The Ragwitch by Garth Nix
This took me a long time to read. I started it at the beginning of the year, but kept putting it back down. I’ve discovered it’s Garth Nix’s first book, which makes sense having read it - it’s not as polished or gripping as his Old Kingdom trilogy, which is excellent.
The premise is terrifying, and a lot of the book is too - a rag doll, who’s a witch, kidnaps one of the main characters and traps her inside the giant, evil, rag doll body. Unfortunately the quest part takes a bit too long to get going, and I found that the style of writing seemed aimed at younger readers (yep, I do know this is a kids book, I mean young kids rather than teenagers), while the central idea of the ragwitch would have been too scary for them.
Haven’t seen this one. currently reading the 3rd of the Old Kingdom books ‘Abhorsen’. (does anyone else pronounce the ‘bh’ as a ‘V’ sound?)
Also have ‘Mister Monday’ the first of the Keys of the Kingdom series.
02 May 2006 at 8:31 am
I’ll lend it to you if you like. I don’t read the bh as a v, but then I’m not Irish.
Mister Monday was good. Not as good as the Old Kingdom ones. A clever idea though.
02 May 2006 at 9:09 am
neither do I (the bh=v thing). but I have found the Ragwitch (currently reading, am 1/2 way thru) to be very amusing. Have read to Sir thursday in the kttk series, and have finished abhorsen, am going to read what happens to the nicholas character, but cant remember the books name (very frustrating (but its in my public library as something like beyond the wall))…..
01 Aug 2006 at 6:39 am
The book following Nicholas is called The Creature in the Case - it was a short one written for World Book Day. It was good because I was thirsting for more of the story, but not so good because it was so short.
01 Aug 2006 at 9:05 pm