Smith, L.J. The Initiation. Harper, 1992. 320 pages. ISBN-10: 0061067121. ISBN-13: 978-0061067129Plot:
After spending the summer in Cape Cod, Cassie is ready to go back to California. On her last day there, she helps a mysterious stranger and feels a connection to him. Though she loves him, she assumes that she’ll never see him again. She prepares to go back to California never knowing, but then discovers that she and her mother will be staying in Massachusetts and moving in with her grandmother in New Salem. Cassie starts the new school year hoping to make friends, but ends up on the bad side of a group of very powerful students known as The Club, the worst of which is Faye. After they spend a few weeks bullying her, she is rescued by Diana, another member of The Club. She and Cassie become best friends and Cassie learns that there are kind members. Cassie is still an outsider when it comes to The Club until one night when she is invited to join then and discovers that they are a group of witches and that she and her family are witches, as well. Cassie finally feels accepted and even begins to hope that she will see the mysterious stranger again. She gets her wish, but not in the way she expected. Diana’s boyfriend, Adam, returns to town and Cassie discovers that he is the stranger that she loves. Heartbroken, but loyal to Diana, Cassie vows to keep her feelings to herself. Faye discovers them, however, and blackmails Cassie to help her with some dark magic. Cassie is trapped, but they soon find out that Faye isn’t the only dangerous power in town.
Critical Evaluation:
Like most of Smith’s books, this one includes a sweet female character, close teenage friendships, a snarky villain, a fight for good, and, of course, romance. Smith’s writing style isn’t very sophisticated, but she is a decent story-teller. This is a simple and satisfying read. Despite having first been published almost 20 years ago, this story doesn’t really feel too dated. In fact, the innocence of her characters, even the villains, is almost refreshing when compared to more modern fantasy novels and supernatural romances.
Despite being a fairly minor character, the most interesting of the characters is Cassie’s grandmother. Rather than being transparent or flat like many of the other secondary characters, she is given a personality and a mysterious quality that encourages the reader to continue to search for what it is that she’s hiding. Cassie herself is slightly less interesting, but no less likable. This is a nice story with an ending that will leave the reader questioning what will happen next.
Reader's Annotation:
When Cassie moves to her mother’s childhood home, she encounters a group of mysterious and powerful teenagers.
Author Information:
L.J. Smith, also know as Lisa Jane or LJane, grew up Villa Park, California. She started telling stories before she could even read or write. She decided she wanted to be a writer at the age of six after writing a poem for her teacher. She has been writing ever since with the exception of a 10 year hiatus starting in 1998. After her brother-in-law was diagnosed with stage IV cancer and her mother with terminal cancer, she was unable to write due to the emotional state she was in. She has said this was the worst period of her life. After her mother’s death, she began to write again in honor of her.
Smith only writes fantasy novels, due to her fascination with magic and the supernatural. Her main characters are generally strong young females, because she wanted to write characters that could be role models for her readers. She includes dark elements in her novels, but is careful to say that all the stories will end with a happy ending.
Genre:
Fantasy
Curriculum Ties:
None
Booktalking Ideas:
- Read the passage beginning with "That night Cassie had a dream" placed on page 50 of the reprint omnibus version.
- Present as Cassie after her first day of school.
- Focus on the relationships between the members of the circle.
- Discuss the magic and power the group has.
Reading Level/Interest Age:
14 and older
Challenge Issues:
Witchcraft/Magic/The Occult
Challenge Defense Ideas:
- Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
- If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
- Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
- Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.
Reasons for Selection:
This was a series I enjoyed as a teen. With the popularity of L.J. Smith's The Vampire Diaries and the talks of this series also potentially becoming a television show, the books may again become popular.
