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Witch & Wizard (Witch & Wizard, Bk 1)
Witch Wizard - Witch & Wizard, Bk 1
Author: James Patterson, Gabrielle Charbonnet
The world is changing: the government has seized control of every aspect of society, and now, kids are disappearing. For 15-year-old Wisty and her older brother Whit, life turns upside down when they are torn from their parents one night and slammed into a secret prison for no reason they can comprehend. The New Order, as it is known, is clearly...  more »
ISBN-13: 9780316182522
ISBN-10: 0316182524
Publication Date: 2009
Pages: 314
Rating:
  • Currently 4.5/5 Stars.
 1

4.5 stars, based on 1 rating
Publisher: Little Brown & Company
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover
Members Wishing: 0
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

nantuckerin avatar reviewed Witch & Wizard (Witch & Wizard, Bk 1) on + 158 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
After my experience trudging through Pattersons Maximum Ride the first book of his much-heralded Angel Experiment series I really should have known better. I shouldnt havew asted my time on Witch and Wizard. But, the premise nabbed me. The cover art was hot. And the teaser on the back was intriguing. So, I decided to give Patterson a second chance.

My bad.

The plot of Witch and Wizard is one of the book's strong points. In the start of yet another dystopian YA series, readers are introduced to 15-year-old Wisty and 17-year-old Whit Allgood. The siblings are very special, as their parents have always told them. Unfortunately, special isnt a good thing in the New Order, an overthrow government that prosecutes people for nearly any difference. Under the rule of the One Who Is the One and the other Ones (an uber-creepy ruling body), kids with supernatural talent are the biggest criminals of all. Whit and Wisty go from normal kids to wanted criminals overnight when soldiers charge into their house, accuse them of being a witch and a wizard, and take their whole family away. Unfortunately for Wisty and Whit, the legal system is a bit different under the N.O., and so are the prisons

Really, Witch and Wizard suffers from many of the same problems that plagued Maximum Ride. The chapters are insanely, illogically short. I think if the book had been printed in a more reasonable-sized text and some of the two- and three-page chapters were condensed, Witch and Wizard probably only boasts enough actual content to warrant a short story.

Those little annoyances could be overlooked, however, if the writing were better. Even just a little bit better. Patterson writes the most awkward teenage characters Ive ever read. The dialogue is especially painful how many nearly 18-year-old high school quarterbacks do you know that say things like, Well, tough noogies! when theyre really mad? Seriously? I understand the need to keep the language family-friendly for younger audiences, but there many authors out there that infer cursing and adult themes without actually spelling them out for readers.

Patterson also likes to overload the kitch. In one scene, the brother and sister are exploring a magical book that can become anything they want to read. Like Whits favorite book, Percival Johnson and the Thunder Stealer. Or something by Wistys favorite author, K.J. Meyers. Ugh. In a similar scene, Patterson even gives himself a nod (and his ego a stroke) when one character says, Yeah. Kids with wings. Thats likely. Double ugh. This book is for Maximum Ride fans. We get it.

These are only a few of the examples of the awkwardness that is the most defining characteristic of Witch and Wizard. To me, the book was more readable than Maximum Ride, but only marginally. The writing is flat, the characters are colorless, and the authors word choice is, at times, ridiculous. It would be impossible for me to recommend it to anyone. That said, if I was absolutely forced to, I think this book would most appeal to younger, and possibly reluctant readers. The chapters are very short, and it is a quick read. So, the most positive thing I can say for the book is that it didnt take up too much of my time.
susieqmillsacoustics avatar reviewed Witch & Wizard (Witch & Wizard, Bk 1) on + 1061 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
This is a quick read. The story of the brother and sister was good, but it was disappointing and seemed incomplete. The concept of The Ones, the totalitarian state of the New Order and how these things came to be was vague, at best. Even the powers of the brother and sister, the dimensions they encountered and the others they met were all left with unanswered questions. Maybe there is a sequel, but this book felt like coming into the middle of what might have been a good story, but you missed all the background and are left floundering to figure out how to fit the pieces together. It passes the time, but not a satisfying read.
reviewed Witch & Wizard (Witch & Wizard, Bk 1) on + 12 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
I am a huge James Patterson fan and when I bought this book I didnt know that it was solely a children's/teen novel but I enjoyed it just the same. It is very intriguing and keeps your mind thinking all the time. There will be a sequel and I cant wait for it to come! MUST READ!
reviewed Witch & Wizard (Witch & Wizard, Bk 1) on + 3 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
I liked this book. It wasn't super in depth or as intricate as some others, but it was a fun, fast read. I most certainly will read the others in the series when they come out. The characters are likable, and it is action, action, action from page 1. Certainly no boring or slow parts in the book. Again, not an in-depth book, but it does get you hooked.
FiberBabble avatar reviewed Witch & Wizard (Witch & Wizard, Bk 1) on + 33 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
The writing alternated between 'written by an adult trying to sound like a young person' and 'written by a young person with delusions of writing ability'.

At times the dialogue included words that are so out of the norm for - well, anyone who isn't a fierce reader or an English major. At other times, I marveled at how the story could be classified 'Young Adult' when the tone and plot would have been believable only to an elementary school-aged child who had lived a fairly sheltered life.

I'm not a fan of dystopian fiction, and foisting this one on a YA audience smacks of, "Hey, Hunger Games was a huge hit. Let's do something similar. It worked for the sparkly vampires!"

Listening to this on audio with male and female voices probably averted some confusion, unless in the book each chapter was prefaced wtih "Boy voice" and "Girl voice", since it jumped back and forth fairly frequently between the two.

The premise, however, was interesting and I stuck it out to see how this story would end. The two star rating is purely for the story's potential.

I won't be pursuing this series.
Read All 45 Book Reviews of "Witch Wizard Witch Wizard Bk 1"

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reviewed Witch & Wizard (Witch & Wizard, Bk 1) on
Was not very happy with this book. I got bored with it very quickly.
reviewed Witch & Wizard (Witch & Wizard, Bk 1) on
My kiddo got into the Maximum Ride series and wanted to try this one out. I picked it up and figured while I had some time, I'd read it and then we could discuss.

For it's target audience of middle school aged children, it's pretty fun. It reminded me of Harry Potter some because of the witch/wizard thing and also because of the "the one who is the one" thing reminded me of "he who shall not be named". I liked the play on titles of popular artists and bands (De Glooming for De Kooning, Toasterface for Radiohead, etc). It's not as well written as say, Harry Potter or Percy Jackson series, but if you've got a middle schooler that like fantasy, they might enjoy this
reviewed Witch & Wizard (Witch & Wizard, Bk 1) on + 4 more book reviews
Quick read, was expecting more from Patterson. Probably would have enjoyed it more if I was 12.
dragoneyes avatar reviewed Witch & Wizard (Witch & Wizard, Bk 1) on + 788 more book reviews
Love some of Patterson's work, really love YA fiction and really really love a good dystopian novel. This book though didn't have too much to love. The premise was great... the world has been taken over by "the one who is the one" and the government runs everything. Teenage siblings Whit and Wisty are taken away from their parents and put in prison for no reason that they are aware of. While in prison they discover they both have unusual powers... this all sounds great but it really wasn't. I really had a hard time with this book. For one it's a YA book but it seemed like the author really doesn't know young adults. A lot of the dialogue between characters is just ridiculous. Another problem in the book was there was really no excitement. Things happen but not in a way that you really cared to keep reading to see what was next. Also, the plot was very thin. It kind of happened but it was almost missed. Then comes the lovely (*sarcasm*) cliffhanger and the end of the book. So okay, I'm gonna read book 2 but if it doesn't get better (cliffhanger or not), I'm not going any further.
MELNELYNN avatar reviewed Witch & Wizard (Witch & Wizard, Bk 1) on + 669 more book reviews
Witch and Wizard is about two teenagers, a brother and sister who are a wizard and witch. They get taken out of their home, thrown into prison, starved, and put through hell by a New Order or "N.O." of adults that are afraid of kids' powers but especially theirs. Throughout the book, the brother and sister, learn about their powers and their destiny to help others and to save kids from this New Order and new rules.

This book may remind some readers of the Salem witch trials, Hitler's rule, the book and "1984' by George Orwell. All of these events are times when bad things happen to good people just because they are different and have the power to influence the world in a good yet powerful way. This book helps to remind readers that things that happen in history can continue to happen if we do not learn from our mistakes and if we do not learn to accept each others' differences. We need to keep remembering that differences do not make us bad and can actually change the world in positive ways and give everyone hope. James Pattern conveys this message in a powerful way and keeps his readers guessing until the very end and wanting to know what happens next. He really lets the reader feel like they can relate to the characters and that even one person can make a difference if they are willing to stand up for what they believe in. It is not only a book about important lessons, but it has people with special powers, escape scenes and there is something for every kind of reader in this book.
reviewed Witch & Wizard (Witch & Wizard, Bk 1) on + 2 more book reviews
I realized it was written for younger folks, but it is really too simplistic. Won't be reading the rest of the series.
mvtrekkie avatar reviewed Witch & Wizard (Witch & Wizard, Bk 1) on + 231 more book reviews
I really enjoyed this book very much! In fact, I read it in one sitting and I'm a slow reader. I could not put it down. I didn't think I would like it at first since it has as its lead characters, teenagers, but it was fast paced and always kept my interest. Can't wait to read the next in the series.

A fun, light read that really helped me escape the real world for a time.
softrbreeze avatar reviewed Witch & Wizard (Witch & Wizard, Bk 1) on + 27 more book reviews
Fast-paced cutesy thriller- NOT appropriate for someone looking for fleshed out characters and deep plot, but tweens and teens would enjoy. Makes good light beach read.


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