Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Eisenhart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Imaginative NYC fantasy of sisters, magic, ghost romance.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Thanks to PERSEPHONE'S CURSE, there's a tear in the universe right over the New York brownstone that's been home to generations of Farthing girls, including current teen sibs Bernadette, Evelyn, Winnie, and Clara. Word is the goddess of the underworld once spent time in Manhattan, and the Farthings are her descendants. They're much inspired by her story. Their powers are unusual. So is their deep friendship with Henry, a boy ghost who's lived in their house and been part of their lives since before they were born. Love blooms between Evelyn and Henry, which is a problem since he's dead and she's not, but when Winnie takes it on herself to deal with the matter, things go very bad very fast. Determined to make things right, the sisters race to save Henry and also the world, but it's not at all clear what the price may be, or if it can even be done.
Is It Any Good?
Katrina Leno's imaginative tale of ghostly romance and cosmic rifts pays homage to New York City as brilliant, quirky, magical sisters put aside past wrongs and rush to save their friend and their world. There's a lot going on in Persephone's Curse, as the Farthing girls—fond of Little Women and Practical Magic—grapple with their legacy as descendants of the goddess and their emerging powers. Myth and history converge in famous paintings, medieval tapestries, lost cemeteries, and family traditions as the tale unfolds. The cosmology may get a little murky, but the characters keep the pages turning.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about retellings like Persephone's Curse, involving gods and other beings from mythology getting involved in our present day world, and old tales happening again with a new cast of characters. Do you like this kind of storytelling, or would you prefer the classics to stay in their own era and leave ours alone?
If it turned out you were descended from a god, which god would it be, and what would be the origin story?
If you don't already live there, have you ever visited New York City? What did you like? What surprised you? Did Persephone's Curse give you any ideas of cool places to visit next time you're there?
How does empathy show up in this book? Does it help the sisters navigate their challenges? How so? When has someone shown you empathy recently and how did it affect you?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Family Stories , Fantasy
- Character Strengths : Courage , Empathy , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Wednesday Books
- Publication date : December 2, 2025
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 13 - 18
- Number of pages : 336
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : January 26, 2026
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