Rachel
This book has a good message (It's never too late to change things and live a great life), I just don't agree with the execution.
First, this is no Dr Seuss. Yes. The words rhymed, but there was nothing special about it. And Seuss was about more than the rhymes, it was the drawing as well. These drawings are (sorry to say) very poor quality. There was nothing special about them. They were simple drawings you'd find scribbled in pen in a high school freshman's textbook. I can appreciate the attempt to reiterate “You can do anything” but I felt that it cheapened the book and the message overall.
The book of Atrus is the first book based on the bestselling computer game Myst. It centers around Atrus a boy who will eventually create the world in the first Myst game.
The first 1/3 of the book focuses on Atrus' childhood. Honestly, I'm not sure why it took up so much of the book. It was long, drawn out and boring. The middle third focuses on Atrus learning from his father Gehn. Much of the time i learning about the worlds and learning to write the D'ni language. The last third is where the book finally gets good. Atrus learns that his father Gehn is not who he thought.
The writing is very similar to a video game. it's very descriptive, but jumps view points. The premise of the linking books is creative, but the characters lack substance. Gehn grew interesting, and Katran also peaked my interest. I wanted to know more about the D'ni and the worlds Atrus visited. I also wanted a bigged role for Atrus' cat. Why introduce new characters to get rid of them before the chapter ends? It was the fatal flaw in the book.
The last chapter has me interested in reading the other books in the series. I enjoy the world that the miller brothers created, but the books could have been better executed.
The Wild Girl is the story of Dortchen Wild, the woman who who loved Wilhelm Grimm and contributed countless stories to the Grimm's fairy tale collection.
Like most people, I thought Wilhelm and Jakob had traveled around Europe collecting stories for their collection. I did not know that the majority of their stories came from family and friends. Some of the most beloved stories came from a woman named Dortchen Wild. She was the Grimm's neighbor and close friend growing up. Not much was known about Dortchen. The life of the Grimm family was heavily documented but, only a few pieces of Dortchen's life existed. Instead of going off facts, Kate Forsyth builds Dortchen's life from the tales that she tells this Grimms.
The opening chapter of the book is set in the future. Dortchen runs out into the cold December weather to celebrate the death of her oppressive father. There she is found by Wilhelm Grimm who comforts her. Despite her father's death, Wilhelm is too poor to support a wife. Hope is shattered.
After this opening chapter, Forsyth brings you back to Dortchen's childhood. She focuses on Dortchen's friendship with her sisters and her best friend Lotte Grimm. Lotte is excited for her brother's return from University. Upon meeting Wilhelm, Dortchen is enchanted with him, but he only sees her as a little sister.
As the novel progresses, Dortchen and Wilhelm's discover their feelings for each other. Despite their love, Wilhelm is poor. He has no money to support a wife. He can barely support his own family. Dortchen's father repeatedly tells her that the Grimms are not good enough for her. As the years pass, life grows harder for the Wild family as well. The country is in turmoil. Napoleon is making his way across Europe. As he conquers each nation, he has a relative take over ruling that land. His younger brother Jerome is appointed ruler in Cassel, where the Wilds and Grimms live.
As Dortchen and Wilhelm explore their feelings for one another, the country is at war. The people are often starving. Their young men are threatened with being enlisted and sent off to fight in Russia. Dorthcen's own brother is eventually sent off to fight.
During all these events, Dortchen's mother grows sicker and her father sets his sights on his daughter. He is cruel. He often beats her, and becomes infatuated with her. He drinks, loses his temper and takes it on on the rest of the family.
Despite the dark cloud of her father, Dortchen still tells Wilhelm and Jakob the most beautiful stories. They begin a reading group with friends where they recount classic tales to the brothers. The Wild's housekeeper Marie provides many of the tales, and is a beacon of hope in the Wild household.
The novel, The Wild Girl is not suitable for children. Is it the story of the woman behind the fairy tales. Forsyth focuses on the tales Dortchen tells Wilhelm to build out her life. It is dark and cruel. The love between Wilhelm and Dortchen keeps the hope alive.
It is obvious that Forsyth has done her research on this novel. The novel is filled with historical references. The novel is not just a focus on Wilhelm and Dortchen but of life in 1800s Cassel. She recounts the war, balls, meals they eat. Everything feels well researched. The characters feel authentic. For the length of the novel, they are family.
The only flaw with the novel is the ending. The novel spans years of Dortchen's life. Through all her hardships, the reader never gets the chance to experience their happily ever after. After her father's death, Dortchen spends much of her time crying. It came to a point where every human interaction would cause her to cry. It is clearly meant to show the effect her father's abuse had on her. When finally, readers are presented with the ending the want, it is cut short. There is no wedding, no children. All that time invested in the book and the reader is left with a proposal, a yes, and that's it. There is no mention of the rest of their life. It was a disappointing end to an otherwise fantastic novel.
I picked this book up on a whim. I wanted something short to read.
The story itself is interesting. When I added this to my “currently reading” shelf, I scanned the reviews on what to expect. Most reviews said that this book needs to be read multiple times. Once was enough for me. I figured out the ending at the start of the book. At times the characters seemed to blur together. The book left me with more questions than when I started. All this time the reader is drawn into the story of the cave. Why couldn't we stay there? What about the main characters parents? A few extra lines would have been nice.
In conclusion, it was a decent read for an afternoon, but I prefer Gaiman's other books more.
The Princess and Curdie is the sequel of George MacDonald's The Princess and the Goblin. Set a few years after the events of the first book, The Princess and Curdie follows Curdie as he sets out on a quest given to him by the old princess Irene.
When we first meet Curdie he has grown hardened by his time in the mine. On his way home from work he shoots a white pigeon. Realizing it belongs to the old princess (Irene's great great grandmother), he rushes into the abandoned castle to find the old princess. She heals her bird, and gifts Curdie with the ability to see a person's inner self by touching their hands. With his new gift he is sent on a quest to visit the king. Details of the quest are unknown, but the Princess assures him that with faith he will reach his destination and know exactly what to do.
Similar to C.S. Lewis, George MacDonald fills his book with christian allegories. Throughout the book, Curdie is told to keep going with blind faith. He learns to not judge a create by their appearance, but by what in on the inside. Lastly, he begins to preach right from wrong to anyone he meets. Along the way Curdie meets up with 50 strange creatures. People shun them as demons, and associate Curdie as the devil. The entire novel seems to draw from stories in the bible, especially the end of days.
The Princess and Curdie is categorized as a children's novel, but does not feel appropriate for today's children. Along with the religious emphasis, the book is at times violent, with an extensive vocabulary. It is better suited for a YA audience who undertstands the language and what is really going on. The theme of the novel is to trust the faith, and show kindness to all. The message is good, but the execution is dark. It is not as lighthearted as the first novel, but is closer to the dark style C.S. Lewis used in the final Chronicles of Narnia book. The violent actions are broken up by small cheerful descriptions (the king with Barbara, and the ball monster). They are what keeps the book going. The ending is overall a disappointment. MacDonald answers the question of what happens to the country and why we have never heard of it.
When I finished this book it was with a heavy heart. The last few paragraphs should have been a cheerful ending. Instead MacDonald ended it the way he did. I wish there were more books in this series. I really enjoyed the character of Curdie and Lina. I also enjoyed the mines. I don't know of any other tales that focus on a princess and a miner. It was a nice change from the knight coming to save the day or the ordinary servant, or farmer who falls for a princess. Curdie had his own thoughts and actions. He knew what he wanted in life. He was independent, down to earth, strong and respectable. Lina was also a great character. And ugly, dog-like creature, MacDonald gave her a heart. I did not understand her ending, but I would have loved to see more.
In all, MacDonald had some great ideas. His novel was interesting, but will have a hard time being applied to modern audiences.
Not at all what I expected. I was looking forward to seeing sketches of all his original characters. I'd have liked to see the stages of his thought process with an image of his final piece.
The text felt disjointed to me. Perhaps the author was a novice. It felt as if anyone, even a high school student could have written it.
In conclusion, this book was a total miss.
The Princess and the Goblin is a very underrated tale. For years I didn't even know it was a book. I thought it was just an animated kids movie.
The start of this book is extremely hard to get into. The princess is young. Around 6 years old. She doesn't have many worries. She's sheltered from the truth of the goblins that live in the mountain. It's not until Curdie is introduced that the story picks up. While the princess Irene is focused on her invisible grandmother, Curdie drives the plot forward. His were the chapters I flew through.
Other readers commented on the author's writing style. Oftentimes it felt like he was too lazy to finish describing the scene. It grew frustrating. I was ready to give up early in the book because I hated his style so much. Reader, if you think of giving up, don't. Push through. It gets better.
I really give this book 3.5 stars. The beginning was worth 2, the 2/3 mark picks up to a 5. I heard there is a sequel. I'm curious to see what happens next.
I had high hopes for this book. I remember reading Haroun and the Sea of Stories in high school and loving it. The sequel falls flat. It has it's moments. I would have preferred rushdie expand on many of the little stories instead of the bigger one. He has great ideas, but the book just didn't feel right. It felt as if his publisher asked him to write a sequel and his heart wasn't in it.
This book wasn't what I expected. I read the summary and it stuck with me for months. Finally I borrowed it from the library and decided to give it a try. The writing style is.... different. It reminded me of a style that some high school english teacher would praise as being “classic”. It was simply bizarre. It felt like one of those movies where you follow a guy around in the wilderness for awhile, watching his mundane life until this little climax happens. Usually in the form of an animal attack or something like that....
I thought that Hig would be living alone in the wilderness, then not far into the book he's go in search of this mysterious radio call. Even if he spent most of the book flying on his way there, it sounded like an adventure. Instead, the first 1/2 of the book covers his boring life in the wilderness, trying to survive with his aging dog Jasper and his psycho neighbor Bangley. Their conversations don't use quotation marks. That makes it even more confusing to read. Half the time I couldn't tell if they were actually talking or if it was just a conversation in his own head.
The second half of the book focuses on following the radio call. That is... if you can call it following. I wont say more at the risk of spoilers. It really did feel like one of those books that an english teacher praises and most of the students are left going “huh”? Then there are those few oddball students who say they loved the book and want to read more like it.
Would I recommend this? Most likely no. There is a very few select people who I think would enjoy this, but the audience seems pretty narrow. I was excited about the premise, but this left me unsatisfied.
This is the second fastest nonfiction book I've ever read. First and foremost, the size is misleading. If you flip to the back of the book, you'll see that it's 300 pages. The last 100 pages is comprised of notes, a list of famous people he's met with and expanding on meetings he mentioned previously in the book. In reality, the book is only 200 pages.
As I said earlier, I flew through this book. I found it incredibly motivating. Reading about his start in Hollywood was the best part. He took one chance, one opportunity and used it to change his life around. He went from a boring desk job to working his way into the film industry. He reiterates time and again that life is made up of chances and choices. It's not all about luck. It's 50% lucky, but 50% choice. What will you do about those opportunities you are presented with? If you heard of a great job opportunity, would you act on it or just sit around thinking “that sounds great” but do nothing about it? The moral of his book is to always keep your eyes and ears open. You never know what is around the corner.
While at first some of Grazer's stories don't make sense, he eventually brings everything back together. Before you know it you've learned a valuable life lesson through his experiences.
This book is a fast read. It's not perfect and could have used more editing. At times I felt that he was dragging things out to meet a publishing quota. If this was paired down to 150 pages, I would buy this book and present it to every graduate I know. It's a great example of how being curious can get you places. Always ask questions. Always try to look at things through another person's eyes. This isn't a book just for creatives and Hollywood types. It's for anyone looking to get the most out of their life. At times it felt like a great speech given given at a graduation ceremony. If you're looking for motivation in life this might be the book for you.
This book was written in 2002, and it shows. The format is a mix between the heavy use of text used in previous history textbooks and the incorporation of lots of images (a more modern trend) to keep the reader's attention. The layout is also reminiscent of early 2000's designs.
Aside from that this is still a good book for history fans. This book is called “Vanished Civilizations” for a reason. Most people know about the ancient Egyptians, Mayans, Romans, Vikings, etc. This book touches some of that but focuses mostly on older lesser known civilizations. In fact, most of the cities I had never heard of and I have a minor in ancient civilizations. (Mostly European).
The book provides a nice table at the start comparing what was going on across the different continents at the same time. I'd recommend reading that before starting this book. It gives the reader a nice backstory as to why everything is in the order it is. The book starts thousands of years ago. It starts before writing even existed. That should give you an idea about how old these civilizations are.
This is a nice book that covers a lot of information and a lot of cultures across a long period of time. It was a nice find. Not my favorite, but I think that has to do with its age. Aside from that, it was an interesting read for a summer afternoon.
It's so hard to rate this book. The world of the circus is so beautifully crafted. The tents are magical. I wish I could go there. Aside from that I wish I didn't waste my time on this book. In fact by the time it was due at the library I was only 60% of the way through. I felt no desire to pick the book up again and finish it. The main characters were so unlikeable and flat. The only characters I could enjoy were those outside of the circus, and the twins.
There is a nice steady pace to the book where you can feel a little bit of the tension building. You feel part of a magic act, but it's a magic act that takes forever to get going. It felt like a scenic drive through the country. You'd read a really great chapter that had you hooked, then you spend the next few chapters just watching the same farmland go by.
I read a bit about the author where she stated that when she gets to writing she binge writes. It shows with this book. It needed some serious editing. There were so many characters and so many points of view that it was extremely difficult to keep track of who was who.
In terms of characters I'd really give this book a 2, but the world of the circus was so beautiful and unique that it deserved a 5. I decided to give it a 3 in the end.
If you're a diehard circus enthusiast then you may love this book. I wouldn't suggest people to skip this book. Again, the circus was beautiful. It's probably one of the greatest worlds I've ever read about. The characters and constantly switching points of view are what killed this for me. If anything, it might be better the second time around, but I wouldn't waste anymore time on this.
If you're looking for Jack and Rose trying to survive the Titanic, go back to your TV. This is not a book adaptation of the James Cameron film. This is a book about the real Titanic and the events that led up to its unfortunate end.
A Night to Remember starts out just hours before the iceberg hits. It was a calm sunday night. Most passengers were asleep. Others were playing cards, and some crew men were nearing the end of their shifts. There was little unusual that happened that day. Everyone seemed eager to enjoy a relaxing night after a long week at sea.
Walter Lord sets the pace by reminding readers constantly of the time. It's as if you're watching the events unfold with the clock silently ticking by in the background. The clock grows louder and louder the closer it comes to 2:20 am. You read for an hour to realize only 10 minutes has passed on the ship. It's a haunting account of the events of that night.
The novel shows its age, but this is a story that should be more widely read. The event of the night is tragic, but A Night to Remember includes many important life lessons. How many times could this tragedy have been prevented? What if they heeded the ice warnings? What if the radio operator hadn't snapped at the interruption? What if it was going slower? What if there were enough lifeboats?.
The events of that night are tragic, but speaks volumes about the people on board. People remember Ismay as the coward, but what about all the men who selflessly stood back and helped the women aboard? According to Lord's novel, there was a sense of camaraderie amongst the passengers. We don't know if that is how the events really unfolded, or if it was a story invented in honor of the dead. I prefer to think the former.
A Night to Remember is a fast read. While dated, it provides a haunting look into the final hours of the Titanic. This isn't the dramatized version James Cameron made. This novel aims to tell the truth to the best of its ability. It's a short book and well worth the read.
Sea Spell is a wonderful conclusion to Waterfire Saga. Although the first book was slow, the others ramped up and dominated the mermaid genre.The imagery is breathtaking, and something I'll remeber for a long time. The characters are strong, courageous, flawed. Each has their own personality which shines through the text.
This series shows it's ok to be different, embrace what makes you who you are, face your fears, stand up to friends and for friends, fight for what you believe in even if the odds are stacked against you, learn, have fun, and enjoy every moment life gives you.
Jennifer Donnelly proves once again why she is a master storyteller. I will miss this world and the characters she built.
Highly recommend to all young readers, especially young girls.
Rogue Wave is the second novel in Jennifer Donnelly's Waterfire saga. It follows Serafina and Neela as they search for the missing talismans and learn more about who is trying to destroy their kingdom.
When I finished Dark Blue, I was disappointed. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't a book I wanted to rave about either. The second novel, Rogue Wave greatly improves upon the first. Much of the first novel suffered from building up the world. The characters were only so/so. In Rogue Wave, the characters are finding out who they are and what they're made of. They aren't the whiny sheltered princesses anymore. Now they have a common bond.
The novel only follows Sera and Neela, which I thought was a great choice. I had (and still have) a hard time keeping track of who the other 4 mermaids are. We learn so much from these two, and even learn the fate of Blu. I loved the character developments and the new additions to the world. I had a much easier time imagining the world this time around. There were so many great references in this book (shipwrecks anyone?) and there are so many great underwater puns (transparenSEA pearls). Some things don't make sense (how do you drink tea underwater?), but that didn't matter. Those references make the girls more relatable. I thought Jennifer created some GREAT role models in this book. Neela learns that you can't eat away your problems and Sera learns what it really means to rule a kingdom. Neither are the naive (and sometimes bratty) girls we met in Dark Blue. I can't wait to read the third book (Dark Tides). If there are ways to get an Advanced Reader copy, I will be applying for every single one.
Where to begin? When I picked this book up, I wanted something lite, maybe a little fluffy. I wanted a story that would hold my attention, but I didn't have to work at.
The story of a widow didn't really appeal to me, but good reviews and the promise of historical events had me curious.
The beginning was slow. I thought the character was haute. I know now I just wasn't used to her writing style. The beginning was choppy and characters stereotyped. It wasn't until meeting Paulo that the story picked up. Readers are drawn into the story of how Max and Shelley meet. The book isn't without its cheesy Nicolas Sparks romance moments, but there is enough mystery, history, humor and heart to even it out. The history was my v favorite. I honestly didn't feel much for any of the characters until a certain hospital trip. Then the pace changed.
I flew through the second half. I wondered about it throughout the day. it messed with my sleep schedule. I know it's not real, but by the end the journey through the book has me hoping somewhere it's real. real but not real. the stories from history weigh on the soul. the last one in particular. I have a real passion for ancient Greece & Rome. Reading that last story was like a dagger to everything I've learned.
if this book does one thing right, it's that it brings emotion to history. all stories are connected somehow. it doesn't matter if they lived today or a thousand years ago. family matters.
I'd recommend this book. It's a quick read. you need to read awhile before it gets going. really, until Paolo shows up, it's snooze fest. I wouldn't call this a classic, or a favorite, but I'd recommend this book. it seems to have something to offer everyone.
A Feast for Crows. From the title, it sounds like this book will be focus heavy on the wall. It doesn't. In a Feast for Crows, George R.R. Martin (I'll refer to him as George later) focuses on his characters in the Riverlands, King's Landing, Bravos, Dorne, the Eyrie, and the Iron Islands. We are treated to chapters narrated by Samwell, Arya (Cat), Cersei, Jamie, Brienne, Sansa (Alayne), and various points of view from the Iron Islands and Dorne.
The start of this novel picks up right where the third leaves off. We learn about the aftermath of Tyrion's rampage through the city. It seems to be the tipping point for Cersie. In the past I've tried to find redeeming qualities for her, but in this book she snaps. How will she rule kings landing without her oppresive father Tywin? What about the Tyrell girl? We find out about all that and more. As crazy as Cersie is, her chapters are the cement that holds this book together. She keeps the pace moving, and is always doing something crazy.
Samwell is another interesting piece of the puzzle. I won't spoil it, but I really enjoyed his chapters. Jon sends him on a new mission and is told to bring along Gilly and Maester Aemon. George's focus on Aemon was a great tribute. Sam's love for Gilly and his dedication to Aemon is what brings the heart to this novel.
Jamie spends this novel trying to overcome his demons. How does Westeros's greatest swordsman learn to fight again? How does he cope with Cersie's actions while he's gone. His moment's guarding Tywin's body are haunting. I couldn't help feel bad for his character. No matter how hard he tries, people only see him as a kingslayer and oathbreaker. His dedication to keep his word to Catelyn Tully is admirable, and the end of his last chapter really shows how much his character has grown.
Arya (Cat of the Canals). She's a little spitfire. The new world of Bravos is fascinating. We have heard much of it in previous books, but this is our first glimpse of the city. Not as great as the previous characters, but Arya's transformation in interesting. We meet a lot of characters. It's hard to keep track of most of them, and that plays negatively towards her chapters. I've heard a lot of excitement over Arya in Bravos, so I think I just expected a little more. She is bold and brash. That's what we love about her, but it plays against her in Bravos. She learns to be secret and fly under the radar, but her temper gets the better of her. I expect we'll see more of her in the future. She has a major lesson to learn.
Sansa (Alayne) is hiding away as Littlefinger's Bastard daughter in the Eyrie. We see her interactions with Lord Robert (who is one spoiled, sheltered child). How she puts up with him, I have no clue. She's learning to play the game. With Littlefinger's guidance, she's going to be a force to be reckoned with.
Brienne.... “I'm looking for a highborn maid of three and ten.....” How I wanted to like your chapters, but they were so dull. It felt like the same thing over and over. I know a quest is 99% boring, 1% excitement, but that's how her chapters felt. Her chapters pick up the pace towards the end of the book, but many in the middle I found myself skimming. If you think “that's why you didn't like it, you didn't fully read her”. No. I read many of her chapters and I felt that George gave her way to many. Sorry Brienne.
Dorne. Dorne is an exciting place. I couldn't wait to see the homeland of Prince Oberyn. The desert and the fierce fighters. The “sand snakes”. I loved reading about the world of Dorne, but the POV choices I could have done without. I forget all their names, but Dorne is split up in to the POV of Dorne's captain of the guard, Princess Myrcella's kingsguard (one of Jamie's sworn brothers), one of the sand snakes or Prince Doran (It was early, I can't quite remember), and Doran's daughter the princess. The POV really killed this. I would have preferred two points of view. Ideally one. There were too many here and it worked against the book.
The Iron Islands.... nobody cares. It has the same flaw as Dorne. Too many points of view. What happened on the Iron Islands could have been interesting if George stuck with one character. There are so many names thrown around in this world and in Dorne that it's hard to keep track of who is who. After awhile all the names roll together into the same person. George does a nice job adding details to refresh the reader who each character is, but sometimes it's just too much.
It's hard for me to rate this book. Cersie, Samwell, Sansa and some of Jamie's chapters are all fascinating, but the Iron Islands really killed it. I give this book 3 stars. I would never sit through this book to read it again. Compared to the other novels, this one drags in many places. There is TOO much description. I appreciate the visual worlds he creates and the intricacy, but he needed to step back. If you focus too much on the details you lose sight of the overall design. That's what happened here.
Bitter Greens is 1/2 fairy tale and 1/2 historical fiction. Two of my favorite genres. with a 4.1 rating I was expecting a lot.
The novel starts with French novelist Charlotte-Rose being banished from court to live in a nunnery. We learn some back story on her before one of her fellow nuns begins to tell her the story of Margherita (Rapunzel). The story jumps back and forth between Charlotte and Margherita. Once we are finally drawn into their stories, the book jumps to a new one. It is the story of La Strega, the witch who kidnapped Rapunzel. Once her story is done, the reader is now past the halfway point in the book. The novel picks up pace until all the stories are finally concluded.
I wanted to love this book, but I can't. I did not feel attached to any of the characters. The historical elements felt authentic, but I struggled with all the French I didn't understand. Regardless of the language, it was the style that ruined it for me. The book constantly jumped around from time period to time period. We are presented with one character for multiple chapters and leave the others to be forgotten. I felt the author struggled so hard to reach a level of authenticity that she forgot to step back and focus on the story.
There were many references to famous historical figures which was lost on me. I know little of the 16th and 17th century. It unfortunately caused the book to drag.
If you're considering reading this book, ask yourself first “How much do I know about 16th and 17th century France?” if the answer is a good amount, then you may love this book.
I really wanted to love this, but the author's time line was the nail in the coffin for me. I found I didn't care for any of the characters, and wondered why the author had to provide so much back story where it wasn't needed. While I appreciate the author's hard word, I felt there were many ways to improve on the book.
Another user compared this book to poetry. I remember renting the movie as a child, and my mom claims she read it to me, but I didn't remember either. I was about to read something I already knew, and yet something brand new. It was a wonderful feeling.
I cannot praise the writing enough. I could see everything. I could feel everything. I could smell and touch them all. The unicorn rose from those pages. I saw her. I was in awe. She is the most beautiful creature the world has ever known. Peter S. Beagle brought her to life.
Some parts of this seemed to drag. Those were the scenes without the unicorn. whether intentionally or not, the book came alive when she was on the pages. I'm glad I picked this up, and I understand now why it is such a classic.
This book was sloooooow.
I love Juliet Marillier's worldbuilding and her inclusion of traditional fae/little folk/anciet beings. Ones who are miscievious, chaotic, observant, and indifferent to the lives of mortals. It gives a sense of grounding in ancient beliefs and stories.
This book however, was so slow. Which surprised me due to the quick opening. Much of the middle of the book could have been condensed into half the length. It's a lot of walking, avoiding, and random yelling. Why so much random yelling?? I listened to the audiobook and was constantly fighting the volume button because it'd go from quiet, to heavily accented, to yelling. It was exhausting and a bit of a turnoff.
I could technically stop here. I don't really feel compelled to read the rest of the series, but might give them a shot for a large cleaning project.
But if it comes down to a Marillier book to recommend, this would be the bottom of my list.
What a real treasure. This book accomplishes so much in so few pages. At first A.J. Fikry is a very dis-likeable character. Why would I want to read about him? Keep reading. If you quit this book early, you are missing out on so much. The pages are short and the story moves along very quickly. The soul of this book is in the second half. It captures you. Nothing else exists but Alice Island and the little bookstore. It's a perfect little book for book lovers. Some books leave you happy, others sad, and others leave you wanting for more. This book... I just held it tight. It was happy, sad, mysterious, charming. It had a little bit of everything. It's a special little book and has earned a place of honor on my self.
Like another reviewer I had mixed feelings on this. It had incredibly valuable tips and is a book everyone should read. if you want to get your life in order, this is the guidebook for you. I was a bit disappointed though. Based on the title I expected to be laughing and smiling the entire book. Not quite. it was quirky, but not quirky enough. I'm sure she was limited a bit by the publisher, but for being a humor book, it wasn't that funny. still a great book to have on any bookshelf!
Really I give this 3.5. It's healing therapy after that traumatic book Allegient. I liked parts of this, but others were just “ok read this before”. The author should have written a more complete book as a sequel, but I get the novellas. I really wish Roth put the last few views? chapters? moments? in order into the last novella, the Traitor. Reading them out of order was just odd. This was a nice book to get from the library, but I wouldn't recommend buying it. I also won't buy the knife throwing scene.
Off to my next adventure.