“You are Catori. And, of all people, you should know what that means. Spirit” — The Cursed Spirit by Marissa D’Angelo
It all started with a reading slump. I was about three books behind on my Goodreads goal, and I was looking for something quick to read. So, I picked up Marissa D’Angelo’s The Cursed Spirit.
The Cursed Spirit is one of the novels in the Charles Island series. D’Angelo released Presence, which is another novel in the series, was released last year. The Cursed Spirit is the first novella in the series, whereas Presence is the fourth. D’Angelo is set to release the Cursed Vessel, which would be the third book in the series, on May 27, 2022.
The Cursed Spirit is set on Charles Island/Silver Sands area (located in Milford, Connecticut) in the 1600s and tells the story of a Native American Tribe. We follow our main character, Catori, who is the chief’s son. Catori isn’t the best at some of the basic tasks as a Native American. However, he is curious about the Island he looks out at, and consistently is found daydreaming about it. He is warned to stay away from it. But, when his friend has a close encounter with it, he goes to find what’s on the island.
So, when I first went to read this piece, I was a little skeptical because history is not my thing whatsoever. However, I was pleasantly surprised on how engrossed I was with the story. Out of all of the books in this series, this one was hands down my favorite. D’Angelo grabs you on page one, and you don’t want to put it down until you reach the final page.
What kept me wanting to read it was the fact I wanted to know the mystery. Thankfully, it is revealed as you reached the end of the novel, with a side of delicious Native American lore. What can be challenging about writing a historical fiction novel is the research, and it showed that D’Angelo clearly did her homework while writing this novel.
That said, I also really enjoyed reading about the relationships between the tribe members. In fact, that was the most enjoyable thing about this novella. I loved reading about the Native American roles of a chief and the expectation of the Chief’s son. I also loved seeing the relationships between all of Catori’s family members, and especially with Aponi. Aponi was the girl that was his best friend growing up, but you can tell there is something more there. Their parents are rooting for them to get together, and although I did not get that in this novel, I am hoping to get that sometime before the series’ conclusion.
Overall, I would recommend this book to those who are looking for a quick read. Or, any read honestly as I loved everything about it. And, don’t be fooled by the description. It is definitely one of the most interesting novels that I have read in 2022, and I gave it a solid five stars.
The Cursed Spirit can be purchased in either physical and ebook format. It is also available on Kindle Unlimited. I did not get compensated for this review in any way, and all opinions are my own.
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