Review of Time Witch by Jacqueline Corcoran

                My first thought when I finished Time Witch by Jacqueline Corcoran was, “More!” I really didn’t want Genevieve’s adventures to end. Maybe I should start at the beginning so you can see what I mean.

                Genevieve’s story begins when her mother doesn’t return home from work. For a young girl who has only her mother and her little dog Angel, that’s a nightmare. I really felt for her as she waiting looking longingly out the window willing every car that drove down the street to be her mother’s. My heart went out to her and Corcoran beautifully crafts Genevieve’s pain and desire without becoming maudlin. While hunting for clues to her mother’s disappearance she discovers a secret way into the turret above their apartment where she finds a mysterious bracelet that seems to be made just for her.

 The next morning, after her mother still doesn’t return, Genevieve tries to get on with her day, dressing in the beautifully made multi-colored sweater her mother had knitted for her (more on that later) and heading off to school, but the stress is too much and Genevieve bolts from the school into the park across the street from their apartment building. Once there, she sees signs that her mother has passed this way and soon, like Alice through the looking glass, she’s pulled from our world into another one.

She stumbles out of a cave into the presence of Ciera and Rowan, a couple of royal teens who are out on a quest to find a stolen horse and the pieces of a magical clock before the dark witch Duvessa and her brainwashed servants get to it. Ciera, in particular is very wary of Genevieve, particularly when Genevieve starts to show signs that she has witch blood, leading them with the help of her new bracelet and an old childishly drawn map, into the lands of the trolls, to the very domain of the Snow Queen.

Time Witch is set in a beautiful fantasy world and keeps you turning pages. I won’t go too much further into the story because I don’t want to give it away. Suffice to say there are plenty of twists and turns and Genevieve learns quite a bit about herself on the way. I wish there had been a map included. I really wanted to see where they were going and what was up ahead. There’s quite a bit of travel through this lush world as they try and find the pieces of clock to keep time itself from unraveling and avoid the Witch Duvessa’s minions. All the while, Genevieve is still looking for her mother and worried about her little dog Angel whom she’d left in the “real” world.   

The main storyline is resolved and Genevieve is spit back into our world, though there are still quite a few doors left open. Very cleverly, Corcoran sets us up for a sequel. I, for one, am looking forward to Genevieve’s next adventure through the stones of Dumbarton Oaks.

Time Witch by Jacqueline Corcoran is available through Solstice Publishing and Amazon.com.