The Apprentice Witnesser
Bren MacDibble
The Apprentice Witnesser
Bren MacDibble
That's what my photos are. Little moments. All the good moments, the kind moments, the moments of care and love that, if you add them all together, make a life sweet.
Bastienne Scull is a young orphan who lives with the local Witnesser of Miracles, Lodyma Darsey, who investigates 'miraculous events' and spins them into stories she tells at the night markets.
After Lodyma's husband and elder son died of a sickness that continues to sweep the land, she sent her teenage son Osmin into the hills to live with the mountain men. That was ten years ago, and Lodyma doesn't know if he's alive or dead. And she's taken Bastienne as an apprentice to fill the void of her lost family.
One day, two young boys arrive in town asking Lodyma to go on a mysterious mission to a monastery. And when Lodyma and Bastienne arrive, what they discover will change their lives.
A wonderful novel, full of hope, courage, resilience and family.
Review
Joe Murray
Basti lives in a world much smaller than our own, a world of villages and tight-knit communities created after climate collapse and deadly disease wiped out all cities and most modern technology. Together with her adoptive guardian Lodyma, Basti earns her keep as a Witnesser of Miracles, experiencing the inexplicable occurrences of their home and spinning them into stories they share at the market. The two both live in the shadow of their shattered families – Basti orphaned and always feeling out of place, and Lodyma still searching for the son she had to abandon to save his life – but when they learn of a new miracle left on the doorstep of a distant monastery, family is the very thing they’ll have to face.
Once again Bren MacDibble has combined fascinating worldbuilding with emotionally resonant storytelling to create something truly special. I was immediately caught up in Basti’s precocious and empathetic voice and drawn into the mystery of her adventure. Although this is a story of a broken world and a broken family, MacDibble maintains a sense of optimism and hope that acknowledges darkness but never dwells on it. The Apprentice Witnesser is a thoughtful and thought-provoking tale perfect for ages 10+.
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