Review: Grimalkin the Witch Assassin by Joseph Delaney
Author: Joseph Delaney
Title: Grimalkin the Witch Assassin
Release: April 2012
Series: The Last Apprentice #9
Reviewer: Chrissy
Source: Library
Purchase: | Book DepositoryOne witch is the most feared, the most ruthless, and the most deadly of all the witches in the county. If she hunts for you, she will find you. If you have crossed her, you don’t stand a chance. She is the witch assassin, and her name is Grimalkin.
Grimalkin’s one alliance is with Tom Ward, the Spook’s apprentice. With Tom, she plans to rid the world of the most terrifying evil, the Fiend, who once did her great wrong.
For the first time, fans of the Last Apprentice series will hear the story from Grimalkin’s side, as she is hunted herself by creatures of darkness set on revenge.
Grimalkin has never been defeated. But can she survive an enemy created for the sole purpose of destroying her?
As I have stated in previous reviews, YA Fiction is not really my cup of tea. I find these books difficult to relate to because the characters often tend to be whining brats whose problems are trivial. However, years ago I discovered a young adult series entitled The Last Apprentice and fell in love automatically. “Now there’s a teenage character with some REAL problems,” I said.
Ever since then I’ve been hooked. The world of Tom Ward, apprentice spook, is one filled with turmoil, difficult decisions, and constant battle against the darkness. And to top it all off, his growing affections for a witch, one who could end up being his undoing, take center stage as the series progresses.
I was slightly concerned when I learned that the latest addition to this series, Grimalkin Witch Assassin, would be told from the perspective of another major character and would not include Tom or John Gregory at all. With bated breath I began the ninth installment.
Grimalkin is the deadliest assassin in the history of the Malkin clan. Her teeth are filed to razor sharp points, her magic is stronger than that of any other witch, and her scissors promise death, destruction, and the loss of thumb bones. One would think that this witch made a pact with the devil and you’d be correct. But when the Fiend kills their spawn Grimalkin seeks vengeance.
Teaming up with Spook John Gregory and his apprentice Tom Ward, Grimalkin does the unthinkable, she detaches the head from the Friend and pins his body to the earth. This tactic will keep him benign for a time but there are other problems to face. The Fiends servants soon begin hunting for Grimalkin in an effort to reunite his head with his body and bring about the ultimate destruction of the world.
It is up to Grimalkin to ensure that this does not happen before Tom finds a way to destroy the Fiend for good. But Grimalkin must face her most dangerous enemy, a creature known as the kretch who was created specifically to bring about her demise.
I loved this book! It was by far the most emotion evoking novel in the series. Readers get to see a side of Grimalkin that we have never seen before. This installment is an emotional rollercoaster. It is filled with excitement, terror, heartbreak, humor, anger, and love. Each chapter brings something new and exciting.
The setting is terrifying, the characters are dynamic, the plot is original and intriguing, and the sequence of events is heart-stopping. Grimalkin Witch Assassin is a stellar read, a page turner, sheer perfection.
While this is a young adult novel, please remember that it does contain some harsh language, frightening images, and a great deal of violence, so it may not be suitable for readers under the age of 14.
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