Horn Book Review
After Elizabeth (The Witch Hunter) transfers her "stigma," the source of her power, to healer (and former enemy) John, she must find new ways to fight; an unlikely coalition of witches, rebels, and revenants help take on usurper king Blackwell. Boecker's blend of romance and magic is atmospheric, if lacking tension; some readers may find Malcolm's redemption (a rapist in the predecessor) disquieting. (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Elizabeth Grey, titular protagonist of The Witch Hunter (2015), returns, having thrown her lot in with the witches she used to persecute.Elizabeth has taken refuge in Harrow, the witch-friendly territory that resists the rule of Anglia, now controlled by her former boss, the usurper and evil maniac Blackwell, whom Harrowand Elizabethis determined to take out. She's operating at a disadvantage though, as she has given the magical stigma that protected her to her sweetheart, witch and healer John. But Blackwell seems to want it back, and moreover, John's formerly saintly affect turns blacker by the day. Can the newly vulnerable Elizabeth complete her mission and restore her sweet John? And what about deposed king Malcolm, Elizabeth's former abuser? Boecker begins her sequel with virtually no recap, so fans of the first book should do a quick skim to refresh their memories. Once they do, they are in for more of what the first book offered: a grim, first-person, present-tense narrative that seesaws between melodramatic exposition and violent, often confusing action. The rules of magic seem to change as the plot demands, and the equally arbitrary geography is difficult to navigate (readers will be grateful for the map). Witty banter under stress is both unlikely and a pleasant relief, as is the addition of sardonic witch Keagan, operative of a resistance group from neighboring Airann. Though the world is largely white, a couple of dark-skinned characters noted in passing ensure it's not monolithically so.Soapy faux-16th-century angst. (Fantasy. 12-16) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
After witch-hunter Elizabeth is rescued from Blackwell's clutches and gives her stigma to John to save his life, she is reluctantly hidden by the people of the magically protected country of Harrow, with one condition: she must join them in their fight to kill her former mentor, Blackwell, the declared king of Anglia. But Blackwell is desperate to get the stigma and the Azoth, which Elizabeth now possesses, and slowly begins to penetrate Harrow's magical boundaries. Only a traitor could facilitate this breach; Elizabeth is the logical suspect. When she turns John in to the authorities for possessing poison herbs, the community's and John's trust is shattered. Boecker's sequel to The Witch Hunter (2015) merges old and new characters into a final bizarre battle that pits soldiers against magical, natural elements, the outcome of which is uncertain until the very end. The bittersweet denouement is a satisfying wrap-up that combines brutality, courage, magic, and sweet romance a little something for every reader.--Bradburn, Frances Copyright 2016 Booklist