The Wicked Remain, by Laura Pohl

The Wicked Remain by Laura Pohl throws you right into a world where magic gets you killed, no questions asked. Hester’s just trying to survive in this place, but after she sees witches executed in public, she can’t just look away anymore. Soon, she falls in with an underground resistance—people who refuse to accept the government’s story and want the real truth out. As Hester gets pulled deeper, she runs up against her own fears, and her loyalty to the people she cares about.

This book really pulled me in. It’s dark, intense, and doesn’t hold back when it comes to violence or fear; nothing feels sanitized, so every risk actually matters. Power, corruption, and the whole idea of who gets called “evil” hit close to home. Hester’s struggle with herself makes her easy to root for, even when she’s a mess. The world itself hooked me too, especially the way magic and politics get tangled up.

Reviewed by Anonymous, Grade 12

Glendale Central Library