Author: Sally Green
Series: The Half Bad Trilogy #1
Genres: Fiction, YA, Urban, Paranormal
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Source: Paperback
Pages: 394
// Add to GoodReads //
Series: The Half Bad Trilogy #1
Genres: Fiction, YA, Urban, Paranormal
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Source: Paperback
Pages: 394
// Add to GoodReads //
Wanted by no one.
Hunted by everyone.
Sixteen-year-old Nathan lives in a cage: beaten, shackled, trained to kill. In a modern-day England where two warring factions of witches live amongst humans, Nathan is an abomination, the illegitimate son of the world's most terrifying and violent witch, Marcus. Nathan's only hope for survival is to escape his captors, track down Marcus, and receive the three gifts that will bring him into his own magical powers—before it's too late. But how can Nathan find his father when there is no one safe to trust, not even family, not even the girl he loves?
Half Bad is an international sensation and the start of a brilliant trilogy: a gripping tale of alienation and the indomitable will to survive
Found this book in the library, so going into I had no idea what it would bring! But I really liked the cover, it looked beautiful so just picked it up.
THE WORLD: I was a little confused about the world in this book. At part its seemed like it was our normal modern day world, because the book takes place in United Kingdom I think, I dunno I think it's in UK. But there were times where it felt like it was not normal UK but like Harry Potter-ish wizard world. In any case the world set in this book has witches in it. White Witches who are good and kind and protect everyone around and Black Witches (who basically are shamed and discriminated and its basically shame to be seen with one, because they are the most evil creatures on the planet). Then there are Half Codes - witches who are half white half black.
CHARACTERS: The main character in the book is Nathan. He is a Half Code, because his mother had an affair with the leader and the most evil Black Witch of all times. When we meed Nathan he is locked up in a cage like an animal. He lives in the cage and goes out only to use the bathroom, exercise and do jobs. He was put there by the White Which council when he turned fourteen. However, we also see Nathan as a little boy growing up until that point when he is taken away. So Nathan grew up with his maternal grandmother, who loved Nathan and wanted nothing more than for him to be happy, and half siblings, because his mother killed herself. He has and older sister Jessica - who is a white witch and eventually becomes a Hunter. She is total scum. I hated her so much, she had no love for her brother, always tormented him. Nathan wasn't to blame for their mother's actions but she still hated him since day one. Deborah his other sister was a sweetheart and just wanted to have a normal life. Now I just simply loved loved loved Arran, Nathan's brother. Now he was the embodiment of white witch, the pure heart, open soul, kind and most wonderful person in the entire world. He loved Nathan and they had such a strong brother bond. It was pleasure to read.
In this book I also liked Annalise a white witch girl who Nathan has strong feelings towards, and when her family find out they're dating they beat Nathan up. I also liked Gabriel - who is a black witch but is unfortunately trapped in a mortals body. He was sassy and from pretty much the moment he shows up you can tell he falls in love with Nathan.
Character I didn't like or didn't understand was Marcus - Nathan's real father. This guy made no sense to me, I did not understand his part in this book.
In this book I also liked Annalise a white witch girl who Nathan has strong feelings towards, and when her family find out they're dating they beat Nathan up. I also liked Gabriel - who is a black witch but is unfortunately trapped in a mortals body. He was sassy and from pretty much the moment he shows up you can tell he falls in love with Nathan.
Character I didn't like or didn't understand was Marcus - Nathan's real father. This guy made no sense to me, I did not understand his part in this book.
LOVE: So Nathan and Annalise are dating, it's their first love and it's cute, and I liked them together honestly. They were still innocent and let their first emotions show to each other and the passages when they share glances or hold hands were super cute. Yet, I really liked that Nathan had feelings for Gabriel as well. I think this is the first book I have ever read where the love triangle involving a girl and two boys, has a boy in the center of it.
PLUS: I enjoyed the beginning of this book. The chapter showing how Nathan grew up, how much pain he felt for not belonging, how much shame and just plain agony this kid had to bear broke my heart. I loved to read how the grandmother would tell him stories and you could really feel that apart from awful Jessica, the rest of the family accepted Nathan the way he was and ignored the rest of the world. I also liked the part when it tells how one becomes an official witch. So every witch has to receive three gifts from their elder in order to practice magic. It seemed very cool concept to me. What also was very interesting for me to read was Nathan's character itself. He was a very dynamic and versatile character.
PLUS: I enjoyed the beginning of this book. The chapter showing how Nathan grew up, how much pain he felt for not belonging, how much shame and just plain agony this kid had to bear broke my heart. I loved to read how the grandmother would tell him stories and you could really feel that apart from awful Jessica, the rest of the family accepted Nathan the way he was and ignored the rest of the world. I also liked the part when it tells how one becomes an official witch. So every witch has to receive three gifts from their elder in order to practice magic. It seemed very cool concept to me. What also was very interesting for me to read was Nathan's character itself. He was a very dynamic and versatile character.
MINUS: The second half of the book. The pace was too fast and too much stuff was happening so I truly started just skipping some stuff. I feel like the Witch world could have been developed better because I would have loved to read more about the rules of their world.
OVERALL: Overall, I think what captivated me with this book was the first half and Nathan's character. I am definitely thinking of continuing reading this series.
OVERALL: Overall, I think what captivated me with this book was the first half and Nathan's character. I am definitely thinking of continuing reading this series.
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What did you think of HALF BAD?
