Having survived the drama in London in Deep Dark, Cassia has been taken to live at Blackhurst by her uncle. Her arrival isn't quite what she expected as her aunt and cousin Emma are rather distant. When things don't settle, her uncle decides the best thing to do is to send Cassia away to boarding school in a remote and bleak area on the moors of Lancashire; annoyed that she feels she is being left out, Emma insists on going too. The idea is a wonderful one to Cassia as she feels it's her chance to get a proper education. But things aren't what they seem and from the very start it is clear to Cassia that something issue wrong at the school, including Emma's stark change in behaviour; she just can't quite put her finger on what it is.
Cassia has already been through a lot (if you haven't read Deep Dark you really should - you can read my review here) and this is supposed to be a new start for her, but it is clear that the school is not going to be the experience she expected. Things are incredibly strict and the older girls behave in the mist unusual way. Cassia had to draw upon every ounce of her resilience to get to the bottom of things.
Life is very isolating for Cassia now she is away from her London friends and everyone seems intent on assuming she is something she really isn't. She is torn between fitting in with the other girls whilst bowing to the rules of the school and befriending Martha who seems to constantly get into trouble and has been deemed a 'bad influence' by the staff. Under the surface, the book cleverly covers the idea of stereotyping, being yourself and prejudices - it would definitely create some very interesting discussions as a class read. Cassia's strength of character and determination once again come to the fore in this book and her loyalty to those she is closest to shines through. She is clearly missing Felix and Tao and, as with her move from India to London, this move to Lancashire is incredibly tough for her - she just wants to find somewhere to call home.
As with Deep Dark, it is clear that something evil is lurking and the wild and remote setting makes the perfect backdrop for dark and mysterious events to unfold. With talk of witches, magpies that can't be trusted and unexplained creatures roaming the moorland, Witch Light is a book readers won't be able to put down; with a setting to rival Wuther Heights and The Hound of the Baskervilles, the second book in the Cassia Thorne Mystery series is a gothic novel that readers are guaranteed to love.
Witch Light publishes on the 9th April.
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