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The Near Witch

by V. E. Schwab

A moorland mystery shaped by old stories

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AlbakiReads Editorial

A moorland mystery shaped by old stories

In the town of Near, warnings about a witch and a lonely, calling wind have long been treated as folklore. Their meaning shifts when a strange boy arrives and children begin disappearing, bringing Lexi into questions of suspicion, local history, and whether the old tale holds more than a warning. The novel combines a young protagonist’s search for answers with fairy-tale and romantic elements. This deluxe edition also includes the in-universe short story “The Ash-Born Boy” and a new introduction by V. E. Schwab.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Teens and young adults interested in historical fantasy.
  • Readers who enjoy fairy-tale elements alongside a mystery involving a small town and its folklore.
  • Those seeking a novel that includes a romance element and additional in-universe material.

Themes

Folklore and beliefIsolation and belongingSuspicion and communityHistory and mystery

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY'S BEST YA OF THE DECADE NEW YORK TIMES bestseller
Brand new edition of Victoria Schwab's long out-of-print, stunning debut.

All-new deluxe edition of an out-of-print gem, containing in-universe short story "The Ash-Born Boy" and a never-before-seen introduction from V.E. Schwab.

The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.

If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.

There are no strangers in the town of Near.

These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.

But when an actual stranger, a boy who seems to fade like smoke, appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.

The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion.

As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi's need to know about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab's debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won't soon forget.
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