How gorgeous is this cover? It’s probably one of new favorite YA covers. The cover along with the fact that this is a witch story, and along with the fact that a large amount of bloggers I like really enjoyed this one, encouraged me to buy it.
It wasn’t what I was expecting. I want to call it a
historical novel, but it’s not really. It has all the problems a historical
piece would provide for the female characters. Women are meant to be wives or
part of a religious sisterhood. Powerful women (witches or women who could be
witches because they seem too smart or brave) are arrested, locked up, or sent
to labor camps. Women have to wear fashionable and constrictive outfits. And
they also literally have to lower themselves around the presence of the
brotherhood. But, it’s not a historical piece because of the supernatural
element, and also because the brotherhood/sisterhood thing just never happened.
The brotherhood is the group in charge. And from what I
gathered, they are pissed at witches because a few of them were able to use
mind control powers to really run society for a while. And Cate Cahill is one
of the few who knows how to use mind control. She keeps this ability hidden
from everyone. She has two younger sisters that she has pretty much been taking
care of since their mother died several years ago. The father is out of town on
business much of the time. All three girls can use magic.
It’s not until the suggestion of a governess is brought up
that Cate begins to see how dangerous her lifestyle has become. She notices
that the brotherhood has been going after sisters (particularly sisters of
three). She also notices that the lack of fashion, blendability, and outness in
society for the Cahills, makes them stick out and sticking out to the
Brotherhood is never good.
The governess comes around the same time a mysterious letter
from a friend of their mother does. Soon, Cate is caught up in a witch prophecy
that can prove to be the end of the brotherhood. And between the love triangle,
the secret books, the wonderfully rebellious bookstore, the magic mishaps, the
sisterly arguments, some gardening, and a lot of fake prayer, there is an authentic
story of family and sacrifice. Cate really would give anything up to protect
her sisters.
Cate has a lot of decisions to make: marry someone or join
the sisterhood. Listen to her governess or her instinct. Marry one guy or a
different guy. Protect herself or protect her sisters. And I can’t help but
think she always (or almost always) makes the decisions I wanted her to. And I
liked her a lot for being so strong and for being such a good sister.
I hated one of the sisters and frankly, would not have
sacrificed what Cate did for someone so awful. I also hated the governess. I
wanted to like her more. I wish her offer was more appealing or that she
handled things more maturely. She just felt like a character that would have
seemed more real and relatable if she wasn’t all bad.
I loved the guys! I loved the house staff. I loved the other
witches Cate becomes friends with. I loved the youngest sister. I loved the
whole sorty of dystopia-type sisterhood and brotherhood. I loved all the witch
secrets. I loved all the scenes where the girls couldn’t control their magic.
The ending was so good! I was on the edge of my seat for those last twenty
pages or so.
I just wish I was on the edge of my seat a little bit
earlier. I felt like a lot of the beginning of the book was not necessary and a
lot of things took too long to happen. Everything sort of seemed to happen at
the very end. And while I get that some things need time to build, like true
love, other things could have happened sooner, like trusting the youngest
sister. In other words there was a little too much sisterly conflict and not
enough action for me.
Despite the slow writing style, I really did enjoy this
book. It definitely was a different kind of witch story. And I want, no need to
know how certain things will resolve. I will definitely keeping reading these.
And this gets a 8/10.
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