Review of Prophecy of the Sisters

My review of Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink is based on a hardcover copy of the book that I borrowed from my local library; the following review is based on my honest opinion.

Goodreads Summary: "An ancient prophecy divides two sisters-

One good...

One evil...

Who will prevail?

Twin sisters Lia and Alice Milthorpe have just become orphans. They have also become enemies. As they discover their roles in a prophecy that has turned generations of sisters against each other, the girls find themselves entangled in a mystery that involves a tattoo-like mark, their parents' deaths, a boy, a book, and a lifetime of secrets.

Lia and Alice don't know whom they can trust.

They just know they can't trust each other."

Prophecy of the Sisters started off a little slow for me as the groundwork was laid with just enough mystery to keep me reading. But after only a couple of chapters I found myself completely invested in the storyline. I devoured the chapters and was pondering the mystery of the prophecy when I was away from my book and unable to read.

The sisters themselves were polar opposites. From the beginning of the novel the reader will begin to note the differences between the twins, the gulf that has spread between them. Despite being complete opposites I appreciated the fact that neither came out reeking of being all evil or totally pure, there were some serious gray areas involved. I really liked Lia as the narrator, she was strong without being completely sure of herself and quick to use her wits. I still feel as if I don't completely know Alice, which of course I don't from this single book, despite certain key events that have shaped her. Without giving too much away you should expect some surprises from this twin, she's full of them.

James immediately scored points with me due to his love of books. But that's really all I can say about him because I don't know anything else. Aside from his love of books and feelings for Lia he is a mystery and remains so for the majority of the book. I want to know more about this guy, what role he plays, how his relationship with Lia will progress, anything and everything really.

I know prophecies tend to be considered a cliché by most but I have a soft spot for them; the one told in this novel did not disappoint. The way it brought together history, myths, legends AND the Bible was priceless. The mythology of this book was quite possibly some of the best I've ever read.

The story told was not the one that I was expecting; in reality I'm not sure what exactly I was expecting out of this story other than to say that it exceeded said expectations. The writing itself is beautiful with lines such as “No room for anything, really, except the tendrils of the prophecy twisting itself into something that is only a seed of reason” (77). I was captivated by the story told and often found myself pausing to reread lines and at times even entire passages. I'm giving Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink a four out of five stars review.