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Frances Hardinge
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Verdigris Deep Kindle Edition

by Frances Hardinge (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 196 ratings
See all formats and editions
“Deliciously shiver-inducing . . . Fans of dark fantasies such as Neil Gaiman’s Coraline will find this tale irresistible”—from the award-winning author (School Library Journal).

Verdigris (n.): a blue-green rust that tarnishes aging and forgotten copper coins, altering them entirely . . .

Ryan feels invisible: At school, he’s in a class with students older and cooler than him, and at home, he’s largely ignored during his parents’ petty arguments. And then he meets Josh. Josh is popular in the way that only beautiful boys can be—he’s almost electric. Both Ryan and his chatterbox sidekick, Chelle, fall under Josh’s spell, and the three soon become inseparable.

One summer afternoon, they sneak off to the troubled town of Magwhite. Trapped without bus fare for the ride home, Josh convinces his less mischievous companions their only solution is to steal coins from the infamous wishing well. Soon after, each develops a unique, sinister power. When the well witch appears, she gargles demands of her three new servants. Ryan, Josh, and Chelle have robbed her and now must obey her . . . and the wishes rotting at the bottom of her well.

“A deliciously creepy tale . . . There is a vividness and energy to Hardinge’s imagination that makes almost every moment of this absorbing story shine with light or glossy darkness.” —The Horn Book (starred review)

“Inescapably chilling . . . a dark, polished gem.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“There’s no denying Hardinge’s power as a storyteller, her ability to create beautiful, precise imagery, or her expectation that her readers will grasp the subtle ideas and reflections woven into the novel.” —Booklist (starred review)
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Previous page
  1. Reading age
    12 - 18 years
  2. Print length
    337 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    6 - 12
  5. Publisher
    Amulet Paperbacks
  6. Publication date
    April 10, 2018
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Not Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  11. ISBN-13
    978-1419728785
  12. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Deliciously shiver-inducing...Fans of dark fantasies such as Neil Gaiman's Coraline will find this tale irresistible."

-- "School Library Journal"

"Inescapably chilling...a dark, polished gem."

-- "Publishers Weekly (starred review)"

"There's no denying Hardinge's power as a storyteller, her ability to create beautiful, precise imagery, or her expectation that her readers will grasp the subtle ideas and reflections woven into the novel."

-- "Booklist (starred review)"

"A deliciously creepy tale...There is a vividness and energy to Hardinge's imagination that makes almost every moment of this absorbing story shine with light or glossy darkness."

-- "Horn Book (starred review)"

"Vivid and imaginative."

-- "Kirkus Reviews"

About the Author

Frances Hardinge spent her childhood in a huge old house that inspired her to write strange stories from an early age. She read English at Oxford University, then got a job at a software company. However, by this time a persistent friend had finally managed to bully Frances into sending a few chapters of FLY BY NIGHT, her first children’s novel, to a publisher. Macmillan made her an immediate offer. The book went on to publish to huge critical acclaim and win the Branford Boase First Novel Award. This is the paperback of Frances’s second novel and she is already writing her third.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B078W62RJG
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Amulet Paperbacks (April 10, 2018)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 10, 2018
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3054 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 337 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 196 ratings

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Frances Hardinge

Frances Hardinge

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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
196 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Amanda Richards
5.0 out of 5 stars "Verdigris n. a blue-green rust ....
Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2008
Verified Purchase
...that tarnishes ageing and forgotten copper coins, altering them entirely...."

Throwing coins in a wishing well
And making a wish
It seems so simple
But have you ever spared a thought
For the coins?

Lying for eternity under the water
Among the slime and leaves
Forgotten by all but the verdigris
And of course the Well Witch
`Cos she's real

Three children find out the hard way
Short on bus fare
They dare to disturb the rusty rest
Of the coins, and naturally
The Well Witch

A price must be paid for their crime
He who takes the coin
Must grant the wish
Like verdigris, they become
Altered entirely

But, the tricky thing about wishes
Is that you can't just
Take them at face value
Because people don't always wish for what
They REALLY want

This book works at many levels
The characters
So cleverly developed
The plot so fiendishly crafted
I have goosebumps

Before introducing your child
To Stephen King
Lead them to
The murky waters and rotting wishes
Of the well

(Recommended for kids from 12 yrs to 99 yrs)

See also:  Fly by Night  by the same author

Amanda Richards, June 4, 2008
21 people found this helpful
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Calista
5.0 out of 5 stars A Language Feast!
Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2011
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Frances Hardinge can paint a picture with words like a Master. Simple, everyday words fall from her pen and join together on the page to make an image so deliciously interesting that you want to devour chapter after chapter. Describing something shiny as looking like "licked licorice" for example. Her characters are richly drawn - and they are everyday too - believable, human, strong and yet fragile. Everyday human emotions like jealousy, fear, anger, pride and love make them real to us and therefore endearing.
I'm surprised her books aren't as well known as other present day popular authors because they deserve to be. I loved Fly By Night and I loved this one. Younger children will enjoy the magic and adventure and older readers will appreciate the gentle look Frances takes at the human psyche.
2 people found this helpful
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JWood
4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable, Family Read
Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2017
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If you have not yet read a Frances Hardinge book, please pick one up today. She is incredibly talented. You may be weary at first because her books are often referred to has children’s books. The only thing that makes these novels “children’s books” is the font-size and young main characters. The themes, prose, and storyline are so unique and beautiful in each of her novels.

Verdigris Deep is a story covering the nature of wishes, friendships, relationships, and the interconnectedness of the world. Hardinge has the ability to do this without disrupting the flow of the story or becoming condescending – which can happen when an adult is teaching life lessons of this nature and depth. Hardinge teaches lessons that are necessary to learn and be reminded of during any part of your life journey.

I hope that you will pick these books up to share with your family and the child that lives and imagines in all of us.
6 people found this helpful
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joy
5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn’t put it down!👌
Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2021
Verified Purchase
One of Hardinges’ best! Another one of hers i’ll be rereading !
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Ulyyf
3.0 out of 5 stars From the title, this book appears to be the same as "Well Wished"
Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2012
Which is a book I happen to enjoy, but I wouldn't want to buy a second copy of it by accident!
One person found this helpful
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Sarah Rocklin
5.0 out of 5 stars We Need More Hardinge in the US
Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2014
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This was an intriguing fantasy novel, with an interesting way to get normal people sucked into a magical world. I wish more of Hardinge's books were available in the US. Here's hoping that enough good reviews will get a publisher interested in bringing out American editions.
2 people found this helpful
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Elizabeth West
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2015
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I love Frances Hardinge. Her writing is truly beautiful and her stories are unique.
One person found this helpful
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navyblue
4.0 out of 5 stars 3 stars on Goodreads, 4 here (see review for why)
Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2014
Verified Purchase
Probably my least favorite Frances Hardinge book, but don't let that discourage you. It's well written and multilayered and interesting, I just preferred the other stories better.

I gave this three stars on Goodreads which means "liked it" here on Amazon it means "it was okay." Three stars is too low by Amazon's descriptions for my favorite author.
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Top reviews from other countries

Lulu
5.0 out of 5 stars A thrilling, dark and very original tale for young adults and adults alike
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 28, 2022
Verified Purchase
One of the best books I know from this author, and I love them all.
Beautifully gothic and dark, with very original twists.
A bit scary, but just enough.. not a horror tale, great for young adults and adults alike.
It's one of those authors whose strange ideas and plots stay with you for years, in daydream.. she is a master of creating worlds.
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Ms Louise Wilford
4.0 out of 5 stars Diana Wynne Jones-esque combination of contemporary world and magic
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 25, 2015
Verified Purchase
QUICK BIT ABOUT PLOT WITHOUT GIVING TOO MUCH AWAY: three children steal a coin from a wishing well in order to get the bus home, but the witch who inhabits the well doesn't take kindly to their theft. The three children end up having to grant the wishes themselves, and they take on mysterious and often horrible magical traits to help them complete the task - traits which link to their personalities and which begin to change them in subtle and not-so-subtle ways. The story is about the relationship between the children, as much as anything, and about the process of growing up and learning to accept yourself. It is also about magic, parenthood and families. Firmly set in the modern world, it is also about an ancient and creepy magic.

I'm not quite sure that the reviewer, Mr L.C.Williams, was reading the same book as I read! I admit that I didn't find this book as good as Hardinge's stories set in entirely fictional words such as 'Fly By Night', 'Twilight Robbery' or 'A Face Like lass' (all of which I recommend to Mr Williams), but nevertheless it was still an excellent example of children's fiction. The characters were depicted in a realistic way, I thought, being distinctive and certainly reminding me of my own childhood and of children I know. It is true that there are places in the first few chapters where the dialogue seems to jump about or bits seem to be skimmed over, but I think this is showing faith in the readers' ability to follow a story that isn't ploddingly narrated. It is well-paced and atmospheric, with a keen sense of sinister goings-on, and it doesn't shy away from serious issues like the death of a baby, for instance. The witch is imaginatively portrayed, and the children are vivid and convincing. There are also several amusing minor characters. The novel reminded me very much of Diana Wynne Jones.
One person found this helpful
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Carl
5.0 out of 5 stars Spoiler alert: be careful what you wish for
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 17, 2017
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Another clever off the wall plot device that the talented Frances Hardinge carries off with aplomb. This is the 3rd novel by her which I have read and each, so it seems has a distinctive 'flavour' ...clearly Ms Hardinge has read widely yet manages to never fall in to easy pastiche of other fantasy sci fi writers. She is one of the best writers around today and if you value good writing and well told tales, whatever age you are, then buy this book, in fact buy 3 and give the others to people you love age 8 to 108
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Satisfied Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars glad i finally read this
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 12, 2014
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this book, also titled 'Well Witched', is another fantastically unique story Frances Hardinge. I have been meaning to read it since it was published and am now wishing I had read it much early.

Hardinge's style of writing is amazing in that its great for readers of all ages and the story is compelling.

If you've heard that Hardinge is great reading but haven't yet taken the plunge, this is an amazing book to get you started with her style of writing as its completely standalone and not part of an ongoing series.

I avidly recommend this book to anyone and everyone!
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Glen Mehn
5.0 out of 5 stars Secret author - time to go big
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 20, 2014
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The secret author Frances Hardinge has hit it again. How is this woman who’s written these astounding Weird books for kids(ish) keep going unnoticed? Three children steal coins from a wishing well so they can get home on time. These children are all going through normal coming-of-age problems, but they’re about to get a whole host of others. Dark. Disturbing. Terrifying and emotional and gripping. Hardinge’s dizzying imagination unfolds a deep, dark mystery inside the wishing well and inside the wounded heart of a child. The sort of book you want to read late with a torch under the covers.
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