Customer Reviews

Claire's Curse

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CLAIRE'S CURSE

Claire's Curse is a wonderful read for young adults. Jacqueline Seewald touches on the many challenges facing the young adults that are coming-of-age: family problems, parents' expectations, popularity, boyfriend/girlfriend, schoolwork, and the search for identity.
Upon reading the first chapter, I was drawn to the main character's humorous and lively description of herself and her family. Seewald captures the characteristics that are common in every high school across the nation; the main character, Lyn, and her disadvantaged friend, Toni, represents the rebellious "unpopular" crowds whereas Lyn's older sister, Claire, and her football star boyfriend represents the beautiful "popular" crowds.
As the title suggests, Claire, a senior in high school, feels her beauty and popularity is a curse after she discover a disappointing characteristics of her mother, a former beauty queen, whom she had strived to emulate all of her life. Claire withdraws from her family, her popular boyfriend and her social life as she struggles to discover her own identity.
On the flipside, Lyn is nothing like Claire, and resents her mother's favoritism toward her sister. But putting all sibling rivalry and jealousy aside, Lyn becomes aware of Claire's abnormal and unhealthy depression and becomes concerned for her sister. While Lyn attempts to pull Claire out of her depression, Lyn speculates that her best friend, Toni, is being physically abused at home.
Each character's lives and problems are woven intricately together and Lyn finds herself right in the middle of it. She attempts to help each of them and in return, they end up helping her.
Claire's Curse is beautifully written and targets perfectly to the young adult readers. Through her characters, Seewald effectively touches on the sensitive issue of child abuse, both physical and emotional, so that it speaks loud and clear; such abuse should not be tolerated, no matter who you are. I commend Seewald for her ability to make her characters come to life and the ability to touch on realistic issues that will give the young readers something to think about and to take heart.
Gracia Mason, CCR Reviewer

At first glance, the Phillips seems like the perfect American family. They have a beautiful home in the suburbs and all the trappings of an upper middle class lifestyle. But there's trouble brewing under the surface. The first clue is 15-year old Lyn's obsession with her 17-year old sister, Claire. Although early on it's easy to see why. Claire is an attractive and popular honor student and their mother constantly reminds Lyn of the ways she fails to measure up. When Claire suddenly dumps Jim, the captain of the football team and takes up with the local car mechanic Ray, who wears an earring, the trouble definitely bubbles over.

Mrs. Phillips goes ballistic over Claire's newfound rebellion and Lyn is caught in the middle. If it isn't bad enough dealing with her overbearing mother and her sassy, secretive sister, Lyn finds herself with three new friends. Jim, the pining ex-boyfriend wants her to help him get Claire back. Dave is the geeky class valedictorian who tutors her so he can get close enough to Claire to ask her to the Senior Prom. And Ray wins her over with his independent, brotherly nature. The result is a comical triangle of spy vs spy as the boys use Lyn to get to her sister. While everyone dumps on her, she in turn dumps on her friend Toni. She gets so caught up in the turmoil at home that she's oblivious to a more serious problem Toni lives with every day. But Ray points it out to her in the nick of time as Toni's dad becomes increasingly violent putting her and her sister Kathy in danger. The Phillips family is forced to set aside their own problems in order to rescue Toni and Kathy from their abusive father. In the process, Claire confesses a shocking family secret she's been keeping inside.

Claire's Curse is an old-fashioned teen romance with a dysfunctional family twist. Readers will delight in guessing, then finally finding out who winds up going to the Prom with whom.

Copyright (c) 2004 by Peggy Tibbetts