Wednesday 7 April 2010

Hex Hall - Rachel Hawkins

Hex Hall - Rachel Hawkins

Pages: 323
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Release Date: 1st April 2010

When sixteen-year-old Sophie Mercer discovers she’s witch, she imagines life will be full of magic, fun and…well…broomsticks! But her first attempt at a love spell goes disastrously wrong and, as punishment, Sophie is shipped off to Hectate “Hex” Hall, a reform school for witches, shape shifters and faeries.

By the end of her first day among her fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tag-along ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person on campus and the only vampire.

Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students and her only friend is the number-one suspect…

Hex Hall is a truly fantastic novel that I loved every page of. I am so glad it’s the first in a series!

The variety of magical creatures in Hex Hall make this a novel to suit the tastes of every fan of the supernatural. Hectate Hall is home to witches, warlocks, spirits, werewolves, shifters, fairies and even a few vampires who live alongside each other fairly well. And my favourite creature is usually the main character or the gut, and although I really liked Sophie’s witchiness and Archer’s warlock ness, I just couldn’t make my mind up. Persecuted vampires or whimsical fairies? Crazy powerful witches or salivating werewolves? What a choice!

As well as books about mythical creatures, for some reason, I love those that are set in isolated boarding schools. I have no idea why, but it seems sort of romantic. But Hectate “Hex” Hall is far from the usual boarding school depictions. It’s not a sprawling Gothic castle or mansion and it’s rooms aren’t filled with imposing pieces of furniture and historic relics. Hex Hall is miss-match and charmingly higgledy-piggledy. It seems so much more realistic for a place hiding members of a world that needs to stay hidden.

Sophie’s world is a very cool one. I love Rachel Hawkins’ mythology on the origins of the mythical creatures collectively known as the Prodigium. Background like this is very rarely given and it gave Hex Hall such a connection to history and reality. This sense of history and inheritance is enhanced as we learn more about Sophie the dark secrets of her family’s past. It’s such a compelling story and in the last hundred pages of so it was just shock after shock. I didn’t want it to end!

With Hex Hall Rachel Hawkins has written an incredibly funny, magical and engaging story that’ll be a favourite with lots of people and I can’t wait to read the nest instalment of Sophie’s story.

Sophie

12 comments:

  1. Thanks for the great review - it sounds fantastic!

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  2. It's almost like saying: lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Vampires and witches and werewolves, oh my!

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  3. Amazing review (as always) Sophie! Hex Hall sounds really good and entertaining, and I'm happy to hear that this book is only the first book in a series! I'm putting this book on my wishlist right away!

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  4. I so nearly bought this from Waterstones Piccadilly. I wish I had now. I guess I'll just order it. Loved your review, it makes me all crazy for the book.

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  5. I knew you'd love this - I'd have put money on it :) And how cool that you share a name with the MC?!

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  6. Ditto! loved this book. Can't wait 2 read the 2nd one!!

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  7. I love books set in boarding schools too. It always seems like such a fun alternative to regular school. I really want to read this one, although I have been very slightly put off by the fact the paperback looks really chunky - but if you didn't want it to end, I guess that won't be a problem!

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  8. I've just ordered this and I am looking forward to reading it even more now!

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  9. Great review! Glad you enjoyed it - I can't wait for the next one - want more Archer:)

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  10. Wonderful review! I think I need to read Hex Hall. It's very tempting to just head on over to the Book Depository now.

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  11. Really want to read the book now! Sounds like my kinda read..

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  12. I read the book & I love it! I'm now reading it for the second time.

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