The Black Air

By Author / Illustrator

Jennifer Lane

Genre

Supernatural

Age range(s)

14+

Publisher

UCLan Publishing

ISBN

9781915235312

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

07-09-2023

Synopsis

In a remote village overshadowed by a gruesome legend and ancient superstitions, who can say what's real, what's not, and what should stay buried deep inside your head?

The Black Air is a spellbinding contemporary novel with a dark mystery at its heart. Set in the depths of rural Lancashire as a community marks the 400th anniversary of the Long Byrne witches' deaths, this is a story about obsession, mental health, disordered eating, the supernatural, and the lengths that teenage girls will go to for the sake of all-consuming female friendships.

Cover illustration by Sarah Dennis.

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Reviews

I love this book.

Suggested Reading Age 14+

Caitlin Aspey has always been in thrall to the legend of the Long Byrne witches; Jane Hollingworth and Rose Ackroyd, the last and most infamous of eighteen teenagers hung on the moor, sentenced to death on spurious charges of witchcraft. Haunted by the suicide of her mother, she lives an isolated life on a farm, fuelled mainly by coffee and her love of writing. With her father cosseted in his study, chasing away his demons by immersing himself in work and regarding her stepmother with disdain, it is her best friend Tawny who dominates her life.

Returning to school after the summer, the dull humdrum of academic life is broken when a reenactment of the Long Byrne witch legend is announced. Both Cate and Tawny are desperate to be involved but it is enigmatic newcomer Bryony who looks set to steal the show. With both Cate and Tawny drawn to her and her ominous links to one of the teenage witches, trouble looms and friendships are fractured. Soon the line between myth and reality becomes dangerously blurred and the whole community is doubting the wisdom of resurrecting Long Byrne’s long dead witches.

This is a fabulously dark and atmospheric tale. The evil eye, swirling mists on darkened moors and creepy legends are too tempting for the local teenagers to resist and everyday adolescent tensions are leant a dark and dangerous edge. The often troubled teens are not always likeable but very believable and the setting is perfect for a story with a distinctly gothic spin. An eerie, disturbing drama that doesn't skirt social and mental health issues. Perfect for Hallowe'en.

340 Pages / Reviewed by Clare Wilkins, school librarian