From the creator of Dragonbreath comes a tale of witches, minions, and one fantastic castle, just right for fans of Roald Dahl and Tom Angleberger.
When Molly shows up on Castle Hangnail's doorstep to fill the vacancy for a wicked witch, the castle's minions are understandably dubious. After all, she is twelve years old, barely five feet tall, and quite polite. (The minions are used to tall, demanding evil sorceresses with razor-sharp cheekbones.) But the castle desperately needs a master or else the Board of Magic will decommission it, leaving all the minions without the home they love. So when Molly assures them she is quite wicked indeed (So wicked! REALLY wicked!) and begins completing the tasks required by the Board of Magic for approval, everyone feels hopeful. Unfortunately, it turns out that Molly has quite a few secrets, including the biggest one of all: that she isn't who she says she is.
This quirky, richly illustrated novel is filled with humor, magic, and an unforgettable all-star cast of castle characters.
Customer Reviews
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful.
You can accomplish a lot of magic, one minute at a time.
By H Waterhouse
I have always enjoyed the way that Terry Pratchett books can be enjoyed on many levels. On the surface, they are... cute. There's no other way to describe it. But dig just a tiny bit deeper and there is a world of intelligent commentary -- not HIDDEN from the mid-grade reader, just not bludgeoning them with "morality" or "ethics".Vernon has accomplished the same trick with Castle Hangnail. On the first-level, it's a story about a little witch, a little castle, a little list of tasks to be accomplished. Molly is short and maybe a little pudgy, with fuzzy brown hair and brown eyes and decided opinions about gardening, food, and not wanting to be the Good Twin. She wants to be a Wicked Witch, but not an EVIL Witch, and she has a kind streak a mile wide, which is not at all the same thing as being Nice, or even Good. I feel like it's a loving nod at who Granny Weatherwax might have started out as, without being tediously derivative. Molly is herself.I just handed this book to my 12 year old, who squealed and said, "YAY NEW URSULA." I'll append his review, but so far he has forgotten he has an open bag of Cheezits by his hand -- too busy reading.On another level, Molly has a lot of grown-up problems. She is battling to be recognized as competent at her job, because she doesn't look like what people expect. She has impostor syndrome, and is pretty sure she is not qualified, even though she is managing all her tasks competently. And then there is the abusive friendship she has been in, where someone older and more powerful than she is has made her feel weak and powerless, and somehow to blame for that. I'm not saying a 12 year old will say, "hey, I'm in an abusive friendship", but I hope that sometime in their lives they will think of Molly saying "no!" and firmly stopping someone from making her feel bad. That would be a beautiful outcome.I loved Molly, of course, in her kindness and flailing and willingness to really work at a problem. I also loved the Majordomo who has his own relationship traumas and angers to overcome. The supporting cast was all lovely and warm and individual, even Dragon the Donkey and the non-speaking characters. It was very much a story about community and mutuality.The writing was wry and funny without being inaccessible for moderate readers. The illustrations, as one expects, are charming and just faintly creepy. The book as a whole is just.... lovely, and it makes me happy to have read it and happy to give it to my kids.Read if: You like spunky, practical heroines. You are not on a medical regimen that prevents giggling.Skip if: You are allergic to girl power or the thought that 12 year olds can change small parts of the world.Also read: The Tiffany Aching books in the Discworld series.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.Quiet Personal Courage for the Youth Fantasy crowd
By A. Pogue
A terrific read, the best to date I think from Ursula Vernon for the Middle School on up crowd, especially the 'on up' age group. As everyone is saying, it's wacky & fun, has a terrific world-setting and likable and very real-seeming characters.Refreshingly clear of both drippy morality & the faux-violence seen in so many children's stories from the last few decades 'Castle Hangnail' is still a Kid's Book in the best sense of the term. It is a "fairy tale" with real people in it, including people who are Minotaurs and bats, animated suits of armor and moles - there's a burlap not-voodoo doll and a goldfish with their own tale, well worth a book of their own, or at least an illustrated novella (we hope!)At its core it's about backbone with a large dose of delight and affection; about finding the courage to be yourself when you've been brainwashed into self-doubt. It's about good friends and bad, and while that sounds dangerously close to drippy morality it is absolutely not: it's told as a vivid personal reality, a story that needs to get out, particularly to 12 year old girls & minions.'Hangnail' is a rollicking good story with the suspense to hold anyone's attention and just enough illustrations to make you want more. I'm giving it to all my grandkids as they're old enough to read it.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.Moles! Minions! Magic! And a 12-year old named Molly, who *may* be the new Master of Castle Hangnail! (Must Read!)
By medicmsh
The Minions of Castle Hangnail have been barely getting by without a Master for quite some time. So, when a frizzly-haired 12-year-old knocks on the front door and informs the staff that she is the long-awaited New Master, the Minions are hopeful, but inclined to be a bit skeptical. Fortunately, the Board of Magic has provided a straightforward magical checklist of required Tasks. So long as Molly can demonstrate her ability to be properly Masterful, with a bit of Smiting here, some Blighting there, the usual Defending and Securing of the Castle, and of course Winning the Hearts and Minds of the Townsfolk, the Board of Magic will give her the necessary magical seal of approval. The problem is, although Molly aspires to be sufficiently Wicked to rule the Castle, she doesn't want to be Wicked in a way that's Evil. So her solutions to the standard Tasks are... non-standard. But, with the aid of assorted Moles, Bats, a fire-breathing Donkey, various locals, and the ever-more-enthusiastic Minions, Molly seems well on her way to establishing herself... Until *another* claimant arrives to challenge Molly for Mastery of Castle Hangnail.
