📘 Plain Kate
by Erin Bow
Genre Fiction ◦ YA ◦ Fantasy
Format & Source Print ◦ Library
Publication Scholastic ◦ 2010
Dates Read January 14 – 20, 2014
Rating ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
📝 My Review
Plain Kate is not my typical read and is totally out of my comfort zone. I read most genres, but fantasy is one that I almost always steer clear of. Needless to say, this was the January pick for my Forever YA book club and I’m kind of glad it was. I wouldn’t have given it a second glance otherwise, and it was quite good.
“Plain” Kate Carver is a newly orphaned wood carver who has been accused of being a witch by the local townspeople who are frightened of her. When a strange and mysterious man arrives in town and offers to grant Kate a wish in exchange for her shadow, she accepts and flees the town, finding a new place to belong. Soon though, she discovers the terrible consequences of giving up her shadow and thus begins the dangerous adventure of trying to get it back.
Plain Kate goes through A LOT of terrible things, and when she discovers what it really means to give up her shadow (which will be used to commit terrible atrocities), she is desperate to track down the dangerous man who took it. Along the way she meets the Roamers, a traveling group of people who take her in as their own for a time. She travels along with Taggle, her incredibly astute talking cat (her wish granted). Honestly, he was probably my favorite part of the whole story. He was hilarious, demanding, self-centered, and also somehow loving.
This book was quite an adventurous thrill ride. I can’t believe I actually enjoyed it! See, it’s good to leave your comfort zone from time to time! I will say, as with most fantasy books I’ve read, it got a bit confusing at times which is part of why I don’t usually read the genre, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I think avid fantasy readers will absolutely love this one!
“And then because hope will break the heart better than any sorrow, she started to cry.”
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