The Lost Witch
Age 12+
Personal & Social Issues: Sexuality & Relationships Thrillers Fantasy & Magical Realism Witches & Ghosts Nature, The Natural World
Bea has started to hear and see things that no one else can – creatures, voices, visions. Then strangers visit Bea and tell her she is different: she has the rare powers of a witch. They warn her she is being hunted. Her parents think she is hallucinating and needs help. All Bea wants to do is get on with her life, and to get closer to Lars, the mysterious young man she has met at the skate park. But her life is in danger, and she must break free. The question is – who can she trust?
Carnegie Medal-winner Melvin Burgess returns with a powerful, thrilling fantasy for young adults about magic, myth and following your instincts.
Creators
Melvin Burgess was born in London and brought up in Surrey and Sussex. He has had a variety of jobs before becoming a full-time writer. Before his first novel, he had short stories published and a play broadcast on Radio 4. He is now regarded as one of the best writers in contemporary children's literature, having won the Carnegie Medal and the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize for his acclaimed novel Junk.
Reviews
Extraordinary
Simon Mayo's Books of the Year podcast
Rich, twisty storytelling … Written with observation and skill
Sunday Times
Burgess is a master storyteller
The Times, Children's Book of the Week
The godfather of young adult fiction
BBC Front Row
Melvin Burgess is an original, experimental voice and in his first YA novel for five years he draws on the rich tradition of British fantasy rooted in landscape and folklore
Observer
Burgess’s work remains strong meat, sometimes overwhelming; abduction, seduction, deceit, coercion and the limits of moral responsibility all test the reader’s tolerance of trauma to breaking point in this arresting coming-of-age tale.
Guardian
Tackles issues of control, identity, personal freedom and trust through the medium of folklore and magic… An arresting, high-octane adventure
Daily Mail
…an uncompromising look at issues in a way that doesn’t patronise young adult readers. A tough page-turner.
Big Issue - Kid's Books of 2018
Addressing the subjects of family, inheritance, friendship and politics, this is a compelling and exciting tale for teens
Literary Review
A nuanced and thrilling tale of magic, seduction and coercion
Irish Times
A powerful tale about witchcraft with a truly arresting opening which sucks you in and doesn’t let go.
Irish Independent
A dark, deep tale of magic and manipulation
Deirdre Sullivan, author of Tangleweed and Brine
Myth, magic and following your instincts in a much-anticipated thriller
The Bookseller
Exquisite prose, interesting concepts of alternative worlds and brilliant imagery are all present in this provocative, engrossing novel…
Carousel
Melvin Burgess returns with a tale of witchcraft, brainwashing, family and reclaiming your power … [it] compels the reader to keep turning the pages as surely as any charm.
Inis Reading Guide
A darkly thrilling, well-told tale for 14s plus.
Newbury Weekly
This is an incredibly powerful, thrilling fantasy about magic, myth and following your instincts.
Absolutely Education
A fast paced supernatural thriller that was well worth the wait.
Askews & Holts Library Services
A master of twists and turns, here Burgess has intertwined an adept hand at fantasy whilst still retaining the grittiness of real life.
MinervaReads
