Divorce is very relevant to the girls’ problems. Katie and
Jenny’s father left the family, and they don’t know why. With no explanation,
the girls suspect that they are the reason. More specifically, Katie feels
certain that her headstrong, rebellious behavior is the cause of her father’s
anger and absence. She remembers what she did on the day he left, and the way
he talked about her. This internal conflict plagues the girls as their
adventure to O’Mirra unfolds. Their father makes an appearance in O’Mirra, in a
way.
Katie learns her mother and grandmother are witches, and
that she is one, too. She first notices her amulet is vibrating against her
chest, and she sees her deceased (missing?) grandmother in the scrying mirror. Readers
will have questions about her family. Where is her grandmother? Why doesn’t her
mother seem to have any knowledge about magic and O’Mirra? Katie has moments of
insecurity about her abilities, but she really displays an aptitude toward casting
spells. She feels responsible and protective of her younger sister, but Jenny
often offers her support and flashes of bravery. Their mettle will be tested by
a magical plague that feeds on fear, anger, and self-doubt.
What didn’t work as well:
Katie’s magical learning curve is very quick, as performing spells
isn’t overly complicated. It’s a matter of possessing the ability and reading
spell words from a scroll. At times, it seems that the most difficult part of
casting magic is unrolling the scrolls and reading in pressure situations. It’s
a little odd.
The final verdict:
The book shares a fast-paced adventure in a magical world. The plot’s
format is familiar, but the author includes twists to make it unique. I
recommend you try the book for yourself.
