Like a Curse

September 15, 2024
In this sequel, a young Edinburgh witch once again faces off against a megalomaniacal siren. Following the events inLike a Charm (2023), 13-year-old dyspraxic witch Ramya is still reeling after her last encounter with the power-hungry siren Portia, who can control humans with her bewitching voice. Throughout Scotland, magical creatures known as the Hidden Folk are being forcibly rounded up and kidnapped. With cousin Marley and new dryad friend Alona, Ramya sets off to help the Hidden Folk escape Portia's oppressive clutches. Now, Portia is seeking a magical creature in Loch Ness. When Ramya and her friends happen across a dragon in the loch, they wonder if this is who Portia wants. McNicoll (whose author's note indicates that she was diagnosed with dyspraxia at age 8) offers readers deftly constructed worldbuilding with enough of a recap of events that new readers can step into the series. Ramya struggles with her confidence and self-identity with regard to her dyspraxia, but is helped by an aunt who's also neurodivergent, who serves as a sage role model. The fast-paced prose is electric, revealing jaw-dropping secrets and twists galore, but is occasionally marred by the odd plot contrivance. Quibbles aside, this smart tale is a clever exploration of disability, family, and friendship set in an accessible fantasy world. Main characters present white. An immersive and intriguing fantasy with real depth.(Fantasy. 8-12)

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January 1, 2025
Ramya (Like a Charm, rev. 11/23) has been sent to Loch Ness to study witchcraft with her aunt, but when her cousin Marley arrives, they learn that Portia, a siren who previously broke up Ramya's family, has taken over the city and is ruling it with her persuasive voice. Told to let the adults handle it, Ramya nonetheless sneaks out at night with Marley to investigate reports of fae in the area and discovers new friends, including a dragon that can carry the cousins to Edinburgh to check on the city under Portia's rule. They also encounter a menacing creature that can mimic anything: if Portia were to project her magical voice from the mimic's impersonations, she would be almost unstoppable. One strength of the narrative is McNicoll's championing of friendship, which surfaces in several subplots, and an even greater feature is the way she weaves Ramya's dyspraxia into the story line: the condition makes Ramya clumsy and inarticulate at times, but constantly being underestimated gives her a chip on her shoulder that affects the ways she interacts with other characters. Though her stubbornness may be a great asset, she has to overcome her attitude block before she can succeed. Bucking the trend of middle-grade adventure stories, in this one the adults handle the problems so that the kids don't have to -- but young readers will still find lots to identify with in this exciting, imaginative novel. Anita L. Burkam

(Copyright 2025 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)