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3.61 AVERAGE
3.61 AVERAGE
A creepy book for younger readers with plenty of topics for discussion. It's hard to believe it's nearly 50-years-old, the only clue is the fact the kids still use the library!
I was actually really excited to read this book and am disappointed with how it turned out. The entire way through the book I kept asking myself if everything was really happening. Really, truly I was not impressed.
Jessica, our main character, stumbles upon an ugly newborn kitten and unwillingly finds herself taking care of it. Everything hasn't been going so swell in Jessica's life, what with her mother being away most of the time and her friends abandoning her, so she spends most of her time taking care of this kitten whom she names Worm. However, later on she becomes convinced that Worm is talking to her and making her do horrendous things to other people.
Honestly, I'm still not sure how I feel about the book after having just finished it. Sadly, it was one that I had to push myself to continue reading because I just wasn't sympathizing with the main character or getting into the story. She was clearly troubled, yes, but I still could not find myself granting her much sympathy. At times she sounded completely crazy, and a bit past that of being an overly imaginative child. She was also devious and pretty cruel towards that cat. Therefore, you won't see me throwing any Jessica sympathy parties anytime soon.
While I understand the message that the author was trying to convey, I was still a bit confused with the ending and other happenings. For instance, was the supernatural aspect all made up or was Worm actually a demon? I would love to know. I mean, when the neighbor lady agreed with Jessica about there being a demon, I was almost happy that there was some kind of closure as to the entire situation. The lady even gave a little girl a book as to how to perform an exorcism, so I was expecting some type of excitement. But honestly, who gives a little girl a book about how to perform exorcisms? In the end, this was the one thing that let me down with this book. I desperately wanted to know what the deal was, and we never got any closure. Not with the supernatural aspect or how Jessica's life turned out.
Overall, The Witches of Worm was a tad too disappointing. I feel that I might have liked it better when I was younger and completely obvlious to the story's overall theme. If I could get back into that mentality and could have only read this book for the idea of a demonic cat making a little girl do mean things, then I'm almost positive that I would've enjoyed it more. However, as I cannot do that, I found myself a little sad after having read it. While the writing was fine, the main character was too much for me and the ending left too much open for my liking.
☆☆/5
Recommend?: If you want to read about an angry girl and her strange cat.
Jessica, our main character, stumbles upon an ugly newborn kitten and unwillingly finds herself taking care of it. Everything hasn't been going so swell in Jessica's life, what with her mother being away most of the time and her friends abandoning her, so she spends most of her time taking care of this kitten whom she names Worm. However, later on she becomes convinced that Worm is talking to her and making her do horrendous things to other people.
Honestly, I'm still not sure how I feel about the book after having just finished it. Sadly, it was one that I had to push myself to continue reading because I just wasn't sympathizing with the main character or getting into the story. She was clearly troubled, yes, but I still could not find myself granting her much sympathy. At times she sounded completely crazy, and a bit past that of being an overly imaginative child. She was also devious and pretty cruel towards that cat. Therefore, you won't see me throwing any Jessica sympathy parties anytime soon.
While I understand the message that the author was trying to convey, I was still a bit confused with the ending and other happenings. For instance, was the supernatural aspect all made up or was Worm actually a demon? I would love to know. I mean, when the neighbor lady agreed with Jessica about there being a demon, I was almost happy that there was some kind of closure as to the entire situation. The lady even gave a little girl a book as to how to perform an exorcism, so I was expecting some type of excitement. But honestly, who gives a little girl a book about how to perform exorcisms? In the end, this was the one thing that let me down with this book. I desperately wanted to know what the deal was, and we never got any closure. Not with the supernatural aspect or how Jessica's life turned out.
Overall, The Witches of Worm was a tad too disappointing. I feel that I might have liked it better when I was younger and completely obvlious to the story's overall theme. If I could get back into that mentality and could have only read this book for the idea of a demonic cat making a little girl do mean things, then I'm almost positive that I would've enjoyed it more. However, as I cannot do that, I found myself a little sad after having read it. While the writing was fine, the main character was too much for me and the ending left too much open for my liking.
☆☆/5
Recommend?: If you want to read about an angry girl and her strange cat.
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I love The Egypt Game by Zipha Keatley Snyder and decided to read The Witches of Worm when I saw it at my local library.
The Witches of Worm is set in San Francisco, presumably contemporary to when it was published (1972). Jessica lives in an apartment pushed up against a hillside (fairly common in parts of the City) and spends much of her time in the care of a neighbor. Her mother meanwhile is working multiple jobs so Jessica is left to her own devices. She decides to explore the nearby hillside and finds a cave where she stays well into the night. She also finds a nearly newborn kitten whom she takes home even though she doesn't especially like cats and isn't looking for a pet.
Worm as she and her mother decide to call the kitten, requires all of her attention (as all newborns do) and thrives under her reluctant care. Unfortunately he doesn't seem like any normal cat. He doesn't play. He doesn't purr. He just stares. And soon Jessica believes she can hear him talking to her and demanding she do horrible things to people.
Witches of Worm could have been a fascinating middle grades horror and psychological drama. It had some moments but mostly it was just a sad and oddly paced novel about a broken cat who had been taken from his mother too young and a similarly damaged tween who doesn't have friends her own age nor the love and attention she desires from her mother. She sees the solution to her problems in the form of an exorcism on Worm whom she believe is trying to make her into a witch.
If you've read The Crucible you will find familiar themes in The Witches of Worm but set in modern times and without the mass hysteria of a town turned against the misfits of its society. With all the emotional build up in the novel the climax and resolution were lacking payoff for me.
The Witches of Worm is set in San Francisco, presumably contemporary to when it was published (1972). Jessica lives in an apartment pushed up against a hillside (fairly common in parts of the City) and spends much of her time in the care of a neighbor. Her mother meanwhile is working multiple jobs so Jessica is left to her own devices. She decides to explore the nearby hillside and finds a cave where she stays well into the night. She also finds a nearly newborn kitten whom she takes home even though she doesn't especially like cats and isn't looking for a pet.
Worm as she and her mother decide to call the kitten, requires all of her attention (as all newborns do) and thrives under her reluctant care. Unfortunately he doesn't seem like any normal cat. He doesn't play. He doesn't purr. He just stares. And soon Jessica believes she can hear him talking to her and demanding she do horrible things to people.
Witches of Worm could have been a fascinating middle grades horror and psychological drama. It had some moments but mostly it was just a sad and oddly paced novel about a broken cat who had been taken from his mother too young and a similarly damaged tween who doesn't have friends her own age nor the love and attention she desires from her mother. She sees the solution to her problems in the form of an exorcism on Worm whom she believe is trying to make her into a witch.
If you've read The Crucible you will find familiar themes in The Witches of Worm but set in modern times and without the mass hysteria of a town turned against the misfits of its society. With all the emotional build up in the novel the climax and resolution were lacking payoff for me.
I first read this book in 6th grade (so, 1998). I was obsessed with it. Absolutely wild for it. I drew Worm all over every piece of paper in my vicinity. I gave these drawings to the school librarian, to my teacher, to everyone. I even painted a Worm-like cat on our school mural.
This book got me to read just about everything Zilpha Keatley Snyder ever wrote (funnily enough, however, not G*psy Game or Egypt Game).
Summary: Jessica lives with her beautiful but aloof single mother. She's had a falling out with a neighbor friend and her only school friends left her for cooler, richer girls. She lives in an apartment in San Francisco, overlooking a cliff face. One night, while sitting in a crevice in the cliffs and reading about the Salem Witch Trials, she finds an emaciated newborn kitten. That kitten grows into Worm, who may or may not be a witch's cat, and who may or may not be driving Jessica to do spiteful, mean things to the people who wronged her.
All the rest: This is not a typical book for the contemporary, 21st century world. This is very much of its time (1972). It's also very typical ZKS. You have an extremely flawed, pre-teen protagonist dealing with turmoil in her family life. You have hints of magic, which may or may not be real in the end. You have a quick, no-nonsense journey straight into the plot and out again.
I still love this book. I love its ambiguity, and how it's unafraid to make its protagonist behave like the antagonist. I love its early 70s sensibilities. I also love the original illustrations (though, I must say, I now imagine Worm to be an Oriental Shorthair breed--probably because I own one and their body types are very much like Worm's).
Today, I might rate this book four stars. But when I was the target audience, I loved no book more. It was five stars to me then, and will remain so.
This book got me to read just about everything Zilpha Keatley Snyder ever wrote (funnily enough, however, not G*psy Game or Egypt Game).
Summary: Jessica lives with her beautiful but aloof single mother. She's had a falling out with a neighbor friend and her only school friends left her for cooler, richer girls. She lives in an apartment in San Francisco, overlooking a cliff face. One night, while sitting in a crevice in the cliffs and reading about the Salem Witch Trials, she finds an emaciated newborn kitten. That kitten grows into Worm, who may or may not be a witch's cat, and who may or may not be driving Jessica to do spiteful, mean things to the people who wronged her.
All the rest: This is not a typical book for the contemporary, 21st century world. This is very much of its time (1972). It's also very typical ZKS. You have an extremely flawed, pre-teen protagonist dealing with turmoil in her family life. You have hints of magic, which may or may not be real in the end. You have a quick, no-nonsense journey straight into the plot and out again.
I still love this book. I love its ambiguity, and how it's unafraid to make its protagonist behave like the antagonist. I love its early 70s sensibilities. I also love the original illustrations (though, I must say, I now imagine Worm to be an Oriental Shorthair breed--probably because I own one and their body types are very much like Worm's).
Today, I might rate this book four stars. But when I was the target audience, I loved no book more. It was five stars to me then, and will remain so.
Jessica lives in an apartment building with her neglectful mother, and their neighbors include a crazy cat lady/potential witch, a nosy landlady who likes to think of herself as the mothering type, and a boy who used to Jessica's best friend before leaving her for some boys who share his new music interests. Jess is lonely and discontent and interested in witches. So, when she finds an orphaned and ugly kitten in her secret cave hideout behind the building, she decides that it must be possessed because it tells her to do things like lie to people and push her ex-friend's trumpet out of the window. It's a cleverly-told story about a girl who clearly has some emotional issues stemming from the unhealthy relationship she has with her mother, and I really wanted to like it - I've read others of Snyder's books and liked them tons. But I couldn't bring myself to like Jess or any of the other characters, or even the cat, for that matter. So this one fell a little flat for me.
I really enjoyed this! It has a surprising amount of depth compared to many children's books that I've read as an adult, though I think the nuance (is it magic or psychology!?) would have been lost on me if I'd read it as a child. Young anti-heroes are so rare, but I think that this one is done quite well. Sometimes I pitied Jessica, sometimes I was absolutely frustrated with her, but isn't that exactly how anti-heroes are supposed to make us feel? XD The micro-writing really blew me away a few times, and the macro-writing is ultimately well-paced with a short slow dip around the middle. Overall, a solid read!
Jessica's mom is never home and her former best friend Brandon has moved on to other friends. When Jessica rescues a cat she calls Worm she begins to hear voices and do terrible things. Is Worm a witches' cat? Is Jessica responsible for her own actions or is Worm "making her do it"?
Loved this book in 6th grade. At 32 I still love the occulty genre.