THE NECROMANCER'S APPRENTICE

Twelve-year-old Georgie Smith would do anything to help his father, the Blacksmith, even if it means learning Necromancy.

Georgie doesn’t really remember his mother, but he’s witnessed the years of grief her death has caused his father. He does his best to help around the house and the forge, but Georgie still doesn’t feel like he’s doing enough. When a special commission he delivers for his father turns out to belong to a Necromancer, Georgie has an idea: If he can learn the art of Necromancy, he could bring back his mother, and his father would be happy again. The Necromancer agrees to take Georgie on as an apprentice but cautions that, when it comes to restoring Mum’s life, “I cannot help you. Not with this…But I can teach you.” Despite this warning, Georgie knows that there’s more to Necromancy—and the Necromancer—than meets the eye, and he’s intent on using his training to find an answer to his family’s grief. This character-driven story explores poignant themes of grief, loss, and family through the lens of fantasy and magic. The interesting, complex characters with compelling narrative arcs make up for the somewhat lackluster worldbuilding. Though the core themes are sad ones, this isn’t a heavy read but rather a well-rounded exploration of moving forward in the face of hardship. Major characters read white.

An effective, well-characterized exploration of grief set in a fantasy world.