barrons's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
toloveisdestroy's review against another edition
5.0
A WONDERFUL STORY!!! This story was about a boy who turned his childhood love into a white cat by accident... it's a wonderful story about romance and sass and the ending made me cry... I still need to read the next books... NEED!!!
bibliofiendlm's review against another edition
4.0
Enjoyed this. Really different. Loved the ending.
haewilya's review against another edition
3.0
The story's unique. At least from what I've read do far. It just makes me sad that I can't root for the characters.
carinabixby's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this book. I really did. However I didn't love it like I was hoping to.
Sometimes I felt that an aspect of a character would be explained, but I never saw that when I was reading it. Like Cassel, he's a con man, and so he should be able to lie, right? I didn't really see that though. He wasn't the best at his job all the time. But when he was, that's when I wanted to keep reading.
There were plot twists, but I called one of the major ones and they danced around it for awhile. I was literally sitting in bed when I realized it, signing because I knew I'd have to wait for Cassel to get it. However the very end caught me off guard, and I was just like "Noooooooo" because it wasn't expected.
I don't know if the writing style really worked for me. I don't think I got enough detail of the surroundings which made it hard to form a mental image sometimes. The physical traits of character as well I felt could've been fleshed out more. Btw, Cassel is said to have dark skin and hair. So why does the original cover have a white guy on it? This confused me for awhile, but I know it's not Holly Black's fault.
Even though this all seems negative, I did enjoy it. I enjoyed Cassel's POV, and his past with his brothers and his friend he killed (that's on the dust jacket so not really a spoiler) really intrigued me. Plus there's a certain plot line I really liked watching play out, and Cassel's reaction to it.
All in all, not a bad read, I just don't think it was for me. I didn't know this would be as focused on crime when I read it, but if you do enjoy reading about crime families and an interesting alternate timeline where certain people have magic and need to wear gloves, then this is for you!
Sometimes I felt that an aspect of a character would be explained, but I never saw that when I was reading it. Like Cassel, he's a con man, and so he should be able to lie, right? I didn't really see that though. He wasn't the best at his job all the time. But when he was, that's when I wanted to keep reading.
There were plot twists, but I called one of the major ones and they danced around it for awhile. I was literally sitting in bed when I realized it, signing because I knew I'd have to wait for Cassel to get it. However the very end caught me off guard, and I was just like "Noooooooo" because it wasn't expected.
I don't know if the writing style really worked for me. I don't think I got enough detail of the surroundings which made it hard to form a mental image sometimes. The physical traits of character as well I felt could've been fleshed out more. Btw, Cassel is said to have dark skin and hair. So why does the original cover have a white guy on it? This confused me for awhile, but I know it's not Holly Black's fault.
Even though this all seems negative, I did enjoy it. I enjoyed Cassel's POV, and his past with his brothers and his friend he killed (that's on the dust jacket so not really a spoiler) really intrigued me. Plus there's a certain plot line I really liked watching play out, and Cassel's reaction to it.
All in all, not a bad read, I just don't think it was for me. I didn't know this would be as focused on crime when I read it, but if you do enjoy reading about crime families and an interesting alternate timeline where certain people have magic and need to wear gloves, then this is for you!
raylily25's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Why why whyyyy is all I have to say to his mother for that ending. Happy maura got away tho.
mjthespidergirl's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
lazygal's review against another edition
4.0
An alternate reality, one in which magic workers are real - some can kill, some can con, most just bring luck or hope - and in which bare hands are a rarity. This is an interesting world, and Cassel's role in it is unclear at first. He's a non-worker in a powerful family of workers, the youngest brother of three, and trying to fit in to a relatively posh boarding school. His mother's a con artist (currently in jail) and he's picked up quite a few of her tricks, including how to make book.
As the story unfolds we learn more about how workers work, and about Cassel's conflicted family life. His relationships with non-workers are also interesting: he feels he's spent 2 1/2 years conning his way to normalcy at Wallingford, but by the end of the book it's clear that he was never viewed as "normal" although he does have friends (something he didn't think he had). Given that within the space of three weeks his beliefs about his past and his family are completely shattered, he's a little too sanguine about the changes in his life.
In part because the exposition is lightly given the story feels a little more natural than most fantasy books. The pacing is a little off at times, with action scenes sometimes halting a little abruptly with a twist that takes it into a new direction.
Copy provided by publisher.
As the story unfolds we learn more about how workers work, and about Cassel's conflicted family life. His relationships with non-workers are also interesting: he feels he's spent 2 1/2 years conning his way to normalcy at Wallingford, but by the end of the book it's clear that he was never viewed as "normal" although he does have friends (something he didn't think he had). Given that within the space of three weeks his beliefs about his past and his family are completely shattered, he's a little too sanguine about the changes in his life.
In part because the exposition is lightly given the story feels a little more natural than most fantasy books. The pacing is a little off at times, with action scenes sometimes halting a little abruptly with a twist that takes it into a new direction.
Copy provided by publisher.
bookgoonie's review against another edition
3.0
It started off a little slow. Cassel lays out his life in a very matter-a-fact kind of way. He shares with the reader about school and the gambling syndicate he ring leads. You hear tales of his messed up magical CURSE WORKER family. How his brother is tied up with the magical mafia and his mother is in jail for manipulating emotions. But as he goes into his own past, guilt and loss, the mystery of the WHITE CAT starts to unfold.
Cassel reminded me of Jaz from I Hunt Killers. There mind toys with the bad and dark side of their knowledge while trying to survive and hopefully do what is right. BLACK did a great job of making the magic of the CURSE WORKERS and the mafia fit into the world around them with only slight modifications. She kept it simple and it works.
I was listening to this one at school and it was my students that picked up on JESSE EISENBERG as the narrator. One boy says, “it’s you know that guy in the movies. Zombieland.” Ahhh…now the narration made even more sense. His slow methodic way of speaking transported me back to a time of say…Humphrey Bogart. The pauses and the silence heightened the feeling of anxiety as Cassel unravels the story behind the WHITE CAT. It speaks volumes that the boys in my class got mad every time I stopped the audiobook. Regardless if they weren’t able to listen to 100% of the book, they wanted to hear as much as they could.
Cassel reminded me of Jaz from I Hunt Killers. There mind toys with the bad and dark side of their knowledge while trying to survive and hopefully do what is right. BLACK did a great job of making the magic of the CURSE WORKERS and the mafia fit into the world around them with only slight modifications. She kept it simple and it works.
I was listening to this one at school and it was my students that picked up on JESSE EISENBERG as the narrator. One boy says, “it’s you know that guy in the movies. Zombieland.” Ahhh…now the narration made even more sense. His slow methodic way of speaking transported me back to a time of say…Humphrey Bogart. The pauses and the silence heightened the feeling of anxiety as Cassel unravels the story behind the WHITE CAT. It speaks volumes that the boys in my class got mad every time I stopped the audiobook. Regardless if they weren’t able to listen to 100% of the book, they wanted to hear as much as they could.