'Waking the Witch' weaves issues of identity and personal growth with magic and mysticism in its intriguing opening. On the cusp of adulthood, our main character Ivy has found her ideal job, working among butterflies and sharing her love for the fascinating creatures with members of the public. But its her abandonment as a child that still eats away at her, and having finally found a lead in her search for her birth mother, Ivy's life is on the verge of changing forever.
Burge does an admirable job of balancing the wonder and horror of nature, weaving through an unsettling tone, of things not quite right and hiding a darkness barely below the surface. The first-person narrative allows us to quickly relate and sympathise with Ivy, and Burge balances both character and tone well. It's rare to find a book that delves into the mythology and mysticism of Wales, but the tight-knit, often claustrophobic feel of the smaller isles is a prime setting for a story about discovering what lies beneath the surface.
Burge does an admirable job of balancing the wonder and horror of nature, weaving through an unsettling tone, of things not quite right and hiding a darkness barely below the surface. The first-person narrative allows us to quickly relate and sympathise with Ivy, and Burge balances both character and tone well. It's rare to find a book that delves into the mythology and mysticism of Wales, but the tight-knit, often claustrophobic feel of the smaller isles is a prime setting for a story about discovering what lies beneath the surface.