Review: White Cat by Holly Black

White Cat (Curse Workers #1)

by Holly Black

pages: 336

Publisher: Indigo

Pub date: May 4th 2012 (first published)

Synopsis:

You're only a fingertip away from another world.

Cassel is cursed.

Cursed by a memory. He murdered the girl he loved - and he doesn't remember why.

In a world where magic is illegal and his family is a branded criminal, Cassel doesn't fit in. He has no magical talent - just a gift for getting into trouble.

Boarding school offers an escape, but then the dreams start. Dream that drive him home to unravel his past. Dreams that force him to confront who he really is and what he's really done. Cassel is about to discover that his family hides an incredible secret - one that will transform his life forever.

Review:

*Spoilers! Spoilers! Spoilers!

I actually have a history with this. I used to see White Cat in every book (well, almost) i used to read. It would be always be at the last few pages where i would always read "You're only a fingertip away from another world." Back then i thought: "mmm... OK it sounds like good read". When Black Heart (3rd book in the Curse Worker series) was released i finally researched it on Goodreads. I then found out it was by Holly Black and i was like: "isn't that the author that wrote The Spiderwrick chronicles?" Finally, I had made my decision that i had to get it. So, here i am writing a review of White Cat.

Cassel is like everyone in our world, except, in his world he's the odd one out. He's not a "Curse Worker", like his whole family. One of the things that made me interested in White Cat was the male POV. I couldn't really get Cassel most of the time. Maybe, it's because i'm in a males POV. Anyhow, i still liked to watch through his eyes. Lila, the girl he loved and killed i did kinda get. I was happy that she didn't forget her objective. She still wanted to be the head of her family when her father died and she still wanted to kill Cassel, for revenge. My other character that i have to talk to is Cassel's mother. Cassel's mother is my favourite character, because she was the only character that i could really imagine in real life.

The storyline is a different matter. It made me fall in love with it when i first read it. It is set in an alternative US where certain people have supernatural abilities, they are called "curse workers". There are a variety of different "Curse Workers". Some can control your dreams, some can control you and some, some can even change you into different objects. They can do this with just a touch. That's why a bare hands are like knives. Cassel, our protagonist, is not a "Curse Worker" which i doubted for a long time and in the end i was right. In addition, i also loved the criminal side of the "curse workers". Holly Black gave me what i needed of the criminal world of "Curse Workers" which i found really interesting. I would love to find out more about the criminal side in the next book. Despite loving the story i thought that it was slow paced for me. The only adrenaline that i felt was the ending. On the other hand, i really liked Holly Black's writing. Her description especially.

In conclusion, White Cat did and didn't meet my expectations. Even though, i didn't connect with Cassel i thought that all the character had something in them that made them real. I also thought that it was slow paced, but it all goes upwards with the storyline. Despite the bumpy ride in White Cat i'm looking forward to read Read Glove.

Find out more about Holly Black at: Goodreads/ Her blog/ Her website/ Twitter

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