The Crowfield Demon

December 15, 2011
It's late winter, 1348, and although William brought peace three months ago by freeing an angel from a deathlike limbo (The Crowfield Curse, 2010), mystery and danger stir again. Will's provisions at Crowfield Abbey are meager and physical comforts nonexistent, but he works hard and takes solace in companionship with three friends: Brother Snail, a frail, elderly monk; Shadlok, a glowering fay bonded to William though a curse; and a small, tender, talking animal known as a hob, called Brother Walter because his real name mustn't be known. Something's terribly wrong on the Abbey grounds. Walls are cracking, and the church tower crashes to the ground, throwing stone everywhere. While helping a stonemason clear a side chapel, Will uncovers a buried wooden bowl. Symbols and Latin reveal that the bowl ensnares a demon. Raum was once an angel but fell from grace; now he's escaping the bowl, bent on vengeance against the Abbey and hunting Will's pure soul. Alchemy to rebind Raum to the bowl fails, and he's free, placing Will in the monks' nightmares so they turn on him, burning nearby cottages, wreaking deadly havoc. Walsh's sensory setting is cold and rainy. Will's character is likably sturdy; he's a hero, but a quiet one. This appealingly atmospheric historical fantasy melds Christianity and magic with conviction; eager readers will hope for another sequel. (Historical fantasy. 9-12)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

May 1, 2012

Gr 5-8-Set in 14th-century England, this sequel to The Crowfield Curse (Scholastic, 2010) finds young William still working as a servant at Crowfield Abbey. He has the ability to see into the spirit world and is still struggling to harness his powers. Befriended by a monk, a hobgoblin, and a warrior fay from another world, William is caught up in a mystery that involves the Dark King, who seeks revenge, alchemy, and magic. After the abbey chapel cracks at its foundation and collapses, William and the monks discover a wooden bowl that was once used for ritualistic sacrifice to a fallen angel who was once worshiped on the same grounds. The angel is returning and desires to capture William's bright, shining soul. The battle between good and evil is intense and frightening, keeping readers on edge. In William, Walsh has created a character readers can relate to and care about.-Kathy Kirchoefer, Prince Georges County Memorial Library System, New Carrollton, MD

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.