Review by Frank Plowright
When at the market place, Sanja sees a witch challenged and fighting off someone unhappy with her services. Watching is mistaken as another challenge, and the witch abducts Sanja.
As portrayed by Jessi Zabarsky, Lelek doesn’t conform to the usual idea of a witch. She’s young, glamorous and has a lighted candle hovering above her head at all times, for which Zabarsky supplies an interesting explanation. No other witch seen conforms to the stereotype either, and nor does Sanja for that matter, content to accompany Lelek when freed rather than making her way home. She’s not a witch, but has practical skills Lelek lacks.
As they come to know each other better, there’s a realisation they make a good team, and Zabarsky ensures readers learn that what people present to the world isn’t necessarily the way they are. The concentration is on Lelek’s past and her ongoing quest, so a lapse of logic is there being no explanation for Sanja so willingly accompanying her and leaving her family behind. The captivating aspects outweigh that, though, such as every significant role being a woman, with the single exception playing a pivotal part.
Zabarsky supplies the art via many small panels, a lot of which don’t appear greatly necessary, but there’s detail, especially within busy scenes. Within a simple style, Zabarsky’s skilled when it comes to conveying what people are feeling, and in Geov Choteau she has a sympathetic colourist. They stick to flat colour, but it’s excellent at setting mood and situation, and Choteau varies the colour schemes, rather than sticking to the single theme.
Witchlight contains no bonus features in the manner of young adult books, but Zabarsky has good instincts about what might appeal, so the bonuses appear throughout. A spread featuring a cutaway of a boat is delightful, and there’s a map at the start tracking the journey Lelik and Sanja take.
Friendship, redemption, being true to yourself and being willing to head where life leads and make the most of the circumstances you’re in at the time are the themes engagingly explored, and the world Zabarsky creates should have widespread appeal.
