Nicholas Bowling

Alyce's mother has been executed for witchcraft and now Alyce is in Bedlam. A opportunity arises so Alyce can escape, but she finds herself in London at the time of two rival queens.

There were lots of elements to this story that I enjoyed. Firstly the historical setting of London with the two queens, Elizabeth and Mary of Scots. Throw witchcraft into the mix and I'm all for it.

For me however the story is YA, and I find I don't always get on with it too well. Alyce is finding herself in all sorts of situations and I found her running around London like Nancy Drew. This isn't a bad thing and it's not the book at fault, I just find YA too young for me.

The story did have some interesting parts and it did have a little twist. I found the plot of the story interesting but did find I was skipping a few pages here and there to get to the best parts. First half of the book was very good but I found the middle section a little flat and then the end picked up. Overall an ok read but I had high expectations.… (meer)

With both fictitious characters and those based on real historical characters (including Queen Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots), this is a creatively imagined twist on the history of witchcraft in 16th Century England.

The main character, Alyce, is thrown into a dangerous adventure when her mother is hunted down and burned at the stake. Evading the witch hunters, coming to understand what she really is, and unraveling the mystery related to her birth, keeps Alyce reeling through the entire book.

This is a fast paced read that blends historical facts with fantasy and magic. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to readers young and old.… (meer)