Review: White Cat (Curse Workers #1) by Holly Black

Title: White Cat

Series: Curse Workers #1

Author: Holly Black

Genre: YA, urban fantasy

Publication date: May 2010

Published by: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Source: Library Book

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Synopsis:

CASSEL COMES FROM A FAMILY OF CURSE WORKERS - people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands. And since curse work is illegal, they're all criminals. Many become mobsters and con artists. But not Cassel. He hasn't got magic, so he's an outsider; the straight kid in a crooked family. You just have to ignore one small detail - he killed his best friend, Lila, three years ago.

Cassel has carefully built up a facade of normalcy, blending into the crowd. But his facade starts to crumble when he finds himself sleepwalking, propelled into the night by terrifying dreams about a white cat that wants to tell him something. He's noticing other disturbing things to, including the strange behavior of his two brothers. They are keeping secrets from him. As Cassel begins to suspect he's part of a huge con game, he must unravel his past and his memories. To find out the truth, Cassel will have to outcon the conmen.

My rating: ★★★★☆
I really liked White Cat! It had a very interesting world, very reminiscent of the X-Men world, which isn’t a bad thing ‘cause I love me some superheroes! Except in this world full of what’re called ‘Workers,’ our main character Cassel is a non-Worker. Even worse, a non-Worker in a family full of workers! He’s always felt left out, always wanted a power. But you know what they say, be careful what you wish for...

I loved the characters in the book! They had some really cool powers (even though some characters I wanted to strangle)! Cassel... he was just SO charming! I adored him! I also really liked his roommate Sam and their friend Daneca. Lila though, I didn’t care for her. She is so bossy and pushy and just borderline a bully! Literally Cassel’s words! He even admits it *shakes head* And his family... they are the worst! His mother--what she did at the end--and his brothers--what they did to Cass... I just don’t understand how they can do something like that to their little brother. I’m an older sister myself, and I cannot imagine using my younger sibling like that and doing what they did to Cass. The only decent one in the family was Cassel’s grandfather--I totally loved him!

There were a couple of shocking twists, which you know I love. I also loved that Cassel’s friends helped him out on his crazy plan. It was crazy, but it was brilliant! Cass is so cunning! And to be a con artist, I guess you have to be, lol.

Overall, I really liked this crazy world! I mean, people are discriminated against for something they can’t help. The parallels in this book to the real world make me so sad because this sort of thing has been going on forever! On the other hand, I also really liked it because it reminded me of the X-Men--they too had to deal with this sort of thing.

It’s a very intriguing series with a promising start!

Alternate cover:

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think about it? If not, what do you think? Does it sound like something you might want to read? Leave me a link to your review or comment below! :)