Groosham Grange (Groosham Grange, #1) (Teens S.) (Read-along)

by Anthony Horowitz

Groosham Grange is a creepy, sarcastically funny read with a touch of mystery. David Eliot is a twelve year old boy who has just been expelled and his parents are furious. They're also pretty unhinged and undoubtedly politically incorrect since we see Mr Eliot hit, stab and drive over Mrs Eliot multiple times in the first twenty or so pages. Apparently Mr Eliot's grandfather used to cane him everyday and it never did him any harm. Except for the sustained damage that led to him being unable to ever walk again. Obviously harmless.

But not to worry, a well timed letter arrives inviting David to attend Groosham Grange, a strict boarding school which believes in discipline, has only one day of holidays and is located on an island with no ferry service. David is packed up and sent off within the hour.

On the journey he meets two other new pupils, Jeffrey and Jill and they make a pack to stick together like The Three Musketeers.

I didn't really care about Jeffrey but I liked Jill and David. Both were adventurous and determined to change their lot rather than accept it. I enjoyed the mystery surrounding the school and the teachers and what was going on. Most of it I guessed, some of it I didn't. The teacher's were pretty obviously supernatural - werewolf, vampire, dead, immortal, etc. I didn't really guess the black magic or that David and Jill are witches.

The ending was too abrupt though. The transition from David's decision to his return home was too quick. Another chapter or two would've given some insight into what David felt, thought, etc, and smoothed the story out.

Overall an amusing read. 4 stars for target audience (and what I originally rated it when I was the target audience), 3.5 stars for me.