Review: A Different Witch

A Different Witch by Debora Geary

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This book points up something that annoys me slightly about Debora Geary's books in general. I enjoy the books, but I don't find the kids credible, especially Aervyn.

Given that the author has kids and I don't, I could be wrong, but the young witches seem to be wiser than the adult ones half the time, and more emotionally stable (despite their high-sugar diet). The thing that really gives me a credibility issue, though, is that they are able to do highly complex magic.

In this volume, Kenna, the one-year-old, whose brain is not developed enough to walk or talk, is able to cast a spell so complex that most of the adults can't figure out how she's doing it. Now, it seems silly to quibble over the brain science of magic when the physics is obviously impossible and it's part of the fantasy, but that's where my willing suspension of disbelief breaks.

Each Geary book is reliably the same. It's heartwarming. Nobody is malicious, there's a great deal of love and mutual respect, and people grow emotionally. In this book, we also get an insight into autism and Asperger's syndrome, which is fascinating, and reminded me of [b:The Speed of Dark|96063|The Speed of Dark|Elizabeth Moon|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320497793s/96063.jpg|1128271] by Elizabeth Moon. I was emotionally moved a number of times, but I'm starting to find the kids a bit annoying.



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