Published September 2013 by Ballantine Books
The concept of The
Wishing Thread reminds me much of the old TV show with Alyssa Milano and
those other ladies who did magic – Charmed. Three sisters are raised in a house that is
termed the Stitchery (an awkward mouthful) for the yarnful abundance it
produces, along with spells woven into those yarns. The sisters’ mother has run off early on and
the sisters are raised by Mariah, an aunt who dies but whose legacy breaths
throughout the book.
Perhaps the novel’s biggest failing is its one-dimensional,
predictable characters. Bitty is the
older sister with the failing marriage who literally “runs” away from her
problems; Meggie is the youngest sister, the wild-child, unpredictable one. Aubrey is the grounded middle child, a
library-worker who, we are reminded too often, is very shy, socially awkward,
and guardian of the Stitchery.
If you can put that aside, then Wishing Thread is a good “beachy”
read with a Halloween vibe. The Wishing Thread’s greatest triumph is
its setting—Van Allen does a remarkable job of bringing the Headless Horseman’s
stomping ground to life, and it made me yearn for cool weather and fall leaves.
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