Horn Book

Orphan housemaid Zita Brydgeborn quits her position and travels to Blackbird Castle after receiving a letter informing her she’s the long-lost heir. But on arrival she discovers that she’s also expected to assume the duties of the great witching Brydgeborn family, and her teacher, mean Mrs. Cantanker, doesn’t even believe Zita is a witch. Young servants Bram and Minnifer offer a slightly warmer welcome, but they seem to be under a curse that prevents them from talking about certain things. As Zita puzzles through the twin mysteries of what happened to her family and how she was separated from them in the first place (and what if everything she’s been told is a lie?), she faces dangers from beyond the grave. Bachmann incorporates magic and atmosphere in this appealing tale of persistence, from the shifting staircases and passageways of gothic Blackbird Castle to the irresistible feasts Zita devours with Bram and Minnifer. The author also engineers a particularly deft reversal mid-plot that will leave readers at first bewildered and then delighted. ANITA L. BURKAM