Black Spring (Alison Croggon, Walker Books)

Black Spring is a dark, gothic tale inspired by Wuthering Heights. In this fantasy version of 19th-century England, some people are born with magical powers. However, only the male babies who show signs of magic are allowed to grow to become wizards—witch babies are slaughtered. Lina’s eyes show all who look at her that she is a witch, but her father refuses to have her killed. She spends her childhood in the more tolerant South before moving to the desolate North. Unhappy with the witch in the North, the King forces Lina’s family to take in one of his illegitimate children—Damek. Lina and Damek, although they initially dislike one another, become devoted to each other to the point of obsession. When a traveller is killed in their town, the Vendetta starts bringing bloodshed and desperation to the people of the village. What I enjoyed most about this book was the way in which small pieces of information about this magical, bleak world were revealed. The story sticks closely to the basic plot of Wuthering Heights, and as such I found myself waiting for particular things to happen several chapters before they actually came about. This is a great book for young adults who would like something that combines a fantasy tale with the feel of a classic.

Amelia Vahtrick is the children’s book buyer at Better Read Than Dead in Newtown

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

Category: Reviews