(Caster Chronicles #1)
by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Publication Date: December 1st, 2009
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Pages: 563
ISBN: 9780316042673
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There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.
At least, that's what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.
There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.
Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.
Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.
In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything. (Goodreads)
Ethan has lived his whole life in the tiny town of Gatlin, a town full of secrets and lies. He wants nothing more than to turn 18 and move away to college. That is until the niece of the town’s recluse, Lena, shows up and changes the small town forever.
We read the story through our main character, Ethan’s, point of view. I always find that interesting, because I haven’t read many books from a male’s POV. I found Ethan to be a very likeable character. He was very calm and level headed. He knew what he wanted with his life, and he didn’t believe in being a part of the town clique. I love that he stood up for Lena, even when he didn’t know her at all. He didn’t allow her to be bullied. Why can’t all guys be that way?
Lena is the character that I had more of a problem with. I found her to be very dramatic. I can understand her questioning everything in her life, but after a while of her just complaining about everything, it got really old. I actually ended up liking more of the secondary characters more than I liked Lena, her uncle Macon, especially. I found him, and Amma to be the most interesting characters in the novel.
The thing I love most about the book was the descriptions. I can imagine the world that the authors created for these characters. The flashbacks to the time during the war were very descriptive. I had a clear vision in my head of the setting. I enjoyed that. The storyline was interesting as well. I always enjoy books about witches, they are fascinating.
Overall; I found this to be an enjoyable read. I am really looking forward to reading the rest of the series, and seeing the movie as well.
Happy Reading!
