White Cat by Holly Black

Title: White Cat
Author: Holly Black
Type: Young Adult Novel
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Yes first in The Curse Workers series
Copyright: 2010
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Rating:  3 out of 5

Summary:
The book is about Curse Workers in a time when working magic has been banned by the government. Workers are sent underground and considered outcasts of society. They work their magic with a touch of skin on skin. Most curse workers are  luck or emotional workers, fewer are memory or death workers and the most rare of all are shape workers who can change the shape of things. Cassel Sharpe is from a family of workers yet he appears to have no magic of his own. He attends a boarding school where he is able to escape from the insanity of mother and the dysfunctional in his family. At fourteen Cassel kills Lila the daughter of the biggest crime boss, but he can't remember why or how he did it. He is still ridden with guilt from his lack of knowledge about Lila who was his best friend. Now seventeen he is sleepwalking and dreaming of a white cat. What follows is discovery of self and family. Not all of them pleasant.

Feelings: 
This was an interesting book. I wouldn't consider it anything new but it was enjoyable to read and the characters were well formed and easy to like or dislike which can be good in this type of book. Cassel even though he is attending an upper class school has turned to the black market and running a betting business at his school. The interactions and superstition of difference between worker and non-worker are similar to racial issues seen today. The dynamics of the school environment and the relationships Cassel forms there are in strong contrast to the relationships he has with his family. The family dynamic is something that I think may people will be able to relate to. The mystery and discovery in the book are reminiscent of many coming of age stories but it is well written and I will read the next book.