Plain Kate by Erin Bow; young adult, fantasy; 336 pages
This surprisingly dark book is the story of Kate Carver, a young orphan whose gift for carving brings accusations of witchcraft from her superstitious neighbors. Driven from home, Kate falls in with a band of travelers, and seeks to earn enough money to join the carving guild--all while a mysterious illness sweeps across the land. There's much more to the story, of course: stolen shadows, talking cats, ghostly music, actual ghosts, and summonings from beyond the grave. Through it all, Kate struggles to find a place to call home. The whimsical, once-upon-a-time tone of the book, combined with these darker elements, left me reminded of The Good Thief, by Hannah Tinti. Knowing how much I enjoyed that book should give you an idea of what I thought of this one. The book is full of unexpected turns and bittersweet closures that make it memorable, and I feel like this one will stick with me.
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