Born Wicked
by Jessica Spotswood
Putnam Juvenile
February 7, 2012
Source: bought from amazing charity book sale
I can't wait to say it: I loved this book! Okay, back to the proper order of things.
My summary: Cate and her two younger sisters live with their widowed father in a society in which women have two life choices: marriage or the Sisterhood. Cate's father has just hired a governess to assure that his daughters make appropriate decisions. Cate's family assumes she'll marry her lifelong friend Paul, who's visiting from New London, where he's pursuing a career as an architect.
But Cate has two huge secrets: her growing attraction to Finn, the family's gardener, and the fact that she and her sisters are witches. Magic is a punishable offense in Cate's world, and women who are accused of witchcraft face banishment, confinement to an asylum, or death.
Cate is already worried about her sisters' safety when she learns hat the three of them may be the subject of a ominous prophecy. When she's drawn into a battle for their lives and their future. will she choose to sacrifice love, her sisters, or herself?
My take: There were so many things about this book that I loved!
Witches. If I had to pick my favorite paranormal beings, witches would be right up there. Witches aren't creepy predators. Plus, they have all the crucial body parts. Witches are powerful, and just the perfect amount of scary.
Alternate History Okay-- nerd alert -- but I've always thought alternate history is cool. (If you've never heard of it, that's when a writer takes a major historical event and writes as if it turned out differently, exploring the political, economic, technological and social ramifications of the change.) What if the Americans had lost the Revolutionary War? What if JFK hadn't been assassinated? What would the world be like?
Jessica Spotswood uses alternate history to create an intriguing, familiar-yet-foreign setting. Her story is set in late 1800s New England, but in her version of history, Indo-China colonized the Western United States, while Spain settled the South. Even more intriguingly, the Daughters of Persephone, a group of witches, were among the American colonists. Then witches had to go underground as society turned against them.
Sisters. Ever since Little Women, I've loved stories about sisters. Cate, Maura and Tess are exactly like real sisters: loving yet competitive. I loved all of them.
The Right Kind of Cliffhanger. There are a lot of online grumblings about cliffhangers and trilogies, and, yeah, I get it. That kind of thing is becoming a little too ubiquitous in YA fiction. But as I got to the final pages of Born Wicked, I was thinking that I could see where the author was going with the story ... and it was going to be amazing. I didn't think, "Oh, great, I have to buy the next book to find out what happens." I thought, "Oh, wow, I can't wait to get to the next part of this story." That's the way it should be!
I have one small wish for the next book: that Cate can conjure herself up a brand-new love interest, someone with enough ... oomph to keep up with a witch. But either way, I'm excited for the next installment of this series.
Try this book if you loved:
Have you read Born Wicked? Are you planning to read it? Let me know what you think!
by Jessica Spotswood
Putnam Juvenile
February 7, 2012
Source: bought from amazing charity book sale
I can't wait to say it: I loved this book! Okay, back to the proper order of things.
My summary: Cate and her two younger sisters live with their widowed father in a society in which women have two life choices: marriage or the Sisterhood. Cate's father has just hired a governess to assure that his daughters make appropriate decisions. Cate's family assumes she'll marry her lifelong friend Paul, who's visiting from New London, where he's pursuing a career as an architect.
But Cate has two huge secrets: her growing attraction to Finn, the family's gardener, and the fact that she and her sisters are witches. Magic is a punishable offense in Cate's world, and women who are accused of witchcraft face banishment, confinement to an asylum, or death.
Cate is already worried about her sisters' safety when she learns hat the three of them may be the subject of a ominous prophecy. When she's drawn into a battle for their lives and their future. will she choose to sacrifice love, her sisters, or herself?
My take: There were so many things about this book that I loved!
Witches. If I had to pick my favorite paranormal beings, witches would be right up there. Witches aren't creepy predators. Plus, they have all the crucial body parts. Witches are powerful, and just the perfect amount of scary.
Alternate History Okay-- nerd alert -- but I've always thought alternate history is cool. (If you've never heard of it, that's when a writer takes a major historical event and writes as if it turned out differently, exploring the political, economic, technological and social ramifications of the change.) What if the Americans had lost the Revolutionary War? What if JFK hadn't been assassinated? What would the world be like?
Jessica Spotswood uses alternate history to create an intriguing, familiar-yet-foreign setting. Her story is set in late 1800s New England, but in her version of history, Indo-China colonized the Western United States, while Spain settled the South. Even more intriguingly, the Daughters of Persephone, a group of witches, were among the American colonists. Then witches had to go underground as society turned against them.
Sisters. Ever since Little Women, I've loved stories about sisters. Cate, Maura and Tess are exactly like real sisters: loving yet competitive. I loved all of them.
The Right Kind of Cliffhanger. There are a lot of online grumblings about cliffhangers and trilogies, and, yeah, I get it. That kind of thing is becoming a little too ubiquitous in YA fiction. But as I got to the final pages of Born Wicked, I was thinking that I could see where the author was going with the story ... and it was going to be amazing. I didn't think, "Oh, great, I have to buy the next book to find out what happens." I thought, "Oh, wow, I can't wait to get to the next part of this story." That's the way it should be!
I have one small wish for the next book: that Cate can conjure herself up a brand-new love interest, someone with enough ... oomph to keep up with a witch. But either way, I'm excited for the next installment of this series.
Try this book if you loved:
Have you read Born Wicked? Are you planning to read it? Let me know what you think!
I just bought this book the other day. I don't read a lot of historical fiction but this cover was so pretty I couldn't pass it up! I'm glad you like it.
ReplyDeleteI bet you'll love it! Come back and let me know!
DeleteI have the recommendation u had at the bottom but I haven't read it yet..
ReplyDeletethat's awesome u got a great book from a charity sale :)
Great and Terrible Beauty? It's really good!!
DeleteRead it!
I loved this book!! I am so glad you enjoyed it. I think the sisters are great, and I love how different they are from each other. I love a great cliffhanger, so I loved how the book ended. Are they torturous, of course, but that makes the anticipation for the next book so much better. Awesome review!!
ReplyDeleteI know -- I can't wait to read more about Maura and Tess!
DeleteI finished this one two weeks ago and really enjoyed it! Witches are my favorite - totally agree with you about them. I wanted things to work out, but knew something had to happen since it is a series. I actually really like Finn. He seems to me a little more than meets the eye and I think we'll see more of him. I loved all the sisters although Maura does make me mad because she is so selfish and naive. I think the lesbian content may bother some, but it played a minor role. I'm looking forward to the next book.
ReplyDeleteYes, but since Cate is responsible and dutiful, Maura has to be the reckless rebel. (Can you tell I'm the oldest child in my family-- ha!)
DeleteBORN WICKED is now on my wish list. I DO love witches.
ReplyDeleteThen you'll love this. I know they'll be a lot more witchcraft in book 2!
DeleteThis book is in TBR pileeee! I can't wait to read it! Cover loveee! I haven't read any book about witches, so this will be my first!!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you'll love it -- come back and let me know :)
DeleteI have heard about this book before it came out, but wasn't really interested in it. Your review changed my mind. I HAVE to read it now to know what happens in the end.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely try it. I thought it was excellent!
Delete