Spotswood, J. (2012). Born
Wicked. New York, NY: G. P. Putnam’s Sons.
ISBN-13: 978-0142421871
Genre: Fantasy,
Witches, Magic, Marriage, Coming of age, Religion, Witch hunts
Reading level/
interest age: 15+
Plot summary:
Cate is the older of her two sisters and thought to be the
most powerful witch among them. Since their mother died, Cate has taken her
mother’s dying wish to heart. She has done her best to protect her sisters from
the Brotherhood who would see them burned for their witchery. In the town of
Cahill, women who reach the age of sixteen must declare their intent to either
marry or join the Sisterhood. Desperate to keep her sisters close by, Cate
struggles with the inevitable choice she must make. Paul seems to be a fine
suitor as he was a childhood friend but he has changed much since he came back
from university. Then there is Finn, the quiet gardener, who seems to
understand Cate better than her sisters but is poor and unable to support his
family. When Cate’s father demands that his daughters have a governess, Cate
panics with the thought of having to hide her family’s secret from another
person. However, the governess turns out to have more tricks up her sleeves
than anyone could have expected.
Reader’s annotation:
Cate, Maura, and Tess are all very gifted witches growing up
in a town famous for its persecution of women practicing the craft. To top it
off, the three sisters might be the subject of what an ancient prophesy has
foretold. Cate just wants to keep her sisters safe but with her fellow witches
seeking their power, it’s all she can do to fend off the townsfolk.
Information about the
author:
“I've wanted to be a writer since I wrote a story about my
grandparents' cabin in Mrs. Eisenhart's class in fourth grade. In fifth grade,
I got in trouble for reading under my desk while the teacher was talking. Then
in sixth grade I read Gone with the Wind. It changed my life. The
characters of Scarlett and Rhett leapt off the page; they were flawed and
clever and fascinating. In high school, I wrote three sprawling historical
romance novels full of kissing and banter. In retrospect, they were dreadful (I
had not been kissed myself at this point), but it didn't matter; I fell in love
with creating characters and writing into the wee hours of the morning. I also
played clarinet in the marching and concert bands and tenor sax in the jazz
band; edited the newspaper; was copy editor for the yearbook; and acted in a
bunch of school plays. My favorite role was Beth in Little Women. I died
splendidly.
“I left my tiny one-stoplight hometown (Biglerville, PA) to
attend Washington College. Within my first week there, I had auditioned for two
plays. Writing mostly fell by the wayside because I was spending thirteen hours
a day in rehearsal. The drama department at Washington College was amazing; it
taught me to value creative collaboration, ask questions, and give tactful
feedback (all skills that have been crazy-useful in my writing career). I
directed a production of Elie Wiesel's The Trial of God for my drama
thesis and wrote a play for my English thesis. It was at WAC that I met my
husband, Stephen Spotswood, and a fabulous group of friends who are still my
besties.
“Now I live in a hipster neighborhood in Washington, DC with
my brilliant playwright husband and a very cuddly cat named Monkey, and I am a
full-time author” (Spotswood, 2014).
Curriculum ties: N/A
Booktalking ideas:
1.
What are your thoughts on the Brotherhood’s
rules?
2.
How do you think growing up in a time like this
would affect your personality and life choices?
Critical evaluation:
Another typical young adult fantasy book rampant with magic
and pristine, attentive male characters. Cate’s character does have some good
qualities in her devotion to her sisters but her mentality is not believable
for a sixteen year old despite her swooning during several kissing scenes.
Tess, the youngest sister, is actually the most interesting character in the
book but she is hardly mentioned and her powers that manifest towards the end
are shocking as the author sets up Cate to appear the most gifted. Told from Cate’s
perspective, there is not much growth of character by the end of the novel. She
only has a stronger resolve to protect her family. Perhaps the reader’s
attention would have been better netted if Cate had actually made a mistake and
chosen wrong rather than to be self-righteous. The two boys trying to win
Cate’s affections are dull because at the end of the book, both simply let her
go off to join the Sisterhood instead of fighting for her to stay. Though
predictable, the book was still enjoyable and is best read in autumn as this is
when the story takes place.
Challenge issues:
·
Witchcraft
Defensive Maneuvers:
·
Have the library’s collection development policy
memorized and on hand in case a situation arises.
·
Keep positive reviews on hand to refer to or
hand out when needed.
·
If the book has won any awards, mention them to
the patron and briefly explain the award.
·
Listen to the patron and practice good customer
service skills when communicating. Let the customer know where or if he/she can
escalate his/her complaint.
·
When necessary, cite sections of the ALA’s Library
Bill of Rights or refer to the ALA's
Strategies and Tips for Dealing with Challenges to Library Materials.
Why included:
Though I originally came across this book as a weeded copy
from my local library, I believe that it was simply not well marketed. I
believe that teens will enjoy reading about Cate’s struggle with coming of age
and like the fact that this is a series of books.
Reference:
Spotswood, J. (2014). About
Me. Retrieved August 25, 2014 from
http://www.jessicaspotswood.com/about.php#top
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