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bandherbooks's Reviews (3.65k)
Totally different then Water Elephants, which threw me for a loop a bit (especially since they have the darn cover looking so similar). But, after I got into the story about the bonobos, I did end up enjoying it. Not one of my favorites however.
Forget the glossy, beautiful hardcover; this should have been published as a mass market paperback in the romance section.
I was cautiously optimistic when I cracked this supposedly epic fantasy novel and found (yay) a map! But, when the author frequently mentions cities, countries, and other geographical features that I could not even find on said map what, really, is the point?
Frustrating.
Tepid world building, some dragons, some sort of magic, nothing really well explained, and of course a hot prince who falls insta-in-love with the most beautiful woman he has ever seen.
Prince Corin, most eligible bachelor, is caught up in a struggle between the Emperor that rules his country, some dragons who no one really knows too much about, some wizards, and an invading barbarian horde.
Corin is hot stuff and he knows it.
"The table-maid appeared a few minutes later and refilled the glass. his fingers brushed against hers as he took it...their eyes met. He thought she would not slap his hand away. He wondered if she knew who he was. He was tempted, but she was too young and too ignorant. It would not be fair."
Gag.
He also has had a bevy of lovers, including his current (married) mistress, but he quickly ousts her when he sees the most beautiful woman in the whole wide world, a girl who turns out to be a "commoner" (in fact a wealthy daughter of a doctor, just not a noble). Tam of course is unaware of her extreme charm and besides being gorgeous is a paragon of virtue and talent. Cue romance, balls, dresses squeeee, and long talks and smoochies. Tam falls desperately in love, and she can barely restrain herself from bonin' the brains out of Corin. So they don't wait very long. Honor and country be damned (don't worry it will all work out in the end).
Oh wait, what about the dragons? Apparently after getting the hots for each other, both Tam and Corin find out they have POWERS. Cue epic battles, lots of love making, worries about the future, and oh now the king says we can be married, yay happily ever after.
What just happened? I'm still not sure.
I was cautiously optimistic when I cracked this supposedly epic fantasy novel and found (yay) a map! But, when the author frequently mentions cities, countries, and other geographical features that I could not even find on said map what, really, is the point?
Frustrating.
Tepid world building, some dragons, some sort of magic, nothing really well explained, and of course a hot prince who falls insta-in-love with the most beautiful woman he has ever seen.
Prince Corin, most eligible bachelor, is caught up in a struggle between the Emperor that rules his country, some dragons who no one really knows too much about, some wizards, and an invading barbarian horde.
Corin is hot stuff and he knows it.
"The table-maid appeared a few minutes later and refilled the glass. his fingers brushed against hers as he took it...their eyes met. He thought she would not slap his hand away. He wondered if she knew who he was. He was tempted, but she was too young and too ignorant. It would not be fair."
Gag.
He also has had a bevy of lovers, including his current (married) mistress, but he quickly ousts her when he sees the most beautiful woman in the whole wide world, a girl who turns out to be a "commoner" (in fact a wealthy daughter of a doctor, just not a noble). Tam of course is unaware of her extreme charm and besides being gorgeous is a paragon of virtue and talent. Cue romance, balls, dresses squeeee, and long talks and smoochies. Tam falls desperately in love, and she can barely restrain herself from bonin' the brains out of Corin. So they don't wait very long. Honor and country be damned (don't worry it will all work out in the end).
Oh wait, what about the dragons? Apparently after getting the hots for each other, both Tam and Corin find out they have POWERS. Cue epic battles, lots of love making, worries about the future, and oh now the king says we can be married, yay happily ever after.
What just happened? I'm still not sure.
**Review based on an ARC received for free from www.netgalley.com
Imagine late 19th century Europe, the dresses, the entangling alliances, the royalty, the DRAMA!!!! Then throw in some alternate history (America lost the Revolutionary War, Britain owns France) and add some poorly explained magic, and you have this novel.
The five POVs and the light page count leads to a complete lack of depth to any of the characters. The one character who seemed the most interesting, the Sorceress Aelwyn (who rips out the soul of a boy who tries to steal her bag in the first chapter AWESOME) is barely used and the magic she and her father, the Merlin, use is barely described or explained. Why even have it?
This book is also fairly violent and sexual. One character was repeatedly date-raped AND later you find out she was molested as a child/teen. Multiple characters engage in various sexual acts despite constant worries about their honor, and girls are described as feeling without control over their bodies. Boo. One Chapter where we find out the Uncle is molesting his neice is called Flower in the Attic. Really?
Hopefully the subsequent books in the series will add depth to this tale. I'm sure Melissa de la Cruz fans will love this, but not for me.
Imagine late 19th century Europe, the dresses, the entangling alliances, the royalty, the DRAMA!!!! Then throw in some alternate history (America lost the Revolutionary War, Britain owns France) and add some poorly explained magic, and you have this novel.
The five POVs and the light page count leads to a complete lack of depth to any of the characters. The one character who seemed the most interesting, the Sorceress Aelwyn (who rips out the soul of a boy who tries to steal her bag in the first chapter AWESOME) is barely used and the magic she and her father, the Merlin, use is barely described or explained. Why even have it?
This book is also fairly violent and sexual. One character was repeatedly date-raped AND later you find out she was molested as a child/teen. Multiple characters engage in various sexual acts despite constant worries about their honor, and girls are described as feeling without control over their bodies. Boo. One Chapter where we find out the Uncle is molesting his neice is called Flower in the Attic. Really?
Hopefully the subsequent books in the series will add depth to this tale. I'm sure Melissa de la Cruz fans will love this, but not for me.
Enchanting and mysterious Margo has been 17 year old Quentin's obsession since she moved in next door when they were young kids. Despite sharing a childhood trauma together and their proximity, Margo and Q grow up more like two parallel lines than actual friends. A month before their high school graduation, Margo tumbles into Q's room, pulling him into an epic quest of revenge against those who have wronged her. They accomplish their revenge(s) and seem to connect, but Margo abruptly disappears the next day. Did Margo run away? Is she dead? Can we ever really know anyone, even ourselves?
This book was so-so story-wise for me. The writing was fantastic, and the secondary characters really shone. The main story revolving around Q and his obsession with Margo really didn't ring true to me. I just couldn't empathize with a girl who needed to run away from her problems which were really more of the "rich white girl" variety then anything truly terrible. I felt bad for Q but also didn't really feel like I knew him either.
Not my fav John Green book.
This book was so-so story-wise for me. The writing was fantastic, and the secondary characters really shone. The main story revolving around Q and his obsession with Margo really didn't ring true to me. I just couldn't empathize with a girl who needed to run away from her problems which were really more of the "rich white girl" variety then anything truly terrible. I felt bad for Q but also didn't really feel like I knew him either.
Not my fav John Green book.
What a quirky graphic novel, but such gorgeous art. I'm sort of surprised this is considered "children's" but the messages about bullying and staying yourself are awesome.
What a mystery! Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn reminded me of some of my new favorite TV Shows, Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The League, Arrested Devlopment. Why you ask? Well those TV shows are cutting edge for their writing and hilarious, yet you do not like the the characters. They are not good people, and generally don't have many redeeming qualities. I found this to be true in Gone Girl. I actually hated the characters, yet the mystery kept me involved till the end.
Definitely one of those books you need to read (because everyone is) so you can have some watercooler chat. I recommend, but not everyone will enjoy reading this. Thankfully I read fast so I didn't have to spend too much time in Flynn's world; once you start you will not want to.
Definitely one of those books you need to read (because everyone is) so you can have some watercooler chat. I recommend, but not everyone will enjoy reading this. Thankfully I read fast so I didn't have to spend too much time in Flynn's world; once you start you will not want to.
About time I started this series. It is pretty amazing. That's about all I need to say.
In the near future, smart phones evolved to the point where they anticipate your every need and provide all the basic functions of communication and news, effectively killing off printed materials. A few "luddites" try to maintain the integrity of the written word but overall technology has won. Even Anana, a struggling artist and low-ranking employee at one of the last printed dictionaries, is a slave to her device, but when she is pulled into a dangerous plot to completely subvert language by turning it into a profit generating businses, she learns sometimes reliance on technology can be a very dangerous, and even lethal, thing.
Such a promising premise, but unfortunately the writing style left me cold. The story was written as if the characters themselves were writing a history of events, so I never felt drawn into the action or seriously concerned. Obviously if they were writing about events they were going to survive all along. The addition of the "romance" between Anana and her co-worker Bart was a stretch. I ended up skimming through to the end just to finish.
That said, I am sure there are many who would really respond to this story, it just wasn't to my personal style.
Such a promising premise, but unfortunately the writing style left me cold. The story was written as if the characters themselves were writing a history of events, so I never felt drawn into the action or seriously concerned. Obviously if they were writing about events they were going to survive all along. The addition of the "romance" between Anana and her co-worker Bart was a stretch. I ended up skimming through to the end just to finish.
That said, I am sure there are many who would really respond to this story, it just wasn't to my personal style.