The Spook's Apprentice Review

‘The Spooks Apprentice’ by Joseph Delaney

Book Review by Emma McGrath

This novel is the first of the Wardstone chronicles. It falls under fantasy and adventure.

The main character is a thirteen year old boy Thomas ward and is told from his point of view.

The story is set in a world where creatures such as witches, boggarts, ghosts and demons terrorize the good innocent people of the county. These creatures originate from ‘the dark’.

A fearless man John Gregory known as a spook leads his life protecting the county from the dark by taming and bounding the things that go bump in the night.

The spook is feared by all for facing the dark, it’s a lonely job but someone has to do it.

 The spooks getting old and is now looking for a replacement. Many apprentices have failed, given up or been killed. Tom may be the last hope.

This story follows tom and John Gregory, you see his challenges and the fears he has to face in order to be the best spook he can be.

I found this book impossible to put down and read it in one sitting.it was very easy to read even though there were a few uncommon words I had to look up.

The plot was captivating and the text brought the scenery and characters to life with enchanting description.

The characters are very interesting as your always learning their backgrounds. I especially found the character Alice fascinating; the author portrays her as a shifty individual. This always leaves the reader unsure to if she is friend or a foe.

I like the cover of the book it has a picture of the spook and some grim hands reaching out from grates on the forest floor.  This sets the scene for an eerie, spin chilling and gripping novel.

I would undoubtedly recommend this book. However I would advise younger readers to take heed of the warning on the back of the book, ‘not to be read after dark’. Especially those with a nervous disposition as there are some terrifying moments and scary creatures.

I’m looking forward to reading the next in the series ‘The Spooks Curse’

I’m excited for a film adaptation of this book called ‘the seventh son’ which will be released in 2013