What do you think?
Rate this book
The Thin Veil #1
Through the Door
It’s been seven years since the love of Cedar McLeod’s life left with no forwarding address. All she has left of him are heart-wrenching memories of happier times and a beautiful six-year-old daughter, Eden. Then, one day, Eden opens her bedroom door and unwittingly creates a portal that leads to anywhere she imagines.
But they’re not the only ones who know of Eden’s gift, and soon the child mysteriously vanishes.
Desperate for answers, Cedar digs into the past and finds herself thrust into a magical world of Celtic myths, fantastical creatures, and bloody rivalries. Teaming up with the unlikeliest of allies, Cedar must bridge the gap between two worlds and hold tight to the love in her heart…or lose everything to an ancient evil.
The first in the Thin Veil series, Through the Door is a pulse-pounding adventure that takes readers across the globe and deep into the hidden realms of Celtic lore.
But they’re not the only ones who know of Eden’s gift, and soon the child mysteriously vanishes.
Desperate for answers, Cedar digs into the past and finds herself thrust into a magical world of Celtic myths, fantastical creatures, and bloody rivalries. Teaming up with the unlikeliest of allies, Cedar must bridge the gap between two worlds and hold tight to the love in her heart…or lose everything to an ancient evil.
The first in the Thin Veil series, Through the Door is a pulse-pounding adventure that takes readers across the globe and deep into the hidden realms of Celtic lore.
294 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
630 people are currently reading
3410 people want to read
About the author
Jodi McIsaac
12 books344 followersJodi McIsaac is the author of the Irish contemporary fantasy series The Thin Veil (47North) the thriller A Cure for Madness (Thomas & Mercer) and the Revolutionary series (47North).
She grew up in New Brunswick, on Canada's east coast. After abandoning her Olympic speed skating dream, she wrote speeches for a politician, volunteered in a refugee camp, waited tables in Belfast, and earned a couple of university degrees. When not writing novels, she runs a boutique copywriting agency serving the non-profit sector.
She grew up in New Brunswick, on Canada's east coast. After abandoning her Olympic speed skating dream, she wrote speeches for a politician, volunteered in a refugee camp, waited tables in Belfast, and earned a couple of university degrees. When not writing novels, she runs a boutique copywriting agency serving the non-profit sector.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 486 reviews
September 28, 2013
This is the first time I've ever accepted an offer for a free book from a new author - and the only reason I accepted Through the Door was because Jodi McIsaac offered to send me a physical ARC instead of an ebook. (I do not own an ereader, because I am eighty) Going into this review, I wondered if I should try to sugar-coat things, focus on the good aspects of the book rather than listing the bad ones, be nice. It seemed like a good course of action, especially given the recent clusterfuck over reviewers apparently targeting poor defenseless authors. But as I've said before, my reviewing philosophy is that, like Lester Bangs, you have to make your reputation on being honest, and unmerciful."
So, the story: Cedar McLeod has a seven-year-old daughter, Eden. Cedar's dirtbag baby daddy, Finn (we'll get to him, don't worry), left without warning one day before Cedar could tell him she was pregnant. Now Eden has developed an ability - when she opens a physical door, she can turn that door into a portal that opens anywhere she wants. Then, of course, Eden disappears, and Cedar is forced to attempt to track Finn down in order to get some answers about Eden. She meets Finn's entire family and friend group, who are all Celtic gods, sort of. They're ancient magical beings who were called gods, anyway, and their official name is the Tuatha De Danann, but I'm going to go ahead and refer to them as the Celtic Cullens for brevity's sake. Anyway, Cedar teams up with the Celtic Cullens and her dirtbag ex-boyfriend to find Eden, and we get a nice walking tour through Celtic mythology (mermaids! druids! thousand-league boots! motherfucking leprechauns!) while they look for the kid. Evil is confronted, bonds are forged, magic magic power of a mother's love etc. Also we get to go to Fairyland, which is fun.
Look, it's not terrible. It's very clearly a first novel, with clunky exposition dialogue and convoluted similes (my favorite, which unfortunately I forgot to mark so I can't quote it exactly, describes a character's thoughts bouncing around her head like children in a bouncy castle, I shit you not) and the Celtic Cullens spend way too long refusing to explain anything to Cedar in an attempt to draw out the tension, and they also have a very frustrating habit of muscling her out of the action, always telling her to go home or wait here or hide there so they can deal with this themselves. Even Cedar's own mother is constantly dropping hints that she knows way more than she's telling about the magical goings-on, and then she's like, "I have to go right now, I'll explain later!" and running away. But these are all minor issues. On to the big issues.
The first issue: McIsaac can't stick to her own rules. So each of the Celtic Cullens has a special ability, like one of them can communicate telepathically with people, and one has the power of persuasion (I told you they were the Celtic Cullens). Simple, right? Nope. Okay, so one of them can persuade people to do whatever she wants. Except some of the Celtic Cullens are immune to her power. And sometimes her power doesn't work. Finn has one power, but then halfway through the book he goes, "Oh, and I can also shapeshift, because I'm the firstborn, and we get two powers!" And the Big Bad, Lorcan, can absorb people's powers after he kills them (man, wasn't Heroes a good show?). Except sometimes he can't. Because reasons. It's like McIsaac kept writing herself into a corner with the rules she had created, so she just starts inventing loopholes to justify her characters sidestepping the established parameters of the story, and it was frustrating as hell.
The second issue, a much bigger one, is the god-awful gender politics of this book. As I mentioned before, Finn is a fucking dirtbag who makes the dads on Teen Mom look like stellar human beings. So he and Cedar are dating for like two years, and then one day he just packs up and leaves for no reason. We find out that he was only abandoning Cedar to protect her, of course - because the best way to make sure your significant other won't come looking for you is to move away without explanation. His reasons for leaving weren't even that good - it's like, Jesus, you can't leave a fucking note? We eventually find out that Finn was sort of engaged to one of the other Celtic Cullens at the time, and she was a jealous bitch who wanted to kill Cedar for stealing her man, so Finn abandoned Cedar to protect her. Because bitches be crazy, amirite? To her credit, when they're first reunited Cedar immediately rips him a new one for getting all self-righteous and possessive of the daughter he just learned existed, but that all goes out the window later when she forgives him for everything and they have sex. (I'm not making this up: somebody puts a spell on Cedar that makes her forget Eden exists, and Cedar breaks the spell by making out with her deadbeat baby daddy, and there are so many things wrong with it I can't even talk about it right now)
Cedar isn't the only woman to get jerked around by the Celtic Cullens. We learn that another one of the human characters once had an affair with the High King of the Celtic Cullens when she was young, and by "affair" I mean he would show up a few times a year and they'd have sex. Then he shows up and is like, "Hey, you what would be fun? If you abandoned your friends and family and went to live in the middle of nowhere and learned to be a druid! Here, I picked out a teacher and an abandoned cabin for you already! Pack your stuff!" I was in no way joking that these guys are the Celtic Cullens. And then, after this woman has altered the entire course of her life to do what this guy wants, he shows up again and goes, "Hey, so I was actually married this entire time, and I have to go back to my wife because people are super mad at me. But it was real, yo." And THEN . And this character is never, ever mad at this raging asshole for what he's done. There's even a line about how "she knew that he owned her" and it made me have a small rage-stroke.
All the female characters' actions are influenced or even controlled by the actions of the male characters. Cedar doesn't do anything until one of the male characters acts first, and she's often merely reacting to something Finn does, rather than having agency of her own. Even the female villain is just a subordinate of the Big Bad, a guy we don't meet until the very end of the book (where he has to compensate for his utter absence in the rest of the story by tenting his fingers and delivering Bond-villain-worthy monologues about how THE WORLD WILL BE MINE and it's underwhelming). Cedar's one proactive move comes at the final confrontation with the villain, when she heroically It was disheartening to read a story with a female protagonist and a mostly female cast of characters, and watch every single one of them be overridden by the male characters, fawn over them constantly, and be generally treated like dirt.
One last thing, and then I'll put this book out of its misery: Jodi McIsaac, you should probably ask your publishers to remove the bit before this book's plot synopsis where it says the story has "the wondrous imagination of Neil Gaiman" because all that's going to do is make your readers compare your writing to his, and that's not the effect you want.
So, the story: Cedar McLeod has a seven-year-old daughter, Eden. Cedar's dirtbag baby daddy, Finn (we'll get to him, don't worry), left without warning one day before Cedar could tell him she was pregnant. Now Eden has developed an ability - when she opens a physical door, she can turn that door into a portal that opens anywhere she wants. Then, of course, Eden disappears, and Cedar is forced to attempt to track Finn down in order to get some answers about Eden. She meets Finn's entire family and friend group, who are all Celtic gods, sort of. They're ancient magical beings who were called gods, anyway, and their official name is the Tuatha De Danann, but I'm going to go ahead and refer to them as the Celtic Cullens for brevity's sake. Anyway, Cedar teams up with the Celtic Cullens and her dirtbag ex-boyfriend to find Eden, and we get a nice walking tour through Celtic mythology (mermaids! druids! thousand-league boots! motherfucking leprechauns!) while they look for the kid. Evil is confronted, bonds are forged, magic magic power of a mother's love etc. Also we get to go to Fairyland, which is fun.
Look, it's not terrible. It's very clearly a first novel, with clunky exposition dialogue and convoluted similes (my favorite, which unfortunately I forgot to mark so I can't quote it exactly, describes a character's thoughts bouncing around her head like children in a bouncy castle, I shit you not) and the Celtic Cullens spend way too long refusing to explain anything to Cedar in an attempt to draw out the tension, and they also have a very frustrating habit of muscling her out of the action, always telling her to go home or wait here or hide there so they can deal with this themselves. Even Cedar's own mother is constantly dropping hints that she knows way more than she's telling about the magical goings-on, and then she's like, "I have to go right now, I'll explain later!" and running away. But these are all minor issues. On to the big issues.
The first issue: McIsaac can't stick to her own rules. So each of the Celtic Cullens has a special ability, like one of them can communicate telepathically with people, and one has the power of persuasion (I told you they were the Celtic Cullens). Simple, right? Nope. Okay, so one of them can persuade people to do whatever she wants. Except some of the Celtic Cullens are immune to her power. And sometimes her power doesn't work. Finn has one power, but then halfway through the book he goes, "Oh, and I can also shapeshift, because I'm the firstborn, and we get two powers!" And the Big Bad, Lorcan, can absorb people's powers after he kills them (man, wasn't Heroes a good show?). Except sometimes he can't. Because reasons. It's like McIsaac kept writing herself into a corner with the rules she had created, so she just starts inventing loopholes to justify her characters sidestepping the established parameters of the story, and it was frustrating as hell.
The second issue, a much bigger one, is the god-awful gender politics of this book. As I mentioned before, Finn is a fucking dirtbag who makes the dads on Teen Mom look like stellar human beings. So he and Cedar are dating for like two years, and then one day he just packs up and leaves for no reason. We find out that he was only abandoning Cedar to protect her, of course - because the best way to make sure your significant other won't come looking for you is to move away without explanation. His reasons for leaving weren't even that good - it's like, Jesus, you can't leave a fucking note? We eventually find out that Finn was sort of engaged to one of the other Celtic Cullens at the time, and she was a jealous bitch who wanted to kill Cedar for stealing her man, so Finn abandoned Cedar to protect her. Because bitches be crazy, amirite? To her credit, when they're first reunited Cedar immediately rips him a new one for getting all self-righteous and possessive of the daughter he just learned existed, but that all goes out the window later when she forgives him for everything and they have sex. (I'm not making this up: somebody puts a spell on Cedar that makes her forget Eden exists, and Cedar breaks the spell by making out with her deadbeat baby daddy, and there are so many things wrong with it I can't even talk about it right now)
Cedar isn't the only woman to get jerked around by the Celtic Cullens. We learn that another one of the human characters once had an affair with the High King of the Celtic Cullens when she was young, and by "affair" I mean he would show up a few times a year and they'd have sex. Then he shows up and is like, "Hey, you what would be fun? If you abandoned your friends and family and went to live in the middle of nowhere and learned to be a druid! Here, I picked out a teacher and an abandoned cabin for you already! Pack your stuff!" I was in no way joking that these guys are the Celtic Cullens. And then, after this woman has altered the entire course of her life to do what this guy wants, he shows up again and goes, "Hey, so I was actually married this entire time, and I have to go back to my wife because people are super mad at me. But it was real, yo." And THEN . And this character is never, ever mad at this raging asshole for what he's done. There's even a line about how "she knew that he owned her" and it made me have a small rage-stroke.
All the female characters' actions are influenced or even controlled by the actions of the male characters. Cedar doesn't do anything until one of the male characters acts first, and she's often merely reacting to something Finn does, rather than having agency of her own. Even the female villain is just a subordinate of the Big Bad, a guy we don't meet until the very end of the book (where he has to compensate for his utter absence in the rest of the story by tenting his fingers and delivering Bond-villain-worthy monologues about how THE WORLD WILL BE MINE and it's underwhelming). Cedar's one proactive move comes at the final confrontation with the villain, when she heroically It was disheartening to read a story with a female protagonist and a mostly female cast of characters, and watch every single one of them be overridden by the male characters, fawn over them constantly, and be generally treated like dirt.
One last thing, and then I'll put this book out of its misery: Jodi McIsaac, you should probably ask your publishers to remove the bit before this book's plot synopsis where it says the story has "the wondrous imagination of Neil Gaiman" because all that's going to do is make your readers compare your writing to his, and that's not the effect you want.
May 15, 2015
Usually as I read I make notes, either on the Word doc I write my reviews on or on actual paper with an actual pen. But on going through my list of books read this year, trying to see just how far behind I was with reviews, I suddenly realized that not only had I not reviewed Through the Door (which, I'm afraid, is not a reach-out-and-grab-you sort of title), I hadn't even added it my "read" list or to the body of the page with a space under it to remind myself to start a review. It's not that I don't remember the book; I do recall the plot and characters. It's just that … well … I just looked at the few updates I posted on Goodreads while reading, and two of the five are about how I had to push myself to finish it. It was a LibraryThing Member Giveaway, so I felt obliged; I also feel rather badly about a low rating. (And I kind of hope Ms. McIsaac isn't kin on my mother's side…I'll just feel worse.) But it can't be helped. My last update was: "I realized last night that I didn't read - actually open a book or the Kindle and read - all weekend, just listened to audiobooks. I never do that. And I realized I was unconsciously avoiding this book, close as I am to the end. I just need to finish it..." I just … found it very easy to put it out of my mind. I didn't care for the characters, the plot was messy and convoluted and a bit hard to swallow, and I just couldn't summon up much bother about how it would all work out. It only took me about a week to read it, but it felt like forever.
The sum-up: Cedar is an art student when she falls in love with a young man named Finn, a wonderful musician. On one day which starts out wonderful, she plans on breaking the news to him that she is pregnant, but before she finds the right time to spill it he seems to see someone or something in a crowd, reacts strongly, and before Cedar or the reader knows it he's disappeared, apparently for good.
Fast forward about six years, and we find Cedar no longer the idealistic Artiste (with an "e" and a beret), but a nine-to-fiver using her talent for some soulless corporation while trying to raise her daughter, Eden, alone (with a great deal of help from her mother, and occasional assistance from her friend Jane, who doesn't like children, which was a nice and unusual touch). On one day which does not start out particularly wonderful, Eden shocks both herself and her mother by opening the door to her bedroom – to find on the other side not the little-girl-pink room but Egypt. As the (really awful) Goodreads synopsis says, "Suddenly, Cedar realizes her daughter is anything but normal." Not a particularly pleasant way to put it, but accurate in the main. Her first thought is to go try to track down Finn, which leads her to his parents living not far away – which is interesting, because Finn told her they were dead. They're pretty active for dead folk who aren't zombies, and they're stunned by the news of Eden (since Finn never knew about her), and they begin to help her without really helping her, by which I mean they glom onto her, refuse to let go, take her to meet some very odd people in a very odd place, and overall decline to tell her anything. Any thing. At all. Including anything about Finn and where he is and why he left and where he's been all Eden's life long.
From there it gets hairier as it turns out Eden is a valuable piece in a chess game being played by the immortal fae of Ireland, who have been ejected from Tir na N'og, of whom Finn happens to be one (see? Eden = not "normal"), and Cedar's mother hates them for some reason, except she doesn't, and refuses to help Cedar if she's going to hang out with Those People, except not really, and there's a turncoat in their midst, and there's a kidnapping and a little globe-hopping as everyone tries to get or keep their claws on Eden and either get into or prevent someone else from getting into Tir na N'og.
There are some nice ideas in Through the Door. The portals Eden – and only Eden – can open are a fun idea (though I object to their being called "sidhe" – from what I can find the word means "people of the (fairy) hills", so how does this work?). The modernization of the fae, passing for human in the world, was generally pretty well handled; specifically I don't think it was tremendously successful, but, again, nice idea. The overall plot is original and solid and has a lot of promise.
Execution, though, is what makes a book worth reading. And it just wasn't there.
First I have to say that character names annoyed me thoroughly. The So-Irish names were one thing – considering most of the characters' origin stories – but "Cedar" and "Eden" just made me a little queasy. And then in the middle of all of it was "Jane". Ermph.
Secondly, characterization. Cedar annoyed me even more than simply her name did. I just could not like her. She was weak; she was strong; she was hysterical; she was determined; she was … annoying. And then she lost her memory and it was unintentionally funny. Everything she knows or thinks she knows is turned inside out, and her reaction to all of it is just … off. Her daughter was not, thanks be to Brighid, as annoying as I feared she would be; she was actually a pretty decent child character, and never lapsed into either twee adowableness or I'm-so-precocious-you-will-hope-I-die. The book would have been deleted from my Kindle very quickly had she done so. Cedar's mother Maeve … what a bizarre enigma. I like that she had a whole back-story and that that was why she did all of what she did. I did not like that the back-story got dumped on me in one huge dense clod of flashback and "and then I did this and then he said that". And I most of all did not like what she did do – it was absurd. It made no sense whatsoever, as a Woman With a Past or as a mother or as a grandmother. Cedar isn't about to win any Mother-of-the-Year awards – unless she's in the running against her own mum (or the fae woman whose name I can't remember who when all's said and done kind of caused a lot of the rest of the mess), in which case Cedar takes the prize by default.
The bad guy (gal) was kind of a hot mess. She was completely trusted by the others, not so much because she was a good actress but more that the others were completely oblivious; her talent (because all the fae have one) was kind of evil, but that's okay, 'cause they trusted her; her personality reminded me of one of those movie villains in something like Home Alone, foiled by the darn-you-clever-kids. All histrionically bad attitude and not quite knowing what to do with the child.
Finn … I don't even know what to say about Finn. To avoid spoilers I'll keep it minimal, but … He was flat. There was so little to him, and for the most part he accomplished so little (with one major exception), that he's the character I think I have the vaguest memory of. Cedar's friend was more vivid.
The secondary characters, the fae … I wanted to like them. (It always feels like the kiss of doom when I say that.) But they were …also flat. In one of the struggles over Eden, someone is killed, and the reaction is … minimal. No spoilers, but there is a tiny flare-up of grief, and then … nothing, not even from the person's family. This death is tangential to the main story – but then a while later a major character is killed, and there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of impact from that, either.
Speaking of impact, something that I couldn't keep out of the back of my mind as I read was the question of what was going on about Cedar's job. As mentioned, it's a standard office drone job, only artistic – but the Soulless Corporation she works for sounds like one or two of those I've worked for. They tolerated some of the early goings-on – barely; when she just up and takes off altogether, I don't think her desk will be there waiting for if she decides to go back. Which she probably won't. But still, she could have called in or heard she was fired or something. It matters to the plot not at all, but it was a practical detail that niggled at me for having been overlooked.
The plot… It kind of became a bit of a mess, to be honest. The fantasy elements don't play well with the mundane – they seem a little ridiculous as they begin to take over Cedar's very commonplace life. And then there's the whole >BAM< aspect of the sheer number of revelations dropped on Cedar's head, and incidentally on the reader's. Characters refuse to reveal information to a point that it becomes not only cruel to Cedar but to the reader as well, or at least very frustrating, and this refusal also tends to result in large infodumps when all the information finally has to come out. New elements – often entirely unrelated to everything that has gone before – keep popping up out of the blue. Mermaids. New characters who are vital to the plot yet have never been mentioned before (related to the mysterious past of Cedar's mother, which itself pops up unheralded more than halfway through the story). The bigger bad guy, who's just terrible, yet . Brand new abilities for people, to the tune of "Wait, you could do THAT and didn't mention it before?" Seven-league boots, for heaven's sake, just to obviate the need for conventional travel; that felt a lot like deus ex machina.
Mainly, though, it was the writing that kept this from being very good. What's the Mark Twain quote, about the difference between the right word and the almost right word? It's like the difference between the lightning and the lightning bug? There were a lot of lightning bugs flitting about in this book. The one example I made note of: "She whirled her head around at the sound of approaching footsteps". I – just – ow. It's a really good example, actually, of the general style of the writing, as if throughout the author had a thesaurus open beside her and was conscientiously trying to avoid the obvious phrasings for any given sentence; that one couldn't just be "Cedar heard footsteps approaching and looked around quickly" or "and whirled to face that direction" or something simple. Sometimes, though, the obvious is best. You just can't transform a lightning bug into lightning by force.
While, again, this was not outright awful, it was all kind of a textbook example for mistakes to avoid in writing. Keep it simple. Don't overuse the thesaurus. Avoid infodump. Show, don't tell. It's best to give some sort of foundation for new elements of the story which pop up partway through.
Also? Get a good synopsis written.
The sum-up: Cedar is an art student when she falls in love with a young man named Finn, a wonderful musician. On one day which starts out wonderful, she plans on breaking the news to him that she is pregnant, but before she finds the right time to spill it he seems to see someone or something in a crowd, reacts strongly, and before Cedar or the reader knows it he's disappeared, apparently for good.
Fast forward about six years, and we find Cedar no longer the idealistic Artiste (with an "e" and a beret), but a nine-to-fiver using her talent for some soulless corporation while trying to raise her daughter, Eden, alone (with a great deal of help from her mother, and occasional assistance from her friend Jane, who doesn't like children, which was a nice and unusual touch). On one day which does not start out particularly wonderful, Eden shocks both herself and her mother by opening the door to her bedroom – to find on the other side not the little-girl-pink room but Egypt. As the (really awful) Goodreads synopsis says, "Suddenly, Cedar realizes her daughter is anything but normal." Not a particularly pleasant way to put it, but accurate in the main. Her first thought is to go try to track down Finn, which leads her to his parents living not far away – which is interesting, because Finn told her they were dead. They're pretty active for dead folk who aren't zombies, and they're stunned by the news of Eden (since Finn never knew about her), and they begin to help her without really helping her, by which I mean they glom onto her, refuse to let go, take her to meet some very odd people in a very odd place, and overall decline to tell her anything. Any thing. At all. Including anything about Finn and where he is and why he left and where he's been all Eden's life long.
From there it gets hairier as it turns out Eden is a valuable piece in a chess game being played by the immortal fae of Ireland, who have been ejected from Tir na N'og, of whom Finn happens to be one (see? Eden = not "normal"), and Cedar's mother hates them for some reason, except she doesn't, and refuses to help Cedar if she's going to hang out with Those People, except not really, and there's a turncoat in their midst, and there's a kidnapping and a little globe-hopping as everyone tries to get or keep their claws on Eden and either get into or prevent someone else from getting into Tir na N'og.
There are some nice ideas in Through the Door. The portals Eden – and only Eden – can open are a fun idea (though I object to their being called "sidhe" – from what I can find the word means "people of the (fairy) hills", so how does this work?). The modernization of the fae, passing for human in the world, was generally pretty well handled; specifically I don't think it was tremendously successful, but, again, nice idea. The overall plot is original and solid and has a lot of promise.
Execution, though, is what makes a book worth reading. And it just wasn't there.
First I have to say that character names annoyed me thoroughly. The So-Irish names were one thing – considering most of the characters' origin stories – but "Cedar" and "Eden" just made me a little queasy. And then in the middle of all of it was "Jane". Ermph.
Secondly, characterization. Cedar annoyed me even more than simply her name did. I just could not like her. She was weak; she was strong; she was hysterical; she was determined; she was … annoying. And then she lost her memory and it was unintentionally funny. Everything she knows or thinks she knows is turned inside out, and her reaction to all of it is just … off. Her daughter was not, thanks be to Brighid, as annoying as I feared she would be; she was actually a pretty decent child character, and never lapsed into either twee adowableness or I'm-so-precocious-you-will-hope-I-die. The book would have been deleted from my Kindle very quickly had she done so. Cedar's mother Maeve … what a bizarre enigma. I like that she had a whole back-story and that that was why she did all of what she did. I did not like that the back-story got dumped on me in one huge dense clod of flashback and "and then I did this and then he said that". And I most of all did not like what she did do – it was absurd. It made no sense whatsoever, as a Woman With a Past or as a mother or as a grandmother. Cedar isn't about to win any Mother-of-the-Year awards – unless she's in the running against her own mum (or the fae woman whose name I can't remember who when all's said and done kind of caused a lot of the rest of the mess), in which case Cedar takes the prize by default.
The bad guy (gal) was kind of a hot mess. She was completely trusted by the others, not so much because she was a good actress but more that the others were completely oblivious; her talent (because all the fae have one) was kind of evil, but that's okay, 'cause they trusted her; her personality reminded me of one of those movie villains in something like Home Alone, foiled by the darn-you-clever-kids. All histrionically bad attitude and not quite knowing what to do with the child.
Finn … I don't even know what to say about Finn. To avoid spoilers I'll keep it minimal, but … He was flat. There was so little to him, and for the most part he accomplished so little (with one major exception), that he's the character I think I have the vaguest memory of. Cedar's friend was more vivid.
The secondary characters, the fae … I wanted to like them. (It always feels like the kiss of doom when I say that.) But they were …also flat. In one of the struggles over Eden, someone is killed, and the reaction is … minimal. No spoilers, but there is a tiny flare-up of grief, and then … nothing, not even from the person's family. This death is tangential to the main story – but then a while later a major character is killed, and there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of impact from that, either.
Speaking of impact, something that I couldn't keep out of the back of my mind as I read was the question of what was going on about Cedar's job. As mentioned, it's a standard office drone job, only artistic – but the Soulless Corporation she works for sounds like one or two of those I've worked for. They tolerated some of the early goings-on – barely; when she just up and takes off altogether, I don't think her desk will be there waiting for if she decides to go back. Which she probably won't. But still, she could have called in or heard she was fired or something. It matters to the plot not at all, but it was a practical detail that niggled at me for having been overlooked.
The plot… It kind of became a bit of a mess, to be honest. The fantasy elements don't play well with the mundane – they seem a little ridiculous as they begin to take over Cedar's very commonplace life. And then there's the whole >BAM< aspect of the sheer number of revelations dropped on Cedar's head, and incidentally on the reader's. Characters refuse to reveal information to a point that it becomes not only cruel to Cedar but to the reader as well, or at least very frustrating, and this refusal also tends to result in large infodumps when all the information finally has to come out. New elements – often entirely unrelated to everything that has gone before – keep popping up out of the blue. Mermaids. New characters who are vital to the plot yet have never been mentioned before (related to the mysterious past of Cedar's mother, which itself pops up unheralded more than halfway through the story). The bigger bad guy, who's just terrible, yet . Brand new abilities for people, to the tune of "Wait, you could do THAT and didn't mention it before?" Seven-league boots, for heaven's sake, just to obviate the need for conventional travel; that felt a lot like deus ex machina.
Mainly, though, it was the writing that kept this from being very good. What's the Mark Twain quote, about the difference between the right word and the almost right word? It's like the difference between the lightning and the lightning bug? There were a lot of lightning bugs flitting about in this book. The one example I made note of: "She whirled her head around at the sound of approaching footsteps". I – just – ow. It's a really good example, actually, of the general style of the writing, as if throughout the author had a thesaurus open beside her and was conscientiously trying to avoid the obvious phrasings for any given sentence; that one couldn't just be "Cedar heard footsteps approaching and looked around quickly" or "and whirled to face that direction" or something simple. Sometimes, though, the obvious is best. You just can't transform a lightning bug into lightning by force.
While, again, this was not outright awful, it was all kind of a textbook example for mistakes to avoid in writing. Keep it simple. Don't overuse the thesaurus. Avoid infodump. Show, don't tell. It's best to give some sort of foundation for new elements of the story which pop up partway through.
Also? Get a good synopsis written.
February 27, 2022
***SPOILERS HIDDEN***
This is a nice fantasy story, but really, just nice--nice and very simple. The plot is a basic, single-layered good versus evil-—in this case, versus evil king. Author Jodi McIsaac seemed to be striving for something unique, cool, and deep by weaving Celtic lore into her story, but the lore isn't sophisticated enough to add needed depth and layers. A fantasy story isn't automatically complex just because it has a Fairyland called “Tir na nOg” and characters with complicated Celtic names such as “Fionnghuala.”
Furthermore, McIsaac's villain is a cliché. Tir na nOg’s evil king speaks in an overly formal “villain-speak”:
The author created a handful of distinct characters that behave and speak realistically, but I took issue with the way the two main characters, Cedar and Finn, behave at certain points. Their only daughter , yet they waste time during a search arguing about the state of their romantic relationship. It doesn’t ring true to life, no matter the mysterious circumstances surrounding . These two also somehow find the time to lounge in bed and share pillow talk while . At these points, the story hit a low, devolving into a soap opera.
Speaking of , that’s almost what this entire story is all about. There's lots and lots and lots of tedious traveling here and there and there and here, and this person talking to that person and that person wondering why this person is acting all mysterious and not telling that person something, and on and on and on.
The story does have a few creative elements that stand out, such as mystical stones called “starstones,” and doors that open from Earth to magical Tir na nOg. Mermaids can adapt themselves to walk on land at will. But for a fantasy story, it's bare-bones and could have used more creative elements. I assume McIsaac is waiting to reveal more about Tir na nOg in books two and three in this series, but still, her Tir na nOg world-building is tissue-paper thin, and it really didn’t have to be; some decent world-building in this book would at least have provided some dimension to this one-dimensional, clichéd story.
McIsaac has some interesting story ideas, and she writes distinctive dialogue, but those are tiny things when the story has so many larger flaws. Through the Door seems like an amateur endeavor, a story that’s not even close to fully realized, possibly on every single front.
NOTE: I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley in May 2013.
This is a nice fantasy story, but really, just nice--nice and very simple. The plot is a basic, single-layered good versus evil-—in this case, versus evil king. Author Jodi McIsaac seemed to be striving for something unique, cool, and deep by weaving Celtic lore into her story, but the lore isn't sophisticated enough to add needed depth and layers. A fantasy story isn't automatically complex just because it has a Fairyland called “Tir na nOg” and characters with complicated Celtic names such as “Fionnghuala.”
Furthermore, McIsaac's villain is a cliché. Tir na nOg’s evil king speaks in an overly formal “villain-speak”:
“Well, well,” Lorcan said, inclining his head at Cedar. “I do believe this is a first”; “He sneered at her. ‘I am known for many things. Mercy is not one of them. However, you have done well, very well, to bring the child to me. For that, I shall spare your life, provided you agree to use your considerable talents in my service, of course,’”and behaves in a clichéd way:
“Lorcan tossed back his golden head and laughed, rubbing his hands together”; “‘Come!’ Lorcan commanded with a sweeping turn. ‘This is a momentous occasion, and there is still much to be discussed.’”Despite her misstep, though, McIsaac did do a good job with the other characters, most notably in distinguishing each just through their manner of speaking; I could tell Brighid is regal, that Deardra the Merrow is sinister, that Brogan is aloof and refined (just to provide a few examples), by their speech alone, no other description necessary.
The author created a handful of distinct characters that behave and speak realistically, but I took issue with the way the two main characters, Cedar and Finn, behave at certain points. Their only daughter , yet they waste time during a search arguing about the state of their romantic relationship. It doesn’t ring true to life, no matter the mysterious circumstances surrounding . These two also somehow find the time to lounge in bed and share pillow talk while . At these points, the story hit a low, devolving into a soap opera.
Speaking of , that’s almost what this entire story is all about. There's lots and lots and lots of tedious traveling here and there and there and here, and this person talking to that person and that person wondering why this person is acting all mysterious and not telling that person something, and on and on and on.
The story does have a few creative elements that stand out, such as mystical stones called “starstones,” and doors that open from Earth to magical Tir na nOg. Mermaids can adapt themselves to walk on land at will. But for a fantasy story, it's bare-bones and could have used more creative elements. I assume McIsaac is waiting to reveal more about Tir na nOg in books two and three in this series, but still, her Tir na nOg world-building is tissue-paper thin, and it really didn’t have to be; some decent world-building in this book would at least have provided some dimension to this one-dimensional, clichéd story.
McIsaac has some interesting story ideas, and she writes distinctive dialogue, but those are tiny things when the story has so many larger flaws. Through the Door seems like an amateur endeavor, a story that’s not even close to fully realized, possibly on every single front.
NOTE: I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley in May 2013.
May 13, 2013
I received this book thought Netgalley for an honest review.
Disclaimer: Contains Spoilers
I am going to start off in this review and say this book wasn’t written badly, or was the story all that bad. Mostly the low rating is due to the book just not being for me. It has a couple instances that just put me off so much that drove the rating down.
The first, and largest one being when the main characters mother being so sure that she can do everything, leaves her daughter with the people she hates so much.
Nice one mum, leave your seriously distraught daughter with her missing boyfriends parents after her daughter has been kidnapped. You hated her boyfriend, you instantly hate his parents, but just because she wants their help as well as yours you pull a bitch fit toss out an ultimatum.
I hate ultimatums.
So when your daughter does not bow down to your demands instantly you take off in a snit leaving her with said hated parents. It’s not liked you explain anything, you just say you can help and that is the end of it.
At this point the main character, Cedar, is slightly aware that there is something mystical about her in-laws. So Mum, when you get all belligerent and SAY you can help, but don’t EXPLAIN anything you don’t have any right to be all put out and pissy. To your daughter you are completely mundane, so when you get all butt hurt with her “betrayal” you can take that and shove it up your hypocritical ass.
This is all annoying, but still not what REALLY pissed me off and lowered the rating; It’s what her mother does when she runs off with her panties in a twist, unbeknownst to Cedar, but her mother is a Druid. I know Druids in past times were all blood and guts, and they sacrificed pretty much anything they could get their hands on, but Mum did you have to choose a cat. That ended my enjoyment of this book, done, gone, poof into thin air it goes. Maybe there is something is wrong with me, but I could have dealt with live stock being gutted, but please leave house hold pets out of it.
The rest of the things that bugged me were all minor, just issues with the main character forgiving her boyfriend for ditching her for seven years. Oh and the Huzzah magic ending is magic, but not explained all that thoroughly.
It was mostly brushed over in a this is what happened moment.
So if you are looking for a dark Urban Fantasy where emotions run high, and events unfold quickly then maybe this book is for you, but not for me.
Disclaimer: Contains Spoilers
I am going to start off in this review and say this book wasn’t written badly, or was the story all that bad. Mostly the low rating is due to the book just not being for me. It has a couple instances that just put me off so much that drove the rating down.
The first, and largest one being when the main characters mother being so sure that she can do everything, leaves her daughter with the people she hates so much.
Nice one mum, leave your seriously distraught daughter with her missing boyfriends parents after her daughter has been kidnapped. You hated her boyfriend, you instantly hate his parents, but just because she wants their help as well as yours you pull a bitch fit toss out an ultimatum.
I hate ultimatums.
So when your daughter does not bow down to your demands instantly you take off in a snit leaving her with said hated parents. It’s not liked you explain anything, you just say you can help and that is the end of it.
At this point the main character, Cedar, is slightly aware that there is something mystical about her in-laws. So Mum, when you get all belligerent and SAY you can help, but don’t EXPLAIN anything you don’t have any right to be all put out and pissy. To your daughter you are completely mundane, so when you get all butt hurt with her “betrayal” you can take that and shove it up your hypocritical ass.
This is all annoying, but still not what REALLY pissed me off and lowered the rating; It’s what her mother does when she runs off with her panties in a twist, unbeknownst to Cedar, but her mother is a Druid. I know Druids in past times were all blood and guts, and they sacrificed pretty much anything they could get their hands on, but Mum did you have to choose a cat. That ended my enjoyment of this book, done, gone, poof into thin air it goes. Maybe there is something is wrong with me, but I could have dealt with live stock being gutted, but please leave house hold pets out of it.
The rest of the things that bugged me were all minor, just issues with the main character forgiving her boyfriend for ditching her for seven years. Oh and the Huzzah magic ending is magic, but not explained all that thoroughly.
It was mostly brushed over in a this is what happened moment.
So if you are looking for a dark Urban Fantasy where emotions run high, and events unfold quickly then maybe this book is for you, but not for me.
August 1, 2017
There's a lot I want to say about this book but I honestly don't really feel it's worth the time. Does that make me a bad person? Rrrr....okay, so here's a few things.
1.I hate that the actions of 3 of the main female characters revolved partly/mostly around pining after a man. Why?!
2.I also hate when authors intentionally withhold information from the protagonist. That played a major, MAJOR role in this book and it drove me crazy.
3. And I hate when everything just conveniently works out. Like everything is super convenient.
4. I hate the whole "I did this super douche baggy thing for your own good!" trope. Which is, again, basically every thing in this book.
5. Despite those four BIG gripes, surprisingly enough I didn't hate the book. It was well narrated (Kate Rudd always does a good job in my book) and for some reason it was strangely addictive.
6. This is the first in a series but has a pretty decent conclusion at the end of book 1. I'll probably stop here.
1.I hate that the actions of 3 of the main female characters revolved partly/mostly around pining after a man. Why?!
2.I also hate when authors intentionally withhold information from the protagonist. That played a major, MAJOR role in this book and it drove me crazy.
3. And I hate when everything just conveniently works out. Like everything is super convenient.
4. I hate the whole "I did this super douche baggy thing for your own good!" trope. Which is, again, basically every thing in this book.
5. Despite those four BIG gripes, surprisingly enough I didn't hate the book. It was well narrated (Kate Rudd always does a good job in my book) and for some reason it was strangely addictive.
6. This is the first in a series but has a pretty decent conclusion at the end of book 1. I'll probably stop here.
May 21, 2012
I intended to read this over the next 2 weeks or so. It went a bit faster than that! More like 4 hours, with periodic breaks to refill my wine glass. :)
Through the Door is the first book in a trilogy, which is fortunate because I'm not nearly satisfied with my quick journey into its world yet.
The basic plot is that of a single mother (Cedar) raising a daughter (Eden) in Halifax. Eden, it turns out, has some odd abilities that start to show up when she's 6. Odd abilities like being able to open a door to anywhere she wants to go. Her bedroom door becomes a gateway to Egypt, the family cottage, or a Disneyland castle. Cedar is skeptical of such things, but this is in-your-face real magic. Suddenly a lot of family secrets start coming out of the woodwork, turning her worldview upside-down.
I'm still trying to put my finger on the thing that's different about the way Cedar is written, but I think it's this: Cedar is a mother of a young girl written by a mother of young girls. The book touches on family pressures, work/life balance, and the desire to be a great mom with a satisfying career. The conflict between being home with your child and working to pay for that home. The stress of raising a young kid and trying to figure out how to tell your kid that you adore them AND this might not actually be the most awesome chapter of your life. And no matter what, ancient gods be damned, no one's making decisions about your kid without your say-so.
It may be that I'm not used to reading fantasy novels written by women. It almost feels like a mash-up between Neil Gaiman and Alice Munro, which CLEARLY needed to happen.
The other thing I like is that the characters are complicated. We do have a clear hero and villain, but most of the characters are neither (or both?). Nuala is the main example of this. For the first half of the book, she seems like a fairly classic villain, but then things start shifting and getting more complicated. She has her reasons for what she's doing, and they don't mesh very well with Cedar's reasons. I can't decide how I feel about her and that's a very good thing.
Five stars! And I can't wait for the rest of the trilogy.
Through the Door is the first book in a trilogy, which is fortunate because I'm not nearly satisfied with my quick journey into its world yet.
The basic plot is that of a single mother (Cedar) raising a daughter (Eden) in Halifax. Eden, it turns out, has some odd abilities that start to show up when she's 6. Odd abilities like being able to open a door to anywhere she wants to go. Her bedroom door becomes a gateway to Egypt, the family cottage, or a Disneyland castle. Cedar is skeptical of such things, but this is in-your-face real magic. Suddenly a lot of family secrets start coming out of the woodwork, turning her worldview upside-down.
I'm still trying to put my finger on the thing that's different about the way Cedar is written, but I think it's this: Cedar is a mother of a young girl written by a mother of young girls. The book touches on family pressures, work/life balance, and the desire to be a great mom with a satisfying career. The conflict between being home with your child and working to pay for that home. The stress of raising a young kid and trying to figure out how to tell your kid that you adore them AND this might not actually be the most awesome chapter of your life. And no matter what, ancient gods be damned, no one's making decisions about your kid without your say-so.
It may be that I'm not used to reading fantasy novels written by women. It almost feels like a mash-up between Neil Gaiman and Alice Munro, which CLEARLY needed to happen.
The other thing I like is that the characters are complicated. We do have a clear hero and villain, but most of the characters are neither (or both?). Nuala is the main example of this. For the first half of the book, she seems like a fairly classic villain, but then things start shifting and getting more complicated. She has her reasons for what she's doing, and they don't mesh very well with Cedar's reasons. I can't decide how I feel about her and that's a very good thing.
Five stars! And I can't wait for the rest of the trilogy.
September 21, 2016
This book cover is what got me to buy the book! A really ancient looking door! Makes you want to know what's behind the door! I really liked how the book started. It held my attention up until a bit before 50%. After that it was hit and miss. Parts were good, some parts were annoying and I found myself a little agitated and wanting to be done. However I did want to know what happened and so I kept going. It's a good story. The end picked up a bit and I'm glad I read it. I think it just needs some work in terms of the writing so that it holds your attention.
August 4, 2012
I have to say I am a bit perplexed by the number of 5 star reviews this book got. I had high expectations going into it, but was disappointed in it as a whole. I was able to finish the book, although there were a few times I wanted to just stop. It wasn't really bad, it just didn't really compel me to read on like it should have, if that makes sense. I did want to see how it ended, though, which is why I pressed on. *SPOILER ALERT* I just didn't find it believable that Cedar's mom would just offer to help the enemy so easily throughout the book... not the actions of a normal person, in my opinion. And the "fairies" really weren't all that likeable. I found them abrasive and pushy, which made me not want to care about if they saved their world or not. The story kind of dragged on at times and I found myself scanning the pages rather than really reading and enjoying them at certain parts.
July 5, 2012
I originally posted this review, complete with the the book trailer, on my blog {Dive} Under the Cover.
I really loved this book! I am not going to try to summarize it, because the synopsis is perfect. It's exactly what a synopsis should be, in fact. I am also going to keep this spoiler free so this may be a short review, but in this case it's not a bad thing at all.
I was pulled into the story immediately and I couldn't put it down. It didn't take me long to finish this book and I will be anxiously waiting for the next book in the trilogy to come out. I am a sucker for any kind of story with Celtic lore in it. I always have been drawn to it ever since I started reading Nora Roberts Celtic Trilogies over 10 years ago. The world that Jodi has started to build in the series is a fresh new take, at least for me. She does such a wonderful job with her descriptions that you are pulled right into the story along with Cedar.
I would be hard-pressed to tell you which character is my favorite. I think that I would have to say Eden, she really steals the story. She is such a sweet girl and I can't wait to see how she grows as the trilogy continues. I don't really think of this as a love story, there are elements of a love story in it, but it's more centered on the "fae" aspect. They aren't called fae in the series, that's just how I tend to classify them since it's easier to say that Tuatha De Dannan!
This book has a nice pace to it, there is a lot of action, but it's not all action from the get go. It has a good balance and well thought out plot and pacing. Reading this, I would never have guessed that this is Jodi's first book. The characters are also very well developed and were very real to me as I was reading. I was sad when they were sad, happy when they were happy, etc...
Overall, I really loved it, just in case that wasn't clear! It's always a treat to come across the start of a new series like this. Especially one from a new author. This isn't one of those underdeveloped, poorly edited releases that have become so common since Amazon publishing has become so accessible. Don't let the lower eBook price fool you!
I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good paranormal read, especially if you like Celtic Lore. I am sure that when the 2nd book is released I will be re-reading this one to prepare for it.
I really loved this book! I am not going to try to summarize it, because the synopsis is perfect. It's exactly what a synopsis should be, in fact. I am also going to keep this spoiler free so this may be a short review, but in this case it's not a bad thing at all.
I was pulled into the story immediately and I couldn't put it down. It didn't take me long to finish this book and I will be anxiously waiting for the next book in the trilogy to come out. I am a sucker for any kind of story with Celtic lore in it. I always have been drawn to it ever since I started reading Nora Roberts Celtic Trilogies over 10 years ago. The world that Jodi has started to build in the series is a fresh new take, at least for me. She does such a wonderful job with her descriptions that you are pulled right into the story along with Cedar.
I would be hard-pressed to tell you which character is my favorite. I think that I would have to say Eden, she really steals the story. She is such a sweet girl and I can't wait to see how she grows as the trilogy continues. I don't really think of this as a love story, there are elements of a love story in it, but it's more centered on the "fae" aspect. They aren't called fae in the series, that's just how I tend to classify them since it's easier to say that Tuatha De Dannan!
This book has a nice pace to it, there is a lot of action, but it's not all action from the get go. It has a good balance and well thought out plot and pacing. Reading this, I would never have guessed that this is Jodi's first book. The characters are also very well developed and were very real to me as I was reading. I was sad when they were sad, happy when they were happy, etc...
Overall, I really loved it, just in case that wasn't clear! It's always a treat to come across the start of a new series like this. Especially one from a new author. This isn't one of those underdeveloped, poorly edited releases that have become so common since Amazon publishing has become so accessible. Don't let the lower eBook price fool you!
I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good paranormal read, especially if you like Celtic Lore. I am sure that when the 2nd book is released I will be re-reading this one to prepare for it.
September 1, 2012
I'll admit that I bought this book because I read a very positive review of it in our local newspaper. I was also intrigued because the author was born and brought up here in my home Province of New Brunswick (in Eastern Canada, for those not familiar with my country).
I'm very happy to tell you that the book is well written and the story held my interest right to the end. It's not a big book (288 pages) and I read it in a day and a little. It's an easy read as far as the story goes but there are a few killer words in there that hurt my head. They're such killer words that the author (rightfully) put a pronunciation guide at the front of the book for us. Sure made things a lot easier. lol
The blurb on the back of the book reads: "Cedar McLeod lives an ordinary life, raising her six-year-old daughter Eden on her own. Everything seems normal until the day Eden opens her bedroom door and finds herself half a world away - and then goes missing.
In a desperate search for answers, Cedar tries to track down Eden's father, who mysteriously disappeared from her life before Eden was born. What she discovers is far beyond anything she could have imagined. As she joins unlikely allies in the hunt for her daughter, Cedar is thrown into a world where ancient myths are real, the stakes are impossibly high, and only the deepest love will survive."
This is, hard to believe, the author's first book. She's listed it as "Book 1 of The Thin Veil series" though so it won't be her last, I'm happy to know. I'll recommend this one with no hesitation. Oh, and the story in this book stands alone quite well. I'm sure follow-up books in the series will be great but you don't feel like you're left dangling at the end. That's a definite positive in my mind. :)
I'm very happy to tell you that the book is well written and the story held my interest right to the end. It's not a big book (288 pages) and I read it in a day and a little. It's an easy read as far as the story goes but there are a few killer words in there that hurt my head. They're such killer words that the author (rightfully) put a pronunciation guide at the front of the book for us. Sure made things a lot easier. lol
The blurb on the back of the book reads: "Cedar McLeod lives an ordinary life, raising her six-year-old daughter Eden on her own. Everything seems normal until the day Eden opens her bedroom door and finds herself half a world away - and then goes missing.
In a desperate search for answers, Cedar tries to track down Eden's father, who mysteriously disappeared from her life before Eden was born. What she discovers is far beyond anything she could have imagined. As she joins unlikely allies in the hunt for her daughter, Cedar is thrown into a world where ancient myths are real, the stakes are impossibly high, and only the deepest love will survive."
This is, hard to believe, the author's first book. She's listed it as "Book 1 of The Thin Veil series" though so it won't be her last, I'm happy to know. I'll recommend this one with no hesitation. Oh, and the story in this book stands alone quite well. I'm sure follow-up books in the series will be great but you don't feel like you're left dangling at the end. That's a definite positive in my mind. :)
November 30, 2025
Cedar McLeod lost the love of her life. Finn disappeared without a trace over 7 years ago, but he gave her a wonderful gift...her daughter, Eden. When Eden starts to exhibit a very unique ability, which could only be described as magic, Cedar realizes she needs to find Finn.
When others discover Eden’s abilities, she is kidnapped. Cedar must dive headfirst into a world filled with magic and myths while swimming through the lies, omissions, and outright deceptions to save Eden.
I loved Cedar’s devotion to Eden. Facing uncertain heartbreak to help her child navigate her portal-opening talent, Cedar still searches for the man who abandoned her. I did have some trouble reconciling Cedar’s ability to forgive all the lies, omissions, and outright betrayals, especially when it was about Eden.
Through The Door was a gripping story of a mother’s love and her fight to save her child. Jodi McIsaac paints a vivid world inside your mind. There were lots of unexpected twists, turns, and flips that will keep you guessing till the end. This was an easy, enjoyable read that will fascinate all those Fae-loving readers out there.
This copy of Through the Door was given to me by Jodi McIsaac in exchange for an honest review. This book is set for republication on April 23, 2013.
When others discover Eden’s abilities, she is kidnapped. Cedar must dive headfirst into a world filled with magic and myths while swimming through the lies, omissions, and outright deceptions to save Eden.
I loved Cedar’s devotion to Eden. Facing uncertain heartbreak to help her child navigate her portal-opening talent, Cedar still searches for the man who abandoned her. I did have some trouble reconciling Cedar’s ability to forgive all the lies, omissions, and outright betrayals, especially when it was about Eden.
Through The Door was a gripping story of a mother’s love and her fight to save her child. Jodi McIsaac paints a vivid world inside your mind. There were lots of unexpected twists, turns, and flips that will keep you guessing till the end. This was an easy, enjoyable read that will fascinate all those Fae-loving readers out there.
This copy of Through the Door was given to me by Jodi McIsaac in exchange for an honest review. This book is set for republication on April 23, 2013.
May 23, 2013
I like the Celtic mythology and i think this book has a nice potential to develop into something better in its sequels.
As for book one it didn't quite cope with me,i couldn't connect to the characters,I think they can be explored more as same as there actions,
because some of it wasn't really plausible enough to go with the logic of the story.
But as i mentioned,the theme is great and the idea of the story as well so i am curios will the flaws be worked out in the sequels and expand into something more.
A copy was provided via Netgalley by :
Amazon Publishing
Pub Date: Apr 23 2013
As for book one it didn't quite cope with me,i couldn't connect to the characters,I think they can be explored more as same as there actions,
because some of it wasn't really plausible enough to go with the logic of the story.
But as i mentioned,the theme is great and the idea of the story as well so i am curios will the flaws be worked out in the sequels and expand into something more.
A copy was provided via Netgalley by :
Amazon Publishing
Pub Date: Apr 23 2013
March 18, 2019
The love of Cedar's life, Finn, left mysteriously before she could tell him that she was pregnant. Seven years later, she is raising their daughter Eden alone. Eden manifests a special power, forcing Cedar to search out Finn's family for answers. This sets off a chain of events - Eden is kidnapped, Cedar is reunited with Finn, and the truth about why he left is revealed while they try to find Eden before Eden is put in real danger. The fate of both Earth and the mythical kingdom of Tír na nÓg hang in the balance.
It took me a while to get into this one. Once it got rolling, it got more interesting, but I would still say it is an average story. For a while, I wasn't sure if Cedar was the main character. She just didn't impress me much. I think the concept of the story is good and am wondering if this is just first book syndrome; perhaps book two will be better??
It took me a while to get into this one. Once it got rolling, it got more interesting, but I would still say it is an average story. For a while, I wasn't sure if Cedar was the main character. She just didn't impress me much. I think the concept of the story is good and am wondering if this is just first book syndrome; perhaps book two will be better??
November 18, 2013
Unbelievable characters doing unbelievable things--it's magic and fairies so I liked that part; but a third of the way through the book and there were still no explanations or redeeming characters to identify with, and keeping the mystery through half the book I simply didn't care enough anymore. A lot of assumptions had to be made by both author and reader, and no one was communicating. Unbelievable characters doing unbelievable things in an unbelievable situation; so many better things could have happened you know? I skipped to the end and found that theme had continued all the way through: a mystery no one cared for, a love story that wasn't developed, lies building allegiances and friendships; unbelievable things done by unbelievable characters. Not my cup of Celtic tea.
May 2, 2015
Through the Door was a fairly engaging, quick read. This book popped up as a recommendation for me because I'm a fan of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. Perhaps I've been spoiled by the level of historical detail and richness of character in the Outlander books, but I must say, that while McIsaac writes an enjoyable story, she is no Gabaldon. This is the first book of an upcoming trilogy and I'm not sure I'll continue with the others.
Definitely read it if you're a fan of fantasy, magic, and celtic lore. Just don't expect too much more than a pleasant diversion.
Definitely read it if you're a fan of fantasy, magic, and celtic lore. Just don't expect too much more than a pleasant diversion.
August 11, 2012
I find there are a million great books out there. So I no longer waste my time on those which are not a good fit for me. The first chapter was a good sign, but I found myself skim reading shortly after.
I found it very dramatic( not in a good way ) , and no great love of the characters.
I found it very dramatic( not in a good way ) , and no great love of the characters.
May 5, 2016
Dreadful. Characters have no depth. Conflict is repeatedly achieved by characters senselessly withholding vital information.
June 24, 2014
In Flanders fields the poppies grow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place, and in the sky,
The larks, still bravely singing, fly,
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
~John McCrae
What connects two thousand years of genocide? Too much power in too few hands. - Simon Wiesenthal
...the Tuatha De Danann or Sidhe, the 'Gentry', the 'Good People', and the 'People of Peace' are described as a race of invisible divine beings eternally young and unfading. They inhabit fairy palaces, enjoy rare feasts and love-making, and have their own music and minstrelsy. They are essentially majestic in their nature...Mythologically they are gods of light and good, able to control natural phenomena so as to make harvests come forth abundantly or not at all. — W. Y. Evans-Wentz; The Faerie Faith in Celtic Countries, 1911 (quoted by Michael Tsarion)
Millennia. Millennia beyond counting, the Tuatha De Danann graced the lands of Tír na nÓg. Tír na nÓg, where fields of flowers . . . caress those who walked past, waterfalls of crystal nectar, trees that sang and danced and hung heavy with fruit. . . And yet, though they despise the humans that drove them from Ériu and back to the lands of Tuatha De Danann, the lands of plenty and peace.
Ériu
And yet, even the Tuatha De Danann are not immune to war. And war there is, a war of hatred and greed, a war led by a psychopath. For sometimes, living forever is dangerous in the extreme. Long years of thought, of jealousy and avarice, and bitter blackness of the heart. Those who are undying can be killed – and the slaughter is beyond comprehension.
Many years later, we meet Cedar McLeod as she enjoys a busker fair with her beloved Finn, her boyfriend of two years, and the love of her life. Having a wonderful time with Finn, she is also excited for another reason – for she has a secret, of the baby sort, and she is trying to find the right moment to tell him during this wonderful day. Just as she begins to impart her news, however, Finn suddenly tenses up, then rushes Cedar to her apartment and leaves. The next morning, Cedar walks into Finn’s apartment only to discover it empty and he is gone without a trace . . .
Forward seven years, and though Cedar is an exhausted, overworked single mother, she has her own mother for support and a deep and abiding love for her daughter, Eden. Oh, yes, it is hard to look upon her sweet face at times, for Eden is the spitting image of her father. But her great love for her child lays all those pains aside, to be pulled out only in the dark of the night, alone in her bed. Life isn’t wonderful, but with Eden’s presence, life is good.
But things are about to change. For Eden is more than she seems. So very, very much more. A single open door will send Eden and Cedar on a terrifying slide into horror and despair, as the teachings of Cedar’s mother, to not ever tell Eden of her father, push a child to make a devastating error – an error which will cost lives, and lead Cedar and Eden on a trip across seas, and across time and space, in a desperate bid to return Eden home.
Through the Door is a modern day urban fantasy of the very best kind. Filled with fantasy creatures, of course, this isn’t just a fantasy. It has deeply embedded strands of thriller and suspense, mystery and terror that step this up from just fantasy to something so much more. War and death, psychopathy and greed, power and politics play a strong role, for even the gods themselves are not perfect. Add to that the fact that Jodi McIsaac has done a stunning job of research into the world of Tír na nÓg and the Tuatha De Danann, and the writing itself is beautifully done, and this is a highly recommended read.
About Jodi:
I grew up in New Brunswick, Canada. After stints as a short-track speed skater, a speechwriter, and fundraising and marketing executive in the nonprofit sector, I started a boutique copywriting agency and began writing novels in the wee hours of the morning. I currently live with my husband and two feisty daughters in Calgary, Alberta.
I love to connect with readers, so come say hello on Facebook, Twitter, or Goodreads!
_______________________________________________
I received this book from the publisher, 47North, in return for a realistic review. All thoughts are my own and are not influenced by this fact. If you enjoyed my review, please click “This review was helpful” at Rate my Reviews at Amazon!. Thank you!
So, I Read This Book Today
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place, and in the sky,
The larks, still bravely singing, fly,
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
~John McCrae
What connects two thousand years of genocide? Too much power in too few hands. - Simon Wiesenthal
...the Tuatha De Danann or Sidhe, the 'Gentry', the 'Good People', and the 'People of Peace' are described as a race of invisible divine beings eternally young and unfading. They inhabit fairy palaces, enjoy rare feasts and love-making, and have their own music and minstrelsy. They are essentially majestic in their nature...Mythologically they are gods of light and good, able to control natural phenomena so as to make harvests come forth abundantly or not at all. — W. Y. Evans-Wentz; The Faerie Faith in Celtic Countries, 1911 (quoted by Michael Tsarion)
Millennia. Millennia beyond counting, the Tuatha De Danann graced the lands of Tír na nÓg. Tír na nÓg, where fields of flowers . . . caress those who walked past, waterfalls of crystal nectar, trees that sang and danced and hung heavy with fruit. . . And yet, though they despise the humans that drove them from Ériu and back to the lands of Tuatha De Danann, the lands of plenty and peace.
Ériu
And yet, even the Tuatha De Danann are not immune to war. And war there is, a war of hatred and greed, a war led by a psychopath. For sometimes, living forever is dangerous in the extreme. Long years of thought, of jealousy and avarice, and bitter blackness of the heart. Those who are undying can be killed – and the slaughter is beyond comprehension.
Many years later, we meet Cedar McLeod as she enjoys a busker fair with her beloved Finn, her boyfriend of two years, and the love of her life. Having a wonderful time with Finn, she is also excited for another reason – for she has a secret, of the baby sort, and she is trying to find the right moment to tell him during this wonderful day. Just as she begins to impart her news, however, Finn suddenly tenses up, then rushes Cedar to her apartment and leaves. The next morning, Cedar walks into Finn’s apartment only to discover it empty and he is gone without a trace . . .
Forward seven years, and though Cedar is an exhausted, overworked single mother, she has her own mother for support and a deep and abiding love for her daughter, Eden. Oh, yes, it is hard to look upon her sweet face at times, for Eden is the spitting image of her father. But her great love for her child lays all those pains aside, to be pulled out only in the dark of the night, alone in her bed. Life isn’t wonderful, but with Eden’s presence, life is good.
But things are about to change. For Eden is more than she seems. So very, very much more. A single open door will send Eden and Cedar on a terrifying slide into horror and despair, as the teachings of Cedar’s mother, to not ever tell Eden of her father, push a child to make a devastating error – an error which will cost lives, and lead Cedar and Eden on a trip across seas, and across time and space, in a desperate bid to return Eden home.
Through the Door is a modern day urban fantasy of the very best kind. Filled with fantasy creatures, of course, this isn’t just a fantasy. It has deeply embedded strands of thriller and suspense, mystery and terror that step this up from just fantasy to something so much more. War and death, psychopathy and greed, power and politics play a strong role, for even the gods themselves are not perfect. Add to that the fact that Jodi McIsaac has done a stunning job of research into the world of Tír na nÓg and the Tuatha De Danann, and the writing itself is beautifully done, and this is a highly recommended read.
About Jodi:
I grew up in New Brunswick, Canada. After stints as a short-track speed skater, a speechwriter, and fundraising and marketing executive in the nonprofit sector, I started a boutique copywriting agency and began writing novels in the wee hours of the morning. I currently live with my husband and two feisty daughters in Calgary, Alberta.
I love to connect with readers, so come say hello on Facebook, Twitter, or Goodreads!
_______________________________________________
I received this book from the publisher, 47North, in return for a realistic review. All thoughts are my own and are not influenced by this fact. If you enjoyed my review, please click “This review was helpful” at Rate my Reviews at Amazon!. Thank you!
So, I Read This Book Today
August 26, 2012
Time Taken To Read - 1.5 days
Blurb From Goodreads
Cedar McLeod lives an ordinary but lonely life, raising her six-year-old daughter Eden on her own while trying to balance the demands of her career and the expectations of her mother. Everything seems normal until the day Eden opens her bedroom door and finds herself half a world away – and then goes missing. Suddenly, Cedar realizes her daughter is anything but normal.
In a desperate search for answers, Cedar tries to track down Eden’s father, who mysteriously disappeared from her life before Eden was born. What she discovers is far beyond anything she could have imagined. As she joins unlikely allies in the hunt for her daughter, Cedar becomes torn between two worlds: the one she thought she knew, and one where ancient myths are real, the stakes are impossibly high, and only the deepest love will survive.
My Review
Cedar McLeod is raising her daughter, 6 years after her man left suddenly without finding out she was with child. Flick to present day and Eden can suddenly open doors to anywhere she has seen, either in her head or a picture. Cedar has to try and find Eden's father and get some answers however she comes to the attention of some other magical creatures and soon a battle to save her daughter, herself and even her world begins.
Firstly I am not often bothered with covers but when I opened the parcel and saw this one I was delighted - yes it is a door and a keyhole but something about it and the design created an impressive first reaction.
The story for me started a bit slow, it lays a good background and build up but I wanted answers so found myself unable to put it down (what can I say I am nosey and like to know what is the deal with my characters). There is a lot of questions raised as we go along, and we meet many mythical creatures (which I found a fabulous surprise which I won't spoil for you).
When it gets going it is a great wee story and well written. There are a few big words that you will find a mouthful, mostly names (this is always a bug bear with me) however the author has put a list at the front of the book explaining how they are pronounced.
The story has action, murder, love, mystery, mythical creatures, history and a whole other world. This is the first in a series and I will look out for the next one to follow our characters adventures. For a while I thought this was going to be a 3 star book but towards the last quarter or the book, the action picked up and the questions I had built up as I was getting deeper into the story firing it up to a 4/5. Thanks so much to the author for offering me the chance to read and review her work and introducing me to a new world. Available now on Amazon in paperback and for the kindle.
Blurb From Goodreads
Cedar McLeod lives an ordinary but lonely life, raising her six-year-old daughter Eden on her own while trying to balance the demands of her career and the expectations of her mother. Everything seems normal until the day Eden opens her bedroom door and finds herself half a world away – and then goes missing. Suddenly, Cedar realizes her daughter is anything but normal.
In a desperate search for answers, Cedar tries to track down Eden’s father, who mysteriously disappeared from her life before Eden was born. What she discovers is far beyond anything she could have imagined. As she joins unlikely allies in the hunt for her daughter, Cedar becomes torn between two worlds: the one she thought she knew, and one where ancient myths are real, the stakes are impossibly high, and only the deepest love will survive.
My Review
Cedar McLeod is raising her daughter, 6 years after her man left suddenly without finding out she was with child. Flick to present day and Eden can suddenly open doors to anywhere she has seen, either in her head or a picture. Cedar has to try and find Eden's father and get some answers however she comes to the attention of some other magical creatures and soon a battle to save her daughter, herself and even her world begins.
Firstly I am not often bothered with covers but when I opened the parcel and saw this one I was delighted - yes it is a door and a keyhole but something about it and the design created an impressive first reaction.
The story for me started a bit slow, it lays a good background and build up but I wanted answers so found myself unable to put it down (what can I say I am nosey and like to know what is the deal with my characters). There is a lot of questions raised as we go along, and we meet many mythical creatures (which I found a fabulous surprise which I won't spoil for you).
When it gets going it is a great wee story and well written. There are a few big words that you will find a mouthful, mostly names (this is always a bug bear with me) however the author has put a list at the front of the book explaining how they are pronounced.
The story has action, murder, love, mystery, mythical creatures, history and a whole other world. This is the first in a series and I will look out for the next one to follow our characters adventures. For a while I thought this was going to be a 3 star book but towards the last quarter or the book, the action picked up and the questions I had built up as I was getting deeper into the story firing it up to a 4/5. Thanks so much to the author for offering me the chance to read and review her work and introducing me to a new world. Available now on Amazon in paperback and for the kindle.
January 20, 2014
Interesting New Celtic Fantasy
Tired of vampires, werewolves and zombies? How about a little Celtic mythology to spice up your fantasy reading? I ordered the kindle version on a lark, never having heard of the author before, but intrigued by the description, the large number of positive reviews, and the fact that it was published by 47North, Amazon's own publishing house. The latter meant that Amazon liked it (or some other work by author Jodi MacIsaac) enough to put her under contract with their in-house publishing firm, and I have never read a bad 47North release.
I'm very glad I took the chance. Whereas there have been a number of novels featuring characters and legends from Norse, Native American, Greek, Roman and other mythologies, this is the first one I've come across that puts Celtic mythology at center stage. Locations include Halifax, Nova Scotia, Ireland, New York and Tír na nÓg, a kind of Irish other world populated by beautiful, immortals with various supernormal powers and abilities, i.e., the fae (at least as far as i can tell).
Finn is one of these supernatural beings and he falls in love with a human, Cedar. After two blissful years together, Finn disappears without a trace just as Cedar was going to tell him that she was pregnant. Fast forward 7 years and Cedar is a single mother of Eden, who one day discovers that she has the ability to create a pathway to anywhere just by opening any regular door. All of a sudden Eden is kidnapped, Finn's family shows up and Cedar's mind is blown by having to accept that magic is real and the world is not as she imagined.
It is a fast-moving story, with several reveals scattered throughout like easter eggs that explain all the seemingly random and incomprehensible coincidences that occur in this interesting plot. No reason to give away any more - and all of this is revealed in the blurb and the first few chapters.
The writing is fluid and like al 47North books,professionally edited. Some of the characters are a bit thin, particularly the principal antagonist, but who cares when the mythology and plot are so interesting? I ordered the second in this series (there is closure at the end of this novel but it is clearly the start of a series) even before finishing this one, so that I wouldn't have to wait too long to get back to Tír na nÓg. I think Ms. McIsaacs has herself a winner here.
Recommended.
J.M. Tepper
Tired of vampires, werewolves and zombies? How about a little Celtic mythology to spice up your fantasy reading? I ordered the kindle version on a lark, never having heard of the author before, but intrigued by the description, the large number of positive reviews, and the fact that it was published by 47North, Amazon's own publishing house. The latter meant that Amazon liked it (or some other work by author Jodi MacIsaac) enough to put her under contract with their in-house publishing firm, and I have never read a bad 47North release.
I'm very glad I took the chance. Whereas there have been a number of novels featuring characters and legends from Norse, Native American, Greek, Roman and other mythologies, this is the first one I've come across that puts Celtic mythology at center stage. Locations include Halifax, Nova Scotia, Ireland, New York and Tír na nÓg, a kind of Irish other world populated by beautiful, immortals with various supernormal powers and abilities, i.e., the fae (at least as far as i can tell).
Finn is one of these supernatural beings and he falls in love with a human, Cedar. After two blissful years together, Finn disappears without a trace just as Cedar was going to tell him that she was pregnant. Fast forward 7 years and Cedar is a single mother of Eden, who one day discovers that she has the ability to create a pathway to anywhere just by opening any regular door. All of a sudden Eden is kidnapped, Finn's family shows up and Cedar's mind is blown by having to accept that magic is real and the world is not as she imagined.
It is a fast-moving story, with several reveals scattered throughout like easter eggs that explain all the seemingly random and incomprehensible coincidences that occur in this interesting plot. No reason to give away any more - and all of this is revealed in the blurb and the first few chapters.
The writing is fluid and like al 47North books,professionally edited. Some of the characters are a bit thin, particularly the principal antagonist, but who cares when the mythology and plot are so interesting? I ordered the second in this series (there is closure at the end of this novel but it is clearly the start of a series) even before finishing this one, so that I wouldn't have to wait too long to get back to Tír na nÓg. I think Ms. McIsaacs has herself a winner here.
Recommended.
J.M. Tepper
November 4, 2013
Through the Door is the first book in The Thin Veil series by Jodi McIsaac.
From Goodreads: “It’s been seven years since the love of Cedar McLeod’s life left with no forwarding address. All she has left of him are heart-wrenching memories of happier times and a beautiful six-year-old daughter, Eden. Then, one day, Eden opens her bedroom door and unwittingly creates a portal that leads to anywhere she imagines.
But they’re not the only ones who know of Eden’s gift, and soon the child mysteriously vanishes.
Desperate for answers, Cedar digs into the past and finds herself thrust into a magical world of Celtic myths, fantastical creatures, and bloody rivalries. Teaming up with the unlikeliest of allies, Cedar must bridge the gap between two worlds and hold tight to the love in her heart…or lose everything to an ancient evil.
The first in the Thin Veil series, Through the Door is a pulse-pounding adventure that takes readers across the globe and deep into the hidden realms of Celtic lore.”
Cedar is an effective protagonist and her story is interesting and entertaining. The relationship between her and Eden is a close one which drives the book forward. But, for me, the best part of the story was the Celtic mythology and the world that is being built. Not all questions are answered but I trust that we will learn more about Tir na nOg and the Tuatha De Danaan in the next installments.
A few things didn’t work for me. Cedar’s mother and her motivations were annoying and didn’t always make sense. I would also like to see Finn be a stronger male protagonist as the story continues.
I believe this is the first book published by this author so the detail and the quality of writing are both impressive. It’s not perfect but I would give this one 4/5 stars. Recommended to those who enjoy fantasy and alternative stories of the Fae.
Thank you to the author for providing a copy for review. Watch out for her guest post and my review of Book 2 on November 11 as part of the Blog Tour.
From Goodreads: “It’s been seven years since the love of Cedar McLeod’s life left with no forwarding address. All she has left of him are heart-wrenching memories of happier times and a beautiful six-year-old daughter, Eden. Then, one day, Eden opens her bedroom door and unwittingly creates a portal that leads to anywhere she imagines.
But they’re not the only ones who know of Eden’s gift, and soon the child mysteriously vanishes.
Desperate for answers, Cedar digs into the past and finds herself thrust into a magical world of Celtic myths, fantastical creatures, and bloody rivalries. Teaming up with the unlikeliest of allies, Cedar must bridge the gap between two worlds and hold tight to the love in her heart…or lose everything to an ancient evil.
The first in the Thin Veil series, Through the Door is a pulse-pounding adventure that takes readers across the globe and deep into the hidden realms of Celtic lore.”
Cedar is an effective protagonist and her story is interesting and entertaining. The relationship between her and Eden is a close one which drives the book forward. But, for me, the best part of the story was the Celtic mythology and the world that is being built. Not all questions are answered but I trust that we will learn more about Tir na nOg and the Tuatha De Danaan in the next installments.
A few things didn’t work for me. Cedar’s mother and her motivations were annoying and didn’t always make sense. I would also like to see Finn be a stronger male protagonist as the story continues.
I believe this is the first book published by this author so the detail and the quality of writing are both impressive. It’s not perfect but I would give this one 4/5 stars. Recommended to those who enjoy fantasy and alternative stories of the Fae.
Thank you to the author for providing a copy for review. Watch out for her guest post and my review of Book 2 on November 11 as part of the Blog Tour.
July 5, 2013
I'm not sure exactly where this book came from, but I found it in my Kindle labeled as having come from the author. It was also listed as time travel novel. I find that a little odd since there is absolutely no time travel in this book whatsoever. Instead, it is a fantasy novel concerned with people that have magical abilities. Really, this is not the normal sort of book I like to read, but I thought I would give it a chance. However, it still wasn't my cup of tea. Mainly, it was a story of a woman trying to rescue her child from evil people who wanted to do her child harm. And as such, it was a little boring. Oh no. My child has been taken from me. I must find her. Oh, look, everyone suddenly has magical powers. Sorry, I was not really impressed. I think the book kinda lost me when the only person that could save the day was dead. *eyeroll*. I have to say that I didn't find any typos. So I guess it has that going for it. But I have to admit hoping the book would end soon through most of my read despite the introduction of fairies, druids, mermaids, and leprechauns ... which could have been interesting. The book was lacking in something I couldn't quite put my finger on.
November 26, 2013
I loved this urban fantasy that puts a fresh twist in Celtic legends. I can't wait to read Into the Fire, the second book in The Thin Veil series!
November 11, 2013
This review and many others can be found on my blog - Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Through the Door was the third (or fourth?) book I've read this year that was based on Celtic lore. Honestly, I wasn't sure if I was going to love yet another book based on the Tuatha Dé Danann, so I had kind of put off reading this one, but I was pleasantly surprised. This book ended up feeling really unique. This book centered around a little girl who was kidnapped after manifesting inhuman powers and her human mother who was desperate to find her - definitely a different take on the Celtic myths than anything I had read before!
The negatives:
Secrets.
The biggest negative about this book actually started out as a positive for me (see Mysteries below). There were so many mysteries in this book and I was really intrigued to learn about them all! The problem, for me, was that once Cedar met the people who could tell her the truth, they just wouldn't. Even after Eden had disappeared, none of the Tuatha Dé Danann would give Cedar the information that she needed to truly be able to help her daughter. Even her own mother withheld crucial information that would have made all the difference to Cedar. Because of this, the middle of the book dragged a bit for me, as we were forced to learn about what was happening to Eden in tiny bits and pieces. What started out as a really interesting mystery ended up feeling a bit like a plot device and made me dislike most of the secondary characters (the Tuatha Dé Danann and Cedar's mother). Luckily, I was already invested in Cedar herself and in Eden, so that saved the book for me!
What I Loved:
Eden.
I absolutely adored Eden! I mean, how could I resist a sweet little six-year-old girl? The entire beginning of the book where Eden discovers her power was just magical for me and I really enjoyed it. Every scene with Eden was a good one and I hope we get to see much more of her in the next book!
Cedar.
I really felt for Cedar - her sense of pain and loss when Finn left her was palpable and I thought that it was incredibly realistic that her pain filtered into her relationship with her daughter on some level (which isn't to say that her relationship with Eden wasn't good, but there was always a slight sense of loss for Cedar that she couldn't overcome). I felt her sadness and desperation even more keenly when her daughter was taken for her and I loved that she put her daughter first - always! Cedar wasn't always strong, but she was when it came to her daughter and her ultimate desire was always to do what was best for her (even though she didn't always know what the best answers were!).
Finn.
I was definitely a fan of Finn and was rooting for Finn and Cedar to reconcile. He seemed to be the only Tuatha De Danaan who actually had Cedar and Eden's best interests at heart. From the very first scene, I was in love with Finn!
Celtic lore.
McIsaac did an excellent job of weaving the Celtic mythology into her story without making it confusing (which can be hard to do). While she relied on the lore, she didn't use too many foreign terms or rely so heavily on the mythology that it would need to be explained in detail, confusing the story. I thought that this was a great balance!
Through the Door is an enjoyable paranormal novel that led us on an adventure in the land of Tír na nÓg! I definitely recommend it to fans of paranormal romance and mythology! I'm eager to read the next installment in the series to find out what will happen next!
***Disclosure: This book was provided to me by NetGalley and 47North in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given. All opinions are my own***
Through the Door was the third (or fourth?) book I've read this year that was based on Celtic lore. Honestly, I wasn't sure if I was going to love yet another book based on the Tuatha Dé Danann, so I had kind of put off reading this one, but I was pleasantly surprised. This book ended up feeling really unique. This book centered around a little girl who was kidnapped after manifesting inhuman powers and her human mother who was desperate to find her - definitely a different take on the Celtic myths than anything I had read before!
The negatives:
Secrets.
The biggest negative about this book actually started out as a positive for me (see Mysteries below). There were so many mysteries in this book and I was really intrigued to learn about them all! The problem, for me, was that once Cedar met the people who could tell her the truth, they just wouldn't. Even after Eden had disappeared, none of the Tuatha Dé Danann would give Cedar the information that she needed to truly be able to help her daughter. Even her own mother withheld crucial information that would have made all the difference to Cedar. Because of this, the middle of the book dragged a bit for me, as we were forced to learn about what was happening to Eden in tiny bits and pieces. What started out as a really interesting mystery ended up feeling a bit like a plot device and made me dislike most of the secondary characters (the Tuatha Dé Danann and Cedar's mother). Luckily, I was already invested in Cedar herself and in Eden, so that saved the book for me!
What I Loved:
Eden.
I absolutely adored Eden! I mean, how could I resist a sweet little six-year-old girl? The entire beginning of the book where Eden discovers her power was just magical for me and I really enjoyed it. Every scene with Eden was a good one and I hope we get to see much more of her in the next book!
Cedar.
I really felt for Cedar - her sense of pain and loss when Finn left her was palpable and I thought that it was incredibly realistic that her pain filtered into her relationship with her daughter on some level (which isn't to say that her relationship with Eden wasn't good, but there was always a slight sense of loss for Cedar that she couldn't overcome). I felt her sadness and desperation even more keenly when her daughter was taken for her and I loved that she put her daughter first - always! Cedar wasn't always strong, but she was when it came to her daughter and her ultimate desire was always to do what was best for her (even though she didn't always know what the best answers were!).
Finn.
I was definitely a fan of Finn and was rooting for Finn and Cedar to reconcile. He seemed to be the only Tuatha De Danaan who actually had Cedar and Eden's best interests at heart. From the very first scene, I was in love with Finn!
Celtic lore.
McIsaac did an excellent job of weaving the Celtic mythology into her story without making it confusing (which can be hard to do). While she relied on the lore, she didn't use too many foreign terms or rely so heavily on the mythology that it would need to be explained in detail, confusing the story. I thought that this was a great balance!
Through the Door is an enjoyable paranormal novel that led us on an adventure in the land of Tír na nÓg! I definitely recommend it to fans of paranormal romance and mythology! I'm eager to read the next installment in the series to find out what will happen next!
***Disclosure: This book was provided to me by NetGalley and 47North in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given. All opinions are my own***
January 18, 2014
Through the Door by Jodi McIsaac is a very fun introduction to fantasy based on celtic mythology. Through the Door also has the interesting aspect of focusing on a single mother as the main character, though her daughter is the one with the special powers. This is a dynamic I haven’t read ever before, and so I was quite happy to see this portrayal of a woman making the best of a difficult situation with the help of her single mother as well. My biggest suggestion is not to let the title or cover put you off, since I was not immediately drawn to either, didn’t know what to expect from Through the Door, and was very pleasantly surprised.
Note: I received Through the Door through Netgalley for an honest review.
Through the Door by Jodi McIsaac (The Thin Veil #1)
Published by 47North on April 23rd, 2013
Genres: Adult, Fantasy
Length: 282 pages
How I got my copy: NetGalley, Publisher
Book Depository - Goodreads
Purchases made support this blog
It’s been seven years since the love of Cedar McLeod’s life left with no forwarding address. All she has left of him are heart-wrenching memories of happier times and a beautiful six-year-old daughter, Eden. Then, one day, Eden opens her bedroom door and unwittingly creates a portal that leads to anywhere she imagines.
But they’re not the only ones who know of Eden’s gift, and soon the child mysteriously vanishes.
Desperate for answers, Cedar digs into the past and finds herself thrust into a magical world of Celtic myths, fantastical creatures, and bloody rivalries. Teaming up with the unlikeliest of allies, Cedar must bridge the gap between two worlds and hold tight to the love in her heart…or lose everything to an ancient evil.
Strengths:
The fantasy world with celtic influences that Through the Door introduces was very cool and I look forward to finding out more!
Because Cedar’s mother raised her alone in addition to Cedar raising her own daughter as a single mom, there is a great theme of single mothers being awesome and completely capable of forming a loving family.
The writing of Through the Door was strong and quite enjoyable to read.
There are several twists, one of which I did not see coming, and you know how I love my plot twists ;-).
Weaknesses:
Mermaids made a brief appearance and I got all excited that we would get to follow the characters underwater with them, but then we didn’t at all. It was so sad. I would really love more description of the celtic mermaids, at least I assume these mermaids were faithfully based on celtic lore?
The ending of Through the Door was a bit too convenient with a special gift showing up just in the nick of time.
I am not a fan of the title of Through the Door, I just don’t think it grabs the reader or gives them any idea what the book is about. I know where the title comes from after reading the book, but I’m still not intrigued strictly based on the title. I think Tuatha de Danaan would have been a much better title. Also I’m not in love with the cover and it only kind of fits a scene in the book….
Summary:
I am fairly certain Through the Door is still available on Netgalley for review and I do recommend fantasy fans to go check it out. Through the Door is a fairly easy read with fun celtic influences and a new fantasy world for us all to enjoy. Mothers saving their daughters are like the epitome of kick-butt heroines right? I certainly don’t want to get in the way of this mother-daughter team ever ;-). I’m looking forward to the next in the Thin Veil series, but I’m not on the edge of my seat.
Note: I received Through the Door through Netgalley for an honest review.
Through the Door by Jodi McIsaac (The Thin Veil #1)
Published by 47North on April 23rd, 2013
Genres: Adult, Fantasy
Length: 282 pages
How I got my copy: NetGalley, Publisher
Book Depository - Goodreads
Purchases made support this blog
It’s been seven years since the love of Cedar McLeod’s life left with no forwarding address. All she has left of him are heart-wrenching memories of happier times and a beautiful six-year-old daughter, Eden. Then, one day, Eden opens her bedroom door and unwittingly creates a portal that leads to anywhere she imagines.
But they’re not the only ones who know of Eden’s gift, and soon the child mysteriously vanishes.
Desperate for answers, Cedar digs into the past and finds herself thrust into a magical world of Celtic myths, fantastical creatures, and bloody rivalries. Teaming up with the unlikeliest of allies, Cedar must bridge the gap between two worlds and hold tight to the love in her heart…or lose everything to an ancient evil.
Strengths:
The fantasy world with celtic influences that Through the Door introduces was very cool and I look forward to finding out more!
Because Cedar’s mother raised her alone in addition to Cedar raising her own daughter as a single mom, there is a great theme of single mothers being awesome and completely capable of forming a loving family.
The writing of Through the Door was strong and quite enjoyable to read.
There are several twists, one of which I did not see coming, and you know how I love my plot twists ;-).
Weaknesses:
Mermaids made a brief appearance and I got all excited that we would get to follow the characters underwater with them, but then we didn’t at all. It was so sad. I would really love more description of the celtic mermaids, at least I assume these mermaids were faithfully based on celtic lore?
The ending of Through the Door was a bit too convenient with a special gift showing up just in the nick of time.
I am not a fan of the title of Through the Door, I just don’t think it grabs the reader or gives them any idea what the book is about. I know where the title comes from after reading the book, but I’m still not intrigued strictly based on the title. I think Tuatha de Danaan would have been a much better title. Also I’m not in love with the cover and it only kind of fits a scene in the book….
Summary:
I am fairly certain Through the Door is still available on Netgalley for review and I do recommend fantasy fans to go check it out. Through the Door is a fairly easy read with fun celtic influences and a new fantasy world for us all to enjoy. Mothers saving their daughters are like the epitome of kick-butt heroines right? I certainly don’t want to get in the way of this mother-daughter team ever ;-). I’m looking forward to the next in the Thin Veil series, but I’m not on the edge of my seat.
May 25, 2012
For the sake of transparency, let me say up front that the author of Through the Door is my cousin. I hope that won't detract from my opinion in anyone's mind, though.
Because this story is incredibly good. As in "don't start reading it unless you have time to finish it in one sitting" good. I made the mistake of starting on my commute to work and almost missed my stop because I was immediately sucked in to the world Jodi has skillfully crafted. I then had to spend the rest of the day forcing myself to work when what I really wanted to do was dive back in and find out what was going to happen next.
I won’t bore you with a synopsis, since the official one sums it up better than I could, but I will tell you that this is one of the most refreshing works of urban fantasy I’ve had the pleasure to read (and I’ve read quite a few). The author manages to steer clear of many of the tropes that are so prevalent in this genre in a way that feels completely natural rather than contrived.
For one thing, the heroine (Cedar) is someone that I’d actually like to know. Her strength doesn’t come from a bottomless well of inner bitchiness or some supernatural ability that sets her apart from the rest of humanity. Instead, she’s a working mom who struggles with the same issues that other working moms do – at least until Eden’s ability manifests and all the fun begins. And can I just say that I love the fact that Cedar has a daughter? This isn’t a common feature in urban fantasy, but it’s one that I’d love to see more of.
There is also a distinct, and very welcome, lack of a love triangle. Not that there isn’t a love interest (and a totally yummy one), but the romantic element is secondary to the main issue of…well, I don’t want to give too much away. Suffice it to say that the well-paced plot will keep you on your toes right up until the last pages. And if it doesn’t, then the fully developed, lovable (and sometimes hate-able) cast of supporting characters will.
Lest you think I’m gushing, there are some elements of Through the Door that aren’t perfect. It felt, for example, . But on the whole, I honestly can’t find any significant flaws. In her debut novel, Jodi has successfully created a world that I’d love to revisit – and hopefully will soon. Just not on my way to work.
Because this story is incredibly good. As in "don't start reading it unless you have time to finish it in one sitting" good. I made the mistake of starting on my commute to work and almost missed my stop because I was immediately sucked in to the world Jodi has skillfully crafted. I then had to spend the rest of the day forcing myself to work when what I really wanted to do was dive back in and find out what was going to happen next.
I won’t bore you with a synopsis, since the official one sums it up better than I could, but I will tell you that this is one of the most refreshing works of urban fantasy I’ve had the pleasure to read (and I’ve read quite a few). The author manages to steer clear of many of the tropes that are so prevalent in this genre in a way that feels completely natural rather than contrived.
For one thing, the heroine (Cedar) is someone that I’d actually like to know. Her strength doesn’t come from a bottomless well of inner bitchiness or some supernatural ability that sets her apart from the rest of humanity. Instead, she’s a working mom who struggles with the same issues that other working moms do – at least until Eden’s ability manifests and all the fun begins. And can I just say that I love the fact that Cedar has a daughter? This isn’t a common feature in urban fantasy, but it’s one that I’d love to see more of.
There is also a distinct, and very welcome, lack of a love triangle. Not that there isn’t a love interest (and a totally yummy one), but the romantic element is secondary to the main issue of…well, I don’t want to give too much away. Suffice it to say that the well-paced plot will keep you on your toes right up until the last pages. And if it doesn’t, then the fully developed, lovable (and sometimes hate-able) cast of supporting characters will.
Lest you think I’m gushing, there are some elements of Through the Door that aren’t perfect. It felt, for example, . But on the whole, I honestly can’t find any significant flaws. In her debut novel, Jodi has successfully created a world that I’d love to revisit – and hopefully will soon. Just not on my way to work.
June 21, 2016
First Encounter with the Celts: Through The Door by Jodi McIsaac Thanks to Netgalley and publishers for providing a free copy of this book for an honest review.There's mythology (Celtic), there's fantasy and there's mystery. I should have loved it. But even though the writing was good, and the pacing average, it didn't strike me much. The protagonist Cedar, for instance was again, like most of the protagonists, a love and hate. Love, because this character just acted nothing like a superhero after a tragedy whatsoever happened. She acted what a real life mother should act after discovering her child being kidnapped (adding her feelings behind her daughter's supernatural abilities) - she whined a lot, she easily became angry at everyone else around her, she panicked, she was clueless. However, I basically could put the book down from time to time to take a break from Cedar's too confused attitude. I have expected her to cool down a bit, open her mind and create a better strategy in the journey but she was too consistent, too dramatic for my taste in this genre, I can easily get tired of her.Supporting characters that revealed the world with the Celts though was what made me interested nearly halfway through the book because even if I didn't have idea about this kind of mythology, the narration helped me understand the history gradually. It was told in third person that divided three scenarios of Cedar with the Dannans, Eden with the female antagonist Nuala, and a scene with Maeve, Cedar's mother. These three characters shared relevant yet different goals which created the conflict between them as they unraveled one mystery after another. It built the climax of the plot in the middle when all characters finally meet destinations thus adding a hint of action. But speaking of action, I thought I should hate the main antagonist Lorcan being a wicked High King and all, however he didn't play much role in this debut. He wasn't developed that much, and it felt like the story was forced to have a happy ending.Lastly, the hint of love story from the beginning and reuniting it at 70% of the book somewhat captured my emotions. Finn actually made my day when he went back for Cedar. And since he's Cedar's initial weakness, he's the one who calmed the situation down as he comforted her and continued to give her hope that everything will be all right. Indeed, he was able to protect them and his race. Overall, it's a fine read, just not so spectacular as I expected. Hopefully the next book will! :)
July 8, 2014
3.5 stars
The story drew me in right away and I found I couldn’t put the book aside for long without wanting to know what was going to happen next. For a debut novel, I think the story-telling was very good and things were woven together nicely. I will definitely check out the second book in the near future.
The plot was unique, I think. I haven’t read many books that centered around Celtic myths, but most of those seem to revolve around other topics. This one was about the Tuatha Dé Danann (which I will refer to as “TDD”), and I found it refreshing. Some of the twists and turns were easy to predict, but still entertaining and enjoyable. However, the use of secrets was tiring after a while. The TDD knew things about Cedar and Eden and refused to share what they knew with Cedar, and even her own mother knew things she refused to disclose until near the end of the book. The TDD also treated Cedar like she was a weak, useless thing (which I understand, but it got old quickly for me), and their disdain and sometimes open hostility became annoying after a while.
I didn’t really love any of the characters, except maybe Felix (I really want to know more about him). But, I still found myself caring about what happened with Eden, Cedar, Finn, and the others. I wanted a happy ending for the “good guys” and I wanted to see the “bad guys” get their just deserts. I enjoyed seeing how things unfolded for Cedar and Finn, but I would like to see the stories of some of the other characters fleshed out in the next book.
The only issue I found with this book was the changing of the rules a few times. However, most of those were explained sufficiently and I’m satisfied with how the author handled them. The only one that is still bothering me concerns abilities of the TDD and first-born children.
Mostly, I really liked this book and I would definitely recommend it. I look forward to reading the next installment in The Thin Veil series, and I will be keeping track of Ms. McIsaac, looking for any other books she may write.
*I received this book from NetGalley for free*
The story drew me in right away and I found I couldn’t put the book aside for long without wanting to know what was going to happen next. For a debut novel, I think the story-telling was very good and things were woven together nicely. I will definitely check out the second book in the near future.
The plot was unique, I think. I haven’t read many books that centered around Celtic myths, but most of those seem to revolve around other topics. This one was about the Tuatha Dé Danann (which I will refer to as “TDD”), and I found it refreshing. Some of the twists and turns were easy to predict, but still entertaining and enjoyable. However, the use of secrets was tiring after a while. The TDD knew things about Cedar and Eden and refused to share what they knew with Cedar, and even her own mother knew things she refused to disclose until near the end of the book. The TDD also treated Cedar like she was a weak, useless thing (which I understand, but it got old quickly for me), and their disdain and sometimes open hostility became annoying after a while.
I didn’t really love any of the characters, except maybe Felix (I really want to know more about him). But, I still found myself caring about what happened with Eden, Cedar, Finn, and the others. I wanted a happy ending for the “good guys” and I wanted to see the “bad guys” get their just deserts. I enjoyed seeing how things unfolded for Cedar and Finn, but I would like to see the stories of some of the other characters fleshed out in the next book.
The only issue I found with this book was the changing of the rules a few times. However, most of those were explained sufficiently and I’m satisfied with how the author handled them. The only one that is still bothering me concerns abilities of the TDD and first-born children.
Mostly, I really liked this book and I would definitely recommend it. I look forward to reading the next installment in The Thin Veil series, and I will be keeping track of Ms. McIsaac, looking for any other books she may write.
*I received this book from NetGalley for free*
June 2, 2015
I bought all three novels as soon as I discovered them and this one is very exciting. Discussing it however, is a heavy balancing act because aspects of several chapters had me outraged. Mangling a cat was enough to prevent a higher rating! I wouldn’t endorse any animal’s demise but a CAT and to be made pointless within the novel, makes me urge the author to remove that from future printings. The lengthiest issue is concealing parentage; especially when it was your partner and you knew all about them. Cedar withholding even a photograph of Eden’s Father seems an unlikely way to handle her absent boyfriend. She knows the angst of her own Father being a faceless mystery.
The premise: a child discovers she can open portals to anyplace she envisions. It demands that Eden’s parentage be looked into after all. I loved Cedar’s incredulous exposure to other dimensions of existence. When the child, valuable to another race, is snatched; having all information that is to be had is a must. It culminates into absurdity that Cedar’s Mother, who is not oblivious to the ethereal, thinks she should continue blocking information from her as much as ever. Her bitterness about Cedar asking elsewhere was petty and made the least sense. I was turned off by her entirely. However stick with the novel. It does explode into an exponentially more enthralling adventure.
The realms Jodi McIsaac conceived - mermaids and more - are as mysterious as fearsome. The way races and magic function are refreshing. Convention is turned on its head even as to who the hoopla is about. Events and character development become so enjoyable, our emotional response overwhelms us. We find ourselves aching over the past. We clamour to experience the outcome of an unusually clever and compelling quest.
The premise: a child discovers she can open portals to anyplace she envisions. It demands that Eden’s parentage be looked into after all. I loved Cedar’s incredulous exposure to other dimensions of existence. When the child, valuable to another race, is snatched; having all information that is to be had is a must. It culminates into absurdity that Cedar’s Mother, who is not oblivious to the ethereal, thinks she should continue blocking information from her as much as ever. Her bitterness about Cedar asking elsewhere was petty and made the least sense. I was turned off by her entirely. However stick with the novel. It does explode into an exponentially more enthralling adventure.
The realms Jodi McIsaac conceived - mermaids and more - are as mysterious as fearsome. The way races and magic function are refreshing. Convention is turned on its head even as to who the hoopla is about. Events and character development become so enjoyable, our emotional response overwhelms us. We find ourselves aching over the past. We clamour to experience the outcome of an unusually clever and compelling quest.
June 28, 2018
2 STARS
Perfect example of having an interesting premise but is poorly executed.
The writing was good but dull. I feel this author couldn’t write an exciting or emotional scene if she tried. I felt absolutely nothing for this story or the characters except for boredom.
Boredom is clicking through channels on a TV or checking the fridge constantly hoping something amazing will appear. That’s how this book was for me. I just kept turning pages on my kindle waiting and hoping for something to energize my bored mind and jumpstart my heart.
But it never came.
I eventually started to skim and read quickly just trying to get to the end to see if the daughter is rescued, I just wanted to get this story over with.
The romance is extremely light and stale. Finn was absent most of it and when he reappeared he was as interesting as a dead fish. His character was poorly fleshed out and we didn’t really get to know him. He was just there in the background.
Cedar the h was uninteresting and lackluster. I wanted her to be more badass but she was perfect in her role as the weak human. She was strong in mind when it came to her daughter, but that was it. I thought for sure at the end when she faces Lorcan that she would shed her “humanity” and show how powerful she “should be”. But sadly that was the biggest let down of all and totally anticlimactic; for being heir to the throne she has the weakest power and no other power to back it up. Only thing I liked about Cedar was she would do anything for her daughter, even die. Besides being a good mom.... she was dull.
The story and entire plot was unimaginative, uneventful, and absolutely boring. The fact I finished seriously surprises me. I will not be continuing on with this series and I wouldn’t recommend it, it’s about as exciting as watching paint dry.
Perfect example of having an interesting premise but is poorly executed.
The writing was good but dull. I feel this author couldn’t write an exciting or emotional scene if she tried. I felt absolutely nothing for this story or the characters except for boredom.
Boredom is clicking through channels on a TV or checking the fridge constantly hoping something amazing will appear. That’s how this book was for me. I just kept turning pages on my kindle waiting and hoping for something to energize my bored mind and jumpstart my heart.
But it never came.
I eventually started to skim and read quickly just trying to get to the end to see if the daughter is rescued, I just wanted to get this story over with.
The romance is extremely light and stale. Finn was absent most of it and when he reappeared he was as interesting as a dead fish. His character was poorly fleshed out and we didn’t really get to know him. He was just there in the background.
Cedar the h was uninteresting and lackluster. I wanted her to be more badass but she was perfect in her role as the weak human. She was strong in mind when it came to her daughter, but that was it. I thought for sure at the end when she faces Lorcan that she would shed her “humanity” and show how powerful she “should be”. But sadly that was the biggest let down of all and totally anticlimactic; for being heir to the throne she has the weakest power and no other power to back it up. Only thing I liked about Cedar was she would do anything for her daughter, even die. Besides being a good mom.... she was dull.
The story and entire plot was unimaginative, uneventful, and absolutely boring. The fact I finished seriously surprises me. I will not be continuing on with this series and I wouldn’t recommend it, it’s about as exciting as watching paint dry.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 486 reviews