Ava and Kaye used to be best friends. Until one night two years ago, vampires broke through the magical barrier protecting their town, and Kaye’s mother was killed, and Ava was turned into a vampire. Since then, Ava has been trapped in her house. Kaye, now at the end of her training as a Flame witch, is ready to fulfill her duty of killing any vampires that threaten the town, including Ava. When Ava Finally escapes, Kaye follows her and convinces her to travel together into the forest, while secretly planning to turn her in.
Plot
This book was advertised as a queer retelling of Rapunzel which I was very excited to read. And while there are definitely elements of the book that reminded me of Rapunzel, the plot definitely took on a life of its own shortly after Ava escapes from her home. The plot was intriguing but didn’t hold the same interest for me that the initial premise did. I found a handful of plot holes that I struggled to overcome enough to feel completely invested in the story.
Characters
Ava and Kaye are the main characters of the book and the subjects of the enemies-to-lovers storyline. The book does alternate perspectives between the two and I found myself more drawn to Kaye’s perspective and motive than Ava. While Ava had her own pluses, her personality fell a bit flat for me. I had hoped for some more chemistry between the characters and while their relationship followed the usual formula for a love story of this kind, it ultimately wasn’t convincing.
Setting
I really enjoyed the world of this book and the magical elements. The author clearly put a lot of thought and love into the world-building elements of the story. The witches' magic wasn’t entirely unique but performed a unique role in the plot that I haven’t seen in YA Fantasy before. Likewise, the author offered some new twists on vampirism which were reflected in the world-building.
My Recommendation
The Witch and The Vampire is the latest book by veteran writer Francesca Flores. The author clearly has a talent for world-building, as the setting and magical elements of the book were unique and compelling. Unfortunately, by turning the plot into a retelling of Rapunzel with an enemies-to-lovers subplot, the world didn’t get to shine as much as I believe it could have with another story. If you’re looking for an exciting weekend read and you’re a big fan of queer fairytale retellings, this book is worth the read!
