To Drown a Witch
Author: Lindsay Olsson
Genre: YA Fantasy, Romantasy
Format: eARC
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (3.75 stars)
Synopsis
In the kingdom of Orlonea, the Witch is the most feared being of all.
Reborn every generation, she alone possesses innate magic, making her both powerful and dangerous in the eyes of the kingdom. So when guards across the city begin dying in gruesome ways, everyone believes only one person could be responsible.
The Witch has returned.
Toran, one of the King's most skilled guards, is given a secret mission: find the Witch and bring her to the King alive. Along the way, he reluctantly recruits Nes, a thief with the rare ability to sense magic, promising to help free her imprisoned father in exchange for her assistance.
As the pair investigate the mysterious murders, long-buried secrets begin coming to light, forcing them to question everything they thought they knew.
My Thoughts
Well...
This book was a bit of a hot mess.
And somehow...
I still had fun with it.
The premise immediately grabbed my attention. The idea of a Witch being reborn every generation, combined with the fear surrounding magic and the brutal witch hunts, created a world I wanted to know more about from the very beginning.
I also enjoyed the partnership between Toran and Nes.
Their reluctant alliance gave the story a nice balance between mystery and adventure, and I liked following them as they uncovered clues about the murders while slowly learning more about each other. Nes' ability to sense magic was also a fun addition that made the investigation feel a little different from the usual fantasy quests.
The world-building was another highlight.
As more secrets about the Witch, the kingdom, and Toran's own past came to light, I found myself constantly wanting to know what would be revealed next. There were plenty of betrayals, twists, and unexpected discoveries that kept me turning the pages.
That said...
The second half became incredibly chaotic.
So many revelations happened in such a short span of time that I occasionally felt like the story didn't give them enough room to breathe. Instead of letting one major twist settle before moving on, another one would arrive almost immediately, making the ending feel a little unbalanced.
And then...
There's Toran.
Let's just say...
We're not exactly on speaking terms right now.
I understood why he reacted the way he did, but I couldn't help feeling frustrated by his choices. If this series is heading where I think it is, then Book Two has some serious work to do before I'm ready to forgive him.
Let's just say...
I'm expecting some world-class groveling.
Final Thoughts
Despite some uneven pacing toward the end, I genuinely enjoyed To Drown a Witch.
The mystery surrounding the Witch kept me invested, the fantasy world was intriguing, and the ending left me curious enough to immediately want to know what happens next.
Now all that's left is to see whether Toran can redeem himself...
Because at the moment, Nes deserves better. 😄
⭐️ 4 stars
ARC Disclaimer
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.
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