Publishers Weekly
★ 04/22/2024
YA fantasy novelist Neff (the Tapestry series) makes his adult debut with this incandescently funny glimpse of hell on Earth, starring Paul Newman look-alike and 800-year-old demon Laszlo. A Class III Curse Keeper, Laszlo’s responsible for the torment of 19-year-old human Maggie Drakeford, a plucky Catskills Curse Bearer. Maggie’s family has largely adjusted to the centuries-old curse hanging over their heads that dooms each member to transform into a horrible monster by 20. Indeed, lounge lizard Laszlo’s so ineffective at inflicting despair that his new boss gives him six days to shape up or be liquefied back into the primordial ooze from whence all demons crawl. Laszlo’s next move? To reveal himself to Maggie and offer to help her break the curse. To do so, they must free a mighty spirit locked in the legendary Witchstone. Maggie’s eager to avert her fate, but Laszlo has his own agenda, which involves both his job and his relationship with his fiendish father, Lord Baal, who is Lucifer’s top rival. Maggie and Laszlo quest across Europe and back to the Catskills amid both belly laughs and heart-tugging moments as Laszlo, aided by an Italian priest, gradually becomes more human and Maggie takes on magical energies to protect her family. The result is a glorious romp that’s clever enough to keep readers infernally entertained. (June)
Booklist
So much more than urban fantasy…A sometimes horrifying, often hilarious adventure…A good fit for readers who enjoy a healthy dose of humor with their fantasy and don’t mind a bit of body horror.”
Foreword Reviews
A raucous fantasy novel that centers otherworldly intrigue and the meaningful bonds formed between unlikely allies.”
New York Times bestselling author of Under the Nev Veronica Rossi
I was bewitched by Laszlo, the most endearingly selfish demon you’ll ever meet, and his globe-trotting adventure to unravel a complex curse. Packed with wit, adventure, and heart, The Witchstone is a tale of magic and redemption you don’t want to miss. Wicked good fun!”
#1 New York Times bestselling author of The League Alan Gratz
Christopher Moore fans, rejoice! Henry Neff has written the snark-filled, globe-trotting, feel-good, demon-curse-breaking novel you always wanted—and you don’t even have to sell your soul for it.”
award-winning author of The Game of Love and Death Martha Brockenbrough
This book reads like Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman had a demonically clever baby. So smart and inventive. Just loved it!”
New York Times bestselling author of the Heir Chro Cinda Williams Chima
There’s something about a demon, right? Especially a less than successful one like Laszlo, who—while gleefully wicked, vain, and arrogant—harbors a nascent conscience (something he would no doubt deny). Think of Crowley in Gaiman and Pratchett’s Good Omens. Better buckle in, it’s going to be a thrilling ride.”
Eoin Colfer
A rare jewel. A new classic in the fantasy genre.”
Library Journal
05/01/2024
Laszlo is an 800-year-old demon with a penchant for card games and a decided lack of ambition. He's in charge of keeping a cursed family down in the depths of despair, but after so many years, the family has gotten used to turning into monsters. Then Laszlo's boss summons him for a meeting in which he watches helplessly as his friend is turned into goo, and he's informed that his numbers aren't up to snuff. Neff's (Impyrium) latest sounds grim but it isn't, more like a Dynasty with magic. Laszlo gets a week to redeem himself, which gives the novel a tight structure that keeps up the tension. When Laszlo meets Maggie, they set off on a spirited adventure full of strange places and screwball errors. The novel brings to mind the fabulous early days of Terry Pratchett's Discworld mixed with The Office's winking sensibility. VERDICT Neff's rollicking fantasy novel is a hilarious delight, filled with fun twists and turns and a demon to root for.—Jeremiah Rood
