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bandherbooks's Reviews (3.65k)
A very late-comer to the series, I really loved the dialect, setting, and characters, but also had some quibbles about some plot points that took me out of the story. SPOILERS AHEAD, reader beware.
The Good:
The writing swept me away into the world of 18th century Scotland and England. Sometimes written accents are intelligible or I can't hear them in my head, but not so here.
I really felt the connection between Jamie and Claire and it made me root for them throughout the book and their trials.
History! Yeah!
Hot sexy times
Just enough time travel to whet my appetite, but not too much to make me think about it too hard.
The Questionable
LOTS of time spent discussing the merits of beatings, whuppings, torture, etc.
Very episodic, lots of rising and falling tension that will serve the TV show well, but made the overall story-line a bit muddled.
Massive spoiler here -
The quibbles aside, I thoroughly enjoyed this and will continue reading. The first episode of the show as also super awesome, so here here!
The Good:
The writing swept me away into the world of 18th century Scotland and England. Sometimes written accents are intelligible or I can't hear them in my head, but not so here.
I really felt the connection between Jamie and Claire and it made me root for them throughout the book and their trials.
History! Yeah!
Hot sexy times
Just enough time travel to whet my appetite, but not too much to make me think about it too hard.
The Questionable
LOTS of time spent discussing the merits of beatings, whuppings, torture, etc.
Very episodic, lots of rising and falling tension that will serve the TV show well, but made the overall story-line a bit muddled.
Massive spoiler here -
Spoiler
Jamie's rape and torture by Captain Randall was very dark, which while completely awful served the storyline, but then to have Captain Randall randomly killed by a pack of cows was a big let down. I wanted REVENGE. Also, Claire's method of opium taking plus reenacting said rape to get Jamie back from the brink of death was utterly shocking, weird, and not what I would have thought would be a good idea. I'm assuming there will be further ramifications of the rape in future novels, but from where we ended here Jamie seemed to have made a pretty miraculous psychological recovery.The quibbles aside, I thoroughly enjoyed this and will continue reading. The first episode of the show as also super awesome, so here here!
Rebecca Lowman is my favorite narrator, and she does such a wonderful job bringing Rainbow Rowell's characters to life.
**Review based on audiobook
This is my first listen, but fourth go through of this amazing book. Author Harkness is definitely a historian at heart, but also a beautiful writer. Everything felt authentic, from the smell in the Bodlean Library to the various wines and scents described, to the explanation of how her various creatures "work."
Highly recommend - but not for anyone looking for quick romance. This is an epic adventure with tons of detail. Absorb slowly and enjoy!
This is my first listen, but fourth go through of this amazing book. Author Harkness is definitely a historian at heart, but also a beautiful writer. Everything felt authentic, from the smell in the Bodlean Library to the various wines and scents described, to the explanation of how her various creatures "work."
Highly recommend - but not for anyone looking for quick romance. This is an epic adventure with tons of detail. Absorb slowly and enjoy!
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Well that just blew my ever-lovin' mind. Review will come later, after I've processed and stopped screaming about that cliff hanger. This is why I don't read series before they are complete. Gah!
But oh wow oh man. In love.
But oh wow oh man. In love.
Theo Decker loses his mother to a bomb explosion during a visit to NYC art museum. Theo survives, but at the behest of a dying old man he steals a small but hugely important painting, The Goldfinch. His mother's death and this theft shapes and moves Theo's life as he is shuttled around adult caretakers and into his adult life.
Gloriously written, with imagery and sentences that are simply glowing, Donna Tartt subsumes you into Theo's life with each page. While this books starts with a bomb blast, the remaining 800+ pages ebb and flow with events, like the tide. Theo is not always a likeable person, and his drug habits are simply enormous, but his life, and the people in his life are so well drawn you simply lose yourself in the story.
All I really have to say is wait until you meet Boris. He is one of the best characters in modern literature I have ever met. I held my breath whenever he was absent from the narrative, and smiled with glee each time he returned.
Gloriously written, with imagery and sentences that are simply glowing, Donna Tartt subsumes you into Theo's life with each page. While this books starts with a bomb blast, the remaining 800+ pages ebb and flow with events, like the tide. Theo is not always a likeable person, and his drug habits are simply enormous, but his life, and the people in his life are so well drawn you simply lose yourself in the story.
All I really have to say is wait until you meet Boris. He is one of the best characters in modern literature I have ever met. I held my breath whenever he was absent from the narrative, and smiled with glee each time he returned.
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**Review based on audiobook read by Will Patton
Blue Sargeant's mother and aunts are all psychic. Blue is not, but somehow her presence helps amplify their gifts. Blue has also been told by every psychic she meets that if she kisses her true love, he will die. Now 16, Blue is just fine not kissing anyone and living her life. That is until a huge mystery involving a group of boys from the prestigious Aglionby Academy, a long lost Welsh King's bones, and some powerful ley lines threatens to rock her entire world.
I love Maggie Stiefvater's characters; they are deliciously well-drawn and so alive, even when minor. Blue's scenes with the boys (Ronin, Gansey, Adam, and Noah) simply sparkle with life. Will Patton also does an amazing job capturing the South Carolina flair in speech, and each character is entirely distinct. He does a marvelous job narrating women too. Love.
This book, well seemingly a 'romance' due to the nature of Blue's curse (kissing leading to death) is really not a romance yet at all. The story focues on creating the deep ties between the characters that I'm sure is going to lead to some tough times later on in the series.
I will defintely be loading up Book 2, the Dream Thieves, in the car soon!
Blue Sargeant's mother and aunts are all psychic. Blue is not, but somehow her presence helps amplify their gifts. Blue has also been told by every psychic she meets that if she kisses her true love, he will die. Now 16, Blue is just fine not kissing anyone and living her life. That is until a huge mystery involving a group of boys from the prestigious Aglionby Academy, a long lost Welsh King's bones, and some powerful ley lines threatens to rock her entire world.
I love Maggie Stiefvater's characters; they are deliciously well-drawn and so alive, even when minor. Blue's scenes with the boys (Ronin, Gansey, Adam, and Noah) simply sparkle with life. Will Patton also does an amazing job capturing the South Carolina flair in speech, and each character is entirely distinct. He does a marvelous job narrating women too. Love.
This book, well seemingly a 'romance' due to the nature of Blue's curse (kissing leading to death) is really not a romance yet at all. The story focues on creating the deep ties between the characters that I'm sure is going to lead to some tough times later on in the series.
I will defintely be loading up Book 2, the Dream Thieves, in the car soon!
Who knew such hilarity could be created with a basic computer Paint program and some text? I sure didn't until I read this book. I'm waaaay behind in my internet culture, so I'm always happy to see excellent online offerings turned into books. So many laugh out loud moments here, which is rare for me. My top three most favorite essays included the lost in the woods (with mom), moving with dogs, and my number one most favorite, the goose in the house (real photos included).
LOVED Volume 2. The issues within had a story line that felt more continuous than the first volume which I enjoyed. The art totally grew on me, and Pizza Dog (last issue in the volume) was a totally amazing look at the life of a comic book super hero's dog. So unique. I also appreciated the insight into how the artist does the minimalist coloring; so cool to see how digital programs can really help an artist.
Volume 2 keeps the action going as Marko and Alana try to escape the various mercenaries trying to kill them and take their hybrid baby. Snappy dialouge from Brian K Vaughan and intricate and beautiful illustrations transport you to this ethereal galaxy. Damn cliff hanger again though :)
Star-crossed lovers (literally) have a baby and try to escape an ancient civil war. Beautiful artwork, great dialogue (yay Brian K Vaughan), and fabulous world-building. I really enjoyed the baby's first "baby-sitter." Don't worry, no spoilers here. Read it yourself. Can't wait for more volumes!