Review: Such Sweet Sorrow by Jenny Trout

I almost didn't read this because the cover put me off (it's pretty, but those kind of covers tend to come with books I don't like), but the concept intrigued me, and I ended up really enjoying it, so I'm glad I gave it a go! Basically, this is what would have happened if Romeo didn't die from poison at the end of Shakespeare's story, and went on a quest through the underworld with Hamlet to find Juliet and bring her back to life. If you don't think that sounds awesome, this obviously isn't the book for you. If you do - well, then, you might just like it!

I loved the characters in this book. I'm not overly familiar with Shakespeare's Hamlet (I had to study it for uni but only read the parts I needed to get by, ahem), but I adored him in this. He's conflicted and angsty but also brave and good and warm-hearted. Romeo I liked a lot less for most of the book, though he grew on me in the end. I loved the growing friendship between Romeo and Hamlet. It was like an old school, really dangerous and kinda dark buddy roadtrip.

I think Juliet was probably my favourite character. I admired her fierceness and strength - being dead obviously brought out the best in her. I was totally shipping Hamlet and Juliet for a big chunk of the book (whoops), but there were some touching scenes between Romeo and Juliet in the latter half that brought me back onboard the canonical ship. Mostly.

The journey through the underworld, and the various tests and mythological creatures the trio has to face, makes for an action-packed, entertaining plot. I found it hard to put the book down at times. I loved the way Trout intertwined so many different strands of mythology and literature to create her own world. If you're a purist then this probably won't be for you, but personally I found it really interesting.

The writing is strong throughout the book, and there are some really beautiful moments. The pacing is good, and I liked the ending, although it definitely left me wanting more. I hope there's a sequel! 

Rating: 4/5

Fine Print

Published: February 2014, Entangled

Source: Netgalley

Get It: Book Depository

Review: Stardust by Neil Gaiman

This was my first Neil Gaiman book, and I’m kicking myself that I didn’t get to it sooner. I watched the movie years ago and quite liked it, but I loooooooved the book. From the opening line, “There was once a young man who wished to gain his Heart’s Desire”, I was hooked.

Stardust is a fairy tale for grown-ups. It follows Tristran into the land of Faerie on a quest to find a fallen star for his lady love, Victoria. When he gets there he finds the star is not exactly what he expected it to be, and there are more than a few speedbumps in his journey. It’s an exciting and entertaining ride filled with a range of fantastical characters and all kinds of magic.

Gaiman infuses Stardust with a wonderful fairy tale feel through his whimsical and lyrical use of language. This book reminded me a little of The Last Unicorn be Peter S. Beagle and The Princess Bride by William Goldman in the evocative, magical world it creates and its beautiful, vivid imagery. The story itself is fun, amusing and even a little sad at times. The different threads that seem totally unrelated in the beginning all converge in a lovely way and everything comes together wonderfully. It’s an absolute delight to read.

I loved the extensive cast of characters, both the good and the bad. The ghostly brothers of Stormhold were hilariously macabre, and the Lilim were the kind of baddies you love to hate. Tristran was adorable if a bit hopeless and selfish at times, and Yvaine was not only beautiful but funny and fierce. I even liked Victoria more than I expected. I only wish that more time was spent on Tristran and Yvaine’s developing relationship – vast amounts of time and many adventures are skipped over in a few sentences, and we don’t actually get to experience their growing feelings towards each other. I understand the book would have been much longer if these were included, but it would have been nice to witness a little of it.

Although I’m a massive fan of Happily Ever Afters, I actually really liked the bittersweet ending of Stardust. This fairy tale is for adults, after all, and we know that as wonderful as things can be, there is always pain and sadness and loss. So the ending was quite fitting and still happy in its own way. Everyone who loves magic (and frankly who doesn't?) will enjoy this book.

Rating: 4.5/5

Fine Print
Published: 1999, Headline
Get It:  Book Depository

Review: A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

*cracks knuckles*

*stares at computer*

*walks away and makes a tea*

*stares at screen a bit more*

*spends an hour on Buzzfeed*

*gets sidetracked by Reddit*

*opens up review again*

*starts writing about procrastinating rather than actually starting a review*

*thinks it’s probably time to start the actual review now*

*stares at computer*

*makes another tea*

*ponders how long this can go on for*

*concludes probably not as long as A Game of Thrones*

Coz that was a long-ass book. Hey look, I’ve stopped using emotes (yes I googled that to learn what it’s called. More procrastination!). I bet you’re relieved I stopped doing that, aren't you? Not as relieved as I was upon finishing this book. Just look at my celebratory status on Goodreads.

Yep, A Game of Thrones was a struggle to get through. It was like giving birth (OK, there’s a 99.99999999 per cent chance it’s nothing like giving birth, but there’s this thing called hyperbole and I like it). I felt like I was physically pushing (note to self: probably best not to use that word after mentioning giving birth… or maybe the best idea ever?) my way through this. Much like this review. Don’t you love how much I’m rambling? No? Well you won’t like A Game of Thrones then. It’s full of rambling tangents.

I’m probably giving you the impression I didn’t like this book. Plot twist: I DID. Don’t you love surprises? If you don’t, don’t read this book. Unless you’ve seen the show Game of Thrones or been on Tumblr ever. Because then you won’t get any surprises. Yep, this book is exactly like the first season of the show. Down to the very words spoken by characters (otherwise known by smart people as DIALOGUE).

The show was amazingly faithful to its source material when it kicked off. Having loved the show, I naturally enjoyed the book. In fact, it’s a testament to George R. R. Martin’s (side not: I just typed Mountains instead of Martins. Thought you should know) writing that I loved this behemoth as much as I did, having basically seen it all before – multiple times (what, I didn’t rewatch the show a bamillion times) (OK I did) (I should probably stop using brackets now) (believe it or not, I am not drunk writing this. I maybe have just lost my mind a little bit).

Where was I? Oh, right. The book. Yes. As much as a struggle it was thanks to its length and my own brain funk (can you tell?!), it was still wonderful to be immersed in such a well-built world, populated with amazing characters. And by amazing, I mean flawed, believable, multi-faceted, complex, kick-ass, honourable, dishonourable, funny, creepy and all kinds of awesome. Seriously, I love the characters in this series. Arya is my fave, along with Tyrion, Jon Snow and Daenerys. I loved them even more in the book than I do in the show. I enjoyed getting extra insight into their thoughts and motivations, and a bit more backstory. The only thing I didn’t like was how young they were – especially Daenerys, considering some of the more sexual scenes. In my headcanon they were all older, as they appear on the show. Sorry George R. R. Martin, it was just too creepy otherwise.

My least favourite chapters were those focused on Bran. I just didn't connect with him at all, but I'm told he gets more awesome as the series progresses. I also wasn't a massive fan of Catelyn's point of view, but it was good to get a better understanding of her character. And as much hate as Sansa gets in the fandom, I gotta say I kinda love her. Probably because she's exactly like I was at that age, if I was, y'know, living in medieval/magical times. All I cared about was boys and dresses and lemon chocolate cakes. I wish I could say I was more like Arya, but I wasn't. I felt for Sansa, and not just in a certain Lady situation (though that was Heart. Breaking.). I don't get how people blame her for what went down at the end of the book - I have to admit, the timeline confused me a little with the jumping around between characters, but from what I could see Ned had most, if not all, of the responsibility - as he did in the show. Correct me if I'm wrong (seriously, I'd love to know someone else's view on this).

I'm taking a break from the series for awhile because it's quite exhausting to get through and I need a mental break. But I'm looking forward to the next one - and I'm even more excited about the books that I haven't "seen" on TV. Although I do know a lot of what happens in them anyway. Thanks, Tumblr.

Rating: 4/5

Eye Candy
Yeah, I couldn't get the show's cast out of my head. But that's OK, coz look...

 

Review: The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner

 I almost didn’t read this book. If I didn’t already own it (I ordered it at the same time as The Queen of Attolia, I probably wouldn’t have. Because while I quite enjoyed the first book in this series, the second book didn’t live up to the hype by a long shot, and I was expecting this one to be even worse. One of my main problems with The Queen was how removed the reader is from the main characters, so when I found out that The King of Attolia is actually focused on the perspective of a new, somewhat peripheral character, I was less than enthusiastic to read it. I didn’t want to go through another book where I was even more cut off from the central characters and the heart of the story.

Luckily for me, I did already own this book, because I read it and I loved it. Having Costis, a secondary character for all intents and purposes, filter events through his interpretation and limited knowledge actually makes the removed nature of the narrative seen in the previous book work really effectively here. He’s close enough that you get a lot of Gen and even a decent amount of Attolia, but removed enough from the main plot that there are plenty of twists and the fact that there are twists is plausible. Whereas in The Queen (and even The Thief, to an extent) I found it difficult to stomach not having known important facets of the main character’s feelings and personality for the bulk of the story, it was much more palatable in The King to know as much as Costis, and learn information as he did. The reader is still very much a bystander, as in the previous books in the series, but here you are also immersed in the narrative via Costis.

I really liked Costis and his budding bromance with Gen. I was frustrated with Gen at first, but I should have known better. There's always more to him than meets the eye, the clever devil. He's such a brilliant character and definietly a highlight of this series. I also really like Irene as a character - she's so complex and interesting, and her relationship with Gen is fascinating and lovely. I wish there were more scenes between the two of them - we only really see what Costis sees - but what is there is amazing and powerful. It was worth reading this series for this book alone.

Rating: 5/5

Fine Print
Published: Greenwillow Books, 2006
Get It: Book Depository

Review: The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner

I don’t really know how to rate or review this book. I’m afraid I’ll be kicked out of the cool kid’s club* for not absolutely adoring The Queen of Attolia. I’m really upset that I didn’t, because I was expecting to. I had super high expectations. Pretty much everyone I know told me how amazing it is. How you only read the first book in the series to get to this one. But I have to say, I think I like The Thief more. It’s not that I didn’t like The Queen of Attolia. I did. I just didn’t love it, no matter how much I wanted to.

What I did like about it was the world, the characters and the plot overall. But I really didn’t like the frequent, tedious descriptions of politics and war maneuvers and meetings. Yaaawn. I also didn’t like the big “twist” towards the end. The plot point itself isn’t what bothered me, it’s that it wasn’t even alluded to beforehand. It was too much of a surprise and wasn’t plausible to me. Of course I thought the story was heading there eventually, I just didn’t expect it to have already happened behind the scenes (trying to be as clear as possible without being spoilery!). While I admire Turner’s capacity to intricately build a plot and surprise the reader, I don’t like that we end up so removed from the inner workings of the main characters. I read to be immersed in not only a different world but a different person, including their thoughts and feelings. One of my only reviewer friends to have given this book less than five stars, Steph Su, used the analogy that it feels like the characters are acting and talking behind soundproof glass, and this is exactly how I felt. It was as though I couldn’t quite get at the action and emotions. It was quite frustrating. The few times there was raw emotion on display and intimate interaction between the characters, it was stunningly rendered, making it even more frustrating to be cut off for the rest of the book.

I’m glad I had already bought The King of Attolia when I finished this, because I probably wouldn’t have continued with the series otherwise. That’s how disappointed I was. Thankfully I did have The King, so I read it and ended up loving it. It makes me think perhaps I should reread The Queen; I might get get more out of a second reading. As it is I feel like I missed something, because I didn’t love this anywhere near as much as pretty much everyone else. 

*Not that I was ever in it. 

Rating: 3/5

Spoilery Talking Point

-OK, as I alluded to above, I did think Eugenides and Attolia would fall in love. But after he kidnapped her. I did not expect him to already be in love with her. I could get behind it if the fact that, you know, she CUT OFF HIS HAND, was resolved. I felt like this wasn’t addressed enough, especially Eugenides' feelings about it. Surely he must have been conflicted and thinking twice about his love for her. It would have been good to see how he had managed to come to forgive her – if he did at all. You spend most of the book thinking he hates her, and then all of a sudden you’re supposed to believe he loved her all along? It just didn't make sense to me.

Review: Sea Hearts By Margo Lanagan

Like the men of Rollrock Island, Sea Hearts has me enchanted by selkies. I didn't know a great deal about the mythology going into this book, but the story of Rollrock Island and its inhabitants, whose relationship with the selkies is fraught with obsession, possession and heartbreak, captured my fascination and left me wanting so much more. While the mythology itself is interesting, it's the wonderful way Margo Lanagan expands on it and builds her world around it that makes Sea Hearts truly magical.

Rollrock Island is an isolated, wind-swept, sea-drenched setting that is powerfully evoked through Lanagan's beautiful writing. She will make you actually feel the damp air, smell the salty ocean and taste the sea-heart delicacies. Not to mention all the emotions - from wonder to fury to heartbreak, you're fully immersed in the feelings of the characters, leaving your heart raw and exposed, but ultimately satisfied.

The story is told from multiple perspectives across generations. The first part focuses on Misskaella, the witch who can transform seals into humans. We learn why she's determined to give all the men on Rollrock Island "sea wives", and it's quite a heart-wrenching journey, although it also has some magical and delightful moments. Of course, it's not spoiling anything to say she doesn't exactly have a happy ending (the book opens with her as an old woman), and her bitterness has devastating consequences for everyone, as the subsequent chapters, telling the stories of the women and men from two of the Rollrock families, reveal.

While Misskaella's section was a highlight, my favourite part of the book was probably Daniel's. As the son of a Rollrock man and a sea wife, he's torn between wanting his family together and wanting his mother to be happy. What he does to make things right is powerful, rendered especially so through Lanagan's stunning language and imagery. As awful as it is, I have to say I felt kinda gleeful at the comeuppance the men of the island got for their sexist, possessive selfishness.

Sea Hearts explores some pretty significant themes - love, passion, grief, revenge, obsession and even gender roles. It's intense, but never too heavy. Lanagan's beautiful way with words, elegant plot structure, whimsical world-building and remarkable cast of characters weave together to form a breathtaking book that I think everbody should read.

Rating: 5/5 

Related
This Q&A with Lanagan about the book is fascinating. I can't believe she got the idea for the story from something as simple as knitting a scarf!

Fine Print
Published: February 2012, Allen & Unwin
Get It: Bookworld

Review: The Thief By Megan Whalen Turner

I've been told by so many people that this series is amazing, but that the first book is kinda lackluster. I didn't know much more than that going into The Thief, and perhaps that's why I enjoyed it more than others seem to. Importantly, I didn't know there was a twist at the end and so I didn't see it coming and also didn't spend my time trying to figure out what it was. I just enjoyed the ride.

The Thief follows Gen, the eponymous trickster, as he is forced to journey through multiple countries with the king of Sounis' advisor and his apprentices to retrieve the mythical Hamiathe's Gift, said to bestow the right to rule Sounis' neighbouring kingdom of Eddis on whomever posseses it. The bulk of this book is taken up with the journey itself, and I've seen multiple reviewers complain of the slowness of the narrative as a result. Perhaps because I was using this book as a break from the snail's pace of Picnic at Hanging Rock, I actually didn't find it particularly slow. Sure, there's a lot of description of winding roads, meals of bread and cheese and a helluva lot of olive trees, but thanks to Megan Whalen Turner's strong writing, it all managed to maintain my interest.

The characters also helped negate the potential tediousness of the journey for me. Gen is an unreliable but compelling narrator. His voice is strong, and his cheeky arrogance is somehow endearing. His travelling companions are a curious bunch, each hiding their own secrets. I only wish there had been a girl or two as part of the party - it was very male-centric for most of the story. But at least this is somewhat balanced by the fact that the women who do appear are all very powerful.

Maybe I'm getting stupid, but as I already mentioned I didn't see the twist coming, and there are a few threads that left me a bit confused. Nevertheless, The Thief was an enjoyable read that has me excited for the rest of the series, especially as it apparently gets even better. Now excuse me while I go hunt down some olives and cheese. All that reading about them has made me hungry...

Rating: 4/5

Spoilery Talking Point

• The part I'm a little unsure about regarding the "twist" is how much Gen actually planned. Did he deliberately get caught because he knew the magus would use him to retrieve Hamiathe's Gift? Or was it a lucky coincidence? The magus mentioned he probably wanted to make a name for himself, but I wondered if it was more than that. Did his queen or his father send him to Sounis with that intention all along, or was he acting on his own? I would have liked more explanation. But like I said, maybe I'm just getting stupid.

Eye Candy
I'm a bit obsessed with Joe Demspie after watching Skins and Game of Thrones recently, so that's who I pictured as Gen.

 

Fine Print
Published: 2005, Greenwillow Books (first published 1996)
Get It: Book Depository

Ten Reasons You Need To Read The Lumatere Chronicles by Melina Marchetta

-The wonderful, intricate plot. Finnikin of the Rock tells the story of the the curse on Lumatere, which has caused half of its population to be trapped within the walls of the kingdom, with the other half caught outside. Finnikin is a young exile who believes his people's best chance of survival is to create a second Lumatere – until he meets the novice Evanjalin, who walks in the dreams of those trapped in the city and whispers of the survival of a royal heir, believed to be dead, who could break the curse. Because it was originally intended to be a standalone, the plot of Finnikin is largely wrapped up in the first novel, and Froi of the Exiles and Quintana of Charyn both focus on a different curse – the one on Charyn that means no child has been born there for 18 years.

I adored Finnikin and when I started reading Froi I was a bit skepitcal about there being another curse, but the way it eventually unravelled made a lot of sense – and was brilliant to read, of course. Marchetta skillfully laid the foundations of each mystery, revealing clues at key points before masterfully bringing everything together at the end of each book (although Froi and Quintana go hand in hand, there are still some great revelations in the end of the former).

-The fantastic world-building. I don't read a lot of fantasy, but I really enjoyed the world of Lumatere and thought it was well fleshed-out and believable. The history, cultures, landscape and languages of the various kingdoms were all rich and strongly developed.

-Marchetta's beautiful writing. It's so easy to read but so incredibly lovely, creating a number of powerful moments and images that give you goosebumps and stick in your mind long after you've finished reading. (SPOILERS: Two of my faves involved Froi and a baby – the moment at the end of Finnikin, when he holds the baby high and the “future of Lumatere” is in his hands, and the scene at the end of Froi, when he sees Quintana with his baby and falls to his knees embracing them. Siiigh).

-The awesome heroes. There's one to warm your heart: Finnikin, a smart, skilled and sexy ginger (no, that is not an oxymoron), who is haunted by the past but plans for a brighter future. There's one who'll tug at your heart: Lucian, Finnikin's childhood friend, who is stubborn and somewhat cocky; his charm and sensitivity buried under a deep grief and sense of failure. Then there's one who'll obliterate your heart: Froi, who comes from nothing and becomes everything. I have to admit, after reading Finnikin I was a bit concerned about Froi as the main character in the rest of the series. He's only secondary in the first book and actually does something quite reprehensible. I knew Marchetta would redeem him, but I think that's what my problem was – I was afraid to like him after what he'd done. But Marchetta addresses it almost immediately in Froi, and makes it very clear that Froi is deeply repentant. As his past is slowly revealed, it becomes clearer why he did what he did. Not that that excuses it, of course – but Froi himself nor any part of the narrative ever does try to do that, which is important. He knows what he did was wrong, he hates himself for it, and he does everything he can to make up for it. The reader, like the characters, never fully forgets what he did – it is consistently brought up throughout the novels – but Froi's many other heroic actions make you begin to love him all the same. In the end, Froi was the character who most got under my skin. He's deeply flawed – like all of the characters – but therein lies his brilliance.

-The amazing heroines. If you think the heroes sound good, just wait till you meet the heroines. They're each strong and compelling in their own way. Evanjalin is strong-willed, intelligent, independent, and manipulative, doing whatever needs to be done for her people to heal – even if it means people hate her for it (and there are times I kinda did, even though I loved her overall). Phaedra, oh Phaedra – at first she seems quite weak, but she's quick-thinking, caring and much, much stronger than she, and the other characters, think she is. But as with the boys, it was the most messed up character who really got under my skin when it came to the heroines: Quintana. She's got dirty hair, odd facial expressions, multiple personalities and a savageness bordering on crazy. But underneath all the apparent madness is a deeply hurting girl who has been through so much, but still cares about others more than she cares about herself. She's resilient and cunning and just a little bit charming. She's a survivor.

-The sensational secondary characters. Although I use the term “secondary” very loosely – they are anything but. There's a large cast of characters across the series, and each one is richly developed, with a story to tell and a connection to be made. It's hard not to fall for them all (or love to hate them, as the case may be).

-The strong narrative voice. While Finnikin is told primarily from the title character's perspective, the subsequent novels switch viewpoints regularly. But no matter who is the focus of the story at a particular time, the voice is always relevant to each character. The most distinct were Froi in the first novel (before his language skills are more developed, as they are in the later books) and Quintana in the third. Her anxiety and confusion shine through in her first person, present tense narrative voice that contrasts sharply with the third person, past tense narrative given to the other characters. It's fantastic to read.

-The authentic and powerful relationships. Whether it's lovers, fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, siblings or friends, the relationships in this series are all amazingly written and realistic. Between them all there's love, hate, hurt, healing, joy, sorrow, yearning, desire, fear, jealousy, acceptance and incredibly deep connections. As you can probably tell, they will make you feel ALL THE FEELS.

-They're page-turners. The Lumatere Chronicles are completely addictive; despite their massive size I read them in a matter of days. They're the kind of books that you need to clear your schedule for, because once you start reading you literally won't be able to stop. I had more than one late night and unproductive day thanks to these books. I regret nothing.

-It's Melina Freaking Marchetta. 'Nuff said.

 

Rating: 5/5

 

Mini Review: Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver

I don't really have time to write a proper review right now, but before I go away I wanted to write about how much I loved Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver. It came along at exactly the right time for me. I especially loved the:

• lovely, lyrical prose and descriptive language.
• extensive, quirky and adorable cast of characters.
• unique interpretation of ghosts/the afterlife.
• gorgeous illustrations.
• touching and sensitive exploration of grief.
• magic!
• story!
• Bundle.
• moving and powerful author's note.

I had a couple of minor gripes with certain plot points (I would have liked to know more about Po, for example) but overall Liesl and Po was a beautiful book - the kind that makes me want to tell EVERYONE I KNOW to read it. Now. So what are you waiting for?

Rating: 5/5.

Review: The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle

This book was so beautiful I wanted to hug it (in fact, I may have).

I looooved The Last Unicorn movie as a kid and watched it repeatedly, but I’m ashamed to say until recently I didn’t even realise it was a book. I ordered it as soon as I discovered it was, and finally got around to reading it this week. From the opening lines (“The unicorn lived in a lilac wood, and she lived all alone... she was no longer the careless color of sea foam, but rather the color of snow falling on a moonlit night.”) I knew I was in for an amazing read. Of course, I already knew the story, but I didn’t know just how clever and wonderful the telling of it would be.

If you’re unfamiliar with the tale, The Last Unicorn is, as the title suggests, about a unicorn who discovers she’s the last of her kind and leaves the safety of her lilac woods in search of the truth about what happened to her people. Along the way, she picks up some allies in the adorably incompetent magician, Schmendrick, the strong, rough but caring Molly Grue and the handsome, heroic Prince Lir. She also learns a couple of important truths about herself and the nature of humanity.

This is a fairy tale full of whimsy, warmth, comedy, action and sadness. Beagle’s use of language is exquisite, his pacing is pretty much perfect and his characters are quirky but real, each one of them flawed and dealing with their own search for meaning and purpose. So while on the surface this is an entertaining read, it’s strengthened by a deeper level. What struck me most was the poignant exploration of love, life and mortality. Unicorns are immortal but cannot feel love, while humans love deeply but must die. Then there’s Schmendrick, stuck in between – a human blessed (or cursed) with immortality until he can find his true self and access his full power. I suppose your own interpretation would determine which state was better, but to me the ultimate message of The Last Unicorn seemed to be that love is the most powerful magic of all; able to conquer mortality (or the fear of it, at least) and give meaning to life. Now that’s a message I can embrace (literally... excuse me while I go back to hugging my book).

Rating: 5/5

Eye Candy

I pictured...

Max Irons as Prince Lir

Zachary Levi as Schmendrick the Magician

Helena Bonham Carter as Molly Grue

Frida Gustavsson as the Lady Amalthia

Fine Print

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: Signet

Published: 1991 (40th Anniversary Edition)

Get It: Book Depository