Half Bad

By Author / Illustrator

Sally Green

Genre

Adventure

Age range(s)

11+

Publisher

Penguin Random House Children's UK

ISBN

9780141350868

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

03-03-2014

Synopsis

Meet Nathan Byrn . . .

He's half White Witch, half Black Witch.
His mother was a healer, his father is a killer.
He's been kept in a cage since he was fourteen.

But if White Witches are good and Black Witches are evil, what happens if you are both?

'A book about witches with no owls and not a pair of round spectacles in sight. The new Hunger Games,I suspect... Brilliant and utterly compelling - I loved it.' Kate Atkinson, author of Life after Lifeand Behind the Scenes of the Museum

'Teens rejoice: the inheritor to Stephenie Meyer's crown has arrived.' Fiona Wilson, The Times

'Edgy, arresting and brilliantly written, Half Bad grips you from the first page and doesn't let go.' Michael Grant, author of Gone

'A brilliant debut that is both deeply unique and unsettling, one that chilled me to the bone and broke my heart even as I sped through its pages. This will haunt you.' Marie Lu, author of Legend

'Take our word for it, this book is going to be huge.' Stylist

'Brilliantly paced with more than a few nasty surprises, Half Bad is a wickedly addictive read that will capture the imagination of any fan of YA fiction.' Starburst

'Not since the Harry Potter books - yes, I said it! - have I felt so fully immersed in an author's creation... I couldn't be more stoked over Half Bad, and this launch novel of a trilogy truly deserves all the hype surrounding it - and much more...' Amanda Hurley, Inkwood Books

Reviews

Although most humans dont even know of their existence, White Witches and Black Witches are at war with each other within modern society. Nathan is persecuted at school, has his movements restricted and is constantly watched because he is a Half Code; half White and half Black. He is 14 when he is kidnapped from his home and taken from his loving grandmother, brother and White Witch girlfriend and kept at a remote cottage, shackled in a cage. As a Half Code, Nathan is stuck in the centre of the struggle between the Witches; the White Witches want to control him and use him to kill his Black Witch father (who he has never met), and the few Black Witches that have survived slaughter by the White Witch Hunters darent trust him.
On his 17th birthday, Nathan needs to be given three gifts and drink the blood of one of his ancestors before he can fully become a witch and develop his powers. How will he be able to do this while locked up in a cage, and who will perform the ceremony? His grandmother has died, and he has no idea where his father is or how to find him. If he doesnt go through the ritual, he will die. Eventually he manages to escape, and is working against the clock to find the one person who can help him.
Nathans character is very skilfully developed, showing us his internal battle against the dark elements of his nature amidst a constant bombardment of abuse and in a poisonous environment where everyone tells him he is bad. He still has the ability to love and trust people despite his experiences. I will be dealing with many pupils begging me for the sequel - I hope Sally Green writes quickly! 376pages / Ages 13+