#sam yu

Let’s stay together for a bit longer.

Just me, fireworks, happiness, and you.

White Cat, by Holly Black, is a perfect blend of fascinating magic system and the Mob.  No, really. Cassel is the only non-worker in his family.  His brothers are both workers; Philip can hurt you with a touch and Barron can change your luck for good or ill.  His mother can change your emotions with a brush of her fingertip, and his grandfather has no fingers on one of his hands because of the blowback he gets from killing with magic.  Cassel is a skilled con man and liar, but he can’t do magic.

Curse work in Cassel’s world is outlawed, so it’s primarily used by criminal gangs.  Cassel’s family has been working for the Zacharov family for generations, but with his inability to cast curses, Cassel feels like an outsider.  Plus, three years ago he killed his best friend Lila and his family covered it up for him, so he has to live with that.  His mom’s in jail for getting caught working, and he’s managed to get himself into an exclusive boarding school, which he pays for partly by running an illegal betting ring.

Then one night he wakes up on the roof of his dorm after having a vivid dream about a white cat, and his entire world gets turned inside out.  Nothing is as it seems, and he cannot even trust his own memories.  With the help of his intrepid roommate Sam, Cassel has to figure out how to con his way into the life he wants, or at least out of the one that’s probably going to kill him soon, and he can’t trust anyone, not even his own family.  

As usual, Holly Black spins a delightful tale full of intrigue, elaborate lies, and fun characters.  I particularly loved the details, the worldbuilding, and the magic system.  Recommended for anyone who likes crime stories, magic, and a healthy dash of teenaged drama.

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