Still, the book is a lovely, disturbing, well-written piece, with an interesting perspective on the relationship of ends, means, desire and love, and it’s worth a thoughtful read.While they don't know it yet, Grace, Skylar, and Alina are connected by destiny when an enchanted comet crosses the night sky. The voice of the story switches rapidly between the three narrators, which can be unsettling (and is perhaps meant to be) – and since their love lives overlap considerably, it can be occasionally difficult to figure out which man is attached to which narrator at any given time.Ĭoincidences can feel almost Dickensian at times, bringing the characters in contact not only with each other but with each other’s family members, friends and lovers over and over again, as if they all lived in a small enclosed bubble – again, perhaps a deliberate artistic choice, but perhaps slightly overdone. The book has a substantial emotional range – it can go from tender and sweet to downright chilling in a few pages. The book has a clear moral and a point, but it is not preachy, and does a good job of showing its point dramatically rather than spelling it out too directly. Their struggles are honest and emotionally powerful, and the ending is satisfying if not completely joyous (a realistic touch there, too). None of them are wholly good or wholly evil – even Alina, the “villain” of the piece, can be heart-rendingly sympathetic at times. The characters are the real focus of this book, and they feel real, three-dimensional and interesting. In the end, they must come to grips with the key question – what do they really want, and can they get it with magic?
Alina, who lost her sister’s affection because of her inability to stand up to an abusive father, asks for the ability to undo other people’s happiness.Īs the three women grow up, develop careers, and seek love, their abilities prove to be mixed blessings, giving each great successes but deep heartache. Skylar, born to a loving but very poor household, asked for the ability to make others admire her.
Grace, who grew up with parents who neglected her, wished for the ability to compel love.
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