Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published Sep 2016
368 pages
Genre: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Speculative, Alt. History
Publication Information
Two girls are switched at birth: One a witch, destined to be queen; the other a human "chaff". Together they must come to terms with their true identities and face an ancient prophesy.
Poppy Hooper and Ember Hawkweed couldn't lead more different lives. Poppy is a troubled teen: moving from school to school, causing chaos wherever she goes, never making friends or lasting connections. Ember is a young witch, struggling to find a place within her coven and prove her worth. Both are outsiders: feeling like they don't belong and seeking escape.
Poppy and Ember soon become friends, and secretly share knowledge of their two worlds. Little do they know that destiny has brought them together: an ancient prophecy, and a life-changing betrayal. Growing closer, they begin to understand why they've never belonged and the reason they are now forever connected to each other.
Switched at birth by the scheming witch Raven Hawkweed, Poppy and Ember must come to terms with their true identities and fight for their own place in the world. Enter Leo, a homeless boy with a painful past who - befriending them both - tests their love and loyalty. Can Poppy and Ember's friendship survive? And can it withstand the dark forces that are gathering?
"Starred Review. It's a fantasy with the air of a classic, yet one that's also entirely contemporary in its tight focus on identity, friendship, and romance." - Publishers Weekly
"Fantasy and nonfantasy readers alike will appreciate this gritty and intriguing coming-of-age story." - Kirkus
"The romance is a bit superfluous, but for fans of mysticism and witches, this is a must-buy." - School Library Journal
"The Hawkweed Prophecy was bewitching from the get-go. Irena Brignull does an amazing job weaving a tale of pure magic in this debut novel. She'll have you on a roller coaster of emotions from the very first page. Get ready to be spellbound." - Paige McKenzie, author of the New York Times bestselling Haunting of Sunshine Girl series
"Wildly delightful." - Laini Taylor, author of The Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy
"The Hawkweed Prophecy has everything: friendship, desire, delicious earthy magic, secrets and spells and at its centre, the wonderful young Poppy, on a journey of self-discovery. I so hope there is more to come!" - Karen Foxlee, author of Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy and A Most Magical Girl
"Wise, weird, a touch evil and totally charming, Irena Brignull's tale of magic in our time is as rich and complicated as sisterhood. From the first page, I felt drawn into a modern classic." - Anna Godbersen, author of The Luxe and Bright Young Things series
This information about The Hawkweed Prophecy was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Irena Brignull is an acclaimed screenwriter whose credits include The Boxtrolls, Come Together, Skellig, and the upcoming adaptation of the beloved classic, The Little Prince. Previously, Irena was a Script Executive at the BBC and then Head of Development at Dogstar Films where she worked on Shakespeare in Love, Captain Corelli's Mandolin, I Capture the Castle, and Bravo Two Zero. She holds a BA in English Literature from Oxford University.
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