Cinders and Sparrows

August 24, 2020
When an animated scarecrow delivers a letter naming her sole heir to a powerful family’s ancient estate, 12-year-old orphan and maid Zita Brydgeborn discovers that witches are real—and that she is descended from one of the last great witching families on the continent. Arriving at decaying Blackbird Castle, Zita is greeted by her bitter and disapproving new guardian, Mrs. Cantanker, and two young orphans, Minnifer and Bram, who staff the sprawling, haunted manse. As Zita learns witchcraft under Mrs. Cantanker’s harsh tutelage, she, along with Minnifer, Bram, and some of the house’s many spirits, searches for a way to reverse the curse that has petrified her family. In a house so full of secrets, however, nothing is what it seems. Through enticing details, Bachmann (A Drop of Night) creates a singular, gothic world in which a long-declining class of psychopompic witches defend against the restless dead. Though uneven pacing and sticky plot points occasionally betray the story’s intricately laid (and mislaid) trails, dreadful creatures, an absorbing atmosphere of escalating tension and paranoia, and moments of delightful magic all make for a memorable adventure. Ages 8–12. Agent: Sara Megibow, Nelson Literary.

Starred review from September 1, 2020
Although a 12-year-old servant girl doesn't recall the time before she was an orphan, she remembers her secret, powerful name: Zita Brydgeborn. When she's summoned to Blackbird Castle, which is ruled over by the unpleasant Mrs. Cantanker, to take her rightful place as the last of a family of powerful witches, it seems almost like a dream come true. But there is much to learn and no one she can fully rely upon, not even Minnifer, the maid, and Bram, the cook, both of whom are friendly toward her. There's also the scary matter of her family, bewitched and moldering in the dining room. Mrs. Cantanker gradually reveals herself to be a dark force to be reckoned with. When she trusts to her own resourcefulness--which is ample--Zita is able to begin gathering tools of power: a loyal crow, magical scissors, and, finally, her Anchor. She'll need them all as the depth of Cantanker's evil scheme is finally exposed and Zita must fight the battle of her life to save her family and protect the world from a dead witch of undeniable power. Bachmann's worldbuilding is delightful. The castle is rich with enough ghosts and enchanted staircases to satisfy any fantasy lover, and the cast of characters, all seemingly White, is well developed and engaging, especially intrepid narrator Zita. A suspenseful romp through an entertainingly witchy world. (Fantasy. 9-14)

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January 1, 2021
Orphan housemaid Zita Brydgeborn quits her position and travels to Blackbird Castle after receiving a letter informing her she's the long-lost heir. But on arrival she discovers that she's also expected to assume the duties of the great witching Brydgeborn family, and her teacher, mean Mrs. Cantanker, doesn't even believe Zita is a witch. Young servants Bram and Minnifer offer a slightly warmer welcome, but they seem to be under a curse that prevents them from talking about certain things. As Zita puzzles through the twin mysteries of what happened to her family and how she was separated from them in the first place (and what if everything she's been told is a lie?), she faces dangers from beyond the grave. Bachmann incorporates magic and atmosphere in this appealing tale of persistence, from the shifting staircases and passageways of gothic Blackbird Castle to the irresistible feasts Zita devours with Bram and Minnifer. The author also engineers a particularly deft reversal mid-plot that will leave readers at first bewildered and then delighted.

(Copyright 2021 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2021
Orphan housemaid Zita Brydgeborn quits her position and travels to Blackbird Castle after receiving a letter informing her she's the long-lost heir. But on arrival she discovers that she's also expected to assume the duties of the great witching Brydgeborn family, and her teacher, mean Mrs. Cantanker, doesn't even believe Zita is a witch. Young servants Bram and Minnifer offer a slightly warmer welcome, but they seem to be under a curse that prevents them from talking about certain things. As Zita puzzles through the twin mysteries of what happened to her family and how she was separated from them in the first place (and what if everything she's been told is a lie?), she faces dangers from beyond the grave. Bachmann incorporates magic and atmosphere in this appealing tale of persistence, from the shifting staircases and passageways of gothic Blackbird Castle to the irresistible feasts Zita devours with Bram and Minnifer. The author also engineers a particularly deft reversal mid-plot that will leave readers at first bewildered and then delighted. Anita L. Burkam

(Copyright 2021 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)