Helpful Score: 1
I picked up this book looking for something to kill an hour with before bed, and ended up being drawn into the world and stayed up for several hours to finish the story. It took a little while for me to get into the terminology used in the book ("workers", the various types of curses, the blowback effect of cursing someone, etc.) and I thought it was a bit clever that when the protagonist (Cassel) referred to "working" someone I always had to pause to determine whether he meant working them via magic or via a con (or both). The line between magical talent and more mundane confidence work is skipped over, blurred, and turned back upon itself several times in this book, which is one of the elements that kept me turning the pages...I wanted to see if it was all real, or a con, or a little bit of both in the end.
There are many plot twists and turns (some I saw coming, and one very large one at the end which I didn't). The situation with the titular cat was telegraphed pretty clearly so I felt pleased with myself for seeing that one coming, but then the rug was pulled out from under me with twists that were revealed further down in the book. I found it very, very difficult to like the main character and his rather cold and clinical way of describing things, but as his history was revealed, I found myself sympathizing with him.
I would have liked a little more complexity in the actual text itself and a little more done in the way of worldbuilding, and understand that this may have been difficult to do since it's written from the first-person view of a teenager. I wanted a little more explanation of the Mafioso set-up in the book, since that element seemed to appear/disappear rather conveniently at times. Overall, I give this book four and a half stars because despite my (minor) quibbles with it, I greatly enjoyed it and am looking forward to the next installment.
There are many plot twists and turns (some I saw coming, and one very large one at the end which I didn't). The situation with the titular cat was telegraphed pretty clearly so I felt pleased with myself for seeing that one coming, but then the rug was pulled out from under me with twists that were revealed further down in the book. I found it very, very difficult to like the main character and his rather cold and clinical way of describing things, but as his history was revealed, I found myself sympathizing with him.
I would have liked a little more complexity in the actual text itself and a little more done in the way of worldbuilding, and understand that this may have been difficult to do since it's written from the first-person view of a teenager. I wanted a little more explanation of the Mafioso set-up in the book, since that element seemed to appear/disappear rather conveniently at times. Overall, I give this book four and a half stars because despite my (minor) quibbles with it, I greatly enjoyed it and am looking forward to the next installment.
Helpful Score: 1
At first this book didn't capture my attention. Events and personalities seemed slow to advance. However, by the middle of the book, it really started to interest me. By the end, the slight twists the book gave were fun to read. The last twist, was the one that made me feel sorry and hopeful for Cassel as well as looking forward to the next installment to this series. Oh, and don't worry about that last statement. It isn't a cliffhanger, but it does set things up nicely for the next book.
Cassel believes that he is a horrible person because he killed his best friend. He has no memory about the incident except for standing over her body with a bloody knife and a self-satisfied smile. His family life isn't normal by anyone's standards, even those of the local mob in charge of most of the workers in the city. So what does anyone with these problems do? Try to act and become as normal as possible and blend in with the mass of kids at his new school.
The story really starts to take off when he starts checking up on his brothers. The mystery that unfolds when this happens really is the heart of the book. This is where he starts to learn who he is, what has happened to everyone and who he can trust. All things are a huge leap for a boy used to staying in the shadows.
I gave this story 4 stars. It is a good read and I'm looking forward to the next story in this series. The book will be published in May of 2010. Not too much longer to wait!
Cassel believes that he is a horrible person because he killed his best friend. He has no memory about the incident except for standing over her body with a bloody knife and a self-satisfied smile. His family life isn't normal by anyone's standards, even those of the local mob in charge of most of the workers in the city. So what does anyone with these problems do? Try to act and become as normal as possible and blend in with the mass of kids at his new school.
The story really starts to take off when he starts checking up on his brothers. The mystery that unfolds when this happens really is the heart of the book. This is where he starts to learn who he is, what has happened to everyone and who he can trust. All things are a huge leap for a boy used to staying in the shadows.
I gave this story 4 stars. It is a good read and I'm looking forward to the next story in this series. The book will be published in May of 2010. Not too much longer to wait!
No pun intended, but I curse myself for not reading this book earlier because DANG was it good. WHITE CAT is a genius combination of memorable protagonist, brilliant world-building, and effortless narration.
Holly Black manages to paint for readers an alternate world in which magic is mixed with organized crime, all without sacrificing an action-filled, fast-paced plot. WHITE CAT is set in the affluent suburbs of New Jersey, and the Sharpe familys secrets and the Zacharovs criminal doings clash deliciously with its idyllic setting.
While the plot of WHITE CAT is not expansive, it is fast-moving and fascinating enough to make it an unputdownable read. Occasionally I wanted more details about how working for a crime family works, but the details of curse-working are described thoroughly, and anyway, I think that the main focus of WHITE CAT is on the complexities of family loyalty. Cassel and his two older brothers share a complicated relationship with trust issues. What happens when one cant trust ones family?
As far as male protagonists go, Cassel is an enjoyable one. Sometimes male protagonists in contemporary YA rub me the wrong way with either their desperate attempt at coolness or their disturbingly played apathy. Cassel is neither type. Rather, Cassel is a survivor: he desires normalcy in his life, but when that inevitably cannot occur, he makes the best of his situations.
WHITE CAT is a highly engaging quality read by one of YAs most talented speculative fiction writers. It will appeal to readers of both contemporary and speculative fiction. Dont miss it!
Holly Black manages to paint for readers an alternate world in which magic is mixed with organized crime, all without sacrificing an action-filled, fast-paced plot. WHITE CAT is set in the affluent suburbs of New Jersey, and the Sharpe familys secrets and the Zacharovs criminal doings clash deliciously with its idyllic setting.
While the plot of WHITE CAT is not expansive, it is fast-moving and fascinating enough to make it an unputdownable read. Occasionally I wanted more details about how working for a crime family works, but the details of curse-working are described thoroughly, and anyway, I think that the main focus of WHITE CAT is on the complexities of family loyalty. Cassel and his two older brothers share a complicated relationship with trust issues. What happens when one cant trust ones family?
As far as male protagonists go, Cassel is an enjoyable one. Sometimes male protagonists in contemporary YA rub me the wrong way with either their desperate attempt at coolness or their disturbingly played apathy. Cassel is neither type. Rather, Cassel is a survivor: he desires normalcy in his life, but when that inevitably cannot occur, he makes the best of his situations.
WHITE CAT is a highly engaging quality read by one of YAs most talented speculative fiction writers. It will appeal to readers of both contemporary and speculative fiction. Dont miss it!
I really enjoyed this book, it was an interesting take on magic and dysfunctional families. I listened to the second book "Red Glove" as an audiobook and it worked that way, too.
I got an advanced reading copy of this book through the Amazon Vine program. I was really excited to read this book because I am a huge Holly Black fan. I loved Black's Modern Fairy Tale series, loved the Spiderwick Chronicles and have enjoyed her graphic novel series The Good Neighbors. This book was okay, but not nearly as engaging as I was hoping for.
Cassel comes from a family of curse workers, but is not a Curse Worker himself. Curse workers can do things and specialize in a single area (emotions, physical, memory, dreams, transformation). Cassel's family is involved with the Curse Worker equivalent of the Mafia. When Cassel start having disturbing dreams and begins to be trailed by a white cat, he starts thinking that things are not what they seem to be. He begins to worry that his brothers are keeping secrets from him and are more deeply involved in the Curse Worker Mafia than he originally thought. He need to figure out what is going on before his dreams end up killing him.
I am not sure what I expected from this book, but whatever I expected, this book wasn't it. The majority of this book is about conning people, confidence schemes, and the Mafia. There is magic involved (in Cursing) but it is overshadowed by all the political maneuvering and scheming. So, if you are into reading about Mafia type setups and con-men then this is the book for you.
I usually find Black's characters very engaging, but that was not the case in this book. It's very hard to like Cassel or to feel bad for him. He states many times that he is not a nice person, and even in his ignorance, he isn't. His friends are in the story only a small amount, and as such aren't well defined. His brothers are flat-out jerks. Even the girl from his past, Lila, is not a character that you can really like.
The plot was fine and moved along at a fast clip. There are a number of twists and turns that will keep the reader guessing. Some of the twists at the end of the book are humorous and ironic. The writing style was very readable, but lacked description. The writing style was also more simplistic than I am used to from Black's previous works, at least along the lines of complexity and description.
I did find the world with Curse Workers included to be interesting. I found the concept of "blowback" every time you work a curse to be interesting. Unfortunately there isn't a lot of background given on Curse Workers and how they interact with the rest of the world. Some politics behind Curse Working are discussed but not in great detail. I have a feeling that this is going to be visited in a lot more depth in future novels in this series.
Overall this was an okay book. The plot and magic system were interesting; I thought characterization and writing were only so-so. This has potential to become a really interesting series in future books, but this book left me uncertain as to whether or not I will actually read more books in this series. The concept of Curse Workers itself is creative and intriguing; it just wasn't pulled off in a very exciting way and in general the book left me kind of bored. Definitely not one of Black's best efforts. I would check out either her Modern Fairy Tale series or The Spiderwick Chronicles first.
Cassel comes from a family of curse workers, but is not a Curse Worker himself. Curse workers can do things and specialize in a single area (emotions, physical, memory, dreams, transformation). Cassel's family is involved with the Curse Worker equivalent of the Mafia. When Cassel start having disturbing dreams and begins to be trailed by a white cat, he starts thinking that things are not what they seem to be. He begins to worry that his brothers are keeping secrets from him and are more deeply involved in the Curse Worker Mafia than he originally thought. He need to figure out what is going on before his dreams end up killing him.
I am not sure what I expected from this book, but whatever I expected, this book wasn't it. The majority of this book is about conning people, confidence schemes, and the Mafia. There is magic involved (in Cursing) but it is overshadowed by all the political maneuvering and scheming. So, if you are into reading about Mafia type setups and con-men then this is the book for you.
I usually find Black's characters very engaging, but that was not the case in this book. It's very hard to like Cassel or to feel bad for him. He states many times that he is not a nice person, and even in his ignorance, he isn't. His friends are in the story only a small amount, and as such aren't well defined. His brothers are flat-out jerks. Even the girl from his past, Lila, is not a character that you can really like.
The plot was fine and moved along at a fast clip. There are a number of twists and turns that will keep the reader guessing. Some of the twists at the end of the book are humorous and ironic. The writing style was very readable, but lacked description. The writing style was also more simplistic than I am used to from Black's previous works, at least along the lines of complexity and description.
I did find the world with Curse Workers included to be interesting. I found the concept of "blowback" every time you work a curse to be interesting. Unfortunately there isn't a lot of background given on Curse Workers and how they interact with the rest of the world. Some politics behind Curse Working are discussed but not in great detail. I have a feeling that this is going to be visited in a lot more depth in future novels in this series.
Overall this was an okay book. The plot and magic system were interesting; I thought characterization and writing were only so-so. This has potential to become a really interesting series in future books, but this book left me uncertain as to whether or not I will actually read more books in this series. The concept of Curse Workers itself is creative and intriguing; it just wasn't pulled off in a very exciting way and in general the book left me kind of bored. Definitely not one of Black's best efforts. I would check out either her Modern Fairy Tale series or The Spiderwick Chronicles first.
This book was pretty good with a good dose of dark. The characters were people I wasn't sure I wanted to like and the story line was very interesting. It was almost historical fiction, what with workers being edited into the story line that is history as we know it. The dialogue was sharp and rough, but since it was first person that made it all the more believable. People don't think in full sentences all of the time anyways.
The book itself flowed fairly well, although it doesn't have a lot of action to it. It's mostly a fluid con throughout the book that had me guessing right on some of the main plot points. Guessing right always makes me feel like I've cheated the book, but this book has you guessing correctly right before the truth comes to light to the main character.
Definitely worth picking up and reading. Not the most riveting and real book I've ever picked up, but well rounded nonetheless.
The book itself flowed fairly well, although it doesn't have a lot of action to it. It's mostly a fluid con throughout the book that had me guessing right on some of the main plot points. Guessing right always makes me feel like I've cheated the book, but this book has you guessing correctly right before the truth comes to light to the main character.
Definitely worth picking up and reading. Not the most riveting and real book I've ever picked up, but well rounded nonetheless.
No pun intended, but I curse myself for not reading this book earlier because DANG was it good. WHITE CAT is a genius combination of memorable protagonist, brilliant world-building, and effortless narration.
Holly Black manages to paint for readers an alternate world in which magic is mixed with organized crime, all without sacrificing an action-filled, fast-paced plot. WHITE CAT is set in the affluent suburbs of New Jersey, and the Sharpe familys secrets and the Zacharovs criminal doings clash deliciously with its idyllic setting.
While the plot of WHITE CAT is not expansive, it is fast-moving and fascinating enough to make it an unputdownable read. Occasionally I wanted more details about how working for a crime family works, but the details of curse-working are described thoroughly, and anyway, I think that the main focus of WHITE CAT is on the complexities of family loyalty. Cassel and his two older brothers share a complicated relationship with trust issues. What happens when one cant trust ones family?
As far as male protagonists go, Cassel is an enjoyable one. Sometimes male protagonists in contemporary YA rub me the wrong way with either their desperate attempt at coolness or their disturbingly played apathy. Cassel is neither type. Rather, Cassel is a survivor: he desires normalcy in his life, but when that inevitably cannot occur, he makes the best of his situations.
WHITE CAT is a highly engaging quality read by one of YAs most talented speculative fiction writers. It will appeal to readers of both contemporary and speculative fiction. Dont miss it!
Holly Black manages to paint for readers an alternate world in which magic is mixed with organized crime, all without sacrificing an action-filled, fast-paced plot. WHITE CAT is set in the affluent suburbs of New Jersey, and the Sharpe familys secrets and the Zacharovs criminal doings clash deliciously with its idyllic setting.
While the plot of WHITE CAT is not expansive, it is fast-moving and fascinating enough to make it an unputdownable read. Occasionally I wanted more details about how working for a crime family works, but the details of curse-working are described thoroughly, and anyway, I think that the main focus of WHITE CAT is on the complexities of family loyalty. Cassel and his two older brothers share a complicated relationship with trust issues. What happens when one cant trust ones family?
As far as male protagonists go, Cassel is an enjoyable one. Sometimes male protagonists in contemporary YA rub me the wrong way with either their desperate attempt at coolness or their disturbingly played apathy. Cassel is neither type. Rather, Cassel is a survivor: he desires normalcy in his life, but when that inevitably cannot occur, he makes the best of his situations.
WHITE CAT is a highly engaging quality read by one of YAs most talented speculative fiction writers. It will appeal to readers of both contemporary and speculative fiction. Dont miss it!
I thoroughly enjoyed Holly Black's first installment of The Curse Workers series: White Cat. In it, we're introduced to Cassel Sharpe and the world in which he lives--one much like our own save for the fact that "workers" exist who can work magic by touch alone. Cassel is the misfit in a family full of workers and con artists: since he wasn't born a worker, he has made up for his lack of gifts by perfecting the art of the con. With Cassel's mother in jail for working a man as a part of a con, and his boarding school kicking him out over an episode of sleepwalking, Cassel is left to the unstable care of his two brothers Phillip and Barron, and their grandfather. Haunted by his past, he works on conning his way back into school, uncovering some evidence that he himself is being worked--but by who? And can he save his family in the process of saving himself?
White Cat is a young adult fantasy, the first in a series, but its not the cookie-cutter standard YA novel. Black usually fills her stories with a somewhat edgier cast of characters that can put some people off. These folks have rough edges/backgrounds/thoughts and flaws that make them come alive whether you embrace them or are disgusted by them. I enjoy that most about Blacks writing White Cat isnt an exception.
Cassel is the narrator. He is an outcast in his own family because he is not a talented magic worker like the rest of them. He believes he killed his best friend Lilah and that his family covered it up. But as youre getting the story from Cassels point of view you may soon jump to the same conclusions I did; theres no way this sweet guilt laden guy couldve done it. The book opens with a nearly naked Cassel dreaming about a tongue stealing cat and sleepwalking atop the roof of his boarding school. The incident gets him thrown out of school and hes stuck decluttering his childhood home with his Granddad. He continues to dream of the white cat who says cryptic things like:
The cat haunts him both in dreams and reality and as the mysteries surrounding Cassels life are revealed his life is turned upside down.
Im not going to give anything of the plot away but will say your enjoyment of this story will probably be based on your willingness to accept imperfect characters. Cassel runs cons, its how he makes his money while at college, and hes good at it. His family members are all a bunch of criminals working their magic (which is banned) to benefit themselves, his mom is a jailbird and they raise Cassel to be an expert thief and master of the con. It was what he knew, so I could accept it. He has a sense of humor and decency about him despite his situation and I enjoyed seeing the world from his point of view.
I guessed at two of the big reveals early on and though the book ends on a melancholy note it does answer a lot of questions and the secondary characters stayed true to their somewhat shady selves, like them or loathe them. I found it all interesting, never boring and will jump right into Red Glove next.
Cassel is the narrator. He is an outcast in his own family because he is not a talented magic worker like the rest of them. He believes he killed his best friend Lilah and that his family covered it up. But as youre getting the story from Cassels point of view you may soon jump to the same conclusions I did; theres no way this sweet guilt laden guy couldve done it. The book opens with a nearly naked Cassel dreaming about a tongue stealing cat and sleepwalking atop the roof of his boarding school. The incident gets him thrown out of school and hes stuck decluttering his childhood home with his Granddad. He continues to dream of the white cat who says cryptic things like:
I need your help. A curse was placed on me. A curse that only you can break.
The cat haunts him both in dreams and reality and as the mysteries surrounding Cassels life are revealed his life is turned upside down.
Im not going to give anything of the plot away but will say your enjoyment of this story will probably be based on your willingness to accept imperfect characters. Cassel runs cons, its how he makes his money while at college, and hes good at it. His family members are all a bunch of criminals working their magic (which is banned) to benefit themselves, his mom is a jailbird and they raise Cassel to be an expert thief and master of the con. It was what he knew, so I could accept it. He has a sense of humor and decency about him despite his situation and I enjoyed seeing the world from his point of view.
I guessed at two of the big reveals early on and though the book ends on a melancholy note it does answer a lot of questions and the secondary characters stayed true to their somewhat shady selves, like them or loathe them. I found it all interesting, never boring and will jump right into Red Glove next.
I DNF. I couldn't, I tried, I really wanted to because I have heard excellent things about Holly Black. She does seem to be a wonderful writer, but sadly I couldn't get into The Curse Workers. I'm not really a fan or the regular mafia/crime books. I knew this going into the book, but the magical mafia bored me just as the regular one does. Normally if I can't finish a book I just give it one star, but in good conscience I couldn't with this. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the writing. Some of the characters I even really liked, but sadly it just could not hold my interest.
