The Initiation (1992)

I decided to read L.J. Smith's The Secret Circle series when heard it was being produced as a TV series this year. I read her Vampire Diaries series before watching the show and found I enjoyed her writing much more than I did the television version of the story. After having read the first book in The Secret Circle series, The Initiation, I found myself less than impressed and hoping the producers take some liberties with the story line in this book.

The Initiation doesn't do much to endear the reader to Cassie, the series main character. Throughout the book, she's annoying. She obnoxious about not wanting to be on summer vacation on the east coast and not liking the "friends" she's made. Honestly, why hang out with them then? If these people are so awful, why not just spend time alone or attempt to make new friends? When the grandmother she's never met needs help, she whines about wanting to home, rather than move to New Salem and help the old woman. For a brief moment, she allows that the new environment will allow her to redefine herself and admits it could be a positive thing, but them quickly falls into the role of victim - it's not her fault no one likes her, blah blah blah. Cassie finally makes a friend and it's platonic insta-love. They're sisters now, or whatever, therefore Cassie will follow her blindly and wants to join a "club" the new friend belongs to, even though the "mean girls" also belong. And of course, there's a guy, but their love is forbidden and is obviously leading to a super awkward love triangle.

The Initiation does have a strong resemblance to one of my favorite movies, The Craft, with teens using witchcraft and not always for good. While I don't expect the series to be much like the movie (especially since the movie was made after the book came out), the possibility for The Secret Circle to have witchcraft used for both good and evil motives delights me. I enjoyed all of the magical aspects of the book, especially the fact that it goes detail about the use of both herbs and crystals as opposed to depending on spells alone.

The Secret Circle series has potential, but The Initiation didn't quite wow me. Cassie is grating, much like Elena in The Vampire Diaries is. Smith's female protagonists are all too often weak and sort of stupid when it comes to both common sense and romantic entanglements. Hopefully Cassie faults will be toned down in the rest of the series as not to distract from the magical story line. ( )

This was a re-read for me. I first read the book back in middle school not long after reading The Vampire Diaries series which I loved. I’m glad to see that this one still held my attention after the disappointment in re-reading the first book of the Vampire Diaries. I loved the rivalry between Faye and Diana and watching the chemistry between Cassie and Adam and the hint of chemistry between Cassie and Nick. It also foreshadows of troubles to come with the non-witch inhabitants of their island town. I can’t wait to read what happens as Cassie is blackmailed into helping Faye betray Diana. ( )

Just as Cassie believes her less than stellar New England vacation is over and she is heading home to California, (the only cool thing was meeting a mysterous boy on the beach) her mother announces that they are moving In with her grandmother who lives on a island up the coast in a town called New Salem. She is not too happy about it but a new school should be OK. Cassie knows how to make friends. However, once people learn who she is, they seem to be afraid of her. And to make things worse she has been targeted by the local bad girls. Finally things start to look up when she is befriended by the most popular girl in school. But things are never as they seem and Cassie soon learns that there is more than high school rivalry going on. And things get even more complicated when the mysterious boy from the summer reappears in New Salem.

This is the first book in The Secret Circle trilogy. It moves very fast and keeps you engaged with the characters and the action. I am looking forward to the next in the series. ( )

This is a great series for young adults (assuming you don't mind them reading about witchcraft or wicca) with a wonderful starting novel. The characters have depth and act believably, and the plot is carefully layed and moves quickly. This is an engaging suspenseful work that can be entertaining perhaps even to adults, but stays in YA territory content and languagewise. ( )