Review: Juliet Marillier – The Bridei Chronicles 1 – The Dark Mirror

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The Dark Mirror
Juliet Marillier
Bridei is being raised for great things, but he doesn’t know enough about them yet. When he rescues the foundling Tuala, he doesn’t know how this will change the course of his destiny.
The romance in this novel is very strong, and poignant – Marillier really gets it right. Some things you don’t see coming, and others you do, but all of them blend together beautifully.
I stayed up past my bedtime reading this novel – it was great, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I don’t know why I waited so long to read it!
The perspectives allow enough insight into each character that you feel like you know the important ones really personally. It would have been nice to have a bit more knowledge about the old druid, but you can’t fit everything into a book of this length.
The ending almost doesn’t feel like an ending. Bridei’s recovery and the events after this proceed at a very rapid rate, and while I was reading them I felt like I had missed something.
I made the mistake of reading this novel, then quickly picking up the next in the series before reviewing it. Oops! So this review is much shorter than what this wonderful book deserves.

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Review: Mercedes Lackey – Elemental Masters 2 – The Gates of Sleep

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The Gates of Sleep
Mercedes Lackey

Marina has lived  most of her short years in a quiet village with her aunt and uncles. She is gifted with Elemental Magic, but has not yet come into her full powers. She doesn’t know why she hasn’t known her parents, or why she has a sinking feeling of foreboding about her aunt…

This is a retelling of the fairytale Sleeping Beauty. It is intelligently crafted, just as I would expect from an early Lackey novel. Although predictable in nature, it is the little things that make it a reread for me. I really like the character of Marina, and also the brief insights into Andrew Pike that we get through the changing narrative perspective  For the most part it is told from Marina’s perspective however.

I do have one little grump about this novel. Marina and Andrew get along well enough, but I feel like there isn’t enough contact between them for this to grow into something more. I would have also loved to have heard more about his treatments, and the care of the insane.

Don’t you just love the cover of this novel? I’m not sure it adequately captures Marina, but the skulls are a giveaway that things might not be all as they seem.

I don’t know what draws me to fairytale retellings. In this case, I had just watched the Disney film of Sleeping Beauty, and it sparked a desire in me to reread this novel.

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Review: Richard Yaxley – Joyous & Moonbeam

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Joyous & Moonbeam
Richard Yaxley
Joyous lives a peaceful life. Moonbeam’s life is in upheaval. Together, they might be able to work things around a little.
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The narrative style of this novel put me off right from the beginning. The first person narrator of Joyous was jarring, and really out there for me. I struggled to read his and the shared sections with Moonbeam.
It took me a little while, but I worked out that there was something wrong with Joyous, other than his inability to think straight. This made the blurb on the back of the novel even more intriguing – what is he going to teach someone called ‘Moonbeam’?
Ashleigh’s (Moonbeam) journal sections were much more to my liking. How could I not like a girl who writes a journal, and appears to be bucking the trend in high school? I always have a soft spot for the bad girls.
Add in yet another perspective – those of the letters from Joyous’ mother, Margaret. These added depth to Joyous’ character. I didn’t enjoy the changing perspectives, although I could understand why the author included them.

Overall I was unsatisfied with the novel. The plot lines were complicated and a bit depressing, but not really angsty enough to make this a must-have teen novel.

I’ve never read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightime, which this book is apparently similar to, but I know it must be a deep and meaningful one because it’s on the VCE reading lists. If it is similar, I don’t think I’m going to go for it.
I received this book from Omnibus Books for Scholastic Australia without any prompting! That made me pretty excited by the book, but as I’ve noted, I was a bit disappointed in its contents.

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Review: Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff – The Meri

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The Meri
Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff
Meredydd’s family was murdered, and she was taken in by the Osraeds for teaching. Showing an unusual aptitude for the Art, her path is stony. As a character, Meredydd is strong, and genuine, but lacks a little in self-awareness.
This is a traditional journey novel. Everything is focused on the Pilgrimage of Meredydd to find the Meri. The tasks she is set are quite interesting, and should be thought provoking for some readers. It really didn’t feel like much happened in the novel though, and so it was an easy read.
I’m not quite sure what kept me reading about this novel. Perhaps it was the strong female character of Meredydd who needed to hold against the odds. Or perhaps the riddles, which I enjoyed trying to solve (with little success for some).
I wanted to know more of Skeet. This is book 1 in a series, and I’m almost tempted to get the other books just to find out more about him. Almost tempted, but not quite. He was the character who interested me the most after Meredydd, although her other male friend also had potential.
I would have liked to know more of the exact teachings of the Osraeds. My academic interest in a novel has always been so inclined. I was also interested in Meredydd’s fascination with the spider and its web – was this a metaphor for something deeper?
The ending ruined the novel for me. It wasn’t at all what I was expecting, and I felt cheated. That knocked what could have been a 4 star book into a 3 star book for me.

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Review: Ellen Wittlinger – Parrotfish

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Parrotfish
Ellen Wittlinger
Angela has become Grady. It hasn’t been an overnight decision, she’s known she’s a he for quite some time. The rest of the world has trouble adapting though, particularly his Jewish mother and ex-bestfriend Eve.
Parrotfish is a well written, thoroughly enjoyable teenage novel in the LBQT spectrum. Grady is an endearing character who will draw you into his story and make you feel along with him very nicely.
While some of the characters felt like placeholders (such as Grady’s dad, and Sebastian’s mother), the progression of other minor characters such as Sebastian himself and Eve were genuine. I liked the character of Kita, even if I felt that her reaction (and poor Grady’s reaction to her) was perhaps a little too over the top in terms of how accepting she was right away.
I felt that Parrotfish romanticized the truths of coming out as transgender a little bit. The fact that there was hardly any bullying, other than Danya and the glass of milk seemed hard to believe. Not that they weren’t hardships, and Grady really could have suffered if not for his friends, but just everything seemed a little too easy.
I enjoyed the subplot of the Christmas cheer. It’s hard to believe that so much can be packed into a novel from Thanksgiving to Christmas. If anything, I wished that the novel was a little longer – I wanted to know what Grady’s long term plans were.
I loved the analogy of gender being like a football field, with a continuum of gender. Some people aren’t girly girls, but they aren’t guys either. I’m probably somewhere on the middle of this genderfield too – I’m a girl, but I couldn’t tell you why I was one.
With a friend transitioning in the other direction (MtF) I felt like it was high time I got into the transgender set of literature. I’m so glad I picked this novel as my first real foray into it.

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Review: Michael Thomas Ford – Suicide Notes

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Suicide Notes
Michael Thomas Ford
Jeff has been committed to a psychiatric ward because he tried to kill himself. People keep asking him why he did it, but he’s not telling. Indeed, he’s not even sure why he did it.
I loved the metaphor of truth being like a blue radioactive ball filled with poison. It was a really vivid image that stayed with me.
The author had the knack of drawing the reader in, and then not letting them go. Each of the little particles Jeff lets out in the journalistic type narrative grabs you, and then you think you know what is going on, and then you don’t.
This novel made me laugh out loud more than once – not something you’d be expecting from a novel with a title like this one.The touches of humour made what could have been a depressing book into something that, while not exactly easy or enjoyable reading, I would consider good mature teenage reading.
It’s a touching novel, but I couldn’t have said it was anything particularly special – until I hit the real reason why Jeff tried to kill himself. Yay! That turning point in the novel made the novel into something I was excited about reading the rest of, and finding out how Jeff was going to cope with life outside the ward again.
The queer tones of ‘Suicide Notes’ made it resonate well with me, even if some of the time I felt that the situation couldn’t possibly have been portrayed accurately. It wasn’t a comfortable read at all, and I’d give it a little bit of a trigger warning if anything.

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Review: Peter V. Brett – The Daylight War

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The Daylight War
Peter V. Brett
Arlen Bales is no Deliverer. Well, not according to him anyway, since everyone else seems to think so. Jardir on the other hand believes he is – but doesn’t seem to be making many steps in the right direction. Told from their women’s perspectives for the most part, this novel is an interesting and involved read that isn’t too daunting for the beginning fantasy reader.
 I was glad of the prologue, and felt that it set up Inevera’s parts of the novel nicely. The storyweaving was strangely compelling, and really drew me into the novel. I also really enjoyed the initial parts told from Renna’s perspective, and the learning that Arlen imparted to her. I felt that there could have been more of this learning, and that it would have grounded new readers a little better in the world.
I haven’t read the first and second books in this series, and wonder whether I would have felt more compulsion in the plot if I had. As it was, it wasn’t clear for quite some time what the aim of Arlen and Jardir was, what they were fighting against. The first two books are on my to-read list now for sure, and I’ll be eagerly awaiting the next books in the series.
From the perspectives of the two women, Renna and Inevera, I couldn’t decide who I liked more. Renna felt more honest, but Inevera was really crafty and interesting in her own way. Throw in Leesha Paper, and the three women tear things apart! I wouldn’t have said the novel was about the men at all – it is the women who have power. Of the two main men though, I definitely preferred Arlen over Jardir. Jardir was just so… calculating and snooty. Arlen seems much more down to earth and likeable, even if he does sometimes have some weird moments.
I was particularly glad of the role of music in this novel. Rojer and his friends are able to craft demon stopping music, which I found fascinating. The uses of demon bone, and the Greatwards were unique to the world building as well. I did wonder why more people didn’t think to eat demon flesh though, if it would grant such great powers. Particularly to that huge dog!
There were so many minor plots to keep my interest which was great. The major plot of the Waning Moon and the coming major war against the demons was so slow that it was a good thing there were lots of other things to concentrate on.
Don’t be put off by the size of this novel. It’s really quite an accessible novel, and as I’ve said, the changing perspectives are crucial for keeping your interest in the novel going.
I received this novel as part of The Book Depository’s new affiliate reviewing program. I’m really chuffed I was chosen to participate, and I hope to see new books out soon for me to love and review.

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Review: Mary Ann Loesch – Bayou Myth

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Bayou Myth
Mary Ann Loesch
Joan’s a mixed blood voodoo witch. When I put it like that, it sounds very negative – but really Joan is on the side of good. There’s lots of nasty things out there though to get her, and she’s not got anyone who really can help her other than a dead great grandma. Sound good?

Before reading this novel I had had hardly any contact with any form of voodoo. I found it to be a good introduction with just the right amount of detail. Hoodoo I have come across, in the movie “The Skeleton Key”. If you like horror, and you’ve got a thing for magic, I’d recommend it. It’s totally a great film (coming from me who never watches movies, that must mean something).
Joan is a likeable enough character, although I didn’t get a feel for her until later in the novel. The first couple of chapters are far more about what she can do, and the big things that are changing in her world. This novel is plot driven somehow, rather than character driven.
I kept thinking about this novel, and how Joan was going to fix things (and also how many more people would die) while I was away from it, so I would have said I was suckered in by it. It was obvious who the bad people were, but the how and why of things was much more fascinating.
The ending was quite satisfactory, although I don’t feel the need for a sequel as if I would if it was an outstanding novel. I’ll give it three stars, because I still could put it down, and wasn’t completely hooked.
I received this book free in a giveaway. It took me far too long to get around to reading it though, and I’ve had this book on my ebook shelf since September last year. That kind of reading length really upsets me, but I’m glad I’ve gotten a chance to read and review it now.

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Review: Don De Lillo – Libra

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Libra
Don De Lillo
This novel is one that stopped me from wanting to read it from the very beginning. Nothing about it suckered me in. I know I should have been more excited about it, given that De Lillo is quite a celebrated American author, but I just wasn’t.
The intersecting plot lines are confusing, and often seem superflous. Just as De Lillo surely intended, I hardly cared about the plot to kill JFK, instead I wanted to know more of Oswald and what his hopes were. Oswald is such an enigma it is frustrating at times, but the insight that De Lillo makes into the character is interesting.
As I’ve alluded to, this novel is a fictionalised post-modernist account of the JF Kennedy assassination, the ‘seven seconds’ that broke the back of America, or some such thing. It’s quite interesting to me, because before reading this novel I knew very little about the assassination.
I needed to read this novel in time for an exam, and I hate to admit that I didn’t get all the way through it. I started reading it early, but I simply couldn’t stomach the stretches in language. The language is the thing that is supposed to hold this book together, and in a way it does, but it also makes it very difficult for the average reader to get into.
I don’t have this exact cover, but I have one very similar  It doesn’t draw me into the book any more than the actual story line does sadly. I want to say I wanted to like this book, and I did, but I simply couldn’t. Sorry De Lillo, you’re going to have to try and get me to read you again in some other manner.

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Review: Jenny Nimmo – The Children of the Red King 1: Midnight for Charlie Bone

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The Children of the Red King 1: Midnight for Charlie Bone
Jenny Nimmo
Charlie can hear people talking to him. No, not the kind of voices inside his head that might mean he’s mad – he’s one of the Endowed children of the Red King. Charlie is able to hear the voices of what people were thinking and saying when photographs were taken. Life is not easy for Charlie though. His friend Benjamin thought they were going to attend the same school – but now Charlie must go to the Academy or be kicked out of home.
862369Nimmo has crafted a beautiful novel as a starter for this series. There are crafty foreshadowing motifs, and other parts that flow because of the imagery that Nimmo uses. I didn’t even mind the perspective alterations in order to show off the villains better!
Although I would say mainly this novel is plot driven (and also with a healthy dose of suspense thrown in), we also see some character development from Charlie and the others. The Flames have to be my favourites – and you just know there’s something extra strange about them from the beginning.
Billy Raven acts as a loveable, and question-inducing antagonist. It’s just what is appropriate for a children’s book, and I can imagine this book being put on syllabuses  because of the questions it could potentially raise. If you’re raising a budding fantasy lover, I’d absolutely recommend this novel as one of the early ones to read.
There are now lots of different covers for this novel – but I have the one on the left, and all of the other books in the series as matching ones! I love them, and they’re all subtly shiny. Sadly, the new book doesn’t match, but at least it’s obvious about where it belongs. I haven’t actually read that one yet,  but I will once I’ve reread all the ones in The Children of the Red King series (check the Reviews by Author page to see what I’m up to).
I read and loved this novel when I was considerably younger, and was re-attracted to it recently because there is a new book in the series (a prequel). This of course makes it nearly impossible for me to properly evaluate, but I have tried to some extent. Go and buy yourself a copy if you love simple, easy to read fantasy that still has hidden elements for you to puzzle over.

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