The Witch in the Well Once upon a time in a small village, there was a mysterious well that was said to be inhabited by a witch. The villagers had always been wary of the well, believing that it held dark and powerful magic within its depths. Legend had it that if anyone dared to approach the well at midnight and cast a wish into its waters, the witch would emerge to grant their desires. However, there was a catch - the witch would only grant a wish if the person offered something of great value in return. Many villagers had attempted to make a wish at the well, only to be met with disappointment. They would offer coins, jewelry, and even personal treasures, but the witch was always unsatisfied.
Then a girl with an uncanny resemblance to Anna appears on the shore, and the two girls catch the eyes of two charming princes. Suddenly Evie feels like she might finally have a chance at her own happily ever after.
Evie is untaught, so her use of magic is irresponsible, and it s being used by a teenager who feels powerless in other ways, so it s often motivated by pride. Throughout the book, she is ostracized by all of those around her and has an internal monologue that constantly telling her that she is not good enough, that she does not belong.
They would offer coins, jewelry, and even personal treasures, but the witch was always unsatisfied. It seemed that whatever the person offered, it was never enough to satisfy the witch's insatiable appetite for valuables. As time went on, fear and curiosity grew among the villagers.
Review: Sea Witch by Sarah Henning
There is a new trend in the YA scene – mermaids – and I am obsessed. Who does not love mermaids? They are beautiful, power, magical women who are often deadly and get to spend their days frolicking in the sea. Sign me up! An influx of books with mermaid premises have surfaced (sorry for the terrible pun!) over the last two years – Sea Witch by Sarah Henning being a front runner that garnered a lot of attention. While it debuted in July 2018 and I am a little behind in reading, I recently was ready to dive in (I promise, I will stop).
The Plot
When I picked up this book, I was under the impression it was a retelling of The Little Mermaid, originally pinned by Danish writer, Hans Christian Andersen. I would not say this is completely true, while there are absolutely elements of The Little Mermaids fairytale, I would consider it much more of an origin story of the Sea Witch, or ‘Ursula’ for you Disney fans.
The story begins by introducing us to two young friends, Evelyn (or Evie) and Anna. These girl’s young lives are plagued by misfortune and marred by death. In the opening chapter, Evelyn almost loses her life, but instead loses her mother. We learn that their mutual friend, Nik, slipped while hopping across rocks next to the sea and was poised to hit his head directly on the if Evie had not thrown herself down and absorbed the impact (but she received a fatal injury in the process). Her mother, a witch, sacrifices herself to save her daughter’s life. Finally, we learn that Anna drowned when she was eleven, leaving Nik and Evie alone.
The story picks up five years later and finds Evie still grieving the loss of her best friend. She is mostly an outsider with the exception of Nik, who is the prince of her land and has remained a close friend, as well as his cousin Iker. People view her as trying to overcome her social standing by befriending the royal prince. She is seen as strange and homely. Evie herself separates herself from the village people because she is harboring a secret – she is a witch. While not as powerful as her mother or her aunt, who has stepped up to raise Evie in place of her mother.
Very quickly we are introduced to a girl who looks just like Anna. First, Evie sees her in the water through a porthole. Then, the mysterious girl saves Nik when he is swept overboard (man these people have bad luck!). Finally, she appears directly to Evie and introduces herself as Annamette. Annamette claims she is from a faraway land and a farmer’s daughter but her rouse is quickly demolished and her magic revealed – she is a mermaid. Cue the Little Mermaid retelling.
Essentially, Annamette has a similar conundrum to the Little Mermaid. She must make a man fall in love with her within a few short days to stay human or she will turn to sea foam. However, the plot thickens as Evie questions Annamette’s true motives and whether or not this mysterious girl is Anna. Nothing is as it seems and possible that friendship may not survive the deadly secrets and dark magic that is penetrating the small village.
The Review
Because I went into this thinking that Sea Witch was just a retelling of the Little Mermaid, I was surprised by the dark and magical elements that strayed from the typical mermaid lore. Sarah’s prose was beautiful and I was hooked from the first sentence ‘The sea is a fickle witch.’ While this was not an epic fantasy that drew you in by the characters, the writing was more than enough to keep you intrigued.
I found myself feeling sorry for Evie throughout the whole book. She mostly receives the short end of the stick and continually sacrifices for those she cares about – even when the same courtesy is not extended. Throughout the book, she is ostracized by all of those around her and has an internal monologue that constantly telling her that she is not good enough, that she does not belong. While I do not normally care for characters who are not strong-willed or could be considered closer to a doormat than a heroine – what makes a better villain origin story? Similar to Disney’s origin story for Maleficent – Evie’s transformation into the Sea Witch is marked with tragedy, misbegotten good intentions, and a desire to fit in.
Overall, I enjoyed this fast read – so much so I read it in one sitting. It is magical and beautifully written and while you may know how it turns out, you will find yourself turning pages quickly to see how it gets there.
Rating: / 5 stars
The story takes place in Havenestad, a small fishing community. Most of the story is told by Evie, in first-person, present tense narration, but some is told in flashback from third-person point of view.
They wondered what exactly the witch desired and why it resided in the depths of the well. Some believed that the witch was a vengeful spirit, seeking retribution for the village's past wrongdoings. Others thought that the witch was simply greedy, enjoying the power and control it held over the villagers. One day, a young girl named Emily ventured to the well, determined to uncover the truth. She approached the well with caution and, at the stroke of midnight, dropped a simple flower into its waters. To her surprise, the water began to bubble, and the witch emerged from the depths. The witch was unlike anything Emily had imagined. It was not a terrifying creature, but rather a frail, elderly woman dressed in tattered robes. The woman's eyes held a mix of sadness and loneliness, and Emily felt a pang of sympathy for her. Without hesitation, the witch spoke, "Child, why have you come? What do you wish for?" Emily replied, "I wish to know why you demand such valuable offerings from us." The witch's expression softened, and she explained her story. Long ago, the witch had been a powerful sorceress who used her magic to protect the village. However, over time, the villagers grew ungrateful and started accusing her of using her powers for evil. Feeling betrayed, the witch retreated to the well and vowed never to use her magic again. She decided to test the villagers' appreciation by demanding valuable offerings in exchange for their wishes. The witch longed for someone to offer something truly meaningful, something that would prove their sincerity and gratitude. Touched by the witch's story, Emily understood the true nature of the witch in the well. She realized that the witch was not seeking power or control but rather validation and appreciation. From that day forward, Emily began to spread the witch's story among the villagers. Word traveled fast, and soon everyone was aware of the witch's true intentions. The villagers began to reflect on their past actions and realized the error of their ways. United in their newfound appreciation, the villagers decided to gather and offer the witch a valuable gift as a symbol of their gratitude. They presented her with a humble yet heartfelt offering - a handcrafted piece of art that represented the unity and appreciation of the entire village. Touched by the villagers' gesture, the witch smiled for the first time in decades. She bestowed upon them her magic, but this time it was not to protect them, but to guide them towards a better future. From that day forward, the well became a symbol of unity and gratitude in the village. The witch was no longer feared but respected and revered. The villagers learned the importance of appreciation and understood that true magic lies within the power of gratitude and kindness. And so, the witch in the well became a cherished legend, reminding the villagers to always be grateful and appreciative of what they had..
Reviews for "The Witch in the Well: Unearthing Ancient Magic"
1. Sarah - 2/5 stars
I found "The Witch in the Well" to be quite disappointing. The plot was convoluted and lacked coherence, making it difficult to follow along. Additionally, I felt that the characters were underdeveloped and lacked depth, making it hard to connect with them or even care about their fates. The writing style was also not to my liking, as it seemed overly verbose and unnecessarily complex, making the reading experience a tedious one. Overall, I cannot recommend this book to others who prefer a well-structured and engaging storyline.
2. Mark - 1/5 stars
In my opinion, "The Witch in the Well" was a total bore. The pacing was incredibly slow, and it felt like nothing of consequence happened for the majority of the book. I also found the world-building to be lacking, as there were many unexplained elements that left me confused and uninterested. The dialogue between characters was clunky and unnatural, and I couldn't find myself caring about any of them. Overall, I was highly disappointed with this book and would not recommend it to anyone searching for an exciting and captivating read.
3. Emily - 2/5 stars
"The Witch in the Well" had an interesting premise, but it ultimately fell flat for me. The writing style was overly descriptive and felt pretentious, making it difficult to stay engaged with the story. The plot also lacked depth and didn't explore the potential of the interesting concepts introduced. The characters were forgettable and their motivations were often unclear. While the book had some moments of intrigue, it failed to live up to its potential and left me feeling unsatisfied. I would caution others before picking up this book, as it may not be what they expect or hope for.