Con men, the magic and murder, oh my! I absolutely adored this book and I feel foolish for not having discovered this series (and Holly Black) sooner.Cassel's family is just like your average family; his mother can alter a person's emotions, his brother can alter memories, and his other brother can change a person's luck. Everyone can work a curse except for Cassel who is prone to sleepwalking and dreaming of a murder he committed three years back. Everything changes when he finds a white cat in his dorm room, and his brothers begin to act more strangely than usual.This story was all kinds of amazing! I loved the aspect of cursing people being illegal (workers must wear gloves to ensure that they don't curse others). Although it's deemed illegal, that obviously doesn't mean that people no longer practice it, in fact there are advocates for curseworkers. The novel continuously built up until the "big reveal" which kept me glued to the edge of my seat! I love when the author gives little information throughout the book that seems random until the climax, that's writing and story telling at its best!All of the characters were complex and interesting. I didn't know how to react to Cassel's family of curseworkers. They're all so manipulative and have ties to the mobster. Despite their manipulative ways they care for each other and most importantly, they care about Cass. Cass himself is an interesting character, he is extremely likable and determined to do the right thing. The Barron family is definitely one of the most interesting families that I have read about this year; I mean who else can top a grandfather with decayed fingertips who can kill you with one simple touch.The writing was flawless and I felt like I was transported into Cass's world. I loved the interactions between Cass and his classmates and I enjoyed seeing him react to his curseworking family.The White Cat was a great start to this series. With memorable characters and a twist that will surprise you, I can't wait to continue this series!
Show lessCon men, the magic and murder, oh my! I absolutely adored this book and I feel foolish for not having discovered this series (and Holly Black) sooner.Cassel's family is just like your average family; his mother can alter a person's emotions, his brother can alter memories, and his other brother can change a person's luck. Everyone can work a curse except for Cassel who is prone to sleepwalking and dreaming of a murder he committed three years back. Everything changes when he finds a white cat in his dorm room, and his brothers begin to act more strangely than usual.This story was all kinds of amazing! I loved the aspect of cursing people being illegal (workers must wear gloves to ensure that they don't curse others). Although it's deemed illegal, that obviously doesn't mean that people no longer practice it, in fact there are advocates for curseworkers. The novel continuously built up until the "big reveal" which kept me glued to the edge of my seat! I love when the author gives little information throughout the book that seems random until the climax, that's writing and story telling at its best!All of the characters were complex and interesting. I didn't know how to react to Cassel's family of curseworkers. They're all so manipulative and have ties to the mobster. Despite their manipulative ways they care for each other and most importantly, they care about Cass. Cass himself is an interesting character, he is extremely likable and determined to do the right thing. The Barron family is definitely one of the most interesting families that I have read about this year; I mean who else can top a grandfather with decayed fingertips who can kill you with one simple touch.The writing was flawless and I felt like I was transported into Cass's world. I loved the interactions between Cass and his classmates and I enjoyed seeing him react to his curseworking family.The White Cat was a great start to this series. With memorable characters and a twist that will surprise you, I can't wait to continue this series!
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Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: An engrossing and unique tale filled with dark, paranormal elements that will leave you wanting more. Opening Sentence: I wake up barefoot, standing on cold slate tiles. The Review: Holly Black brings us into the world of curse workers, in White Cat, the first book of the Curse Workers series. I’ve never read any of Black’s books, prior to White Cat, but many of my friends have raved about her work and world building. I was told to expect a wonderful range of characters, all with a varying array of personality depth. I was also told to expect the unexpected, throwing out all preconceived notions of whatever I heard about this book. Well, I’m here to tell you the same thing. Embrace White Cat for each word that Black writes onto the page. The plot of White Cat is none like I’ve ever seen. It is a modern take on magic and magicians, but in the form of curses. In a world where curse workers are feared and outcasted, Black explains her unique world in detail. Cassel is a young man who comes from a well-known line of Curse of Workers. Every member has a powerful curse, all except him. In his life of non-existent power, he is the one with more morals than the rest of his family, mostly turning away from a life that belongs to mobsters and con artists. The only downfall to Cassel’s life? He killed Lila, his best friend. I instantly loved Cassel from the moment I was introduced to him. He is smart and witty, filling the pages with snark and charisma. But Cassel is not social nor is he a social-climber, he is mysterious and reclusive, keeping away from as many people as he can. A white cat and a best friend haunt his dreams, and when added with bouts of sleepwalking, it’s bound to result in disaster. Black’s White Cat is filled with new and adult material. Teetering on adult situations and problems, Black touches on the issues of loyalty and betrayal, depression, and criminal flaws. I feel that White Cat has mafia-like elements, but in the end, Black talks about family and all of the dysfunctional traits of one. White Cat’s world is superb. There are so many dark moments in mysterious corners that I couldn’t wait to find out about. In Black’s modern world, White Cat has many paranormal elements that could belong in a fantasy world. Nothing needed to be explained in detail, but that is the amazing talent that Black has. She introduced the right amount of detail for the reader to accept and allow their imagination to run away with. Holly Black’s White Cat has quickly become one of my favorite books. I highly urge you to pick this up if you haven’t done so already. So many twists, turns, and surprises. I cannot wait to find out what happens next. Notable Scene: Let’s also say someone gave me that dream, the one where the cat was begging for help. If I were cursed to have it, that would mean someone had to touch me, hand to skin. The cat—the one that slept on my bed, the one near my dorm room in the video—did touch me. So maybe the cat gave me the dream. Of course, that’s ridiculous. Cats are animals. They can no more perform curse work than they can perform a sonata or compose a villanelle. Unless the cat was really a girl. A girl who was a dream worker. Lila. Which would mean something far different—not just that some memories of murdering her were stolen from me. It would mean she’s not dead.FTC Advisory: Simon & Schuster/Margaret K McElderry provided me with a copy of White Cat. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Show lessReview courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: An engrossing and unique tale filled with dark, paranormal elements that will leave you wanting more. Opening Sentence: I wake up barefoot, standing on cold slate tiles. The Review: Holly Black brings us into the world of curse workers, in White Cat, the first book of the Curse Workers series. I’ve never read any of Black’s books, prior to White Cat, but many of my friends have raved about her work and world building. I was told to expect a wonderful range of characters, all with a varying array of personality depth. I was also told to expect the unexpected, throwing out all preconceived notions of whatever I heard about this book. Well, I’m here to tell you the same thing. Embrace White Cat for each word that Black writes onto the page. The plot of White Cat is none like I’ve ever seen. It is a modern take on magic and magicians, but in the form of curses. In a world where curse workers are feared and outcasted, Black explains her unique world in detail. Cassel is a young man who comes from a well-known line of Curse of Workers. Every member has a powerful curse, all except him. In his life of non-existent power, he is the one with more morals than the rest of his family, mostly turning away from a life that belongs to mobsters and con artists. The only downfall to Cassel’s life? He killed Lila, his best friend. I instantly loved Cassel from the moment I was introduced to him. He is smart and witty, filling the pages with snark and charisma. But Cassel is not social nor is he a social-climber, he is mysterious and reclusive, keeping away from as many people as he can. A white cat and a best friend haunt his dreams, and when added with bouts of sleepwalking, it’s bound to result in disaster. Black’s White Cat is filled with new and adult material. Teetering on adult situations and problems, Black touches on the issues of loyalty and betrayal, depression, and criminal flaws. I feel that White Cat has mafia-like elements, but in the end, Black talks about family and all of the dysfunctional traits of one. White Cat’s world is superb. There are so many dark moments in mysterious corners that I couldn’t wait to find out about. In Black’s modern world, White Cat has many paranormal elements that could belong in a fantasy world. Nothing needed to be explained in detail, but that is the amazing talent that Black has. She introduced the right amount of detail for the reader to accept and allow their imagination to run away with. Holly Black’s White Cat has quickly become one of my favorite books. I highly urge you to pick this up if you haven’t done so already. So many twists, turns, and surprises. I cannot wait to find out what happens next. Notable Scene: Let’s also say someone gave me that dream, the one where the cat was begging for help. If I were cursed to have it, that would mean someone had to touch me, hand to skin. The cat—the one that slept on my bed, the one near my dorm room in the video—did touch me. So maybe the cat gave me the dream. Of course, that’s ridiculous. Cats are animals. They can no more perform curse work than they can perform a sonata or compose a villanelle. Unless the cat was really a girl. A girl who was a dream worker. Lila. Which would mean something far different—not just that some memories of murdering her were stolen from me. It would mean she’s not dead.FTC Advisory: Simon & Schuster/Margaret K McElderry provided me with a copy of White Cat. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
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The basic premise is that there are some people who are born with the ability to do magic, known as working. But doing so is illegal, so it's all black market stuff. And the business is controlled by a few organized crime families.And the main character is a kid in one of those families, though he doesn't have the ability himself.He finds himself sleepwalking out on the roof of the boarding school he attends and gets himself suspended until he gets a doctor's clearance.This is no angel of a main character (and not just because this book isn't about angels). He knows how to run a con. And one of those cons is how to forget a doctor's note and get himself back in school, because he doesn't want to live at home with his crazy controlling family.There were a lot of predictable things in this book. Does he really have no magic? Is that white cat he's holding on the cover really just a cat?But even seeing through all of that, the world Holly Black has created managed to throw twists and turns into the story all by itself. It was different enough that, no, it wasn't all predictable. Definitely a different sort of YA fantasy, and worth checking out. I look forward to reading the next one.
Show lessThe basic premise is that there are some people who are born with the ability to do magic, known as working. But doing so is illegal, so it's all black market stuff. And the business is controlled by a few organized crime families.And the main character is a kid in one of those families, though he doesn't have the ability himself.He finds himself sleepwalking out on the roof of the boarding school he attends and gets himself suspended until he gets a doctor's clearance.This is no angel of a main character (and not just because this book isn't about angels). He knows how to run a con. And one of those cons is how to forget a doctor's note and get himself back in school, because he doesn't want to live at home with his crazy controlling family.There were a lot of predictable things in this book. Does he really have no magic? Is that white cat he's holding on the cover really just a cat?But even seeing through all of that, the world Holly Black has created managed to throw twists and turns into the story all by itself. It was different enough that, no, it wasn't all predictable. Definitely a different sort of YA fantasy, and worth checking out. I look forward to reading the next one.
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