Description: Gr 8 Up-Sixteen-year-old Rune has been raised since birth by Matilde, the crone who lives in the cottage just beyond the Hedge that separates the village from the foreboding Schwarzwald. Until now, the Black Forest has protected Rune from the terrible events of the past. But those long-ago secrets--whispers of magic, witchcraft, and murder--soon replace the safety and comfort of the forest with menace and evil. The teen begins to hear her dead mother, rumored to be a powerful witch, speaking to her. And those murmurs are urging Rune to wreak havoc on the village and the people who burned her mother at the stake. Laurentz is the son of the Electrorate. A chance meeting with the protagonist reveals dark secrets in his own family. Certain he has been bewitched, Laurentz is no longer sure whom to trust. Murgia's dual narration makes this historical fantasy a compelling read. The plot-driven text quickly moves the story forward, and the vivid descriptions of 17th-century southwestern Germany pull readers in. Lead and supporting characters are a bit flat and two-dimensional, but the pacing and narrative are absorbing. A solid novel for fans of historical fantasy that are looking for a fast-paced, action-filled tale.-Elaine Baran Black, Georgia Public Library Service, Atlanta

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