Book Review: White Cat

TITLE: White Cat
PART IN SERIES: Book 1 in the new Curse Workers series
AUTHOR: Holly Black
PUBLISHED: 2010
CATEGORY: Young adult
GENRE: series, mystery, urban fantasy
PREMISE: Cassel is the only (semi)normal one in a dysfunctional family of workers. Or so he thinks...
MY REVIEW: I really enjoyed Tithe and The Spiderwick Chronicles so I've been looking forward to Holly Black's new book series ever since I heard about it. I'm happy to say, Black does not disapoint. In fact, I even enjoyed this more then her previous works. I will say I'm sad she has gone the present tense route like all these other authors seem to be doing lately but luckily for Black she writes present tense well and effectively so I don't mind it as much.
This book is very different from Tithe for those wondering and I love Black for that. It has a male protagonist (a rare thing in YA fiction nowadays), it doesn't focus on romance (another rare thing in YA fiction nowadays), and it's actually a lot more funny then Tithe. Cassel is a teenage guy after all, therefore, sarcasm is his friend. It helps take the edge off of the angst and makes it enjoyable.
I also liked that Black wasn't afraid to take time for things to develop. She devoted time to setting up these characters and their situations and she didn't try and make Cassel into this wonderful human being, he was just that: human. The world she made in here was interesting as well and I liked that she didn't give everything away at once. We learned about the world where it was appropriate and we still don't really know everything.
This book is probably not for everyone. If you don't like books that explore those morally gray areas or like your characters to have morals and such, it is not for you. Also it does not have much romance in it, and the romance that is there is...not happy per say (unless you count the cuteness that is Sam and Daneca). But if you don't mind that this book is a fun ride and I personally can't wait for the next one.
WHO SHOULD READ: Holly Black fans, fans of Tithe, fans of The Godfather (just...read, and you'll see)
MY RATING: Four and a half out of Five cats

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