Jennifer W. (GeniusJen) reviewed The Spell Book of Listen Taylor: Magic to Mend a Broken Heart on + 5322 more book reviews
Reviewed by Lynn Crow for TeensReadToo.com
12-year-old Listen Taylor, whose friends have decided to ditch her at the beginning of junior high, finds a spell book that claims it will mend her broken heart. Her father's girlfriend, Marbie Zing, struggles with her fears of losing her happiness and makes a terrible mistake. Marbie's sister, Fancy, speculates about her marriage as she works with Marbie to maintain their family secret. And Cath, a young teacher, falls for a married co-worker and discovers her life has a lot more to it than she ever suspected.
These four stories intertwine in THE SPELL BOOK OF LISTEN TAYLOR. Jaclyn Moriarty skillfully weaves together the narratives over the course of a school year, drawing the characters closer and closer together, and closer to a climax that is both surprising and inevitable. With each new strand, events that seemed unimportant in one narrative take on new significance. Each character's story adds to the others, creating a bigger picture that is far more satisfying than any one story would have been on its own.
Each of the characters are well-developed in their own right. Teen readers will likely sympathize most with Listen, who must overcome the unspoken rules of popularity and friendships, and Cath, who is young enough to still be uncertain of her place in the world. They may have more trouble relating to Marbie and Cath, who are dealing with issues of settling down and marital satisfaction, subjects which rarely affect teens. However, this also means the book will appeal to adults as well as children, and perhaps give teens a glimpse into the lives of their parents and teachers.
Despite the title and the spell book Listen finds, the spells which provide some framework for the story, THE SPELL BOOK OF LISTEN TAYLOR is mainly a realistic novel, with a light shading of magic. Readers expecting sorcery and special powers may be disappointed. But the hints of magic, in many ways, are far more enjoyable than if this book were outright supernatural or fantasy. They suggest that the extraordinary is possible in everyday life, even if you're not a witch or a wizard.
If you're looking for a quiet, thoughtful, but still suspenseful read, with a magic anyone can believe in, run out and grab THE SPELL BOOK OF LISTEN TAYLOR. It is one of the most unique books I've read this year, and one I never wanted to put down.
12-year-old Listen Taylor, whose friends have decided to ditch her at the beginning of junior high, finds a spell book that claims it will mend her broken heart. Her father's girlfriend, Marbie Zing, struggles with her fears of losing her happiness and makes a terrible mistake. Marbie's sister, Fancy, speculates about her marriage as she works with Marbie to maintain their family secret. And Cath, a young teacher, falls for a married co-worker and discovers her life has a lot more to it than she ever suspected.
These four stories intertwine in THE SPELL BOOK OF LISTEN TAYLOR. Jaclyn Moriarty skillfully weaves together the narratives over the course of a school year, drawing the characters closer and closer together, and closer to a climax that is both surprising and inevitable. With each new strand, events that seemed unimportant in one narrative take on new significance. Each character's story adds to the others, creating a bigger picture that is far more satisfying than any one story would have been on its own.
Each of the characters are well-developed in their own right. Teen readers will likely sympathize most with Listen, who must overcome the unspoken rules of popularity and friendships, and Cath, who is young enough to still be uncertain of her place in the world. They may have more trouble relating to Marbie and Cath, who are dealing with issues of settling down and marital satisfaction, subjects which rarely affect teens. However, this also means the book will appeal to adults as well as children, and perhaps give teens a glimpse into the lives of their parents and teachers.
Despite the title and the spell book Listen finds, the spells which provide some framework for the story, THE SPELL BOOK OF LISTEN TAYLOR is mainly a realistic novel, with a light shading of magic. Readers expecting sorcery and special powers may be disappointed. But the hints of magic, in many ways, are far more enjoyable than if this book were outright supernatural or fantasy. They suggest that the extraordinary is possible in everyday life, even if you're not a witch or a wizard.
If you're looking for a quiet, thoughtful, but still suspenseful read, with a magic anyone can believe in, run out and grab THE SPELL BOOK OF LISTEN TAYLOR. It is one of the most unique books I've read this year, and one I never wanted to put down.
