OPENING PARAGRAPH
"As midnight approached in Hangman's Wood two girls fled through the forest, desperately searching for a way out. Every pounding step through the suffocating darkness brought the witching hour closer, and with it, a moment's fusion as the human world and the fairy realm intersected."
The Thirteen Curses concentrates on the story of Red, who was one of my favourite characters in the first book The Thirteen Secrets. At the end of The Thirteen Secrets, Red swapped places with Tanya and became trapped in the fairy realm. Red is determined to find out what happened to her brother who was kidnapped by the fairies and sets off on a journey to the fairy court. Whilst confronting the fairy court, Tanya discovers that she will have to carry out a bargain, in order to see the safe return of her brother. He will be returned to her, if she can find all 13 charms from Tanya's bracelet which have been scattered around the human world.
Red returns to Elvesdon Manor and with the help of Tanya and Fabian, they begin the hunt for the charms. They have to think carefully where they would be and soon discover that the charms have taken a nasty turn and are now cursed. Each of the thirteen treasures has become a darker side of itself, and the longer the children take to find them, the worse the consequences are for who ever holds the charm.
I didn't think the story could get any darker from the first book, but it surely does. I can now envisage Michelle Harrison as Enid Blyton's dark side! The Thirteen Charms are cursed with such horrible curses that you can just imagine how evil they would have become if left undiscovered.
I loved that Red was the main character throughout this story. She really kicks butt. She is just so self reliant and full of feistiness, that no one would dare to cross her. Within her story, two rather surprising twists occur, neither of which I saw coming.
I loved the search for the charms and trying to second guess where they might be hidden. My favourite would have to be the one found on Oberon's collar which caused his food bowl to keep refilling, pushing his over eating to an extreme.
Just like the first novel, this book just flows and I found myself quickly absorbed back into the story. I have often found second books not to live up to their predecessors, but I found this one surpassed it. However, that might have a little to do with adoring Red. (Did I mention that before? Tee hee)
I truly love Michelle Harrison's imagination. She has created a world that I am sure I should live in. Her characters are so well written, you keep hoping they might pop up out of the page for a chat.
By the end of the book, I was left wondering what else could happen to Red, Tanya and Fabian, and have found my fingers creeping over towards the next book in the series to curb my impatient alter ego. It is so annoying when you have other books that must be read and you are desperate to finish a series. Watch out The Thirteen Secrets - I have my beady eye on you and I am coming to get you!
Source: alchemy-and-alchemists.blogspot.com
