enjoy the way that the author wrote about Wyatt’s transness. He is accepted by his family of choice lovingly and without judgment. When Emry comes to find him and basically forces Wyatt back into the contract he has fled… that was when I began to lose my connection to some of the characters.
Emyr I was intrigued by. I enjoyed that as the Prince of the Fae, he wanted to become a uniting influence over the world. He definitely loves Wyatt and immediately requests his pronouns and never misgenders or deadnames him. Sadly, I didn’t feel like I really understood the relationship between Emry and Wyatt. I’ve never been much of a fan of stories in which a characters is in a “forced” or “contracted” relationship which progresses to love. I find that type of relationship problematic at best as I think that it glosses over the rights of individuals to choose their own fates.
This novel also has a huge component of bigotry and “racism” in terms of a large portion of the Fae people being discriminatory towards witches and humans (to a much lesser degree). It was portrayed as very simple and lacking a lot of nuance. Then again, that’s only part of what is going on in the story and this is a YA novel.
Wyatt’s voice was a bit difficult for me to connect with. I found that there were some really casual phrases/words that made their way into Wyatt’s thoughts repetitively, and some of it just felt really awkward or a bit off-putting. For instance, Wyatt repeatedly adds confirmation that he’s gay as a way of describing his attraction to another male character. Another book reviewer suggested that some of this may change in the final edit of the story. As I read an ARC, I’m not sure how much editing is left to be done on this book.
The author’s writing style is great and I would gladly pick up another title. I will always support own-voices authors.
Things You May Want To Know: Please be aware, I’m by no means an expert on what may or may not have the potential to disturb people. I simply list things that I think a reader might want to be aware of. In this book: (SPOILERS) Violence, violent attacks, blood/gore/murder, character’s parents died, misgendering of character (both by accident and intentionally), deadnaming off-page, severe anxiety, trauma (PTSD?), abuse both physical and emotional, racism/ bigotry in the context of a fantasy world, deceit in a friendship.
Goodreads I received an ARC of The Witch King by H.E. Edgmon from Inkyard Press via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
The author’s writing style is great and I would gladly pick up another title. I will always support own-voices authors.
He could sense the energy of curses and had an innate understanding of how they worked. He would spend hours studying ancient spell books, learning about different types of curses and how to counteract them. The people of Castlebrook were in awe of Oliver's abilities. They trusted him implicitly and believed that he was their only hope. He became a beacon of light in a village consumed by darkness. Oliver's fame as the Curse Repelling Whiz Kid spread far and wide. People from neighboring villages and even distant towns sought his help. Soon, he was traveling across the land, breaking curses and bringing joy and relief to countless individuals. But Oliver was not content with simply breaking curses. He wanted to get to the root of the problem and find a way to prevent curses from ever happening again. He delved even deeper into his studies, researching ancient rituals and spells that could protect against curses. After years of research and experimentation, Oliver discovered a powerful enchantment that could shield villages from curses. With the help of the villagers of Castlebrook, he cast the enchantment, creating a protective barrier around the village. From that day forward, Castlebrook became known as the Village of Tranquility. The once cursed village was now a place of peace and happiness, thanks to Oliver's curse-repelling abilities. Oliver's legacy as the Curse Repelling Whiz Kid lived on long after his passing. The people of Castlebrook never forgot the boy who had saved them from their curse-filled lives. They erected a statue in his honor and told tales of his bravery and intelligence to future generations. Oliver's story serves as a reminder that even in the face of adversity, one person has the power to change the course of history. His determination, intellect, and compassion made him a true hero in the eyes of the villagers. The Curse Repelling Whiz Kid may be gone, but his spirit lives on in the hearts of those he saved..
Reviews for "From Zero to Hero: How Curse Repelling Whiz Kids Save the Day"
1. Emma - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "Curse Repelling Whiz Kid". The plot was overly predictable and cliche, leaving no room for surprises or genuine excitement. The characters lacked depth and development, making it difficult to connect with any of them. The dialogue felt forced and unrealistic, and the writing style was lackluster. Overall, I found this book to be uninspiring and forgettable.
2. John - 1 star - "Curse Repelling Whiz Kid" was a complete bore. The storyline was confusing and disjointed, making it hard to follow and engage with the plot. The protagonist was annoying and lacked any redeeming qualities, making it impossible to root for them. The pacing was inconsistent, dragging in some parts and rushing through others. I would not recommend wasting your time on this book.
3. Sarah - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "Curse Repelling Whiz Kid" but it fell flat for me. The writing was mediocre at best, with a lack of descriptive language or eloquence. The premise had potential, but it was poorly executed. The conflict felt forced and resolved too easily, leaving no real emotional impact. Overall, I was disappointed and didn't find anything special or noteworthy about this book.