Disclaimer: If you haven’t read the first book in the series, A Tale of Magic..., I would strongly recommend reading that book before delving into this novel.
Have you ever dreamed of a faraway land with magic, talking animals, and witches? In this land, magic has just been legalized, or at least that is what everyone thinks. A Tale of Witchcraft... is a one-of-a-kind book! The author, Chris Colfer, grabs readers from the very beginning into a fast-paced, meaningful, and magical tale of friendship and betrayal. The main protagonist, Brystal Evergreen, is known as the Fairy Godmother—the strongest fairy. Brystal’s generosity and optimistic nature fuel her ever-growing passion for teaching young girls and boys how to use their magic for good.
The world is calm and happy, and it seems as if no one dislikes magic. The magical community has worked so hard to be accepted by the Northern, Western, Southern, and Eastern Kingdoms. Acceptance is hard to find when one is different from everyone else. Even if one tries to fit in, only the truest of friends will accept them for who they are. The book opens with the rise of an ancient organization, The Brotherhood. The Brotherhood has been in the shadows for millennia. They have a philosophy that states the world is made to be ruled by man, and anything that seems to defy their belief has to be eliminated, which is the magical community! This beginning enveloped me in a sea of thoughts. How would an organization—with no magic—have a chance at ridding the world of magic? In previous books by Chris Colfer, the beginnings always had a significance, so, at the time, I was unsure what the relevance of The Brotherhood would be until I ventured further into the book.
How would you handle a deadly curse that subjects you to oppression? Would you listen to the negative thoughts in your head—formed from the curse—or would you fight it? After fixing a dam in the Western Kingdom, Brystal’s conscience starts to backfire on her. For example, when the Western Kingdom praised the Fairy Council—a group of fairies striving to help others—Brystal became clouded with pessimistic thoughts. As the novel continues to develop, the curse aggravates Brystal’s mental state, putting her life on the line. Not by coincidence, a witch, Mistress Mara, arrives from her rival school to recruit new students. As the praised Fairy Godmother, Brystal thought that she was the only one who could fix her problems, and by doing so, she pushed away some of her best friends, especially Lucy. Brystal soon realizes that the only way to break the curse is by fighting the negativity and believing in herself!
Brystal guides the reader through the book while she struggles with her rebounding negative thoughts. Similar to Chris Colfer’s other novels, A Tale of Witchcraft... expands on the theme of acceptance within oneself and others, while including a spring of adventure with the turn of every page.
A Tale of Witchcraft... by Chris Colfer. Little Brown Books for Young Readers, 2020. Buy the book here and support Stone Soup in the process!
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