The Last Witch

Loved this.

This is the collection of issues 1-5 of the comic book, and so good, I stopped working to read it, because I wanted to know what would happen next.

Saoirse doesn’t know she is a witch. She had a mark, on her arm, but she doesn’t know what it means, and her mother died, and her father doesn’t know.
But, as usually happens with heroines, they are thrust into the story without this knowledge, and survive, or die trying.

She does have help along the way, which is good. A grandmother figure who may or may not be her actual grandmother, and her brother, and they set out to bring down the evil that is out there trying to kill them.

Fast paced. And this first volume ends on a cliff hanger.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

This was such a fun adventure! I love the art, it was almost like watching a disney movie or something. The characters are great too, I liked them all, and the villains were sufficiently creepy. The pacing was done well and there was so much happening from the get go. I think anyone, especially those in the targeted age group, will really enjoy this! Honestly can't wait for the nexy one.

This is a fast paced, epic read with huge character development and wonderful drawings.
I got the same feeling as when I read the W.I.T.C.H series a loong time ago, and can easily see myself recommending it so fans of said series.

It takes direct inspiration from Irish mythology, which I love, and we follow a young girl who finds she has magical powers, her young brother and her kick ass nan on a journey to rid the world of the terrible witch Cailleach and save the world.

Can't wait to read the next volume.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Boom! Studios for an ARC!

I like this book. The story is good. It reminds me of Hansel and Gretel a little bit.
I especially like the drawings, some are very scary though. Still, I enjoy reading this book.

Rate: 4.5 ⭐️

Hello readers! I received this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had the opportunity to read the first volume of a graphic novel duology that will be released on September by BOOM! Box: “The Last Witch: Fear & Fire”. Written by Conor McCreery (Adventure Time / Regular Show), illustrated by V.V. Glass (Doctor Who), and colored by Natalia Nesterenko.
“The Last Witch: Fear & Fire” is inspired by Scottish mythology and folklore, in particular by the Cailleach, a very powerful witch.

It is Imbolc day, the sun is shining and children should not wander in the woods. Saoirse and Padraig, however, challenge each other to reach the hedge.
Saoirse's journey is immediately interrupted by her father, who brings her back home to take care of Brahm, her sick brother.
But Saoirse is stubborn, besides she has to prove to Padraig that she is not a coward, so once she put Brahm to sleep, she returns to her challenge… followed by Brahm, who has only pretended to fall asleep.
They are about to lose hope when they reach the hedge, and behind the hedge there is a destroyed tower.
The tower, however, is not empty: the witch really exists and she wants to eat them! Suddenly a great force pervades Saoirse, a heat that defends her and her brother and kills the witch.
Nan, their grandmother, an expert in herbs and natural remedies, finds them with answers, but also terrible news. The entire village was exterminated by the Cailleach, which is not the one defeated by Soirse. That was Annis, one of three other sisters, four powerful and cruel witches who are bringing famine and diseases to the population to gain power, so that they can reopen the portal to the fairy world and help their king, the eater, to return and subdue humans.
Saoirse is the only one who can kill them, stop their plan and restore peace to a land devastated by the terrible ambitions of the four witches. But before she can defeat them, she must learn to use her power and not to be corrupted by it.

“The Last Witch: Fear & Fire” was quite a surprise. I was intrigued by the plot and the cover, they promised me an adventurous and beautiful story, and my expectations were not disappointed.
Let's start from the story, inspired by Irish and Scottish folklore: I loved the idea that, at first, the Cailleach was just a story, but then it becomes reality in the most classic way, with the discovery that the witch exists and she eats children.
But then the witches became four, one for each element, we learn about the history between humans and fairies, the war and its consequences, and above all the unexpected truth about Nan and why Saoirse is the only one who can defeat them.
The world, already interesting in its being like a fairytale, widens and we find ourselves catapulted into a much more ancient, epic and dangerous fantastic story.

Let's move on to the characters. Saoirse is adventurous, brave, she doesn't listen to anyone in order to live her adventures and she has a beautiful relationship with her brother. She undergoes one terrible revelation after another; her first reaction is despair, then anger, but then she accepts her task, her mission, and she does everything to carry it on without losing herself, without becoming like the witches she must defeat.
Saoirse is one of those characters that you admire right away, enchanted by her enthusiasm and spirit of adventure.
Brahm is the little brother who would follow his sister to the end of the world, toothless and courageous, he is a source of continuous joy and laughter.

Nan is the grandmother we all want, always with a remedy, many secrets about plants and little magic. She has kept so many secrets hidden to protect her grandchildren, but now she must give them the choice of how to live and what to fight for.
Towards the end of the graphic novel, appears another interesting character, which brings a pinch of humor and... something else!
Terrible as they are, the witches are beautiful visually: earth, water, air and fire. Bronagh and Badb, water and air respectively, were beautifully drawn; Bronagh looked like a sea witch, while Badb looked like a mythological creature. Just WoW!

I can say that I am in love with the illustrations and I can't wait to have them on paper. The colors are bright, strong, powerful, vivid. The story focuses a lot on the characters, which are very defined, but the surroundings are rich in details too.
I also loved the way flashbacks are introduced, very nice.

This graphic novel won me over, history and illustrations. It's a pity that we still don't know when the second volume will be published. I was so caught up in the story and in the drawings that I didn't realize that there weren’t any pages left, and when I turned the last one I was very upset. So, I look forward to the sequel!

I love that this book uses old myth and legend in a new way. The art is STUNNING! The writing is cleverly giving a lesson in the style of classic fairy tales, without letting the reader know that they are learning a lesson. It's clever and I am very excited to read the next one now as well.

This was fantastic. It's got this Irish folktale vibe to it with some banging animation influenced art. It's about a girl who goes in search of a witch on the one day a myth says the witch is out hunting for children. She, of course, realizes there is truth to some folktales as she looks to defeat all the witches left in Ireland.

I ADORED this graphic novel, and it’s not often a middlegrade graphic novel grabs me so fully. This is one I will for sure keep in my top recommendation lists

I received an eARC through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Saoirse wants to celebrate her by going on an adventure to the witch's tower outside of her village. This propels her to discovering her gift. She is a witch and thrust into an adventure with her brother Brahm and her Nan. The goal? Defeat the 4 maidens of Cailleach, witch's in their own right, before they unleash the King of the Faeries who wants nothing but to destroy the world.

This is such a good story. Saoirse is a strong child who has already suffered heartache and loses even more when Cailleach kills everyone in her village. Although, through it all, she finds her strength and pushes through to not only destroy those who caused her hardship, but also protect her little brother. The story is heartwrenching and beautifully dialogued. The art is well done and at times mesmerizing. Brutally honest and beautifully penned, Saoirse's story is not one to be missed. A mesh of Irish folklore and magic, the first installment of Saoirse's journey is just beginning, and I can't wait to see what happens next.

This was so incredible! Like a mixture of Roald Dahl’s The Witches, Faerie Lore, and Arthurian Legend (without Arthur or Merlin, just the setting)! I enjoyed every second of it and can’t wait for the next book!!!