Eve, Laure. The Graces.

Eve, Laure.  The Graces.      Amulet see Harry Abrams  2016  340p  $18.95  ISBN 978-1-4197-2123-6  hs  Supernatural  VG

River moves into a new town with her mother. At school she finds that making friends is hard, but she is intent on becoming friends with Summer Grace, one of the three Grace siblings, whose family members are purported to be witches. The secretive family is loathed but intriguing to the community because of suspicious events that take place at their house. River’s life has not been easy, with her father mysteriously leaving the family and hints that she had to take medication after he left. The writing is superb, with carefully selected vocabulary that invokes unique environments, supernatural spells, and feelings that are palpable. There is a consistent push and pull in the rhythm of the plot, with feelings that impact the characters and yet entice the reader to move through the philosophical sections to the action sequences. With River wanting to learn magic spells, she and the Graces explore dark magic in hopes of breaking the curse that separates the Grace family from the larger community. A romantic subplot arises between River and Fenrin Grace, who is the handsome twin of Thalia Grace. The ending is so unexpected that it will rock readers who expect a typical happy ending. There are alcohol-fueled parties and a gay love affair, but these are necessary parts of the plot as it unfolds into a horrendous calamity and quasi resolution. Could there be a sequel in the works?

Summary: When River moves to a new town, she becomes enamored with the Grace family, who are reported to be witches. As she becomes friendly with Summer Grace, she is drawn into their dark world. There are many surprises by the end of the book. Grades 9-12.

           

Witches–Fiction                                       --Lois McNicol