Review by Booklist Review
Lavender can't remember much about her dead mother, but then again, she can't remember much about anything these days. Her memory problems are ruining relationships and threatening her dream apothecary apprenticeship, so the desperate girl eventually tries a charmed headpiece that promises to sharpen her mind. The hat is a letdown, but rumors of its origin lead her to the a former enchantress who wove magic into exquisite apparel. The enchantress offers to help Lavender regain her memories in exchange for some mysterious missions and an eventual apprenticeship; gradual revelations lead Lavender to question everything and force her to make the excruciating choice between her past and future. The marvelous mystery takes plenty of compelling elements--the perplexing memory loss, an unusual magic system, a talking raven--and weaves them into an enthralling whole. Delightful descriptions transport readers to cozy apothecaries and bustling bakeries, and the deepening mystery behind Lavender's memory problems and the enchantress' power will keep pages turning. An enchanting examination of grief and love in all their many forms.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Ever since her mother's recent death, 13-year-old Lavender has been experiencing peculiar memory lapses. She can't recall specific apothecary terms, which are pertinent to her apprenticeship with her medicine man father; the reasons she no longer talks with her best friend, baker's son Guste; and worst of all to Lavender, memories of Mama. Disregarding Guste's advice and her father's distrust of magic, Lavender, seeking a remedy, visits Frey, a sorcerer who sews enchantments into clothing. In Frey, the teen finds renewed purpose, maternal care, and the restoration of her lost memories. But there is a price Lavender must pay, one that may doom her home, Hattertown. Cornwell approaches Lavender's grappling with grief via richly detailed depictions of love and redemption as the teen navigates emotionally complex relationships. Lavender and Frey's dynamic is a standout feature of this gentle tale; their individual responses to loss are layered and age-appropriate, culminating in an auspicious debut from an up-and-coming talent. Main characters read as white. Ages 8--12. Agent: Mary Cummings, Great River Literary. (Aug.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A debut about memory, grief, and the power of facing difficult truths. After her mama's death, 13-year-old Lavender struggles with a memory problem that threatens her role as apothecary apprentice in her papa's shop. Desperate to remember both her lessons and cherished moments with Mama, she seeks help from Frey, the last surviving spinning enchantress--someone who wields a staff crafted from the ancient tree Yggdrasil and can knit memories into enchanted items of clothing. In return for serving as Frey's bike messenger for three weeks, Lavender will recover one memory per day. Cornwell skillfully balances Lavender's dual worlds--the practical realities of Papa's shop and the enticing allure of the memories Frey helps her access. Emotions bubble like potions: Grief, anger, jealousy, and regret simmer beneath the surface of richly drawn characters with complex motivations. The fantastical setting, which includes Norse-inspired elements, such as a talking raven named Munin and houses on stilts, feels both fresh and familiar. Magical elements--including spells, curses, and an enchanted tapestry woven with memory threads--create a world where remembering brings both power and peril. As Lavender becomes entangled in the unintentional consequences of her choices, her journey becomes one of not just remembering the past, but of finding the courage to make things right in the present. Lavender presents white, and some supporting cast members have brown skin. A heartfelt story that will leave readers hoping for more from this promising new voice.(Fantasy. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
