Born Wicked Review

Born Wicked

Jessica Spotswood

February 7th 2012

Putnam and Sons

A copy was provided by Penguin Canada for review.

Summary:

Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they're witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word . . . especially after she finds her mother's diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family's destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren't safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other.

Review:

I think that Born Wicked is everything a witch book should be. I'm more of a fan of witches set in the time that they were being hunted down and burned, which is the era that Born Wicked takes place in. Having the powers of a witch is looked at to be a curse and a sentence of death or being locked up for the rest of your life, where no a days it's represented to be a gift that is supposed to be "cool". The use of witches in Born Wicked is  more effective and 100 times more interesting to read than modern witches on TV and a large portions of books in my opinion.

In addition to the witches fitting well to the setting of the 1800's Jessica Spotswood's writing adapted amazingly well. The dialogue and setting were right on spot on! Usually I don't take to books set in the past because I can't connect, but Born Wicked is an exception, and is actally a large reason why I enjoyed this book as much as I did. The tension between Cate and her 2 sister with the Brothers and Sister was really interesting. When the girls come of age they can either join the sisterhood or get married, this choice happends just after 16. There are also many twists and turns in the plot that will in no doubt keep readers interested in what happens to Cate and her sisters all the way through.

The only problem I really had with Born Wicked was I didn't really care for Cate as a main character, she could get on the annoying side and I didn't always agree with the choices she made. A large portion of the plot revolves aroung romance, I had no problem with this it addes a little zing to the story that intrigued me. I'm not swooning of Finn Belastra just yet but there is portential for me to in the next book. Also the ending of this book is amazing I want more NOW! Overall I think that Born Wicked is a must read for those who like paranormal, a realistic take on witches annd historical fiction. Born Wicked will appeal to you in some way.