Format: Hardcover, 352 pages
Release Date: September 20, 2016
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Source: Library
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Lily Proctor has come a long way from the weak, sickly girl she used to be. She has gained power as a witch and a leader, found her way home, chosen to face battle again, and (after losing her first love and being betrayed by her new love) she has learned more about loss and grief than she ever wanted to know.
Thrust once again into a society different from anything they have ever seen, Lily and her coven are determined to find answers―to find a new path to victory, a way to defeat the monstrous Woven without resorting to nuclear weapons or becoming a tyrannical mass murderer like her alternate self, Lillian. But sometimes winning requires sacrifices . . . and when the only clear path to victory lies at Lillian's side, what price will Lily be willing to pay?
Witch's Pyre is the third and final installment in author Josephine Angelini's Worldwalker trilogy. Witch's Pyre picks up right where Firewalker ended. Lily Procter, her alt-world
sister Juliet, her alt-world mechanics Tristan & Caleb, friends Breakfast
and Una have been dumped off at a place called Bower City by the Hive. They are
the only survivors of a cross-country journey that saw fierce battles, painful
losses, and an even more painful betrayal that shook Lily's courage and determination to the core.
Lily's group finds themselves guests in a city that seems to be
protected by the Warrior sisters, and the Hive. They are the first visitors to
the city in 20 years. At first glance, things are peaceful and free of
worry. There is virtually no crime since an army of bees ensures that anyone
who steps out of line is quickly dealt with. The bees recognize hostility,
fear, and aggression. A fact that Lily finds out quickly. There are even
soaps that keep the population healthy and living longer than anyone else. If
you are one of the selected that is.
They even have a major trade with the rest of the world who has
abandoned the east coast to their own vices. But, Lily knows that things
are too good to be true, especially after meeting with Grace Bendingtree who
runs the city, along with Toshi, Mala, and Ivan. And most distressing of
all, if you are one of those who has a willstone, you are not allowed to leave.
After being made aware of a secret by Ivan, Lily and her group find themselves
being forced to make adjustments to their plans. Adjustments that send them
back to Lily's world to regroup and once again being chased by FBI Agent Simms.
While the story is flowing forward, there are spots in the story
that are Lillian's memory flashbacks which sort of fills in the gaps
for readers so that they are not left wondering what the bloody crikey is
happening. Lily and her group must find a way to defeat the Hive and
create an unshakable alliance between Outlanders, witches, and Woven in order
stop Grace before Lillian destroys the city with her nuclear weapon. Lillian
won't settle for anything else than Grace's destruction, especially now that
she is dying. Lily must put away her hurt, and her painful losses if she is to
survive to the end of this journey.
While Lily and Lillian have connected on a level that Rowan
finds disturbing, Lily and Lillian are not even close to being the
same person. Lily is more restrained, while Lillian is ambitious to the very
core. Lily has come far from the first novel to a person that can use her
powers for good, not just to meet some far flung goal that she wants to attain.
In the end, I actually found myself feeling a bit for Lillian and what she went
through to make her be the way she was written. When the last page is turned,
you truly have to wonder if she was actually doing the right thing and not some
plan that has no end game but everyone being dead.
Angelini has created a world where there are 13 untouchable
cities all protected by walls in the East. The rest of the country, called
Outlands, has been abandoned and infested by the Hive, the Pack, and the Pride,
among other groups that have no use for humans. Lily has found out that there
are a multitude of other universes where things aren't exactly nice and
pleasant. This is a series that mixes a bit of fantasy, magic, and science fiction to bring a different take on Salem Witches and Alternative Worlds.
