Moonset (The Legacy of Moonset)

This book is not for everyone but it’s simply amazing. It ms helped me get through some dark times in my life and I reread it often. I’ve read many books but this is one of the books I recommend you read before you die. No, I don’t practice witchcraft. Yes, I understand there are magical practitioners who are really good and decent people and those who are not so decent. There’s ethical and less ethical people in every group. Trigger warning- the book does contain some swearing and violence. Moonset is set in an alternative reality where people who practice magic attend school to learn how to control their powers. The world building was very realistic and well thought out. The beginning paragraphs of each chapter are fictional historical records about the horrors carried out by the Moonset coven, and they sound like real historical records. People who use magic have their own lawmakers, police and child welfare services. It looks at the mostly teenage children of the Moonset witch coven and how stigma, fear, hatred and bad rumours follow them in the magical community in North America (USA) as their parents were part of a dangerous terrorist group run by a charismatic and fearsome leader. The children of the Moonset coven have been expelled from each school due to their sister’s antics and are mistrusted and despised for their parents’ crimes. The characters all have flaws, strengths and weaknesses. I don’t agree with all of them but I can understand why they act the way they do. They talk and act like real people - you could write a spin off novel about each of the characters and it would be incredible. Characterisation this solid is rare and hard to find. The novel is very compassionate and intelligent, and talks about survivors of abuse, family abuse, mental health and lgbt relationships sensitively. There’s some very tender moments between the siblings and the protagonist with the main love interest, and the message that children shouldn’t have to pay for their parents’ crimes was handled beautifully.

If you loved the witch eyes series then you will love this series! love the way Scott Tracy made you love the caharacters and want to know more about them by the end of the book. This book was through the eyes of Justin and i think the next book will be from Malcolm' s point of view. again cant wait!!

Granted, Moonset does not have witches of the kind in Macbeth. But this line came to mind unbidden when I was thinking about the book. Readers won’t find any cauldrons here, but there’s fire and toil, and there’s definitely trouble – all of it centered on the magical legacy left to five teenagers by their parents. Intrigued? I certainly was… and I’m pleased to report that I really enjoyed Moonset! The characters were a bit flat, but the story completely offsets that by being really addicting – so much so that I finished the entire thing in one sitting. The book shares the story of five teenagers – Justin, Jenna, Malcolm, Cole and Bailey – who are all children of the witches/warlocks who made up the coven of Moonset. Being a part of a coven is technically normal in witch world. But to be associated with Moonset is a scandal, as they’re known as the terrorist coven that used dark magic for their abominable acts. It’s a lot for them to deal with, especially as it leads to being ostracized, feared, and attacked. The novel follows Justin Daggett, who has two important roles as part of the Moonset coven’s legacy: the peacemaker and the leader. He irons out all the conflicts, and tries to take care of all his siblings (older and younger). He basically is the best representative for Moonset. The variety of problems he faces as a witch, as a teenage boy and as a sibling makes for an interesting mix. I didn’t connect completely with his character, though I certainly sympathized with a lot of what he went through. What slightly disappointed me about this book, apart from my lack of connection with Justin, was how the characters just didn’t completely pop off the page for me. Justin’s siblings, for instance, are present, but not nearly enough for my tastes. We catch glimpses of them here and there, and get to know them on a surface level. Hopefully, as this is a series, we’ll get an opportunity to get to know them more intimately as the series progresses. The story, really, is what blew me away about Moonset. Scott Tracey managed to come up with a completely believable set of facts about witches, their history and the world. Through little snippets at the beginning of each chapter, we learn about the coven of Moonset, their actions and what the impact of those actions was. Not only was the history fascinating (and very well-presented), it was also cool that he managed to integrate the current politics of the witch world into the story as well. There are a few things going on in this book, but the main thing can be broken down into two parts. First, there’s a warlock loose in the town of Carrow Mill and he’s coming after the Moonset kids to recruit them into a second Moonset terrorist coven. This, in itself, is already a terrifying idea, especially when you have to watch the group fight hard against the darkness that threatens to overwhelm them. Second, there’s the mystery surrounding the history of Moonset and how they began and ended. Justin embarks on a pretty intense, confusing journey to discover new facts, but I thought overall that the reveals were done really well. There’s still a lot we don’t know, of course, but what we do discover by the end is enough to whet my appetite. I really enjoyed Moonset, even though I wish I could have connected with the characters more. It’s a strong start for the Legacy of Moonset series, with a world that’s unique and nicely executed. I’m very curious about the next adventure that the (new) coven of Moonset finds themselves involved with, and I’m crossing my fingers that we follow the narration of a different character (though there’s nothing wrong with Justin, of course). If witches and strong world-building is your thing, I’d definitely suggest giving Moonset a try.