The Witch Daughter is a thrilling novel written by author Paula Brackston. The story revolves around the life of a young girl named Lizzy who discovers she is a witch. As she navigates through her newfound powers, she becomes entangled in a dangerous battle between good and evil. Lizzy's journey begins when she starts experiencing strange occurrences and unexplainable events, leading her to question her identity and heritage. She soon learns that her mother was a powerful witch who sacrificed herself to protect Lizzy from those who seek to exploit her powers. Under the guidance of her mother's familiar, a mischievous but loyal talking cat named Tangle, Lizzy embarks on a quest to uncover the truth about her mother's past and the extent of her own abilities.
"Lushly written with a fascinating premise and an enthralling heroine, The Witch's Daughter will linger long in memory after the last page has been savored. Highly recommended." --Sara Poole, author of The Borgia Betrayal
This pleasantly romantic historical fantasy debut flips lightly between the past experiences of ageless witch Elizabeth Anne Hawksmith and her present-day life in Matravers, England. This pleasantly romantic historical fantasy debut flips lightly between the past experiences of ageless witch Elizabeth Anne Hawksmith and her present-day life in Matravers, England.
Under the guidance of her mother's familiar, a mischievous but loyal talking cat named Tangle, Lizzy embarks on a quest to uncover the truth about her mother's past and the extent of her own abilities. Along the way, she encounters numerous obstacles and encounters with both friendly and malevolent magical beings. As Lizzy delves deeper into the world of witchcraft, she begins to uncover a dark secret that threatens to overturn everything she thought she knew.
Review of The Witch's Daughter by Paula Brackston
This review was published 12 years ago. Some of its information or my opinions might be out of date.
You’re just going about your daily business, healing people and whatnot, and then what happens? The plague. Suddenly everyone in town is accusing you of being a witch and clamouring for the witch-finder to hang you for consorting with Satan and dancing naked with demons and whatnot. Isn’t that always the way of things? Don’t you hate how people are just so close-minded, even in as enlightened an age as the 1620s? Just because someone might be a witch doesn’t mean she worships Satan! Witches can be good and pure and use their powers only to help and heal!
Except, in this case, witches do derive their powers from Satan (or at least, some of the darkest ones). That’s what finally sealed the deal for me with The Witch’s Daughter : though it’s not really a twist, I loved that Paula Brackston added that price to the character of Bess Hawksmith. She had magic, could perform small charms and help in small ways, without resorting to the dark arts. But to save herself, to become immortal and escape sharing her mother’s fate, she had to call upon demons and devils. This witch isn’t so innocent after all.
Brackston provides us with several snapshots of Bess’ nearly four hundred years of life. First we learn about her origins in the small town of Batchcombe, 1628. Next she’s Dr. Elisabeth Hawksmith, assisting with surgeries in 1888 and investigating brutal murders of prostitutes. Finally, she’s Elise Hawksmith, registered nurse dispatched to a small frontier hospital at Passchendaele. Bess doesn’t move around and “change” her name just to avoid raising suspicions, what with the whole not aging thing—she’s on the run from another immortal, a warlock named Gideon who taught her everything she knows. Bess’ mother made Bess promise to seek out Gideon and learn magic from him, because that would be the only way to ensure Bess’ safety. But Bess didn’t want to walk the dark path, and Gideon seems like an obsessed pyscho ex-boyfriend—one who can kill you, mind-rape you, and rape you. It’s called a Book of Shadows for a reason!
This actually a rather dark book, and I guess in retrospect that’s evident from the inside cover copy, but I didn’t envision it that way when I began reading. It’s billed as “part historical romance”, but there doesn’t seem to be any hero to our heroine. In her two subsequent flashbacks, Bess does fall for two other men, but that doesn’t work out. And I certainly wouldn’t call Gideon her one true love! So I will beg to differ with the book’s cover copy: The Witch’s Daughter isn’t much in the way of a romance, and that is probably a good thing.
This book does not open strongly so much as with a sombre attempt at something like mediocrity. Something about the epistolary style of the chapters set in the present day left me cold: there was nothing interesting about this Elizabeth character, and why the hell should I care if she’s taken a liking to a new girl, Tegan, and decided to teach her some witchcraft? I was beginning to regret taking a gamble on it from the New Books shelf at the library—but then Brackston began telling me about Bess’ first steps toward witchcraft in 1628, and I was hooked.
The Elizabeth of present day is a very unsatisfying character, but Bess Hawskmith is brilliant. A little bit naïve, but she grows from an innocent girl into a self-possessed, tragically bereaved woman. Her entire family, with the exception of her mother, dies in the plague. Then she loses her mother because of what we recognize to be short-sightedness, selfishness, and superstition among the townfolk. Then, in that lovely twist, Brackston makes us question whether it was really superstitious of them at all. Bess begins learning from Gideon but reneges on their relationship, beginning a centuries-long game of hide-and-seek. I just have one quibble: why was her name always some version of “Elizabeth” followed by the surname “Hawksmith”? Wouldn’t that be a little too obvious? She could have at least used some more creative aliases!
Between the flashbacks, Elizabeth’s relationship with Tegan develops—though at a distance, because we see this all from her diary. I wish Brackston had more thoroughly explained what makes Tegan so special, why Elizabeth is just now deciding to teach her craft to someone else. She doesn’t ever seem to worry that this might put Tegan in harm’s way, might make her a target for Gideon’s cruelty. This problem compounds as we approach the end of The Witch’s Daughter and the climactic confrontation between Elizabeth and Gideon. Firstly, Tegan, writing in Elizabeth’s diary, tells us all about it in hindsight. (To her credit, Brackston effects the change in voice very well.) Secondly, the climax happens way too fast, with very little justification for how it happens. After all the hardship Elizabeth has endured in her various identities, and after everything Gideon has put her through, I didn’t get enough closure. I don’t know how she feels. The ending, with Tegan’s optimistic evaluation of the situation, felt rather flippant compared to the earlier, darker moments of this book.
So The Witch’s Daughter is a little all over the map. It has these great, shining moments of insight into the nature of loss and suffering. Brackston’s perspective on witchcraft is, while not all that original, rather refreshing in tone. And parts of Elizabeth’s historical narrative were truly fascinating. Alas, all of this must be balanced against a story that starts off too sparse and eventually, somehow, beyond all my comprehension, becomes too compressed. This is one of the few times I wish a book had been longer. I wish Brackston had given us more exposition, more scenes between Elizabeth and Tegan, more snapshots of Elizabeth’s life. The Witch’s Daughter is a good book, and the flaws it has are the types of flaws to which good books all too often succumb.
An enthralling tale of modern witch Bess Hawksmith, a fiercely independent woman desperate to escape her cursed history who must confront the evil which has haunted her for centuries
She must make difficult choices, face her fears, and confront the ancient evil that seeks to consume her powers. Brackston skillfully weaves together elements of folklore, magic, and romance to create a gripping tale that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The Witch Daughter takes readers on a captivating journey through the mystical world of witches, immersing them in a richly described setting where magic is both awe-inspiring and deadly. Throughout the novel, Lizzy's character undergoes significant growth and transformation. From an ordinary young woman unsure of her place in the world, she becomes a strong and courageous heroine who embraces her magical abilities and fights to protect both herself and her loved ones. The Witch Daughter is a book that appeals to fans of fantasy and paranormal genres. It combines elements of adventure, mystery, and romance, making it a compelling read for anyone seeking an escape into a world of magic and danger. Overall, The Witch Daughter is a captivating and enchanting novel that explores themes of self-discovery, love, and the eternal struggle between good and evil. Brackston's skillful storytelling and vivid imagination make this book a must-read for those who enjoy tales of witches, magic, and the eternal fight between darkness and light..
Reviews for "Unleashing the Beast: The Witch Daughter's Transformation"
1. Emily - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "The Witch Daughter". The storyline felt convoluted and hard to follow, and the characters were completely unrelatable. I found myself not caring what happened to any of them. The writing was also subpar, with awkward dialogue and predictable plot twists. Overall, I couldn't wait to finish this book and move on to something better.
2. David - 1 star - "The Witch Daughter" is one of the worst books I've ever read. The concept sounded interesting, but the execution was terrible. The pacing was all over the place, with slow moments dragging on and important moments feeling rushed. The main character was frustratingly naive and made ridiculous decisions that made me lose all interest in her story. The ending was also unsatisfying and left too many loose ends. I would not recommend this book to anyone.
3. Sarah - 2.5 stars - I wanted to like "The Witch Daughter", but unfortunately, it fell short for me. The magic system was confusing and inconsistent, and the explanations provided were not enough to make sense of it all. The romance subplot felt forced and unnecessary, taking away from the main plot. The writing style was also off-putting, with awkward phrasing and excessive use of cliches. While the premise had potential, the execution left much to be desired.