Celia Rees' prose is as beautiful as ever, though it took me a while to be drawn into this one. The dramatic conclusion was a long time coming and seemed rushed when it finally did arrive. Nevertheless, Mary's story was powerful and brilliantly narrated. Though I'm usually not so fond of stories written in diary format, while reading Witch Child I honestly felt as though I was reading the diary of a real young girl caught up in events beyond her control. I look forward to reading more from Rees.