Once they were strangers bound by their fears of a demonic entity called
Elizabeth Wither. They saw her come to life on Halloween in the
historic college town of Windale, Massachusetts. They saw their dark
dreams come true by the terror she wrought. They watched her crushing
death in tons of falling stone. But if Wither is gone and their
nightmares are over, why do they wake up screaming?
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Wendy Ward -- a college student with a gift for white magic -- can sense that the town of Windale is in for a dramatic change in weather. There's a new chill in the air....It's whispered in the warnings of an old woman. It's hidden in the corrupting legacy of a newborn baby. It's waiting in an ancient evil impatient for a human host. And it's being carried in the creeping flow of black blood -- Wither's rain.
Wendy Ward, Wendy Ward, Wendy Ward…there’s just something too damn cool about that name. Makes me think of witches, wiccans, cool little towns with cool teenagers that used to drive cool, run-down cars. Oh yeah, and that have cool, hunky boyfriends who now walk with a limp.
Wither’s Rain may just be better than the original…it possesses the power and interesting subject of the first, but here’s it’s more ballsy, seductive, and dark. I devoured the book quicker than I did the original – the plot was addictive, thriller, enthralling. Much happened on the pages, all of it exciting, some of it surprising, and some of it, yes I may say it when referring to a novel that’s suited for all ages – well, demented and morbid as hell.
While how Wither comes back isn’t anything new and may even induce a few rolled eyes, (it’s been done many, many, many times before), I looked over it for the most part. Wendy is as great and real as ever, her new self-doubt adding another layer. The wicked witch of the book is as bad as ever – nah, scratch that, even worse, showing a delightfully evil side that left me cackling, braying, and then nearly sobbing. Well done!
As was the case with its predecessor, Wither’s Rain isn’t the fastest paced broomstick ride around, but it’s never dull. The final show down was a blast. There were even a few things that happened that showed me Passarella was prepared to go farther than I originally gave him credit for.
As before, his writing comes across stylish, intimate, and well-phrased. He breathes life into his characters, and the scenes, being well constructed, all blend together to create a magic even Wither herself would envy.
Give it a read – it’s worth it. And while you’re at it, if you haven’t already, pick yourself up a copy of the original and third as well. All of them together equal an experience not to be missed.
Wither's Rain : A Wendy Ward Novel
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