WITCH AND WIZARD

James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet

MSRP $17.99, 320 Pages.

Published by Little, Brown.

One of each, sister and brother, flex their newfound powers.

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 trying to suppress Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Being a Normal Teenager. But while trapped in this totalitarian nightmare, Wisty and Whit discover they have incredible powers they'd never dreamed of. Can this newly minted witch and wizard master their skills in time to save themselves, their parents--and maybe the world?

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Customer Reviews

SethBMC Disappointment

Rating

I had expected more of James Patterson. Rambling, poorly constructed and blocky in both dialogue and structure. This sophomoric exploration of a world leaves the reader saying: "hunh?"

Truly disappointing.

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Very little magic in Witch and Wizard

Rating

After my experience trudging through Patterson's Maximum Ride - the first book of his much-heralded Angel Experiment series - I really should have known better. I shouldn't 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" isn't 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 I've 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 they're 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 Whit's favorite book, "Percival Johnson and the Thunder Stealer." Or something by Wisty's 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. That's 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 author's 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 didn't take up too much of my time.

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Hmm...

Rating

I'm a HUGE James Patterson fan! He's my favorite author but this book really disappointed me. The plot was...creative. Although there were a few corny twists, it was a good idea. And JP is a phenomenal writer so the language was not lacking. However, this book had so many random events in it that it was ridiculous! Plus how did the New Order just occur so quickly? Surely the government would have done something to prevent it? I understand Whit and Wisty are kids and it didn't ever "hit them" until they were imprisoned but come on, children are truly not that naive. If James Patterson is such an enthusiast of "kid power", which is so greatly themed in this book, then why does he make them seem so immature? Wisty comes off a bit babyish through most of the book and it becomes kinda irritating.

The biggest problem was the ending. UGH. Again James Patterson has never disappointed me until now. The ending is clearly just setting up readers for the next book. It seems like this was a quick write, to establish a series for more money. Honestly, the entire book felt rushed and the ideas not well thought out enough.

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I gave it one star...

Rating

...because Amazon won't allow zero stars. Harry Potter marries 1984 and has a horribly deformed, unlikable, and boring child. The jacket cover says "this is the story I was born to tell." If that's true, this book should be an add for contraception.

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Tedious and disappointing

Rating

I've read nearly every of Patterson's books but usually avoid those that are "co-written" and this book reminded me again why I follow that rule. This was very disconjointed, lacked dramatic intrigue where applicable and over dramatized parts that were unnecessary. I forced myself to finish the book thinking it would eventually get better and lo and behold - - IT NEVER DID! Then it had the audacity to claim "To Be Continued", Thanks, but I'll skip the sequel.

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