Saturday, February 5

White Cat: Book Review

by Holly Black


I haven't been the biggest fan of Holly Black's books in the past but I decided to give it another shot.  It wasn't the stories or characters I didn't like in past novels but some of the language or cruelty.

First Chapter:Sounds interesting, but still a bit unsure
Prediction based upon first chapter: (3)

Main Player: Cassel Sharpe
Place:New Jersey
Moment Divine: "Maura, you are a goddess. I will carve your likeness in mashed potatoes so all can worship you like I do. When you leave Philip, will you marry me?"
Can you imagine a world where you fear touch instead of crave it?  Such a world would surely be a chaotic mess utterly lacking in trust.
So the world of mafia hit man and family, quite a detail intense world.  I liked the story and the main character, reservedly.  Such a criminal world would never be lacking in horror especially against those who a more innocent on the scale than others.  This book did fit perfectly with the style I have encountered in other books.  It wasn't quite so unnerving that I think I might be picking up the next book.  Well that is if I want another dose of false masquerading as truth.

Spoiler Section:
I love that this book explored the two edged sword a position in crime would entail.  Here you seek power and riches and feel it completely within your grasp.  Only it isn't so much real as a temporary state or a figment of your highly charged mind. There is no loyalty among thieves(family), so they have no place of safety.  No where to lay when faced with the unalterable truth that they have vulnerabilities just as all others. Their world is hollow and unfulfilling, but they are lying to themselves so completely they can't see it.

The ending is such a heart breakingly massive ouch!  The poor thing hasn't he been through enough?  But, I guess that is just what he explains in his last words. I think it is all the more stark of an ending since Cassel is an amazing young man.  Really consider here he stands to be a heartless criminal simply by familial training.  Yet even though his hands are not exactly clean he stands as the one true person among the chaos and cruelty.