This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
Reviewed by Kay Brooks
Allison Darling lives with her family in Monrovia, a seemingly perfect American suburb, where a clique of beautiful women, the Glamour Girls, sell beauty products and rule the roost. Having been raised in foster care after her mother gave her up, Allison has never truly felt like she belongs. The death of her mother and her aunt Aurora’s declaration that she is descended from witches raises more questions about her true identity. When the original founder of the Glamour Girls, Astrid, invites Allison to join them, she grabs the opportunity with both hands. Soon, the small town of Monrovia is hers for the taking. She too can be beautiful, successful and have the perfect marriage, so long as she does Astrid’s bidding. As Allison discovers just how the Glamour Girls are controlling Monrovia and the power of her own magic, she is forced to take action to protect herself and her family.
The novel is mainly told from the perspective of Allison, a mother of three who worries incessantly that she doesn’t quite meet the standards of motherhood set by the Glamour Girls. Her story is sporadically interspersed with chapters that go back in time to reveal her mother’s story of growing up as a witch with two sisters and a magical mother. It is during these chapters that the reader is introduced to the ominous Dark Witch. Allison struggles to deal with her new identity as her magic powers fight to be acknowledged, often with hilarious consequences. Although this definitely isn’t young-adult fiction, it does have that vibe in so much as it deals with difficult subject matter in a light-hearted manner.
I liked Allison instantly, recognising insecurities in her that most mothers feel. I found myself caring about her children and feeling personally slighted when they suffered injustice at the hands of their peers. Despite this, I felt her eldest daughter, Gillian, would have been an interesting character for Schickel to have developed further. It is hinted at early in the storyline that Allison worries too much about her superhero-obsessed son and too little about her daughter. Plus, being the eldest is supposed to have some significance. I had hoped to learn more about her. The ending is definitely left open for another instalment to follow though so maybe I will get my chance to know more about Gillian.This is a confident, well-written and captivating debut novel from a writer I hope to hear more of!
9/10