Our First Review of Teen Read Week!

Witch of the North
by Courtway Jones
Reviewed by Morgaine, 13, from Oregon

One of my favorite books is Witch of the North by Courtway Jones. This is an adaptation of Le Morte d'Arthur--the story of King Arthur. The main character is Morgan Le Fay, Arthur’s half sister. I have read many books about Morgan Le Fay and this book does not exploit her in the same way that most books do. Most people who write about Morgan portray her as an evil seductress out to get Arthur, but this is not so in Witch of the North. Jones portrays Morgan very well, making her a highly intellectual and interesting character.

The way Jones describes Morgan’s anger was absolutely amazing, and I would recommend the book just for that. Still, I would not recommend this for anyone under 12. When reading this book, I would start with the introduction (which is very funny). Jones explains that this is not like Le Morte d'Arthur--Jones changes some things so that it turns out differently.

This book is copyrighted 1992, so you might have to look for it. You might also notice that this is the second book in a trilogy. I have not read the first or third in the trilogy, and Witch of the North still made sense. Overall, I strongly suggest you read this book for its amazing detail, strong characters and wonderful perspective.

Girls, have YOU read a good--or bad--book lately? Send your review to blog@newmoon.org! We'll post a review every day during Teen Read Week!