Black Spring

Gr 9 Up—Readers who loved Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights will appreciate this romantic and magical tale with a gothic flair. Hammel, a writer and well-to-do academic, is staying in a distant place to get away from the boredom of his daily life. He goes to the Red House in Elbasa where he meets the inn keepers, Anna and her husband, Zef. From Anna, he learns about his landlord, ruthless Damek, and Lina, the woman he was obsessed with. Anna tells him about the custom of vendetta, in which men in an entire family are murdered, and about the wizards that rule the land. The magical powers of Lina, who is a witch but cannot practice her magic, and wizardry are two elements that have been added. The complex plot, told from alternating points of view, is revealed a bit at a time, making this a novel for patient readers who appreciate a classic style of writing.—Karen Alexander, Lake Fenton High School, Linden, MI