This is a review of the whole Half Bad trilogy, by Sally Green. I enjoyed it. It's a YA fantasy story with interesting worldbuilding and characterization.

It takes place in a contemporary setting, where there are magical people who live in parallel with the mundane world and hiding from it, kind of like in Harry Potter. These magical people are called witches (there are both male and female witches, but the powerful ones tend to be females, although not all of them). Witches are divided into white and black witches, plus several kinds of half-breeds. Black witches tend to be chaotic and wild, which is not necessarily the same as evil although in some cases it may look like it, and have other unsettling characteristics. White and black witches have traditionally inhabited separate areas, and usually but not always ignore each other. However, at the time of the story, the white witches are governed by fascist-like leaders who cruelly persecute black witches and any other witch who dares oppose them. There are some very powerful black witches, but it's not in their nature to cooperate with each other.

Perhaps the most powerful among the black witches is Marcus, a wild man with the charming habit of devouring his victims' hearts to steal their gifts. Needless to say, the leaders of the white-witches and the hunters (their elite police force) would very much like to capture him and torture him to death.

The trilogy tells the story of a teenager called Nathan, who is the son of this Marcus with a white witch woman. Although he has never had contact with his father, his condition of half-black and Marcus' son results in his being viewed with suspicion and treated in an appalling manner. In the meantime his coming of age ceremony is getting near, and at that time Nathan, like any other young witch, will have to drink blood from an older relative and receive three symbolic gifts in a ceremony that will unlock his magical gift, or he will soon die. His white-witch grandmother, one of the few people who don't hate and fear him, is willing to be the one to give him three gifts, but it's not clear at all that the authorities will allow it.

And that's all I can say without spoilers. The tone of the trilogy is quite dark and bloody, but with plenty of action and wondrous things and powers. The author doesn't shirk from having Nathan show unsettling traits. All in all, a very readable and entertaining read. ( )

Üks parimaid noortekaid, mida üle pika aja lugenud olen.
Esimene pool on eriti hea, teises pooles on juba rohkem traagelniite näha ja autori kogenematus paistis pisut rohkem välja, aga sellegipoolest, suurepärane lugu. ( )

I enjoyed this book. I liked the characters and there was some interesting stylistic choices with the narration. However, the plot was pretty predictable and weak. Overall, I would recommend for people more interested in character than plot. ( )

Man, this book was fucking grim. Gave up at 50%. Started reading "Let's Pretend This Never Happened" by Jenny Lawson to cheer myself up.

And I mean, the writing's good. But this kid just cannot catch a break. Persecuted, tortured, ignored. I quit when there were needles being shoved in fingers. Just...nope. Time to be done. ( )

CW: Torture. Mother committed suicide. ( )