April 15, 2011

review: kat, incorrigible

Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis
Katherine Ann Stephenson has just discovered that she's inherited her mother's magical talents, and despite Stepmama's stern objections, she's determined to learn how to use them. But with her eldest sister Elissa's intended fiancé, the sinister Sir Neville, showing a dangerous interest in Kat's magical potential; her other sister, Angeline, wreaking romantic havoc with her own witchcraft; and a highwayman lurking in the forest, even Kat's reckless heroism will be tested to the upmost. If she can learn to control her new powers, will Kat be able to rescue her family and win her sisters their true love?


Thoughts...

Kat, Incorrigible is a magical tale, filled with witches, romance, adventure, and the occasional highwayman, all in the prim-and-proper setting of early 19th century England.

It's been a long time since a story has captivated me to the point of utter enjoyment. I go into reading a book hoping to learn from it; so, I read critically, as a writer. Not this book. From page one, the author dragged me into Kat's world and held me there until the last page. Kat, Incorrigible, simply put, is the sort of fantastic tale I grew to love in the work of Diana Wynne Jones. I can't really explain it, but it's one of those books that, as soon as I settled into the couch and read the first word, I fell into a comfortable state of reading bliss.

Kat is the sort of strong-willed, spunky girl I always wanted to be as a young girl (including the magical powers). Her family is just as interesting, with determined martyr, Elissa; secret witch, Angeline; and stuffy socialite, Stepmama.  Not to mention the quiet vicar father, and the mysterious, never seen, reckless gambling brother, Charles. The characters Kat meets through the course of the book are just as memorable.

As far as plot goes, the adventurous quest to save the Stephenson family is enjoyable to the very end. Everything wraps up neatly, but there's the promise of books to come.

I can't even give the book the review it deserves because I can't find the right words.

Just read it.

Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Format: Hardcover, 304 pages
Publisher: Athenum

Rating: ★★★★★

[Debut Author Challenge 2011]

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