Review: Fiendish by Brenna Yovanoff

Title: Fiendish
Author: Brenna Yovanoff
Publisher: Penguin
Pub. Date: August 14, 2014
Genre: Young Adult
Rec. Age Level: 12+
Pages: 352
More by this author: The Replacement, The Space Between, Paper Valentine

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For a decade, Clementine DeVore has been sealed within the cellar of her destroyed home, eyes sewn shut yet somehow aware of the world outside. She would have remained there for decades more if not for Fisher, a boy with whom she shares a supernatural connection. The world has changed since the fateful day Clementine was interned in the cellar, the day a lynch mob of angry townsfolk razed the homes of the fiendish folk in the Willows, scaring them into hiding. But Clementine's return - and her growing relationship with Fisher - has awoken a deep, dark magic that once again inspires fiery passions in the townsfolk. The magic of the hollow will no longer be contained and Clementine might be the only person who can prevent a cataclysmic uprising. Fiendish is an epic tale of powerful magic, persecution, and good prevailing over evil.

This novel was my first Brenna Yovanoff experience and I am definitely a fan!  Her writing is absolutely gorgeous - that is definitely what propels this story, even more so than the action. It should be noted, however, that, while Fiendish is creepy, it is not, stay-up-all-night-with-the-light-on scary. The focus is more on the romance and the divide between good and evil and the persecution of those who are 'different.' 

This book has a definite Salem witch trial vibe going on, except, in New South Bend, the rumors of witchcraft are a bit more substantial than the gossip of teenaged girls. Though those who practice magic in this novel are not necessarily evil, there is dangerous magic surrounds New South Bend - magic that is inexplicably tied to Clementine. 

There is a bit of insta-love happening here, but not in the traditional way. Clementine and Fisher meet and immediately have feelings for one another (some romantic, but some a bit more complicated), but there's a valid reason, which remedied what annoyance I met have felt about the believability. I mean, really, when you're reading a Yovanoff novel, I get the impression that some suspension of disbelief is highly encouraged.

Pick this one up - especially if you're looking for something with a bit of witchcraft  and a few bumps in the night.