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Curse Workers #2
Red Glove
CURSES AND CONS.
MAGIC AND THE MOB.
In Cassel Sharpe's world, they go together. Cassel always though he was an ordinary guy, until he realized his memories were being manipulated by his brothers. Now he knows the truth - he's the most powerful curse worker around. A touch of his hand can transform anything - or anyone - into something else.
That was how Lila, the girl he loved, became a white cat. Cassel was tricked into thinking he killed her, when actually he tried to save her. Now that she's human again, he should be overjoyed. Trouble is, Lila's been cursed to love him, a little gift from his emotion-worker mom. And if Lila's love is as phony as Cassel's made-up memories, then he can't believe anything she says or does.
When Cassel's oldest brother is murdered, the Feds recruit Cassel to help make sense of the only clue - crime-scene images of a woman in red gloves. But the mob is after Cassel too - they know how valuable he could be to them. Cassel is going to have to stay one step ahead of both sides just to survive. But where can he turn when he can't trust anyone - least of all, himself?
Love is a curse and the con is the only answer in a game too dangerous to lose.
MAGIC AND THE MOB.
In Cassel Sharpe's world, they go together. Cassel always though he was an ordinary guy, until he realized his memories were being manipulated by his brothers. Now he knows the truth - he's the most powerful curse worker around. A touch of his hand can transform anything - or anyone - into something else.
That was how Lila, the girl he loved, became a white cat. Cassel was tricked into thinking he killed her, when actually he tried to save her. Now that she's human again, he should be overjoyed. Trouble is, Lila's been cursed to love him, a little gift from his emotion-worker mom. And if Lila's love is as phony as Cassel's made-up memories, then he can't believe anything she says or does.
When Cassel's oldest brother is murdered, the Feds recruit Cassel to help make sense of the only clue - crime-scene images of a woman in red gloves. But the mob is after Cassel too - they know how valuable he could be to them. Cassel is going to have to stay one step ahead of both sides just to survive. But where can he turn when he can't trust anyone - least of all, himself?
Love is a curse and the con is the only answer in a game too dangerous to lose.
327 pages, Hardcover
First published April 5, 2011
340 people are currently reading
16.8k people want to read
About the author
Holly Black
189 books120k followersHolly Black is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of over thirty fantasy novels for kids and teens. She has been a finalist for an Eisner Award and the Lodestar Award, and the recipient of the Mythopoeic Award, a Nebula, and a Newbery Honor. Her books have been translated into 32 languages worldwide and adapted for film. She currently lives in New England with her husband and son in a house with a secret library.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,216 reviews
December 10, 2020
Before I start: shout out to my Reading Buddy. He didn't really get the plot but he certainly enjoyed snuggling while I read.
Cassel Sharpe comes from a family of criminal Curseworkers.
The truth is messy. It's raw and uncomfortable. You can't blame people for preferring lies.Curseworkes tend to have dominion of six powers - luck, memory, strength, emotions, death, and (rarest of all) transfiguration.
Since their powers are curses, every time one of them use it, they experience a backlash.
When you're a luck-worker giving someone good luck, you'll experience a pleasant kickback for a few days. Not a big deal. However, you're a death-worker and you use your powers, some part of you will die - whether it be a tooth, a finger or your heart.
Cassel used to think he was the only powerless person in his family. He discovered in book 1 that his brothers spent a considerable amount of time and effort concealing Cassel's curseworking.
I can learn to live with guilt. I don't care about being good.Cassel can transfigure people, animals, objects into whatever he wants them to be. His older brothers took advantage of this and employed their the little brother as a murderer (always wiping Cassel's memory after their criminal exploits).
Then, Cassel's eldest (and most criminal) brother dies under mysterious circumstances. Also, the girl Cassel loved was forced to return his affection (courtesy of Cassel's emotion-worker mother). AND to top it all, the Feds are circling ever-closer to his family.
Talk about a stressful semester.
Now that the world is firmly established, I was hoping to read a novel with more to it.That's not to say I didn't enjoy reading about all the quirky powers or Cassel's zany mother, it just didn't have the same dark, riveting energy as Holly's other books.
That being said, I loved the ending and can't wait to read book 3.
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March 30, 2011
First things first : Let's get the Jace from Mortal Instruments cameo in this book out of the way. Here it is -
"That stoner dude, Jace, says he hooked up with someone over the summer," Kevin whispers. "But I hear all the pictures he's showing around are really pictures of his half sister. Fifty bucks says there's no girlfriend."
Why am I always recommending the lesser known series? Why is it that some of the crappiest books become the most popular? How is this changed? The only way I know of to fix this is to get on my little soapbox and preach out to the masses on the street (a.k.a. Goodreads).
Words can not convey how much I wish people knew about this book series. These books offer up a fun, fresh concept focused around a world of ordinary people gifted with the ability to curse others with nothing more than a simple touch of an ungloved hand.
I'm enamored of Cassel, the male protag in this series. He is a basketcase of emotions without being angsty. Tortured would probably best describe him. How could he not be? He's been forced to kill under coersion and manipulation, then had many of those memories stolen. His mom is a total nutbag. His brother ruined his life then forgot about it, which means that Cassel has to act friendly with one of the people who plotted his own demise. The girl that he loves was curseworked to love him, so he can't in good conscience accept her advances without feeling guilty that he's taking advantage. What's a guy to do?
One great thing about these books is that there are elements that would appeal to both males and females. All too often, most YA PNR and Urban Fantasy is very much geared to females, focusing solely on the love story. It's not that there isn't a love story in Curseworkers, but moreso that it's not the sole focus. I'm very much rooting for Cassel to get his girl in the end, but still very much engaged in this mafia world of confusion and consequence.
Having read this as an ARC galley, it means I'll be waiting a very long time for book 3. This makes me a little bit sad. I can't wait to find out the next chapter for Cassel, Barron and Lila.
"That stoner dude, Jace, says he hooked up with someone over the summer," Kevin whispers. "But I hear all the pictures he's showing around are really pictures of his half sister. Fifty bucks says there's no girlfriend."
Why am I always recommending the lesser known series? Why is it that some of the crappiest books become the most popular? How is this changed? The only way I know of to fix this is to get on my little soapbox and preach out to the masses on the street (a.k.a. Goodreads).
Words can not convey how much I wish people knew about this book series. These books offer up a fun, fresh concept focused around a world of ordinary people gifted with the ability to curse others with nothing more than a simple touch of an ungloved hand.
I'm enamored of Cassel, the male protag in this series. He is a basketcase of emotions without being angsty. Tortured would probably best describe him. How could he not be? He's been forced to kill under coersion and manipulation, then had many of those memories stolen. His mom is a total nutbag. His brother ruined his life then forgot about it, which means that Cassel has to act friendly with one of the people who plotted his own demise. The girl that he loves was curseworked to love him, so he can't in good conscience accept her advances without feeling guilty that he's taking advantage. What's a guy to do?
One great thing about these books is that there are elements that would appeal to both males and females. All too often, most YA PNR and Urban Fantasy is very much geared to females, focusing solely on the love story. It's not that there isn't a love story in Curseworkers, but moreso that it's not the sole focus. I'm very much rooting for Cassel to get his girl in the end, but still very much engaged in this mafia world of confusion and consequence.
Having read this as an ARC galley, it means I'll be waiting a very long time for book 3. This makes me a little bit sad. I can't wait to find out the next chapter for Cassel, Barron and Lila.
August 20, 2023
3.5 fun stars
Ok, so for whatever reason, I'm still digging the storytelling.
But that's not the same as saying I think this is an excellent story. It's just holding my attention and I want to see how it all plays out.
Spoilers for the 1st book below!
So, as we now know, the White Cat from book 1 was actually Cassel's childhood BFF & first crush, Lila, whom he had transformed with his crazy magic instead of killing - like his brothers wanted.
Also, she's the big mob boss's daughter and looking forward to the day when she can finally take the family business over from her Pop. She's not a snuggly gal, and her years as a cat didn't help matters much. If fact, no one in Cassel's life is very snuggly.
His mom is a career con artist, his grandpa is a killer for the mob, and both of his brothers used him to 'dispose of bodies' and then repeatedly wiped his memory.
And out of all of those, the hitman is the nicest.
The mom is just hoooooorible in this. The worst. And it's because she's one of those people who isn't outright abusive or mean, just so manipulative and narcissistic that their simple presence causes maximum carnage everywhere they go.
Ok. So he's trying to get through school at this fancy-schmancy place and be a (relatively) normal guy.
But that's not in the cards.
And really, would we be interested in the story if he had managed to pull off a boring year at Snooty Prep? I think not.
So. To recap: This is a fun YA story about falling in love, getting cursed, conning con men, and trying to survive prejudice, the FBI and the mob.
If you're thinking of listening to the audio, Jesse Eisenberg does a fantastic job reading.
Ok, so for whatever reason, I'm still digging the storytelling.
But that's not the same as saying I think this is an excellent story. It's just holding my attention and I want to see how it all plays out.
Spoilers for the 1st book below!
So, as we now know, the White Cat from book 1 was actually Cassel's childhood BFF & first crush, Lila, whom he had transformed with his crazy magic instead of killing - like his brothers wanted.
Also, she's the big mob boss's daughter and looking forward to the day when she can finally take the family business over from her Pop. She's not a snuggly gal, and her years as a cat didn't help matters much. If fact, no one in Cassel's life is very snuggly.
His mom is a career con artist, his grandpa is a killer for the mob, and both of his brothers used him to 'dispose of bodies' and then repeatedly wiped his memory.
And out of all of those, the hitman is the nicest.
The mom is just hoooooorible in this. The worst. And it's because she's one of those people who isn't outright abusive or mean, just so manipulative and narcissistic that their simple presence causes maximum carnage everywhere they go.
Ok. So he's trying to get through school at this fancy-schmancy place and be a (relatively) normal guy.
But that's not in the cards.
And really, would we be interested in the story if he had managed to pull off a boring year at Snooty Prep? I think not.
So. To recap: This is a fun YA story about falling in love, getting cursed, conning con men, and trying to survive prejudice, the FBI and the mob.
If you're thinking of listening to the audio, Jesse Eisenberg does a fantastic job reading.
May 8, 2011
Review:
First off, I need to reiterate that it saddens me to no end, to every end that Holly Black is not only a fangirl of Cassandra Claire, but, due to her fangirlism, unleashed Cassandra Clare and her shitty, melodramatic, poorly written, derivative hackish tripe upon the reading community. But what saddens me even more is that after giving Clare her big break, Clare, now practically an egomaniac of Meyer or Rice proportions, has gone on to be a much bigger name and far more successful despite the fact that her work is so clearly inferior to Black's. My only consolation is that in continuing to cling to Clare's coattails for dear life, Black might be able to pick up a few her bff's readers. And honestly? She deserves more readers, because in the end if Red Glove has given me anything, it's absolute admiration for Holly Black's writing - enough admiration to support Black's career by buying her books, even though she is in desperate need of a sassy gay friend periodically making snappy yet insightful commentary on her choice in writing besties.
Red Glove in my opinion is an even stronger book than White Cat, though it may be tough to articulate why. I should probably start at the beginning though. I won't, of course, waste time explaining the plot, one: because the synopsis is up there for all to read and two: because it's actually difficult for me to put it into words. I mean, Cassel, youngest son of an insane worker crime family, spends this book basically trying to Out Gambit everyone while everyone else is trying to Out Gambit him. His brother gets shot and he tries to figure out who the killer is while angsting/pondering about his love-interest/object of his intense obsession Lila who's been worked to love him. Shit happens, as shit always does because Cassel's life is so fucked up that morality means nothing anymore to anyone. And there's some school hi-jinks. And stuffing dead people into fridges.
And honestly, if this seems a little disjoint, it's because it is. Make no mistake that Red Glove is a slice of life manga in book format. What's slice of life? Particularly how it sounds: the narrative is construed, not as a well structured, honed and focused plot that takes you on some kind of strategically designed trajectory (ie the Heroes Journey/3 Act Structure etc), but rather as slices of that heroes life, put in the chronological order that it happens. It's just, "So what's going on in So and So's life today? Hm, well, he's going to school. And he's dealing with his girlfriend. And then he went to this diner."
Typically, slice of life can potentially get boring for those not already accustom to its meandering style: particularly if the set up is something rather banal and pedestrian (ie shoujo manga: girl meets guy. Life happens). Fortunately, though, Cassel's life just happens to be so balls out insane that a slice of his life is more than enough to be compelling, so for his story it's more like: "So what's going on in Cassel's life today? Hm, well, he's going to school (running a gambling ring). And he's dealing with his girlfriend (brainwashed into loving him, which makes him feel pretty guilty when he accidentally shoves his tongue down her throat). And then he went to this diner (after being questioned by the feds and propositioned by a mob boss because it turns out he'd make a great assassin)."
Still, despite Cassel's life being compelling, the plot is still subjugated to the slice of life meandering style. Reading the description about the murder plot, you'd expect most of the plot to be primarily about it: a bristling detective story that takes us from one point to another along the mystery until it's eventually solved. But really, the murder plot is really just one part in Cassel's life that Black describes. Every once and a while, we'd discover something potentially big at the end of a chapter, and then the entire next chapter would be about Cassel going to a worker's meetings or dealing with his ex-girlfriend's new sleazy boyfriend or whatever. The meandering got frustrating from time to time, making the middle feel a little muddled, and my mind started wandering as well, which may be in part why it took me a while to finish it. Still, it was much better than it was in White Cat, and honestly it didn't bother me too much, so I couldn't shave off more than a half a star for that.
Honestly, part of the reason why it didn't bother me is just that Cassel is such an amazing MC. He is the best example I've read so far of a Male POV in Young Adult. I mean, compare him with, say, Sam from Shiver or Guy Who's Name I Can't Remember from Beautiful Darkness, both just two guys in a long list of YA guys who sound like how their 30-40 year old female authors probably wish 17 year old boys had sounded like back when they were teens. Cassel sounds like a guy. I believe him as a guy. And the best part is: like Jace from the Mortal Instruments, he's got a sharp wit and a lot of stuff to be tortured about, but Holly Black handles this a lot better than Cassandra Clare ever did and probably ever could. Cassel's wit, for the most part, feels organic to his character and voice, and not somethingstolen from Joss Whedon thrown in so the author can prove her wittiness to her fans. On top of that he had good reason to angst, but his self-loathing felt earned and natural - and he never delved too deeply into it and for too long. The balance here was refreshing as I've seen too many male characters just bask in their own angst as if they want a fucking medal.
Of course, there were a few witty lines that felt out of place, not just coming from Cassel's mouth, but his friends (especially Lila for some reason). But they were few and far between. But I will say now, before I forget, that I do wish, very very much, that Holly Black hadn't stopped her narrative every so often to wave at her friends. Throwing in names of your family and friends and making such references is natural for a writer, but when your friendships are pretty high profile they can be jarring. The Brennans? The Goldblatts? And oh hey, there's Jace! Heya Jace, how's it going? Still macking on that sister of yours! OOPS SHE'S NOT REALLY YOUR SISTER GET IT! It didn't happen often, but it shouldn't have happened at all. Or else, she should have just gotten that one Jace reference out of her system in the first page or so and just get on with it. Instead, I'm treated to a line where Cassel basically says that he "feels like a clockwork automaton whose gears just locked up" or something completely bizarre and obvious like that. Yes we get it, you like your writing besties. But please just save it for the fucking acknowledgments, please and thank you.
Ahem. I do want to mention something that majorly bothered me: namely Lila. She is a bad ass character and potentially really interesting to delve into, but Black wastes her here, basically putting her into the role of "that thing which Cassel wants, but can't have, but could have, but if he had he'd be a total monster, or would he?". Rarely do we see Lila do anything of note except be unattainable to Cassel, which is unfortunate because she had real potential to move the plot in her own way. Not only that, but I didn't really ever buy that Lila was THE LOVE OF CASSEL'S LIFE. I was hoping Black was simply setting up that he 'thinks' she's this great love of his life but really he's just got this obsession, or it's just that she represents something to him (like Audrey represented the possibility of a normal life), or something- some kind of subversion. But it seems Black was playing it straight: Cassel does legitimately love her with ALL HIS HEART AND SOUL. But I just didn't buy it. I agree with Audrey: Cassel doesn't know how to love. How can he? I'd love for Black to explore that a bit more (as true loves are so infinitely boring and far beneath a story like this). And hopefully in the next book we'll see Lila doing a bit of Xanatos Gambiting herself, what with her being a freaking MOB PRINCESS AND ALL, actually moving the plot rather than being a pawn. The set up for book 3 seems to be going in that way.
Despite that, Black's characters are all fully realized and fun to read. They practically leap off the page, each with their own distinctive voices and behavioral traits. Cassel's mom is the requisite HBIC of the book, and the ending really has you worried about her impending fate. But aside from that, though there were some cool (and some expected) twists, the book kind of ended on a weird blah note. Like Black didn't really know how to end it, so she did. The set up for book 3 seems like it could be compelling, but I suppose because of the way it was executed and built up I just didn't feel any of that. I'll still be running out to buy Book 3, though.
Honestly, I enjoyed this book even more than I did Jackie Kessler's Rage, simply because I find Cassel's world so compelling, so interesting, so fucked up and so much fun. I won't tell anyone to buy it, because it's up to you how you spend your cash, but I definitely do think it was worth my money. I actually hope I get to see this adapted into an HBO tv show or something. Or a movie? You decide.
Edit: I'm definitely going with tv series. It's decided!
-----
May 7 Pre-Review: Lol it took my a full month to read this. Though not because I wasn't interested, just because shit kept happening.
Anyway, amazingly written story, awesome MC, bit of sloppiness in the middle, cool mystery (albeit the solution was a little obvious) with an unfortunately somewhat lackluster set up for book 3, made worse by an unfortunately weak ending. Review to come (probably, though I tend to be lazier than my goodreads friends).
April 8th Pre-Pre Review
I thought I'd read Banished first, but then I remembered this came out at the same time as Cassandra Clare's languid piece of horseshit CoFA, though I have no clue how it's doing profit wise. Now thinking about it, it was probably a mistake having them come out on the same day wasn't it? I mean, Black obviously was trying to snag some of Clare's readers (ironic, considering Black discovered Clare thus unleashing her mediocrity upon the world), but when I went to the bookstore, CoFA had its own personal stand front and center (I mean seriously, RIGHT in front of the steps) while only four copies of Red Glove were tucked somewhere in the shelves. As far as I could see they hadn't moved.
I mean obviously having your book released on the same day as some blockbuster is going to mean you're going to get a bit overshadowed, doesn't it Black? Not everyone knows you're bffs and not everyone cares enough to pick up your book out of obligation to Clare. You may have just screwed yourself over here, which is a shame because White Cat was really imaginative and well written (though not perfectly executed).
Anyway, I'll give Red Glove a go and see how it is, if only to lament at how such an amazing author remade herself as a hack's toady.
Of course, I have essays and exams to write so I'm probably gonna read this super slowly
First off, I need to reiterate that it saddens me to no end, to every end that Holly Black is not only a fangirl of Cassandra Claire, but, due to her fangirlism, unleashed Cassandra Clare and her shitty, melodramatic, poorly written, derivative hackish tripe upon the reading community. But what saddens me even more is that after giving Clare her big break, Clare, now practically an egomaniac of Meyer or Rice proportions, has gone on to be a much bigger name and far more successful despite the fact that her work is so clearly inferior to Black's. My only consolation is that in continuing to cling to Clare's coattails for dear life, Black might be able to pick up a few her bff's readers. And honestly? She deserves more readers, because in the end if Red Glove has given me anything, it's absolute admiration for Holly Black's writing - enough admiration to support Black's career by buying her books, even though she is in desperate need of a sassy gay friend periodically making snappy yet insightful commentary on her choice in writing besties.
Red Glove in my opinion is an even stronger book than White Cat, though it may be tough to articulate why. I should probably start at the beginning though. I won't, of course, waste time explaining the plot, one: because the synopsis is up there for all to read and two: because it's actually difficult for me to put it into words. I mean, Cassel, youngest son of an insane worker crime family, spends this book basically trying to Out Gambit everyone while everyone else is trying to Out Gambit him. His brother gets shot and he tries to figure out who the killer is while angsting/pondering about his love-interest/object of his intense obsession Lila who's been worked to love him. Shit happens, as shit always does because Cassel's life is so fucked up that morality means nothing anymore to anyone. And there's some school hi-jinks. And stuffing dead people into fridges.
And honestly, if this seems a little disjoint, it's because it is. Make no mistake that Red Glove is a slice of life manga in book format. What's slice of life? Particularly how it sounds: the narrative is construed, not as a well structured, honed and focused plot that takes you on some kind of strategically designed trajectory (ie the Heroes Journey/3 Act Structure etc), but rather as slices of that heroes life, put in the chronological order that it happens. It's just, "So what's going on in So and So's life today? Hm, well, he's going to school. And he's dealing with his girlfriend. And then he went to this diner."
Typically, slice of life can potentially get boring for those not already accustom to its meandering style: particularly if the set up is something rather banal and pedestrian (ie shoujo manga: girl meets guy. Life happens). Fortunately, though, Cassel's life just happens to be so balls out insane that a slice of his life is more than enough to be compelling, so for his story it's more like: "So what's going on in Cassel's life today? Hm, well, he's going to school (running a gambling ring). And he's dealing with his girlfriend (brainwashed into loving him, which makes him feel pretty guilty when he accidentally shoves his tongue down her throat). And then he went to this diner (after being questioned by the feds and propositioned by a mob boss because it turns out he'd make a great assassin)."
Still, despite Cassel's life being compelling, the plot is still subjugated to the slice of life meandering style. Reading the description about the murder plot, you'd expect most of the plot to be primarily about it: a bristling detective story that takes us from one point to another along the mystery until it's eventually solved. But really, the murder plot is really just one part in Cassel's life that Black describes. Every once and a while, we'd discover something potentially big at the end of a chapter, and then the entire next chapter would be about Cassel going to a worker's meetings or dealing with his ex-girlfriend's new sleazy boyfriend or whatever. The meandering got frustrating from time to time, making the middle feel a little muddled, and my mind started wandering as well, which may be in part why it took me a while to finish it. Still, it was much better than it was in White Cat, and honestly it didn't bother me too much, so I couldn't shave off more than a half a star for that.
Honestly, part of the reason why it didn't bother me is just that Cassel is such an amazing MC. He is the best example I've read so far of a Male POV in Young Adult. I mean, compare him with, say, Sam from Shiver or Guy Who's Name I Can't Remember from Beautiful Darkness, both just two guys in a long list of YA guys who sound like how their 30-40 year old female authors probably wish 17 year old boys had sounded like back when they were teens. Cassel sounds like a guy. I believe him as a guy. And the best part is: like Jace from the Mortal Instruments, he's got a sharp wit and a lot of stuff to be tortured about, but Holly Black handles this a lot better than Cassandra Clare ever did and probably ever could. Cassel's wit, for the most part, feels organic to his character and voice, and not something
Of course, there were a few witty lines that felt out of place, not just coming from Cassel's mouth, but his friends (especially Lila for some reason). But they were few and far between. But I will say now, before I forget, that I do wish, very very much, that Holly Black hadn't stopped her narrative every so often to wave at her friends. Throwing in names of your family and friends and making such references is natural for a writer, but when your friendships are pretty high profile they can be jarring. The Brennans? The Goldblatts? And oh hey, there's Jace! Heya Jace, how's it going? Still macking on that sister of yours! OOPS SHE'S NOT REALLY YOUR SISTER GET IT! It didn't happen often, but it shouldn't have happened at all. Or else, she should have just gotten that one Jace reference out of her system in the first page or so and just get on with it. Instead, I'm treated to a line where Cassel basically says that he "feels like a clockwork automaton whose gears just locked up" or something completely bizarre and obvious like that. Yes we get it, you like your writing besties. But please just save it for the fucking acknowledgments, please and thank you.
Ahem. I do want to mention something that majorly bothered me: namely Lila. She is a bad ass character and potentially really interesting to delve into, but Black wastes her here, basically putting her into the role of "that thing which Cassel wants, but can't have, but could have, but if he had he'd be a total monster, or would he?". Rarely do we see Lila do anything of note except be unattainable to Cassel, which is unfortunate because she had real potential to move the plot in her own way. Not only that, but I didn't really ever buy that Lila was THE LOVE OF CASSEL'S LIFE. I was hoping Black was simply setting up that he 'thinks' she's this great love of his life but really he's just got this obsession, or it's just that she represents something to him (like Audrey represented the possibility of a normal life), or something- some kind of subversion. But it seems Black was playing it straight: Cassel does legitimately love her with ALL HIS HEART AND SOUL. But I just didn't buy it. I agree with Audrey: Cassel doesn't know how to love. How can he? I'd love for Black to explore that a bit more (as true loves are so infinitely boring and far beneath a story like this). And hopefully in the next book we'll see Lila doing a bit of Xanatos Gambiting herself, what with her being a freaking MOB PRINCESS AND ALL, actually moving the plot rather than being a pawn. The set up for book 3 seems to be going in that way.
Despite that, Black's characters are all fully realized and fun to read. They practically leap off the page, each with their own distinctive voices and behavioral traits. Cassel's mom is the requisite HBIC of the book, and the ending really has you worried about her impending fate. But aside from that, though there were some cool (and some expected) twists, the book kind of ended on a weird blah note. Like Black didn't really know how to end it, so she did. The set up for book 3 seems like it could be compelling, but I suppose because of the way it was executed and built up I just didn't feel any of that. I'll still be running out to buy Book 3, though.
Honestly, I enjoyed this book even more than I did Jackie Kessler's Rage, simply because I find Cassel's world so compelling, so interesting, so fucked up and so much fun. I won't tell anyone to buy it, because it's up to you how you spend your cash, but I definitely do think it was worth my money. I actually hope I get to see this adapted into an HBO tv show or something. Or a movie? You decide.
Edit: I'm definitely going with tv series. It's decided!
-----
May 7 Pre-Review: Lol it took my a full month to read this. Though not because I wasn't interested, just because shit kept happening.
Anyway, amazingly written story, awesome MC, bit of sloppiness in the middle, cool mystery (albeit the solution was a little obvious) with an unfortunately somewhat lackluster set up for book 3, made worse by an unfortunately weak ending. Review to come (probably, though I tend to be lazier than my goodreads friends).
April 8th Pre-Pre Review
I thought I'd read Banished first, but then I remembered this came out at the same time as Cassandra Clare's languid piece of horseshit CoFA, though I have no clue how it's doing profit wise. Now thinking about it, it was probably a mistake having them come out on the same day wasn't it? I mean, Black obviously was trying to snag some of Clare's readers (ironic, considering Black discovered Clare thus unleashing her mediocrity upon the world), but when I went to the bookstore, CoFA had its own personal stand front and center (I mean seriously, RIGHT in front of the steps) while only four copies of Red Glove were tucked somewhere in the shelves. As far as I could see they hadn't moved.
I mean obviously having your book released on the same day as some blockbuster is going to mean you're going to get a bit overshadowed, doesn't it Black? Not everyone knows you're bffs and not everyone cares enough to pick up your book out of obligation to Clare. You may have just screwed yourself over here, which is a shame because White Cat was really imaginative and well written (though not perfectly executed).
Anyway, I'll give Red Glove a go and see how it is, if only to lament at how such an amazing author remade herself as a hack's toady.
Of course, I have essays and exams to write so I'm probably gonna read this super slowly
March 30, 2012
Hmm. I'm not sure if it was the high of book one - White Cat - that made this sequel so disappointing but, whatever the reason, I really struggled to get into this one. The story became too involved with many subplots that failed to affect me in any way, stuff like: Sam and Daneca's relationship, Cassel's mother's annoying behaviour, campaigns for worker rights, and Cassel's run-in with two federal agents who are determined to make him work for them.
It wasn't bad enough that I won't read Black Heart, I really enjoyed the first in the series and this book still contained some of the things I loved about that. I really like the style this series is written in, I find Cassel to be a very likeable, interesting and humourous protagonist. This installment should have focused the book on the mystery and worked the various subplots around that but I found the opposite was true. Every so often, the murder mystery would resurface and we'd spend several pages on it and then the book would revert back to being about the subplots.
In White Cat the main bulk of the plot is surrounding this idea of a white cat appearing in Cassel's dreams, the mystery of what really happened to Lila, and discovering what Philip and Barron are hiding... it's interesting, it kept me hooked and it allowed for relationships to be explored with the main mystery, not in their own chapters. I really like books that can integrate finding out about characters and their relationships with one another into the events of the main story and I felt this novel failed with that.
As much as I hate to say it after loving book one, it was kinda boring and I think the only reason it got three stars from me was because a) I loved the first so much, and b) Cassel, I think he's a great character.
January 7, 2012
As seen on The Readventurer
Glad to report that my my new, unexpected and surprising love affair with Holly Black continues. YES!
I approached Red Glove with trepidation, because a few of my book soulmate type friends, whose opinions I rely on, were not very positive about this sequel. But I, thankfully, saw nothing wrong with it. Red Glove is completely on par with its predecessor.
So, Cassel is back in school after spending a few months with his conartist mom who curses and charms every rich and powerful man in the vicinity. But getting rid of her for a time doesn't change the fact that he has plenty more troubles on his mind - he has to face the burden of knowledge of his assassin past and he is forced to confront Lila who was worked into blindly loving him by his mother. To add to all that, Cassel has feds on his tail who blackmail him into helping them out to solve a murder involving a woman in red gloves.
I enjoyed pretty much everything about Red Glove and most likely I will repeat all the complements I already gave White Cat. Conartistry, mafia and activism in defense of curse workers are just great. The dynamic between Cassel and Lila are even better. Mysteries in YA rarely mystify me, but this one surprised me again and again.
The only gripe with this series I'd like to bring up is this - what's up with the new covers?
I know not everyone is fond of the old ones, but I think they are clever and very much in tune with the stories inside them, sort of noirish. Plus, how can I resist the color scheme that is cute play on the books' titles?
.
Whose brilliant idea was it to change something that was never bad?
Glad to report that my my new, unexpected and surprising love affair with Holly Black continues. YES!
I approached Red Glove with trepidation, because a few of my book soulmate type friends, whose opinions I rely on, were not very positive about this sequel. But I, thankfully, saw nothing wrong with it. Red Glove is completely on par with its predecessor.
So, Cassel is back in school after spending a few months with his conartist mom who curses and charms every rich and powerful man in the vicinity. But getting rid of her for a time doesn't change the fact that he has plenty more troubles on his mind - he has to face the burden of knowledge of his assassin past and he is forced to confront Lila who was worked into blindly loving him by his mother. To add to all that, Cassel has feds on his tail who blackmail him into helping them out to solve a murder involving a woman in red gloves.
I enjoyed pretty much everything about Red Glove and most likely I will repeat all the complements I already gave White Cat. Conartistry, mafia and activism in defense of curse workers are just great. The dynamic between Cassel and Lila are even better. Mysteries in YA rarely mystify me, but this one surprised me again and again.
The only gripe with this series I'd like to bring up is this - what's up with the new covers?
I know not everyone is fond of the old ones, but I think they are clever and very much in tune with the stories inside them, sort of noirish. Plus, how can I resist the color scheme that is cute play on the books' titles?
. Whose brilliant idea was it to change something that was never bad?
January 27, 2012
4.5 stars.
Holly Black has taken a steady place among my favorite authors ever and she is perhaps THE favorite in paranormal YA.
You think she writes about vampires? Nah.
Shapeshifters? Hardly.
Angels? Nope.
Nephilims? Nuh-uh.
Are there mean girls? Jocks? Cheerleaders? Love triangles? Instalove? No, no, no, no and no.
Then she CANNOT possibly write paranormal YA.
Yet, she does.
She writes about curse workers. People, living in an alternate version of our society, very much like ours, where people can work other people just by touching them. They curse them, influencing their physical or emotional state to their needs. There are emotional workers, physical workers, death workers, luck workers, transformation workers; this is a world where everybody wears gloves and where criminal organizations (families, mafia style) employ workers of all kinds for their illegal purposes.
Cassel, aside from being a worker of the worst kind, is also part of a family of con artists. If you haven't read White Cat, go do so now to learn all about his family and the kind of worker he is.
In Red Glove, Cassel has to deal with the consequences of what happened in the previous book and with a murder case. Except it's not just any murder, it's his brother Phillip who gets killed. The only clue to the identity of the assassin is a video with the image of what seems to be a woman, clad in a coat and red gloves.
Red Glove totally lived up to White Cat. Just as good, just as original, just as well written.
I found the mafia/detective/paranormal combination appealing and different from the mass of mediocrity.
Black writes an incredibly believable male voice, which is pretty rare, I'd say (the other great one I encountered lately is Jace from Split).
And just like Jace, Cassel is one of those characters walking the fine line between good and evil, bad and wrong. He struggles and you're never sure if he's going to trip over, if he'll get up again. Circumstances are messing up his life, trouble seems to be always around the corner and tricky situations where it would be easier just to give up come to find him right on time.
He's definitely no champion, but he manages, even with Lila, and I felt him as incredibly believable.
This is why, unfortunately, despite finding Jesse Eisenberg a fantastic reader and actor for this audiobook, I just could not envision him as the Cassel I had in mind. I guess he sounded too much like the good guy to me. But this is just my personal opinion, based on the Cassel that is inside my head. Also, this was the first audiobook I ever listened to and it took a while for me to get used to it, so bear that in mind.
Nevertheless, for those who have been reluctant to pick up this series, I strongly suggest you give it a try. If you're tired and bored out of your mind of the usual paranormal YA this might just be your cuppa.
Needless to say I am eagerly awaiting the final chapter of this series, Black Heart. Whoever snatches an ARC of this will be on my blacklist forever.
Read this review and more at The Nocturnal Library.
Holly Black has taken a steady place among my favorite authors ever and she is perhaps THE favorite in paranormal YA.
You think she writes about vampires? Nah.
Shapeshifters? Hardly.
Angels? Nope.
Nephilims? Nuh-uh.
Are there mean girls? Jocks? Cheerleaders? Love triangles? Instalove? No, no, no, no and no.
Then she CANNOT possibly write paranormal YA.
Yet, she does.
She writes about curse workers. People, living in an alternate version of our society, very much like ours, where people can work other people just by touching them. They curse them, influencing their physical or emotional state to their needs. There are emotional workers, physical workers, death workers, luck workers, transformation workers; this is a world where everybody wears gloves and where criminal organizations (families, mafia style) employ workers of all kinds for their illegal purposes.
Cassel, aside from being a worker of the worst kind, is also part of a family of con artists. If you haven't read White Cat, go do so now to learn all about his family and the kind of worker he is.
In Red Glove, Cassel has to deal with the consequences of what happened in the previous book and with a murder case. Except it's not just any murder, it's his brother Phillip who gets killed. The only clue to the identity of the assassin is a video with the image of what seems to be a woman, clad in a coat and red gloves.
Red Glove totally lived up to White Cat. Just as good, just as original, just as well written.
I found the mafia/detective/paranormal combination appealing and different from the mass of mediocrity.
Black writes an incredibly believable male voice, which is pretty rare, I'd say (the other great one I encountered lately is Jace from Split).
And just like Jace, Cassel is one of those characters walking the fine line between good and evil, bad and wrong. He struggles and you're never sure if he's going to trip over, if he'll get up again. Circumstances are messing up his life, trouble seems to be always around the corner and tricky situations where it would be easier just to give up come to find him right on time.
He's definitely no champion, but he manages, even with Lila, and I felt him as incredibly believable.
This is why, unfortunately, despite finding Jesse Eisenberg a fantastic reader and actor for this audiobook, I just could not envision him as the Cassel I had in mind. I guess he sounded too much like the good guy to me. But this is just my personal opinion, based on the Cassel that is inside my head. Also, this was the first audiobook I ever listened to and it took a while for me to get used to it, so bear that in mind.
Nevertheless, for those who have been reluctant to pick up this series, I strongly suggest you give it a try. If you're tired and bored out of your mind of the usual paranormal YA this might just be your cuppa.
Needless to say I am eagerly awaiting the final chapter of this series, Black Heart. Whoever snatches an ARC of this will be on my blacklist forever.
Read this review and more at The Nocturnal Library.
July 16, 2015
I've been sitting here for an hour trying to figure out what to say about this book in a review. Last summer, I read White Cat (the book prior to this one) and found myself enthralled by a world of curses, crime, and cons -- and at the center of the book was Cassel, a boy who couldn't decide between truth and lie, fact and fiction, good and evil, white and black.
It turned out that Cassel was as dichotomous as they come, gray to his core, doing bad things even if he has good reasons for them. He's a very real character because of that mess of indecision and the desire to do the right things, and he's part of what made White Cat so refreshing and fascinating compared to other paranormal young adult books that focus on true love and/or angst. Cassel's problems are very real and very serious, yet he somehow manages not to be crushed by all the burdens he has, whether they're from his own making or that of others.
Enter Red Glove. Though I've been picking this book up and reading pages at a time for the past month, I really did like it (however much my overlong reading time may try to prove differently). Cassel's world is as dangerous and untrustworthy as ever. His mother, still fresh out of prison, is up to no good as she continues to scam her way through as many "hits" and their wallets as she can. His one brother is now a friend while the other is an enemy who won't even speak to him. And added on top of all the personal drama is the fact that the girl Cassel loves has been worked (i.e. charmed, enchanted) to love him. What's a boy to do?
I honestly thought that Red Glove wouldn't live up to White Cat. Sequels don't usually live up to their predecessors. Yes, there are the rare occasions like Empire Strikes Back -- but, honestly, most people complain about sequels being filler that merely stalls for time until the finale (if the story is a trilogy). After reading as many sequels as I have (and seeing them on the big screen), I'm often mixed on "the sequel slump." Honestly, if I love a fictional world and its characters enough, I won't care much about how the story pales (or, in rare cases, shines) in comparison to the first; I'll just be happen to be immersed again in the world and find out what happens to the characters I am still willing to follow.
Red Glove held all that allure for me -- I want to follow these characters, I want to learn more about their world, I want to see how the story unfolds -- but it's not just one of those sequels that I read just so I could say I had. Yes, there were some slow-going moments, but the characters are great, the writing is really good, and the plot is the kind that anyone who loves a good mystery would like. But what really gets me are the twists and turns that Holly Black throws at her readers. There were a few instances in this novel where I just had to utter, "Oh my God!" simply because I was so amazed that the story managed to surprise me. Isn't it wonderful when you can't predict every little thing that may happen in a plot? Personally, I love when that happens. Keep on surprising me, Ms. Black, because I adore your storytelling for it.
Needless to say, the wait for Black Heart will not be fun. My advice to interested readers: go slow with the first two books if you decide to read them. You will likely be clamoring for the third as soon as you can get your hands on it.
It turned out that Cassel was as dichotomous as they come, gray to his core, doing bad things even if he has good reasons for them. He's a very real character because of that mess of indecision and the desire to do the right things, and he's part of what made White Cat so refreshing and fascinating compared to other paranormal young adult books that focus on true love and/or angst. Cassel's problems are very real and very serious, yet he somehow manages not to be crushed by all the burdens he has, whether they're from his own making or that of others.
Enter Red Glove. Though I've been picking this book up and reading pages at a time for the past month, I really did like it (however much my overlong reading time may try to prove differently). Cassel's world is as dangerous and untrustworthy as ever. His mother, still fresh out of prison, is up to no good as she continues to scam her way through as many "hits" and their wallets as she can. His one brother is now a friend while the other is an enemy who won't even speak to him. And added on top of all the personal drama is the fact that the girl Cassel loves has been worked (i.e. charmed, enchanted) to love him. What's a boy to do?
I honestly thought that Red Glove wouldn't live up to White Cat. Sequels don't usually live up to their predecessors. Yes, there are the rare occasions like Empire Strikes Back -- but, honestly, most people complain about sequels being filler that merely stalls for time until the finale (if the story is a trilogy). After reading as many sequels as I have (and seeing them on the big screen), I'm often mixed on "the sequel slump." Honestly, if I love a fictional world and its characters enough, I won't care much about how the story pales (or, in rare cases, shines) in comparison to the first; I'll just be happen to be immersed again in the world and find out what happens to the characters I am still willing to follow.
Red Glove held all that allure for me -- I want to follow these characters, I want to learn more about their world, I want to see how the story unfolds -- but it's not just one of those sequels that I read just so I could say I had. Yes, there were some slow-going moments, but the characters are great, the writing is really good, and the plot is the kind that anyone who loves a good mystery would like. But what really gets me are the twists and turns that Holly Black throws at her readers. There were a few instances in this novel where I just had to utter, "Oh my God!" simply because I was so amazed that the story managed to surprise me. Isn't it wonderful when you can't predict every little thing that may happen in a plot? Personally, I love when that happens. Keep on surprising me, Ms. Black, because I adore your storytelling for it.
Needless to say, the wait for Black Heart will not be fun. My advice to interested readers: go slow with the first two books if you decide to read them. You will likely be clamoring for the third as soon as you can get your hands on it.
March 5, 2015
The smell of Lila's skin, the way her eyes shine with mischief, the low rasp of her voice. It hurts to think of her, but I can't stop. It ought to hurt.
After all, hell is supposed to be hot.
Hmmm. Well, I just have to say it-If you, for whatever reason, have to put a book on pause and you come back to it and feel like you are still strongly a part of that book's world...then you have an excellent book in your hands, Folks. I have had a busy few weeks, book wise. Blog tour, catching up on a favorite series for said blog tour, keeping up with ARCs...and now here I am with a little bit of 'me' time on my hands. So why not pick up where I left off in this wonderful little story?? It was so much easier than I ever expected and I didn't once feel like I didn't know what was going on. It's such a fun, wonderful, dark story with loads of heart seeped onto every page-you can't help but to fall in love with Cassel and all his shenanigans.
I jump up and take off toward her, yanking the panty hose down over my face. That slows me down some, because there is no way in hell these things are sheer. I can barely see.
People start yelling. Yeah, because a guy with hose over his head is never the good guy. He is, in fact, the stereotype-maybe even a archetype-of a bad guy.
I can't say this was better than the first, yet I rated it a solid 5. Why is that??? I think it's because my enjoyment level skyrocketed after my hiatus from the series. As soon as I began to read from where I'd left off, my mood was instantly uplifted and I felt a sense of peace and contentment. I started to laugh and smile like a deranged loon. Reading about Cassel never gets old and certainly never gets boring. He's a sweethearted con who only wants to do good...but always ends up doing bad. But he's getting better! Or, at least, he's trying to.
I wonder if that's my future. Bad choices. It certainly feels a lot like my present.
And that's where we are in this book. Something terrible has happened in the first book. Which means that no matter how tangible, how wonderful, how real it seems...it isn't. It's a con. And there lays the dilemma: How can Cassel possibly fight the one good thing he's wanted his whole life?? It's right there on a silver platter....All he has to do is reach out and take it. But he can't. He won't. And that's why he is, ultimately, good. It wouldn't be right and it wouldn't be fair, but it's sure hard to fight.
I should stop, but there's no point in stopping. Because I'm not strong enough-eventually, I won't stop.
I thought the question was "Will I or won't I?"
But that's not the question at all.
It's "When?"
Because I will.
It's just a matter of time. It's now.
That's why this book is so so heartbreaking. I love Cassel. He's smart, he's funny, he's sarcastic, and he just wants to be accepted for who he is. And I love him for it. He has lived a fucked up life surrounded by fucked up people, yet he tries to stay above it. And, more than that, he would do anything for them. He'd cover up any number of their crimes just because he loves them. Yet, they still try to hold him under their thumb even though he's 50 times more powerful than they'll ever be. It tore me to pieces each and every time he would resist because how could that ever really be true?? How could It broke my heart.
At the window to my room, I catch my reflection in the glass. Shaggy black hair. Sneer. I look like a hungry ghost, glowering at the world I am no longer fit to be part of.
The relationships formed in this book were probably my favorite part-it was so heartwarming to see Cassel embrace his new friendships he began to form at the end of the last book and to begin to trust them enough to accept their help. But, then the writing is a close second favorite thing about this story. Black's writing leaps off the page and sucks you in so you don't ever want to stop reading. Simplistic, witty, and sarcastic tones seep off of every page and you can't help but to smile at how dire the situations are that Cassel gets himself into. I don't know how he does it, but somehow he is always in trouble and it is always funny, for some reason. I don't quite know why I find such humor in this dark little series, but I do and I love it.
I sink down to the grass. It's damp with dew. I feel sick, but self-loathing has become a familiar sickness. I was a monster before. A monster with the excuse that he didn't know details so he didn't really have to think about it.
So....There's much more I can say but it would be very spoilery to do so. Do you know how hard it is to write a review for such a mysterious series without spoiling anything? Well, I'll tell ya-it's hard. So I will stop here and let you make your own judgements. Cassel is a wonderful character to follow: flawed, insecure, but somehow cocky, we have quite the enigmatic character. I only hope you can give this wonderfully weird series a chance-it's excellent.
Only a monster would do this, but I already know I'm a monster.
For more of my reviews, please visit:
After all, hell is supposed to be hot.
Hmmm. Well, I just have to say it-If you, for whatever reason, have to put a book on pause and you come back to it and feel like you are still strongly a part of that book's world...then you have an excellent book in your hands, Folks. I have had a busy few weeks, book wise. Blog tour, catching up on a favorite series for said blog tour, keeping up with ARCs...and now here I am with a little bit of 'me' time on my hands. So why not pick up where I left off in this wonderful little story?? It was so much easier than I ever expected and I didn't once feel like I didn't know what was going on. It's such a fun, wonderful, dark story with loads of heart seeped onto every page-you can't help but to fall in love with Cassel and all his shenanigans.
I jump up and take off toward her, yanking the panty hose down over my face. That slows me down some, because there is no way in hell these things are sheer. I can barely see.
People start yelling. Yeah, because a guy with hose over his head is never the good guy. He is, in fact, the stereotype-maybe even a archetype-of a bad guy.
I can't say this was better than the first, yet I rated it a solid 5. Why is that??? I think it's because my enjoyment level skyrocketed after my hiatus from the series. As soon as I began to read from where I'd left off, my mood was instantly uplifted and I felt a sense of peace and contentment. I started to laugh and smile like a deranged loon. Reading about Cassel never gets old and certainly never gets boring. He's a sweethearted con who only wants to do good...but always ends up doing bad. But he's getting better! Or, at least, he's trying to.
I wonder if that's my future. Bad choices. It certainly feels a lot like my present.
And that's where we are in this book. Something terrible has happened in the first book. Which means that no matter how tangible, how wonderful, how real it seems...it isn't. It's a con. And there lays the dilemma: How can Cassel possibly fight the one good thing he's wanted his whole life?? It's right there on a silver platter....All he has to do is reach out and take it. But he can't. He won't. And that's why he is, ultimately, good. It wouldn't be right and it wouldn't be fair, but it's sure hard to fight.
I should stop, but there's no point in stopping. Because I'm not strong enough-eventually, I won't stop.
I thought the question was "Will I or won't I?"
But that's not the question at all.
It's "When?"
Because I will.
It's just a matter of time. It's now.
That's why this book is so so heartbreaking. I love Cassel. He's smart, he's funny, he's sarcastic, and he just wants to be accepted for who he is. And I love him for it. He has lived a fucked up life surrounded by fucked up people, yet he tries to stay above it. And, more than that, he would do anything for them. He'd cover up any number of their crimes just because he loves them. Yet, they still try to hold him under their thumb even though he's 50 times more powerful than they'll ever be. It tore me to pieces each and every time he would resist because how could that ever really be true?? How could It broke my heart.
At the window to my room, I catch my reflection in the glass. Shaggy black hair. Sneer. I look like a hungry ghost, glowering at the world I am no longer fit to be part of.
The relationships formed in this book were probably my favorite part-it was so heartwarming to see Cassel embrace his new friendships he began to form at the end of the last book and to begin to trust them enough to accept their help. But, then the writing is a close second favorite thing about this story. Black's writing leaps off the page and sucks you in so you don't ever want to stop reading. Simplistic, witty, and sarcastic tones seep off of every page and you can't help but to smile at how dire the situations are that Cassel gets himself into. I don't know how he does it, but somehow he is always in trouble and it is always funny, for some reason. I don't quite know why I find such humor in this dark little series, but I do and I love it.
I sink down to the grass. It's damp with dew. I feel sick, but self-loathing has become a familiar sickness. I was a monster before. A monster with the excuse that he didn't know details so he didn't really have to think about it.
So....There's much more I can say but it would be very spoilery to do so. Do you know how hard it is to write a review for such a mysterious series without spoiling anything? Well, I'll tell ya-it's hard. So I will stop here and let you make your own judgements. Cassel is a wonderful character to follow: flawed, insecure, but somehow cocky, we have quite the enigmatic character. I only hope you can give this wonderfully weird series a chance-it's excellent.
Only a monster would do this, but I already know I'm a monster.
For more of my reviews, please visit:
July 4, 2024
“The truth is messy. It's raw and uncomfortable. You can't blame people for preferring lies.”
✅ Magic / Powers
✅ Betrayal / Lies
✅ Characters and relationships
🆗✅ Pace
🆗✅ Intrigue / Investigation
Red Glove picks up a few months after White Cat ends. Cassel spent the summer with his mother who is now out of prison and he is getting ready to start his last year in high school.
All is as well as it can be for Cassel in his hectic and criminal family. Until his older brother gets murdered, and Lila gets enrolled in his school because she can't stay away from him any longer (thanks to Cassel's mom who worked her into loving him). On top of that, the feds start asking Cassel questions about murders (for which he may or may not be responsible) and the involvement of his family in criminal activities. Let's just say that Cassel has had a tough first semester.
“You are the best kind of killer, Cassel Sharpe, the kind that never has blood on his hands. The kind that never has to sicken at the sight of what he's done, or come to like it too much.”
There is a touch of humor in this book, and we can see Cassel changing. He gains confidence, and becomes more ruthless, while also trying to be good. He has a lot of conflicted emotions, and I liked that it was not all black or white. He is not a morally grey character exactly, but having the family he has, he does not have a choice but to have a darker side if he wants to survive.
The world-building was well established in White Cat so this book focuses more on the investigation of Philip's murder and the fact that Cassel is now stuck in the middle of the feds, the Zacharov family, and his own family, all wanting something from him. I would have liked to have more details about the murder investigation instead of having everything revealed at the end like a big surprise. I also missed the darker dynamic of the Zacharov mobster life that was more present in the first book, but this book was still very good and I can't wait to start Black Heart.
1. White Cat ⭐⭐⭐⭐
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September 21, 2019
No idea how Black managed to make book#2 even better than the first, but I am so excited for book#3!!!
July 4, 2018
If you like urban fantasy and YA, you can’t go wrong with this series. This book was great and my inner teen loved it! The magic system is really well thought out and Cassell and his friends are interesting characters. My heart goes out to Cassell in this book as he has a lot to contend with. Recommended book. Recommended series.
April 15, 2017
4.5 Stars
At the same time Cassel discovered he was one of the rarest and most powerful curse-workers, he also discovered his family had been deceiving him for many years. Now with his secret out both criminals and feds want him on their side. But choosing sides has to be put on hold until he can figure out who murdered his brother.
Red Glove is a better book than the first in the series, White Cat. It flows much better and isn't nearly as cumbersome. Holly Black has found her stride in book two and I have great hopes for book three.
At the same time Cassel discovered he was one of the rarest and most powerful curse-workers, he also discovered his family had been deceiving him for many years. Now with his secret out both criminals and feds want him on their side. But choosing sides has to be put on hold until he can figure out who murdered his brother.
Red Glove is a better book than the first in the series, White Cat. It flows much better and isn't nearly as cumbersome. Holly Black has found her stride in book two and I have great hopes for book three.
November 5, 2019
Actual Rating: 2.5 stars
It'a Ok.
It's a quick read, entertaining enough, but again, nothing special.
White Cat (Curse Workers, #1)
It'a Ok.
It's a quick read, entertaining enough, but again, nothing special.
White Cat (Curse Workers, #1)
January 31, 2012
I’ll state right off that I have a fondness for the way Holly Black writes and may be biased towards her books. I adored Tithe for many of the reasons people despise it. Black’s characters are not whiny ass pansies, they have dark edges and do questionable things, they’re never perfect and I find her books intoxicating because of it.
Red Glove is the sequel to White Cat which you must read first if you’re going to read the series. It picks up pretty much where White Cat left off and begins with more woe, worry and grief for our protagonist Cassel as he returns to boarding school. Because of his abilities (which I’m not revealing because you need to read White Cat!) Cassel is once again drawn into a number of shady situations (to put it mildly) but this time he’s aware of everything he’s doing and he is torn up because of it. Cassel has an innate sense of decency despite the fact that he’s grown up with mobsters and a mother who makes her living bilking sugar daddies out of their fortunes. But as Cassel says, “Temptation is tempting.” Because of his uniqueness he is being seduced by mobsters and the FBI and gets involved in a murder investigation all while dealing with his tumultuous love affair with his sweetheart Lila.
I admire Cassel and his struggle with right and wrong and his ability to keep his sense of humor. Seriously, play out this little scenario, where his mom is demanding that he be an accomplice to her crime and tell me how well adjusted you would be if this was your idea of normal:
Oh, poor, sweet Cassel!
Honestly, why don’t they adapt these for film?
Red Glove has no schmaltz, no sickening gooiness, no self-involved, superficial brats like so much other YA and no weak females. Some may argue that Cassel’s mom is weak, unstable or crazy (and all of that may be a little true) but I see her as an opportunist, like the rest of her family members, using her powers to the fullest advantage for herself.
I grew to love Cassel’s character even more in this book and though his relationship with Lila remains complicated none of it ever feels contrived and the things that happen fit in with the magical plot and the power plays. I can’t wait for the next installment and hope more people check out this over looked series.
Red Glove is the sequel to White Cat which you must read first if you’re going to read the series. It picks up pretty much where White Cat left off and begins with more woe, worry and grief for our protagonist Cassel as he returns to boarding school. Because of his abilities (which I’m not revealing because you need to read White Cat!) Cassel is once again drawn into a number of shady situations (to put it mildly) but this time he’s aware of everything he’s doing and he is torn up because of it. Cassel has an innate sense of decency despite the fact that he’s grown up with mobsters and a mother who makes her living bilking sugar daddies out of their fortunes. But as Cassel says, “Temptation is tempting.” Because of his uniqueness he is being seduced by mobsters and the FBI and gets involved in a murder investigation all while dealing with his tumultuous love affair with his sweetheart Lila.
I admire Cassel and his struggle with right and wrong and his ability to keep his sense of humor. Seriously, play out this little scenario, where his mom is demanding that he be an accomplice to her crime and tell me how well adjusted you would be if this was your idea of normal:
Mom says: “... grab the plastic bag over by my suitcase.”
The bag contains pantyhose. I put them on her desk.
“They’re for you.”
“You want me to look homeless, desperate but also kind of fabulous?”
“Over your head,” she says
Oh, poor, sweet Cassel!
Honestly, why don’t they adapt these for film?
Red Glove has no schmaltz, no sickening gooiness, no self-involved, superficial brats like so much other YA and no weak females. Some may argue that Cassel’s mom is weak, unstable or crazy (and all of that may be a little true) but I see her as an opportunist, like the rest of her family members, using her powers to the fullest advantage for herself.
I grew to love Cassel’s character even more in this book and though his relationship with Lila remains complicated none of it ever feels contrived and the things that happen fit in with the magical plot and the power plays. I can’t wait for the next installment and hope more people check out this over looked series.
September 2, 2023
Ok, so I really like this series a lot! It's just SO different than anything else out there!! If you read my review of White Cat, you may remember that I had a hard time getting into it at first. This is not the case with Red Glove. I loved every minute of it. I've always been a big fan of mobster movies, and I'm also a huge fan of paranormals, so this series is perfect because it combines the two.
This book starts out where White Cat left off. It jumps right into the swing of things, immediately bringing to light a new mystery that Cassel feels the need to solve. I really love how Holly threads all the different elements together in this series; mystery, paranormal elements, mobsters, politics, family, and this heartbreaking love story. It was like watching The Godfather, but add curse-workers! You never know who to trust, who to look out for, who to love, who to believe. I just feel so sorry for Cassel! What a horrible family! Ugh, can you imagine having to watch your back because your own brothers might "work" you at any moment? Or kill you? And his mother!! I kept picturing her as Sharon Stone in the movie Casino. She's beautiful, intelligent, dangerous, and completely insane!
Add to that the tortured relationship between he and Lila. He is just so in love with her, and I feel like she's probably in love with him too, but since she's been "worked" into loving him, Cassel can't let himself take advantage of her. I just found myself wanting him to just let go and be with her, but then I loved him all the more because he loved her too much for that. I certainly don't know how he can stand it, because their relationship just might be the death of me! haha! (I guess it helps to be fictional)
Another thing I love about these books is that, even though it is a series, each book has its own story arc. I'm excited to read the next book in the series, but I don't feel that I'm being forced into reading it to know what will happen. The only hard thing is being left with the heartache that Cassel and Lila's relationship leaves us with.
This book comes out on Tuesday (4/5), and if you liked White Cat, you won't be disappointed in this one. In fact, you may even like it better!
Andye
This book starts out where White Cat left off. It jumps right into the swing of things, immediately bringing to light a new mystery that Cassel feels the need to solve. I really love how Holly threads all the different elements together in this series; mystery, paranormal elements, mobsters, politics, family, and this heartbreaking love story. It was like watching The Godfather, but add curse-workers! You never know who to trust, who to look out for, who to love, who to believe. I just feel so sorry for Cassel! What a horrible family! Ugh, can you imagine having to watch your back because your own brothers might "work" you at any moment? Or kill you? And his mother!! I kept picturing her as Sharon Stone in the movie Casino. She's beautiful, intelligent, dangerous, and completely insane!
Add to that the tortured relationship between he and Lila. He is just so in love with her, and I feel like she's probably in love with him too, but since she's been "worked" into loving him, Cassel can't let himself take advantage of her. I just found myself wanting him to just let go and be with her, but then I loved him all the more because he loved her too much for that. I certainly don't know how he can stand it, because their relationship just might be the death of me! haha! (I guess it helps to be fictional)
Another thing I love about these books is that, even though it is a series, each book has its own story arc. I'm excited to read the next book in the series, but I don't feel that I'm being forced into reading it to know what will happen. The only hard thing is being left with the heartache that Cassel and Lila's relationship leaves us with.
This book comes out on Tuesday (4/5), and if you liked White Cat, you won't be disappointed in this one. In fact, you may even like it better!
Andye
August 4, 2022
Personalmente disfruté mucho más este libro que el primero (aunque el primero también me gustó bastante) y es que ahora partimos de inmediato desde arriba, con mucha acción, giros y suspensos que te mantienen pegadx a sus páginas en búsqueda de resolver un misterio, mientras al mismo tiempo el protagonista se ve envuelto en los típicos enredos adolescentes, pero que se complican aún más porque nada es sencillo en la vida de Cassel.
Me gustó además que recordara sutilmente cosas del primer libro, porque si lo leíste hace mucho (como yo) te es fácil ponerte al día nuevamente.
Mi único pero fue el final, me pareció un poco abrupto y flojo, sin generar tanta intriga para el siguiente tomo. Pese a eso, espero con ansias conocer el final de esta atrapante trilogía.
En resumen, es un libro en el que encontrarán engaños, mafias, timadores, violencia, amistad, romance adolescente, una familia muy particular y turbia, misterio, asesinatos, magia, un toque de política (en el contexto del universo creado en el libro) y más de un plot twist.
¿Se animan a entrar en la complicada vida de Cassel Sharpe?
Me gustó además que recordara sutilmente cosas del primer libro, porque si lo leíste hace mucho (como yo) te es fácil ponerte al día nuevamente.
Mi único pero fue el final, me pareció un poco abrupto y flojo, sin generar tanta intriga para el siguiente tomo. Pese a eso, espero con ansias conocer el final de esta atrapante trilogía.
En resumen, es un libro en el que encontrarán engaños, mafias, timadores, violencia, amistad, romance adolescente, una familia muy particular y turbia, misterio, asesinatos, magia, un toque de política (en el contexto del universo creado en el libro) y más de un plot twist.
¿Se animan a entrar en la complicada vida de Cassel Sharpe?
May 25, 2012
4.5-maybe a 5. I'm too scared to "5" it.
Holy mother of fuckin' God. Is it 2012 yet?
I enjoyed White Cat. A messed up mob family set in a magic realism America, with a male lead who's narrative isn't just incredibly witty and humorous, but moving--I couldn't not have liked it. So, I waited for the sequel patiently. I hadn't even looked at the summary blurb till I bought it.
Well, Red Glove blew White Cat out of the water. No--ocean. Earth. The universe. Dimension. Maybe it just annihilated it. Poof. Gone. Bye bye. I can't honestly remember enjoying a sequel this much. Collins' Catching Fire was pretty flippin' fantastic but I still believed it hadn't surpassed The Hunger Games. Red Glove just takes everything Black touched in White Cat and expands it. She adds one new element in, but she's careful not overwhelm the reader with more "mythology" and complicated con and mob techniques and words. We get more of what White Cat had, but fuller, fresher and funnier. (Yay alliteration).
Cassel is a great lead. His life's a mess. The girl he loves is cursed to love him and he's too "good" to take advantage of her. His mother takes him to Atlantic City for summer vacation, spending most of their time conning suckers into getting money. HIs "forgetful" older brother used him as a weapon, but can't remember and Cassel pretends to love him despite the fact he hates him. And don't forget the other brother who tried to get him to assassinate a mob boss. And to top it all off, he attends school and wants a normal life.
Yea, the kid's got it tough.
But the best part is, regardless of the hell he lives in, Cassel isn't angsty. Black is careful to maneuver his feelings, reactions, and intelligence. When he's angry, we hear about him being angry--at that moment. When he's wanting to touch Lila, we hear about his urges, when Lila is right there. His narration is his honest-to-god voice. This helps form a judgement about him--you either like him or you don't. I love Cassel. He knows what bad is. He's done bad, his family is bad, but he's not bad. He thinks he is, but realistically, all he wants to do is be normal. Even to be good.
Magic realism America, Cassel's friends, ability and family all are exposed and developed more throughout Red Glove. Sam and his girlfriend who's name I can't spell, are both Cassel's partners in crime. The bond formed between Cassel and the two was sweet and believable. Sam and Sam's Girlfriend were aware of Cassel's shady family and even suspicious of Cassel himself, but who wouldn't? It's logical. This time Cassel's suave mom is around. She's trying to her fingers in every rich man's pocket while Cassel is trying to keep her nose clean. He can't help but worry about the woman who caused him trouble in the past. Plus, Cassel's transformation ability is explored more.
The new aspect is the law enforcement. If you're gonna have robbers, you gotta have the cops. This aspect right here is the thread that leads to book three. A nice big old complication for Cassel. And I can't wait to read about it!
I don't know how to describe the plot. Tons of things occur throughout the book, but they all revolve around one thing--Cassel. Big surprise, right? But all these things don't just effect him but others--his friends, family, future, etc. And just like dominoes, everything comes falling down. But it's Cassel who's scrambling to hide the first pusher, to coverup his tracks and others. (Yea, lame explanation, but I don't wanna give to much away). Also, the ending isn't a BANG. It ends like a solved mystery, just the way any cop/robber novel should.
The only thing I did not like--only person was Lila. Maybe it was because she was the love interest, and I have a crush and Cassel but I just wasn't fond of her. She's too much of what Cassel is trying to leave behind. He wants some feeling of normalcy and Lila thrives off the abnormal. She already has her future planned out--to be the future crime boss. It's funny because Cassel like's her spunkiness, but in Red Glove that's missing due to the curse. At the end the curse wears off and her real personality shines through but still, I was never convinced. I'd rather see Cassel with someone not part of that "life." Someone different. But maybe that will eventually happen. The last chapter leaves a nice "What now?" question on there relationship.
This is by far the most exciting and smart series of this year. I should have read this before CoFA. Stupid, stupid me.
Holy mother of fuckin' God. Is it 2012 yet?
I enjoyed White Cat. A messed up mob family set in a magic realism America, with a male lead who's narrative isn't just incredibly witty and humorous, but moving--I couldn't not have liked it. So, I waited for the sequel patiently. I hadn't even looked at the summary blurb till I bought it.
Well, Red Glove blew White Cat out of the water. No--ocean. Earth. The universe. Dimension. Maybe it just annihilated it. Poof. Gone. Bye bye. I can't honestly remember enjoying a sequel this much. Collins' Catching Fire was pretty flippin' fantastic but I still believed it hadn't surpassed The Hunger Games. Red Glove just takes everything Black touched in White Cat and expands it. She adds one new element in, but she's careful not overwhelm the reader with more "mythology" and complicated con and mob techniques and words. We get more of what White Cat had, but fuller, fresher and funnier. (Yay alliteration).
Cassel is a great lead. His life's a mess. The girl he loves is cursed to love him and he's too "good" to take advantage of her. His mother takes him to Atlantic City for summer vacation, spending most of their time conning suckers into getting money. HIs "forgetful" older brother used him as a weapon, but can't remember and Cassel pretends to love him despite the fact he hates him. And don't forget the other brother who tried to get him to assassinate a mob boss. And to top it all off, he attends school and wants a normal life.
Yea, the kid's got it tough.
But the best part is, regardless of the hell he lives in, Cassel isn't angsty. Black is careful to maneuver his feelings, reactions, and intelligence. When he's angry, we hear about him being angry--at that moment. When he's wanting to touch Lila, we hear about his urges, when Lila is right there. His narration is his honest-to-god voice. This helps form a judgement about him--you either like him or you don't. I love Cassel. He knows what bad is. He's done bad, his family is bad, but he's not bad. He thinks he is, but realistically, all he wants to do is be normal. Even to be good.
Magic realism America, Cassel's friends, ability and family all are exposed and developed more throughout Red Glove. Sam and his girlfriend who's name I can't spell, are both Cassel's partners in crime. The bond formed between Cassel and the two was sweet and believable. Sam and Sam's Girlfriend were aware of Cassel's shady family and even suspicious of Cassel himself, but who wouldn't? It's logical. This time Cassel's suave mom is around. She's trying to her fingers in every rich man's pocket while Cassel is trying to keep her nose clean. He can't help but worry about the woman who caused him trouble in the past. Plus, Cassel's transformation ability is explored more.
The new aspect is the law enforcement. If you're gonna have robbers, you gotta have the cops. This aspect right here is the thread that leads to book three. A nice big old complication for Cassel. And I can't wait to read about it!
I don't know how to describe the plot. Tons of things occur throughout the book, but they all revolve around one thing--Cassel. Big surprise, right? But all these things don't just effect him but others--his friends, family, future, etc. And just like dominoes, everything comes falling down. But it's Cassel who's scrambling to hide the first pusher, to coverup his tracks and others. (Yea, lame explanation, but I don't wanna give to much away). Also, the ending isn't a BANG. It ends like a solved mystery, just the way any cop/robber novel should.
The only thing I did not like--only person was Lila. Maybe it was because she was the love interest, and I have a crush and Cassel but I just wasn't fond of her. She's too much of what Cassel is trying to leave behind. He wants some feeling of normalcy and Lila thrives off the abnormal. She already has her future planned out--to be the future crime boss. It's funny because Cassel like's her spunkiness, but in Red Glove that's missing due to the curse. At the end the curse wears off and her real personality shines through but still, I was never convinced. I'd rather see Cassel with someone not part of that "life." Someone different. But maybe that will eventually happen. The last chapter leaves a nice "What now?" question on there relationship.
This is by far the most exciting and smart series of this year. I should have read this before CoFA. Stupid, stupid me.
January 31, 2014
This is very much what I had hoped the first book would be--the struggle to define, understand, and find morality in the application of power while surrounded by people who mean you harm. Things are truly complicated for Cass as pressure mounts on all sides, but this pressure is not without relief as he struggles to find happiness with the (very few) friends he has come to trust.
I was going to declare spoilers for the first book and go on about some of the details, but I think I'll just skip all that. I'll stick with being more general. I really liked the developments in this book. Cass is struggling to maintain integrity when all his options are bad. He's finding happiness with his friends, but that's about his only break as he finds pressure from both government and criminals to conform to their agendas. In a world where you can be (functionally, if not altogether legally) a criminal for something you are born with, that puts a lot of people outside of society's protection. It's small wonder that the criminal element is saturated with "workers" and even smaller that Cass finds the pressure to conform to criminal expectations nigh unbearable.
In this book, his family continues to be just awful. I think this is the hardest of the elements of the book (series) for me to abide. If it weren't for his granddad, I'd think Cass would be best off just chucking them all overboard--the ones he doesn't outright kill for his own protection (and yes, I do take it that seriously). Barron is an outright loss and a cannon pointed right at Cass' head. His mother is as bad, though with a longer fuse. Both are manipulative sociopaths who see people as toys to be exploited for their own ends. And they include Cass in that viewpoint. I cringe any time either one is within striking distance of Cass and wonder if the author has fully thought out the threat they pose (because Cass clearly hasn't and he really should have given his past and experiences).
Anyway, I deeply enjoyed the book. Cass has just enough good going in his life to drag me into a story that is chiefly about making choices when none of your options are good. I have some anxiety about the story in the next, but I'm willing to continue, so far.
I was going to declare spoilers for the first book and go on about some of the details, but I think I'll just skip all that. I'll stick with being more general. I really liked the developments in this book. Cass is struggling to maintain integrity when all his options are bad. He's finding happiness with his friends, but that's about his only break as he finds pressure from both government and criminals to conform to their agendas. In a world where you can be (functionally, if not altogether legally) a criminal for something you are born with, that puts a lot of people outside of society's protection. It's small wonder that the criminal element is saturated with "workers" and even smaller that Cass finds the pressure to conform to criminal expectations nigh unbearable.
In this book, his family continues to be just awful. I think this is the hardest of the elements of the book (series) for me to abide. If it weren't for his granddad, I'd think Cass would be best off just chucking them all overboard--the ones he doesn't outright kill for his own protection (and yes, I do take it that seriously). Barron is an outright loss and a cannon pointed right at Cass' head. His mother is as bad, though with a longer fuse. Both are manipulative sociopaths who see people as toys to be exploited for their own ends. And they include Cass in that viewpoint. I cringe any time either one is within striking distance of Cass and wonder if the author has fully thought out the threat they pose (because Cass clearly hasn't and he really should have given his past and experiences).
Anyway, I deeply enjoyed the book. Cass has just enough good going in his life to drag me into a story that is chiefly about making choices when none of your options are good. I have some anxiety about the story in the next, but I'm willing to continue, so far.
July 22, 2022
3,5
En resumen, Guante rojo ha sido una segunda parte para esta trilogía que se centra más en sus personajes que en la trama, pero que ya sienta las bases de todo lo que acontecerá en el tercer libro. Cómo me alegro de que Umbriel haya apostado por publicar esta saga.
Reseña completa
En resumen, Guante rojo ha sido una segunda parte para esta trilogía que se centra más en sus personajes que en la trama, pero que ya sienta las bases de todo lo que acontecerá en el tercer libro. Cómo me alegro de que Umbriel haya apostado por publicar esta saga.
Reseña completa
October 25, 2022
3.5/5 Stars
This is quite an intense story with a premise that I am absolutely enamored with. If the idea of magical mobsters tickles you in all the best places like it does for me then you'll want to jump into this series!
Holly Black has a gritty and straightforward writing style that really draws the reader in. She is so skilled at crafting stories that are absolutely addicting. I couldn't pull myself away from this one. I love the world that Black created in this series. The premise of the story is great but Black really drives it home with a unique magic system, political ideas, prejudices, and small details here and there.
Cassel is such a relatable character. He is probably the only passably likable character in this entire book since most of the characters are the type that you wouldn't spit on if they caught fire. Cassel was surrounded by despicable people that he couldn't trust, family included. He still navigated the ins and outs of his world and tried to make the best decisions with the obstacles that he was constantly facing. He was the type of character that you couldn't help but feel for. The secondary characters all brought something to the table but apart from a couple of friends at school there really wasn't anyone that wasn't just awful. Black did a great job of displaying these types of characters and making the reader feel so strongly about them. She also really depicted dysfunctional families to a T.
There is an underlying romantic aspect to the story. The ending of the book really does a 180 from the last book. In the last book, Lila's feelings were compromised and Cassel does his best to do right by Lila. He may have made a mistake with her though because now her feelings have changed.
Overall, this was another high-stakes story in a world of magical mobsters that you won't be able to put down! I am still so awed by the concept of this series. I know that it may very well have been done before but I love the unique spin that Black puts on it. This is such a memorable story and I can't wait for the finale!
BLOG FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM GOODREADS TIKTOK TWITTER BOOKBUB AMAZON PINTEREST
This is quite an intense story with a premise that I am absolutely enamored with. If the idea of magical mobsters tickles you in all the best places like it does for me then you'll want to jump into this series!
Holly Black has a gritty and straightforward writing style that really draws the reader in. She is so skilled at crafting stories that are absolutely addicting. I couldn't pull myself away from this one. I love the world that Black created in this series. The premise of the story is great but Black really drives it home with a unique magic system, political ideas, prejudices, and small details here and there.
Cassel is such a relatable character. He is probably the only passably likable character in this entire book since most of the characters are the type that you wouldn't spit on if they caught fire. Cassel was surrounded by despicable people that he couldn't trust, family included. He still navigated the ins and outs of his world and tried to make the best decisions with the obstacles that he was constantly facing. He was the type of character that you couldn't help but feel for. The secondary characters all brought something to the table but apart from a couple of friends at school there really wasn't anyone that wasn't just awful. Black did a great job of displaying these types of characters and making the reader feel so strongly about them. She also really depicted dysfunctional families to a T.
There is an underlying romantic aspect to the story. The ending of the book really does a 180 from the last book. In the last book, Lila's feelings were compromised and Cassel does his best to do right by Lila. He may have made a mistake with her though because now her feelings have changed.
Overall, this was another high-stakes story in a world of magical mobsters that you won't be able to put down! I am still so awed by the concept of this series. I know that it may very well have been done before but I love the unique spin that Black puts on it. This is such a memorable story and I can't wait for the finale!
BLOG FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM GOODREADS TIKTOK TWITTER BOOKBUB AMAZON PINTEREST
September 16, 2022
3'5 🌟 "Guante rojo" es la segunda entrega de la trilogía de #Losobradoresdemaleficios. Una novela repleta de acción, misterios y giros inesperados que te atrapan desde las primeras páginas 🧤☠️🌑🔍
Nos encontramos con una historia que desprende suspense, intriga y donde vemos una clara evolución en los personajes. Está centrada en la vida del protagonista y las decisiones que deberá tomar, ya que se verá rodeado tanto por el crimen como por la policía. Es una novela con un ritmo muy ágil donde no dejan de suceder cosas, además aquí sabemos más sobre la vida de Cassel y Lila. Y conocemos un poco más a la familia de Cassel, en concreto a su hermano y su madre. Un segunda entrega que te deja con ganas del tercero 🤯
Ha sido una lectura que he disfrutado, tenía muchas ganas de saber como continuaba esta historia y saber más sobre Cassel. Esta segunda entrega se centra en los personajes donde la autora nos deja pequeñas pistas de lo que vendrá en la última parte. Me he quedado anonadada con varios giros, la autora sabe mantener muy bien la intriga y dejar al lector con la boca abierta. Y el final, me parece una pasada aunque necesito el siguiente libro 😮Cada vez tengo más ganas de leer otras novelas de la autora 🥰 Si os apetece una historia con mucha magia, secretos y maleficios tenéis que leer esta novela 🌚
Reseña completa: https://www.instagram.com/p/CikdKrLoOW0/
Nos encontramos con una historia que desprende suspense, intriga y donde vemos una clara evolución en los personajes. Está centrada en la vida del protagonista y las decisiones que deberá tomar, ya que se verá rodeado tanto por el crimen como por la policía. Es una novela con un ritmo muy ágil donde no dejan de suceder cosas, además aquí sabemos más sobre la vida de Cassel y Lila. Y conocemos un poco más a la familia de Cassel, en concreto a su hermano y su madre. Un segunda entrega que te deja con ganas del tercero 🤯
Ha sido una lectura que he disfrutado, tenía muchas ganas de saber como continuaba esta historia y saber más sobre Cassel. Esta segunda entrega se centra en los personajes donde la autora nos deja pequeñas pistas de lo que vendrá en la última parte. Me he quedado anonadada con varios giros, la autora sabe mantener muy bien la intriga y dejar al lector con la boca abierta. Y el final, me parece una pasada aunque necesito el siguiente libro 😮Cada vez tengo más ganas de leer otras novelas de la autora 🥰 Si os apetece una historia con mucha magia, secretos y maleficios tenéis que leer esta novela 🌚
Reseña completa: https://www.instagram.com/p/CikdKrLoOW0/
October 6, 2014
As usual, I was late to the Holly Black bandwagon. I read White Cat Monday night and (my fingers) practically sprinted to the (kindle) bookstore (on Amazon) to pick up Red Glove. I'm officially hooked.
I'm in awe of Black's world building. It was so seamless; there were no clunky info dumps or distracting back stories. The history of the curse workers was incorporated into the context of the story in such a way that I felt as though I knew it rather than learned it. (If that makes any sense at all.) Subtle and disarming.
The story itself is complex without seeming overdone. I loved the 'noir' feeling to it, the old time crime families and the community aspect of the curse workers. The political overtones did not distract or detract from the overall plot, but added an extra layer of drama and intrigue without feeling like the never ending string of contrived conflict that seems to plague many YA novels lately.
Most of all, it kept me guessing--something that is pretty rare. I find most crime dramas to be rather predictable, and can usually tell you who the killer is as soon as they are introduced. Not so here. I was wondering until the very end. No unrealistic twists or turns, just a very well written mystery.
Cassel is wonderfully flawed and so easy to become attached to. I fell for his recklessness and vulnerability as much as I did his bravery and smart mouth. And even with all his genius masterminding, he still manages to feel like an authentically clueless seventeen year old boy.
I love the relationship he has with Lila--the push and pull and insecurities that everyone has at that age, which felt no less realistic for their magical amplification. She's hard to like, so brittle and harsh at times, but there is always a vulnerability that peeks through to humanize her. Though we see everything through Cassel's perspective, Black has given Lila such a strong and consistent characterization that you know why she does things, even if Cassel doesn't.
This is one of the most unique and well written YAs I've ever read. I look forward to the third book and can't wait to check out more from Holly Black!
I'm in awe of Black's world building. It was so seamless; there were no clunky info dumps or distracting back stories. The history of the curse workers was incorporated into the context of the story in such a way that I felt as though I knew it rather than learned it. (If that makes any sense at all.) Subtle and disarming.
The story itself is complex without seeming overdone. I loved the 'noir' feeling to it, the old time crime families and the community aspect of the curse workers. The political overtones did not distract or detract from the overall plot, but added an extra layer of drama and intrigue without feeling like the never ending string of contrived conflict that seems to plague many YA novels lately.
Most of all, it kept me guessing--something that is pretty rare. I find most crime dramas to be rather predictable, and can usually tell you who the killer is as soon as they are introduced. Not so here. I was wondering until the very end. No unrealistic twists or turns, just a very well written mystery.
Cassel is wonderfully flawed and so easy to become attached to. I fell for his recklessness and vulnerability as much as I did his bravery and smart mouth. And even with all his genius masterminding, he still manages to feel like an authentically clueless seventeen year old boy.
I love the relationship he has with Lila--the push and pull and insecurities that everyone has at that age, which felt no less realistic for their magical amplification. She's hard to like, so brittle and harsh at times, but there is always a vulnerability that peeks through to humanize her. Though we see everything through Cassel's perspective, Black has given Lila such a strong and consistent characterization that you know why she does things, even if Cassel doesn't.
This is one of the most unique and well written YAs I've ever read. I look forward to the third book and can't wait to check out more from Holly Black!
April 22, 2015
I read the first book in the Curse Workers series more than a year ago, so it took me a while to get into Red Glove. I had to resist the urge to browse through the first book because I was under time pressure to read this, and also because I want to see if I would be smart enough to figure out all the cons since the Curse Worker novels are essentially con novels. :P
I'm not going to talk about the story in this review to avoid the spoilers for the first book (and it's more fun to see it unfold on your own). Red Glove was darker compared to White Cat. It feels less YA than the first book, with all the killing and mystery murder, and death. Cassel was less of an unreliable narrator here, because his memory was back, but there's still a lot of confusion with what exactly was happening. Even so, it was fun to read, and I easily got into Cassel and the Curse Worker world despite having read the first novel years back. I enjoyed Cassel and his interaction with his friends, and the FBI agents, and his family - and I felt really sympathetic with him for all the mess that he gets himself into. I mean, really. But Cassel had good friends, anyway, and a good family, too, despite all their crooked ways.
The cons here felt more elaborate and as I said, darker, but later we get reminded that Cassel was still a kid, and there's still a chance for him to be not like the bad guys who desperately try to recruit him. Red Glove is a mafia x urban fantasy x murder mystery x con novel all rolled into one, and if you're a fan of any of these (or if you just want to read something out of your comfort zone) then you will definitely enjoy this. (But read White Cat first. :D)
But of course, since this novel is the second book in a trilogy, the ending left me wanting for more. I really enjoyed Red Glove (despite the time I had to speed-read it! Hihi), and I'm really looking forward to reading Black Heart. :)
I'm not going to talk about the story in this review to avoid the spoilers for the first book (and it's more fun to see it unfold on your own). Red Glove was darker compared to White Cat. It feels less YA than the first book, with all the killing and mystery murder, and death. Cassel was less of an unreliable narrator here, because his memory was back, but there's still a lot of confusion with what exactly was happening. Even so, it was fun to read, and I easily got into Cassel and the Curse Worker world despite having read the first novel years back. I enjoyed Cassel and his interaction with his friends, and the FBI agents, and his family - and I felt really sympathetic with him for all the mess that he gets himself into. I mean, really. But Cassel had good friends, anyway, and a good family, too, despite all their crooked ways.
The cons here felt more elaborate and as I said, darker, but later we get reminded that Cassel was still a kid, and there's still a chance for him to be not like the bad guys who desperately try to recruit him. Red Glove is a mafia x urban fantasy x murder mystery x con novel all rolled into one, and if you're a fan of any of these (or if you just want to read something out of your comfort zone) then you will definitely enjoy this. (But read White Cat first. :D)
But of course, since this novel is the second book in a trilogy, the ending left me wanting for more. I really enjoyed Red Glove (despite the time I had to speed-read it! Hihi), and I'm really looking forward to reading Black Heart. :)
November 9, 2013
***If you haven’t read White Cat, DO NOT read any further. SPOILERS ahead****
Red Glove picks up after Cassel finds out his whole life, and memories have been a lie constructed by his crooked brothers and well-meaning mother.
You’d think that finding out you’re the rarest form of Curse Workers would be wonderful but unfortunately, this just multiplies Cassel’s problems when both the mob and government want to get their hooks into him. When a family member is murdered, the feds put big-time pressure on Cassel to join them and spy on Lila’s mob family.
Lila isn’t dead but the barrier between them is bigger than ever. Cassel’s mother working Lila to believe she loves Cassel makes it impossible to act on his feelings for her. Her feelings are a lie and manufactured. Yet, he’s tempted because he’s been in love with Lila for so long. The romance was filled with such longing, and I found myself wanting Cassel to just give in, dang it!
Her skin is soft and scorchingly hot after the cool night air. Her leg twines around mine. It feels so good, I have to choke back a gasp. It’s so easy. Wrong, but easy.
Even more exciting and addictive than the first, I was captivated by Holly Black’s dark world of cons, mobsters, and murderers.
This review along with a giveaway of one book from the Curse Workers series can be found at The Readers Den.
Red Glove picks up after Cassel finds out his whole life, and memories have been a lie constructed by his crooked brothers and well-meaning mother.
You’d think that finding out you’re the rarest form of Curse Workers would be wonderful but unfortunately, this just multiplies Cassel’s problems when both the mob and government want to get their hooks into him. When a family member is murdered, the feds put big-time pressure on Cassel to join them and spy on Lila’s mob family.
Lila isn’t dead but the barrier between them is bigger than ever. Cassel’s mother working Lila to believe she loves Cassel makes it impossible to act on his feelings for her. Her feelings are a lie and manufactured. Yet, he’s tempted because he’s been in love with Lila for so long. The romance was filled with such longing, and I found myself wanting Cassel to just give in, dang it!
Her skin is soft and scorchingly hot after the cool night air. Her leg twines around mine. It feels so good, I have to choke back a gasp. It’s so easy. Wrong, but easy.
Even more exciting and addictive than the first, I was captivated by Holly Black’s dark world of cons, mobsters, and murderers.
This review along with a giveaway of one book from the Curse Workers series can be found at The Readers Den.
November 11, 2011
I want Jesse Eisenberg to read me more books.
July 17, 2022
3.5/5
Sé que estos no son los libros más populares de Holly, pero la verdad es que los disfruto bastante. Me gusta mucho Cassel como narrador, es un protagonista que al decir que es mentiroso y un timador no exagera. Podemos leer efectivamente qué tan astuto es y qué tan bueno para mentir y engañar puede ser cuando se lo propone, me gusta mucho eso.
Cassel recuperó a Lila después de descubrir qué es el tipo más extraño de obrador: de transformaciones. Sin embargo, su propia madre obró en Lila para que se enamorara de él, obligándola a perderla para siempre. Después de salvar, y engañar, a sus hermanos intenta volver a una vida normal junto a su madre estafadora, pero cuando tanto Zacharov como el FBI quieran reclutarlo entenderá que es algo que nunca tendrá.
Me gusta mucho Cassel, como dije al inicio la literatura juvenil tiene un montón de protagonistas que dicen ser asesinos, malvados, mentirosos y es solo una forma de darles profundidad, pero en el fondo nunca demuestran nada de eso. En el caso de Cassel, lo vemos mentir y engañar, lo vemos estafar a otras personas, a veces se siente culpable y a veces, no. Es cierto que nos dice que es un monstruo y una mala persona, pero porque es un adolescente y ser emo y dramático es parte del paquete, pero también vemos que tiene las habilidades para convertirse en todo eso que teme.
A nivel de plan y estructura me gustó más el primer libro, lo admito, sobre todo porque costaba saber qué pasaba y quién mentía y quién no. Los descubrimientos del final resultaron mucho más atractivos en Gata blanca. Acá fue de alguna forma más sencillo, una fórmula similar en la que Cassel hizo un plan y logró salir adelante pagando un precio, pero no tan espectacular como en el libro anterior.
Sin embargo, me gustó que en esta entrega el grupo de amigos de Sam y Daneca está más establecido, algo más como un equipo dispuesto a apoyarse en todo, a pesar de que sigue ocultándoles ciertas cosas por su propia seguridad. Me gusta la dinámica que se da entre los tres y el cómo Cassel sí que se preocupa por ellos.
El romance con Lila es extraño, creo que es de los aspectos que menos me gustan, porque siempre supimos que ella no lo veía de forma romántica, ahora está siendo manipulada y después ocurre ese giro del final. Me gustaba mucho más Cassel con Audrey, aunque para el final de este libro también dejó de caer bien. Creo que lo mejor es Cassel sin romance, porque de alguna forma siempre terminan siendo tóxicos.
Este libro tiene más presencia de la madre y me gusta mucho, es una relación extraña pues es su familia y la quiere, de la misma forma en que ella lo quiere, aunque sabe que no es buena persona y que lo manipula. No es tan fácil como solo desprenderse de la familia, pues sabe que al final son los únicos que lo saben todo de él, pero son personas en las que no puede confiar. Esa dinámica general que tiene con su familia, me encanta, es incómoda y tensa y nunca podemos saber qué pasará entre ellos.
Finalmente, Guante rojo es una continuación que mantiene el tono oscuro y tan propio de la narración de Cassel, en una historia que nos muestra las consecuencias de su recién descubrierto poder y el cómo parece no tener muchas opciones para su futuro debido a quien es.
Sé que estos no son los libros más populares de Holly, pero la verdad es que los disfruto bastante. Me gusta mucho Cassel como narrador, es un protagonista que al decir que es mentiroso y un timador no exagera. Podemos leer efectivamente qué tan astuto es y qué tan bueno para mentir y engañar puede ser cuando se lo propone, me gusta mucho eso.
Cassel recuperó a Lila después de descubrir qué es el tipo más extraño de obrador: de transformaciones. Sin embargo, su propia madre obró en Lila para que se enamorara de él, obligándola a perderla para siempre. Después de salvar, y engañar, a sus hermanos intenta volver a una vida normal junto a su madre estafadora, pero cuando tanto Zacharov como el FBI quieran reclutarlo entenderá que es algo que nunca tendrá.
Me gusta mucho Cassel, como dije al inicio la literatura juvenil tiene un montón de protagonistas que dicen ser asesinos, malvados, mentirosos y es solo una forma de darles profundidad, pero en el fondo nunca demuestran nada de eso. En el caso de Cassel, lo vemos mentir y engañar, lo vemos estafar a otras personas, a veces se siente culpable y a veces, no. Es cierto que nos dice que es un monstruo y una mala persona, pero porque es un adolescente y ser emo y dramático es parte del paquete, pero también vemos que tiene las habilidades para convertirse en todo eso que teme.
A nivel de plan y estructura me gustó más el primer libro, lo admito, sobre todo porque costaba saber qué pasaba y quién mentía y quién no. Los descubrimientos del final resultaron mucho más atractivos en Gata blanca. Acá fue de alguna forma más sencillo, una fórmula similar en la que Cassel hizo un plan y logró salir adelante pagando un precio, pero no tan espectacular como en el libro anterior.
Sin embargo, me gustó que en esta entrega el grupo de amigos de Sam y Daneca está más establecido, algo más como un equipo dispuesto a apoyarse en todo, a pesar de que sigue ocultándoles ciertas cosas por su propia seguridad. Me gusta la dinámica que se da entre los tres y el cómo Cassel sí que se preocupa por ellos.
El romance con Lila es extraño, creo que es de los aspectos que menos me gustan, porque siempre supimos que ella no lo veía de forma romántica, ahora está siendo manipulada y después ocurre ese giro del final. Me gustaba mucho más Cassel con Audrey, aunque para el final de este libro también dejó de caer bien. Creo que lo mejor es Cassel sin romance, porque de alguna forma siempre terminan siendo tóxicos.
Este libro tiene más presencia de la madre y me gusta mucho, es una relación extraña pues es su familia y la quiere, de la misma forma en que ella lo quiere, aunque sabe que no es buena persona y que lo manipula. No es tan fácil como solo desprenderse de la familia, pues sabe que al final son los únicos que lo saben todo de él, pero son personas en las que no puede confiar. Esa dinámica general que tiene con su familia, me encanta, es incómoda y tensa y nunca podemos saber qué pasará entre ellos.
Finalmente, Guante rojo es una continuación que mantiene el tono oscuro y tan propio de la narración de Cassel, en una historia que nos muestra las consecuencias de su recién descubrierto poder y el cómo parece no tener muchas opciones para su futuro debido a quien es.
"La vida te ofrece muchas oportunidades para tomar decisiones pésimas que te hacen sentir bien. Y después de la primera, las demás son mucho más fáciles"
April 10, 2011
What a great sequel!! I absolutely love Holly's writing. She creates such a vivid world and makes me not only fall for Cassel but I end up loving the characters she's created no matter how broken or messed up they are. If they were written in another fashion or were in a different story they would have bothered me, but Holly has a way of just "going for it" with her characters that I like.
Oh Cassel. Can this boy be any more broken? If you thought Jace was broken in City of Ashes, wait till you meet Cassel in Red Glove. It's not hard for me to love this character. Yes I know, he's not a shadowhunter or a wolf, but he's a fighter, he makes mistakes (a lot of them) and he's relatable. He's far from the traditional main hero, but he's still a hero as no matter how many times he gets kicked around he won't give up. Being the youngest in a family of Cons he's constantly fighting to make a name for himself and tries to be better than that of his surroundings. No matter how much he tries to be better than those in his family, he's constantly brought down by their wrong doings. So how can I not want to give him a motherly hug and tell him to keep at it, though I'm sure he wouldn't find that enjoyable.
Then there's Cassel's mother... Ugh I wanted to con that women myself, as she evokes so many emotions from me when I'm reading about her. I felt so bad for Cassel for the crap she pulls over on him (I'm not giving away spoilers) and it really set up for some heart breaking scenes between Cassel and Lila. Having said that, let me just say that Holly has written a fascinating character w/ Cassel's mom. It's hard to explain as like Cassel, she's just doing what she thinks is best. I'd love to elaborate further, but I can't do so without giving away spoilers.
Red Glove is a very quick, engaging read and I love all the twist and turns that Holly continues to throw in this series. The Curse Workers series is fascinating, and edgy. I love Holly's talent to mix paranormal abilities with realistic characters who live in a little bit of a darker, grittier world. Like Cassie, Holly knows how to grab a hold of my emotions and leaves me wanting more. I can not wait for Blackheart's release and I recommend picking up Red Glove today!
Oh Cassel. Can this boy be any more broken? If you thought Jace was broken in City of Ashes, wait till you meet Cassel in Red Glove. It's not hard for me to love this character. Yes I know, he's not a shadowhunter or a wolf, but he's a fighter, he makes mistakes (a lot of them) and he's relatable. He's far from the traditional main hero, but he's still a hero as no matter how many times he gets kicked around he won't give up. Being the youngest in a family of Cons he's constantly fighting to make a name for himself and tries to be better than that of his surroundings. No matter how much he tries to be better than those in his family, he's constantly brought down by their wrong doings. So how can I not want to give him a motherly hug and tell him to keep at it, though I'm sure he wouldn't find that enjoyable.
Then there's Cassel's mother... Ugh I wanted to con that women myself, as she evokes so many emotions from me when I'm reading about her. I felt so bad for Cassel for the crap she pulls over on him (I'm not giving away spoilers) and it really set up for some heart breaking scenes between Cassel and Lila. Having said that, let me just say that Holly has written a fascinating character w/ Cassel's mom. It's hard to explain as like Cassel, she's just doing what she thinks is best. I'd love to elaborate further, but I can't do so without giving away spoilers.
Red Glove is a very quick, engaging read and I love all the twist and turns that Holly continues to throw in this series. The Curse Workers series is fascinating, and edgy. I love Holly's talent to mix paranormal abilities with realistic characters who live in a little bit of a darker, grittier world. Like Cassie, Holly knows how to grab a hold of my emotions and leaves me wanting more. I can not wait for Blackheart's release and I recommend picking up Red Glove today!
April 4, 2011
I have a new rule. In January I told myself that if the first book in a series is not good then I will not continue on with the rest but of course I didn't stick with that and I very glad that I didn't. So my new rule is give a series at least 2 books, then decided if it is worth it. I have ended up liking at least 4 series this way. The second book seems to seal the deal for me. This book is no exception it is so much better than the first imo. I don't know if it is because I knew what to expect from the get go or what but Holly Blacks writing is just amazing in this installment.
The story is so complicated but the premise is still about Cassel trying to find a way to live with his "curse" and stay out of the mob. Cassell life takes a dramatic turn when his brother turns up dead and he has to make a decision to either work for the feds or the big bad mob boss. Add in a crazy con mother and brother, a lost love, and a whodunit mystery and you have a story!
If you are looking for a happy ever after this is not the book for you it is filled with murder, blackmail, and hitmen. This is not my typical read either but I have to say that it is really interesting and I am looking forward to the next installment.
The story is so complicated but the premise is still about Cassel trying to find a way to live with his "curse" and stay out of the mob. Cassell life takes a dramatic turn when his brother turns up dead and he has to make a decision to either work for the feds or the big bad mob boss. Add in a crazy con mother and brother, a lost love, and a whodunit mystery and you have a story!
If you are looking for a happy ever after this is not the book for you it is filled with murder, blackmail, and hitmen. This is not my typical read either but I have to say that it is really interesting and I am looking forward to the next installment.
May 6, 2019
This was ok. I don't think this is the best series but I do want to know how it ends so I'll be reading book 3.
This series had a lot of potential but I just don't feel likes its being realised. I love the premise and some of the characters but it's just not hitting me with that wow factor. To be honest everything that actually happened in this boom could have been condensed into 200 pages.
It felt like there was a lot of filler. Didn't hate it, didn't love it, it's just an ok book.
This series had a lot of potential but I just don't feel likes its being realised. I love the premise and some of the characters but it's just not hitting me with that wow factor. To be honest everything that actually happened in this boom could have been condensed into 200 pages.
It felt like there was a lot of filler. Didn't hate it, didn't love it, it's just an ok book.
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