Evernight

The Silver King rules the sprawling city of King's Haven. With the aid of his Chief Witch, Mrs Hester, and an army of enslaved white witches, the Silver King's considerable power permeates the city. But a troubling phenomenon is disturbing the king - white witches are being enticed away by the hated and exiled Hags; rebels, who seek out those whose souls have not been stolen by the evil Mrs Hester. As the Hags grow in power, the Chief Witch seeks ever more desperate ways of controlling them and with a Djinni now under her command, she seeks a permanent and deadly solution.

Meanwhile, beneath the streets, 'tosher' Larabelle Fox continues her daily hunt for treasure in the murky and dangerous sewers. She and her friend Joe barely eke out a living but a chance find changes everything and when Mrs Hester finds out, Larabelle's life is soon in danger.

I loved so many of the ideas in this book and what could have been a complicated and convoluted backstory is neatly explained in a single chapter. It's a thrilling page-turner, brought alive by some wonderfully Dickensian characters. However, there are some very violent and genuinely frightening scenes in this book and whilst I was hooked I would be careful when recommending this to some younger readers. Hugely entertaining and nicely set-up for a sequel but nervous readers, beware!

352 pages / Ages 11+ / Reviewed by Clare Wilkins, school librarian

Suggested Reading Age 11+