Prophecy of the Sisters a page-turning gothic suspense

If you crave mystery, suspense, horror, tragedy and beautifully written prose, then Michelle Zink’s Prophecy of the Sisters is the perfect book for all fans of Gothic literature.

At the heart of this story are twins Lia and Alice Milthorpe, who find themselves on opposing sides of a prophecy that predicts the potential end of mankind and the reign of darkness.  Ultimately, Lia, the Gate,  must choose whether to allow the dark Souls to pass into the world or destroy the darkness altogether, while Alice, the Guardian, must fight to keep the evil at bay.  However, when Lia makes her choice, her twin sister Alice chooses the opposing side, vowing to work against her, which results in a dark, edge-of-your-seat thriller that pits sister against sister, blood against blood.

Filled with dark hallways, haunted rooms, and whispering voices, the setting, mood, and tone Zink creates is reminiscent of Poe’s “Fall of the House of Usher.” One the other hand, the apocalyptic, otherworldly elements tend to remind me of Libba Bray’s Gemma Doyle Trilogy, another one of my favorite series. However, regardless of what other tales Prophecy of the Sisters brings to mind, Zinc’s beautifully crafted prose, three-dimensional characters and tension-building conflict are most certainly all her own.

The time period and setting also adds to Zink’s chilling, Gothic style. Set in a small town in upstate New York in the late nineteenth century, Zink brings to life every aspect of this novel. The beauty of Zink’s prose and carefully-crafted dialogue could rival the mannerly propriety of an Austen novel, and as a result, she creates believable characters who reflect the culture and social expectations of the time period, as well as tense dialogue from characters who seem to speak more forcefully in their silence.

Prophecy of the Sisters was recommended to me by a friend during a time when there has been little time for reading, and dare I say it, little desire. However, this bone-chilling story compelled me to fly through the pages, reading this novel within only hours. And thankfully, now that I am left on the edge of my seat, pondering the fate of the Milthorpe twins, as well as that of mankind, I am comforted by the discovery that there will be two more novels in this must-read young adult trilogy.