J. J. Morrison was kind enough to send me a copy of her debut novel, The White Witch, and if you’re a fan of anything Arthurian, this one is for you. “One thousand years after Merlin's death, Avalon stands divided by an enchanted forest. But the magic is weakening. When the last spell breaks, Merlin's descendants will be faced with an old enemy. War is inevitable, and it will awaken something far greater than anyone could imagine. The age of rulers and kingdoms is almost at an end. The White Witch is coming…”—Goodreads synopsis.
My favorite aspect of this story was the world-building. While the characters and the plot were equally intriguing, it was the depictions of a medieval village lost in a dark woodland setting that truly hooked me. Morrison’s writing style is very easy to become attuned with—the chapters flowed well and the pace, while perhaps a bit slow at first, picks up about midway. At first, there is a lot of information being thrown your way, but like I said before, you are likely to be drawn in by the folklore and suddenly you don’t even notice how deeply engrossed in the various subplots you’ve become. Which, for readers who are perhaps not well accustomed to the fantasy genre, is a great thing!
I found the characters to be relatable, which in turns makes them likable. While we may not live in the medieval era, it isn’t too far off to imagine yourself in the struggles of theses characters. I think this also ties back to Morrison’s knack for crafty storytelling. And with this being the first in a trilogy called The Serpent and the Sorcerer, I look forward to reading what else occurs later on!
Because I enjoyed this book so much, I asked the author if she’d partake in a quick Q&A. Below you can find a spoiler-free interview with J. J. Morrison!
—What inspired you to write The White Witch? Why Merlin and Avalon?
I’ve always had an interest in Arthurian Legend. I think that has a lot to do with the fact that my sister, aunt, cousin, grandma and two great grandmothers are/were all called Merlyn (the girl version of Merlin), so I felt in some way connected to the legend. The first play I wrote in primary school was about King Arthur and the Sword in the Stone. My friends and I performed it in assembly and it went down so well we were asked to visit several classrooms to perform it again. It was such a fun experience and a happy childhood memory of mine. Ever since then, revisiting the legend makes me feel all warm and nostalgic.
—Which character would you say reminds you of yourself?
That’s a tough one. I think I might be an amalgamation of Iris and William. Like Iris, I can be stubborn and a tad impulsive at times, which, as we see in the book, can lead to all kinds of trouble! But I do have a cautious side to me as well, a touch of the sensible William. It really depends on the day and situation. Ultimately, though, all of our hearts are in the right place.
—Did you listen to a certain playlist or music genre while writing the book?
I like to listen to epic instrumental music at the beginning and end of the writing day – it helps me to visualise a scene; sometimes, I come up with an entirely new scene based on what I’m listening to. I’m a big fan of Hans Zimmer, Howard Shore, Trevor Jones (who composed the beautiful score for the 1998 Merlin miniseries, which I loved), John Williams and Ramin Djawadi. They’re all such fantastic composers.
—What was the most challenging scene to write?
I found the fight scenes particularly tricky. Everything is moving quickly and there are so many things going on at once but you still need to pack in description to give readers a clear idea of what is happening. My concern was that it was going to be confusing and difficult to follow. That’s going to be an ongoing challenge for me because there are a lot of fights to come in the next two books.
—Any news about the second novel in the trilogy?
The second novel is going to be released later this year. I have finally decided on a name, which I will be revealing on my Instagram in the next couple of weeks. While I don’t want to give too much away, I will say we are going to be visiting a few new places in this book, including Camelot, and meeting some familiar characters from Arthurian Legend along the way. There will also be flashbacks to the days of young Merlin.
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