The Initiation: The Initiation and The Captive Part 1 (Secret Circle, Books 1-2)

by L.J. Smith

In this, the bind up of The Initiation and The Captive Part 1, is the start of Cassie's story. Forced to move from sunny California to gloomy New England, Cassie is homesick - until she forms a bond with a group of teenagers at her school. This clique rules the school - no one dare cross them - but Cassie feels a strange kinship with them, and when she is initiated into their 'secret circle' she is both terrified and thrilled to be part of a coven of witches that have controlled New Salem for hundreds of years...But then Cassie falls in love. Now she has a tough decision to make: does she walk away, or does she step over to the dark side?

• ISBN10: 0340999543
• ISBN13: 9780340999547
• Publish Date: 7 January 2010 (first published 1 August 2008)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 29 March 2021
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Hachette Children's Group
• Imprint: Hodder Children's Books
• Format: Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
• Pages: 336
• Language: English

Reviews

[mysticalmanuscripts]

The Secret Circle follows Cassie, a new girl who becomes a part of a group of witches. She has to navigate social dynamics and face magical challenges in her new school, despite having limited knowledge about magic.

This was a hard book to get through. Throughout the book, Cassie does not seem to be very likeable, which to me is crucial for a decent book. When Cassie moves to their town, a group of witches treats her like absolute crap. During her time with them, she is taken under the wing of Diana, another member of the group. Cassie has a tendency to feel sorry for herself and compare herself to Diana and the other girls in the group, and so you do not feel bad for her.

As the book progresses, it becomes increasingly frustrating to see her not grow as a character. There is also an awful love story between her and Diana’s boyfriend. Out of nowhere, they declare their love for each other behind Diana's back, even though Diana has been nothing but kind to Cassie. The love between them feels fake and contrived, and I was not rooting for them to get together. The storyline is okay, but I could have skipped it. This book could have been better if Cassie’s character had progressed and the love story had been more realistic.

You can see all my reviews here