Published: April 3, 2012
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Format: Hardcover, 296 pages
Goodreads description:
In a world where Magic is illegal.
Cassel
Sharpe has the most deadly ability of all. With one touch, he can
transform any object - including a person - into something else
entirely. And that makes him a wanted man. The Feds are willing to
forgive all his past crimes if he'll only leave his con artist family
behind and go straight. But why does going straight feel so crooked?
For
one thing, it means being on the opposite side of the law from Lila,
the girl he loves. She's the daughter of a mob boss and getting ready to
join the family business herself. Though Cassel is pretty sure she can
never love him back, he can't stop obsessing over her. Which would be
bad enough, even if her father wasn't keeping Cassel's mother prisoner
in a posh apartment and threatening not to let her leave until she
returns the priceless diamond she scammed off him years ago. Too bad she
can't remember where she put it.
The Feds say they need Cassel
to get rid of a powerful man who is spinning dangerously out of control.
But if they want Cassel to use his unique talent to hurt people, what
separates the good guys from the bad ones? Or is everyone just out to
con him?
Time is running out, and all Cassel's magic and
cleverness might not be enough to save him. With no easy answers and no
one he can trust, love might be the most dangerous gamble of all.
The following review is based on a copy I purchased myself.
Review:
(spoilers for the first two books, but none for Black Heart itself)
I enjoyed Black Heart immensely! It’s definitely a
worthy conclusion to the Curse Workers trilogy. I would love another sequel or
maybe a short story to see how things continue for the characters, but I was
also content to see them where they were and leave the rest up to my own
imagination.
At the end of Red Glove, Cassel tricked Barron into
joining the feds to help the government against the mob worker families. Cassel
himself promised to join the program after finishing school. That was the price
he paid for his immunity after being used as an assassin without his knowledge.
What I love most about Cassel is that he tries so, so hard to be good and make
the right decisions. He loves his family, but he also wants to get away from
the fate that seems to be already determined for him – a life of crime, desired
by everyone for his rare transformation talent. A life as a tool, a pawn to the
powerful. Cassel wants to find a way to use his talent for good ends, he wants
a self-determined, independent life. All the while, he is tormented by guilt
and cannot believe in his own goodness.
Joining the feds
seemed like the lessest evil at the time, but things begin to go downhill
pretty quickly. Lila has joined her father and taken the marks of a member of
the Zacharov crime family. Even though there seems to be no chance for the two
of them, Cassel cannot stop thinking about her. However, his greater problem is
that Zacharov is holding his mum captive. The good part: she is wanted by the
police and they certainly won’t find her in Zacharov’s apartment. The bad part:
Zacharov is holding her hostage until Cassel can find and return the
resurrection diamond to him, which she stole and then wanted to sell back to
him. Too bad no one knows where the real stone is.
Meanwhile,
Zacharov of course cannot know about Cassel’s involvement with the feds. He’d
have Cassel’s mom, Barron, and Cassel himself killed immediately for that kind
of ‘treason’. And anyway, the lines between good government and evil mobsters
become increasingly blurred as the story continues… has Cassel made the right
choice? Or is this a case of out of the frying pan, into the fire? Is there
anyone at all he can trust?
There’s his
roommate Sam, of course. But Sam is trying to piece himself back together after
breaking up with Daneca – who is now seeing a mysterious new guy. Then there is
a new character with unclear motives who asks Cassel for help, which he cannot
deny even while he realizes she might be conning him…
One of my
favorite minor characters is Cassel’s grandfather. He is the only family member
who truly cares about Cassel, in my opinion. He tries to look out for him
without intruding too much into his business and provides comfort and
stability.
And Lila… I love
Lila. She’s tough. She gets to do things other female characters in YA novels
don’t get to do or can’t get away with. She’s a future mob leader! She’s also
shrewd, and cruel at times. She knows what she wants and how to get it. She’s
(nearly) fearless. In short, she’s something of a mystery and what I enjoy
about her is also trying to figure her out, to separate her ‘real’ self (as far
as we can glimpse it) from the picture Cassel makes up of her in his mind. I
love the scenes between them, how they collide and repel one another but can
never truly fight their attraction. Their chemistry is incredible, and there
are also some steamy scenes.
I could ramble
on and on about how much I love the world of this trilogy, but let me keep that
aspect short. The fight for worker rights that got more coverage in Red Glove
also plays an important part here. Governor Patton is really pushing for
Proposition Two and has become too great a danger to be ignored any longer. I
can’t really say more about it without major spoilers. Also the way worker kids
are exploited for their talents plays an important role in the novel. I love
how realistic and gritty the Curse Workers world is. If people with such
talents existed for real, this is what it would be like. I also think it’s
amazing how Holly Black interweaves the workers’ past and the fight for worker
rights with the working camps of WWII and with the fight for minority rights
that is still an issue today.
I love the
pacing. This book is incredibly hard to put down, things start off interesting
and it just escalates from there, leaving you breathless and quite desperate
for Cassel’s situation. I also really like the way Holly Black implies that Cassel
has a plan, but manages to keep up a first person narrative without Cassel
actually divulging his plan to the reader. So it’s impossible to have an
inkling of what he might do and whether it might work. It’s genius.
As is the prose!
Amazing descriptions, turns of the phrase, witty ironic snarky remarks, banter…
There are beautiful passages, but they sting. There are horrid passages, but
you can’t help but admire the way they are crafted. It’s like a paranormal noir
thriller of sorts. Holly Black’s writing punches a hole into your heart at
times, but you will love her for it.
All in all I
love this book to bits. The plot is incredibly well-crafted, the characters
fully fleshed-out, the pace gripping and the prose sharp and unique. It’s full
of twists and turns and uncertainties but things resolve nicely, though the
reader has to figure out plenty on his/her own. It’s a great conclusion that
also leaves an opening for the reader’s own imagination or a possible bonus
story (please, Holly Black?). I can only recommend these books to anyone who
loves their YA with a little more off an edge!
I could have
gone on and one about Cassel and his attitude to his ability and to Lila etc
etc but that would be more interpretation than review. I really seem to be
unable to keep them short, but I blame Holly Black for writing a book that is
too good to be written of(f) with just a few short paragraphs.
What did you
think of Black Heart? Was it a good conclusion of the series for you guys? Do
you want more? You can also share your thoughts of the other books. I love your
comments :)
