Search
“Thriller of the year” according to <i>Observer</i>; it makes you wonder what all the other thrillers were like. <i>Gone Girl</i> is a contemporary crime thriller by American author Gillian Flynn. Likable “Cool Girl” Amy Dunne is missing; the police think her husband has something to do with it, but what really happened?
Flynn begins the novel with an epigraph: “Love is the world’s infinite mutability; lies, hatred, murder even, are all knit up in it; it is the inevitable blossoming of its opposites, a magnificent rose smelling faintly of blood.” – Tony Kushner, <i>The Illusion</i>. This implies that love and hate, and perhaps murder, will be the main issues within the novel. It hints that relationships may not be all that they first appear, which becomes evident as you read deeper into the book.
Split into three parts, the first section alternates between a first person account from Nick Dunne, the husband, of what is occurring on the day in which Amy disappears and the following days when both he and the police are attempting to determine the truth about what has happened and trying to find out where Amy is; and diary entries from Amy dating as far back as 2005.
To begin with I did not think much of the story and did not particularly like Amy, despite her being portrayed as a likable character; however I soon got into the story siding with Nick and wanting him to be innocent even though evidence and suspicion were mounting against him.
Initially I assumed that the truth would not be revealed until the end of the story rather than on the first page of part two. For the remainder of the book Nick’s narrative remains the same, progressing from where it left off at the end of part one; whereas Amy, instead of diary entries, she is telling the reader the truth about what happened on the 5th July – the day she went missing – and the subsequent days and weeks. At this point I became a bit bored with the story; as the reader we know the truth and it is frustrating that the police are getting it wrong. However part three contained more suspense than the rest of the novel.
So, why only three stars? As I already mentioned it did not seem that great at the beginning and to be honest I did not feel satisfied with the ending either. One of the main things that bothered me was the use of swear words. I understand that many people swear and so it is inevitable that these words would end up in novels; however in my opinion there is swearing and then there is <i>swearing</i>. This was beginning to border on the latter. Yes some of the characters were angry but I thought the use of expletives was slightly overdone.
Despite these misgivings it was a well-written piece of fiction that I think others may enjoy – the ratings on <i>Goodreads</i> certainly suggest that; but for me it was not anything special.
Flynn begins the novel with an epigraph: “Love is the world’s infinite mutability; lies, hatred, murder even, are all knit up in it; it is the inevitable blossoming of its opposites, a magnificent rose smelling faintly of blood.” – Tony Kushner, <i>The Illusion</i>. This implies that love and hate, and perhaps murder, will be the main issues within the novel. It hints that relationships may not be all that they first appear, which becomes evident as you read deeper into the book.
Split into three parts, the first section alternates between a first person account from Nick Dunne, the husband, of what is occurring on the day in which Amy disappears and the following days when both he and the police are attempting to determine the truth about what has happened and trying to find out where Amy is; and diary entries from Amy dating as far back as 2005.
To begin with I did not think much of the story and did not particularly like Amy, despite her being portrayed as a likable character; however I soon got into the story siding with Nick and wanting him to be innocent even though evidence and suspicion were mounting against him.
Initially I assumed that the truth would not be revealed until the end of the story rather than on the first page of part two. For the remainder of the book Nick’s narrative remains the same, progressing from where it left off at the end of part one; whereas Amy, instead of diary entries, she is telling the reader the truth about what happened on the 5th July – the day she went missing – and the subsequent days and weeks. At this point I became a bit bored with the story; as the reader we know the truth and it is frustrating that the police are getting it wrong. However part three contained more suspense than the rest of the novel.
So, why only three stars? As I already mentioned it did not seem that great at the beginning and to be honest I did not feel satisfied with the ending either. One of the main things that bothered me was the use of swear words. I understand that many people swear and so it is inevitable that these words would end up in novels; however in my opinion there is swearing and then there is <i>swearing</i>. This was beginning to border on the latter. Yes some of the characters were angry but I thought the use of expletives was slightly overdone.
Despite these misgivings it was a well-written piece of fiction that I think others may enjoy – the ratings on <i>Goodreads</i> certainly suggest that; but for me it was not anything special.
Louise (64 KP) rated The Painted Ocean in Books
Jul 2, 2018
*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher Corsair in exchange for an honest review*
This is another one of my books that I read for #Beatthebacklist 2017 challenge, most of these books are Netgalley books that I have not managed to get around to reading….sorry Netgalley.
Oh I don’t know where to begin with this book,I was very apprehensive about reading it as the rating on Goodreads is 2.86 which is pretty low and only saw a handful of 5 star reviews. I didn’t read any reviews beforehand as I wanted to go in with an open mind.
This is Gabriel Packards debut novel and is definitely an interesting read but unsure of what genre this would fall under as it’s a story of this Indian girls life and just how awful it is.
‘The Painted Ocean’ is told from the perspective of Shruti, her father has just upped and left, disgracing her mother according to her uncle and the rest of the family. With little money and her mother unable to speak English life becomes difficult for Shruti, especially when her Uncle is arranging for her Mother to return to India to marry. Shruti will not be moving to India with her mother as her existence will ruin her mothers chances of marriage, however when Shruti mentions to the headmistress that her uncle has threatening her she finds herself in the care system and her mother abandons her. Shruti’s life sucks, she is now in the care system and being bullied by other kids at her school as she is the only Indian girl until Meena arrives. Meena is also Indian,but she has this way with words and people and gets everything she wants. Shruti clings to Meena as she has shown her kindness and becomes her friend…but is she really her friend?
The book follows Shruti from eleven years old to when she is an adult but I felt the writing didn’t progress as her age did. There were lots of ‘Like’ and ‘Cos’ in the writing that I felt was overly used and got quite annoying in the end and she would even use this terminology when she was an adult.
All the characters were unlikable, we had her mother that abandoned her though she didn’t leave for India for ages. Her Uncle was horrible and made sure she knew that she was unwanted and then there was Meena who had the gift of the gab but just used Shruti and would only be her friend when it was convenient for her.
I found the plot of this to be really unrealistic especially towards the end, everything just conveniently happened and some parts I thought were too strung out.
The story kept me interested and was easy to read but the writing style was not for me and I just found it to be unrealistic. This is definitely a book that you will love or hate.
I rated this book 2 out of 5 stars.
This is another one of my books that I read for #Beatthebacklist 2017 challenge, most of these books are Netgalley books that I have not managed to get around to reading….sorry Netgalley.
Oh I don’t know where to begin with this book,I was very apprehensive about reading it as the rating on Goodreads is 2.86 which is pretty low and only saw a handful of 5 star reviews. I didn’t read any reviews beforehand as I wanted to go in with an open mind.
This is Gabriel Packards debut novel and is definitely an interesting read but unsure of what genre this would fall under as it’s a story of this Indian girls life and just how awful it is.
‘The Painted Ocean’ is told from the perspective of Shruti, her father has just upped and left, disgracing her mother according to her uncle and the rest of the family. With little money and her mother unable to speak English life becomes difficult for Shruti, especially when her Uncle is arranging for her Mother to return to India to marry. Shruti will not be moving to India with her mother as her existence will ruin her mothers chances of marriage, however when Shruti mentions to the headmistress that her uncle has threatening her she finds herself in the care system and her mother abandons her. Shruti’s life sucks, she is now in the care system and being bullied by other kids at her school as she is the only Indian girl until Meena arrives. Meena is also Indian,but she has this way with words and people and gets everything she wants. Shruti clings to Meena as she has shown her kindness and becomes her friend…but is she really her friend?
The book follows Shruti from eleven years old to when she is an adult but I felt the writing didn’t progress as her age did. There were lots of ‘Like’ and ‘Cos’ in the writing that I felt was overly used and got quite annoying in the end and she would even use this terminology when she was an adult.
All the characters were unlikable, we had her mother that abandoned her though she didn’t leave for India for ages. Her Uncle was horrible and made sure she knew that she was unwanted and then there was Meena who had the gift of the gab but just used Shruti and would only be her friend when it was convenient for her.
I found the plot of this to be really unrealistic especially towards the end, everything just conveniently happened and some parts I thought were too strung out.
The story kept me interested and was easy to read but the writing style was not for me and I just found it to be unrealistic. This is definitely a book that you will love or hate.
I rated this book 2 out of 5 stars.
Necole (36 KP) rated Lies You Never Told Me in Books
Aug 25, 2018
ARC Win
I won this as a goodreads give-away and am glad I did!
A gripping, thrilling, page-turning YA novel that grabbed you from the beginning until the last page! It touches base on many different relationships. How lies, secrets, desires and choices in life can haunt you, make you question things and make you rethink if the choices you made were the right ones. This was a quick read that kept you guessing. A mixture of romance, thriller, mystery and young adult relationships, struggles and emotions.
Lies You Never Told Me can be broken down into two stories.
The first is about Gabe, a teenager who gets lost in a relationship with his girlfriend Sasha and questions why he stays with her. Sasha is the typical high school popular girl and bully. He decides to break up with her, however Sasha does not want the relationship to end. Sasha tries different things to get Gabe back. She is the epidemy of a psycho ex-girlfriend. Gabe starts falling for another girl Catherine and that too is a complicated relationship in itself. And while this is all happening Gabe finds himself a victim of a hit and run.
The second story in Lies You Never Told Me is about a girl named Elyse who is a teenage high school student who tries to hide a family secret about her mother, while going to school, working and keeping her and her mother from becoming homeless. Her only outlet of feeling normal is from her drama theater class. She gets a role in the school play and her life gets even more complicated. She falls for her high school drama teacher, Aiden Hunter and she has to hide this from everyone including her best friend Brynn. And her story unfolds from there.
In the end, these two stories collide together in such a way, it leaves the readers wanting more and gives you that aha moment of why the book was written how it was.
I rated it 4/5 because it was a little confusing of how the two stories tied together until you got to the end. Both stories told in Lies You Never Told Me dealt with a complicated teenage relationship though both very different, psychologically gripping and written in a way you get pulled to the characters, the stories didn't collide until the end so you were wondering throughout the book why it was written like it was and felt disconnected from each other. You felt like you were reading 2 separate novels until the last few chapters.
I would highly recommend this book to YA readers and adults who want a fast read, like a book told in different character perspectives, want a mystery/psychothriller mixed in with romance and relationship issues, those who like engaging characters and teenage issues that adults can understand as well!!!! I would say it's a YA book that compares adults book authors like Gillian Flynn, B.A. Paris, Lisa Jewell and others with similar writing styles and plots!
A gripping, thrilling, page-turning YA novel that grabbed you from the beginning until the last page! It touches base on many different relationships. How lies, secrets, desires and choices in life can haunt you, make you question things and make you rethink if the choices you made were the right ones. This was a quick read that kept you guessing. A mixture of romance, thriller, mystery and young adult relationships, struggles and emotions.
Lies You Never Told Me can be broken down into two stories.
The first is about Gabe, a teenager who gets lost in a relationship with his girlfriend Sasha and questions why he stays with her. Sasha is the typical high school popular girl and bully. He decides to break up with her, however Sasha does not want the relationship to end. Sasha tries different things to get Gabe back. She is the epidemy of a psycho ex-girlfriend. Gabe starts falling for another girl Catherine and that too is a complicated relationship in itself. And while this is all happening Gabe finds himself a victim of a hit and run.
The second story in Lies You Never Told Me is about a girl named Elyse who is a teenage high school student who tries to hide a family secret about her mother, while going to school, working and keeping her and her mother from becoming homeless. Her only outlet of feeling normal is from her drama theater class. She gets a role in the school play and her life gets even more complicated. She falls for her high school drama teacher, Aiden Hunter and she has to hide this from everyone including her best friend Brynn. And her story unfolds from there.
In the end, these two stories collide together in such a way, it leaves the readers wanting more and gives you that aha moment of why the book was written how it was.
I rated it 4/5 because it was a little confusing of how the two stories tied together until you got to the end. Both stories told in Lies You Never Told Me dealt with a complicated teenage relationship though both very different, psychologically gripping and written in a way you get pulled to the characters, the stories didn't collide until the end so you were wondering throughout the book why it was written like it was and felt disconnected from each other. You felt like you were reading 2 separate novels until the last few chapters.
I would highly recommend this book to YA readers and adults who want a fast read, like a book told in different character perspectives, want a mystery/psychothriller mixed in with romance and relationship issues, those who like engaging characters and teenage issues that adults can understand as well!!!! I would say it's a YA book that compares adults book authors like Gillian Flynn, B.A. Paris, Lisa Jewell and others with similar writing styles and plots!
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated On Bone Bridge in Books
Aug 25, 2018
Interesting plot (3 more)
Fleshed Out Characters
Well written characters
Great pacing
One of my Favorite Books!
The synopsis for On Bone Bridge by Maria Hoey definitely intrigued me. Everything about it made me really want to read this book. When I won On Bone Bridge from a Goodreads giveaway, I was ecstatic! Luckily, this book didn't disappoint.
The pacing for On Bone Bridge starts off slowly for the first few chapters. However, it quickly picks up soon enough. Once the pacing picked up, I didn't want to put this book down. I couldn't wait to find out what happened next and to find out what Kay knew. I also couldn't wait to find out if Oliver would be alright.
The plot for On Bone Bridge is definitely an interesting one. I also don't believe it's been done too many times. When Violet-May's and Rosemary-June's infant brother, Alexander, falls off of a bridge and drowns, everyone thinks it was just a horrible accident. However, Kay has her suspicions that it wasn't. We read about this time in her life. Then we read a little about when she's a teen, followed by her twenties. It's when she's in her late 30's that she crosses paths with the Duff family. She is invited by Rosemary-June's and Violet-May's brother, Robbie, to come leave with them in their house to keep an eye on things. Rosemary-June now has two kids of her own. A 3 year old girl named Caroline and an 18 month old named Oliver. When strange things start happening to Oliver, Kay starts to wonder if they are by accident or if something more sinister is going on as well as wondering if this is all connected to that day on Bone Bridge when Alexander drowned. Anyway, the plot is written very well. There are a few plot twists including one which could be predictable. However, On Bone Bridge is still a fantastic read. All of my questions were answered, so it was nice to have closure.
I enjoyed the world building in On Bone Bridge. This book definitely had me feeling some emotions for sure! Anyway, most of the book takes place in Ireland at different time periods. I think the author, Maria Hoey, did an excellent job in making the reader feel as if they were right there whilst everything was happening. I loved how most of the story also takes place at the Duffy family home. Kay was in awe of the house when she was little, so it was nice to read more about the place.
Trigger warnings include the death of a child and an animal, a spoiled child, swearing, violence (although not much and not very graphic), drinking, and cheating.
Overall, On Bone Bridge is a fantastic read. It's got a very interesting and strong plot as well as likable characters. The world building is written well too. I would definitely recommend On Bone Bridge by Maria Hoey to everyone aged 15+ who loves reading.
The pacing for On Bone Bridge starts off slowly for the first few chapters. However, it quickly picks up soon enough. Once the pacing picked up, I didn't want to put this book down. I couldn't wait to find out what happened next and to find out what Kay knew. I also couldn't wait to find out if Oliver would be alright.
The plot for On Bone Bridge is definitely an interesting one. I also don't believe it's been done too many times. When Violet-May's and Rosemary-June's infant brother, Alexander, falls off of a bridge and drowns, everyone thinks it was just a horrible accident. However, Kay has her suspicions that it wasn't. We read about this time in her life. Then we read a little about when she's a teen, followed by her twenties. It's when she's in her late 30's that she crosses paths with the Duff family. She is invited by Rosemary-June's and Violet-May's brother, Robbie, to come leave with them in their house to keep an eye on things. Rosemary-June now has two kids of her own. A 3 year old girl named Caroline and an 18 month old named Oliver. When strange things start happening to Oliver, Kay starts to wonder if they are by accident or if something more sinister is going on as well as wondering if this is all connected to that day on Bone Bridge when Alexander drowned. Anyway, the plot is written very well. There are a few plot twists including one which could be predictable. However, On Bone Bridge is still a fantastic read. All of my questions were answered, so it was nice to have closure.
I enjoyed the world building in On Bone Bridge. This book definitely had me feeling some emotions for sure! Anyway, most of the book takes place in Ireland at different time periods. I think the author, Maria Hoey, did an excellent job in making the reader feel as if they were right there whilst everything was happening. I loved how most of the story also takes place at the Duffy family home. Kay was in awe of the house when she was little, so it was nice to read more about the place.
Trigger warnings include the death of a child and an animal, a spoiled child, swearing, violence (although not much and not very graphic), drinking, and cheating.
Overall, On Bone Bridge is a fantastic read. It's got a very interesting and strong plot as well as likable characters. The world building is written well too. I would definitely recommend On Bone Bridge by Maria Hoey to everyone aged 15+ who loves reading.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated The Joyce Girl in Books
Dec 14, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
Winner of the Impress Prize for New Writers 2015, Annabel Abbs creates a fantastic work of historical fiction based upon the life of Lucia Joyce. Although the titular character may be unheard of within the general public, her father will be known amongst the majority of readers. James Joyce, the eccentric author of<i> Ulysses</i> and <i>Finnegan’s Wake</i>, travelled around Europe with his family until settling in Avant-garde Paris, 1928. His daughter, Lucia, an ambitious, talented dancer describes the unconventional life as a child of Mr. Joyce, its ups and downs, and inevitable ruinous breakdown.
<i>The Joyce Girl</i> begins in Küsnacht, Zurich where Lucia is receiving treatment from Dr. Carl Jung – another well-known name; this novel is full of them. Struggling to come to terms with her current mental ill health and supposed repressed memories, Jung encourages Lucia to write her memoirs in order to learn of the events that led to this current predicament. Starting from 1928, aged 21, Lucia describes her life to Jung and the reader in brutally honest detail.
The unusual Irish family went through various successes and traumas in the intervening years, creating a humorous and emotional story. Lucia’s brother, Giorgio, caused the family enough problems without adding in the devastating heartache Lucia suffers from men who do not reciprocate her love. One of these lovers is the famous Samuel Beckett (<i>Waiting for Godot</i>, 1952), the first man Lucia falls for. It is fascinating to learn of the multiple connections these notable names had with each other. Although in retrospect it makes sense that the literary and artistic crowds would stick together.
From Lucia’s memoirs Jung formulates that the Joyce parents were extremely controlling, not giving Lucia the opportunity to live her own life – particularly within her dancing career. However, Jung still maintains that Lucia experienced emotional trauma and is insistent on retrieving those memories. What he eventually discovers will shock and possibly sicken the reader.
Through enormous amount of research, Annabel Abbs has put together a likely account of the Joyce family, particularly Lucia’s life. Using existing biographies, original letters and professional opinion, Abbs devises a logical narrative for the unfortunate dancer. Drawing upon knowledge of other literary greats and artists of the era, <i>The Joyce Girl</i> can be easily believed to be a true account, although doubtlessly some scenes must be based upon imagination.
<i>The Joyce Girl</i> will attract historical and romantic novel enthusiasts, providing an enjoyable, thought capturing story, as well as an opportunity to learn. Whether you are aware of James Joyce’s works, or even Lucia herself, <i>The Joyce Girl</i> is bound to capture your attention and draw your mind into the European life during the early 1930s. Although only her debut novel, Annabel Abbs comes highly recommended and it will be interesting to see what direction she has decided to take in her shortly expected second novel.
Winner of the Impress Prize for New Writers 2015, Annabel Abbs creates a fantastic work of historical fiction based upon the life of Lucia Joyce. Although the titular character may be unheard of within the general public, her father will be known amongst the majority of readers. James Joyce, the eccentric author of<i> Ulysses</i> and <i>Finnegan’s Wake</i>, travelled around Europe with his family until settling in Avant-garde Paris, 1928. His daughter, Lucia, an ambitious, talented dancer describes the unconventional life as a child of Mr. Joyce, its ups and downs, and inevitable ruinous breakdown.
<i>The Joyce Girl</i> begins in Küsnacht, Zurich where Lucia is receiving treatment from Dr. Carl Jung – another well-known name; this novel is full of them. Struggling to come to terms with her current mental ill health and supposed repressed memories, Jung encourages Lucia to write her memoirs in order to learn of the events that led to this current predicament. Starting from 1928, aged 21, Lucia describes her life to Jung and the reader in brutally honest detail.
The unusual Irish family went through various successes and traumas in the intervening years, creating a humorous and emotional story. Lucia’s brother, Giorgio, caused the family enough problems without adding in the devastating heartache Lucia suffers from men who do not reciprocate her love. One of these lovers is the famous Samuel Beckett (<i>Waiting for Godot</i>, 1952), the first man Lucia falls for. It is fascinating to learn of the multiple connections these notable names had with each other. Although in retrospect it makes sense that the literary and artistic crowds would stick together.
From Lucia’s memoirs Jung formulates that the Joyce parents were extremely controlling, not giving Lucia the opportunity to live her own life – particularly within her dancing career. However, Jung still maintains that Lucia experienced emotional trauma and is insistent on retrieving those memories. What he eventually discovers will shock and possibly sicken the reader.
Through enormous amount of research, Annabel Abbs has put together a likely account of the Joyce family, particularly Lucia’s life. Using existing biographies, original letters and professional opinion, Abbs devises a logical narrative for the unfortunate dancer. Drawing upon knowledge of other literary greats and artists of the era, <i>The Joyce Girl</i> can be easily believed to be a true account, although doubtlessly some scenes must be based upon imagination.
<i>The Joyce Girl</i> will attract historical and romantic novel enthusiasts, providing an enjoyable, thought capturing story, as well as an opportunity to learn. Whether you are aware of James Joyce’s works, or even Lucia herself, <i>The Joyce Girl</i> is bound to capture your attention and draw your mind into the European life during the early 1930s. Although only her debut novel, Annabel Abbs comes highly recommended and it will be interesting to see what direction she has decided to take in her shortly expected second novel.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated The Wolf Road in Books
Dec 14, 2018
3.5 Stars
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
“Any lie can turn into the truth if you believe it long enough.” <i>The Wolf Road</i> is the debut literary thriller by British author Beth Lewis. The post-apocalyptic world is not a very safe place to be, especially for a seven year old during a fierce and dangerous storm. Lost in the woods, a young girl comes across a man who, after naming her Elka, gives her a place to stay for the next ten years of her life. During this time he teaches her how to trap animals, use hunting knives and move silently between the trees – all the vital things needed to survive in the wild. For a long time Elka views this man as a father figure, but on discovering that her beloved Daddy is a serial killer, she realizes she has been living a life of lies.
Desperate to get away from the horrifying realization, Elka runs off deep into the forest with only a hunting knife and the clothes on her back. With nowhere to go, she decides to try and find her birth parents, but although she can easily survive in the wild, she is completely unprepared for the human world. With a childlike innocence, Elka finds herself in trouble on numerous occasions, only feeling at ease once she is back in the woods living the life of wolves. However she soon realizes that she will never be safe no matter how far she travels – not until that murderer is dead himself.
Once you get used to Elka’s colourful dialect, the gripping narrative pulls us into a world with danger around every corner. Elka’s revelation at the beginning of the book seems like a small issue compared with all the trouble she finds herself in later on. The reader will sympathize with Elka as she discovers the evils of man, and admire her strength as well as the development of a conscience after meeting and making her first ever friend. But whilst Elka learns how to walk amongst humans, there is a foreboding sense of doom as evilness keeps her within its sights.
<i>The Wolf Road</i> is a great post-apocalyptic story with a strong protagonist. At times it takes on a similar theme to a western novel, with guns, gold mining, and violence; but it is essentially a thriller built up of lies that are gradually unpicked. There is no psychological element to the book, thus nothing to try and work out for yourself. You simply need to read and discover what happens. As a result this book is the kind you will either love or hate. Some people may find it disturbing or gruesome, whereas others may find it exciting and enjoy reading about the unique main character.
Personally I think <i>The Wolf Road</i> is a great, original piece of work, and it only loses stars because I found a few parts a bit too grisly. Beth Lewis writes well and it cannot have been easy to keep the dialect up for the entire novel. This is an author who definitely has promise for the future.
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
“Any lie can turn into the truth if you believe it long enough.” <i>The Wolf Road</i> is the debut literary thriller by British author Beth Lewis. The post-apocalyptic world is not a very safe place to be, especially for a seven year old during a fierce and dangerous storm. Lost in the woods, a young girl comes across a man who, after naming her Elka, gives her a place to stay for the next ten years of her life. During this time he teaches her how to trap animals, use hunting knives and move silently between the trees – all the vital things needed to survive in the wild. For a long time Elka views this man as a father figure, but on discovering that her beloved Daddy is a serial killer, she realizes she has been living a life of lies.
Desperate to get away from the horrifying realization, Elka runs off deep into the forest with only a hunting knife and the clothes on her back. With nowhere to go, she decides to try and find her birth parents, but although she can easily survive in the wild, she is completely unprepared for the human world. With a childlike innocence, Elka finds herself in trouble on numerous occasions, only feeling at ease once she is back in the woods living the life of wolves. However she soon realizes that she will never be safe no matter how far she travels – not until that murderer is dead himself.
Once you get used to Elka’s colourful dialect, the gripping narrative pulls us into a world with danger around every corner. Elka’s revelation at the beginning of the book seems like a small issue compared with all the trouble she finds herself in later on. The reader will sympathize with Elka as she discovers the evils of man, and admire her strength as well as the development of a conscience after meeting and making her first ever friend. But whilst Elka learns how to walk amongst humans, there is a foreboding sense of doom as evilness keeps her within its sights.
<i>The Wolf Road</i> is a great post-apocalyptic story with a strong protagonist. At times it takes on a similar theme to a western novel, with guns, gold mining, and violence; but it is essentially a thriller built up of lies that are gradually unpicked. There is no psychological element to the book, thus nothing to try and work out for yourself. You simply need to read and discover what happens. As a result this book is the kind you will either love or hate. Some people may find it disturbing or gruesome, whereas others may find it exciting and enjoy reading about the unique main character.
Personally I think <i>The Wolf Road</i> is a great, original piece of work, and it only loses stars because I found a few parts a bit too grisly. Beth Lewis writes well and it cannot have been easy to keep the dialect up for the entire novel. This is an author who definitely has promise for the future.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Cuckoo Song in Books
Dec 14, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
Frances Hardinge’s <i>Cuckoo Song</i> is a historical, horror story for children. Six years have past since the end of the First World War, a war in which the Crescent family lost their eldest child. Eleven-year-old Theresa Crescent “Triss” lives with her parents and nine year old sister, Penelope “Pen” in the fictional town of Ellchester, England. Since losing Sebastian, Triss has become a very frail child and so it is no surprise to her parents that she develops an awful fever after falling into a millpond. The question, though, is how she came to be in the pond to begin with and why Pen is so scared of her?
Things become even more mystifying when Triss sees dolls start to move, finds leaves on her pillow, and is constantly ravenously hungry. Her parents begin to consider that Triss is suffering from some form of mental illness, however, Pen, the bad-tempered child, is adamant that that is not the case. She claims that Triss is a fake.
The horrible realization is that perhaps Triss is not Triss at all. This discovery leads the tale into paranormal territory with the introduction of unique new creatures: Besiders.
Cuckoo Song is not just an entertaining, fantastical story; it also deals with themes of family and personal emotion. Piers and Celeste Crescent are examples of parents whose behaviour and response to the death of a child impact on their remaining children. Triss becomes a child they want to protect and save leaving Pen to become an attention-seeking troublemaker.
As the story progresses, Triss and Pen’s relationship develops, or rather Pen and Not-Triss’, into something more recognizable and sisterly. Through their strength and newfound love for each other, they fight to get the happy ending they deserve. And through it all Triss discovers that just because someone calls you a monster, it does not mean that you are a monster.
The 1920’s setting did not feel quite accurate. At times it felt as though the story could have been set today. This, however, was not a major issue as, apart from Sebastian’s death during WW1, the time period was not a key aspect of the plot.
Initially the children, particularly Pen, were written in a way that made them seem older than Hardinge intended them to be, although by the end it is clear that they are fairly young. This is shown in the way that Pen begins to become attached to, and slightly more dependent, on Triss.
It is difficult to say who the target audience of <i>Cuckoo Song</i> is. The protagonist is eleven but the writing may be a little difficult for some children, on the other hand it cannot exactly be classed as Young Adult fiction since the characters are not even in their teens.
Overall, <i>Cuckoo Song</i> is an exciting, fast paced, fairy tale-like story with original characters. It is not scary and is fun to read; there is nothing to stop older readers from enjoying it too!
Frances Hardinge’s <i>Cuckoo Song</i> is a historical, horror story for children. Six years have past since the end of the First World War, a war in which the Crescent family lost their eldest child. Eleven-year-old Theresa Crescent “Triss” lives with her parents and nine year old sister, Penelope “Pen” in the fictional town of Ellchester, England. Since losing Sebastian, Triss has become a very frail child and so it is no surprise to her parents that she develops an awful fever after falling into a millpond. The question, though, is how she came to be in the pond to begin with and why Pen is so scared of her?
Things become even more mystifying when Triss sees dolls start to move, finds leaves on her pillow, and is constantly ravenously hungry. Her parents begin to consider that Triss is suffering from some form of mental illness, however, Pen, the bad-tempered child, is adamant that that is not the case. She claims that Triss is a fake.
The horrible realization is that perhaps Triss is not Triss at all. This discovery leads the tale into paranormal territory with the introduction of unique new creatures: Besiders.
Cuckoo Song is not just an entertaining, fantastical story; it also deals with themes of family and personal emotion. Piers and Celeste Crescent are examples of parents whose behaviour and response to the death of a child impact on their remaining children. Triss becomes a child they want to protect and save leaving Pen to become an attention-seeking troublemaker.
As the story progresses, Triss and Pen’s relationship develops, or rather Pen and Not-Triss’, into something more recognizable and sisterly. Through their strength and newfound love for each other, they fight to get the happy ending they deserve. And through it all Triss discovers that just because someone calls you a monster, it does not mean that you are a monster.
The 1920’s setting did not feel quite accurate. At times it felt as though the story could have been set today. This, however, was not a major issue as, apart from Sebastian’s death during WW1, the time period was not a key aspect of the plot.
Initially the children, particularly Pen, were written in a way that made them seem older than Hardinge intended them to be, although by the end it is clear that they are fairly young. This is shown in the way that Pen begins to become attached to, and slightly more dependent, on Triss.
It is difficult to say who the target audience of <i>Cuckoo Song</i> is. The protagonist is eleven but the writing may be a little difficult for some children, on the other hand it cannot exactly be classed as Young Adult fiction since the characters are not even in their teens.
Overall, <i>Cuckoo Song</i> is an exciting, fast paced, fairy tale-like story with original characters. It is not scary and is fun to read; there is nothing to stop older readers from enjoying it too!
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Way Down Dark (The Australia Trilogy, #1) in Books
Dec 14, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Way Down Dark</i> is the first in the <i>Australia</i> trilogy by J.P. Smythe, a brand new dystopian series for young adult readers. The world has been destroyed and humans boarded space ships in order to find somewhere to live, however, generations later the passengers aboard <i>Australia</i> have not found anywhere. The years have taken their toll on the ship, which is slowly falling to pieces, it’s inhabitants reduced to scavengers.
Recently orphaned Chan is living alone and trying to fend for herself as the Lows, an ever-increasing band of murderous thugs, wage war on everyone else. Nowhere is safe and quite often Chan finds herself in a situation where it is either kill or be killed. When Chan’s mother died her last instructions were to stay out of trouble, be selfish and don’t die. Chan on the other hand finds it extremely difficult to be selfish when she sees other people in life threatening situations. Thankfully she has Angela, a fifty something woman, looking out for her. But then Angela introduces Chan to a part of the ship no one has ever been to before, a part that challenges the truth behind the stories believed by everyone about the destruction of Earth. This new knowledge fuels Chan’s determination to save the lives of as many she can, thus finding herself in perilous situations.
Despite being set in the distant future, the characters at the beginning are living lives similar to those of the past – making clothes, shoes and weapons from scratch, picking fruit in the arboretum in order to eat. So although many dystopian novels involve some kind of enhanced technology, <i>Way Down Dark</i> does not, which separates it from other books of the same genre.
As well as Chan’s narrative, the novel also contains Angela’s stories of the past when Chan’s mother was young. These help to explain some of the situations the characters find themselves in now. It is also through Angela that Chan begins to discover the truth about the ship <i>Australia</i> and the lies they have been led to believe.
The main characters are very likable and display a range of personalities, each adding something different to the story. Chan is quick thinking, strong-willed and unselfish whereas, although Angela cares and protects, she keeps more to herself rather than jump into the fight in order to be a hero. Finally, Jonah, a young man who teams up with Chan and Angela, is a mix of Chan’s personalities with a religious streak, or what passes as religious on the <i>Australia</i>.
Although it is less futuristic than other popular young adult novels such as <i>Divergent</i> or <i>The Hunger Games</i>, readers are bound to enjoy <i>Way Down Dark</i> and its sequels. It is full of action, violence and survival told from the point of view of a teenage girl. <i>Way Down Dark</i> is a highly recommended, gripping novel, which promises to satisfy the needs of dystopian lovers.
Way Down Dark</i> is the first in the <i>Australia</i> trilogy by J.P. Smythe, a brand new dystopian series for young adult readers. The world has been destroyed and humans boarded space ships in order to find somewhere to live, however, generations later the passengers aboard <i>Australia</i> have not found anywhere. The years have taken their toll on the ship, which is slowly falling to pieces, it’s inhabitants reduced to scavengers.
Recently orphaned Chan is living alone and trying to fend for herself as the Lows, an ever-increasing band of murderous thugs, wage war on everyone else. Nowhere is safe and quite often Chan finds herself in a situation where it is either kill or be killed. When Chan’s mother died her last instructions were to stay out of trouble, be selfish and don’t die. Chan on the other hand finds it extremely difficult to be selfish when she sees other people in life threatening situations. Thankfully she has Angela, a fifty something woman, looking out for her. But then Angela introduces Chan to a part of the ship no one has ever been to before, a part that challenges the truth behind the stories believed by everyone about the destruction of Earth. This new knowledge fuels Chan’s determination to save the lives of as many she can, thus finding herself in perilous situations.
Despite being set in the distant future, the characters at the beginning are living lives similar to those of the past – making clothes, shoes and weapons from scratch, picking fruit in the arboretum in order to eat. So although many dystopian novels involve some kind of enhanced technology, <i>Way Down Dark</i> does not, which separates it from other books of the same genre.
As well as Chan’s narrative, the novel also contains Angela’s stories of the past when Chan’s mother was young. These help to explain some of the situations the characters find themselves in now. It is also through Angela that Chan begins to discover the truth about the ship <i>Australia</i> and the lies they have been led to believe.
The main characters are very likable and display a range of personalities, each adding something different to the story. Chan is quick thinking, strong-willed and unselfish whereas, although Angela cares and protects, she keeps more to herself rather than jump into the fight in order to be a hero. Finally, Jonah, a young man who teams up with Chan and Angela, is a mix of Chan’s personalities with a religious streak, or what passes as religious on the <i>Australia</i>.
Although it is less futuristic than other popular young adult novels such as <i>Divergent</i> or <i>The Hunger Games</i>, readers are bound to enjoy <i>Way Down Dark</i> and its sequels. It is full of action, violence and survival told from the point of view of a teenage girl. <i>Way Down Dark</i> is a highly recommended, gripping novel, which promises to satisfy the needs of dystopian lovers.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated The Wanderers in Books
Dec 17, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
“As they look to the stars, what are they missing back home?” </i>In a handful of year’s time, it can be presumed that dreams of humans on Mars will become closer to a reality. In Meg Howey’s <i>The Wanderers</i>, the time has come to select the potential candidates to participate in the first crewed mission to the Red Planet. Yet, as the astronauts prepare to walk among the stars, their families are left to consider a life without them.
The story is told through the perspectives of seven characters. Perhaps the most important are the three astronauts: Helen, Sergei and Yoshi, who are enclosed in a tiny mock-spacecraft, as they practice the hypothetical challenges and experiences they may encounter on a real trip to Mars. The remaining chapters are shared out amongst family members: Mireille, Helen’s adult daughter; Dmitri, Sergei’s fifteen-year old son; and Madoka, Yoshi’s wife – the final character being Luke, a psychiatrist tasked with observing the mental state of the astronauts throughout the experiment.
Interestingly, those being left behind are less concerned about their parent or spouse, choosing to focus on their own, everyday life, problems. Left to their own devices, they worry about their careers, their sexuality and the ways in which others perceive them. All, presumably as a result of the lack of contact with their significant family member, have become capable of surviving independently, however do not appear to realize how lonely they are.
The astronauts, on the other hand, are preoccupied with thoughts of space, concentrating so hard on the mission ahead of them that they fail to think of anything else. However, after months of only having each other for company, their thoughts begin to drift in the direction of home, their childhood, worries about their family, guilt – all notions that are fairly alien to the career driven characters.
Whilst it is interesting to witness the character developments, there is not a significant storyline. The book only encompasses the training period for the prospective space mission, and does not appear to have a substantial conclusion. Whether the astronauts eventually make it to Mars, and whether their consciences encourage them to behave differently towards their families, remains unknown.
<i>The Wanderers</i> has the essence of a work of fiction that English Literature students or professors would enjoy pulling apart, examining the language and literary techniques as they seek the understanding of the various emotions portrayed. Unfortunately, the majority will not have chosen to read this book for this precise purpose, expecting a science fiction novel full of excitement and interesting plot. Without either of these elements taking precedence, many are bound to be disappointed.
My rating for this book (two of five stars) is on the basis of the storyline, rather than the concept of family versus space. Yes, Howey writes well, is informed of the ins and outs of space programmes, and is knowledgeable enough to write an accurate representation of an astronaut’s experience, however as a form of entertainment, it is considerably lacking. Those expecting a narrative similar to other well-written science fiction novels will be sorely disappointed.
“As they look to the stars, what are they missing back home?” </i>In a handful of year’s time, it can be presumed that dreams of humans on Mars will become closer to a reality. In Meg Howey’s <i>The Wanderers</i>, the time has come to select the potential candidates to participate in the first crewed mission to the Red Planet. Yet, as the astronauts prepare to walk among the stars, their families are left to consider a life without them.
The story is told through the perspectives of seven characters. Perhaps the most important are the three astronauts: Helen, Sergei and Yoshi, who are enclosed in a tiny mock-spacecraft, as they practice the hypothetical challenges and experiences they may encounter on a real trip to Mars. The remaining chapters are shared out amongst family members: Mireille, Helen’s adult daughter; Dmitri, Sergei’s fifteen-year old son; and Madoka, Yoshi’s wife – the final character being Luke, a psychiatrist tasked with observing the mental state of the astronauts throughout the experiment.
Interestingly, those being left behind are less concerned about their parent or spouse, choosing to focus on their own, everyday life, problems. Left to their own devices, they worry about their careers, their sexuality and the ways in which others perceive them. All, presumably as a result of the lack of contact with their significant family member, have become capable of surviving independently, however do not appear to realize how lonely they are.
The astronauts, on the other hand, are preoccupied with thoughts of space, concentrating so hard on the mission ahead of them that they fail to think of anything else. However, after months of only having each other for company, their thoughts begin to drift in the direction of home, their childhood, worries about their family, guilt – all notions that are fairly alien to the career driven characters.
Whilst it is interesting to witness the character developments, there is not a significant storyline. The book only encompasses the training period for the prospective space mission, and does not appear to have a substantial conclusion. Whether the astronauts eventually make it to Mars, and whether their consciences encourage them to behave differently towards their families, remains unknown.
<i>The Wanderers</i> has the essence of a work of fiction that English Literature students or professors would enjoy pulling apart, examining the language and literary techniques as they seek the understanding of the various emotions portrayed. Unfortunately, the majority will not have chosen to read this book for this precise purpose, expecting a science fiction novel full of excitement and interesting plot. Without either of these elements taking precedence, many are bound to be disappointed.
My rating for this book (two of five stars) is on the basis of the storyline, rather than the concept of family versus space. Yes, Howey writes well, is informed of the ins and outs of space programmes, and is knowledgeable enough to write an accurate representation of an astronaut’s experience, however as a form of entertainment, it is considerably lacking. Those expecting a narrative similar to other well-written science fiction novels will be sorely disappointed.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Gates of Thread and Stone (Gates of Thread and Stone #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
Much as I actually read the synopsis once when I first saw it months ago on Goodreads and then again before I clicked "Read Now" on Netgalley, I ended up forgetting the synopsis <i>entirely</i> by the time I started.
Except for one word: Labyrinth. Needless to say, I actually thought for awhile that <i>Gates of Thread and Stone</i> would be about a labyrinth. <i>The</i> Labyrinth of the Greek myths, per say, and when I actually read <i>Gates of Thread of Stone</i>, I checked the synopsis again to set myself on the right track (because when there's no one being sent as sacrifice, you know there's something wrong).
<i>Gates of Thread and Stone</i> is really about a girl named Kai <i>living</i> with her "brother," Reev, in a place called the Labyrinth, named so by its maze-like structure, and where the lowest of the lowest in Ninurta live out their daily lives. But one day, Reev disappears just like many others and Kai is determined to find her brother.
There's something about <i>Gates of Thread and Stone</i> that I really like. It's definitely not the world, even though I highly enjoyed Lee's world-building each section (East Quarter, White Court, Void, Outlands, etc.) in Ninurta were set apart from one another and most even had their own nicknames (East Quarter = Labyrinth, North Quarter = Purgatory). It's most certainly not the amount of possible f-bombs in here as well, or what I'll assume as f-bombs, because "drek" by itself is certainly not sounding like crap or hell.
The characters were tolerable Kai is a determined and persistent character who has an admirable strength and may sometimes be a little feisty. Irra is perhaps one of my favorite characters by far, being a dramatic yet eccentric advisor in assisting Kai and Avan finding Reev. In fact... he's a bit of an oddity compared to the other Infinites, who seem to be similar to gods and goddesses based on their description.
The plot was a little predictable and I was just waiting for a couple of parts to play out (I really should stop being Sherlock Holmes and just enjoy reading the book, but I can't help myself). While the end is similar to the end of <i>Senshi</i> and the beginning of <i>Shinobi</i> and doesn't seem to have a bigger plot that spans over to the sequel or more books.
Now that I actually took the time to write all that down, maybe it's the world-building that I liked the most. With the ending of <i>Gates of Thread and Stone</i> seeming to be a solid ending, I may read the sequel just to for the pure fun of seeing what Ninurta will be like.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-gates-of-thread-and-stone-by-lori-m-lee/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Much as I actually read the synopsis once when I first saw it months ago on Goodreads and then again before I clicked "Read Now" on Netgalley, I ended up forgetting the synopsis <i>entirely</i> by the time I started.
Except for one word: Labyrinth. Needless to say, I actually thought for awhile that <i>Gates of Thread and Stone</i> would be about a labyrinth. <i>The</i> Labyrinth of the Greek myths, per say, and when I actually read <i>Gates of Thread of Stone</i>, I checked the synopsis again to set myself on the right track (because when there's no one being sent as sacrifice, you know there's something wrong).
<i>Gates of Thread and Stone</i> is really about a girl named Kai <i>living</i> with her "brother," Reev, in a place called the Labyrinth, named so by its maze-like structure, and where the lowest of the lowest in Ninurta live out their daily lives. But one day, Reev disappears just like many others and Kai is determined to find her brother.
There's something about <i>Gates of Thread and Stone</i> that I really like. It's definitely not the world, even though I highly enjoyed Lee's world-building each section (East Quarter, White Court, Void, Outlands, etc.) in Ninurta were set apart from one another and most even had their own nicknames (East Quarter = Labyrinth, North Quarter = Purgatory). It's most certainly not the amount of possible f-bombs in here as well, or what I'll assume as f-bombs, because "drek" by itself is certainly not sounding like crap or hell.
The characters were tolerable Kai is a determined and persistent character who has an admirable strength and may sometimes be a little feisty. Irra is perhaps one of my favorite characters by far, being a dramatic yet eccentric advisor in assisting Kai and Avan finding Reev. In fact... he's a bit of an oddity compared to the other Infinites, who seem to be similar to gods and goddesses based on their description.
The plot was a little predictable and I was just waiting for a couple of parts to play out (I really should stop being Sherlock Holmes and just enjoy reading the book, but I can't help myself). While the end is similar to the end of <i>Senshi</i> and the beginning of <i>Shinobi</i> and doesn't seem to have a bigger plot that spans over to the sequel or more books.
Now that I actually took the time to write all that down, maybe it's the world-building that I liked the most. With the ending of <i>Gates of Thread and Stone</i> seeming to be a solid ending, I may read the sequel just to for the pure fun of seeing what Ninurta will be like.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-gates-of-thread-and-stone-by-lori-m-lee/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>