Spells for Forgettingby Adrienne Young
Rating: ★★★★
isbn: 9781529425314
Publication Date: September 27, 2022
Pages: 349
Genre: Magical Realism
Publisher: Quercus
'There were tales that only the island knew. Ones that had never been told. I knew, because I was one of them.'
Emery Blackwood's life was forever changed on the eve of her high school graduation, when the love of her life, August Salt, was accused of murdering her best friend, Lily. She'd once dreamt of running away with August, eager to escape the misty, remote shores of Saoirse Island and chase new dreams together. Now, she is doing what her teenage self swore she never would: living a quiet existence among this tight-knit community steeped in folklore and tradition, ruled by the seasons and ancient superstitions.
But when August returns after fourteen years to bury his mother's ashes, Emery must confront her first love and the reason he left so abruptly. But the town wants August gone again. And as the island begins to show signs of strange happenings, the emergence of deep betrayals and hidden promises threatens to reveal the truth behind Lily's death once and for all.
I don’t know what the heck to say about this book. The writing is excellent, and I keep thinking about this book days after I’ve read it, so while I sort of want to give this a lower rating because I found the story a little unsatisfying, the writing and its lingering effects will keep it a 4.
This is definitely a magical realism story, and there’s a mystery too. I loved the magical realism, but the mystery is what left me unsatisfied. Specifically, the ending. I can’t say anything else without potentially spoiling it; it was well-crafted, but unsatisfying.
The author brought life to the island, whose name I cannot pronounce, and to the characters. It’s multiple POV, and one of the better done one’s that I’ve read, with Young managing to jump timelines and POVs without making the flow bouncy or jarring.
That’s all I’ve got; I’ve been sitting on this one for a few days, trying to figure out what I think about it. It’s good, but I’m going to have to re-read it to dig a bit deeper.