Prophecy of the Sisters

August 3, 2009
Set in 19th-century New York, Zink's tense and haunting debut novel is narrated by 16-year-old Lia Milthorpe, left in the lurch by the recent death of her father under mysterious circumstances. Lia, who bears the mark of the Jorgumand (a snake devouring itself) on her wrist, soon learns that she and her twin sister, Alice, are fated to play crucial opposing roles in a mystical struggle that goes back to the dawn of time; unfortunately neither girl is temperamentally suited to the role she has been assigned. The author's language, formal and restrained, is appropriate for the setting and gives the chilly scenes between the sisters an especially gothic air (“We are not the kind of sisters who engage in nightly hair brushing or confided secrets”). While Zink relies on the well-used trope of the grand prophecy, the story is anything but clichéd, with flawed and fragmentary translations, misinterpretation and methodical but inspired deduction complicating and enriching the tale. The result is a captivating tragedy immersed in a world of spells, Samhain and twisting family allegiances that stands on its own while leaving room for sequels. Ages 12–up.

July 1, 2010
Gr 8 Up—-his tale about orphaned sisters in 1890s New York strikes a gothic chord in Michelle Zink's first book (Little, Brown, 2009) in a planned trilogy. Lia and Alice Milthorpe are the latest in a long line of twins central to a centuries-old prophecy. They have become enemies and are turned against each other. One girl seeks to open the gate to the Otherworld, while the other does her best to keep the status quo. A veritable bounty of the supernatural, including angels, séances, and astral projection, adds to the period detail and just a touch of romance to make this an intriguing first volume. Although this title has a conclusion of sorts, secondary characters are not yet fully developed and many plot lines are left dangling awaiting the next volume. Occasional atmospheric music adds an otherworldly edge to the telling. Without providing distinct voices for the characters, narrator Eliza Dushku still manages to convey their individual personalities, such as Lia's earnest innocence and Alice's growing malevolence. For fans of paranormal romance and historical fiction.—"Charli Osborne, Oxford Public Library, MI"

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.