Another wizard book fresh off the press! James Patterson's Witch and Wizard is yet another take on the "supernatural kids with powers" storyline. I know there are as many witch and wizard books out there as there are vampire books these days, but I am not going to lie- I LOVE witch and wizard books! Who doesn't want a power? Teleportation, telekinesis, reading minds, bursting into flames, controlling the weather... who doesn't want to have a power?!
Whit and Wisty are a brother and sister who find themselves under a new government that has it out for witchcraft and all those who practice. When the police and neighborhood thugs burst into their house one night and arrest them, strange things start happening. Wisty can disappear. Whit can create a storm like no other. Wisty can even burst into flames while never getting burned (but it sure scares those cops!). They are beginning to realize they are different, special even, and that their parents have been hiding something from them.
In a new world where all who are suspected of witchcraft are imprisoned before meeting an even worse fate, Whit and Wisty are saved by Whit's girlfriend- the very same girlfriend who disappeared months ago and is now a spirit roaming between worlds. They find out they are not the only kids the government has imprisoned and their parents are now on the Most Wanted list. Once they break free, they find other kids on the run- most don't have any special powers at all; they are just guilty of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. These kids have created a little civilization of their own and are planning a jailbreak- one they need Whit and Wisty's help to pull off. But as they learn more about the new world, they find they might be the brother and sister from the prophecy who will be the ultimate challenge to the new regime.
This book has a great premise, a very interesting plot, and best of all- witches and wizards. But somehow, it fell a little flat for me. It is a quick read, not the best writing, the characters aren't really developed or overly interesting, and some of the plot twists are a little predictable. The thing that irritated me the most, though, was reading Wisty's dialogue. She speaks like a painfully whiny teenager. While I appreciate Patterson trying to make the story as realistic as possible, Wisty's dialogue was a bit overdone- possibly the result of a middle-aged man trying to write as a 15 year old girl? Unfortunately, the Young Adult genre has become such an amazing home for beautiful and exciting writing and mediocre just doesn't do it for me anymore. And that is just what this book is- mediocre, nothing special, just OK. Of course it is the start of a series with many more to come. While I will probably read the rest of the series, I have a feeling I will be disappointed with each installment unless Patterson decides to up the ante. The book isn't horrible, but there are just so many amazing books out there, it seems silly to seek this book out. Better to check out Eragon, Charlie Bones, Inkheart, Shiver, City of Bones, or any number of other great books about the supernatural or mythical world.
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