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Hazel (1853 KP) rated Deep Blue (Waterfire Saga, #1) in Books
Dec 17, 2018
My rating: 3.5
<i>This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review</i>
Mermaids are perhaps one of the least written about mythical creature in novels. On the occasions that they are referred to they are often represented as evil siren-like females luring sailors to their deaths. The mermaids in Jennifer Donnelly’s <i>Waterfire Saga</i> are not like that at all, in fact their lives are not dissimilar to that of humans.
<i>Deep Blue</i> is the first novel in this saga but felt like it was mostly setting the scene for the yet-to-be-published sequels. It begins with Serafina, the Principessa of the House of Merrow, preparing for the Dokimí or betrothal ceremony occurring that evening. Although her songspell, a particularly difficult task, goes perfectly, assassins gatecrash the ceremony. The black-clad mermen fire poison arrows at the crowd, killing Sera’s father and fatally injuring her mother, the Regina.
Along with her best friend Neela, Serafina flees the city but it is not long before their assailants catch up with them. Throughout all this destruction the two mermaids discover that they have been having the same dream about being summoned by the Iele – a legendary group of river witches – and with no where else to go they head to the river Olt in Romania in order to find them and discover what they are being called upon for. As it turns out they are not the only girls heading that way. Six mermaids in total have been having the same dream and they eventually meet up on their way to the Iele.
Although the end of <i>Deep Blue</i> revealed the girls’ purposes, it will not be until the second book that this task is carried out. Due to this it feels as though the main storyline of the <i>Waterfire Saga</i> is yet to begin properly. Having said that, <i>Deep Blue</i> was still an entertaining read. It may take a while for readers to get into the story but the later half is full of action and even contains the odd humorous pun, which prevents the book from becoming too dark.
It must be difficult to write about mermaids as the setting is, naturally, deep under the surface of oceans, seas, rivers and lakes. The writer would need to think carefully about what is possible underwater, and remember to use words such as “swim” instead of “walk”. Even though Donnelly did a fantastic job there were occasions where the characters could easily be mistaken for humans with legs rather than fish tails.
There were lots of made up words and names used in this book which some people may find confusing thus making it difficult to keep track of who is who. The author has helpfully included a glossary of these terms and names which readers can refer to as and when they need to. It does not, however, include a pronunciation guide, which is a shame as some of the words have an Eastern European look to them and readers unfamiliar with those types of dialects may struggle with some of the expressions: for example, Baba Vrăja.
Overall this saga has the potential to become a magnificent set of books with a uniqueness setting them apart from other popular fantasy stories of today.
<i>This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review</i>
Mermaids are perhaps one of the least written about mythical creature in novels. On the occasions that they are referred to they are often represented as evil siren-like females luring sailors to their deaths. The mermaids in Jennifer Donnelly’s <i>Waterfire Saga</i> are not like that at all, in fact their lives are not dissimilar to that of humans.
<i>Deep Blue</i> is the first novel in this saga but felt like it was mostly setting the scene for the yet-to-be-published sequels. It begins with Serafina, the Principessa of the House of Merrow, preparing for the Dokimí or betrothal ceremony occurring that evening. Although her songspell, a particularly difficult task, goes perfectly, assassins gatecrash the ceremony. The black-clad mermen fire poison arrows at the crowd, killing Sera’s father and fatally injuring her mother, the Regina.
Along with her best friend Neela, Serafina flees the city but it is not long before their assailants catch up with them. Throughout all this destruction the two mermaids discover that they have been having the same dream about being summoned by the Iele – a legendary group of river witches – and with no where else to go they head to the river Olt in Romania in order to find them and discover what they are being called upon for. As it turns out they are not the only girls heading that way. Six mermaids in total have been having the same dream and they eventually meet up on their way to the Iele.
Although the end of <i>Deep Blue</i> revealed the girls’ purposes, it will not be until the second book that this task is carried out. Due to this it feels as though the main storyline of the <i>Waterfire Saga</i> is yet to begin properly. Having said that, <i>Deep Blue</i> was still an entertaining read. It may take a while for readers to get into the story but the later half is full of action and even contains the odd humorous pun, which prevents the book from becoming too dark.
It must be difficult to write about mermaids as the setting is, naturally, deep under the surface of oceans, seas, rivers and lakes. The writer would need to think carefully about what is possible underwater, and remember to use words such as “swim” instead of “walk”. Even though Donnelly did a fantastic job there were occasions where the characters could easily be mistaken for humans with legs rather than fish tails.
There were lots of made up words and names used in this book which some people may find confusing thus making it difficult to keep track of who is who. The author has helpfully included a glossary of these terms and names which readers can refer to as and when they need to. It does not, however, include a pronunciation guide, which is a shame as some of the words have an Eastern European look to them and readers unfamiliar with those types of dialects may struggle with some of the expressions: for example, Baba Vrăja.
Overall this saga has the potential to become a magnificent set of books with a uniqueness setting them apart from other popular fantasy stories of today.
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated The Music Man: Other Dimensions in Books
Feb 11, 2020
Honest Review for Free Copy of Book
Before you read this review I just want to mention that I do like the idea behind this book and do not want to discourage anyone from reading it. This was just my personal opinion as all my reviews are.
The Music Man: Other Dimensions by Moonyani Write picks up directly where the previous one left off. It has the same writing style as the previous one for those who enjoyed that. However, at the time of my writing this the book could still use some work (although keep in mind I am just a reader and not an editor).
This second book welcomes back The Music Man (Cornelius), Jimmy, and his friends at a boarding school for the musically gifted. At first, Jimmy believes all the previous events are just a dream but he soon pins down Cornelius, who just happens to be a teacher at his school and learns the truth. The bad news is Hornsbury and the witches have returned in the other dimension and are trying to steal the other Jimmy’s talents and take over the world.
Before Jimmy and his friends can stop Hornsbury and save everyone they must complete a few other tasks. The first of these tasks is to save Chris from his possession and return the book he stole to its rightful owner, Priala. Priala is a powerful witch and on the side of good who has agreed to help stop Hornsbury so long as she gets her spellbook back first. They also want to help Phillip regain his human form and free all those already possessed by Hornsbury. Sadly all seems lost when both Jimmy’s and Cornelius’s girlfriend are captured by Honsbury. It then becomes a race against the clock to stop him before it is too late.
I enjoyed how the students from our dimension and those from the other dimension interacted with each other. It was interesting to see how the friendships formed almost instantly between many of them. Of course, the surprise at the end was nice, although it mirrored the ending of the first book. The amount of repetition is this book was a major issue for me and made it extremely hard to read. To be honest I got bored with it quickly. The story is slow to make progress and it seems like there are character descriptions thrown in at random which interrupts the flow of the story. It could be the format that I received this book in but yet again there were few paragraphs and almost every sentence started a completely new line.
This book is ideal for children as I found nothing inappropriate in it. It might be a bit on the long side for some younger readers but making one chapter at a time a reading goal should help with that issue. I rate this book 1 out of 4. Unfortunately, I found this book to be way too repetitive and slow to be enjoyable. In contrast, the big battle at the end that everything was leading up to was over so quickly that it didn’t create any tension or excitement. I do not like doing this but in this book’s current condition I can not recommend it.
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The Music Man: Other Dimensions by Moonyani Write picks up directly where the previous one left off. It has the same writing style as the previous one for those who enjoyed that. However, at the time of my writing this the book could still use some work (although keep in mind I am just a reader and not an editor).
This second book welcomes back The Music Man (Cornelius), Jimmy, and his friends at a boarding school for the musically gifted. At first, Jimmy believes all the previous events are just a dream but he soon pins down Cornelius, who just happens to be a teacher at his school and learns the truth. The bad news is Hornsbury and the witches have returned in the other dimension and are trying to steal the other Jimmy’s talents and take over the world.
Before Jimmy and his friends can stop Hornsbury and save everyone they must complete a few other tasks. The first of these tasks is to save Chris from his possession and return the book he stole to its rightful owner, Priala. Priala is a powerful witch and on the side of good who has agreed to help stop Hornsbury so long as she gets her spellbook back first. They also want to help Phillip regain his human form and free all those already possessed by Hornsbury. Sadly all seems lost when both Jimmy’s and Cornelius’s girlfriend are captured by Honsbury. It then becomes a race against the clock to stop him before it is too late.
I enjoyed how the students from our dimension and those from the other dimension interacted with each other. It was interesting to see how the friendships formed almost instantly between many of them. Of course, the surprise at the end was nice, although it mirrored the ending of the first book. The amount of repetition is this book was a major issue for me and made it extremely hard to read. To be honest I got bored with it quickly. The story is slow to make progress and it seems like there are character descriptions thrown in at random which interrupts the flow of the story. It could be the format that I received this book in but yet again there were few paragraphs and almost every sentence started a completely new line.
This book is ideal for children as I found nothing inappropriate in it. It might be a bit on the long side for some younger readers but making one chapter at a time a reading goal should help with that issue. I rate this book 1 out of 4. Unfortunately, I found this book to be way too repetitive and slow to be enjoyable. In contrast, the big battle at the end that everything was leading up to was over so quickly that it didn’t create any tension or excitement. I do not like doing this but in this book’s current condition I can not recommend it.
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ClareR (5824 KP) rated The Mercies in Books
Feb 25, 2020 (Updated Feb 25, 2020)
The Mercies is a slow burn of a novel, set in the Arctic town of Vardø in 1617 (Norway, the part that was called Finnmark). On Christmas Eve, whilst all of the men are out fishing, a storm blows in and kills them all. The women are left without their husbands, brothers and fathers, and must learn to fend for themselves. Maren Magnusdatter is one of these women. She watches as her father, brothers and future husband are drowned.
Three years later, a Scot, Absalom Cornet and his young Norwegian wife, Ursa, arrive. Absalom has been appointed Commissioner of Vardø, and is adamant that witchcraft was the cause of the storm three years ago. The fact that the women are surviving and taking on the roles of their dead menfolk doesn’t help their case. Absalom only sees evil, and women who have forgotten their place as servants of God. He is a witch finder, and has been responsible for the prosecution and death of women at home in Scotland. Unsurprisingly, he’s not a very nice character, and I liked NOT liking him, although I couldn’t help but feel sorry for Ursa. She is shy and inexperienced in the ways of the world. She has been shut away, caring for her sick younger sister. She knows nothing of what is expected of her as a wife - in every sphere. She doesn’t know how to keep a house at all. This is where Maren steps in as an advisor. They become good friends, and there is the beginnings of something more than just a simple friendship. I loved the interactions between these two women. Maren, strongly independent, competent and lonely, and Ursa, inexperienced, unhappy and lonely. In other circumstances, theirs could have been a good friendship - but unlikely because of social status, I should think.
The writing in this is gorgeous. The descriptions of the landscape and the sea made me feel as though I was standing there with them (warmer though!), and I loved getting to know the women, even the ultra-religious women who were only too keen to give up their fellow towns-women as witches. This part doesn’t happen for quite a while, so we’re given the chance to become emotionally invested in these characters. So when we read of their treatment at the hands of Absalom and his fellow witch hunters, it makes it all the more appalling. If it wasn’t bad enough already.
I love historical fiction, and I really liked how this was written in such a way that these didn’t really seem to be women separated from us by 400 years. They were normal women, working hard to survive and make lives for the,selves. Which made it all the more sad. There’s no way I could detach myself and NOT read this with a modern woman’s eye. These women were punished for something that we take for granted: independence.
Despite the terrible things that happen, it’s a beautifully written, very enjoyable book that I would easily recommend to anyone, even though it’s just like I would imagine the landscape around Finnmark is: bleak, yet beautiful.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book to read and review.
Three years later, a Scot, Absalom Cornet and his young Norwegian wife, Ursa, arrive. Absalom has been appointed Commissioner of Vardø, and is adamant that witchcraft was the cause of the storm three years ago. The fact that the women are surviving and taking on the roles of their dead menfolk doesn’t help their case. Absalom only sees evil, and women who have forgotten their place as servants of God. He is a witch finder, and has been responsible for the prosecution and death of women at home in Scotland. Unsurprisingly, he’s not a very nice character, and I liked NOT liking him, although I couldn’t help but feel sorry for Ursa. She is shy and inexperienced in the ways of the world. She has been shut away, caring for her sick younger sister. She knows nothing of what is expected of her as a wife - in every sphere. She doesn’t know how to keep a house at all. This is where Maren steps in as an advisor. They become good friends, and there is the beginnings of something more than just a simple friendship. I loved the interactions between these two women. Maren, strongly independent, competent and lonely, and Ursa, inexperienced, unhappy and lonely. In other circumstances, theirs could have been a good friendship - but unlikely because of social status, I should think.
The writing in this is gorgeous. The descriptions of the landscape and the sea made me feel as though I was standing there with them (warmer though!), and I loved getting to know the women, even the ultra-religious women who were only too keen to give up their fellow towns-women as witches. This part doesn’t happen for quite a while, so we’re given the chance to become emotionally invested in these characters. So when we read of their treatment at the hands of Absalom and his fellow witch hunters, it makes it all the more appalling. If it wasn’t bad enough already.
I love historical fiction, and I really liked how this was written in such a way that these didn’t really seem to be women separated from us by 400 years. They were normal women, working hard to survive and make lives for the,selves. Which made it all the more sad. There’s no way I could detach myself and NOT read this with a modern woman’s eye. These women were punished for something that we take for granted: independence.
Despite the terrible things that happen, it’s a beautifully written, very enjoyable book that I would easily recommend to anyone, even though it’s just like I would imagine the landscape around Finnmark is: bleak, yet beautiful.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book to read and review.
Sean Freese (4 KP) rated The Witch (2015) in Movies
Jun 25, 2020
THE VVITCH
The full title is, The Witch: A New England Folktale. Like Grimm’s fairytales, American folklore has taken revisions over the centuries to become a palatable collection of juvenile life lessons. Anyone who has read the original versions of these stories knows how brutal, horrifying, and far removed they are from our current values. As much as I would not condone reading original classic witch tales to a small child, they do contain much deeper implications and ideas than the simple “Don’t tell lies” that are gleaned from modern revisions. What’s fascinating about The Witch is how familiar the setting and story is, without a single cliché or moment of prediction to speak of. The evil that was feared in 17th Century Puritan America has been so eclipsed by the human horrors of The Salem Witch Trials, that we have forgotten what it was to fear a witch.
We know these characters only by their Christian names. William removes his family from their Colonial settlement due to an incompatibility of faith. The colony of Puritans isn’t Christian enough. With his wife, Katherine, William takes his 4 children into the wilds of the Northeast. Airs of The Crucible envelope the setting. Common pronouns are replaced with “thines” and “thous”. Dialogue is delivered as if quoted from Shakespeare or the Bible itself. In the past, this oral dynamic has always sounded ardently rehearsed. Somehow, it’s natural here. Considering William’s rigorous faith, you might expect him to be an overbearingly shrewd father. He is in fact a loving and good man of his time; often a pushover. Katherine is the more fearsome parent, with a shrill voice and gaunt pointed face. While they do live in hardship, this is a good family. Once Fall deadens the colors and greys the skies, things begin to take a disturbing turn.
Ralph Ineson and Kate Dickie play the parents without an exaggeration of the material. Remarkable still are the actors portraying their children. Harvey Scrimshaw plays William’s 10-year-old son, Caleb, as natural as can be imagined. The dramatic beats of a horror movie come with taxing climactic moments and Scrimshaw acts beyond his years. Anya Taylor-Joy plays the eldest daughter Thomasin; a doe-eyed blonde beauty who plays the most relatable character of the flock. The dynamic between Caleb and Thompsin has notes of innocent sexual tension. Their secluded life leaves a great deal of new feelings that can’t be addressed due to their customs. These feelings lead to foreign temptations that are preyed upon by the timeless evil beyond the trees.
The greatest achievement of this film is how faithful it is to its setting and story, while keeping enough behind the veil to become engrossing. The tale feels as old as any, drawing from universal fears and motivations. How it draws you in, keeping you tied to the victims and their perspective while keeping the evil at arm’s length, shows a discipline of craft that greatly compliments the material. Much like vampires, witches have been trivialized and diluted by film into something superficially attractive and entertainingly evil. As with Noseferatu, seeing a witch living a damnable existence of ugliness is much more appropriate. If they’re ever beautiful, they won’t be for long.
The full title is, The Witch: A New England Folktale. Like Grimm’s fairytales, American folklore has taken revisions over the centuries to become a palatable collection of juvenile life lessons. Anyone who has read the original versions of these stories knows how brutal, horrifying, and far removed they are from our current values. As much as I would not condone reading original classic witch tales to a small child, they do contain much deeper implications and ideas than the simple “Don’t tell lies” that are gleaned from modern revisions. What’s fascinating about The Witch is how familiar the setting and story is, without a single cliché or moment of prediction to speak of. The evil that was feared in 17th Century Puritan America has been so eclipsed by the human horrors of The Salem Witch Trials, that we have forgotten what it was to fear a witch.
We know these characters only by their Christian names. William removes his family from their Colonial settlement due to an incompatibility of faith. The colony of Puritans isn’t Christian enough. With his wife, Katherine, William takes his 4 children into the wilds of the Northeast. Airs of The Crucible envelope the setting. Common pronouns are replaced with “thines” and “thous”. Dialogue is delivered as if quoted from Shakespeare or the Bible itself. In the past, this oral dynamic has always sounded ardently rehearsed. Somehow, it’s natural here. Considering William’s rigorous faith, you might expect him to be an overbearingly shrewd father. He is in fact a loving and good man of his time; often a pushover. Katherine is the more fearsome parent, with a shrill voice and gaunt pointed face. While they do live in hardship, this is a good family. Once Fall deadens the colors and greys the skies, things begin to take a disturbing turn.
Ralph Ineson and Kate Dickie play the parents without an exaggeration of the material. Remarkable still are the actors portraying their children. Harvey Scrimshaw plays William’s 10-year-old son, Caleb, as natural as can be imagined. The dramatic beats of a horror movie come with taxing climactic moments and Scrimshaw acts beyond his years. Anya Taylor-Joy plays the eldest daughter Thomasin; a doe-eyed blonde beauty who plays the most relatable character of the flock. The dynamic between Caleb and Thompsin has notes of innocent sexual tension. Their secluded life leaves a great deal of new feelings that can’t be addressed due to their customs. These feelings lead to foreign temptations that are preyed upon by the timeless evil beyond the trees.
The greatest achievement of this film is how faithful it is to its setting and story, while keeping enough behind the veil to become engrossing. The tale feels as old as any, drawing from universal fears and motivations. How it draws you in, keeping you tied to the victims and their perspective while keeping the evil at arm’s length, shows a discipline of craft that greatly compliments the material. Much like vampires, witches have been trivialized and diluted by film into something superficially attractive and entertainingly evil. As with Noseferatu, seeing a witch living a damnable existence of ugliness is much more appropriate. If they’re ever beautiful, they won’t be for long.
Ronyell (38 KP) rated The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) in Movies
Jul 24, 2020
Bone Daddy Nearly Ruins Christmas!
Every Halloween, Jack the Pumpkin King, would go out and scare many people with his frightening theatrics. Unfortunately, Jack has grown tired of doing the same routine every year and wanted to do something different. It was then that Jack accidentally ended up in Christmas Town and he was so awed and amazed at the Christmas visuals and the figure of Santa Claus (who he mistakenly calls "Sandy Claws"), that he decided that he should take over Christmas for the year! This then leads to Santa Claus being kidnapped by Oogie Boogie and Christmas nearly put into disaster!
Can Jack fix all of this before it's too late?
Seriously, this is probably my most favorite film made by Tim Burton (well technically, it was produced by Tim Burton and the poem was written by him, but Henry Selick directed the film). I just loved the cute yet nightmarish visuals in this movie as they gave the movie a creative vibe and I really loved seeing the different kinds of characters that pop up in Halloween Town, with my favorite creatures being the Clown with the Tearaway Face and the Vampires! I also loved the characters themselves as they were all interesting and amusing to look at. Probably my most favorite character in this entire movie was none other than Jack Skellington himself as he was a truly charming and charismatic character! I just loved the way that Jack went about trying something different for a change and it was cute seeing him lit up with enthusiasm as he tried to become the new Santa Claus. I also loved the character of Sally the Rag Doll as she truly cares about Jack and would do anything to prevent Jack from ruining Christmas! The visuals were amazing as all the characters look truly nightmarish (especially the werewolf and the witches) and yet, their personalities are so likable that you cannot help but actually care for these characters. Probably the best part of this movie were the songs themselves as they truly capture the true essence of this film, with my favorite songs being "What's This?" "This is Halloween" and "Sally's Song."
The only problem with this film is that the reason why this movie was rated PG was because of the scary imagery. So, there may be some images, like the various monsters that show up in this film, that might scare smaller children for the most part. Also, there is not enough back stories with any of these characters to really get to know their true motives and their existence, so some people might be a bit confused about where some of the motives of the characters came from, like in the case of Oogie Boogie where we don't know much about his character other than he despises Jack Skellington.
Overall, "The Nightmare Before Christmas" is a fantastic animated film that you can see either during Christmas or Halloween ( a two in one deal, how cool is that)? and it will forever be remembered as a classic film that Tim Burton and stop motion fans will love for many years!
Originally posted on: http://surrealmoviesandtvblog.blogspot.com/2014/07/movie-review-nightmare-before-christmas.html
Can Jack fix all of this before it's too late?
Seriously, this is probably my most favorite film made by Tim Burton (well technically, it was produced by Tim Burton and the poem was written by him, but Henry Selick directed the film). I just loved the cute yet nightmarish visuals in this movie as they gave the movie a creative vibe and I really loved seeing the different kinds of characters that pop up in Halloween Town, with my favorite creatures being the Clown with the Tearaway Face and the Vampires! I also loved the characters themselves as they were all interesting and amusing to look at. Probably my most favorite character in this entire movie was none other than Jack Skellington himself as he was a truly charming and charismatic character! I just loved the way that Jack went about trying something different for a change and it was cute seeing him lit up with enthusiasm as he tried to become the new Santa Claus. I also loved the character of Sally the Rag Doll as she truly cares about Jack and would do anything to prevent Jack from ruining Christmas! The visuals were amazing as all the characters look truly nightmarish (especially the werewolf and the witches) and yet, their personalities are so likable that you cannot help but actually care for these characters. Probably the best part of this movie were the songs themselves as they truly capture the true essence of this film, with my favorite songs being "What's This?" "This is Halloween" and "Sally's Song."
The only problem with this film is that the reason why this movie was rated PG was because of the scary imagery. So, there may be some images, like the various monsters that show up in this film, that might scare smaller children for the most part. Also, there is not enough back stories with any of these characters to really get to know their true motives and their existence, so some people might be a bit confused about where some of the motives of the characters came from, like in the case of Oogie Boogie where we don't know much about his character other than he despises Jack Skellington.
Overall, "The Nightmare Before Christmas" is a fantastic animated film that you can see either during Christmas or Halloween ( a two in one deal, how cool is that)? and it will forever be remembered as a classic film that Tim Burton and stop motion fans will love for many years!
Originally posted on: http://surrealmoviesandtvblog.blogspot.com/2014/07/movie-review-nightmare-before-christmas.html
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KittyMiku (138 KP) rated Witch's Bell in Books
May 23, 2019
This was a free book on Amazon and the reviews make you wonder if you should even pick it up, but I still did and I have never been happier. I did find some of the complaints to be true to word, but I did enjoy the book way too much to just say it wasn't worth the read. However, we will be discussing Ebony Bell and her adventures and what Bell may have been done to make it better. Let's dive in.
So first of all, I fell in love with the idea behind this book and apparently the series. With characters like Nathan Wall and Ebony Bell, I couldn't help but be intrigued on whatever relationships was forming between them. I think this book was pretty well thought out considering it cold have left the scenes bare making it hard to visualize where the characters were and what was exactly going on. However, I did think there could have been a little less rambling about different things, though I feel it may be foreshadowing for other books. I feel that even though Ebony was pretty fleshed out, that there could have been a little more on the other characters we find ourselves following a bit. For example, Avery's mother is described by her looks and a bit of how she acted when Ebony was a child, but as a member of the Coven, I wanted a little more. Like how did she become apart of the Coven who were supposedly the strongest witches around as well as the oldest? It left a few questions popping to mind and hope they will be answered in the future. Nathan was another character I felt could have been fleshed out a bit more and not really semi revealed at the end. It left a lot to be desired, but again could just be information that makes you want to read on.
I loved, and I mean LOVED, how when Ebony had her magic blocked from her, the way she saw things changed a bit. Do not get me wrong, her outfits made me giggle, but seeing her actually notice the small things even though she didn't have to and hadn't noticed before, was kind of nice. You were able to see her actually begin to appreciate things she hadn't before. I always love seeing characters grow as a person. Ebony had learned to really appreciate what she was seeing as well as what she had. To see her struggle had brought some delight and I found myself a little mad at how she would forget the most important thing she had thought about until it was almost too late. I did find that the use of other characters did help make what was going on around her seem a little more dire.
I found the love interest between Ebony and Nathan to be a bit subtle, which was kind of nice since it left a lot of room for something to blossom a wonderful romance. I do like how Nate gets under Ebony's skin and no matter how hard she tries rattle him he is unfazed. This made them polar opposites, which made me smile a bit, Though I would have loved to see more between them in the form of witty banter and teasing. but what I was given, I didn't think it was all that bad, just could have been more.
Overall, I would rate this book 4 stars out of 5 stars. There could have been more given and even explained something better while not rambling on things that made you begin to question a character's mental state. I loved the story line and hope that as the books move forward we can figure it all out about our mysterious Detective Nathan Wall, the Coven and whoever is behind trying to rewrite Ebony Bell's story.
So first of all, I fell in love with the idea behind this book and apparently the series. With characters like Nathan Wall and Ebony Bell, I couldn't help but be intrigued on whatever relationships was forming between them. I think this book was pretty well thought out considering it cold have left the scenes bare making it hard to visualize where the characters were and what was exactly going on. However, I did think there could have been a little less rambling about different things, though I feel it may be foreshadowing for other books. I feel that even though Ebony was pretty fleshed out, that there could have been a little more on the other characters we find ourselves following a bit. For example, Avery's mother is described by her looks and a bit of how she acted when Ebony was a child, but as a member of the Coven, I wanted a little more. Like how did she become apart of the Coven who were supposedly the strongest witches around as well as the oldest? It left a few questions popping to mind and hope they will be answered in the future. Nathan was another character I felt could have been fleshed out a bit more and not really semi revealed at the end. It left a lot to be desired, but again could just be information that makes you want to read on.
I loved, and I mean LOVED, how when Ebony had her magic blocked from her, the way she saw things changed a bit. Do not get me wrong, her outfits made me giggle, but seeing her actually notice the small things even though she didn't have to and hadn't noticed before, was kind of nice. You were able to see her actually begin to appreciate things she hadn't before. I always love seeing characters grow as a person. Ebony had learned to really appreciate what she was seeing as well as what she had. To see her struggle had brought some delight and I found myself a little mad at how she would forget the most important thing she had thought about until it was almost too late. I did find that the use of other characters did help make what was going on around her seem a little more dire.
I found the love interest between Ebony and Nathan to be a bit subtle, which was kind of nice since it left a lot of room for something to blossom a wonderful romance. I do like how Nate gets under Ebony's skin and no matter how hard she tries rattle him he is unfazed. This made them polar opposites, which made me smile a bit, Though I would have loved to see more between them in the form of witty banter and teasing. but what I was given, I didn't think it was all that bad, just could have been more.
Overall, I would rate this book 4 stars out of 5 stars. There could have been more given and even explained something better while not rambling on things that made you begin to question a character's mental state. I loved the story line and hope that as the books move forward we can figure it all out about our mysterious Detective Nathan Wall, the Coven and whoever is behind trying to rewrite Ebony Bell's story.
The Book of Life is the third book in the All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness. It is time to finish the war that had begun; only this time our characters find that the amount of people backing them is more than expected. As Diana and Mathew continue trying to take down the existing laws and all they stand for, they gain a huge occasion to celebrate, two new infants, who prove that everything that was once known was wrong and begins to put everyone else into questioning mindsets. With their new information and better understandings about each other and themselves from their previous adventures, Diana and Mathew begin the tedious task of going against century old laws in a very direct way that has their family and friends concerned and willing to fight alongside them, especially when the darkest secret has to be faced once and for all.
Like its predecessors before it, The Book of Life is a well-written book that causes emotions to rise to the surface. Harkness is able to cause the feeling of urgency making the reader want to read faster because it could save a life or change a policy that is in place and needs to be changed. I find this to be surprising and often a bit anxiety ridden because I had grown attached to the characters and hated to feel like danger was around the corner and nothing was going to stop it. And though the book was fast paced and kept me turning pages, I find that I wish a little more time would have been given to some characters in the Congregation. I feel it would have helped the story out a bit, though it would have probably added more pages to the already 500+ page book.
I really enjoyed how the character grew and thought that it did finish the story up with a nice red bow. I could see smaller novels or other adventures the main characters could embark on, but even without it I don’t mind. It was very entertaining. It brought up some major questions into view on survival of creature of all kinds and even answered questions on how vampires, witches and daemons are connected in this storyline. The ideas that The Book of Life present to the reader, helps them appreciate life as it is and really begin to gain some prespective of that of what we question more often than not. Even though it is fiction and these creatures don’t exist, you once again wonder if maybe it could happen. And if it did happen and was happening around us now, would it be like what this delicious story had us to see, or would it be something else.
Though the book kept me thinking and exploring ideas that stemmed off its vision, I find that I am questioning a few smaller details of the characters, even though it had revealed some of those answers, I felt like it could’ve been elaborated on to give the reader a better idea on how the main characters came up with this solution or explanation. Even with the few critiques I have mention, I still rather enjoyed the book and found that only after putting a ton of deep thought into it did I find any issues to begin with.
I would recommend The Book of Life to anyone who has read the first two books in the trilogy. It would create a ton of confusion if you just picked this book up and started reading it without the prior knowledge from the first two books in the All Souls Trilogy. I would rate this book 3 stars out of 4 stars.
Like its predecessors before it, The Book of Life is a well-written book that causes emotions to rise to the surface. Harkness is able to cause the feeling of urgency making the reader want to read faster because it could save a life or change a policy that is in place and needs to be changed. I find this to be surprising and often a bit anxiety ridden because I had grown attached to the characters and hated to feel like danger was around the corner and nothing was going to stop it. And though the book was fast paced and kept me turning pages, I find that I wish a little more time would have been given to some characters in the Congregation. I feel it would have helped the story out a bit, though it would have probably added more pages to the already 500+ page book.
I really enjoyed how the character grew and thought that it did finish the story up with a nice red bow. I could see smaller novels or other adventures the main characters could embark on, but even without it I don’t mind. It was very entertaining. It brought up some major questions into view on survival of creature of all kinds and even answered questions on how vampires, witches and daemons are connected in this storyline. The ideas that The Book of Life present to the reader, helps them appreciate life as it is and really begin to gain some prespective of that of what we question more often than not. Even though it is fiction and these creatures don’t exist, you once again wonder if maybe it could happen. And if it did happen and was happening around us now, would it be like what this delicious story had us to see, or would it be something else.
Though the book kept me thinking and exploring ideas that stemmed off its vision, I find that I am questioning a few smaller details of the characters, even though it had revealed some of those answers, I felt like it could’ve been elaborated on to give the reader a better idea on how the main characters came up with this solution or explanation. Even with the few critiques I have mention, I still rather enjoyed the book and found that only after putting a ton of deep thought into it did I find any issues to begin with.
I would recommend The Book of Life to anyone who has read the first two books in the trilogy. It would create a ton of confusion if you just picked this book up and started reading it without the prior knowledge from the first two books in the All Souls Trilogy. I would rate this book 3 stars out of 4 stars.