LitPick Review
Taking place in the small town of Ambrose, The Switch Sisters is a tale about a family’s struggle to fit in a place that possesses little diversity. Being of Chinese descent, single mother Fa Switch and her four daughters often attract stares for their distinctively ethnic appearance. However, there is a an even greater secret that draws an invisible barrier between the Switch family and the town—the Switches are actually witches. When the eldest Switch sister, Mara, is to marry Graham Hunter, son of the mayor and from a well-respected family, the Switch family’s reputation soon faces heavy scrutiny as the plot undergoes a series of thrilling twists.
Opinion:
I applaud Gwen Li for bring minorities into the light of young adult fiction. The fact that the Switches struggle to fit in, due to their unique backgrounds, raises many important questions about the way we treat others, especially those who have different backgrounds, within society. Too often, the differences that exist among people create unnecessary fear and prejudice—an issue that the book clearly addresses. In addition, through its characters, the book also brings up the concept of identity, and how identity fluctuates depending on the surrounding environment. Each of the Switch sisters, as well as the mother, bring a distinct personality to the table that contribute to the progression of the story. Furthermore, Li does a great job of portraying the sticky nature of mother-daughter relationships—the way a mother’s good intentions may get in the way of her daughters’ potentials.
I found the end of the book satisfying. However, I found that many of the secondary characters that seem to have lacked originality, or weren’t given enough time to develop within the book. Nevertheless, I was entertained by the numerous plot twists that consistently appeared throughout the book. More importantly, I enjoyed that through her storytelling of a fictional family and town, Li subtly presents real-world issues that we all need to think about more often.
