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sarahdvojack 's review for:
The Witches of Worm
by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
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.