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Inspired
For a muse like Lucianíel, one story’s end is another’s beginning.
In the wake of his author’s sudden death, Luc takes ownership of her surviving creations—four fantastical characters with tales yet to be told—saving them from unwritten lives crumbling around them and giving them a second chance at a literary future.
Luc finds that chance in the unsuspecting mind of Annabelle Iole Gray, a quirky teen with her head in the clouds, nose in a book, and imagination ripe for a brilliant muse’s inspiration.
Or so he hopes.
Neither Luc nor Annabelle, however, realize all they’ve undertaken. Even with a to-write list including accounts of a shape-shifting cat creature, gentle knight-in-training, vigilante skater girl, and a mystery boy smothering in unspoken fear, the most remarkable saga created between author and muse just may turn out to be one stranger than fiction.
Their own.
In the wake of his author’s sudden death, Luc takes ownership of her surviving creations—four fantastical characters with tales yet to be told—saving them from unwritten lives crumbling around them and giving them a second chance at a literary future.
Luc finds that chance in the unsuspecting mind of Annabelle Iole Gray, a quirky teen with her head in the clouds, nose in a book, and imagination ripe for a brilliant muse’s inspiration.
Or so he hopes.
Neither Luc nor Annabelle, however, realize all they’ve undertaken. Even with a to-write list including accounts of a shape-shifting cat creature, gentle knight-in-training, vigilante skater girl, and a mystery boy smothering in unspoken fear, the most remarkable saga created between author and muse just may turn out to be one stranger than fiction.
Their own.
Paperback
First published March 2, 2014
218 people want to read
About the author
Danielle E. Shipley
29 books52 followersDanielle E. Shipley – author of fairy tales retold, legends reimagined, and other expressions of wishful thinking. In the past, she’s worked as a librarian in a kindergarten, a Towne Crier in a Renaissance Faire, and a butler in Germany. In another universe, she’s a tenor on Broadway, a wandering minstrel, or at the very least a Dark Lord singing about world domination. Born, raised, and homeschooled in the Chicago area, she now resides primarily in realms of her own making, along with her crazy crew of character children. She hopes to ultimately retire to a private immortal forest. But first, there are stories to make.
*She also doesn't hang out on Goodreads very often. Find her on her blog, Twitter, and Facebook*
*She also doesn't hang out on Goodreads very often. Find her on her blog, Twitter, and Facebook*
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 24, 2013
Complete with a fresh, unique premise and engaging clever characters, Inspired is a novel that's both amusing and compelling. When characters find themselves in need of a new author, a muse will help get them one, regardless of anything that stands in his way. The characters themselves are unique and endearing with brief interactions in their author related lives, and their story related lives. Luc the muse was my personal favorite character--attractive with a flair of danger (who doesn't love that?). Each character has their perks, and their secrets, and Danielle E. Shipley cleverly records them all.
February 24, 2014
This is one of the most creative books I read in 2013. After losing their author a group of characters look for a new home. The book is split up between chapters about the characters themselves and the new author they hope to inhabit.
The whole thing was done smoothly and in a most entertaining fashion. Shipley has a whole lot of originality and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.
The whole thing was done smoothly and in a most entertaining fashion. Shipley has a whole lot of originality and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.
March 13, 2018
Original review can be found on my blog at this link.
I would like to firstly, thank the author, Danielle E. Shipley, for giving me the opportunity to read and review her wonderful novel, Inspired. I enjoyed reading Inspired. 😀
Inspired is one of the more unique novels I’ve read. I’ve never read a novel where characters in a novel break the 4th wall and know that they are characters in a novel and that the real world is outside of their story. The only time where I come across the situation where characters break the 4th wall is in a game called ‘Doki Doki Literature Club’, DDLC for short. I wonder if any of you out there played DDLC before. 🙂 It is a game which sent chills down my spine. Similar to DDLC, at some parts of Inspired, there are also instances where I feel a chill down my spine.
I feel a mixture of emotions throughout the novel, from humour, amusement to being upset. Inspired has been an emotional roller coaster for me. The characters are each unique in their own way and every single one of them earn their own spot in my heart.
Though it took me a long time to finish reading Inspired, based on the Goodreads’ timeline, it actually only takes me two days to finish it. Semester start when I initially start reading Inspired and I had no choice but to put the novel down for the time being to concentrate on my studies. Inspired was mundane and hard to get into in the beginning but as the story progresses, I get increasingly hooked to the story-line and I’m unable to put the novel down.
~SPOILERS~
My favourite character in Inspired would be Yves, he is a beautiful, mature and yet, sad little boy. Being wise and mature in thinking despite his young age, he knows and understands more than any other characters. He thinks through things by reasoning rather than feelings. Moreover, even though he knows how painful his story will end, he is still willing to wait it out for his author to be sufficiently ready to write his story, to ultimately free him. Yves is also willing to sacrifice himself in order to save others as well. Somehow, I resonated with Yves more than any of the other characters in Inspire. His story is really heartbreaking and upsetting but at the same time, it is utterly beautiful. It is such an irony, isn’t it? 🙂
I will recommend Inspire to readers out there who enjoys reading stories within a story and storytelling in general. The short stories of each and every character are refreshing and they bring deeper depth to the plot. Somehow, this just reminds me of ‘A Thousand Nights’ by E. K. Johnston. Some of the stories in Inspired have been really inspiring and they open my eyes to the different mindsets of various people. Last but not least, yes, I’ve taken away many things from Inspired and I’m indeed inspired by the novel. 😉
I would like to firstly, thank the author, Danielle E. Shipley, for giving me the opportunity to read and review her wonderful novel, Inspired. I enjoyed reading Inspired. 😀
Inspired is one of the more unique novels I’ve read. I’ve never read a novel where characters in a novel break the 4th wall and know that they are characters in a novel and that the real world is outside of their story. The only time where I come across the situation where characters break the 4th wall is in a game called ‘Doki Doki Literature Club’, DDLC for short. I wonder if any of you out there played DDLC before. 🙂 It is a game which sent chills down my spine. Similar to DDLC, at some parts of Inspired, there are also instances where I feel a chill down my spine.
I feel a mixture of emotions throughout the novel, from humour, amusement to being upset. Inspired has been an emotional roller coaster for me. The characters are each unique in their own way and every single one of them earn their own spot in my heart.
Though it took me a long time to finish reading Inspired, based on the Goodreads’ timeline, it actually only takes me two days to finish it. Semester start when I initially start reading Inspired and I had no choice but to put the novel down for the time being to concentrate on my studies. Inspired was mundane and hard to get into in the beginning but as the story progresses, I get increasingly hooked to the story-line and I’m unable to put the novel down.
~SPOILERS~
My favourite character in Inspired would be Yves, he is a beautiful, mature and yet, sad little boy. Being wise and mature in thinking despite his young age, he knows and understands more than any other characters. He thinks through things by reasoning rather than feelings. Moreover, even though he knows how painful his story will end, he is still willing to wait it out for his author to be sufficiently ready to write his story, to ultimately free him. Yves is also willing to sacrifice himself in order to save others as well. Somehow, I resonated with Yves more than any of the other characters in Inspire. His story is really heartbreaking and upsetting but at the same time, it is utterly beautiful. It is such an irony, isn’t it? 🙂
I will recommend Inspire to readers out there who enjoys reading stories within a story and storytelling in general. The short stories of each and every character are refreshing and they bring deeper depth to the plot. Somehow, this just reminds me of ‘A Thousand Nights’ by E. K. Johnston. Some of the stories in Inspired have been really inspiring and they open my eyes to the different mindsets of various people. Last but not least, yes, I’ve taken away many things from Inspired and I’m indeed inspired by the novel. 😉
August 25, 2018
I liked the concept of the book, but not so much the execution. The muse characters were a little difficult to keep up with, but the stories that Anabelle makes for them are pretty creative and fun. I was expecting more from Lucianiel & Anabelle; it feels like the book ends just as they were starting to learn to work together.
August 16, 2014
Okay, so Goodreads says it took me two and a half months to read this, but I promise it was more like one day. Summer classes started when I said I started this, and I didn't have time to read... Let me tell you what, cramming five months worth of classes into two months is no walk in the park.
I finally sat down to read this yesterday, and the first few chapters were, surprisingly, a bit grueling for me. Trying to keep up with each different character's personality and Luc's rushed explanations were a bit daunting, up until we meet Annabelle. From there on, I could not put this book down. I laughed. I despaired. I wanted to hug each and every character. Each one had such a different charisma you felt a different love for each and every character, and THAT is why I love Danielle Shipley's books. Her characters are so DIVERSE! I'm sure she'll blush if/when she reads this, but I could very honestly say her characterization is on par with JK Rowling.
Altogether, this book was fantastic. As I said before, the characterization was out-of-this-world, the pacing was phenomenal, as both are expected from Danielle Shipley at this point, the premise was well-thought and creative, and the story itself was just enchanting. The tale did have a few stalling points, as mentioned, but with the overall quality of the book, they could be forgiven, as seen from the four-star rating. As always, my expectations have been exceeded, and I eagerly await Danielle's next addition to her family of characters.
I finally sat down to read this yesterday, and the first few chapters were, surprisingly, a bit grueling for me. Trying to keep up with each different character's personality and Luc's rushed explanations were a bit daunting, up until we meet Annabelle. From there on, I could not put this book down. I laughed. I despaired. I wanted to hug each and every character. Each one had such a different charisma you felt a different love for each and every character, and THAT is why I love Danielle Shipley's books. Her characters are so DIVERSE! I'm sure she'll blush if/when she reads this, but I could very honestly say her characterization is on par with JK Rowling.
Altogether, this book was fantastic. As I said before, the characterization was out-of-this-world, the pacing was phenomenal, as both are expected from Danielle Shipley at this point, the premise was well-thought and creative, and the story itself was just enchanting. The tale did have a few stalling points, as mentioned, but with the overall quality of the book, they could be forgiven, as seen from the four-star rating. As always, my expectations have been exceeded, and I eagerly await Danielle's next addition to her family of characters.
March 5, 2018
Full review:
https://bookstoldmeso.blogspot.com/20...
Do you want to experience something more? How about stories inside a story inside a novel? Inspired totally blew me away with its performance. Exceeded all expectations.
https://bookstoldmeso.blogspot.com/20...
Do you want to experience something more? How about stories inside a story inside a novel? Inspired totally blew me away with its performance. Exceeded all expectations.
March 15, 2014
I'm not gonna deny it, people: I think I might be becoming a fanboy.
Having already read three of Danielle Shipley's works, I expected to love Inspired even before I started. In this regard, I was not disappointed. Inspired was a wonderful and enthralling read, and one that ended far too quickly for those very reasons.
The premise of Inspired is a novel one. After a writer's tragic demise, a handful of creations escape her fading mind. Led by Luc, their old writer's muse, these creations go hunting for a new author. Luc soon settles on Annabelle Gray, a geeky teenager with a love of reading and a vivid imagination. Luc and his wards soon settle into their new home, but is Annabelle really ready to tell their stories?
What follows is a truly unique tale presented in a number of ways. We get chapters from the perspective of Luc and his fellow creations. We get chapters from Annabelle's point of view. We even get extracts from Annabelle's writings, complete with summaries and notes for subsequent drafts; this eventually culminates in a full short story which stands entirely on its own merits, and which was, arguably, the highlight of the entire novel.
Luc and his band all originate from different stories in their old author's mind, and so unsurprisingly prove to be a varied bunch. Luc himself is a light elemental with a kind and gentle demeanour, but with his fair share of flaws underneath the surface. His fellow creations include Uri, a goth teen with a love of skating and a connection to the divine, and Yves, a sad and quiet boy who is almost always seen dancing. All of this group are interesting in their own way, with the interactions between them – as well as between them and Annabelle - more interesting still.
There really is no reason not to buy Inspired. It is a well-written, witty and highly original adventure which also manages to be highly insightful regarding the process of writing. This is, in my opinion, Shipley's best book yet. Highly recommended.
Having already read three of Danielle Shipley's works, I expected to love Inspired even before I started. In this regard, I was not disappointed. Inspired was a wonderful and enthralling read, and one that ended far too quickly for those very reasons.
The premise of Inspired is a novel one. After a writer's tragic demise, a handful of creations escape her fading mind. Led by Luc, their old writer's muse, these creations go hunting for a new author. Luc soon settles on Annabelle Gray, a geeky teenager with a love of reading and a vivid imagination. Luc and his wards soon settle into their new home, but is Annabelle really ready to tell their stories?
What follows is a truly unique tale presented in a number of ways. We get chapters from the perspective of Luc and his fellow creations. We get chapters from Annabelle's point of view. We even get extracts from Annabelle's writings, complete with summaries and notes for subsequent drafts; this eventually culminates in a full short story which stands entirely on its own merits, and which was, arguably, the highlight of the entire novel.
Luc and his band all originate from different stories in their old author's mind, and so unsurprisingly prove to be a varied bunch. Luc himself is a light elemental with a kind and gentle demeanour, but with his fair share of flaws underneath the surface. His fellow creations include Uri, a goth teen with a love of skating and a connection to the divine, and Yves, a sad and quiet boy who is almost always seen dancing. All of this group are interesting in their own way, with the interactions between them – as well as between them and Annabelle - more interesting still.
There really is no reason not to buy Inspired. It is a well-written, witty and highly original adventure which also manages to be highly insightful regarding the process of writing. This is, in my opinion, Shipley's best book yet. Highly recommended.
February 4, 2025
Danielle Shipley has done it again! OK! Wow, this book was hopping, in all the best ways possible of course. I loved all the characters. They each had their own personality so it would be hard to confuse any of them. To be honest, when I first saw the description of the book and the various characters within I was a bit confused. I quickly understood why after a few chapters. All the characters are inherently good but they have their flaws but you can't help but love them for it. Lovable. That's pretty much the one word that sums up all the character in my opinion. It's still quick paced and still leaves you wanting more but I feel it does have a bit more of a completed conclusion but it's pretty open ended but satisfying nonetheless.
This book probably speaks most to us who are or want to become writers. But I feel this can apply to not just writers but also artists or other creative types. The theme of the story is nearly universal in terms of creativity. INSPIRED is more than an apt name for the title. It has helped rekindle my eagerness to write, draw, and create. I have this sudden urge to do fan art of the characters as well. XD
If you couldn't already tell I enjoyed the book. It's creative and pushes the story telling just a bit. I feel that Shipley authentically told what it's like to write a story but in a creative way that makes you experience it without having to do the writing. I wholeheartedly recommend you all to pick up the book. You won't be sorry that you did!
One last thing, one lesson I learned from this book: If I ever feel like I'm in a block, I'm going to blame my muse. (just kidding)
4.5 out of 5 rating for me.
For my full review go here: http://originiquequanimity.blogspot.c...
This book probably speaks most to us who are or want to become writers. But I feel this can apply to not just writers but also artists or other creative types. The theme of the story is nearly universal in terms of creativity. INSPIRED is more than an apt name for the title. It has helped rekindle my eagerness to write, draw, and create. I have this sudden urge to do fan art of the characters as well. XD
If you couldn't already tell I enjoyed the book. It's creative and pushes the story telling just a bit. I feel that Shipley authentically told what it's like to write a story but in a creative way that makes you experience it without having to do the writing. I wholeheartedly recommend you all to pick up the book. You won't be sorry that you did!
One last thing, one lesson I learned from this book: If I ever feel like I'm in a block, I'm going to blame my muse. (just kidding)
4.5 out of 5 rating for me.
For my full review go here: http://originiquequanimity.blogspot.c...
December 11, 2014
This was my treadmill companion for the past week. It gets a solid 4.2 out of 5 stars, mostly because of the unique premise and approach.
Since this book was flooded with characters, it didn't feel like any one person's story. I don't like to finish a book without even knowing whose story I read. At first, I thought it was Jean's story, but she died at the end of the first chapter. Then, I expected it was Luc's story, but he wasn't in it often enough for that to really work.
It was a story about how stories happen in the mind of an author, but I didn't feel like the young author who wrote everyone's story was the main character. Did she change? A little bit, but the problem to be resolved was Luc's, so it should have been his story. In a way, Anabelle solved it for him, so maybe she was the main character. See? I'm still confused.
I picked up this book because it was recommended by a writer friend whose tastes are similar to mine. I'm glad to have read it because it felt like having a chat with another writer. Things like writer's block, naming characters, how to find inspiration, when to revise and forming a series were all issues Anabelle faced. I've faced these, so it was easy to connect with her - even though she is a teenager and her reactions are nothing like I would expect from an adult writer.
This is another story I think started at the wrong spot - but given how it ends - perhaps not in the author's eyes. Again, this connects to the issue of "whose story is this anyway?" I mentioned above. A fun read for anyone whose ever tried to write a novel - and maybe for the people who wish they could understand how a writer's mind works.
Since this book was flooded with characters, it didn't feel like any one person's story. I don't like to finish a book without even knowing whose story I read. At first, I thought it was Jean's story, but she died at the end of the first chapter. Then, I expected it was Luc's story, but he wasn't in it often enough for that to really work.
It was a story about how stories happen in the mind of an author, but I didn't feel like the young author who wrote everyone's story was the main character. Did she change? A little bit, but the problem to be resolved was Luc's, so it should have been his story. In a way, Anabelle solved it for him, so maybe she was the main character. See? I'm still confused.
I picked up this book because it was recommended by a writer friend whose tastes are similar to mine. I'm glad to have read it because it felt like having a chat with another writer. Things like writer's block, naming characters, how to find inspiration, when to revise and forming a series were all issues Anabelle faced. I've faced these, so it was easy to connect with her - even though she is a teenager and her reactions are nothing like I would expect from an adult writer.
This is another story I think started at the wrong spot - but given how it ends - perhaps not in the author's eyes. Again, this connects to the issue of "whose story is this anyway?" I mentioned above. A fun read for anyone whose ever tried to write a novel - and maybe for the people who wish they could understand how a writer's mind works.
July 27, 2017
In all objective honesty, I wouldn't personally give every story with my name attached a full 5 stars. I'm choosier than that. But this... this novel touches me in a way few stories can. I love it. I can only hope my readers do, too.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews