Publisher & ARC: Knopf Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 978-0-553-52484-0
Ages: 14+
HER MAGIC MUST REMAIN UNSEEN . . .
JULIA VANISHES
★ “There is a richness to this inaugural volume of the Witch’s Child trilogy,
and readers will be hard pressed to put it down.” –Booklist, Starred
Review
I have read a lot of YA love triangles and dystopian stories lately, so I was looking for something a little different. I found that in Julia Vanishes. The plot is as mysterious as its title, and figuring out Julia's life and her purpose is equally entertaining.
Julia, 16, is a new maid in house run by Mrs. Och. Going by the name Ella, Julia hides her past as a thief and daughter of a witch. That description enough should make you want to run out on June 7 and get this book! Julia has a unique ability that she must also hide--she can disappear at will. If anyone knew of her ability, she would be accused of witchcraft. Witches in this book are drowned, accused of writing down their wishes to make them come true. Julia regularly attends the Cleansings (public drownings), perhaps because she is somehow connected to her mother's death (her mother was drowned at a previous Cleansing).
Since this is the first book (Witch's Child #1) of a trilogy, a lot of the characters are described with basic information. We don't really learn much about them, but it is to fall in love with them regardless. They are muted but vital to the story, and I'm sure they will become dynamic in the sequels. If anything, they help to create Julia's mysterious persona and push her secrecy forward in the book. Julia's employer (who originally sends her spy on Mrs. Och and her house) is a mystery himself. While Julia enjoys the errands, and she is clever enough to figure out the messages being sent and retrieved, she doesn't know her real purpose.
The only area of the book where I was a little confused is the setting. I'm not sure, and I still haven't figured it out (perhaps in the next book?), when the book is supposed to take place. Though I do love the imagination in the book (the creatures, the names, the places), I am very much a reader who visualizes every little detail when she reads. So, I needed a little more to fully envision Julia's existence. However, this is the first book of the trilogy, and I am willing to wait to find out more!
If witches, secrets, and magical abilities are areas you're interested in, you will want to read Julia Vanishes when it comes out on June 7th! Pre-order now!