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ClareR (6054 KP) rated The Girl Who Came Out of the Woods in Books
May 3, 2019 (Updated May 3, 2019)
Arty (Artemis) has grown up in a clearing in an Indian forest with eleven other people. They name themselves after Gods and Goddesses and have almost entirely shut themselves off from the outside world. Arty and the other children have never left the clearing. It’s an idyllic life, until an illness strikes the camp. It’s highly contagious, and all of the inhabitants except for Arty and one of her ‘brothers’, Zeus, die. Arty and Zeus are alone in the world, until Zeus’ aunt comes to claim him, leaving Arty utterly alone.
This is the story of Arty finding her family and her place in a strange world.
I really enjoyed this. Arty has such a simplistic view of life, but this makes her a genuine, caring person - she has a lot to learn. She has no knowledge of money, transport, and has led a sheltered life.
Alongside her story are excerpts of a mystery person who appears to be locked in a room. I couldn’t understand what the connection was to begin with, but it all became clear - a very clever addition to the book.
This is a lovely story, and well worth a read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book to read and review, and to The Pigeonhole who ensured that I actually got it read!
This is the story of Arty finding her family and her place in a strange world.
I really enjoyed this. Arty has such a simplistic view of life, but this makes her a genuine, caring person - she has a lot to learn. She has no knowledge of money, transport, and has led a sheltered life.
Alongside her story are excerpts of a mystery person who appears to be locked in a room. I couldn’t understand what the connection was to begin with, but it all became clear - a very clever addition to the book.
This is a lovely story, and well worth a read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book to read and review, and to The Pigeonhole who ensured that I actually got it read!
Debbiereadsbook (1617 KP) rated Out Of The Penalty Box in Books
Feb 28, 2018
good, but not one for me.
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
I struggled with this one. And here's why.
Aidan is, or has been, straight. Here, he is attracted to Christophe, who is gay. You'd expect a whole lotta more soul searching and questioning going on, but there isn't. Aidan just jumps almost straight away into bed with Christophe, after he first expresses his feeling for Aidan.
I know its only a short book, some 100 odd pages and you can only do so much in those pages, but I did not feel any sort of emotional attachment to Aidan, at all.
We also only get Aidan. Yes yes YES, I KNOW I say it often enough, but think I might have enjoyed it a little more had Christophe had a say too.
And, aside from that very first chapter, there isn't any hockey!
So, a nice book, but not one that grabbed me. An easy read, maybe a little too easy. Someone will LOVE this book, I have no doubt. And I might have at any other time, but it just landed in the queue at the wrong time.
Not my best review, but I'll plead illness and hope that someone will forgive me.
3 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
I struggled with this one. And here's why.
Aidan is, or has been, straight. Here, he is attracted to Christophe, who is gay. You'd expect a whole lotta more soul searching and questioning going on, but there isn't. Aidan just jumps almost straight away into bed with Christophe, after he first expresses his feeling for Aidan.
I know its only a short book, some 100 odd pages and you can only do so much in those pages, but I did not feel any sort of emotional attachment to Aidan, at all.
We also only get Aidan. Yes yes YES, I KNOW I say it often enough, but think I might have enjoyed it a little more had Christophe had a say too.
And, aside from that very first chapter, there isn't any hockey!
So, a nice book, but not one that grabbed me. An easy read, maybe a little too easy. Someone will LOVE this book, I have no doubt. And I might have at any other time, but it just landed in the queue at the wrong time.
Not my best review, but I'll plead illness and hope that someone will forgive me.
3 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
A great start to a potentially exciting new trilogy!
Rosewater is a city which has grown around an alien biome in Nigeria. Once a year, a part of the dome opens and heals all those in the vicinity, regardless of their illness. The biome also appears to have triggered strange abilities in many people - one of whom is Kaaro. He has become a 'Finder' and via the xenosphere he is able to find things. If someone knows where an object or a person once was, he can find this object or person if they are later lost. The xenosphere is like the 'astral plane' (not that I've been!), and those who are like Kaaro also use this xenosphere to find out information.
Kaaro works for S45 - not willingly though. In the past, he had used his abilities to steal from people, and he is almost blackmailed in to working for the government. He doesn't make it easy for them. He does what they want on his own terms, it seems.
I really liked this. I liked the world building, the science behind it all, the characters (Femi is one of my favourites - she is a woman who takes no nonsense!). I think it's a good start to a trilogy - I'm very interested to see where this goes!
Kaaro works for S45 - not willingly though. In the past, he had used his abilities to steal from people, and he is almost blackmailed in to working for the government. He doesn't make it easy for them. He does what they want on his own terms, it seems.
I really liked this. I liked the world building, the science behind it all, the characters (Femi is one of my favourites - she is a woman who takes no nonsense!). I think it's a good start to a trilogy - I'm very interested to see where this goes!
Sarah (7800 KP) rated The Bell Jar in Books
Mar 18, 2020
A worthy classic
The Bell Jar is one of those well known classic books that pretty much everyone has heard of, but yet for me I hadn't a clue what the story was actually about. The story centres around a young woman's mental breakdown and descent into depression, and her subsequent slow path to recovery. It's not in the slightest what I was expected, but this is actually a rather good and worthy classic novel.
I wouldnt say Esther is a particularly endearing protagonist, there's a lot about her tale that doesn't make sense or seems a little lacking but I'm guessing this is because it's meant to represent her rather unhinged state of mind. It can get a little frustrating when things aren't explained properly, but for the most part the plot and story is very interesting and I struggled to put this down. It's well written without being pretentious, and it seems to be a very realistic tale about mental illness. The metaphor of the bell jar itself is a rather wonderful term despite the subject matter and one of the best metaphors I've ever come across in literature, as it's so true.
Overall this is a great classic and whilst it may seem a little dated, it's a really good study on mental health.
I wouldnt say Esther is a particularly endearing protagonist, there's a lot about her tale that doesn't make sense or seems a little lacking but I'm guessing this is because it's meant to represent her rather unhinged state of mind. It can get a little frustrating when things aren't explained properly, but for the most part the plot and story is very interesting and I struggled to put this down. It's well written without being pretentious, and it seems to be a very realistic tale about mental illness. The metaphor of the bell jar itself is a rather wonderful term despite the subject matter and one of the best metaphors I've ever come across in literature, as it's so true.
Overall this is a great classic and whilst it may seem a little dated, it's a really good study on mental health.
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