Book Review And Discussion of The Secret Circle: The Initiation and The Captive Part I by L. J. Smith

Recently, The Hollywood Reporter ran an article  saying that the popular HarperTeen series The Secret Circle by L.J. Smith would be the basis for a new television series in the works for the CW 2011 Fall line up. Why is this significant? The news raised my eyebrows because L.J. Smith is also the author behind the much beloved The Vampire Diaries series that the TV show  (also on CW) of the same name is based on. So, knowing how much I love The Vampire Diaries books, I decided to read the first volume in The Secret Circle series.

The Secret Circle: The Initiation and The Captive Part I was originally published in 1992, and there are a few instances where the book is a little dated (i.e. mentions of cds,VHS tapes and of the supreme cool girl car of the 90s, the Volkswagen Rabbit). However, as a whole, the story is pretty timeless. Instead of vampires, this series focuses on a coven of teenaged witches in the town of New Salem. The main character of the series is a teen girl named Cassie. After moving from California to New Salem, she quickly learns that the East coast is a whole other world compared to  where she moved from. Cassie’s new school is ruled by a mysterious “club” made up of students who all live on the same street as Cassie. Soon Cassie discovers that the club is made up of two factions: good and evil. Will Cassie be asked to join “the club”? If so, which side will she choose?

Overall, I enjoyed L.J. Smith’s foray into witchcraft. I especially liked the East coast setting and the references to the Salem Witch Trials throughout the book. The character development and plot pacing are stellar as per usual with Smith’s writing. The main focus of the series so far is a romantic plot between Cassie and a mysterious boy (whose name is found out towards the middle of the first half of the book). As much as I like a good love triangle (Stefan, Damien, Elena in TVD), there does not seem to be a set up for a love triangle just yet in this series. Instead, most of the conflict is between the girls in “the club.” According to L.J. Smith’s blog, Britt Robertson of Life Unexpected has been cast to play Cassie.

So, what do you guys think? Are you looking forward to this new television series? Have you read The Secret Circle series yet? Leave a comment. I would love to hear your thoughts!

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