Review: A Pinch of Magic by Michelle Harrison

Blurb: Three sisters trapped by an ancient curse. Three magical objects with the power to change their fate. Will they be enough to break the curse? Or will they lead the sisters even deeper into danger?

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Title: A Pinch of Magic

Author: Michelle Harrison

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Genre: Fiction, Children’s, Fantasy

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Review:

This book takes us on a journey alongside the three young Widdershins girls, Betty, Fliss and Charlie, just as their lives change forever. Revealed to them is a family curse stretching back generations that means they can never leave their island home. For young girls who want nothing more than adventure, this feels like the end of the world. Given to them by their Granny are three magical objects that have the power to change their fate. Can they work together to break the curse or will it catch up with them?

This book was an absolute joy to read. The characters were well developed which created such a wonderfully cosy atmosphere at the Poacher’s Pocket. I loved the character of Granny and the way that they all interacted with eachother, familiar bantering and sisterly teasing. I thought the idea of the magical objects was original in the fact that they were all pretty much everyday items with relavent and useful powers. I loved the bad luck aspect as it kept the story flowing around the twists and turns without moving too quickly. I also really appreciated the underlying theme of kindness and supporting others which I feel is such an important message for the target age group. As well as that, having the three main characters be female is really important as it shows young girls that they can be in control of their own destiny and are capable of saving the day. This story was so cleverly written which made it a joy to read – perfect for fantasy fans of any age!

As for what I disliked, there wasn’t much. The complaints I had were really minimal and definitely don’t take away from the enjoyment of the characters and their story. While I delighted in the characterisation of Betty, Charlie and Granny in particular, I feel like Fliss didn’t get as much attention and seemed to fall into the ‘big sister stereotype’ – boy crazy and suffering. As well as that, I would have loved to hear more of Saorise’s story and more about where her powers came from. But, with a sequel coming out, maybe there’s time for all of that to come!

Overall, I really enjoyed this story. It was such a wonderful, heartwarming tale of sisters coming together to overcome hardship with handfuls of magic and adventure tossed in for good measure. I’d definitely recommend this book to younger audiences, both boys and girls alike, who enjoy magical adventures with a lovely underlying message.

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Rating: 4/5

Recommend?: Yes

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Have you read this book? What did you think? Have you read any of the books that come after this one? I’d love to know! 

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