Review: Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

Title: Prophecy of the Sisters
Author: Michelle Zink
Category: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy/Supernatural
Publisher: Atom, 2009

343p

Twin sisters Lia and Alice Milthorpe have just become orphans. They have also become enemies. As they discover their roles in a prophecy that has turned generations of sisters against each other, the girls find themselves uncovering a lifetime of secrest. Secrets that could destroy everything.

Lia and Alice don't know who they can trust.

They only know they can't trust each other.

What an inspired choice I made when I stood , confused and uncertain, before the library YA shelves. Having decided it was time I read something from this category so many people love I had no idea where to start but this striking cover and the synopsis on the back did sound promising.

I wasn't disappointed. Quite the opposite.........I loved every reading minute. I was drawn into the story from the first page and found it hard to put down as the plot turned and twisted every which way. The writing style is fluid with a slightly old fashioned touch which suits the 1880's time period perfectly and dark  undercurrents add  a gothic creepiness .

I like my fantasy to have a foundation with an earthly reality : it provides balance and strengthens the otherwordly imagery. Outwardly Lia ( the narrator) and Alice, despite being orphaned ,have a normal home, family and friends and Lia also has a young man to provide a romantic interest but as the story develops not all of these people will be quite what they seem.

Light and Dark.

Good and Evil.

The age old battle between the two reflected in the sisters but the boundaries are not clearly defined. Something that made sense once I realised that this is only the first book of a trilogy. Lia is good, Alice is bad, but these are still young girls confronting a destiny they don't fully understand  which is complicated by a confusion as to birth order and each one is still fighting both forces. Even knowing that Alice is the 'dark one' I couldn't help feeling sorry for her as she stands alone watching her sister with her new friends.

Angels and druids, mediumship, astral travelling , Celtic myths and spirituality - all subjects I'm interested in and are woven together very well in this fascinating and satisfying story. I look forward to the second book 'Guardian of the Gate' which I understand will be published later this year.

I also think the book's presentation is worth a mention. The black and silver cover is very attractive but what I really loved was inside. At the bottom of every page and at the beginning of each chapter are borders of entwined thorny branches and I thought this really added  something special to the reading experience.

Highly recommended.