conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Provide a description for a book titled The Price Guide to the Occult about Nor's, Blackburn, Anathema with the genre: Teen & Young Adult, Science Fiction & Fantasy.
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: Gr 9 UpSixteen-year-old Nor Blackburn is just trying to stay under the radar and keep her growing magical abilities under wraps. Nor is the descendant of Rona Blackburn, a powerful witch who helped found the island of Anathema before cursing its inhabitants when they turned on her. Unbeknownst to Nor's loving support networkincluding her formidable grandmother, exuberant best friend, and the proprietor of the local magic shopshe understands the languages of animals and plants. And though each Blackburn woman is not supposed to have more than a single supernatural power, Nor's own supernatural skills seem to be rapidly expanding. She's also dealing with the lingering trauma of physical and psychological abuse suffered at the hands of her powerful and evil mother, Fern. She copes, in part, by engaging in self-harm; readers observe Nor's ever-present struggle to resist her self-destructive impulses and maintain a safe space for herself. When Fern resurfaces after a long absence, Nor's courageand her newfound abilitiesare put to the test. As in her 2014 debut, The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender, the author's writing is atmospheric and ethereal. Anathema Island, with its foggy shores, rich diversity of flora and fauna, and quirky tourist shops, comes to vivid life. The pacing slows considerably at the midpoint and some of the secondary characters are thinly sketched. Nor's wicked and violent sociopath mother is memorable and her scenes are truly chilling. VERDICT Though perhaps not as epic or romantic as her first novel, the author's sophomore effort is haunting and, especially in the last act, thrilling. Some unresolved subplots hint at a sequel.Kiera Parrott, School Library Journal
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Delete the last sentence.
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: Gr 9 UpSixteen-year-old Nor Blackburn is just trying to stay under the radar and keep her growing magical abilities under wraps. Nor is the descendant of Rona Blackburn, a powerful witch who helped found the island of Anathema before cursing its inhabitants when they turned on her. Unbeknownst to Nor's loving support networkincluding her formidable grandmother, exuberant best friend, and the proprietor of the local magic shopshe understands the languages of animals and plants. And though each Blackburn woman is not supposed to have more than a single supernatural power, Nor's own supernatural skills seem to be rapidly expanding. She's also dealing with the lingering trauma of physical and psychological abuse suffered at the hands of her powerful and evil mother, Fern. She copes, in part, by engaging in self-harm; readers observe Nor's ever-present struggle to resist her self-destructive impulses and maintain a safe space for herself. When Fern resurfaces after a long absence, Nor's courageand her newfound abilitiesare put to the test. As in her 2014 debut, The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender, the author's writing is atmospheric and ethereal. Anathema Island, with its foggy shores, rich diversity of flora and fauna, and quirky tourist shops, comes to vivid life. The pacing slows considerably at the midpoint and some of the secondary characters are thinly sketched. Nor's wicked and violent sociopath mother is memorable and her scenes are truly chilling. VERDICT Though perhaps not as epic or romantic as her first novel, the author's sophomore effort is haunting and, especially in the last act, thrilling. Some unresolved subplots hint at a sequel.