Ever Cursed

May 15, 2020
Five years ago, a powerful witch named Reagan cast a Spell of Without on the Queen of Ever and her five daughters, each of whom succumbs on her 13th birthday. Jane, the eldest at 17, can't eat; Nora can't love; Alice can't sleep; Grace can't remember; Eden will soon have no hope; and the queen lies in stasis in a glass box. After Reagan returns from her banishment, she comes to terms with the consequences of her actions, borne of rage, which could destroy the complex balance between witches and royals. She has four days to Undo the spell before her 18th birthday, when it becomes permanent (and for Jane and Alice, deadly). Jane crosses the castle's moat for the first time (royals must maintain a Royal Distance from their subjects) to gather the objects needed to break the spell, and after learning Reagan's reasons, Jane must reconsider everything she thought she knew about witches, the people of Ever, and her beloved father. Quirky details enliven Haydu's magic-infused world, and themes like sexual assault and rampant misogyny are deftly explored while allowing for hope and healing. There are a few surprises, but Haydu doesn't rely on gimmicky twists: This one is all about compassion, female solidarity, fighting for change, and smashing the patriarchy. Jane's family and Reagan are white, Alice is trans, Grace is lesbian, and royals, witches, and ordinary citizens are diverse in skin tone. A fiercely feminist #MeToo fairy tale. (Fantasy. 14-18)

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May 15, 2020
Grades 9-12 In the land of Ever, it's been witches versus royals for as long as most living people can remember. They are on opposite sides of the moat and opposite sides of an age-old war that stemmed from the kidnapping of a princess. Reagan, a young witch, cast a terrible spell five years ago, cursing each of the five royal daughters with an inability to do something vital: eat, sleep, hope, love, and remember. Jane is the eldest of those five princesses, and she has not eaten in those five years. As each girl tells her story in alternating chapters, readers find out how Ever became the way it is, and what each side is really fighting for. Haydu's world building is slightly piecemeal, doled out a chapter at a time, and the pace can be slow because of it. The story, which opens with a trigger warning for sexual assault and eating disorders, has qualities of both a classic fairy tale and contemporary retellings, making it ideal for fans of Jennifer Donnelly's Stepsister (2019).(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

Starred review from June 1, 2020
For the last five years, 17-year-old Princess Jane has been unable to eat due to the Spell of Without. Cast by young witch Reagan, the Slow spell can’t kill Jane, but it has trapped the Queen of Ever in a glass box and withheld love, hope, memory, and sleep, respectively, from Jane’s younger sisters upon their 13th birthdays. With only four days to break the spell before it turns True—and deadly—Jane must join forces with Reagan. But breaking it requires discovering the truth about Jane’s father, the king, and the reason for the inequality between the monarchy and the hungry townspeople. Haydu (Eventown) peppers the novel, told in alternating perspectives by Jane and Reagan, with familiar fairy tale symbols and tropes made fresh through attention to the inventive history of the witches that protect Ever. Affecting scenes showcase the threat of sexual violence that the kingdom’s females face from powerful princes and kings who deem resistors hysterical, and a breathless stream-of-consciousness style echoes the feelings of the two young women contending with Ever’s history, outdated beliefs about princesses and witches, and the way forward in a broken kingdom. Ages 14–up. Agent: Victoria Marini, Irene Goodman.

June 1, 2020

Gr 7-10-Jane, the eldest princess of the kingdom of Ever, has not been able to eat a single bite since her 13th birthday, when she and her four younger sisters were cursed by Reagan, a witch. Five years later, Reagan returns to tell the princesses how to break their curse. They must acquire four specific items in four days, before Reagan's own 18th birthday makes the curse permanent. Breaking the curse means leaving the safety of the castle walls, getting to know the people of Ever, and learning the truth about their father, the king. Following in the tradition of fairy tales addressing social issues, Haydu's story includes themes of sexual assault, the role of women in society, and concentration of power. Taking place over a short period of time, the plot moves slowly with little forward momentum. Narrated by Jane and Reagan in alternating chapters, any action that occurs is inevitably interrupted by flashbacks, descriptions, or the narrators themselves growing introspective. Jane's four cursed younger sisters and their various afflictions hint at interesting characters with unique perspectives, but ultimately, prove little more than set dressing. VERDICT The themes the story attempts to address are admirable, and the solemn tone is appropriate, but the heavy-handed execution results in an underwhelming tale for readers beginning to explore these topics. An additional purchase.-Aaren Tucker, Univ. of Illinois

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