Common Sense Media Review
By Kate Pavao
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Witchy fun for Cabot fans. OK but not magical.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 3 parent reviews
Based on 15 kid reviews
Kids say the book provides an engaging story filled with themes of magic and romance, though it contains mature content such as drug use, violence, and explicit themes that may not be suitable for younger readers. While some praise the character development and the author's writing, others find the content inappropriate for tweens, recommending it for more mature audiences aged 12 and up.
- mature themes
- character development
- drug use
- mixed reactions
- audience recommendations
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
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.
Talk to Your Kids 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?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Coming of Age
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : HarperTeen
- Publication date : July 31, 2007
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 12 - 12
- Number of pages : 272
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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