Customer Reviews

White Cat (Curse Workers, Book 1)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book has won a number of literary awards, including:
Kirkus Reviews Best Books List for Teens (2010), ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults 2011 List, ALA Amazing Audiobooks List, and Andre Norton 2010 Award Nominee for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy.

Black has created an alternate reality where people called "curse workers" exist. A curse worker is someone who has the ability to make things happen by touch with a bare hand. Some workers can manipulate emotions, while others can transfigure objects and even cause death. A worker will experience something called "blowback" after using their skills, which is a reaction that affects the worker. For example, a memory worker's own memories might become compromised. Curse work has been banned, and everyone wears gloves. Some people are not even aware that they have the ability to do curse work. Because of the nature of their abilities, curse workers are often employed by the mob.

At the beginning of the book, we are introduced to a 17 year-old boy named Cassel Sharpe. He attends Wallingford Preparatory School in New Jersey. He has had a dream of a white cat and awakens to discover that he is on the roof of the school. Students and teachers assume that he is contemplating suicide, and he tries to explain that he must have been sleepwalking. The headmaster bans him from the dormitory and, to protect the school from a liability, insists that Cassel provide a clean bill of health from a doctor before he is permitted to return to the dorms. Cassel has to return to his childhood home, which has been vacant a long time since his mother is in prison. His grandfather stays there with them.

Cassel is the only member of the family who is not a curse worker, so he feels a bit like the odd man out. His mother is an emotion worker, and she can make anyone trust her. She can convince people they are in love with a stroke of her hand. His brother, Phillip, is a body worker and can break someone's leg with a touch of his finger. His grandfather is a death worker, and the blowback has caused some of his fingers to blacken and fall off. He discovers that his family is hiding something, and Cassel must use his wits to survive.

Cassel is fantastic male protagonist! He is smart as a whip, and he runs a gambling ring in the school and takes bets from students on silly things, such as whether the dormitory mouse will get stuck in the glue trap or survive another day. He is witty, sarcastic, and has a snarky sense of humour that I really enjoyed! The addition of paranormal abilities and the danger of the mafia made this a thrilling read!

Black is a new-to-me author, and I really enjoyed this book. The premise of the story was unique, and I can't wait to read the next one in the series, Red Glove.

Narrator Jesse Eisenberg did a bang-up job of capturing the attitude of Cassel. He was a pleasure to listen to, and I hope he narrates the rest of the series.

I've read the Tithe trilogy and that was interesting. Actually, after i finished reading each of the Tithe books, i was blown away. But this book was okay. It wasn't that of an original concept - of course it was a new idea but i thought the concepts weren't explored enough, there wasn't enough background, enough history. I always enjoy when an author goes deep into the new idea - where it came from and all that. But here, information was given once in a while and when i was done reading, i was relieved i finished and could move on. I felt sorry for the main character, not going to say why since this will spoil it for you. I'm not sure i will read the next one, if one is to come out.

I think after the Tithe trilogy i was expecting something similar - something very original but i didnt find it here.

Curse workers -- they can change luck, emotions, dreams and even more just by touching your skin. And since curse work is illegal, they work as con artists or part of mob families.

Having sparked off the teen-girl-encounters-faerie-world craze, Holly Black easily slips into a very different kind of urban fantasy in "White Cat," the first book in the Curse Workers series. The idea is a pretty simple one, but Black twists and knots it into an elaborate, many-shaded fantasy story, with plenty of blood, mystery and magic.

Years ago, Cassel Sharpe killed his best friend Lila -- he doesn't know why or what happened, but he knows he did. And after Cassel sleepwalks onto a roof (and into Youtube fame), he ends up suspended from his school and back in the junk-filled family mansion. As he waits to get back in, he encounters a white stray cat hanging around the barn -- the same cat that has been in his dreams recently.

Other strange clues begin to crop up: a memory charm, strange behavior from his sister-in-law, and the gaps in his own memory. Little by little, Cassel begins to realize that the cat is Lila -- someone with the rarest kind of power has transformed her into a cat, and to change her back he'll have to find out who it is. But as he tries to figure out who transformed Lila and why, he discovers the secrets that have been painstakingly removed from his own head -- and the elaborate, deadly scheme that he's being forced into.

It's pretty obvious from the beginning of "White Cat" that there is more going on than meets the eye, and Holly Black spends most of the book delicately unwinding the various tangled schemes and secrets. The world she conjures up is pretty much like our own, except that there are some people who have magical powers -- it's gritty, prejudiced, and has some real dangers for Cass.

She also comes up with some pretty cool ideas, such as the curse work -- by touching your skin, the workers can instantly break your bones, manipulate your memories, enter your dreams and even transform your body. Fortunately, the "blowback" keeps the workers from seeming all-powerful.

And Black's prose slips onto the story like a worn leather jacket -- the story is gritty, grimy and jaded, and there's always shadows lurking around the corner. But there's a raw beauty to it, especially during scenes like Cass's "pebble" ritual. And she threads the story with the luminous, bright flashbacks of Cassel's time with Lila (think golden cat-globes, ear-piercing and vintage movies). The dialogue is snappy and darkly humorous, and Black knows how to add twists you'll never see coming.

Cassel is that rarest of characters -- a teenage anti-hero. He's a likable, pleasant kid who dislikes the amoral con jobs and brutal mob work that his family engages in, but he also has a weakness for a brilliant lie or a little clever gambling. He's perfectly matched with the luminously quirky Lila, who hangs over the book like DuMaurier's Rebecca (although not as evil or absent).

"White Cat" is a clever and unique urban fantasy, with some shocking twists and a grimy, dark atmosphere -- definitely Holly Black at her best. Can't wait to see what happens with the Curse Workers next.

Reason for Reading: I'm a fan of the author.

Set in an alternate reality almost identical to the Earth we live in with one small difference, some people are born with a special ability which is called a "curse". One must touch another's skin for the effects to take place. These "curse workers" are a minority of the population and their curses range from luck to changing emotions to causing death. In this world everyone wears gloves to keep everyone safe from "curses". No one knows who may be a "worker" but working itself has been deemed illegal.

In this world Cassell finds himself the only non-worker in a family of workers. His family, along with others who have a strong heritage of workers, are what we would call organized crime families, mobsters and con artists. Since Cassell can't "work" he at least has honed his skills as a con artist. But his life starts to unravel when he finds himself sleepwalking, having dreams sent from a white cat and beginning to notice some unaccounted for events in his life. His brothers act strangely when he asks them about it and Cassell begins to feel that perhaps he is the subject of a huge con himself.

I loved every word of this book! I was hooked from the first sentence and couldn't continue with my regular life until I had finished the book. The world Black creates here is very dark and dangerous. One wonders if any character can truly be trusted and the main character himself is not exactly an honest citizen. The direction the story takes is surprising and makes compelling reading. The unexpected actions of characters, including Cassell himself, are shocking and yet as one gets to know them not out of character at all. In this world of dark magic and crime the back stabbing characters are always at each other and it's as matter of magic against magic and wits against wits. The ending is absolutely brilliant and so appropriate! Don't expect any happy, happy, joy, joy ending here! I can't wait for book two!

Holly Black is fast becoming one of my favourite female authors. I now rank her with Terry Tempest Williams, Madeleine L'Engle and Kathy Shaidle. Her works are dark, witty and sublime. Her world creation is believable and compelling, and something about every one of her books I have read has touched something deep and sometimes dark inside myself. Black has a way of drawing the reader into her world that makes you become a part of it. While reading this book I dreamed about it, and found myself reflecting upon it and the alternate reality it presents again and again. I cannot get the story out of my head, and to be honest I do not want to. Not since reading Madeleine L'Engle's books about a decade ago has an author's words and worlds impacted me so completely from a fictional novel.

The story is set in an alternate reality to our own timeline. Except instead of just booze being banned during prohibition, so is magic, or working as it becomes known. Though the ban on booze was lifted, the ban on magic was not. So in a time very close to our own, most people wear gloves for fear of being touched and worked by one with the gift. And people either fear that they have the ability or that they don't and are just 'normal'. Our hero Cassel comes from a family of workers. Not one of the controlling crime families, much like a magic mafia, but a family with certain skills and powers. He is the only one without them, and as such he always feels on the outside. Outside his own family because he does not have the gift and is not fully part of their plan, and on the outside at school because he comes from a family of workers. Cassel, just wants to be a normal boy in high school. The problem is, he killed his best friend four years ago, and even though he doesn't remember doing it, he remembers her body and his family cleaning up the mess for him.

Cassel's problems start when he sleep walks and nearly falls off the roof of his school dorm. Then he realizes all the pieces of his life, his memories, do not fit together right. He begins to wonder if he has been worked. He has a lot to figure out and not a lot of time to do it, and even fewer people he can trust.

Cassel is a strong character, troubled, and in a tight spot, but someone who is working to resolve his issues and trying to do the right thing. He is someone you grow to respect and appreciate, someone you would want as your friend.

The story is well written and the world Black has created is enthralling. Black leads us down a path where magic, the fey and the country witch developed into mainstays in our culture, not just something trifling at the sides. Though their practice and arts are against the law, many still use them, for both good and bad. Where charms and protection are needed, but cannot always to be trusted. As Black writes about the curse workers, you will fall under her charm and be captivated by her writings, and maybe be a little worked to love her and her books.

White Cat was fan-tas-tic. Holly Black created a world (and an different world history) where workers are known and feared by the public. Politicians are working on law projects to force everyone to be "tested" to reveal their worker potential, and Working is already illegal. Which means Worker families are like the mafia of this book. Organized crime, murders, "missing" people is daily matters. Also everyone is wearing gloves because the Work happens with a hand touch.

Cassel is the outsider of his family, he is not a Worker, and isn't in on the family secrets. His mom is in jail for Working some rich dude and he is trying to live a normal life, going to Wallingford, a private school. They say an apple never falls to far from the tree, and it's true in Cassel's case. He might not be a Worker, but he loves the Con just as much.

I think the whole lore of this book is refreshing, Workers each have their own talents (may they work dreams, emotions, luck, memories or death, to name only these) and every time they perform a Work there is a blowback. If you create a good luck charm, the blowback is a share of good luck for yourself. Awesome right? But if you work death, the blowback might be loosing a finger, an hand or even death. Not so cool anymore right?

I loved that the whole book you have to try and figure out what's true and what's a Con. Or what's the biggest Con that will top `em all? How can you ever be sure you are not being worked if someone can change your feelings or your memories? Cassel has doubts he is being played and will work really hard to put the truth to light.

I really liked Cassel's character. He is full of guilt because he killed his best friend when he was 14, but the memory he has of the event are rather scattered. He is trying hard to fit in with normal people, and he is running his Bookie business taking bets and all. He is really smart and resourceful and it was a thrill to see what Con he was gonna play next. And when matters gets serious, he steps up his game.

The end was great, you really get to see how good Cassel is and the story wraps-up nicely. I can't wait to see what's gonna happen in the second book.

*slight spoiler*

I really hope Cassel will still be the main character. Or maybe Lila (Cassel's best friend), I really liked the girl.

The story is a little complex from the start, and it was a little hard to get into without figuring out the facts first. After getting the story straight though, it's a very interesting concept and idea and thought this was definitely a different and unique read. Several characters are thrown at you, so keeping them in line is also a bit of a challenge but it's nothing to throw you off of your reading.

The plot was really good and Cassel is the guy to cheer for. He's not your typical angsty teenager with a huge chip on his shoulder. Which is something I really did like. He's calm, cool, and collected, but also determined to figure out what's going on with his life and why he's been sleepwalking and having strange dreams. Another thing I loved about this book. No love triangles! it's about time! I've read countless of YA and it just seems standard to have a love triangle. You won't find one in this book. (Thankfully.) I really did like the idea of the curse workers being something akin to mafia crime families. That was certainly different and an idea I have not come across before. It did fit in nicely with the overall plot. Plus the scheming, plotting, and conning made it even better.

Following Cassel through the hurdles provided a really good read, and towards the end you'd think everything would go well. Until there's a giant twist and the ends in a cliffhanger ending. However that seems to be the constant theme throughout the novel as Cassel starts to put the pieces together and as the twists get bigger, the plot takes several shocking spins. It made reading the book really exciting and made the pace go fast.

If you love scheming, shocking twists, and con artistry at its finest, pick this book up. It's a perfect blend of magic, and mafia crime families in one nice package. Combine this with fabulous writing and it's an excellent book to read through. Can't wait to read the second book of this series!

(May contain spoilers)

Cassel is from a family of curse workers and is the only one that doesn't have the magic touch. He's the outsider in the family and has never been especially close to either of his brothers. After a sleepwalking incident at school, he is put on medical leave and returns home to live with his grandfather. He starts having disturbing dreams and he keeps running into a white cat who reminds him of Lila, a girl he murdered years ago.

At school Cassel tries his best to be normal and fit in but deep inside he knows that he's different. Because of the relationship he has with his family its hard for him to make friends and trust people. Add to the fact that he's still struggling with the guilt of murdering Lila. She was his best friend and he has no memory why he killed her or the events of what happened that night.

I loved the world that Holly Black created. Magic is illegal and all workers have to wear gloves as they do magic with their hands. Workers are discriminated against so are taken advantage of and recruited to by the big crime families. At times the story did get confusing as nothing is really what it seems but what's great about that is that it also kept me guessing. Once Cassel figures out that something's not right and things aren't adding up his brothers seem more and more suspicious. They're hiding something from him and Cassel is determined to get to the bottom if it.

***May contain spoilers***

I am not going to lie, this is the most complex/ complicated book I have read in some time (and by complicated I do not mean "the author clearly does not know how to write/ doesn't know how to convey to the reader what they are trying to say and therefore the story is unnecessarily complicated with big holes in the plot", but complicated as in, "Holly Black is a genius who was able to create a world that no one else has ever imagined before (let alone written about), and was able to flawlessly seam each layer of this world together"). If I had to compare this book is something recent, I would compare it to the film "Inception". Both have plots that are full of twists and turns and both leave you thinking about them/ processing their story line hours, if not days, after finishing them.

I don't often read books where the main character is male and I think that that is a mistake. Cassel is such an interesting and intriguing character and seeing inside his inner thoughts/ working is indescribable. As for the other slew of characters? Well either you love 'em or you hate 'em, but that adds even more to the atmosphere of the story. Take Cassel's grandfather for instance or his roommate, both are such likeable characters whereas his brothers are complete doorknobs. And even though I want to hate his brothers for their actions I can't completely do so because I do sympathize for them. Yes their actions weren't the greatest and overall they were quite shady but the world that they live in is super tough on them and they have to struggle day in and day out to survive within it.

Now parts of this story are quite predictable, I was able to predict two of the largest plot elements within maybe a quarter of the book, but it didn't bother me too much just because there was so much else going on that I was unable to predict. I am very excited to see what the next book in the series, "Red Glove", has in store for us!

The previous reviewers have done an excellent and comprehensive job of describing "White Cat", so I won't add to their description of the plot/narrative. This is one of the best books in this genre that I've read, and is Holly Black's best so far (which, when about such an accomplished writer, is saying something). It's a book that will be re-read, loved, and praised by many, many people. I bought one HC copy for my household and one for the school library (from my own budget - I really wanted the library to have it). I'm not a writer, but I'm a voracious reader, a parent of three, a librarian and a teacher. In each of these identities I find that "White Cat" is a great book - a fine story, very well written and well crafted, and offering great and complex moral tension for the reader to consider.