Spellcaster by Claudia Gray (review)
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Descended from witches, seventeen-year-old Nadia has magic in her blood, but it’s not going to do her any good now that her mother, Nadia’s guide to witchcraft, has taken off. Left to care for her despondent father and little brother, Nadia and her family move to Captive’s Sound in the hopes of a new life. Nadia, however, immediately senses a deep, dark magic threatening the tiny town, and she is acutely aware that her unformed skills are no match for whatever baddie is casting its spell on Captive’s Sound. Meanwhile, fellow high school senior Mateo, a lifelong resident and heir to both his family’s fortune and its curse of insanity, has started having visions of a terrible future that casts the town and Nadia in flames. The two meet up to combine their powers and face down a local witch and her dealings with the “One Beneath.” Flimsy characterizations weaken the story; while at times sympathetic, Nadia and her supporting cast members are too often defined by a single trait, and their dialogue tends to be stiff and unmotivated. Otherwise, though, this is a compelling plot that mines the lore and history surrounding witchcraft to pit good against evil in a literally earth-shaking battle. The sweet and sultry relationship that blooms between Nadia and Mateo will likely please romance fans in general and especially readers of Gray’s previous works (Fateful, BCCB 10/11, Evernight, BCCB 7/08). A final scene reveals that the villain’s defeat is only temporary, ensuring future installments.
