Review - House of Ivy & Sorrow by Natalie Whipple

by Natalie Whipple
publisher: HarperTeen
date of publication: April 15, 2014
format: eGalley
pages: 352
source: Edelweiss
buy it: House of Ivy & Sorrow

From Goodreads:

Josephine Hemlock has spent the last 10 years hiding from the Curse that killed her mother. But when a mysterious man arrives at her ivy-covered, magic-fortified home, it’s clear her mother’s killer has finally come to destroy the rest of the Hemlock bloodline. Before Jo can even think about fighting back, she must figure out who she’s fighting in the first place. The more truth Jo uncovers, the deeper she falls into witchcraft darker than she ever imagined. Trapped and running out of time, she begins to wonder if the very Curse that killed her mother is the only way to save everyone she loves.

House of Ivy & Sorrow took some serious thought when it came to rating it.  There were elements I did like, elements I didn't like, and elements I didn't quite know what to make of.  There were times that it was deliciously creepy, and times when it was just too cutesy for words.  Where does that leave me?  So far as I can tell, I'm thoroughly on the fence about this one, which is a very bewildering place to be, much like opening one door and finding yourself somewhere you didn't expect to be (you'll see what I did there).

Josephine Hemlock is no ordinary teenager.  Her grandmother, known as an entomologist to the citizens of their small town, is in fact a talented witch and the head of the Hemlock witch family.  Orphaned by the death of her mother at age 7, Josephine has been learning everything from her eccentric grandmother and is proving to be quite the talent, herself.  You may think that with how seriously she regards her abilities she wouldn't have time for mooning over some guy.  Well, dear reader, you would be wrong.  Here is exactly where the super cutesy aspect of the story I mentioned comes into play.  I read a lot of YA since that's mostly what I review.  That's not to say I'm against some romance.  When I feel as though I'm reading about a 13 year old rather than a 17 year old, as Josephine is portrayed, it's a problem.  You don't want to read bits of "romance" that make you roll your eyes rather than sigh wistfully.

Much of the plot was preferable to me over the characters.  The ways in which magic are presented are different than your average witch story.  Rather than being dark and light, all magic is said to come from the dark.  It is a witch's level of control that dictates what "side" they are on, so to speak.  To completely give in to the darkness is to be Consumed, at which point a witch is virtually eaten alive by the power and becomes a power mad, evil being.  This concept is certainly an inventive one and made the magical aspects of the book more interesting.  There were, however, issues that bothered me to no end.  One such issue is continuity.  There comes a point when the Hemlock's are in need of an ancestor's journal (here called "history").  There is much talk of how important it is that they find her long lost house and, subsequently, her history.  However, at some point along the way it is apparently no longer imperative and it ceases to be mentioned.  At all.  What happened to it?  Wouldn't it still be a good idea to have it?  Why mention it at all if you're just going to forget it exists?  So many questions.

Overall, House of Ivy & Sorrow was a fun way to pass the time.  I don't know that I would necessarily want to read a follow-up, but for what it is, I enjoyed it.  If you're more plot driven, you might find this one enjoyable thanks to the different descriptions of magic, the setting (a truly intriguing one with its magical doors and enchantments), and the conflict.  If you can overlook the overly cutesy parts of the romance, definitely try it out.  Otherwise, proceed with caution.  I almost gave up on it, but in the end I'm glad I stuck it out.