Sea Witch Rising

Sea Witch Rising

By Author / Illustrator

Sarah Henning

Genre

Adventure

Age range(s)

11+

Publisher

HarperCollins Publishers

ISBN

9780008356064

Format

Hardback

Published

08-08-2019

Synopsis

This sequel to THE SEA WITCH is an alternative reimagining of Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid. It's a heart-wrenching story about the complications of sisterhood, the uncompromising nature of magic and the cost of redemption.


Alia has made a deal with the Sea Witch to give up her life as a mermaid in exchange for a human soul. Now she has only twelve hours left on land to win the prince she loves, or perish.
But Alia's sister, Runa, knows that the prince isn't capable of true love, so she makes her own bargain with the Sea Witch - and prepares to bring Alia back to the ocean, whether she likes it or not.
Below the waves, the Sea Witch has a plan to challenge the order of the sea. It's going to take power - power she doesn't yet have.
As Runa and the Sea Witch's fates intertwine, they find themselves caught in the middle of a deadly conflict between land and water. Will they be brave enough to sacrifice their own hearts' desires for a chance to save their worlds...?

Reviews

Linda

This is the sequel to Sea Witch, and picks up Evie's story 50 years later. Evie is now the feared Sea Witch and has been imprisoned by the Sea King as he is afraid of what she can do. The Sea King is angry, as he has now lost two daughters, Annemette and Alia. He cannot destroy Evie as she is the only one with the power to get Alia back, but that doesn't stop him from torturing her to keep her in her place... Runa, Alia's twin sister, prepares to bring Alia back as she believes that Prince Niklas is incapable of love, but to do this she must make a bargain with the Sea Witch. Part of that bargain is to kill the Prince. Will Runa be able to convince Alia that this is the way forward? The only way she can become a mermaid again? Once on land, Runa discovers that the land magic is weak, and that humans are not all what they seem. When at last she gets through to her sister and makes her see sense, things do not go to plan. Below the waves, Evie the Sea Witch has also been busy. She feels a change in the ocean and begins to build up her power as the Sea King's is weakening. He cannot survive without Runa's magic; he needs her back. In his weakened state he wages a war on the land as he needs the land magic to show his strength and power. Will he succeed? Will Evie be able to leave her dark underwater cove and go back to land? As Runa and the Sea Witch's fates become intertwined they find themselves caught up in the middle of this deadly conflict between the land and the water. There is more drama, action and tension in this book to the previous one, making it a page turner. Evie and Runa are both such likeable characters, that you cannot help getting behind them to succeed in their tasks. Love is still a focus, but in various forms this time - Runa's love for her sister and Evie's heartbreaking love that has led her to become the witch she now is. Sea Witch Rising has 416 pages that are unique, creative and well executed. The duel narrative makes the book accessible for confident and less confident readers of 13+. I believe the book would also be great for book clubs / intervention groups encouraging further reading of different versions of fairy tales. I have really enjoyed this twist on the original story as I have often wondered what happens after the 'happily ever after' moment. 416 pages / Ages 13+ / Reviewed by Linda Brown, school librarian

Suggested Reading Age 11+

 

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