The Curse of Cawsandra is an ancient legend that has been passed down through the generations. According to the legend, Cawsandra was a powerful sorceress who lived centuries ago. She was known for her dark magic and her ability to manipulate the natural forces of the world. Cawsandra was said to have been betrayed by her own sister, who was jealous of her power. In a fit of rage, Cawsandra placed a curse upon her sister and all of her descendants. The curse was believed to bring misfortune and tragedy to anyone connected to the family line.
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The story charts Mildred s arrival as the only ordinary girl at the school and we see the witching world through her eyes as she makes friends with Maud Rebecca Killick , takes her first lesson double potions and endeavours to fit in. While there s a nice in-joke about Harry Potter we re told that Cackle s has no Slytherin-style evil house , the styling of Agatha as a villain who is taking back control and making witching great again seems tired, as does a floss dance routine.
The curse was believed to bring misfortune and tragedy to anyone connected to the family line. Throughout history, those affected by the Curse of Cawsandra have faced a series of unfortunate events, including illness, financial ruin, and even death. People would come to fear the family and avoid any association with them, believing that the curse was contagious.
Jill Murphy, children’s author and illustrator behind the hugely popular Worst Witch series of books – obituary
Jill Murphy, the children’s writer, who has died of cancer aged 72, was the author and illustrator of the phenomenally successful “Worst Witch” series of stories for younger children, chronicling the misadventures of the kindly Mildred Hubble, an accident-prone trainee witch at Miss Cackle’s Academy for Witches who is always botching her spells.
The first instalment was published in 1974 and it took Jill Murphy more than 40 years to write the next seven, completing the series in 2018 with First Prize for the Worst Witch. Her clear, pared-back style and charming illustrations proved a hit with children and their parents, and the books have never been out of print.
The stories of Mildred Hubble’s disastrous magicianship inspired a 40-part ITV series in the late 1990s, starring a young Felicity Jones as Mildred, as well as a series on CBBC (2017-20). In 2019 a musical stage production, The Worst Witch, opened in the West End and won an Olivier Award.
The Worst Witch was first published in 1974In recent years the fame of Mildred Hubble has been eclipsed by that of J K Rowling’s Harry Potter, though critics have often remarked on similarities between the two series, both of which feature young characters who go off to boarding schools to learn potions, spells and broomstick prowess (Quidditch in the Potter series, “broomstick aerobatics” in The Worst Witch).
However, Jill Murphy’s crisp prose generally enabled an action-packed plot to unravel in fewer than 200 pages. And there was no Lord Voldemort to give young children sleepless nights.
J K Rowling has not acknowledged Jill Murphy’s work as an inspiration and Jill Murphy was generally reluctant to comment, though when pressed by The Daily Telegraph in 2019, she admitted: “It would be nice, I suppose, if people would say thank you. But you have to be gracious.”
Jill Murphy was born in London on July 5 1949, the daughter of an Irish aircraft engineer and a librarian he met during the war. A gifted but quirky child, she was reading newspapers before she began school and was good at drawing.
She won a place at Ursuline High School, Wimbledon, a Catholic grammar school, but had problems fitting in: “I was a misfit. I had the long dark hair in plaits, which were always half undone with bits sticking out. My shoelaces flapping behind me. My hat on back to front.”
The picture book Five Minutes Peace was published in 1986Her teachers, she recalled, thought her too pleased with herself and, although she was good at writing and drawing, they took pleasure in pointing out her “hopelessness in all other areas of the curriculum and total lack of common sense”.
The school became the model for Miss Cackle’s Academy, while she based her shambolic heroine partly on herself. She was 14 when she wrote the first draft of The Worst Witch in her school rough book, illustrating it with her own drawings. Mildred was “wearing my school uniform, right down to the humiliating clod-hopping shoes. But I gave her a pointy hat”.
She left school at 16 and went on to Chelsea and Croydon art schools, followed by Camberwell, but found it no easier to fit in, and was expelled from Camberwell after only six months.
She worked as a cleaner, then in a children’s home and as a nanny, spent time in a village in Togo, West Africa, with her first husband, and received rejection letters from several publishers (“They said children would be frightened about a school for witches…”) before a small imprint named Allison & Busby took on The Worst Witch and printed 5,000 copies: “I remember wondering how many aunts and uncles I had, and what we would do with the rest.”
Jill Murphy: she based her shambolic heroine partly on herselfShe need not have worried. Within two months it had sold out. Jill Murphy continued working as a nanny, however, until the publication of The Worst Witch Strikes Again in 1980, when she decided to devote herself to writing full-time.
She wrote and illustrated many other classic books for younger readers including Peace at Last the same year, about poor Mr Bear and his efforts to get a decent night’s sleep; Five Minutes’ Peace (1986), the first in a series of 11 picture books about the Larges, a family of elephants: The Last Noo Noo (1995), about a Monster called Marlan and his love for dummies or “noo-noos”; Dear Hound (2009), about a lost dog; and Meltdown (2016), about a rabbit called Ruby who has a tantrum in a supermarket.
Jill Murphy, who lived in north Cornwall, was diagnosed with breast cancer in the mid-1990s. In 2015 she was told the cancer had returned.
She was married twice. Both marriages were dissolved and she is survived by a son from her second marriage to Roger Michell.
Jill Murphy, born July 5 1949, died August 18 2021
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Generations passed, and the Curse of Cawsandra continued to haunt the family. The curse became deeply ingrained in their lives, dictating their choices and influencing their destinies. It seemed as though there was no escape from its grip. However, as time went on, some members of the family began to question the curse and its power. They believed that it was merely a self-fulfilling prophecy, that the belief in the curse was causing the misfortunes, rather than the curse itself. These individuals embarked on a journey to break free from the curse's hold. They sought out ways to change their mindset, to shift their perspective, and to break the cycle of this dark family legacy. They embraced positivity, sought out opportunities for growth and change, and refused to let the curse define their lives. Over time, the curse began to lose its power. The family's fortunes started to change, and they were able to find happiness and success in their lives. The Curse of Cawsandra began to fade into mythology, remembered only as a cautionary tale of the destructive power of belief and negativity. Today, the legend of the Curse of Cawsandra serves as a reminder to all that our beliefs and thoughts can shape our reality. It teaches us the importance of embracing optimism and resilience, and rejecting the notion that we are bound by fate or curses. By choosing to break free from the shackles of negativity and fear, we have the power to create our own destiny..
Reviews for "Cawsandra's Legacy: The Curse of a Fallen Kingdom"
1. Sarah - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "Curse of Cawsandra". The plot was predictable and lacked originality. The characters were one-dimensional and had no depth or development. The writing style was bland and did not engage me as a reader. Overall, it felt like a rushed and unoriginal story that failed to capture my attention or imagination. I would not recommend it to others.
2. John - 1 star - "Curse of Cawsandra" was a complete waste of time. The story was poorly written and riddled with clichés. The dialogue was stilted and unnatural, making it difficult to connect with the characters or believe in their motivations. The pacing was off, with moments of unnecessary detail and long stretches of nothing happening. I found myself struggling to finish this book and ultimately felt unsatisfied by the lackluster conclusion. Save yourself the disappointment and skip this one.
3. Emily - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "Curse of Cawsandra" but found it to be underwhelming. The plot had potential, but it fell flat due to poor execution. The pacing was slow, and I found myself losing interest frequently. The characters were forgettable and lacked any significant development. The writing style was average at best, with nothing to make it stand out. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this book unless you have nothing else to read.
4. Michael - 1 star - I cannot express how much I disliked "Curse of Cawsandra". The story was boring and unoriginal, filled with tired tropes and predictable twists. The characters were shallow and had no substance, making it impossible to connect with them. The writing was amateurish and lacked sophistication. The whole reading experience was a chore, and I regret wasting my time and money on this book. Avoid it at all costs.