I can't help but enjoy this series, and actually I think I liked this one - with the female-led Selection - more than I did the original trilogy... buI can't help but enjoy this series, and actually I think I liked this one - with the female-led Selection - more than I did the original trilogy... but the funny thing is I've never watched nor even been interested in shows like The Bachelor! I guess it's more fun to read about? I really enjoyed getting to know some of the boys, and seeing Eady end up all confused ;)...more
I have to admit that I was TOTALLY sucked in to the whole this being an abridgement thing! I loved the way William Goldman told that story at the sameI have to admit that I was TOTALLY sucked in to the whole this being an abridgement thing! I loved the way William Goldman told that story at the same time as telling the actual Princess Bride story, it just felt so incredibly real, that he really had been read the book as a child and that he really was abridging that story for us now... I was a little shattered to discover that it was ALL fiction. :P Just brilliant.
I agree with the other reviews, it got a bit rushed near the end. I'd give this 3 1/2 stars - enjoyable and fast to read but it seems like there was aI agree with the other reviews, it got a bit rushed near the end. I'd give this 3 1/2 stars - enjoyable and fast to read but it seems like there was a lot missing, a lot of places where there should have been *more*....more
OMG that was just so freaking cool! :D My last book for 2011, which I couldn't finish because it's kind of enormous, and so my first for 2012 as well.OMG that was just so freaking cool! :D My last book for 2011, which I couldn't finish because it's kind of enormous, and so my first for 2012 as well. A nice end AND start to the years :D And I was hooked in straight away, there was no gradual warming up - I loved it from the start. The writing is just so delicious, and the tale itself so rich and wonderful... the perfect mix of fairy-tale fantasy and darkness. I LOVED the language geekery so much as well, that was utter brilliance. And the snappy banter between Bear and Baba Yaga often made me laugh out loud... such enjoyable villains! Although you really can't help but like Bear, he's just been suckered into one of her spells.
Baba Yaga is bloody terrifying. But so awesome. Dude, she HIJACKED A PLANE AND FLEW IT BACK TO THE NINTH CENTURY. I mean, who even DOES that?! And Katerina freaking rocked as well. She was so much better than Ruth... there was just no contest. You can't even really feel sorry for Ruth, losing Ivan so abruptly. She's got nothing on Katerina. I adored her - she's a princess, the sleeping beauty whom Ivan awakens... but she's not a simpering, fragile little thing. Oh hell no! She's feisty and strong and stubborn and a little bit snarky and arrogant. So much fun :D I loved the romance between her and Ivan. You know it's going to happen eventually, but it's all done so nicely and at such a gentle pace that it doesn't feel forced or sudden or anything. Just natural.
I loved both times in this book equally - Katerina in the 20th century, Ivan in the 9th. Usually I much favour one over the other, but these were both done so brilliantly. The gorgeous historicalness of the 9th and the language geekery, contrasted so nicely to that fun culture-clash which happens when someone is shifted forward in time. And it was fun to have all of the recent day Russian politics in the background as well, an interesting touch.
Uncle Marek's true identity came as a huge surprise. I love how everything wove together like that. :) I loved how Ivan managed to beat Bear to get to the princess. I loved the humour that was always there. I loved the author snarking about JFK airport twice within the space of like five pages:
"...and the six-mile walk down tubes and ramps before they got to the airplanes, which apparently parked in Sag Harbour."
"Some of the same clerks were on duty, watching Ivan and Katerina very carefully, but treating them with more politeness than usual, which, at Kennedy, isn't a hard standard to surpass."
LOL BURN.
Totally can't fault this in any way... only that it had to finish at all :) ...more
Well, it wasn't the best thing I've ever read. I was enjoying it a lot more at the start, but then the last third was just a bit... odd and not as intWell, it wasn't the best thing I've ever read. I was enjoying it a lot more at the start, but then the last third was just a bit... odd and not as interesting and rushed and omg the love interest was so unexpected! That really came out of the blue. It was just kind of weird. The Lonely Ones were a bit too bizarre at first for my liking although I did grow to like them enough. But the whole scientific angle was just weird and not really well put together or something, it didn't always make the most sense....more
A "diary" of Princess Elisabeth in the year leading up to her wedding. Written quite young but still an interesting enough read. I liked how the last A "diary" of Princess Elisabeth in the year leading up to her wedding. Written quite young but still an interesting enough read. I liked how the last quarter of the book was all historial notes, what happened after the wedding, and so on. ...more
So much win and love. I don't know what else to say other than I thoroughly enjoyed it :D I found the concept of "quarry speech" a little strange, butSo much win and love. I don't know what else to say other than I thoroughly enjoyed it :D I found the concept of "quarry speech" a little strange, but not enough to take this down to four stars....more
What a wonderful book! It started a little slow but I was soon into it and could barely stand to put it down. I love the way everything was woven togeWhat a wonderful book! It started a little slow but I was soon into it and could barely stand to put it down. I love the way everything was woven together so cleverly. :D...more
I feel it is kind of me to bump this book up to four stars, rather than dropping it down to three since it is impossible for me to give it what I feelI feel it is kind of me to bump this book up to four stars, rather than dropping it down to three since it is impossible for me to give it what I feel it most deserves, three and a half. It is only really because I have loved so many of Eva Ibbotson's other books that I am marking it up, not down - it is good, wonderful in parts, just not as fantastic as, say, The Secret Countess, or A Company of Swans, or The Dragonfly Pool, or Journey to the River Sea... okay, you get the point. ;) (But it was a thousand times better than that bore, A Song for Summer!)
It was more or less the same formula as with her other young adult romance novels, however with one big difference - to me, anyway. I just did not 'ship Tessa and Guy at all. I did not feel the need for them to get together. I did not see any chemistry. I liked both characters, and I enjoyed reading about them both, but separately - I enjoyed Tessa's work at the theatre and her place as Princess, and I equally liked reading about Guy and his trials with the snobby Nerine. In that regard, it was a very good book. But I did not see much point in them getting together, other than it was the simple outcome of this formula. Considering how linked their stories already were, with Guy buying the castle, I think the book would have worked just as well without the need for their romance. Perhaps they could have gone into a theatrical partnership, with Tessa married to her job and Guy free to gallivant all over the world again.
That said, it was still a fun enough read. I particularly liked Boris and his yoghurt, and of course the ending and Guy's little prank on Nerine... that was genius. :D...more
I had no idea this was based on a Grimm Brothers story! Must find and read! I just loved Shannon Hale's retelling (or whatever) of it, it was just a lI had no idea this was based on a Grimm Brothers story! Must find and read! I just loved Shannon Hale's retelling (or whatever) of it, it was just a lovely mixture of so many small things that appeal to me - lovely title and cover art included!...more
I did enjoy it a lot but something is keeping me from giving it five stars. Perhaps it's Selia - I know you're meant to hate her, but omg I despised hI did enjoy it a lot but something is keeping me from giving it five stars. Perhaps it's Selia - I know you're meant to hate her, but omg I despised her so much. I just can't stand liars, people like her who are cruel and manipulative and can make everyone just believe their tales instead of the truth... I know it's only a fictional tale but it really made me mad how she could just be so boldly dishonest right to Ani's face! UGH.
I loved the orphanage, and how scruffy Charlotte was - nicknamed 'Tatty'! This is a charming book, a dear favourite from when I was very young.I loved the orphanage, and how scruffy Charlotte was - nicknamed 'Tatty'! This is a charming book, a dear favourite from when I was very young....more
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