Review: Ottilie Colter and the Withering World
Ottilie Colter and the Withering World by Rhiannon Williams
Published by Hardie Grant Children's Publishing
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Synopsis
In the breathtaking final instalment of the middle-grade fantasy series the Narroway Trilogy, all will be revealed ... and not everything is as it seems.
Ottilie and her friends are members of the Narroway Hunt, a secret organisation that trains children to kill bloodthirsty monsters called dredretches.
Now, the huntsmen are under attack - by something far worse than dredretches. A witch is cursing them one by one, making them unwilling participants in a vengeful scheme. But what, exactly, is she planning - and will Ottilie have to join her to find out?
The thrilling conclusion to a much-loved trilogy about friendship, changing loyalties and never, ever giving up.
Review
Ottlie Colter and the Withering World is the final instalment of Rhiannon William’s middle grade fantasy series The Narroway Trilogy.
In this book, the dramatic events of the series culminate, resulting in an entertaining and satisfying trilogy. This review is short, as it is much harder to review without spoilers the further into a series you get. You can read my reviews of book one and book two for my thoughts.
As a whole, I found the Narroway trilogy to be well-paced with a good balance between plot, individual character and relationship development. To create a meaningful story for children, I believe an author must respect their capacity to read about and process complex issues, while writing in a way that is accessible to their reading level and that is engaging and entertaining for them. From my perspective this series achieves this standard, and provides a story that is fun for older readers.
Each book in the series has a separate plot that is still part of the larger trilogy story. I found each book’s ending satisfying but left me wanting to read the next. I loved how William tied the narrative threads all together by the end with a satisfying overall conclusion that was open to possible futures.
The range of characters is wonderful, and I loved the depth to each of them. Each had complex characteristics that weren’t presented as a simple strength or weakness. For example, Ottilie’s capacity for questioning and doubt makes it hard for her to master some aspects of the hunt, but also means she can question authority and not just accept information or instructions at face value.
The Narroway Trilogy, and in particular The Withering World, asks big questions about what justice really means, compared to punishment or revenge. Williams leaves space for the reader to consider, while still giving Ottilie a clear moral stance to take.
I found this to be a very enjoyable reading experience, and would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys middle grade fantasy.