After arriving at the charm school, this book continually challenged my assumptions of what magic can be. Just like Hasani, I had to learn what magic looks like and how it can be controlled at Les Belles Demoiselles. And just like Hasani and her mother, I did not know how to pronounce this charm school. We both had a lot to learn! The author keeps the reader in the dark as much as Hasani is in the dark about what to do, where to go, how to behave, what’s right, what’s wrong, and most everything else! I felt her frustration and confusion. And she didn’t even know where the bathroom was. Hasani is clueless. The other girls think her ignorant and wild. The teachers are reserving judgment, mostly. I would be crying myself to sleep every night in this situation.

There are some big lessons to learn from reading this book about controlling emotions and learning restraint, making friends, etc. The lessons feel very intertwined with the story and the main character’s growth.

I loved the details about the setting. The book takes place in New Orleans and carries with it the historical weight of the area.