Curse for the Homesick by Laura Brooke Robson | A Haunting YA Fantasy About Love, Fear, and Identity

Laura Brooke Robson’s Curse for the Homesick is a hauntingly beautiful contemporary fantasy that weaves love, fear, and identity into a nonlinear tale of curses and resilience.

Laura Brooke Robson’s Curse for the Homesick is an unexpectedly poignant and beautifully layered contemporary fantasy. Nonlinear in structure, the book uses its shifting timelines to unravel the complex romance between Tess and Sorin, two characters bound together by love, loss, and the weight of a generational curse.

A Curse With Deeper Meaning

On the island of Stenland, every generation three women are marked by the Skeld curse—a condition that petrifies anyone they look in the eye for three months. For Tess, this curse is more than folklore; it is personal trauma. As a child, she watched her mother accidentally petrify Sorin’s parents before ultimately abandoning her family and leaving Tess behind.

For Tess, the curse becomes an allegory for the restrictions placed on women—expectations of domesticity, motherhood, and submission. It’s both her greatest fear and the shadow that shapes her identity.

Love, Fear, and Emotional Turmoil

At its heart, the novel is a love story. Tess and Sorin’s relationship is tender yet fraught, built on years of longing, pain, and unspoken fears. Tess, terrified of repeating her mother’s mistakes, constantly pulls away, while Sorin remains steadfast, choosing to stay by her side without forcing her into a role she doesn’t want. Their dynamic is full of push and pull, but it never tips into toxicity; instead, it highlights the importance of self-reflection, healing, and communication in order for love to thrive.

Nonlinear Storytelling That Works

The nonlinear structure enhances the emotional weight of the novel, weaving between childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. It allows readers to see how Tess and Sorin’s relationship evolves over time and how the scars of the past continue to shape their choices in the present. The constant back-and-forth could have been disjointed, but here it mirrors Tess’s inner conflict, making the structure feel purposeful and effective.

Final Thoughts

Curse for the Homesick is an intimate exploration of love, identity, and the heavy expectations placed on women. The curse is both literal and metaphorical, a lens through which Robson examines fear, freedom, and belonging. Tess’s journey toward reconciling her past with her future is both moving and resonant, while the romance at its core feels achingly real.

This was a surprising and delightful read, and one I absolutely recommend to fans of emotionally charged YA fantasy.