The Graces

June 27, 2016
In British author Eve’s U.S. debut, a teenage loner becomes fixated on the most powerful family in town, gradually insinuating herself into their inner circle in an attempt to gain popularity and acceptance. Like everyone else, 15-year-old River Page knows that the beautiful, enigmatic Graces are rumored to be witches; craving power, she works carefully to gain the friendship of Summer and her older sister, Thalia, even as she falls for their brother, Fenrin. River can’t figure out why the siblings are so insular and mercurial, even after joining them in several magical rituals. The mystery deepens after one of their close friends drowns, and River’s efforts to become part of the Graces’ world backfire. Eve conjures up an intriguing vision of small-town mystique, with the Grace family depicted as unknowable and otherworldly—the mystery of whether magic is at play hangs over much of the story—and self-involved, obsessive River’s less-than-trustworthy narration adds to the air of uncertainty. But while Eve keeps the story’s speculative elements satisfyingly ambiguous, last-minute revelations and developments feel ill-established, resulting in a dissonant conclusion. Ages 13–up.