War of the Witches [Paperback]

Maite Carranza (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2009

Outsider Anaíd leads a solitary life in a small village in the Pyrenees with her mother Selene. She does not suspect there is anything particularly strange about her family, aside from her mother’s personal eccentricities . . . until one day Selene disappears without a trace and Anaíd is confronted with a shocking truth: her mother is a witch, prophesied to be the chosen one to end an ancient war between two feuding clans.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7–10—Insecure about her underdeveloped, awkward body, 14-year-old Anaíd Tsinoulis hides her mature, clever mind from cruel, teasing peers. When her beautiful mother, Selene, disappears from their home in the Pyrenees, Anaíd discovers some startling things. She is an Omar witch and Selene is the suspected "Chosen One," prophesied to end the long, nasty war between the Omars (benevolent witches) and the Odish (self-obsessed, human-blood-drinking witches bent on immortality). With her body and powers developing double time, a coven of well-meaning ladies making things claustrophobic, and evil Odish on the loose, Anaíd fights to find her mother, despite the possibility that Selene has turned traitor. She learns to trust in herself, discovering that situations and people aren't always what they seem. Bits of realism lurk beneath this slightly clichéd fantasy, and readers will relate to Anaíd's desire for acceptance and growing independence. The lore is appealing, reminiscent of European old wives' tales with magic steeped in nature and the pitting of faith and selflessness against fear and selfishness. Amid the danger, betrayals, and magic lessons are convenient quick-fix conjurings, some superficial resolutions (Anaíd's sudden beauty sparks instant approval), occasional awkward or unnatural dialogue, and adversaries that seem too easily defeated. Consider only for larger collections with a big fantasy fan base.—Danielle Serra, Cliffside Park Public Library, NJ
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

'The witchcraft aspects of the story are skillfully brought to life, as is the Pyrenean landscape. Fans of Buffy, Potter and Twilight, form an orderly queue' Financial Times 'This magical fantasy has enough invention, adventure and teenage tension running through it to satisfy any young woman who's yearned for a little more magic in her life' mookychick.co.uk 'If you're a fan of the Twilight series, or are partial to a bit of Buffy or Charmed, or are hocus-pocus bonkers, this is one for you ... Mysterious and gripping, War of the Witches is magical in more ways than one!' mykindaplace.com --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens; Reprint edition (September 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159990392X
• ISBN-13: 978-1599903927
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,615,491 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Story Siren Reviews:, September 21, 2008

By 

The Story Siren "Kristi" (Indiana) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The War of the Witches (Hardcover)

Anaid is a smart, dependable, often overlooked teenage girl. She is the exact opposite of her beautiful, fun spirited and exuberant mother. It's hard to believe that the two are even related. On the morning of Anaid's mother disappearance, she discovers that there is much more to her mother than meets the eyes. Selene, her mother, is a witch. "The Chosen One" to be exact, the witch that is prophesied to end the war between the two witch clans.

Taught and trained by four other women of her mother's clan, they discover that Anaid is more powerful than any other witch they have come across. She seems to be the only one that can save Selene from the rival witch clan.



Redefining the term of witch, Carranza immerses her readers in the tale of an unlikely girl, whose powers come from the natural elements found around her. Although the cliche of the unnoticed teenager destined for great things is often overplayed, the actual logistics for this transformation is an astonishing addition to the plot! Teen readers will find themselves easily relating to Anaid and her wish for friendship and her perseverance through her struggles.

Even though the novel starts out slow, it makes up for lack of intrigue in the remaining chapters! While there are many tales of witches, the mythology relating to the history of the clans is sure to captivate the curiosity of any reader. The multiple plot twits will keep readers guessing until the very end!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, May 28, 2008

By 

TeensReadToo "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The War of the Witches (Hardcover)

Anaid is short, too smart for popularity, and embarrassed by her mother.

But when her mother suddenly disappears, Anaid realizes that she's a witch. And not just any witch, but the daughter of the Chosen One.

She's the one who's supposed to end the bloody war between the Odish and the Omar. As she searches for her mother, Anaid finds out more about her heritage and about herself.

I found WAR OF THE WITCHES to be exciting, though it was slightly confusing at parts. There's a great plot and original characters, and if you're a fantasy lover and can get past some of the details, I'm sure you'll like this book.

Reviewed by: Harmony

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyed this tale!, October 13, 2009

By 

D. A. Sterling (Louisiana) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: War of the Witches (Paperback)

I really enjoyed this book. Even though it allowed for another book, it ended the story with very few loose ends!