Prophecy of the Sisters (Prophecy of the Sisters Series #1)

by Michelle Zink

Overview

An ancient prophecy divides two sisters—one good, one evil.

Who will prevail?

Twin sisters Lia and Alice Milthorpe have just become orphans. They have also become enemies. As they discover their roles in a prophecy that has turned generations of sisters against each other, they find themselves entangled in a mystery that involves a tattoo-like mark, their parents' deaths, a boy, a book, and a lifetime of secrets.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316027410
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	07/01/2010
Series:	Prophecy of the Sisters Series , #1
Pages:	343
Sales rank:	1,090,484
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.10(d)
Lexile:	800L (what's this?)
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Michelle Zink lives in New York and has always been fascinated with ancient myths and legends. Never satisfied with simply reading them, she usually ends up asking, "What if?" Sometimes asking only leads to more questions, but every now and then, when everything falls into place just right, a story is born. Prophecy of the Sisters is one of those stories.

Editorial Reviews

In Michelle Zink's debut novel, orphaned twin sister Lia and Alice Milthorpe are yoked together in an ancient prophecy that makes them enemies and could destroy them both. If Lia can break this familial curse, she can not only save her relationship with her beloved boyfriend; she can finally resolve the mystery behind her parents' death. A teen author to watch.

Set in 19th-century New York, Zink's tense and haunting debut novel is narrated by 16-year-old Lia Milthorpe, left in the lurch by the recent death of her father under mysterious circumstances. Lia, who bears the mark of the Jorgumand (a snake devouring itself) on her wrist, soon learns that she and her twin sister, Alice, are fated to play crucial opposing roles in a mystical struggle that goes back to the dawn of time; unfortunately neither girl is temperamentally suited to the role she has been assigned. The author's language, formal and restrained, is appropriate for the setting and gives the chilly scenes between the sisters an especially gothic air (“We are not the kind of sisters who engage in nightly hair brushing or confided secrets”). While Zink relies on the well-used trope of the grand prophecy, the story is anything but clichéd, with flawed and fragmentary translations, misinterpretation and methodical but inspired deduction complicating and enriching the tale. The result is a captivating tragedy immersed in a world of spells, Samhain and twisting family allegiances that stands on its own while leaving room for sequels. Ages 12–up. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

Gr 7 Up—Lia and Alice buried their father on a rainy day in the fall of 1890. His death was sudden, and strange happenings are keeping the twins from resuming their wealthy, well-educated lives. Lia begins to dream of flying and Alice, while reserved, does not appear to mourn her father. Lia's boyfriend, James, uncovers an ancient tome that cryptically tells of two sisters, one the Gate and one the Guardian. One has the power to return Satan to Earth, the other the responsibility to keep her sister in check. As Lia investigates the prophecy, a fortuitous trip to a fortune-teller, Sonia, unlocks new doors. With school friend Luisa joining in the adventure, the cast of characters is complete. Lia, Sonia, and Luisa band together to solve the riddle while preventing the increasingly malevolent Alice from discovering their findings. Zink's choice of first-person present sadly emphasizes her lack of character development. None of the perils the heroines face invoke fear or sympathy, as they are all half-explained and resolved too quickly for real concern to set in. Pass this title over for better historical fantasy fare.—Cara von Wrangel Kinsey, formerly at New York Public Library

School Library Journal

Everything changes for 16-year-old Lia Milthorpe when her father dies under mysterious circumstances, leaving her orphaned along with twin sister Alice and younger brother Henry. Hours after her father's death, a mysterious mark appears on her skin, which she recognizes as the mythical Jorgumand-a snake eating its own tail. Thus begins the unfolding of the Prophecy of the Sisters: Lia learns that she and Alice are the Guardian and the Gate-one good, one evil-who will either prevent evil Souls from entering the world or bring about the end of the known world. Which twin is meant to fulfill which role? She is uncertain whether to tell her beloved bookseller James about her suspicions. She narrates her tale in a late-Victorian voice, describing the enigmatic adults who help her and who have their own roles in the Prophecy. From dangerous seances with deadly consequences to coldblooded sibling murder, this tale is extremely dark, but Zink's methodical unfolding of events will draw readers in. The ending primes for an anticipated sequel. (Fantasy. YA)

Kirkus Reviews

"Eliza Dushku has an appealingly husky voice, and she narrates with clarity and feeling. Her even-tempered performance keeps the listener engaged in the sketchily plotted tale. Occasional background music announces dramatic moments, and the purr of Dushku's voice carries listeners right to the cliffhanger ending."—AudioFile

From the Publisher

In the late 1800s, teen twins Alice and Lea are orphaned after their mother commits suicide and their father dies mysteriously. Living on an estate with their younger brother and maiden aunt, the sisters grow apart as their place in a supernatural prophecy is unveiled: One sister has the power to end the world and the other, to save it. Eliza Dushku has an appealingly husky voice, and she narrates with clarity and feeling. Her even-tempered performance keeps the listener engaged in the sketchily plotted tale. Occasional background music announces dramatic moments, and the purr of Dushku's voice carries listeners right to the cliffhanger ending. G.D. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine

OCTOBER 2009 - AudioFile