Mike Jeffries

Mike Jeffries
The Last Apprentice: Grimalkin the Witch Assassin
Joseph Delaney
Fantasy/Adventure
Just Finished / 182 pgs

1. I have just finished a book called, The Last Apprentice: Grimalkin the Witch Assassin. It is the ninth book in the series. Tom Ward is the seventh son of a seventh son, and lives in the county. On day, the Spook arrives at his house. The Spook (John Gregory)  has been ridding the county of evil for some time. Now, his time is coming to an end, 29 apprentices have tried to be the next spook, all have failed. Only Tom is left, he is the last hope, he is the last apprentice. Through the series, Tom has made many enemies and a few allies. On of those allies is Grimalkin the witch assassin. Throughout the entire series, Tom has been the narrator, but in this story, we here the tale of Grimalkin through her eyes. Grimalkin is a witch of the Malkin clan. As an assassin she kills her clans enemies and enemies of her own. She is unstoppable. This book ends with Grimalkin getting revenge on a group of enemies. These enemies include witches, and most importantly the Kretch. The Kretch is a creature made by the Fiend, the devil himself, to slay Grimalkin. In the last book, Grimalkin, the Spook, Tom, and another witch named Alice, bound the Fiend to the ground. Grimalkin took the Fiends head so no one could try to unbound him from the ground and set him free. Throughout this entire book, Grimalkin has kept the head with her and has tried to keep it away from her enemies long enough for the Spook and Tom to find a way to get rid of the Fiend permanently. Towards the end of the book her enemies find her, kill her friend Thorn, who was suppose to be the next assassin for the Malkin clan, and take the head. Her enemies set off to Ireland, where the Fiend is buried, to return his head to his body and set him free. Grimalkin takes Alice with her to try to stop them from leaving the county. When they reach the group of enemies. Alice, who is the most powerful witch to ever live, crushes the boat that the group of enemies are on with her mind, and brings them back to shore. Alice then gives some of her strength to Grimalkin through a ritual that could kill them both. They succeed in the ritual and Grimalkin kills all of the enemies, and takes back the head of the fiend.

2. This series is very different from other series I have read. The genre is so dark, that it almost takes you over and makes you want to read the book till it is finished. When I first started reading the series, I was a little younger and the books were very scary. I had never read a scary chapter book before, and once  I started getting into the series I was hooked. There are so many twists and turns that make you happy and make you sad. There are also a few that make you angry. In this book, I could not believe that Throne, who was Grimalkins apprentice, died. If anybody was to die in this book I thought it would be Grimalkin herself. I hope that the author continues to keep making these books and uses all of is unique writing skills.

3.  I think the theme for this book in the series is "Will to Survive." The entire book is about  Grimalkin and Thorne running around the county, stalling as long as they can so that Tom and the Spook can figure out a way to destroy the Fiend forever. I chose "Will to Survive," as my theme because that is what Thorne and Grimalkin try to accomplish throughout the book. Sadly, Thorne does not achieve that goal, and dies by the hands of the Kretch, but Grimalkin survives and seeks revenge. Grimalkin has the " Will to Survive."

4. My favorite character in this story is definitely Grimalkin. She is so strong, brave, wise, and has so much drive and mental toughness that she is in every way of the word, unstoppable. When ever there is a time when I feel like giving up, I think about her, and she inspires to get back up and finish what ever task i am trying to achieve. I know that she is just a character in a story, but I like her character so much, that I think of her as a real person. I really like it when I can do that with a character in a story, it tells me that the book i am reading is a wise choice.

5. My least favorite character in this book and throughout this series is definitely the Fiend. He is pure evil and enjoys torturing people, and making them wish they were dead. I can't wait to read the next book in the series because I know that Tom and his friend will stop the Fiend and rid him of the world forever, and make the world a peaceful place to live because the world would be a better place without the Fiend.

6. This book did not end the way I thought it would. I thought it would end with Grimalkin going to seek help from Alice, and in the next book they would stop the group of enemies from sailing to Ireland. I also thought the book would end with the group freeing the Fiend and in the next book Grimalkin, Alice, Tom, and the Spook would have to stop him. I really don't know what is going to happen in the next book, but I do know that I am extremely excited to start reading it.