Customer Reviews

Witch High

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I found that a few of the stories early on in the book were a little awkward, simplistic or predictable. They were definitely still enjoyable, and I'd say that overall the book has a higher success rate than many anthologies. Later, however, the stories are consistently excellent and I could hardly put the book down. Sarah Zettel's "A Family Thing" is a gorgeous examination of witches past and present and where their power really comes from. Debra Dixon's "Coyote Run" is a slightly dark and definitely fascinating tale of gaining a familiar. Esther Friesner's "You Got Served"--about a harried cafeteria worker in a high school full of witches--is silly, but in a gorgeous way that transcends the jokes it could have been reduced to. Bill McCay's "Remedial Magic", about a girl who cares about nothing more than helping her sick mother, made me cry buckets (I still tear up just thinking about it). Pauline Alama's "Homecoming Crone" is both pure unabashed wish-fulfillment fun, and an elegant tale of the nature of magic and friendship.

Overall, this is a wonderful read for teens or adults--fun, touching, and delightful. I did, however, notice some minor inconsistencies that tended to pull me out of the stories a little. In theory these stories all took place at the same location, but some of the school administrators were different (despite references to one or another of them having been there forever), the level of the world's awareness of magic seemed to change, and some other details were different too (one story mentioned that every witch eventually gets a familiar, but you really don't see familiars in the other stories). If you aren't a detail-freak, however, this probably won't bother you much.

Life at Salem Township Public High School #4, also known as Witch High, can be very interesting. With fourteen different tales based both on the students and faculty its something different every day. There are the popular kids, cheerleaders, nerds, outcasts and bad boys each with a different magical adventure.

All fourteen authors were new to me and I found a few that I liked enough to look into their backlist. One of my favorite stories was the quick read Temporal Management by Laura Resnick about a teen that needs to learn a thing or two about time management. I recommend this one to all teen paranormal readers.

For most teens, high school is hard enough without the added stress of magical elements thrown into the mix. But the teens at Salem Public High School #4 not only have to deal with the ins and outs of normal class work, but the additional studying that comes with being a witch as well. You think you can barely stand regular chemistry? Try taking Elemental Chemistry when you can even control your own powers. Not enough time in the day to study for those pesky midterms? Why, there's a spell for that. Don't like the cafeteria's food? Go ahead and transform it--at your own detriment. In a place where nearly anything is possible, a lively time is sure to be had.

Witch High is an absorbing anthology full of fourteen short stories that range from humorous to foreboding, and snarky to heart wrenching. Each story depicts the life of a different person, most of them students, with a couple members of the faculty and staff, and each vary widely. Many of the stories are quite short, giving the reader a slightly rushed impression, and those with an attention for details may be bothered by the occasional contradiction of facts and details between stories. However, if readers can get past those minor faults, they're in for a fun and candid glimpse into an exciting and magical world.

This was a quick read for me for when I'm cooking or in between homework assignments. I enjoyed the anthology, for everything I questioned in the Harry Potter/magical boarding school world there was an answer in one of these stories pretty much. Some fared better then others (I thought the story "Boil and bubble" by Phaedra Wheldon could have benefited from a longer format while Jody Lynn Nye's "A Learning Experience" was perfectly suited to the shorter form), but they all entertained me.

I wouldn't mind if a few even got expanded in some way; Kristine Kathryn Rusch's "Domestic Magic" was well contained, but had little hints at the end that there could be more to the story. Debra Dixon's "Coyote Run" was fascinating in how it approached the traditional role of the witches' familiar and I wouldn't mind if she explored Izzy's life after a bit more.

If you enjoy anthologies this is a solid one. Some of the authors are well known for their anthology works and others have longer novels that their shorter stories don't tie in with and thus don't do those longer works any great justice. In the end its not a bad way to pass some in between free time when a longer novel isn't possible.

Witch High has fourteen short stories in the book, all about the high school life of a witch. I enjoyed reading these stories, although I felt that it was slightly lacking in some areas. I didn't feel like any of the stories were funny, and I missed the humor that I was looking for. I also felt that the authors in the story should have come up with a way to connect the stories, other than just the name of the school. Maybe the characters from one story could show up in another story, or even a class could be the same.

I had two favorite stories: Remedial Magic by Bill McCay and Late Bloomer by Karen. Remedial Magic is about a Saranne, a young girl whose mother was sick and dying and how she tried to help save her mother's life. Late Bloomer is about Addi, a high schooler whose magic hadn't shown up yet and how the group she was welcomed into helped her find her magic.

Witchcraft in Salem doesn't just belong in the history books. Witchy teens are living among normals, but at school, things are different. Witch High is just your average high school - you have the jocks, the cliques, the queen B's, and the geeks. It's really the same, but add a dose of magic. Spells go awry, mean girls rule the hallways, lunchtime can be horrible, and there are always classes you don't want to take. Failing magical classes becomes a whole new kind of failing.

There are 14 tales centering around this high school. While I don't normally read short stories (I always think they would make better books), these were wonderful. They captured my attention. I only wish that some of the tales overlapped characters.

Honestly not a great deal to say, really--this was a mostly enjoyable read. Not all of the stories are home runs, and a few seem a bit too focused on teen angst, but some were real gems.

A nice addition to my collection of similar anthologies.

WITCH HIGH is a fun anthology that takes place at Salem Township Public High School #4, aka Witch High. Using the theme of the high school, each story weaves another piece of the fabric that is the history behind the school. The stories all reveal that even those with magical powers suffer the same struggles in high school as the non-magical kids. There are bullies, there is heartbreak, there are cliques, and so much more.

Containing fourteen different stories, each author takes on a different idea and uses their imagination to create unique situations for their characters. Not reading much paranormal fiction personally, I will admit that none of the authors were known to me. But that did not hinder my enjoyment of the stories. As with most anthologies, I found that some of the stories spoke to me more than some of the others, but overall, they were all a treat to enjoy.

Pick up WITCH HIGH and you will find out what happens when a fire elemental likes someone who is interested in them back...sparks really do fly! Discover the creative punishment that is inflicted on a student who wreaks havoc on the school and has to pay back the guidance counselor in full. And see what sort of hidden magic a girl with seemingly no magical ability at all can grow.

These are just three of the wonderful stories included in the book. I'd wave my wand over everyone and make them read this book as well, but alas, I truly have no special abilities. At least, none of mine have manifested yet!

Reviewed by: Jaglvr

The premise of this well written fantasy anthology is looking into the lives of the students attending a very special school: Salem Township Public High School #4, better known by those familiar with the curriculum as Witch High. The back cover says it all as "Harry Potter and his friends would feel at home" at Witch High. The authors seem to have fun in spite of the somewhat limitations of topic, age and "locale". The fourteen contributions are all well written with the student talent being magic rather than science or math. Whether it is the cheerleaders using magic to prevent their pyramid from tumbling ("A Perfect Ten" by Christina F. York), the irony of the "Late Bloomer" by Karen Fox who would rather die than attend the school or Josie supervising the school cafeteria ("You Got Served" by Esther M. Friesner), the compilation is a fun lighthearted look at high school through a magical Potter like lens.

Harriet Klausner

Most of the stories were a bit too cutesy for me, and all of them had more than anyone's daily allotment of teenage angst. It felt almost unrelenting. Although most of the stories were ok on a stand-alone basis, I couldn't read more than one or two at a sitting without needing to put it down and read something more mature. It's bad enough I had to live through my own teenage years and problems, but this was like having to be force fed.