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Jinx
- By Meg Cabot
- Genre: Coming of Age
Common Sense Media says
Witchy fun for Cabot fans. OK but not magical.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this book is about a nice girl who is a witch -- and a mean girl who thinks she is one. Jinx may be a "bad luck magnet" but she has a strong moral center and
keeps trying to do what's right, and her story imparts a good
underlying message about being yourself. There is an apparent suicide attempt, an attempted bloodletting, and a stalking (thanks to a love spell gone bad). Jean and her boyfriend share kisses that she feels "all the way to my toes." Also, Tory drinks and takes Ritalin and Valium and the au pair shares a bed with her boyfriend.
What's the story?
When Jean -- nicknamed Jinx because she's a bit of a bad-luck magnet -- moves from Iowa to her aunt's house in New York City (all readers initially know is that she was being "stalked" back home), she immediately gets off on the wrong foot with her beautiful -- but mean -- cousin Torrance. The tension only escalates when Torrance confronts Jean, saying that she knows they are both the witches foretold by family legend -- and that they should use their powers to "rule the school." When Jean denies her powers, Torrance unleashes a series of cruel punishments meant to torment and humiliate her cousin (think headless rat in the locker). Jean needs to decide if she should use the magic she promised not to in order to fight back.
Is it any good?
JINX is filled with familiar but fun elements. There aren't a lot of surprises -- readers will recognize stock characters and will expect the ultimate conclusion in which Jean must learn to accept her true self. The only eye-opener is how creepy and violent the girls' final confrontation is. But the set-up is enticing enough and in the end, there is enough drama here -- some of it magical and some merely mean-spirited -- to make this book satisfying if not spellbinding.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about how this book compares to other Meg Cabot books. Why does her writing resonate well with tweens and teens?
Talk about the girl friendships here. How does Torrance's "coven" resemble a typical mean girl clique?
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- Teens & kids
AGE
good book for fantasy/teen romance fans
Meg Cabot is one of my favorite authors, and I enjoyed this book. It is not as good as some of her other books (ie: Princess Diaries, 1-800-WHERE-R-U series), and the ending was pretty typical. But, the desriptions were vivid and the way magic was used was interesting. It wasn't really inappropriate and I would say that this book was a fun a read but the main character did not have as much depth as I would have liked to see.
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AGE
Not a must-read
The author, Meg Cabot, is known for her humorous books about teen girls trying to fit in. I guess she kind of messed up this one. I missed her style while I was reading.
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AGE
Very unclean and not really good
No way, not for tweens, i read and thought, so inappropriate
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AGE
AMAZING
amazing book! I loved it! the ending is so awesome! I reread it about 3 times it was so good. I defiantly recommend it, though there is some violence, but overall a very enjoyable book.
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AGE
Kept me hooked!
A great book, but drugs are largely a common theme. Also, there is a suicide attempt, although I reckon that a mature 12 year old could read it.
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AGE
Amaaaaaaazing!!
It's reaaaallly niiiice!! Meg Cabot OWNS!! its a perfect mix of magic, romance and growing up troubles.. briill ;)
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Kid, 12 years old
May 21, 2011
AGE
The book is strange in a way but still a good book. If there are any kids who like Meg Cabot and are stuck on a book or series to read, read the series: The Mediator. The series is about ghosts, love, romance, some mystery, the series is just too good to be true.
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AGE
i liked this book a lot
it had a lot of witchcraft and i dont believe in it but it was still a really good book
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AGE
5 stars
Meg Cabot has done it again. This is another amazing novel. The beginning starts out slow, but don't give up on this book. Once you hit the end it all makes sense. You'll love the ending. I was so anxious to turn the pages. It's a sweet romance/mystery/sci-fi novel. All teen readers (12 and up) will adore this. Trust me,I'm a bookworm - ha. Parents should not worry about this book. There is one kissing scene, and a mild murder attempt. But in that area, it is not different from most mystery novels. To sum it all up, just read it!
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| Author: | Meg Cabot |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Coming of Age |
| Publisher: | HarperTeen |
| Publication date: | July 31, 2007 |
| Number of pages: | 272 |
| Hardcover price: | $16.99 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 12 - 12 |
| Read aloud: | 13 |
| Read alone: | 13 |
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