Violet was lost before she found her way to Elm Hollow Academy. When she was younger, she was in a car accident with her father and younger sister. She was the only survivor. After the accident her mother just shut down, so Violet feels like Elm Hollow could be a way to start anew. And as she starts her classes, things do start to get better. She makes a friend. Robin can be a little wild, but she genuinely likes Violet and wants to spend time with her. And Violet gets noticed by her art teacher Annabel, who even offers her a spot in her advanced class. There are only 4 students in Annabel’s special class, just Alex, Grace, Robin, and now Violet.
As the weeks go by, Violet goes along with Robin and all of her craziness. Parties with college guys, drinking, even trying drugs for the first time. Meanwhile, Annabel’s classes are making her head spin with ideas about art and society, about women and power, about sisterhood and revenge. And about the rumors of witchcraft that the school itself is built on.
Violet shrugs off a lot of the gossip and rumors of the supernatural, until she is assaulted. After that, her fury wants nothing less than vengeance, and she relents to Robin’s suggestion of casting a spell to even the score. What happens when the four girls try out witchcraft is something that will bind the friends together forever, but will they be able to live with the consequences when what they unleash turns out to be harder to control than they expected?
The Furies is part coming-of-age, part suspense novel, with more than a hint of Gothic horror. Fans of the teen movie The Craft will enjoy the relationships between these young women, and any woman who has felt belittled just for being female can relate to the sense of empowerment they crave. Author Katie Lowe has written a compelling tale of the intricacies of friendship, with all of its intimacy, jealousy, anxiety, and complexity.
I really enjoyed this book. It was an ideal read for the dark days of October, with the leaves crunching outside and the warm blankets and hot drinks inside. It’s a powerful reminder of growing up, of the intense friendships of those crazy teen years, and all the storm of emotions that comes with growing up. There is some darkness to the story, but if you can handle that, it’s an amazing tale of girl power, of revenge and regrets, of secrets and sorcery, of healing and hope. The Furies may keep you up at night, but you’ll never be bored.
Galleys for The Furies were provided by St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley, with many thanks.