book review

All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness: A Review

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Processed with VSCO with s2 presetSeries: All Souls Trilogy
Publication Date: 2011/2012/2014
Genres: Fantasy
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“It begins with absence and desire.

It begins with blood and fear.

It begins with a discovery of witches.”

I have just finished reading this trilogy for the second time, and surprisingly, I gleaned a lot more from it than I did the first time. I first listened to the trilogy as an audiobook, when I used to commute a long distance to work. It got me through my journeys for a couple of weeks and I enjoyed it immensely, but I do think I miss a lot from a story when I’m not able to read the words in front of me. I gain an additional level of understanding and joy from sentence structure and vocabulary – call me a nerd, I am – in a novel. Beautifully written sentences breathe life into a book.

And there is a lot of detail in these books. From spell work, to the contents of grimoires, to science and alchemy and data analysis of blood cells, it’s a massive trek through a detailed and richly tapestried world, and a insight into how biology and genealogy can change the course of your life. It is like no paranormal or fantasy book I’ve ever read. Although the world and its contents are wide, Harkness takes you through it all, and its history, in a seamless thread of intrigue, mystery, magic and desire.

Diana has distanced herself from her magical heritage, and as such, is clueless to the goings on of the witches, vampires, and daemons, hiding in plain sight around her. Her lack of knowledge enables us, the readers, to learn everything about the world gradually and authentically. The story truly starts when Diana accidentally calls a magical book, Ashmole 782, from the Bodleian Library, for her academic research. Opening the book, she realises it is an enchanted palimpsest. This action kickstarts the driving motive of the entire trilogy – also known as the Book of Origins, Ashmole 782 is coveted by all creatures, and they are all desperate to get their hands on it.

Matthew, vampire love interest (for what would a supernatural story be without a forbidden love?), is drawn to Diana because of his need for the book. He has searched for it for centuries, but when he gets to know Diana, it is no longer just the book that keeps him from pursuing her. He is a mysterious, dark, and dangerous character, with a thousand-year history full of just as many secrets. But Harkness writes him beautifully – his sincere care and feelings towards Diana flow through the plot and undercut everything that happens. There are definite parallels to be drawn here between Matthew and Diana and Jamie and Claire from Outlander – they are both relationships that travel through generations – steadfast, heady, intense, and long-lasting.

Many readers relate these books to the Twilight saga, but this trilogy is nothing like it. This is a story of the supernatural, but it is tempered by real life choices, adult dilemmas and adult relationships, and the backstory and historical science itself is enough to set it apart from any teen-vamp-drama. Harkness has a beautiful way with words, and there is a seamless flow to the books that keep you captivated. Even the scientific descriptions (and there is more than you would expect from your average fantasy novel) kept me engaged – a sign of the authors talent and ability to weave great detail into the plot without it seeming forced. Harkness is clearly very knowledgeable and has done great research into the time periods and science in the books, and this shines through, the details adding depth and connection to the characters and the story, enriching the worldbuilding and building intrigue.

The author’s research is really put to the test in the second book, Shadow of Night, as Matthew and Diana time-walk to Elizabethan England in order to hide from the creatures pursuing Diana and Ashmole 782. From the moment they step into 1591 Oxford, the newly imagined world is vividly depicted. I felt as though I could smell the ‘waxen smell’ that reminded Diana of Summer, and the ‘tang of woodsmoke’. I could practically hear the ‘crackle of a fire’, and the smell of the ‘sprigs of rosemary and lavender strewn among the rushes laid down to keep dampness from being tromped through the house.’ Even the smell of the Elizabethan smock Diana first wears is described: ‘lavender and cedar’. When she walks through London for the first time, the sights and sounds assault her, and us, in turn; ‘Bread baking. Coal fires. Wood smoke. Fermentation. Freshly washed garbage, courtesy of yesterday’s rains. Wet wool.’ Harkness’s ability to move her setting from 21st Century Madison, USA to London in 1591 is unparalleled and the time travel is unquestioned. You have no problem believing everything that is written because the worldbuilding is so richly imagined.

The All Souls trilogy has spellbound me. I especially loved the fun inclusion of Fleetwood Mac as a soundtrack to a witch’s teenage years, and the vast amount of secondary characters that all somehow held their own space within the story. With a myriad of interesting characters, deeply researched history, minutely detailed settings and a love story filled with absence and desire, Harkness has created a thought-provoking and engrossing page-turner of a trilogy. All the strands weave together in the final book to culminate in an absorbing and magical romp through science, magic, family and history. It is a story about the threads of life that tie us all together, and the discrimination and bias that can try to tear us apart.

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Gather the Daughters Critical Review

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Gather the Daughters by Jennie Melamed follows the lives of four female protagonists – the ‘daughters’ who live on an island, supposedly kept safe from the ‘wasteland’ of the mainland, where a ‘scourge’ has punished the world. The text has strong similarities to Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale – the society follows Our Book, which specifies rules of the society, mostly created to silence and sanction women. They are called the ‘Shalt-Nots’ and consist of ‘thou shalt not touch a daughter who has bled until she enters her summer of fruition’; ‘thou shalt not allow a wife to stray in thought, deed or body’; ‘thou shalt not allow women who are not sister, daughter, or mother to gather without a man to guide them all.’ (20) Unlike Atwood’s tale, though, we’re given barely any information regarding life beyond the island, all being revealed only through the questioning child protagonists. The ‘wanderers’ – the men who hold the highest rank in the community – visit the wastelands across the water regularly, telling tales of a ‘world of fire’, but as the narrative progresses both the reader and the girls have reason to become increasingly distrustful of this. ‘Narrative tension builds as skilful characterisation fills the reader with growing concern for the central voices.’ (Moss, 2017)

As Nick Hubble says, ‘there is discussion as to what is science-fiction about this novel. On the one hand, it looks and feels just like a post-apocalyptic dystopia, but on the other hand, as the reveal at the novel’s end makes clear, it is no such thing.’ (2018) Melamed’s text raises many questions prevalent to the genre of SF – mainly, what is SF? Can it truly be defined? This is emphasised, I think, by Melamed’s almost conscious changing of genre towards the end of the novel. After leading the characters, and hence the readers, towards the belief that this is a dystopian society, we realise it is not. The society is in fact a religious cult, the likes of which perhaps exists in our real world today. This blindness to the truth is something the protagonists in the novel deal with continuously, and as readers, we know only what the young girls know. There is that unavoidable innocence of childhood to believe one’s parents, no matter if common sense points elsewhere – and this is reflected in Vanessa, particularly. ‘Vanessa wonders, as she always does…’ (20) She is the smartest of the island girls, always trying to delve information from the adults about the outside world: ‘The waste – now you know I can’t tell you anything’ Mrs Adams tells her, to which she replies – ‘It can be a secret.’ (155) Despite this, she is the only character who does not join the girls in their rebellion on the beach. She wants, above all, to believe her father is good, even though he is part of the problem, the gang of ‘wanderers’, and rapes her repeatedly. ‘Who is my little wife?’ asks Father in a sweet tone. ‘I am,’ whispers Vanessa. (211) There is a strange, jarring tenderness to this exchange that feels intrinsically wrong to the reader but suggests that the author is attempting to redeem the father. He is consistently portrayed as a better person that the other fathers – but this clashes with the actions he commits. The depth in which Melamed raises questions about horrifyingly real issues rejects the post-apocalyptic story arc and directs us, as readers, back to the intricacies of our own world.

Further to this, just like in The Handmaid’s Tale, the women live in a society which is attempting, at all turns, to silence them. ‘Their behaviour and values are circumscribed.’ (Jones, 1991) And as de Beauvoir writes, women are ‘defined and differentiated with reference to man and not he with reference to her; she is the incidental, the inessential as opposed to the essential. He is the subject, he is the Absolute – she is the Other’, and, ‘subjected to doom.’ (1949)  This ‘doom’ is prevalent throughout Melamed’s text: when Janey is whipped for speaking out, Rosie is murdered to protect her, Caitlyn is abused by her father, even more so that the other girls, with no interference from knowing outsiders, and the ongoing fear that perpetrates their daily lives. The author’s gender influences in her own world very consciously affect the work, which is typical of dystopian authors and their subjects: using fantasy to analyse the real. ‘My professor discussed a South Pacific society where fathers were expected to have intercourse with their daughters, to ‘prepare them for their husbands.’ (Melamed, 2017) Despite what Eskeridge writes: ‘I despise conscious theme. It subverts story.’ (Mendelsohn, 2012), the author’s intention to write a novel discussing such prevalent fears and themes – overpopulation, sexual abuse and reproductive rights – are explored in much the same way as her predecessors within the genre of dystopian SF. ‘The central features of dystopia are ever-present – the oppression of the majority by the ruling elite.’ (Clute, 2018)

As previously discussed, there is no clear redemption in this novel. We do not learn whether Vanessa reaches safety, and her father does not leave because he was remorseful about having intercourse with his daughter; he leaves because he is afraid something might happen to her. It goes not excuse or forgive the abuse, but it leaves the reader wondering what the point in all the horror was, if not to reach a resolution. Was it just to comment on the depravation that mankind are capable of? ‘At what point does the depiction of such suffering tip into a pornography of violence?’ (Ditum, 2018) Is there such thing as too much horror in feminist dystopia, and, are we numbing ourselves to the violence against women in these texts? As Sarah Hall writes, there is still a ‘fresh urgency’ to feminist dystopian fiction that feeds a growing thirst for a world that is better than our own. (Thorpe, 2017) Reflecting on past horrors and using a science fiction narrative to do so is an extremely effective way to portray the point.

In summary, I would recommend the novel for an Arthur C Clarke award. Although there are many questions raised in the text that remain unanswered, and the ending is ambiguous, leaving the question open as to whether this novel really is an SF dystopia, Kingsley Amis argues that ‘the dystopian tradition is the most important strand in the tapestry of modern SF.’ (1960) In my opinion, Gather the Daughters is a poignant science-fiction text that cleverly symbolises women’s struggles and their experiences of ‘Other-ness’ in society, bringing to light the horrors of events happening in our real world – something that I believe all science fiction should do. As feminist dystopia, it successfully gives the reader pause to think, and, rightfully, be horrified.

Bibliography

Alderman, Naomi. 2017. Dystopian dreams: how feminist science fiction predicted the future. [Online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/mar/25/dystopian-dreams-how-feminist-science-fiction-predicted-the-future [Last accessed: 27th August 2018]

Amis, Kingsley. 1960. New Maps of Hell. Penguin, UK.

Anders, Charlie Jane. 2010. How many definitions of science fiction are there? [Online] Available at: https://io9.gizmodo.com/5622186/how-many-defintions-of-science-fiction-are-there [Last accessed: 27th August 2018]

Atwood, Margaret. 1985. The Handmaid’s Tale. O.W. Toad Limited.

Booker, Keith M. and Thomas, Anne-Marie. 2009. The Science Fiction Handbook. John Wiley & Sons.

Claeys, Gregory. 2010. The Cambridge Companion to Utopian Literature. Cambridge University Press.

Clute, John and Nicholls, Peter. 1999. The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. London: Orbit.

de Beauvoir, Simone. 1949. The Second Sex. Vintage, London.

Delaney, Samuel R. and Cheney, Matthew. 2011. The Jewel-Hinged Jaw: Notes on the Language of Science Fiction. Wesleyan University Press

Ditum, Sarah. 2018. Never-ending nightmare: why feminist dystopias must stop torturing women. [Online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/may/12/why-the-handmaids-tale-marks-a-new-chapter-in-feminist-dystopias [Last accessed: 26th August 2018]

Gailey, Sarah. 2016. Do Better: Sexual Violence in SFF. [Online] Available at: https://www.tor.com/2016/08/22/do-better-sexual-violence-in-sff/ [Last accessed: 27th August 2018]

Gunn, James and Candelaria, Matthew. 2014. Speculations on Speculation. [Online] Available at: http://www.sfcenter.ku.edu/Speculations.htm [Last accessed: 27th August 2018]

Hubble, Nick. 2018. Panel Review: Gather the Daughters by Jennie Melamed. [Online] https://csff-anglia.co.uk/clarke-shadow-jury/shadow-jury-2018/panel-review-gather-the-daughters-by-jennie-melamed/ [Last accessed: 24th August 2018]

Jarvis, Claire. 2017. The Latest, Troubling Chapter in Feminist Dystopian Fiction. [Online] Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/13/books/review/gather-the-daughters-jennie-melamed.html  [Last accessed: 26th August 2018]

Jones, Libby Falk. 1991. Breaking Silences In Feminist Dystopias in Utopian Studies, No. 3. pp. 7 – 11. Penn State University Press.

Little, Judith A. 2007. Feminist philosophy and science fiction: utopias and dystopias. Prometheus Books.

Melamed, Jennie. 2017. Gather the Daughters. Tinder Press, London.

Melamed, Jennie. 2017. Exploring a Cultish Culture: the behind-the-book story of Gather the Daughters. [Online]Available at: https://medium.com/galleys/exploring-a-cultish-culture-the-behind-the-book-story-of-gather-the-daughters-by-jennie-melamed-a83c0540eaa9 [Last accessed: 27th August 2018]

Mendlesohn, Farah. 2012. The Cambridge Companion to Fantasy Literature. Cambridge University Press.

Merrick, Helen and Williams, Tess. 1999. Women of Other Worlds: Excursions Through Science Fiction and Feminism. University of Western Australia Press.

Michaud, Jon. 2017. A Haunting Story of Sexual Assault and Climate Catastrophe, Decades Ahead of Its Time. [Online] Available at: https://www.newyorker.com/books/second-read/a-haunting-story-of-sexual-assault-and-climate-catastrophe-decades-ahead-of-its-time [Last accessed: 27th August 2018]

Moss, Sarah. 2017. Gather the Daughters by Jennie Melamed review – a misogynist dystopia. [Online] Available at: http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/dystopias [Last accessed: 27th August 2018]

Moylan, Tom. 2003. Dark Horizons: Science Fiction and the Dystopian Imagination. Routledge.

Penley, Constance. 1991. Close Encounters: Film, Feminism, and Science Fiction. University of Minnesota Press.

Thorpe, Vanessa. 2017. What lies beneath the brave new world of feminist dystopian sci-fi? [Online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/jun/24/feminist-dystopian-sci-fi-naomi-alderman-handmaids-tale [Last accessed: 22nd August 2018]

2018. The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. [Online] http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/dystopias [Last accessed: 24th August 2018]

Outlander: Book One Review

~ fionareads ~ 1 Comment

Gabaldon_outlanderThe year is 1945. Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is just back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach—an “outlander”—in a Scotland torn by war and raiding border clans in the year of Our Lord… 1743.

Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire is catapulted into the intrigues of lairds and spies that may threaten her life, and shatter her heart. For here James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, shows her a love so absolute that Claire becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire—and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

“Oh, aye, Sassenach. I am your master . . . and you’re mine. Seems I canna possess your soul without losing my own.”

Outlander is a beautifully complex and mesmerizing story with multi-layered characters, authentic settings and dramatic, unexpected and all-encompassing storylines. It’s the kind of book that you will live through alongside the main characters – you will feel Claire’s bewilderment and fear, her gutsy determination, her love and heartbreak and you will feel as though you are standing alongside her in every aspect of her life. The historical context is so accurate it is amazing!

For a while now, people kept recommending Outlander to me, but I avoided the books because, for one, the sheer size of the series daunted me, and two, I was put off by the time travel aspect (ironic, since I love Doctor Who!) But, I often find that time-travel literature can be cheesy and too unrealistic to be believable.

However, now I have finally read Outlander, I can confidently say that it is the most original historical romance I have ever, ever read. It was way more involved that the typical man meets woman trope, and it was so historically accurate and vivid I felt myself completely submerged in the world of the Scottish Highlands, 1743, for the whole two weeks I was reading it.

Claire is a World War II combat nurse who accidentally wanders through an ancient stone circle in Inverness whilst on a post-war honeymoon with her husband, Frank, in 1945. She suddenly finds herself in the 18th Century. Even in this, she is brilliant – sarky, intelligent, with a quick wit and a quick tongue to match. She’s compassionate, competent, a kick-ass nurse and an independent woman who doesn’t let the abrupt, seemingly-impossible change to her timeline phase her. She’s a refreshing change from the princess-type heroines of a lot of historical fiction.

Jamie Fraser, the Scottish Clansman who slowly becomes the love of her life, is at times sweet and heart-stoppingly romantic, and others an extremely dangerous and passionate warrior. He is one of the most charismatic and appealing male leads I’ve read in a long, long time. And every time he calls Claire a Sassenach… God. I go weak at the knees! Understandably, however, readers are completely divided over Jamie because, although he is gorgeous and lovable for the majority of the novel, there is one extremely disturbing scene that enrages any 21st-Century reader, including myself. As upsetting as the scene was (I won’t mention it due to spoilers, but it deals with domestic abuse) it was very accurate to the times and the way that a man would have treated his wife in that period. Although it doesn’t excuse it, I was able to forgive and get past it and still fall in love with Jamie, just as Claire does, as I could view it within its historical context. There are quite a few sexually abusive scenes in the novel, which, although they do not subtract from the overall enjoyment of the story, they are quite hard to get through.

Regardless of this, what is so brilliant about Gabaldon’s characters and the world she has created is that they are delightfully multi-dimensional, and extremely complex, just as real people and real life can be. Claire somehow finds the courage to made difficult choices in a period of history when choices were often non-existent for women. She is stubborn and determined almost to a fault, and she has a passion and unending support for Jamie that matches his own for her perfectly. Jamie, on the outside, is tough and warrior-like, while on the inside, he is kind and sensitive, with excellent intuition and a backstory full of pain and suffering. He is also intelligent, self-depreciating and almost poetic in the things he says to Claire.

“When I asked my da how ye knew which was the right woman, he told me when the time came, I’d have no doubt. And I didn’t. When I woke in the dark under that tree on the road to Leoch, with you sitting on my chest, cursing me for bleeding to death, I said to myself, ‘Jamie Fraser, for all ye canna see what she looks like, and for all she weighs as much as a good draft horse, this is the woman'”

Their romance is probably my favourite part of the novel – there is true honesty between them, which brings an openness and vulnerability to both of the characters which is such a beautiful addition to the story. I love the way that the author creates a strong friendship between them before they become lovers, and then lets this friendship continue to grow deeper even after they are married. The intimacy level of these two characters is perfectly depicted, and the best that I have read in a novel for a long time, and not just because of the sex.

Outlander was so meticulously researched and Gabaldon manages to weave all the historical accuracies into the plot without destroying the authenticity of the emotional journey. At its heart, Outlander is a historical novel that is packed full of details of 18th Century life in the Scottish Highlands, and as well as recounting events leading up to the Jacobite rising of 1745, the character’s lives are deeply delved in to and an extraordinary picture is painted that truly transports you to another time and place.

There is adventure, history, fantasy, romance, violence and drama. Outlander is a book that literally sucks you into its pages. It is a fully immersive experience that is so engrossing, you find it almost impossible to put it down.

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Book Review – The Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh

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Image result for flame in the mistThe only daughter of a prominent samurai, Mariko has always known she’d been raised for one purpose and one purpose only: to marry. Never mind her cunning, which rivals that of her twin brother, Kenshin, or her skills as an accomplished alchemist. Since Mariko was not born a boy, her fate was sealed the moment she drew her first breath.

So, at just seventeen years old, Mariko is sent to the imperial palace to meet her betrothed, a man she did not choose, for the very first time. But the journey is cut short when Mariko’s convoy is viciously attacked by the Black Clan, a dangerous group of bandits who’ve been hired to kill Mariko before she reaches the palace.

The lone survivor, Mariko narrowly escapes to the woods, where she plots her revenge. Dressed as a peasant boy, she sets out to infiltrate the Black Clan and hunt down those responsible for the target on her back. Once she’s within their ranks, though, Mariko finds for the first time she’s appreciated for her intellect and abilities. She even finds herself falling in love—a love that will force her to question everything she’s ever known about her family, her purpose, and her deepest desires.

“I’ve never been angry to have been born a woman. There have been times I’ve been angry at how the world treats us, but I see being a woman as a challenge I must fight. Like being born under a stormy sky. Some people are lucky enough to be born on a bright summer’s day. Maybe we were born under clouds. No wind. No rain. Just a mountain of clouds we must climb each morning so that we may see the sun.”

I knew I would love this book from the moment I first heard about it, and I was lucky enough, back in February, to get my hands on a proof copy. It was pitched as a mix between Mulan and 47 Ronin, with a bit of Robin Hood thrown in. However, this particular story takes place in feudal Japan and focuses on samurai warriors and the seven principles of Bushido or the Way of the Warrior. Now that it is out in hard copy (yay!) I have read it once more, and can finally put my thoughts into a coherent review…

Flame in the Mist is told through two alternating perspectives: our kickass, sassy main character Mariko and her twin brother Kenshin. The story begins as Hattori Mariko is on her way to meet her betrothed for the first time – the emperor’s son. Along the way, her and her entourage are forced to travel through the dark forest or risk being late to the palace. But, the dark forest is a dangerous, deadly place, frequented by the Black Clan. Mariko’s cart is consequently attacked during the middle of the night, and she barely escapes with her life after convincingly playing dead, whilst the murderers search the rubble. What then ensues is a battle of self-preservation and survival as Mariko must make her way through the woods nearly naked, alone, and a woman. She is stalked and attacked by a homeless vagabond and she has to fight for her life, culminating in her chopping off her hair (true Mulan style) and donning the disguise of a young man who has run away from home.

She then goes on to track down her attackers in the hope of discovering why her convoy was targeted. Things, however, do not go as planned, and she soon finds herself deep within the ranks of the Black Clan, a Robin Hood/Lost Boys-esque group of warrior rebels, and her supposed killers. She must keep her true identity hidden if she ever wants to survive whilst also gaining their trust and learning their ways. Meanwhile, Mariko’s brother and brutal samurai soldier, Kenshin, is out on a mission to prove that his sister is still alive, tracking her, and getting into all sorts of fights along the way, and find the criminals responsible for attacking her.

There were some brilliant, unexpected plot-twists and action scenes in this book. The plot is intricately woven with mystery and intrigue, from the world-building to the mystical, rain drenched woodland setting, you find yourself completely submerged amongst its many folds. Ahdieh’s writing style is just beautiful. The passages of description were lyrical, whimsical, and stunningly detailed. This is the first book I have ever read that is set in feudal Japan, so I can’t speak for how historically/regionally accurate it was, but it had me believing in every essence of the world from the very start. I could almost smell the scent of oak and cherry blossoms and rainwater that Mariko lived and smelt every single day. And just as we experienced in the Wrath and the Dawn duology, the author manages to successfully and authentically include Japanese terms that only added to the tangibility of the story. (There was also a glossary in the back for times of confusion, but I soon found myself understanding the terms in context to the events.)

Mariko’s character development is probably my favourite aspect of the novel. She is often called ‘odd’ or ‘curious’, both of which she originally has an adverse and negative reaction to. She later comes to realise that these labels only make her who she is. She is sarcastic, witty, completely bad-ass and brave and she totally, wholly owns herself and her idiosyncrasies. Her confidence grows within the Black Clan, far more than it ever would have done if she had remained simply a daughter and wife, as society had mapped her future to be. She is a creator, an inventor, and a warrior, and she develops this within the Black Clan, making weapons and learning to fight. Even as she pretends to be a boy, she still remains completely feminine in the sense that she is always struggling with an internal crisis of identity – pondering the strength of being a woman and a woman’s place in the male-dominated world of feudal Japan.

The romance in the novel is also excellent. It is slow-burning, as mysterious as the world in which it is set, and you never quite truly know what is going to happen next or what the couple are really thinking. Can they be trusted? Does he really like her? Is this a game or is it real? You are never really sure, as is often the case with the ‘enemies falling in love’ zeitgeist. This varied plenty from the common star-crossed lovers’ trope though, and it is beautifully, realistically and slowly done. As well as the romance, you find yourself falling in love with the Black Clan – originally meant to be enemies – they are endearing and comical and they stole my heart.

As expected, in this book Renee is responsible for some seriously incredible world building, tangible characters, another perfectly independent kick ass heroine, and a plot so intricate you find yourself completely submerged amongst its many folds.
There is fighting and flirting, a wonderfully evasive and extremely steamy romance, a heart-stopping twist, and cleverly spun lies.

In summary, I am totally lost to this beautifully brutal world of feudal Japan. Of sharp, smart Mariko and her gutsy determination, of the shadows of the forest and the mystery of Okami and the Black Clan… I need a sequel now!

Samurais, shadows, secrets and deadly revenge… what’s not to love?!

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Book Review – Strange the Dreamer

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The dream chooses the dreamer, not the other way around— and Lazlo Strange, war new-release-date-2orphan and junior librarian, has always feared that his dream chose poorly. Since he was five years old he’s been obsessed with the mythic lost city of Weep, but it would take someone bolder than he to cross half the world in search of it. Then a stunning opportunity presents itself, in the person of a hero called the Godslayer and a band of legendary warriors, and he has to seize his chance to lose his dream forever.

What happened in Weep two hundred years ago to cut it off from the rest of the world? What exactly did the Godslayer slay that went by the name of god? And what is the mysterious problem he now seeks help in solving?
The answers await in Weep, but so do more mysteries—including the blue-skinned goddess who appears in Lazlo’s dreams. How did he dream her before he knew she existed? and if all the gods are dead, why does she seem so real?

This book was heartbreaking and mystical and catastrophic and shattering and beautiful. It was the perfect fantasy novel. Laini Taylor’s world building is so tangible – God, I wanted Weep to be real. I wanted to walk through the halls of Lazlo’s library, and ride on horseback alongside Eril-Fane, and meet a blue-skinned goddess like Sarai. Laini Taylor’s ability to create magical, fantastical storylines is just breath taking. The world, the language, the characters… everything about this tale captivated me. The ending has broken me, in all the right ways. I need more of God-slaying Eril-Fane and assassins who are acrobats and armies of moths and a strange dreamer who reaches for his impossible dream, and grabs it with both hands…

Strange the Dreamer starts with Lazlo Strange – an orphan, a book lover, a dreamer, who has always been ostracized for being different, and has grown up constantly dreaming of the Unseen City. He is such a realistic, yet whimsical and loveable character; the perfect protagonist, and you empathise with him almost instantly. He immerses himself in his books, and lives amongst their pages, researching and learning every single thing there is to know about the Unseen City, Weep.

When Lazlo was a young boy, the name of the lost, unseen city was stolen from everyone’s minds. Not a soul could remember it’s name; the only word left in it’s place was Weep. Of course, if you dream hard enough, your wildest imaginings can come true, and the story truly sets sail once Lazlo is given the opportunity to adventure into the far reaches of every dream he has ever had, and find out the truth behind Weep and it’s inhabitants.

‘He read while he walked. He read while he ate. The other librarians suspected he somehow read while he slept, or perhaps didn’t sleep at all.’

Not only does Laini Taylor create feeling, beautiful, wholesome characters who make you feel like you are living their adventures with them, she also proves her place as the ultimate wordsmith of YA. The writing style of Strange the Dreamer seems to eclipse all her previous books: it is lyrical, tangible, poetic, almost to the point of too much. It hits that perfect sweet spot, without going overboard, and the imagery and pure imagination takes your breath away with every turn of the page. The very sentences themselves feel dreamlike and mystical – almost tricking you into believing you truly have been transported to another world.

Hidden within these pages we have never-ending libraries, mysterious journeys, hidden cities, ghosts and moths and goddesses with blue skin; mythical armies, warriors and God-slayers, star-crossed lovers and magic, nightmares, demons and salvation… In Weep, Laini has created a mystical world that leaps off the page and embeds itself into your very being. It is an addictive, descriptive, all-encompassing creation of a place that demands to be remembered, even after the book is closed. In Lazlo, Sarai, and Eril-Fane, you also meet characters with secrets, demons, dreams, and hearts filled with the capacity to love. Everything about the plot, these characters and their world is truly unique and so perfectly crafted.

The most prominent message I took from the story centers around race and how we, in a world currently ridden with racism and fear-mongering, detrimentally blame individuals of a certain skin colour for bad things that other people of that same skin colour have done; about how unaccepting the world is, as a society, of people who look different from ourselves. There is also a focus on the history of humankind and how younger generations are wrongly blamed for their ancestors mistakes. But this tale teaches us that we are not our ancestors, we are not our parents, and we should always strive to do better than the history behind us.

‘Sarai was seventeen years old, a goddess and a girl. Half her blood was human, but it counted for nothing. She was blue. She was godspawn. She was anathema. She was young. She was lovely. She was afraid.’

At it’s basest, Strange the Dreamer is also just about an orphaned underdog and a feared, blue-skinned girl who both just want the chance to be so much more. They speak to the hearts of all the dreamers, the bookworms, the misunderstood and the hard-done-by, and tell us that magic and dreams really can come true. Monsters, gods, hidden cities and armies of moths notwithstanding…

‘It was impossible, of course. But when did that ever stop any dreamer from dreaming?’

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Book Review – Caraval by Stephanie Garber

~ fionareads ~ Leave a comment

Whatever you’ve heard about Caraval, it doesn’t compare to the reality. It’s more than just a game or a performance. It’s the closest you’ll ever find to magic in this world . . .

Welcome, welcome to Caraval–Stephanie Garber’s sweeping tale of two sisters who escape their ruthless father when they enter the dangerous intrigue of a legendary game.

‘Every person has the power to change their fate if they are brave enough to fight for what they desire more than anything.’

Caraval is a truly enchanting, magical and obscure story written in the most lyrical, descriptive prose. 

Although it is written in third person, the novel is entirely from Scarlett’s point of view only, and you cleverly never know anything of the other characters intentions or feelings until it is too late.

The use of description and imagery that related to colour and smells and sounds was stunningly crafted, with the novel an abundance of tangible sentences like: ‘Scarlett could still smell her father’s perfume. It smelled like the color of his gloves; anise and lavender and something akin to rotted plums.’

Caraval is, first and foremost, a game, and this is crafted not just into the story, but in to the readers imagination, as you realise that not only is the boundary between reality and illusion blurred for Scarlett, but it is for you too. You cannot know, for sure, what is real or not real. You can only guess, and wonder, and read on, as Scarlett is sucked further and further into the travelling performance of Caraval, her trust and awareness of real life facing hurdles at every turn of the page.

It is interesting that the author chose to write the story from the point of view of a character who, for most of her life, had been scared to take risks and always played it safe. However, once her sister, Tella, is suspected to be in danger, you witness Scarlett adapt into a confident, risk-taking person who will do absolutely anything to save her sister. Scarlett is an excellent, realistic protagonist and you really feel yourself going through every heartbreak and shock and knock back alongside her. She is cautious, but brave and clear headed and her strongest trait is how deeply and unashamedly she loves her sister.

‘She imagined loving him would feel like falling in love with darkness, frightening and consuming yet utterly beautiful when the stars came out.’

The romance in the book was also very cleverly planned out and really played on the idea of nothing quite being what it seems. The chemistry and sexual tension between Scarlett and Tristan was very slow-burning, in all the right ways. I loved that nothing was instant: they didn’t just fall head over heels in love. There was angst and confusion and perfect tension that matched the mystery and evocativeness of the story. In Caraval, you shouldn’t trust a soul, least of all your love interest.

If you loved The Night Circus, you will adore this. Be prepared to be enchanted; to be swept off your feet into a riddle of choices and consequences, where nothing is quite as it seems… This story will play with your mind and your heart, with twists and turns and a spellbinding cast of players to deceive you.

2017 So Far: Mini Reviews

~ fionareads ~ Leave a comment

This year, I have set myself a Goodreads challenge… to read 100 books! Realistically, this probably won’t be very difficult, considering on average, I read about 6 books a month, and there will of course be long, relaxing book-filled holidays and the inevitable addictive novel that keeps me up reading until the early hours of the morning… Yep. I think I will hit this target just fine.

I’ve been so busy recently, it’s been difficult to make time for my writing and this blog, alongside reading and working as well. However, in 2017, I would like that to change. My personal challenges, besides from reading 100 books, are to finish the first draft of my novel, visit India, write one blog post a week, and do more yoga. Very varied, but complimentary, I feel!

So, to start the year, here are some mini reviews of the books I have read so far. I am ashamed to say that these are all very similar… I seem to be stuck in a fantasy-induced obsession with paranormal romances and I can’t seem to get out…

The Waking Land

10janwaking-land-hb_royal_v13-666x1024Lady Elanna Valtai is fiercely devoted to the King who raised her like a daughter. But when he dies under mysterious circumstances, Elanna is accused of his murder and must flee for her life.
Returning to the homeland of magical legends she has forsaken, Elanna is forced to reckon with her despised, estranged father, branded a traitor long ago. Feeling a strange, deep connection to the natural world, she also must face the truth about the forces she has always denied or disdained as superstition powers that suddenly stir within her.
But an all-too-human threat is drawing near, determined to exact vengeance. Now Elanna has no choice but to lead a rebellion against the kingdom to which she once gave her allegiance. Trapped between divided loyalties, she must summon the courage to confront a destiny that could tear her apart.

I really enjoyed this book. It had me hooked, pretty much from the get go. I found the concept really interesting; I loved Uprooted, and this is compared to it, rightfully so. I thought the character development was realistic, and the description and imagery surrounding Elanna’s bond with the earth and the way it made her feel were vivid and clever. My only issue was that it lacked depth with regard to character relationships and the setting of scenes – I felt it often moved along to the next scene or interaction too quickly, and I found myself wondering if I’d accidentally skipped a few pages! And honestly, if I was Elanna, I would not be able to get over issues (such as my parents leaving me for fourteen years) so suddenly – as a protagonist, she didn’t really seem to connect to people on a deep level. But maybe that was the point – she connected more to the land. All in all, it was a really engrossing and beautiful read – I am a huge nature geek so the message of protecting and connecting with nature was something I really resonated with.

Strange the Dreamer

The dream chooses the dreamer, not the other way around— and Lazlo Strange, war new-release-date-2orphan and junior librarian, has always feared that his dream chose poorly. Since he was five years old he’s been obsessed with the mythic lost city of Weep, but it would take someone bolder than he to cross half the world in search of it. Then a stunning opportunity presents itself, in the person of a hero called the Godslayer and a band of legendary warriors, and he has to seize his chance to lose his dream forever.

What happened in Weep two hundred years ago to cut it off from the rest of the world? What exactly did the Godslayer slay that went by the name of god? And what is the mysterious problem he now seeks help in solving?
The answers await in Weep, but so do more mysteries—including the blue-skinned goddess who appears in Lazlo’s dreams. How did he dream her before he knew she existed? and if all the gods are dead, why does she seem so real?

This book was heartbreaking and mystical and catastrophic and shattering and beautiful. It was the perfect fantasy novel. Laini Taylor’s world building is so tangible – God, I wanted Weep to be real. I wanted to walk through the halls of Lazlo’s library, and ride on horseback alongside Eril-Fane, and meet a blue-skinned goddess like Sarai. Laini Taylor’s ability to create magical, fantastical storylines is just breath taking. The world, the language, the characters… everything about this tale captivated me. The ending has broken me, in all the right ways. I need more of God-slaying Eril-Fane and assassins who are acrobats and armies of moths and a strange dreamer who reaches for his impossible dream, and grabs it with both hands…

The Wrath and the Dawn

18798983.jpgOne Life to One Dawn.

In a land ruled by a murderous boy-king, each dawn brings heartache to a new family. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, is a monster. Each night he takes a new bride only to have a silk cord wrapped around her throat come morning. When sixteen-year-old Shahrzad’s dearest friend falls victim to Khalid, Shahrzad vows vengeance and volunteers to be his next bride. Shahrzad is determined not only to stay alive, but to end the caliph’s reign of terror once and for all.

Now, surprise, surprise, Shahrzad doesn’t end the caliph’s reign of terror, she actually falls in love with him. But, regardless of all the mixed reviews and the slightly predictable beginning, I found this to be mesmerising, magical and so, so far from mundane. I also slightly (intensely) fell in love with Khalid… This has definitely replaced ACOMAF as my favourite YA book of the moment. It is beautiful and visual and captivating. Renee Ahdieh’s writing is poetic and flowing and you almost pinch yourself half way through because you can’t quite believe words can be written so beautifully. Be right back, going to drown in sandalwood and sunlight…

The Rose and the Dagger

23308084The darker the sky, the brighter the stars.

In a land on the brink of war, Shahrzad is forced from the arms of her beloved husband, the Caliph of Khorasan. She once thought Khalid a monster—a merciless killer of wives, responsible for immeasurable heartache and pain—but as she unraveled his secrets, she found instead an extraordinary man and a love she could not deny. Still, a curse threatens to keep Shazi and Khalid apart forever…

More Shahrzad and Khalid – yes please! So, I might have read this immediately after finishing The Wrath and the Dawn, and stayed up all night engrossed between it’s pages. Nevertheless, this is still a completely un-fangirling and unbiased review, I promise… I absolutely love Shahrzad as a protagonist – she is so strong, and independent and willful, and her faith in Khalid, her beautiful monster, is gut-wrenching and inspiring and so addictive. So many ‘strong’ female characters lack real gumption in YA novels, but in Shahrzad, Renee has created a truly powerful and believable and realistic girl who you find yourself rooting for no matter what. I was completely ensnared by this sexy, mystical, poetic story once more. I just want to read about Shahrzad’s adventures forever.

Maze Runner: The Fever Code – James Dashner

fever-code-hbOnce there was a world’s end.
The forests burned, the lakes and rivers dried up, and the oceans swelled.
Then came a plague, and fever spread across the globe. Families died, violence reigned, and man killed man.
Next came WICKED, who were looking for an answer. And then they found the perfect boy.
The boy’s name was Thomas, and Thomas built a maze.
Now there are secrets.
There are lies.
And there are loyalties history could never have foreseen.
This is the story of that boy, Thomas, and how he built a maze that only he could tear down.
All will be revealed.

So, this was a disappointment… Although not quite as boring and mundane and predictable as The Death Cure, it was still far, far from the genius of the original Maze Runner series. I wish James Dashner had just finished with the third book. Most of this storyline included things that we already know, and repeated everything in excruciating detail, lacking any original events. The first half of the book, absolutely nothing notable happened at all. I’m all for prequels if they contribute to the story, but this just felt like a full-length book for the sake of making as much money as possible. I don’t really have a cynical bone in my body, but this was just so poorly written and so uneventful. It lacked the fantastic shock-creating, unexpected, spontaneous writing of the first three books. This time around, the writing was wooden, and the most exciting thing that happens is the characters sneaking out of their rooms, or, shock-horror, Thomas finding out that the voice in his head is actually Theresa. Well, duh…

Frostblood

IMG_5775.JPGSeventeen-year-old Ruby is a Fireblood who has concealed her powers of heat and flame from the cruel Frostblood ruling class her entire life. But when her mother is killed trying to protect her, and rebel Frostbloods demand her help to overthrow their bloodthirsty king, she agrees to come out of hiding, desperate to have her revenge.

Despite her unpredictable abilities, Ruby trains with the rebels and the infuriating—yet irresistible—Arcus, who seems to think of her as nothing more than a weapon. But before they can take action, Ruby is captured and forced to compete in the king’s tournaments that pit Fireblood prisoners against Frostblood champions. Now she has only one chance to destroy the maniacal ruler who has taken everything from her—and from the icy young man she has come to love.

Like The Waking Land, the pacing of this novel was slightly on the speedy side, so I felt like it lacked any potential depth, and it tended to follow a very similar fantasy/YA trope, without reinventing anything for itself… but hey, that’s the zeitgeist I guess. Other than this, I enjoyed the book overall. I loved Ruby as a protagonist, she was sarky, and quick, and sharp, but kind-hearted too. The world-building was good, and the plot was fast and intense and dark and wicked – all good fantasy-eque things. Really, who can go wrong with fire and frost and fighting and blood and darkness?!

My Holiday Reads – Mini Reviews

~ fionareads ~ Leave a comment

I have spent the last two weeks travelling the beautiful Croatian coastline with my husband, and although we spent most of the time exploring, I still managed to fit in quite a few good books! A holiday isn’t a holiday if I don’t get through at least three!

9781447250944the-museThe Muse by Jessie Burton

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A picture hides a thousand words . . .

On a hot July day in 1967, Odelle Bastien climbs the stone steps of the Skelton gallery in London, knowing that her life is about to change forever. Having struggled to find her place in the city since she arrived from Trinidad five years ago, she has been offered a job as a typist under the tutelage of the glamorous and enigmatic Marjorie Quick. But though Quick takes Odelle into her confidence, and unlocks a potential she didn’t know she had, she remains a mystery – no more so than when a lost masterpiece with a secret history is delivered to the gallery.

The truth about the painting lies in 1936 and a large house in rural Spain, where Olive Schloss, the daughter of a renowned art dealer, is harbouring ambitions of her own. Into this fragile paradise come artist and revolutionary Isaac Robles and his half-sister Teresa, who immediately insinuate themselves into the Schloss family, with explosive and devastating consequences . . .

The Muse was the best book I have read in ages, and definitely my favourite book of the holiday! It transported me to another era, another place, another lifetime – Jessie Burton achieved what she always achieves. She is an excellent historical fiction writer and her prose is lyrical, beautiful and evocative. She adds miniscule details to things in a way that no other author does. I loved The Muse a lot more than The Miniaturist, which I did enjoy, but struggled with at times. The Muse was never boring, the characters had great depth, the dual timelines worked perfectly (which isn’t always the case!) and the storyline was incredibly intriguing and left you guessing until the last page. Nothing was predictable, but it was exhilarating, imaginative, and completely transported you to another time and place. The scene setting of Spain in 1936 and London in 1967 was what I enjoyed most about the story. It is a tale of love, lust, betrayal and danger, and the parallel settings and easy narrative voice help to draw you in spectacularly. I am so excited to see where Jessie Burton goes next – she has yet to disappoint me!

9781447266945carry-onCarry On by Rainbow Rowell

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Simon Snow just wants to relax and savor his last year at the Watford School of Magicks, but no one will let him. His girlfriend broke up with him, his best friend is a pest, and his mentor keeps trying to hide him away in the mountains where maybe he’ll be safe. Simon can’t even enjoy the fact that his roommate and longtime nemesis is missing, because he can’t stop worrying about the evil git. Plus there are ghosts. And vampires. And actual evil things trying to shut Simon down. When you’re the most powerful magician the world has ever known, you never get to relax and savor anything.

Carry On is a ghost story, a love story, a mystery and a melodrama. It has just as much kissing and talking as you’d expect from a Rainbow Rowell story — but far, far more monsters.

This was a book that I had had on my TBR shelf for a very long time, but was always hesitant to start it. It is an extension of the fanfiction that Cath writes in Fangirl, the novel by Rainbow Rowell. It is clear from Fangirl, and from the minute you start reading Carry On, that it is hugely based off Harry Potter. It is completely undeniable, and that definitely bugged me a bit to begin with. But, as the story continued, I started to fall in love with the characters, with Simon Snow, with Bas, with their chemistry and humour and romance. I also started to remember, hey, I love every damn thing that Rainbow Rowell writes! It was everything you expect from her writing, but funnier, sillier and more magical. Some of the spells made me literally laugh out loud they were so ludicrous – but that was definitely the point. The romance was excellent too – Rainbow is undeniably genius at writing flirtatious scenes, they almost made me squeal with happiness. My heart nearly burst out my chest when I read this:

“I let myself slip away… Just to stay sane. Just to get through it. And when I felt myself slipping too far, I held on to the one thing I’m always sure of – Blue eyes. Bronze curls. The fact that Simon Snow is the most powerful magician alive. That nothing can hurt him, not even me. That Simon Snow is alive. And I’m hopelessly in love with him.”

the-amber-shadows-9781471139284_hrThe Amber Shadows by Lucy Ribchester

four stars

Bletchley Park typist Honey Deschamps spends her days at a type-x machine in Hut 6, transcribing the decrypted signals from the German Army, doing her bit to help the British war effort.
Halfway across the world Hitler’s armies are marching into Leningrad, leaving a trail of destruction and pillaging the country’s most treasured artworks, including the famous Amber Room – the eighth wonder of the world.
As reports begin filtering through about the stolen amber loot, Honey receives a package, addressed to her, carried by a man she has never seen before. He claims his name is Felix Plaidstow and that he works in Hut 3. The package is postmarked from Russia, branded with two censors’ stamps. Inside is a small flat piece of amber, and it is just the first of several parcels.
Caught between fearing the packages are a trap set by the authorities to test her loyalty or a desperate cry for help, Honey turns to the handsome enigmatic Felix Plaidstow. But then her brother is found beaten to death in nearby woods and suddenly danger is all around… 

In true Lucy Ribchester style, this book had all the mystery and suspense of her debut novel The Hourglass Factory, with a little bit of romance and wartime setting added in. I really enjoyed this story – I am kind of obsessed with the World War 2 era, so it was great to read another tale about it. It was also interesting to read about enigma code and decrypting from another viewpoint! The suspense building was excellent and Honey as a protagonist was really easy to read and likeable. I would recommend this novel to anyone who loves a bit of mystery and history! Four stars couldn’t be stretched to five unfortunately, as I found the story to lack factual credibility a little too often, as with Ribchester’s previous novel. But for what it was, it was certainly a good read!

9781442408920_custom-ab1ee04526644c3ae958cba37007c84d709a2fb1-s6-c30Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

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Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.

This is a story about a boy who is angry and sad and confused and can’t ever figure out why. It is a story about a boy discovering who he really is. It is a story about a boy learning how to fall in love with the world for the very first time. I loved everything about this book. I had finished it within a few hours of starting it, without truly realising how beautiful it was, how warm it made me feel. Aristotle was so relatable to me when I think back to how I often felt as a teenager, and the way that Benjamin writes is just out of this world mellow, beautiful, touching and life-affirming. There isn’t really much of a plot to this story, but in a way this is what makes it so successful – it’s beauty is in the author’s ability to depict everyday events and unnoticed emotions and the catastrophic feelings of a seventeen year old boy. This book made me cry, and think, and feel at one with the world. This was a beautiful story about love, identity and family, and I think everyone should read it!

Review – Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Script Book

~ fionareads ~ Leave a comment

Harry_Potter_and_the_Cursed_Child_Special_Rehearsal_Edition_Book_Coverthree stars

***WARNING***

CONTAINS SPOILERS!

On Sunday morning, I awoke excitedly, with one thing, and one thing only, on my mind. HARRY POTTER.

The day felt understandably reminiscent of the publication days of the original seven books. I remember the unbound excitement, the feeling of pure, undiluted joy of holding the long-awaited next instalment in your hands, and the heart-quickening, almost panic-like, anticipation you would feel as you opened the first page, and read the first word.

In many ways, this day was just like that. There were launch events at all my local Waterstones. There were Harry Potter parties and Quidditch Tournaments and Butterbeer Pong and fancy dress events at bookshops across London. Every bookshop in the world probably had at least one beautiful display counting down the days until the ‘Eighth’ Harry Potter book. The eighth story, nineteen years later…

But unfortunately, this is where the first hurdle arises. I have tickets to see the play in September, and I have heard absolutely nothing but positive things about it. And I know it will be visually and magically stunning – I can’t wait! But reading the script I feel was a totally different experience, and not at all what I was expecting it to be.

I have read scripts, and screenplays, before, and always liked them. Some of my favourite stories are scripts! However, it was an odd and slightly bumpy experience to read Harry Potter in a script format. I have no doubt that the stage performance will be absolutely incredible (and I still can’t wait to see it in September!) but, for me, something about the story just didn’t sit right.

I read it in one sitting, which in hindsight I wish I hadn’t done. I wish I had taken more time on it – digested it slowly, appreciated it for what it was – an insight into the later lives of our beloved trio and a revisit to the Wizarding World. But even then, I don’t think I would have been that impressed.

The problem was that I was so unbelievable excited to hear from Harry, Hermione, and Ron and the rest of the Wizarding World again that I ended up being entirely disappointed. This in itself is shocking – I have never in my life been disappointed by anything Harry Potter related. But when you remember that this wasn’t singularly written by J.K. Rowling, it kind of makes sense.

I didn’t recognise the characters. I didn’t recognise Harry! His relationship with his son made me sad, which is fine – I appreciate that this was a huge part of the plot, and I did enjoy their journey as father and son and the resolution that bought them closer together. But what upset me the most was that all of the things that Harry said, to me, didn’t seem like he was himself at all. And to be honest, I’d like to think that us original Harry Potter fans know him pretty well. We lived through seven adventures with him over our entire childhood – his thoughts and experiences were ingrained into pretty much everything we did. The Harry Potter that exists in the Cursed Child just didn’t feel like my Harry. I also seriously struggled to imagine Hermione as the same person I read in the Deathly Hallows. I even found it difficult to picture Draco Malfoy. I do know that they have grown up since then. They are decades older, and have had many different experiences that we haven’t been there to witness – but there wasn’t even a smidgen of their old characterisation hidden in them. They felt like entirely new characters, and it just didn’t sit right with my idea of Harry Potter and the memories I have of the series.

I am aware this is completely based on my own interpretation of Harry as a character, and my own depiction of the Harry Potter books. Everyone views them differently, and I am sure there are many people that loved everything about this story.

I however, did not. This makes me seriously sad, and in a strange way I wish I hadn’t actually read it. Jack Thorne and John Tiffany’s writing influence was not an addition that I liked. As much as I appreciate that this is a script, and scripts in general are obviously entirely different to novels… They lack the ability to be able to set a scene and depict emotions quite so cleverly as prose does; they are in every single way, a totally different reading experience. And because of these facts, a script, to me, feels like a strange way to bring Harry’s story back to life.

My biggest issue, other than the strange re-characterisation, was the plot. God, the plot holes. There were so many! The magic lacked any authenticity. Draco Malfoy wingardium leviosa-d a character away (I mean, really?!) This is not something I was aware was even magically possible in any Harry Potter novel, ever? And then there were just many other weird things that happened, that just didn’t seem realistic to me. I didn’t recognise hardly any of the spells; I didn’t believe the fact that the Trolley Witch was just casually strolling her trolley along the roof of the Hogwarts Express with spikes for hands. And who and what the hell even was Delphini? The weakest, most insubstantial character ever created? And not forgetting the fact that the Malfoy’s were apparently in possession of a time-turner this entire time and never once used it?!

One of the things that makes Harry Potter, as a series, and as a reading experience, so incredibly great, is that the magic is ingrained in real life. J.K. Rowling’s writing was so true, so authentic, her stories and character’s so beautifully crafted, that it was always hard to imagine that none of it was real. It felt grounded in reality. Her stories were substantial, self-consistent; they followed canon; you could trust them.

This play lacks all of this, inherently. It’s too fast paced to be believable. There were too many plot twists for it to be clever; too many things that happened in too short a space of time for it to feel like a genuinely good piece of work. I’m going to reiterate what I have heard said many times – it read like a fan fiction. Sadly, truly, it did. I couldn’t see J.K. Rowling in it, anywhere.

Nineteen years later… and the magic just isn’t quite up to scratch.

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Book Review – We’ll Always Have Paris – Blog Tour!

~ fionareads ~ Leave a comment

9780751564570

When she was almost seventeen, Rosie Draper locked eyes with a charismatic student called Peter during their first week at art college, changing the course of her life forever. Now, on the cusp of sixty-five and recently widowed, Rosie is slowly coming to terms with a new future. And after a chance encounter with Peter, forty-seven years later, they both begin to wonder ‘what if’…

Told with warmth, wit and humour, We’ll Always Have Paris is a charming, moving and uplifting novel about two people; the choices they make, the lives they lead and the love they share.

four stars

 

When I first got sent We’ll Always Have Paris, I wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy it. It is definitely not my usual read, but I found myself hooked almost immediately. The characters were surprisingly relatable, and the story they told was endearing and heartwarming.

We meet the protagonist, Rosie, at the start of the story, having recently lost her husband and trying to cope with her grief and still maintain family relationships and a small part of herself. She is an extremely likeable character, who teaches us that it is never too late to realise your dreams. Through Rosie you are given an incredibly touching and truthful emotional insight into how someone copes with the loss of their loved one, and how hard, but possible, it is to fight their way through the darkness and come out the other side.

Rosie’s two daughters are also great additions to the novel; their perspectives add a second side to the grief – having lost their father, and trying to help their mother through times that they must be finding extremely difficult themselves.

Sue Watson is brilliant at writing about family dynamics – she depicts relationships between people and the emotions that they feel with incredible authenticity and sensitivity. This story includes both the bad and the good of real life, told with humour and warmth and an easy, flowing writing style that sucks you in from the first page.

I loved the hope that was prevalent throughout – the idea that we are never too old to follow our dreams, or our hearts. The romance in the book was extremely well written, and the chemistry between Rosie and her first love, Peter, is sweet, uplifting and earnest. I feel that Watson truly writes from the heart, making her novel relatable and a joy to read.

We’ll Always Have Paris is a wonderfully profound story about the loss of love, dealing with grief, family relationships, and rediscovering first love. Most prominently, it is about the importance of learning from your experiences, and the appreciation of hindsight. Through Rosie’s story, we are shown that courage is essential to living through pain, and learning to love again. Sue Watson writes with wit, warmth and a poignant understanding of human relationships and the ability that hope has to heal the heart.

We’ll Always Have Paris is out in March next year! You can pre-order it on Amazon, here.

Follow the rest of the blog tour below… Next stop, Escapades of a Bookworm!

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