قرن

by Sarah Singleton, مهرداد مهدویان (Translator)

مرسی و خواهرش در دنیایی پر از راز و رمز زندگی می‌کنند. آن‌ها هر روز، در زمستانی ابدی با طلوع خورشید می‌خوابند. هر روز مثل روز قبل است. اما مرسی در مسیر پر پیچ و خم تاریخچه‌ی زندگی اقوامش، سرنخ‌هایی از مرگ مادرش پیدا می‌کند. آیا دخترک می‌تواند حقیقت را تا پایان و بدون نابود کردن خانه، پدر یا دیگران دنبال کند؟

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction, Mystery, Gothic, Horror, Ghosts

258 pages, Paperback

First published December 25, 2004

About the author

Sarah Singleton was born in Thornbury in 1966. She was educated at the University of Nottingham and has travelled in Europe, India and Nepal. She has two daughters, Fuchsia and Poppy.

She worked as a reporter for local weekly newspapers, including the Wiltshire Gazette & Herald, before becoming a writer and freelance journalist in 2007. A novella, In The Mirror (Enigmatic Novellas #4), was reprinted by Cosmos Books in 2001. Her first novel (for adults), The Crow Maiden, was published by Cosmos in 2000 and was short-listed for the IAFA Crawford Award. She has had short stories published in various magazines and anthologies, including Black Static, QWF magazine, Enigmatic Tales and Interzone.

Reviews

[Sali-steady-read · Rating 4 out of 5]

فکر نمیکردم اینقدر خوشم بیاد. زیادی هم کودکانه نبود. یه انرژی توروح کتاب بود. بهم انرژی زندگی داد...حس اینکه کاش چیزی باشه براش بجنگم. دست مترجم انتشارات افق درد نکنه، محسوسانه خوب ترجمه کرده بود.رده سنی براش قائل نمیشم، بخوندیش.

[Alice-Elizabeth (Prolific Reader Alice) · Rating 3 out of 5]

All hail the book that broke my reading slump, yayyyyyy XD

Century is a debut YA novel that follows two sisters Mercy and Charity who live in this old, forbidden mansion with their father who is determined to not let them see the light of day. Those who live in the mansion are full of secrets and Mercy's encounters with a man named Claudius changes everything. Mercy soon learns that she must break this curse placed upon them all before it is too late. I really liked the use of time travel, ghosts and old writing extracts. It created a strong atmosphere to the storyline. I did feel that the pacing moved a little too quickly for me, and due to the strong gothic vibes I got from seeing the book cover, it wasn't overly scary for me. I do like my creepy stories so felt a little downhearted about that aspect.

[Gypsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

یه بار دیگه هم می‌خونمش زبان‌اصلی. اینم خیلی خاص و دردناک بود.

[Amin · Rating 4 out of 5]

خوب بود. تقریبا همون‌قدر که انتظارش رو داشتم. داستان چندان طولانی نیست، ایده‌ی خیلی خوبی داره که به نظرم از کلیشه‌های فانتزی به دوره و جذابه. البته شاید بعضی جاها می‌شد قوی‌تر نوشته بشه، بعضی باگ‌ها رو اگه نداشت خیلی بهتر بود و بعضی صحنه‌ها رو می‌شد بهتر توصیف کرد و شرح داد. و البته اوایلش یک مقدار سخت‌خوانه و ممکنه دیر با داستان اخت بشین، با این حال خوب بود. قطعا ارزش یک بار خوندن رو داره. ای کاش بار احساسیش یه کم بیشتر بود که دیگه راحت پنج می‌دادم بهش. ولی خب چهار هم نمره‌ی خداست.

پ.ن: عجیبه من این همه کتاب نخونده‌ای رو که توی کتابخونه و حساب فیدیبو و طاقچه‌ام دارم نمی‌خونم، بعد می‌رم دنبال کتابی که اصلا توی بازار نیست و به زور از یک کتابخونه پیداش می‌کنم :))

[Fatemeh Bahrami · Rating 4 out of 5]

″ میان عمارتی سنگی و سرد، محصور شده در شب و سرما، خانواده‌ای زندگی می‌کنند؛ دو دختر کوچک، دو خدمتکار، و پدری فرو رفته در درد و افسوس.

مرسی گویی در شب زندانی است. او و خواهرش با طلوع خورشید می‌خوابند و هم‌ز‌مان با غروبش بیدار می‌شوند. زندگی او یکنواخت است. لحظه‌هایش شبیه به‌هم‌اند. مدت‌هاست جز زمستان و برف و یخ چیز دیگری ندیده، تا این‌که شبی، شاخه گلی تازه کنار تختش پیدا می‌کند و حضور غریبه‌ای، پرده از رازهای عمارتشان برمی‌دارد. رازهایی که تاریک و خون‌آلوداند. ″

سال‌ها پیش خلاصه‌ی این داستان رو داخل یکی از کتاب‌های نشر افق خوندم و از اون موقع دربه‌در دنبالش بودم. ولی نبود، پیدا نمی‌شد. کتاب‌خونه‌ها نداشتنش، سایتا تموم کرده بودن. کتاب‌فروشی‌ها که حتی اسمش رو هم نشنیده بودن! تا این‌که خیلی اتفاقی، پشت کتاب‌های گوشه‌ای‌ترین قفسه‌ی یه کتاب‌خونه پیداش کردم و چون معشوقی که سالیان‌سال ازم دور بوده باشه، به سینه چسبوندمش.

داستان کتاب زیباست. خیلی خیلی زیباست. حال‌وهوای کلاسیکش برای من حکم نوستالژی داشت و معماهاش... واقعا خلاقانه و تازه بودند. به‌شخصه سرتاسر کتاب، زیبایی دیدم و خیلی خوشحالم که بالاخره تونستم پیداش کنم. :))
شما هم اگه تونستین گیرش بیارید، («اگه»، چون چاپ کتاب مدت‌هاست تموم شده) حتما شانس دنبال کردن ماجرای مرسی و رازهای تاریک عمارتش رو به خودتون بدین. قول می‌دم که پشیمون نشید. =)

[Maryam · Rating 3 out of 5]

ایده‌ی داستان واقعا جذاب است. طرحش تا حدودی ترکیبی است از طرح سیاه‌دل کورنلیا فونکه، بچه‌های عجیب و غریب یتیمخانه‌ی خانم پرگرین و خاطرات خون‌آشام که البته همگی پس از چاپ این کتاب نوشته شده‌اند.

اما مشکل اصلی کتاب روان نبودن ترجمه است و شاید ممیزی‌ای که به کتاب خورده و البته تا حدودی کمکاری خود نویسنده. خیلی از راه‌های نجات شخصیت اصلی داستان هدیه‌ی نویسنده است به او و نه آنچه که باید روند منطقی داستان در اختیارش بگذارد.

از خواندنش لذت بردم.

پ.ن:
گروه سنی خاصی ندارد. کافیست به ژانر فانتزی علاقه داشت تا از آن لذت برد.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mercy and Charity live with their father Trajan in their old dark mansion Century. They live in an eternal winter and they hardly remember their past.
But while Charity doesn't really care, Mercy sees mysterious ghosts of their past. She sees a woman under the ice in the lake and meets Claudius, one of the family members she does not remember.
It is Claudius who reveals a dark secret to her that changes Mercy's whole life, shatters the illusion of life that she is living in.
The Verga family are special, they are different. They aren't human. Each member of the member has special abilities and skills and once, long ago a member used his abilities in a wrong way and destroyed everything.
Now Mercy has to reveal all the secrets, remember the past, fight the present and change the future.

The write style is very fluent and gloomy. It is just like in the old classic books and reading this book feels like reading an old gothic fairy tale.
The plot progresses in a thrilling, though not very fast way that gives creepes, Mercy reveals more and more secrets and understands who the ghosts are and why she sees them. She remembers her past and the tragedy that happened and the more she remembers, the farther she has to travel in the past and a mysterious book is all that helps her.
Mercy is a strong and determined character. She is suspicious and analyzing and yet emotional. I love her, she is a wonderful protagonist who perfectly fits into the book.
Charity, her sister is much weaker, but she is willed to help Mercy however she can because she is fed up with the winter and their empty life. She is humorous and generally an easy character while Mercy is complicated and more of a dark and thoughtful person.
Claudius acts awkward. He is an impenetrable person who sometimes acts cynical and then, suddenly caring. Of course there is a reason why he is this way, but this reason is terrifying and awful. I really don't like him. He is not quite the antagonist but he is the reason why...
Trajan is a rather calm character with lots of secrets, but he loves his girls.

This book contains everything a good gothic fairy tale needs. Thoughtful and strong characters, a gloomy write style, a horrifying plot, strong dialogues, dead people talking to the ones who live, ghosts and passages that give creeps.
I highly recommend it to everyone who likes classic and supernatural books.

[Ala es · Rating 5 out of 5]

شاید یکی از بهترین کتابای دوران نوجونیم باشه که همیشه به یادش میارم انقدر توش روح بود و انقدر فضای جالبی داشت که از یادم هیچوقت نرفت و دقیقا هفت سال پیش تو چهارده سالگی خوندمش
۹۰/۳/۱۰

[Negin · Rating 5 out of 5]

به جرعت میتونم یکی از بهترین کتاب هاییه که تو زندگیم خوندم. از اون کتاب هاییه که هیچ وقت فراموشش نمی کنین و اصلا نباید موقع انتخابش به اینکه زیر مجموعه کتاب های نوجوانان قرار گرفته توجه کنید. قرن داستان شجاعته. داستانی که بهتون یاد میده چطور از تونل های تاریک زندگی ای که براتون ساختن بیرون بیان و به روشنایی برسید. تقریبا هر سال یک بار این کتابو باز خوانی میکنم. این کتاب دلیلی بود که جای پای من توی کتاب فروشیا و کتابخونه ها محکم بشه و هنوز دنبال کتابی میگردم که بتونه همین قدری که قرن روی من تاثیر گذاشت روم تاثیر مثبت بذاره.

[Mirhosseini AmirMahdi · Rating 4 out of 5]

این نقد کاملا شخصیست و بر اساس علاقه نوشته شده. ممکنه موافق یا مخالف باشید

کتاب قرن
اولین بار راهنمایی خوندمش. مادرم به نمایشگاه کتاب رفته بود و از انتشارات افق، این کتاب رو به عنوان رمان نوجوان واسم گرفته بود.
دقیقاً بیاد میارم اون اوایل چقدر این کتاب اذیتم کرد.
خط داستانی پیچیده
مجموعه اتفاقات مختلف و مبهم
گم شدن کلاف سرنخ های داستان

جذبم نکرد. گذاشتمش کنار. وقتی اسباب کشی کردیم و به خونه دیگه ای اومدیم، بین وسایلم بازم دیدمش. گفتم یکبار دیگه شروعش می کنم. دبیرستان بودم و هنوز عطش خوندن داشتم ...
شروع کردم .... شب ها قبل از خواب
حالا تازه می فهمیدم چی به چیه ... چقدر جذاب و محشر بود این کتاب‌.
فانتزی در لایه های ماجراجویی بنظرم بسیار زیبا چیده شده.
کتاب کاملاً زنده است، با شما حرف میزنه و جریان اون زندگی خاص رو بوضوح می تونید احساس کنید.
شخصیت مِرسی همونقدر که باید، سردرگم و کنجکاوه و خط فانتزی داستان، بدون اینکه کسی تا اواسط داستان ازش خبر داشته باشه، موازی میاد جلو.
کتاب عجیبیه .. پیچیدس ... شاید مواقعی پیش بیاد اونقدر در ماجرا و داستان «مِرسی» غرق شده باشید که مجبور شید چند صفحه به عقب برگردید خط و روند داستانی رو گم نکنید.
کتاب قرن امّا در نثر به اندازه داستان قوی ظاهر نشده. چه زبان اصلی چه ترجمه آقای مهدویان، ضعف نثر رو به خواننده القا می کنه و چه بسا برای حرفه ای ها، بسیار خسته کننده ظاهر بشه.
در این بین، شاید توانایی پردازش های بسیار بیشتری به چشم خواننده بیاد. بسیاری از صحنه ها و خاطرات در این کتاب،‌به بک گراند ها و فضاسازی بهتری نیاز داشت که خب، کمتر پرداخته شد. (در نسخه فارسی ، سانسور هایی هم هست که با خوندن نسخه اصلی متوجه ترجمه و سانسور ها میشید)
کتاب قرن همچنان برای من جذابه و بنظرم، بهش ظلم شد ....

و
پیشنهاد حداقل یکبار خوندنش رو می کنم

[Totoro · Rating 3 out of 5]

ooooh, it took me a long time.and i think 3 stars are enough. (thinking face).
the story was a little unclear for my taste, i don't know whether it was the original writing or the translation. of course i've read worse.
uumm, the story was good, a family who's not affected by time had this vampire-like feel that i liked. the protagonist and antagonist was a little unclear to me too, but i guess that was a main point :/
dark, not captivating dark, but dusty old house dark. no comedy, that's kind of a negative point for me , hhmm. but i liked it any way, the proof of that is the first quote i ever wrote in here :)

[Yasi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness!!!This is incredible!!! I've read this at two years before & still love it! Amazing!It was a little hard to understood the book at my age... I was younger ! But I loved it! The way that magic is next to real, is very good! & playing with characters was Fantastic !!! searching for history when your dad is standing in front of you is so hard... & watching things that you should've known but you don't... & they don't let you... & a little bit afraid of don't winning!
I LOVE IT!!!!

[Farnaz Ps · Rating 3 out of 5]

این کتاب رو درست بعد از استخوانهای دوست داشتنی خوندم.
خوب بود کمک کرد قبلی رو بشوره ببره
فقط ترجمه اش میتونست بهتر باشه

[Sandra Uv · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5

Un cuento gótico bastante entretenido

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this when it had just been released - I was 13 and I’d never read anything like it. I’ve just remembered it and how much I loved it, and am dying to read it again.

It definitely was the book that kick started my love of gothic literature and tropes; big eerie houses and dimly lit corridors. I loved how intricately constructed it was - the different layers; how everything fitted together and made sense.

I can’t wait to reread it, fifteen years later!

[Rana Heshmati · Rating 5 out of 5]

آخه خیلی قشنگ و خوب بود...
و چهار حقیقتا حیفشه :( :) :(

× ممنون از بشری :)

[Alana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A MUST READ GOTHIC NOVEL!

‘Century’ by Sarah Singleton, is an excellent tale that is intriguing and disconcerting by turns and with some interesting twists. Every good gothic novel explores the power of secrets and deception, which ‘Century’ does so, by drawing the audience into a multi-layered world constructed by supernatural powers, in order to hide dark secrets. All young people, sometimes feel the desire to hide their mistakes from the world. But what if you lived in a world designed to keep the truth from you?

The book ‘Century’ by Sarah Singleton, tells the tale of young sisters Mercy and Charity Verga, who have lived their lives in the mansion Century, staring out at an endless winter. The girls’ days are dark and bleak and have a routine that consists of, a solid breakfasts and ill-remembered lessons. Mercy has never questioned her widowed father about the way they live, until one day something out of the ordinary happened, showing Mercy a sign of spring as well as a change top her life. A meeting with the mysterious Claudius, unsettles Mercy and urges her to look back at her family’s history. As each piece of the past slots into place, the world Mercy has known begins to untangle. Can she discover the truth without destroying her home, her father and all that she has ever known?

One of the features which makes this text effective is the setting. An effective gothic setting, usually consist of something terrifying, spooky, or horrific. It also often has mysterious elements and supernatural or dream-like qualities. These stories often take place in a spooky, dark, confined space like an ancient castle or empty manor house, a crypt, or a damp cellar. The themes of guilt and sin repeatedly appear in gothic literature, usually in reference to some crime committed or secrets kept. ‘Century’ clearly displays these elements through the setting which is based in a mansion, in 1890 surrounded by a never ending winter, which has been caused by a secret kept by their father Trajan. The idea of the never ending winter, displays the gothic elements of loneliness and dullness, as well as the elements of mystery and being uncomfortable around the presence of the ghosts that Mercy sees.

An important idea explored in ‘Century’ is the moral dilemma of it. Ultimately, the reader is challenged by the moral questions raised when Mercy uncovers the truth about the past. We are forced to consider the negative impact of Trajan’s secrets on the family and how denying the past has led to the decay of the family’s physical world and their sense of identity. So many negative things have developed from Trajan’s actions and this issue is effective, as it forces us to think about whether or not Trajan was right about casting a spell on the mansion in order to hide his children from the past. Whether or not keeping such a large secret from his children, was the best way to keep them safe is questionable and this will cause the reader to think and wonder, making the text more engaging.

Overall, the theme of family history is developed in an interesting way and Sarah Singleton examines the importance of writing, remembering and stories in everybody’s life. This book is well written, well developed and balanced between fantasy elements and more realistic facts. It has been said that it was initially written for a young audience, but adults who are interested in a little bit of fantasy should read it as well. I believe that the ending of the book was quite uplifting, because after watching someone trapped in darkness for so long, it is a great feeling to know that they are happy. I truly recommend this book, if you are looking for something intriguing and suspenseful to read.

[Omaira · Rating 1 out of 5]

Soporífera. Esa es la palabra que mejor define lo que ha sido esta lectura para mí. Vi el libro en la biblioteca y me despertó cierto interés porque me atraía lo de que los personajes parecieran vivir en un ambiente lúgubre y condenados a no ver la luz del día, pero me equivoqué al pensar que podría cautivarme.

Desde las primeras páginas ya me di cuenta de que la historia no me iba a atrapar. No sé si os ha pasado alguna vez lo de empezar un libro y notar que no os gusta cómo está escrito, no porque tenga errores ni nada así, me refiero a sentiros incapaces de “congeniar” con lo que se está contando.

Esta novela apenas supera las 200 páginas y, sin embargo, a mí me parecieron muchas más por la lentitud con la que transcurría todo. La protagonista principal es Mercy, una niña de la que se van dando datos a cuentagotas, aunque se justifica porque supuestamente ella también vive sumida en un estado de cierta confusión. Vive con su padre y con su hermana Charity en Century, una casa en la que no hay nada alegre y que parece una prisión. En teoría, Mercy y Charity viven tranquilamente siguiendo una rutina y lo más peculiar es ver que duermen de día y que de noche es cuando estudian, comen y realizan todas las tareas cotidianas. Su padre es como un alma en pena y las dos empleadas con las que viven hablan lo justo.

Todo cambia cuando Mercy ve a un fantasma y a un hombre que la harán darse cuenta de que vive rodeada de secretos. En ningún momento sentí interés ni por el fantasma ni por el supuesto misterio. No hay ni un personaje que me pareciera interesante, todos son insulsos y casi ni hablan. Que Mercy vea un fantasma da la impresión de que es algo muy normal, al igual que tampoco se transmite el supuesto desasosiego que sienten Mercy y su hermana por estar privadas de la luz solar. Yo al principio veía ciertas similitudes con la película “Los otros” , pero luego ya no fue así.

Muchos detalles del enigma principal se descubren relativamente pronto y, personalmente, vi confusa la manera en que se van resolviendo algunos enigmas. En determinadas páginas sentía que no me estaba enterando de nada, pero posteriormente se volvían a nombrar cosas que yo no tenía claras y entonces las comprendía.

En cuanto a los personajes, Mercy es la que muestra un poco más de carácter, pero las personalidades de todos los demás brillan por su ausencia. De hecho, Mercy tampoco es que sea lo más de lo más, lo que la diferencia del resto es su empeño repentino por investigar lo que esconde su familia. El hombre al que ve, Claudius, tenía un potencial increíble, su historia está marcada por la tragedia y podría haber dado mucho juego, pero aparece y desaparece sin pena ni gloria, dice un par de palabras y adiós. Cuando se desvela lo más importante sobre él, se cuenta a la prisa.

El desenlace fue soso con ganas, quedó claro que ningún personaje tenía mucha sangre en las venas. No importaba lo que les sucediera, ellos siempre actuaban como si nada les impresionara.

Considero que hay varios aspectos de la trama que no están bien explicados, se dice que x cosas son así y punto, no se entra en detalles en lo que de verdad importa y encima no se siente la supuesta agonía de los personajes ni el dramatismo de su situación. No es un libro que yo recomendaría, que cada cual compare varias opiniones y decida si quiera darle una oportunidad.

[Mahsa Tahmasebi]

برای قشر نوجوان کتاب خوبی است و چون نوجوان نیستم و خواندمش ستاره ای نمیدهم.

[Laura Morrigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Century is an imaginative story with a beautifully evocative and moody setting. I can't say too much about the plot, because you discover the story as you go. It was beautifully written, with a wonderful gothic feel to the narrative, with the dark old house and their world of night.

Mercy lives in the house known as Century with her sister, governess, servant and rarely seen father. It is always winter, and they rise after sunset, and go to sleep before dawn, their 'days' seem to bleed into each other, repetitive and tiring. (But don't worry, this isn't a vampire story.) One day, Mercy begins to question their strange lifestyle, although everyone seems to want to stop her from discovering the truth.

I really liked the main character, Mercy, who was an intelligent and resourceful girl. The story seems to take place around Regency/ Georgian era, but has a wonderful timelessness to it that suits the tale. The house and grounds sounded wonderful, and, though I wanted Mercy to find out the truth, I also thought I wouldn't mind so much being stuck in that house.

It's enjoyable to read a YA book that isn't another romance. This story didn't try to conform to popular writing styles, and I really appreciated that. At just over 200 pages, it was a pretty quick and easy read for me. The writing is easy to read, not too old fashioned for young people, despite the setting, but it also doesn't feel to modern and out of place.

I don't think I need to say any more. I loved this book. If you like gothic stories, or just something a little different than the usual YA novel, give this one a go.

[Sara Booklover · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trama accattivante, veste grafica curata nei minimi particolari... come presentazione direi che più di così non si poteva proprio fare. Peccato che la storia langue un po'. Intendiamoci, come inizio il libro non è niente male, l'atmosfera cupa e vittoriana è favolosa e rende bene. Però date le credenziali del primo capitolo, che fa salire la curiosità a mille, mi aspettavo i fuochi d'artificio XD Invece la narrazione, dopo aver raggiunto il suo picco si affloscia un po' e diventa mediocre. Le risoluzioni un po' troppo sbrigative e immediate lo fanno rientrare nella categoria dei libri per ragazzi a tutti gli effetti. Solo in un capitolo prima del finale c'è un grande colpo di scena che da solo sarebbe valso tutto il libro, peccato che l'autrice ha invece preferito far virare il "vero" finale nella maniera classica che tutti si aspettavano. Una lettura per ragazzi scorrevole e piacevole, ma da consigliare prevalentemente a giovani lettori perché la storia non ha in sé quella marcia in più che le permettere di essere apprezzata anche dagli adulti.

[Crystal Azzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Century is a perfect example of a blood-curling, spine-chilling gothic story, that keeps the reader captivated throughout the entire novel. Every good gothic story has gothic elements, varying from ghosts, supernatural aspects, villains, haunted houses, gloomy settings, curses and prophecies or damsels in distress. In the majority of gothic novels there is always a twist; a big secret , and if the secret was spilled there would be consequences.

The novel Century explores the life of a young girl named Mercy surrounded by family secrets that are dangerous for her to know. Mercy lives in a big mansion called Century, with her younger sister Charity, her dad Trajan, and housekeeper, Aurelia and is homeschooled by a strict governess named Galatea. Mercy and Charity’s mother died when they were younger, but as hard as they try they cant seem to remember such little things about her. Sometimes Mercy sees ghosts in the mansion. One-day mercy meets a mysterious man named Claudius, who makes her question everything she’s ever known.

[Mohammad reza khorasanizadeh · Rating 4 out of 5]

یک رمان فانتزی پیچیده و معمایی که به زندگی یک خانواده می پردازد. خانواده ای که به کل در تاریکی و سرما زندگی میکنند و روزها میخوابند و شب ها بیدارند و مدام مشغول تکرار هستند
تا اینکه دختر بزرگ خانواده که توانایی دیدن برخی ارواح را دارند، پی به رازهای خانوادگی میبرد و متوجه یک طلسم عجیب و غریب میشود و سعی در کشف و ابطال آن دارد

[☠tsukino☠ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originale, scorrevole e un po’ gotico. All’inizio mi aspettavo quasi una svolta alla The Others. Carino.

[Razieh Abdi · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZIIIINNNNNG !!!!!!!!!!

[☯ DαякєηRнαℓ ❛ ᶜʳᵒᵘᶜʰᶤᶰᵍ ʰᵘᵐᵃᶰ ; ʰᶤᵈᵈᵉᶰ ᵗᶤᵗᵃᶰ ❜ · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Book Name) Century
(Book Series) None
(Book Series Number) 1#
(Author Name) Sarah Singleton
(Published By) Simon and Schuster
(ISBN Number) 1-416-90135-3
(Time Taken To Read Altogether) 2 Days (3rd to 4th November 2015)
(Time Spent Not Reading) None
(Total Reading Time) 2 Days
(Final Rating) Three & Half Stars ( ★★★★ )
(Book Smell) Classic Older Book Smell
(Disclaimer)

This is an honest review brought to you by Daniélle. The following review is an honest perspective of my thoughts, feelings and experience reading the book specified. It was in no way, shape or form coerced or forced in any fashion. I do not accept bribes for good reviews or even bad ones nor do I bring in any perspective but my own. I will not say do not read this book just as I will not say do read this book. Whether you the reader of this review chooses to read the following book or not is completely up to you. Also whether you like or hate it, share or disagree with my opinion, is also completely up to you. Again this is a review of nothing but what I felt, thought and perceived. Hence it is an honest review of my personal opinion. Please enjoy.


(Premise)

Two girls, Mercy and Charity, live in world where there is never sun. Each day is repeated and Mercy has never questioned this. One day she awakes to find a snowdrop on her flower, a flower which should not be yet it is. The flower speaks of spring and change and so begins a mystery in which Mercy must ask not only questions but find the answers to her family’s dark and even more mysterious past without damaging all she has ever known.


(Writing)

The writing in this book is written in third person. Sometimes in first. The letters are big and not much text appears on each page making this a quick and easy read. In fact had I not been so tired the day I started reading this, as it was past my going to bed time, I would have most likely finished it in one setting. So again very easy to read and quick. The writing is fairly simple and easy to follow. The writing is average basically. However there were two places of inconsistency *insert evil laughter here*.

The first I cannot remember on which page but the sentence reads with the word ‘every’, however it is in my opinion the word should have been ‘ever’ to make more sense of the sentence. The second inconsistency I remember more accurately for it appears at the very end of the book basically on page 187. The word which is misspelled is ‘transferring’. Written as ‘tranferring’. So two little oopsies were discovered. However for a 220 page book, not bad. Plus let’s face it, I love finding mistakes!


(Impressions)

My impressions… Well perhaps it might have been because I was half asleep but for the first day the book was average to me. It invoked no particular feelings and it was as if I had just started it, that new glamour, waiting to find out the story in full detail. Again I feel this book is very average. Not good, but not bad either. I would think someone should read it whilst travelling or for a quick read and also if you’re looking for a little mystery and a quick scare. That’s what I gathered from this book. Now that was only the first half.

The second half, read more alertly, was far more interesting. It’s where the mystery really got underway, deepened and the adventure began. I also felt a lot more. Though most of the time it was anger, apprehension, disgust, rebellion and sadness. Disbelief too. Actually all the feelings were pretty much negative lol. It reminded me a lot of the last book I had read which hadn’t ended particularly well. I was afraid the same thing would happen here. Made me realise horror or suspense just wasn’t for me lol.

However I was pleasantly surprised when the story did a turn around. Even if it left me dizzy from how quick it changed. And the story actually does have a happy ending despite the emotional content and overall story development. Though I can’t help but wonder if the story only ended as it did, for the father in particular, because of the spell Mercy had weaved. Either way the ending was, not satisfactory but acceptable. Though two questions remain. Where did Claudius find the red book he gave to Mercy? Also, whatever did happen to that mechanical cat? This book I should say again was a tough little read and definitely not for people who are too depressed or too young. It’s not the baddest or scariest thing out there but it does take you for one hell of a ride.

So the story begins with an expert digging around some boxes for something valuable in a house which is being renovated after being abandoned for decades. He finds nothing of value, to his disheartened state, but does find a book which is handed to ‘me’. I only got this little tryst later… Anyhoot. Then we open the ‘book’ to read the story of Century. A grand estate where the Verga family lives. The house, grounds, meadow, church, lake, little island, all of it was commissioned and built for the little family who moved from Italy to England in the 1700’s. However Century is always covered in perpetual darkness. An everlasting winter where the days repeat themselves over and over again. This all changes when one day, Mercy Galliena Verga opens her eyes and discovers a snowdrop, a spring flower, on her pillow. From that moment everything changed.

She deviated from her routine and went to walk in Distillery Meadow. Saw the lake where a new ghost was met. Mercy, you see, can see the dead. Later her father, Trajan Verga, warns not only Mercy but the entire family, consisting of Mercy’s little sister Charity, the governess Galatea and the housekeeper Aurelia, that change is upon them, danger, that they must be wary, vigilant, safe. And for the first time ever Mercy questions not only her father but the way in which they have lived. Why doesn’t the sun ever shine? Why can’t she remember her mother? How old is she and Charity? What year is it? How much time has passed in this ever winter? And so the adventure begins…

Through curious meetings and a red leather book, determination and hope, Mercy slowly discovers the truth of not only her past but of her family. Questions are answered and a mission is undertaken. Despite well-formed and numerous attempts to thwart her in freeing not only herself but her family and Century too, from darkness, Mercy does succeed. She discovers not only what happened to her mother, Tecla Arcadius Verga, but she regains her memories of the past, discovers the truth about what happened, and also sets forth to a new day. At first I thought of the popular answers behind the mystery of the Verga’s. Either they were vampires or ghosts. Turns out I was wrong.

The Verga family are gifted Immortals. Or should I say mortal immortals. They live for hundreds of years, probably forever and their emotional state dictates their looks, sadness equals age whilst happiness equals youth. However if they are met with injury or misadventure they can die. And what happened to Century was that Mercy’s uncle, Claudius, fell in love with a mortal girl. A none Verga. And through a horrible turn of events Marietta, Claudius wife and Tecla, Mercy’s mother and Trajan’s wife, met with death. And from his loss Trajan wove a story, a spell, locking away the family for all eternity. To keep his brother, Claudius, away from people, to hide his own broken heart and to keep his family safe. However after a century, it was time to wake up…


(Characters)


Mercy Galliena Verga

What a strong and capable female protagonist. I truly take my hat off to Mercy Verga. The eldest daughter of the household Mercy is a child who is too thin, too pale and too sullen. One day her pattern changes and so the adventure begins of waking up. I really love this character. You know she’s not only strong mentally but spiritually. I really felt for her when she was locked away not once but twice and the second time treated like a lunatic. I mean I was left reeling because I was like are you shitting me?! Has this been a delusion all this time?! And as quick as it had started it was over. Which left me tail spinning but grateful. Also reminded me of what happened in the last book I read, We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier. Luckily this book didn’t end as bad as that aforementioned one but boy that little scare had me going. It also brought out my petulant side. I was like don’t eat! Be miserable! Don’t talk! Destroy your room! Make them worried and regretful! Since that’s my form of rebellion. You know get back at them. But Mercy never gave up.

Yes she had help but in the end it was through her bravery, courage and determination that she bested her father and set Century free even when it was a really hard task. Sure she had her down moments but she never gave up and that’s what I like about this girl. She’s also really intelligent and capable and whilst at the end of the book she hadn’t been ready to venture out just yet, also being scared yet thrilled at being invited out, and also not really thinking about her family and ways (I actually didn’t quite understand this part) You can be sure she’ll go on. And she will, forever. A really lovable and endearing character who is really, really strong.


Charity Verga

Your average bratty snooty little sister. However Charity also showed a strength to her and not to mention ingenuity. She managed to find a map of the house and a key to an important door, all leading to Mercy’s second escape. She had drawn the vital pictures and in the end one could see she was just a scared little girl too who did love her sister, who needed to be free too. Also showing a lot of intelligence. Though she is a horrible snoop. Plus she liked being the governess’s favourite. But all in all a great sidekick and just as lovable girl.


Trajan Verga

What a pathetic little man. You know his wife once said he was cruel in deceiving Marrieta’s family. Boy was she making an understatement. This guy is weak and pathetic. Firstly he can’t live without his wife but he has the girls to think of. Because of his broken heart he locks away his entire family to spend all bloody eternity in ever perpetual night. Leaving his daughters basically sleepwalking and kids forever. What the actual fuck? Are you serious? Really? Like really??? In the end I cannot help but feel it was Mercy’s spell which brought him out of his slump. But anyhoot he had to get out of it somehow and if magic was the only way then do it because to stop the spell from breaking he locked his daughter up not only once but twice and the second time turned Galatea in a co-conspirator to make Mercy believe she was crazy! Like what?! He was wrong, plain and simple. And certainly not someone I would ever be interested in cause let’s face it you could walk all over this dude despite him being ‘the most powerful even amongst the Verga’s’. Like really. Also, irony, he never wanted to use his gift and the one time he does he makes a complete and utter mess! Either way, it is sweet how much he did love his wife. However he really didn’t think of his kids. But I believe he does love them too.


Tecla Arcadius Verga

What a grand and tough lady. Clearly she was the one who wore the pants in the family. Beautiful, intelligent and capable thank god Mercy takes after her mother. A woman who loved her family and her husband. Who stepped in the path of a blinking bullet for crying out loud, to save Claudius who was just sitting there. It was what ultimately lead to her death but even so she wasn’t scared. This lady I like and respect. She was everything neat and it’s a shame what happened to her. Though she should have been a little more pissed at her hubby after hearing what he had done. But then again she showed massive compassion and wisdom in knowing why he had done so. In the end Tecla helped her daughter one last time before finally being freed herself.


Claudius Verga

Mercy’s uncle and Trajan’s brother. He met and fell in love with a normal woman, Marietta. He loved her so he went a little nuts. Though I don’t feel the same horror as the others about what he did to the cat though he certainly in those few chapters acted like a looney. So was his love. And you have to wonder if it was a healthy love. It was sweet though, trying to figure out a way for him and Marietta to be together forever. But still it was insane. And in the end he lost her. He broke and you can’t help but feel sympathy. In the end he became numb and supposedly in the end returned to the old country. To the family there. Let’s hope he learned his lesson…


Galatea and Aurelia Verga

The family Governess and Housekeeper respectively. Galatea is a hard and sometimes cold person. Described as not particularly beautiful Mercy was very against a romance between Galatea and Trajan. However that might just have been Charity’s silliness since nothing like that is hinted upon. I feel she wants to please Trajan, the master of the house, too eagerly and is way too hard on Mercy and kids in general. She needs to lighten up. Though I think she did get a taste of her own medicine and in the end wasn’t so bad. Aurelia meanwhile is just a sweet cupcake. Always the first to offer a hug and a kind word. She does show an angry side but she also melts within moments. Definitely more lovable then Galatea. Also a little braver of the two in standing up to Trajan? Also due to being apart of the Verga family both Galatea and Aurelia share in the immortal trait.


Marietta, Frederick & Chloe

Marietta was a mortal woman who met and fell in love with Claudius Verga. A man who would outlive her tenfold. Despite her not being mentioned a lot and like Tecla being deceased as Century’s story unfolds, I feel like she was a kind young woman who was just in love. However upon hearing the truth behind her new husband and his absurd and outrageous plan, she was broken hearted and in the end weighed her wedding dress down with stones and killed herself by slipping into the pond and never coming back out. She died the same night that Tecla did. The new ghost in the lake. Frederick, Marietta’s father, at discovering his loss, grew angry and retrieved a gun. He was described as a gaunt and red faced man. He levelled the pistol at Claudius, intent on killing him but instead hit Tecla who stepped in the way. Horrified he ran. I feel like he was just a concerned father who had lost his daughter and in a moment of grief did something stupid.

An act which would have consequences for a hundred years to come. Little Chloe meanwhile was Marietta’s younger sister and Mercy’s best friend. She appears so little and not very much is ever really said about her so a minimalistic opinion is all I can give. She sounded like a cute little girl who was definitely very close with Mercy. Then she saw her sister’s body after she had been found in the pond by Claudius and ran away from the sight, ran away from Mercy’s comfort. Later she was taken by her father after Claudius had chased him out, after Frederick had shot his brother’s wife, and with him fled Century. The last time Mercy would ever see her best friend again. That kinda killed me. But that’s what happened. A man lost his daughter and he took his youngest and fled. Forever, like the Verga’s, haunted by one night. I wished I could say there was a happy ending for this family, but in the end it is never mentioned what happened to them. Though with the passing of time, one can be assured only descendants remain.


(Final Word)

So along with two remaining questions I find myself also lingering on three facts. One is that it sucked that Charity couldn’t participate in the journey and see her mother again. Though I doubt she had the same power to do so which explains why. Next is the sad fact that Mercy and Chloe never saw each other again and what really hit me was that by the time Mercy remembered her childhood best friend, she had not only grown up but had died in the hundred years’ time of Mercy being sort of asleep, under an enchantment. I mean just imagine it. You remember your best friend and realise you can never see them again because they’ve been died for ages. Just wow. And what’s more. Anyone else notice how large the Verga family is? Also how only they are immortal? And we’ve seen what happens when a Verga falls for a normal person, what that ultimately means.

Well my point is, uh… To have a family and to have someone who could live forever like you, you would have to marry another Verga? Can someone say ‘tight genes’? Though I suppose as more descendants are born the blood thins but still. You know what I mean and don’t you pretend otherwise. This family basically marries and makes babies within the clan! Anyhoot. Again blood thins with time, branching out but still… Anyhoot. I also wish that Charity could have shared more in the adventure with her sister Mercy. I also wonder about how ‘lesser’ Verga’s are treated like servants with no choice but to serve the ‘master of the house’. (In this case a ‘master’ which really should be ignored and spanked to boot) And how does that work exactly? You spend a hundred years in your house then just send someone out one day? I mean how do you even go about reintegrating yourself into society? I mean when you go out and see all this new world stuff how do you keep a straight face? How do you act like you know about what you’re seeing when you have no clue? I mean I can only imagine asking every other person but what is this?

I also wonder what happened to Chloe and her father in the end. Also where did Claudius so conveniently vanish too? Hopefully he keeps his lunatic ass in line… I also could have sworn I had seen the picture of the house in winter with a horsemen riding away but when I rechecked the book it was gone… So I’ll not think too much on that. I am forgetting something too… Ah. There is one part which I totally did not get. The part where Mercy is thinking of her family’s life and ways. But I’ll figure it out. Or not. That’s all I can think of saying. Sorry if this review has been jumpy lol. Well that’s all she wrote folks. Until the next book guys!

[Vera Viselli · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Il perito aprì una cassa di legno. Pullulava di ragni e mandò uno sbuffo pungente di polvere. L'uomo tirò fuori i resti rosicchiati di alcuni abitini da bambino, trasformati in un nido di topi. - Niente - disse. -Robaccia -. Poi, frugando con più attenzione, trovò qualcosa. - Un momento... - aggiunse tossendo per la polvere. - E questo cos'è? Sollevò un libro dalla copertina di pelle rossa sbiadita e gli angoli consumati. Un grosso pezzo di spago strettamente annodato avvolgeva il volume come un pacco. Il perito estrasse un coltellino dalla tasca e tagliò lo spago. Aprì il libro e ne sfogliò le pagine, avvicinandoselo al naso. Lesse qualche riga, prima di richiuderlo di colpo. - È un romanzo di fantasmi - concluse".

Chi ha scritto questa storia, ovvero Sarah Singleton, è nata nella campagna inglese e ha lavorato in un negozio di cioccolato. Embe, direte voi, ha a che fare con Willy Wonka? No no, ma ha a che fare con una casa, per l'esattezza Century House. Ci vivono Macy, sua sorella Caroline, il loro papà, la governante e la cuoca.

Il problema è che Macy e Caroline vanno a dormire all'alba e si alzano al tramonto. Insomma, vivono di notte - e no, non stiamo parlando di vampiro. Ogni giorno (meglio dire notte, va) è identico al precedente, con le ragazze che studiano a casa da sole, nessun contatto con l'esterno. Century House sembra proprio non esistere ad occhi altrui.

Un giorno, però, Macy trova un fiore di bucaneve sul suo cuscino. Questo primo, strano cambiamento squarcia l'ordinarietà della sua vita e la porta a fare scoperte circa il suo passato - che a quanto pare è annebbiato tanto quanto la casa in cui dimora.

Insomma, per farla breve: ne La casa prigioniera del tempo abbiamo una protagonista che vede i fantasmi e che non ha paura di loro; che vorrebbe ritrovare il tocco degli altri esseri umani, il calore del sole e dell'estate; che vorrebbe poter ricordare sua madre e scegliere come, dove e quando vivere. Ma soprattutto, Macy vuole ricordare cosa è successo.

Beh, Macy, mi sei proprio entrata nel cuore.

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://ilibrisonounantidotoallatriste...

Macy e la sua famiglia da tempo immemore vivono in totale solitudine, ogni giorno uguale all'altro, senza domandarsi nemmeno perchè. Si svegliano al tramonto e fanno della notte il loro giorno, senza mai allontanarsi dalla casa. Sulle loro abitudini si potrebbe regolare un orologio. Macy ha anche un dono speciale: riesce a vedere i fantasmi. Ma anche questa bizzaria ormai è la normalità, nessuno ci fa più caso e la ragazzina saluta i fantasmi in modo automatico, come farebbe con una persona, senza quasi badare a loro. Ogni giorno Macy e la sua famiglia dicono le stesse cose, fanno le stesse cose, come se recitassero in un'infinita recita teatrale, ma non se ne rendono conto. Finchè un giorno accade qualcosa di diverso: Macy trova un fiore sul suo cuscino e qualcosa scatta dentro la sua testa. Iniziano a riaffiorare ricordi di un'altra vita accompagnati da domande a cui nessuno sembra saper rispondere. Perchè non riesce a ricordarsi di sua madre? Perchè nessuno ricorda com'è morta? E chi è la misteriosa ragazza fantasma che la scruta da sotto il ghiaccio del lago?

Questo libro urla Neil Gaiman da ogni pagina e proprio per questo mi ha attirato tanto. Come per i suoi libri abbiamo una copertina molto cupa e gotica, una trama misteriosa e dannatamente intrigante e una storia davvero particolare. Sarah Singleton però non è Neil Gaiman, e si sente. La storia in sè non ha niente che non va, anzi mi ha davvero colpito, l'idea di base è originale e mi sono appassionata subito ai misteri e agli enigmi che la piccola Macy si ritrova ad affrontare. E' un libro palesemente per bambini, nonostante l'atmosfera cupa, ma è stata una lettura piacevole anche per me, anche se non memorabile. Il punto di forza di questa storia è proprio la trama stuzziacante, piena di misteri ed intrighi. La protagonista, Macy, è una ragazzina molto sveglia e curiosa, con una capacità particolare, quella di vedere i fantasmi. Ma ciò che è davvero strano in lei e nella sua famiglia è che rivivono all'infinito lo stesso giorno, senza realmente rendersene conto. Ciò che fa scattare questa consapevolezza in Macy è l'incontro con un misterioso uomo che le fa capire che nella sua vita ci sono tanti segreti. Le indagini della ragazzina si estendondono nel tempo, più che nello spazio. La casa infatti è stata rinchiusa in una sorta di bolla temporale dove il tempo si è fermato a causa di un incantesimo, e per scoprire qualcosa Macy deve attraversare i ricordi della sua famiglia attraverso speciali portali. Fin da subito è chiaro che l'unico a sapere qualcosa è il padre, che controlla l'incantesimo attraverso un libro su cui ha scritto la storia della sua famiglia come vorrebbe che fosse. Non vuole rendere la figlia partecipe dei suoi segreti, non per cattiveria, ma per proteggere lei e sè stesso dal dolore. La loro famiglia infatti nasconde tante tragedie e tanti segreti, tanto dolore. Macy ovviamente non si fermerà. E' una ragazzina davvero testarda e intraprendente, oltre che molto coraggiosa. La sua avventura si svolgerà principalmente in solitaria, attraverso la riscrittura del libro custodito dal padre, con cui spera di spezzare l'incantesimo e far tornare tutto alla normalità, ma avrà un aiuto prezioso dalla sorellina minore Caroline e dal misterioso fratello del padre, Claudius, un personaggio centrale perchè protagonista della più grande tragedia mai abbattutasi sulla famiglia, un personaggio ambiguo, che passerà da positivo, a negativo, senza però mai diventare un vero e proprio antagonista. Ad ostacolarla invece ci sono il padre, che cerca di impedirle a tutti i costi di continuare le sue ricerce, e la severa tutrice Galatea, che lo affianca, cercando di arginare la sua curiosità. Ho letteralmente adorato la trama, il susseguirsi degli eventi, tutte le meravigliose trovate architettate dall'autrice, soprattutto verso la fine. Anche l'ambientazione è davvero suggestiva e le descrizioni sono molto buone. Non si può negare però che questo libro abbia qualche problema. Il difetto principale è lo stile dell'autrice, troppo semplice, piatto, confusionario, ripetitivo. Aveva tra le mani una bella storia, ma non è riuscita a dargli i giusti tempi narrativi, il giusto sprint, la giusta suspense. E' lento, a tratti noioso, la prima metà scorre davvero a fatica, soprattutto perchè non si capisce dove il tutto voglia andare a parare. Nella seconda parte si riprende un po', migliorando, fino ad un finale-non finale davvero geniale. Peccato che abbia rovinato quell'idea con un lieto fine abbastanza scontato. Poteva essere molto meglio.

[Ali · Rating 2 out of 5]

خيلي كتاب مزخرفي بود، حيف وقت

[Stephanie Kaye · Rating 1 out of 5]

Century written by Sarah Singleton is a fantastic, eerie and ghostly gothic novel that captures the essence of what gothic literature is about. The story focuses on two sisters who live in a mansion around the 1890s. One day, strange occurrences begin to happen and the story takes off from there. Every captivating gothic novel explores an atmosphere of mystery and suspense and has aspects to do with the supernatural or unexplainable events. Century explains this by bringing readers into a world of ghostly occurrences, secrets, untold stories and tension at every corner. In every family, there is most of the time untold history, some of the time unintentional or accidental. But imagine if you lived in a world purposely made to keep you from finding out the truth?

The book focuses on two young sisters Mercy and Charity, who live in a mansion somewhere in England in an eternal winter. Everyday is the same and their daily routine is repeated over and over. But one day, Mercy discovers something different, weird and ghostly circumstances that doesn’t justify to what she has known her whole life. She starts to be filled with curiosity and starts to question everything in her life especially her family history and her mother’s mysterious death. She is determined to find out the truth, no matter what it takes.

An effective and captivating gothic setting usually has interesting characters that are seeking to find out something but at the same time they are protecting themselves from a dominating male. This is most certainly displayed in Century by Mercy being a curious, likeable girl who is quick thinking, smart, stubborn and won’t stop to find out the truth. Although, she keeps her findings away from her father who wants her to know nothing about their family history. By finely creating an elaborate character, Sarah Singleton brings to the story a more suspenseful and mysterious plot with the characters tying the story together through their personalities and their determination to find out the truth. Through the characters, the story is made into an effective gothic story with complexity that makes the story complete.

In Century, the reader is provoked with the moral questions raised when Mercy discovers the truth about her family and the past. We are obligated to examine the negative consequences of the father (Trajan’s) secrets about who the the family really was and how holding back their past has caused the crumbling of the family’s surrounding world and their sense of who they are. This aspect of the story is strongly effective as it makes us consider and think about how their past was a complete secret and if it was really worth hiding the truth from Mercy and Charity. Therefore, causing them to live in isolation and wonder all their lives who they really were and why they were trapped in an eternal winter. Relating to the wider world, Century shows that we should not keep the truth to ourselves, it should be set free so we can let it go.

Overall, Century by Sarah Singleton is a thought provoking and strong gothic story that has suspense, mystery and a horrifying plot that makes the book engaging with youth and encourages them to read more to find out the truth of Century. I would recommend this novel because Century is an imaginative story with a beautifully expressive and a dismal setting. It has characters which fit in great with the story line and bring their own part into making the story an engaging gothic book. It is especially fantastic for readers who not only like gothic literature, but also are interested in the supernatural. It is also an immense start for introducing youth into the world of gothic literature. If you enjoy a book that gets your heart racing, anticipation to turn the next page, curiosity to find out more and with a gloomy and appalling plot, then Century by Sarah Singleton is the book for you! It is mostly aimed at the youth but it has a complex enough story line for older readers to enjoy it. Make sure to most definitely include Century on your reading list so you can be captivated by the intense characters, twisted storyline, hidden truths and the spooky environment. This book is a must read!