Cinders and Sparrows

Zita was raised in an orphanage.  All she knows of her past is she arrived covered in soot with leaves tangled in her wild black hair.  Now that she's twelve, she's moved on to be a maid for kindly, if somewhat absentminded, old woman.  It's not a bad life, but it is not destined to be hers.  

One day a scarecrow climbs over the fence with a letter informing Zita she has inherited a castle!  She's not sure how this can be true, but she also knows she's ready for an adventure.  She arrives at the strange Blackbird Castle to discover she is the last Brydgeborn heir, the last in a line of powerful witches.  Zita knows nothing about magic and is dependent on her new caretaker, Mrs. Cantanker, to learn.  Her guardian is beautiful but cruel, and she subjects Zita to dangerous situations when she pays attention to her at all.

The only other human residents of the castle are Bram and Millifer, the servants.  They give Zita a welcome reception, and she feels more comfortable with them given her life as an orphan and servant.  The castle is also peopled with all manner of strange creatures including the ghosts of past residents who are not all happy to welcome her home.

The more Zita learns about magic and the past, the more she feels something strange is happening in the castle.  There are rumors of secret societies and great and terrible witches from the past.  There is the forbidden blue staircase that roams about the castle, and there is also the strange binding on Bram and Millifer that prevents them from telling Zita too much.  All is not as it seems in Blackbird Castle, and Zita must choose her friends wisely and guard her back always because something bad is lurking on the horizon.

Stefan Bachmann's dark fantasy is perfect for those who like a creepy tale for a dark night.  There are some hints of Harry Potter, but there are also times when Zita seems completely alone in a horror landscape.  I also like that Zita's family tree includes not only her benevolent mother but also the disturbing big bad of the story.  Highly recommended.

I just have a small complaint about the cover.  It is beautiful, but Zita's hair is very specifically described as black and wildly curly.  Someone should have given the cover artist better character notes!