Mini-review: Plain Kate by Erin Bow

Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
Release Date: September 1st 2010
Source: Borrowed from a friend.

Plain Kate lives in a world of superstitions and curses, where a song can heal a wound and a shadow can work deep magic. As the wood-carver's daughter, Kate held a carving knife before a spoon, and her wooden talismans are so fine that some even call her “witch-blade”: a dangerous nickname in a country where witches are hunted and burned in the square.

For Kate and her village have fallen on hard times. Kate’s father has died, leaving her alone in the world. And a mysterious fog now covers the countryside, ruining crops and spreading fear of hunger and sickness. The townspeople are looking for someone to blame, and their eyes have fallen on Kate.

Enter Linay, a stranger with a proposition: In exchange for her shadow, he’ll give Kate the means to escape the angry town, and what’s more, he’ll grant her heart’s wish. It’s a chance for her to start over, to find a home, a family, a place to belong. But Kate soon realizes she can't live shadowless forever -- and that Linay's designs are darker than she ever dreamed.

Erin Bow left me yearning for more of Kate's story. Plain Kate was just plain amazing! Bow revived that old fairy-tale narrative that I haven't come across since my childhood and she knows how to give depth to her characters: Linay was wicked, Kate was wonderful and the cast of minor characters glowed whenever they were allowed their moments on the page.

Final Verdict: You know what I'm going to say.  Listen to me. This book is beautiful and it should be read because the story is fantastic. It sticks with you long after you've finished reading it and that is the mark of a genuinely good book. And as an added bonus, you'll get to meet Taggle, one of the awesomest cats I've ever read about. I'm not a fan of cats but Taggle captured my heart with his witty cat remarks (yes, he talks!) and his dedication to Kate; there is also the wonderful addition of Russian lore that weaves its way into the story--Plain Kate is, simply put, a must read. Rating: 4.5 stars

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Gorgeous book trailer that goes perfectly with the book: