A really satisfying conclusion to a series I just loved. I’m really impressed how secrets and threads that were woven in the first book come together A really satisfying conclusion to a series I just loved. I’m really impressed how secrets and threads that were woven in the first book come together in this one, so I suddenly saw previous events in a new light. I feel like I can also see so many allegories for real-world problems in the issues dealt with in this book, even though there are no explicit references. For example, the idea of doing harm to get ahead and help your own, and how difficult it is to get different people (and nations) to work together and share when they could get more advantage and power by not doing so, reminded me a bit of CO2 emissions and climate change (even though in the book it’s all monsters and magic!). That made it a really thought-provoking read, in addition to being an entertaining, creative, and moving one. This whole trilogy has made it on to my all-time favourites list, and I can’t say much more other than I loved it from start to end!...more
This series is so incredibly addictive. Such a fascinating, creative world with such a great main character, not to mention a very suspenseful plot. IThis series is so incredibly addictive. Such a fascinating, creative world with such a great main character, not to mention a very suspenseful plot. I already loved Naomi Novik’s other work, but I am increasingly in awe of her � she just keeps on writing amazing novels.
In this second book I particularly liked how the Scholomance setting became even more of a ‘character� than it already was, and also how, similar to the first book, there’s just as much emphasis placed on friendships as on romance (if not more) so that weirdly enough I found myself caring more about the friends than the love interest! The moment I finished this book I immediately wanted to pick up the next one. I’m usually quite good at resisting that urge and reading a few other books first, but this time I’m giving in to weakness and just going straight on to the next one :)...more
I grew up reading and loving the His Dark Materials trilogy, and recently read the first book in the Book of Dust trilogy, La Belle Sauvage, which I lI grew up reading and loving the His Dark Materials trilogy, and recently read the first book in the Book of Dust trilogy, La Belle Sauvage, which I loved. Unfortunately, The Secret Commonwealth (the second book in this new trilogy) ended up being a bit of a disappointment for me.
I’ve tried to keep this review free of explicit spoilers, but there are still some hints as to the general direction the story takes, so if you intend to read it and are bothered by that, perhaps don’t read further.
It really engaged me at the start, and I was intrigued by Lyra’s new predicament. As always, the concept of humans and daemons is a fascinating one, and Pullman still surprises me with new and interesting situations related to this bond between human and daemon. I also really enjoyed seeing beloved characters reappear, as well as returning to familiar places, such as Jordan College and the Trout.
However, the story eventually turned into what was predominantly a long journey in which several characters travel in a kind of meandering way that felt like it lacked clear purpose and, sometimes, logic. Events often felt tenuously connected to me, as if the book was a collection of various ideas and moral commentaries loosely tied together into a rough plot. Dramatic things kept happening to the protagonists, but every time they were imperilled it seemed a friendly stranger would appear and conveniently save them, somewhat robbing them of agency. There was also a romantic interest element that I found a little strange, perhaps because I felt in previous stories it had been set up as more of a familial one.
Lastly, there were a few issues I had that I think stemmed from the fact that this book takes place after the events of the original His Dark Materials trilogy. I found it hard to believe in the antagonists of the story � the Magisterium � being as scary or powerful as they were, because there was a kind of deja vu to their evilness, and I guess internally I felt they had already been defeated. I felt a similar sense of deja vu with them going after Lyra, except that in this book their obsession with her didn’t entirely make sense to me. I also found it strange that Lyra and other characters kept saying “tell me about dust� to new people they met, as if this was something totally mysterious they were trying to find out about, even though they just spent a whole trilogy learning in detail what it was. Certainly exploring new instances or manifestations of dust is interesting, and I liked some of the ways this book did this, but sometimes it felt like the story was still trying to cling to the total mysteriousness of the concept that had, for me, disappeared with the end of His Dark Materials.
I’m a fan of Pullman’s other books, but unfortunately this one just didn’t enchant me in the same way. I’m not sure if I’ll continue the series � perhaps if the next book is not as long, and if there is more promise of resolution and closure at the end, I will be tempted to see how this series concludes� but I’ll wait and see....more
This was such a magical, haunting, spellbinding book. I adored it. The world-building was exquisite, the rare kind where the setting was so unusual, rThis was such a magical, haunting, spellbinding book. I adored it. The world-building was exquisite, the rare kind where the setting was so unusual, rich and wondrous it alone captured my heart from the first pages. The story also had one of my favourite style of openings, a bit like in the movie “Moon�, where you sense something is amiss, but you don’t quite know what - you just get this feeling that things don’t add up and there’s a big secret waiting to be revealed, but it gets revealed deliciously slowly.
The audiobook was well narrated, and I really enjoyed the repetition created by the unique dating system Piranesi used. Just remembering the words “in the year the Albatross came to the south-western hall� now immediately evokes the haunting, magical quality of those drowned halls in my mind.
Overall this book just moved me in a way I can’t really explain. It’s one of those stories that feels like it touches on some deep core of what it means to be alive and human and a part of the world.
I’d previously read ‘Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell� by the same author and found it wasn’t really my cup of tea, but I was happy to find the opposite was the case with this book. It’s going on my favourites shelf!...more
I loved that the main character had to fight prophecies about her rather than trying to fulfil them. I loved that there was an explanation for why teenagers are put through deadly trials that didn’t turn out to be something typical like ‘evil dictatorship� or ‘big prize to be won� or ‘negligent/mean teachers� (in fact, I loved that there weren’t really any teachers involved). I also loved how the two central characters were kind of the opposites of each other, with each suffering but for different reasons. The social structures and the inbuilt inequalities were also really compelling, esp. watching the main character come up against these and fight them. But ultimately it was just a really fun and suspenseful read that had me immediately wanting to pick up the sequel!...more
This was a really absorbing novella that drew me in relatively quickly, and I loved the premise. I also liked the way the different worlds the childreThis was a really absorbing novella that drew me in relatively quickly, and I loved the premise. I also liked the way the different worlds the children had been to were classified or ‘mapped� with funny directions like ‘high nonsense�, and how the things they had done to fit in and survive in those worlds affected their behaviour, their talents, and what made them feel comfortable. I was especially fascinated by the main character’s unusual talent for utter stillness and the reason for it. I guess when I first heard the premise for this story I was worried the author might just pick portal worlds from famous fantasy books and use those, so I liked that they instead invented several new and unexpected ones.
I also thought the deep, sorrowful yearning the children felt to find their doorways again and go back to their worlds was incredibly well rendered. It really made you understand the emotional difficulty a child who’d been through that would face on returning to the ‘real� world � a detail that portal fantasies rarely, if ever, explore. There were a few little things that bothered me (such as a rather harsh dismissal of Narnia, which, while holding some truth, was still a bit too brutal for someone who grew up loving it to appreciate). However, they were minor, and overall I really enjoyed it.
The audiobook narrator also did a great job, and even gave the older woman who ran the school an old-worldy accent reminiscent of someone from an early 1900s radio broadcast. This fit with the character's supernaturally advanced age and my suspicion that she might, in fact, have been intended as the inspiration for Alice in Wonderland. So I can highly recommend listening to this one as an audiobook too....more
I saw this recommended by one of my favourite book bloggers (The Orang-utan Librarian) as one that deserves more attention - and now I’ve read it, I aI saw this recommended by one of my favourite book bloggers (The Orang-utan Librarian) as one that deserves more attention - and now I’ve read it, I agree.
If you just summarised the plot of ‘Poison�, it might seem like your standard girl-goes-on-fairytale-adventure story. However, the book has a unique quality to it that makes it more than that. I think it’s a combination of clever, at times spellbinding writing, strong and unique characterisation (Poison is a very compelling and distinct character, right down to the reason behind her name), its grim and gritty plot elements, and a larger self-reflective scope to the whole thing that I can only describe as very meta (and a bit weird, but in a good way).
I’m not normally one to take note of quotes while reading, but I just loved this one: “Some of us are born in the right place, some of us have to go looking for it.�
The book ended a little sooner than I was expecting, though it did ultimately feel satisfyingly resolved when I reflected on it. And while I did see a few plot reveals coming, that didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the story. It was very thought provoking and unique.
So if you like dark, reflective, fairytale-inspired books with a formidable main character, this might be for you....more
This is the kind of addictive book that makes me want the next one straight away. Betrayals, schemes, twists and turns and a dramatic ending that leftThis is the kind of addictive book that makes me want the next one straight away. Betrayals, schemes, twists and turns and a dramatic ending that left me hanging. Sadly I’ll have to wait several months for the sequel... after which, if it’s like this one, I’ll be left wanting more and will have to endure an even longer wait. It seems I’m caught in a vicious cycle from which I can no longer escape. So a warning to other readers: start this series at your own peril! :)...more
It's been a while since I devoured an ebook in the space of a few nights, and found myself staying up late to do so. I'd kind of forgotten what that fIt's been a while since I devoured an ebook in the space of a few nights, and found myself staying up late to do so. I'd kind of forgotten what that feels like, since most of the books I read now are audiobooks (and physical books can take me months to get through as I crawl through pages on the few evenings I'm not too tired to keep my eyes focused)... The Call reminded me.
While I did on occasion have trouble connecting with a few of the characters and finding their actions credible (particularly the more homicidal teenagers), and while the story and writing style perhaps didn't make me think or feel as deeply as some other YA dystopias have, overall I found this so fun, suspenseful and unexpected that I had to give it 5 stars. If you're after a fast, entertaining read with a hefty dose of horror and creativity, look no further!...more
I loved the His Dark Materials trilogy as a young teen, but I was unsure how I would feel about this prequel, especially reading it as an adult. FortuI loved the His Dark Materials trilogy as a young teen, but I was unsure how I would feel about this prequel, especially reading it as an adult. Fortunately it swept me away, and while I perhaps didn’t have the same fresh wonder as I would have as a child, I still really enjoyed it.
One of Pullman’s greatest strengths in my opinion is his ability to create rich, spellbinding settings and imagery that draw you right into the world. La Belle Sauvage has so many vividly described scenes and fascinating places � I felt particular wonder at all the(view spoiler)[familiar places that had been totally transformed by a flood, e.g. canoeing through the flooded streets of Oxford, and approaching the white convent on the hill by boat (hide spoiler)]. Another of his strengths is creating wonderfully sinister villains, as well as kind-hearted characters you totally fall in love with, and La Belle Sauvage provided both. And once again, I really enjoyed how he uses the Daemons to show different aspects of people’s personalities interacting. A particularly unique element of this book was also that the (view spoiler)[two young main characters� main mission was to look after and protect a small baby � not something you usually see in YA or children’s fiction � and it made me like and admire the characters even more (hide spoiler)].
The only thing that sometimes bothers my in Pullman’s writing is that I can find it hard to 100% make sense of all the plot elements and character actions when I try to puzzle the logic of it all out at the end (e.g. to this day I don’t fully understand Mrs Coulter’s motivations in the HDM trilogy), and in La Belle Sauvage I was also left with several questions as to exactly what had happened, esp. regarding the supernatural elements. Perhaps some of those questions will be answered in the next book, but even if they are not, I still really enjoyed it and am eager to get to the sequel....more
I'm already a fan of Novik's books, but I think this might be my favourite so far. I found it hard to put down, particularly toward the end, and lovedI'm already a fan of Novik's books, but I think this might be my favourite so far. I found it hard to put down, particularly toward the end, and loved all the characters and the twists and turns of the story.
The world was very rich and convincingly written, with a fairy-tale feel, and it had just the right mix of the familiar and the new to enchant me. All the characters had their own distinct and believable voices, and while I'm not normally a fan of books with lots of POVs, I became attached to all of them and never minded the switches. I appreciated that their strengths, skills and weaknesses were not always ones you typically find in fantasy stories, but were admirable and unique, even down to those of side characters like the elderly maidservant. I particularly enjoyed the main character and her cleverness � I think she was a perfect example of how you can have an inspiring and 'strong' heroine without her needing to wield a sword or be brave and flawless all the time.
It was an uplifting, enjoyable and entertaining story, and despite being a wintry tale, it left me with a warm heart!...more
This is the first book by Holly Black I've read, so I wasn't sure what to expect, especially as I'd read mixed reviews. As is obvious from my 5 stars,This is the first book by Holly Black I've read, so I wasn't sure what to expect, especially as I'd read mixed reviews. As is obvious from my 5 stars, I thoroughly enjoyed it!
It's one of those books where I struggle to write any sort of useful review because I just found it a really entertaining read and can't put my finger on exact reasons why. I suppose I liked the main character and her less-than-perfect morals and goals, I liked the scheming and political manoeuvring, I liked the sexual tension, I liked the rules and dangers of the faerie world and the fact humans could lie and faeries could not. But ultimately, I was just very absorbed by the story and loved being taken along for the ride. Yes, there were some things I saw coming, and some elements that I didn't like as much as others, but none of those really bothered me, because overall I just found it such a fun read... one that had me wanting to pick up the next book straight away! I resisted the urge because there are others on my list I have to get to first, but I'll no doubt continue the series soon....more
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