Plain Kate by Erin Bow

Kate is anything but plain, despite the name the village folk call her. She has eyes of two different colors and can carve any piece of wood into a good luck charm. But Kate lives in a world where special skills and odd looks are thought of as witchery, and a deal with a shady character causes Kate to be cast out of her village in fear of her life. At least she is not alone for long. Her faithful cat Taggle is constantly by her side, and she befriends a fellow traveler named Drina. Still, Kate must keep her wits about her if she ever plans on returning to her home.

I have some rather mixed feelings about this book. I wasn't too excited to read it, but still wanted to give it a try. Then I started and it was totally rocking my world. Then the action slowed and I began to lose interest. Luckily, there was an explosive ending that had me tearing through the last pages. But when all is said and done, still just an average YA book for me. Kate was unspectacular, save for her unique carving talents. Taggle, on the other hand, was awesome. He was a dream-come-true companion to Kate, and it was nice to see a heroine with a pet friend, instead of a boy friend. I was also into Erin Bow's story telling style, like that of an old fashioned tale. I would be interested in reading more by this author, I think, to give her another try. Will have to see what's next!

Overall Rating: 3 Stars