"The trick is to not mind. Not mind about it hurting, not mind about anything."

In the world that Half Bad creates, witches live secretly among humankind. The narrative of this novel tells the story of Nathan, a young witch who does not quite fit in. Nathan is half white witch and half black witch, thus making him 'half bad', as black witches are feared and hunted by the white. In order for him to survive, Nathan must receive three gifts before his seventeenth birthday before he is caught by those who do not want it to happen.

This book is full of really interesting characters that were not always easy to read nor likeable. The protagonist Nathan is a conflicted character and I felt that really helped to translate the world of the narrative and how Nathan is struggling to survive in a world that rejects him. I also found the novel to be an incredibly original concept; in a time where J.K. Rowling dominates the witchcraft fiction market, it is a fresh new look to what readers may be used to. Sally Green's gritty approach to witches has received heaps of praise which for the main part is completely deserved.

On the other hand, I did feel that certain parts of the novel were relatively slow in contrast to the first half of the book (which I could not put down!). This could just be a case of the narrative gradually building up towards the ending when it then regained its momentum. However the positive outweighs any negative points for this novel.

Overall, I am looking forward to the next books to complete the Half Life trilogy and Half Bad really excels at grabbing the reader's attention. If you enjoy books such as The Hunger Games this may be the book for you, as the approach to a well-read genre is similar and suitable for an older audience. Four out of five stars!

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