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Whole in the Clouds
Cora Catlin is a misfit at best, and an outcast at worst. She feels out of place, as if everything is backward and something is missing from her life.
And then, on her first day of middle school, everything changes.
When Cora encounters an elfin stranger who speaks of the magical world Clouden, an entire kingdom hidden up in the sky, she can’t wait to leave her boring, humdrum life behind. As Cora travels to her new home, where children sprout from the ground and rivers flow with chocolate, she finds herself transformed—and if that weren’t enough, she has to adjust to royal parents, talking Pegasuses, a raging war, and an alluring love interest as well.
Exploring this new land, Cora unearths wonders and secrets beyond her wildest imaginings, discovering the meaning of true friendship, love, and what it means to feel whole.
And then, on her first day of middle school, everything changes.
When Cora encounters an elfin stranger who speaks of the magical world Clouden, an entire kingdom hidden up in the sky, she can’t wait to leave her boring, humdrum life behind. As Cora travels to her new home, where children sprout from the ground and rivers flow with chocolate, she finds herself transformed—and if that weren’t enough, she has to adjust to royal parents, talking Pegasuses, a raging war, and an alluring love interest as well.
Exploring this new land, Cora unearths wonders and secrets beyond her wildest imaginings, discovering the meaning of true friendship, love, and what it means to feel whole.
- GenresFantasyMiddle Grade
234 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2014
1 person is currently reading
102 people want to read
About the author
K. Kibbee
12 books99 followersKristine Kibbee is a Pacific Northwest native with a love of language, nature, and animals. Kristine’s passion for creative writing began in her early youth and led her to Washington State University, where she earned a degree with a concentration in professional writing. Kristine has since had works published in The Vancougar, The Salal Review, S/tick Literary Review, and she is a featured columnist in the nationally syndicated magazine, Just Frenchies.
From the small town of Castle Rock, Washington, nestled among 22 acres of towering fir trees, Kristine relishes time spent outdoors with her two French bulldogs and one husband. She dreams of making the everyday world more magical with her fantasy novels.
Whole in the Clouds is her first middle grade novel.
From the small town of Castle Rock, Washington, nestled among 22 acres of towering fir trees, Kristine relishes time spent outdoors with her two French bulldogs and one husband. She dreams of making the everyday world more magical with her fantasy novels.
Whole in the Clouds is her first middle grade novel.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 20, 2016
Received from: Zharmae Publishing Press
Received Via: NetGalley.com
THE REVIEW
Why this book?
This seemed like it was going to be magical
What I thought
This book was not what I expected, I expected something magical; something that will captivate me. Unfortunately it didn’t, sure Clouden was a magical world but it was no Narnia or Wonderland. The romance was also disappointing there barely was anything there. When he said he loves her I was like are you serious right now? Also the big fight at the end; EPIC FAIL. Overall this was not a book for me, if it wasn’t such a fast read I wouldn’t of finished it.
Received Via: NetGalley.com
THE REVIEW
Why this book?
This seemed like it was going to be magical
What I thought
This book was not what I expected, I expected something magical; something that will captivate me. Unfortunately it didn’t, sure Clouden was a magical world but it was no Narnia or Wonderland. The romance was also disappointing there barely was anything there. When he said he loves her I was like are you serious right now? Also the big fight at the end; EPIC FAIL. Overall this was not a book for me, if it wasn’t such a fast read I wouldn’t of finished it.
December 19, 2014
*NetGalley book review*
This was a charming story of a girl, who is a target for "mean girls" in school that escapes in a different world that reminds her of the book Alice in Wonderland. I loved the descriptions of all the characters, also the details though out this book. The characters language was a new one to get use to reading but after time it came naturally. I enjoyed this book very much.
This was a charming story of a girl, who is a target for "mean girls" in school that escapes in a different world that reminds her of the book Alice in Wonderland. I loved the descriptions of all the characters, also the details though out this book. The characters language was a new one to get use to reading but after time it came naturally. I enjoyed this book very much.
October 8, 2014
I received this book free to review from Netgalley. It is written for children, in grades 3 to 12, but I do not recommend it for children because I think that it projects the wrong message. In this book, Cora is an overweight 12 year old who has been bullied about her weight all of her life. Her mother tries to get her to eat healthy but her father sneaks junk food to her. On her way to school one day she detours through the woods and meets an odd little man who tells her that her real parents (she is adopted) live in a city in the clouds and that they only sent her away for her own safety and that they want her to return. When she finally does go to Clouden, the city in the clouds, she becomes thin and beautiful because in Clouden, you look like your inner self and her inner self is a thin beautiful person. In Clouden, she can eat whatever she wants, which is things like hot fudge sundaes and she never gains weight. There are fantasy creatures and a love interest, but to me, this short book - almost a short story rather than a novel, promotes some very unhealthy concepts. Mothers in the book are all rather evil and junk food is glorified. Fat is ugly and thin is beautiful and it seems that the author has issues with food and with her mother. The book is edited well and the writing is not bad, but the entire concept behind it is just very unhealthy and I do not recommend it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 27, 2015
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Middle grade fantasy can be a little over the top at times. The best example I can give of this? Whole in the Clouds. It is sugary sweet; the type of sugary sweet that gives you a major cavity and you regret ever eating.
First, there is the main character Cora. Cora isn't the biggest problem I had with this book personality wise. However, I did have a problem with how the book portrayed her obesity. Cora is extremely overweight in the Backworld (our world), but she gets her true form in Clouden (the fantasy world), where she is extremely "slender" and "delicate" because this represents her extremely kind and good personality. Okay, one moment here *steps on soapbox*
What?!
The suggestion here that obesity=bad/mean (and yes, in this book it does, because the popular girls who bullied Cora's true form was that they were overweight and ugly) and slender=good/beautiful is dangerous, and I am am not okay with it at all. There are going to be young girls reading this, and I don't want them to come away with the conclusion that being if they aren't a certain size, they aren't good enough. I wish that instead of taking this road, the book could have had something about how all body types are equally beautiful, not just size 0 princesses.
*steps of soapbox*
Anyway, back to the review.
There are so many fantasy elements thrown into this one fantasy novel. It needs to be toned down. There's pegasus, all the animals can talk, people are born from seeds, and they get born old instead of babies and work their way down so that "youth isn't wasted on the young."...so basically, Benjamin Button. There were so many over the top fairytale-like details thrown in that the book began to look like this:
The writing style was annoying, because it was overly ornate and the fact is, nobody talks like this anymore, least of all twelve year old girls.
Example A: Cora made a promise to herself not to forget the plight of her parents in the Backworlds. The kindness they had bestowed upon her should be repaid with the like.
Example B: Her pessimistic nature took hold, her mind now envisioning years of unrequited waiting for her funny friend's return.
Something else I didn't like; the insta-love. Jasper meets Cora, and instantly they have an attraction. She's attracted to his eyes which are apparently bathed in innocence. It turns out they're marked for each other, which is basically like a soulmate. There's a romance. The other problem is? They're middle schoolers in real life.
Lastly, there's the fact that so much time is spent explaining Clouden and its magical-ness..there isn't actually that much of a plot. Yes, there's a feud between Cora and Jasper's family. But it's really put on the backburner for most of the story. Not cool. That should have taken precedence, in my opinion. Not more Clouden details.
This really wasn't something I'd recommend to anyone. If you want an interesting and well-written fantasy, read The Chronicles of Narnia.
Middle grade fantasy can be a little over the top at times. The best example I can give of this? Whole in the Clouds. It is sugary sweet; the type of sugary sweet that gives you a major cavity and you regret ever eating.
First, there is the main character Cora. Cora isn't the biggest problem I had with this book personality wise. However, I did have a problem with how the book portrayed her obesity. Cora is extremely overweight in the Backworld (our world), but she gets her true form in Clouden (the fantasy world), where she is extremely "slender" and "delicate" because this represents her extremely kind and good personality. Okay, one moment here *steps on soapbox*
What?!
The suggestion here that obesity=bad/mean (and yes, in this book it does, because the popular girls who bullied Cora's true form was that they were overweight and ugly) and slender=good/beautiful is dangerous, and I am am not okay with it at all. There are going to be young girls reading this, and I don't want them to come away with the conclusion that being if they aren't a certain size, they aren't good enough. I wish that instead of taking this road, the book could have had something about how all body types are equally beautiful, not just size 0 princesses.
*steps of soapbox*
Anyway, back to the review.
There are so many fantasy elements thrown into this one fantasy novel. It needs to be toned down. There's pegasus, all the animals can talk, people are born from seeds, and they get born old instead of babies and work their way down so that "youth isn't wasted on the young."...so basically, Benjamin Button. There were so many over the top fairytale-like details thrown in that the book began to look like this:
The writing style was annoying, because it was overly ornate and the fact is, nobody talks like this anymore, least of all twelve year old girls.
Example A: Cora made a promise to herself not to forget the plight of her parents in the Backworlds. The kindness they had bestowed upon her should be repaid with the like.
Example B: Her pessimistic nature took hold, her mind now envisioning years of unrequited waiting for her funny friend's return.
Something else I didn't like; the insta-love. Jasper meets Cora, and instantly they have an attraction. She's attracted to his eyes which are apparently bathed in innocence. It turns out they're marked for each other, which is basically like a soulmate. There's a romance. The other problem is? They're middle schoolers in real life.
Lastly, there's the fact that so much time is spent explaining Clouden and its magical-ness..there isn't actually that much of a plot. Yes, there's a feud between Cora and Jasper's family. But it's really put on the backburner for most of the story. Not cool. That should have taken precedence, in my opinion. Not more Clouden details.
This really wasn't something I'd recommend to anyone. If you want an interesting and well-written fantasy, read The Chronicles of Narnia.
June 27, 2016
Originally at The Fictional Reader
DNF at 38%
Because I didn't actually finish this book, I don't feel comfortable rating it either. This is my first DNF review ever! I tend to finish books, even though I am not enjoying them at all because I am just too stubborn to give up. That almost always ends in a reading slump though, which I kindly want to avoid. Since the publishers were kind enough to send this book to me for review, I did feel like I owed them one. But I could not make myself finish this book so I figured this would do. I'll go into the reasons I didn't like this one now.
First of all, Cora's adoptive mother is HORRIBLE. She keeps telling Cora that she's fat, has to lose weight and only lets her eat diet or extremely healthy foods that her daughter dislikes. That's some great parenting right there... Cora is bullied at school every day and her parents know this and don't do anything about it. Her mother just insists that she needs to try harder to make friends. WHAT?
As I said, Cora gets bullied at school by pretty much everyone. She doesn't speak up to the teachers about it, which I understand happens a lot in reality. Yet the teachers know and don't do anything either. The children are absolutely cruel just because Cora might not be as slim as the others. Because she's been a bit depressed and lonely, she gets a dog and choose one herself. I think it's adorable that she chose that particular dog, but again, I think it was done for the wrong reasons. She chose that dog because it was the one that mistrusted all humans, one that wasn't wanted. She said that would fit her. So she feels like she's not wanted either?
The last thing I just couldn't deal with was when Cora gsoes to Clouden. Apparently, in our world everything is upside down or "backwards". So when she arrives in Clouden, she becomes the person she really is on the inside. And I understand that they probably wanted to show that she was a beautiful person on the inside but in my opinion, they went about it the wrong way. Because she turned beautiful and is described as: older, SLIM, etc. So she wasn't anything before, when she was chubbier, but now she's beautiful because she is slim? So everyone that isn't slim is ugly and everyone who is slim is beautiful? That is not what I would want to teach anyone.
I know I sound really harsh right now, but you know I only state my honest opinion. The only parts that I liked about the book were her father in the beginning and the description of Clouden. Her father kept slipping her treats and he seemed to be the only parent that really cared about her. And Clouden really seemed like a magical place! I just didn't agree with the rest of the book.
PS: I didn't rate this book nor counted it towards my Goodreads reading goal, as I didn't actually finish it.
DNF at 38%
Because I didn't actually finish this book, I don't feel comfortable rating it either. This is my first DNF review ever! I tend to finish books, even though I am not enjoying them at all because I am just too stubborn to give up. That almost always ends in a reading slump though, which I kindly want to avoid. Since the publishers were kind enough to send this book to me for review, I did feel like I owed them one. But I could not make myself finish this book so I figured this would do. I'll go into the reasons I didn't like this one now.
First of all, Cora's adoptive mother is HORRIBLE. She keeps telling Cora that she's fat, has to lose weight and only lets her eat diet or extremely healthy foods that her daughter dislikes. That's some great parenting right there... Cora is bullied at school every day and her parents know this and don't do anything about it. Her mother just insists that she needs to try harder to make friends. WHAT?
As I said, Cora gets bullied at school by pretty much everyone. She doesn't speak up to the teachers about it, which I understand happens a lot in reality. Yet the teachers know and don't do anything either. The children are absolutely cruel just because Cora might not be as slim as the others. Because she's been a bit depressed and lonely, she gets a dog and choose one herself. I think it's adorable that she chose that particular dog, but again, I think it was done for the wrong reasons. She chose that dog because it was the one that mistrusted all humans, one that wasn't wanted. She said that would fit her. So she feels like she's not wanted either?
The last thing I just couldn't deal with was when Cora gsoes to Clouden. Apparently, in our world everything is upside down or "backwards". So when she arrives in Clouden, she becomes the person she really is on the inside. And I understand that they probably wanted to show that she was a beautiful person on the inside but in my opinion, they went about it the wrong way. Because she turned beautiful and is described as: older, SLIM, etc. So she wasn't anything before, when she was chubbier, but now she's beautiful because she is slim? So everyone that isn't slim is ugly and everyone who is slim is beautiful? That is not what I would want to teach anyone.
I know I sound really harsh right now, but you know I only state my honest opinion. The only parts that I liked about the book were her father in the beginning and the description of Clouden. Her father kept slipping her treats and he seemed to be the only parent that really cared about her. And Clouden really seemed like a magical place! I just didn't agree with the rest of the book.
PS: I didn't rate this book nor counted it towards my Goodreads reading goal, as I didn't actually finish it.
May 26, 2015
Originally posted here: https://heatherreviews.wordpress.com/...
__________________________
I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, it's a charming tale about a magical world where inner beauty shows, animals can talk, unicorns exist, and you can eat what you like without any repercussions. On the other hand, this book doesn't have the great uplifting message I had been hoping for and it does have a 'all humans are evil' vibe to it too.
Cora is a young girl who is struggling with weight issues. Bullied at school by the pretty, thin girls and bullied at home by her mother - who is only trying to help, but in the worst possible way by continually reminding her daughter that she's fat. I had thought that this story would be about Cora finding the strength within herself to be happy with who she is and overcome the bullies. Not so.
When Cora finds out about the magical kingdom of Clouden she immediately abandons her life on earth and goes there - almost entirely forgetting about her parents in the process. The story moves at a slow pace and not a lot happens other than Cora marvelling at the wondrous things around her. It got a bit boring at this point, if I'm honest.
The overall plot of the two families that were best friends and then fell out and now there's a war, is one that I've seen many times before - especially when the son of one family is in love with the daughter of the other and the parents do everything to keep them apart. It's been done, and it's been done better.
This wasn't a terrible story. It has lots of magic and fun, but it wasn't enough for me to consider it a really good read. It's okay, and relatively short too so it wouldn't take long to read.
Not one that I can rave about though.
__________________________
I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, it's a charming tale about a magical world where inner beauty shows, animals can talk, unicorns exist, and you can eat what you like without any repercussions. On the other hand, this book doesn't have the great uplifting message I had been hoping for and it does have a 'all humans are evil' vibe to it too.
Cora is a young girl who is struggling with weight issues. Bullied at school by the pretty, thin girls and bullied at home by her mother - who is only trying to help, but in the worst possible way by continually reminding her daughter that she's fat. I had thought that this story would be about Cora finding the strength within herself to be happy with who she is and overcome the bullies. Not so.
When Cora finds out about the magical kingdom of Clouden she immediately abandons her life on earth and goes there - almost entirely forgetting about her parents in the process. The story moves at a slow pace and not a lot happens other than Cora marvelling at the wondrous things around her. It got a bit boring at this point, if I'm honest.
The overall plot of the two families that were best friends and then fell out and now there's a war, is one that I've seen many times before - especially when the son of one family is in love with the daughter of the other and the parents do everything to keep them apart. It's been done, and it's been done better.
This wasn't a terrible story. It has lots of magic and fun, but it wasn't enough for me to consider it a really good read. It's okay, and relatively short too so it wouldn't take long to read.
Not one that I can rave about though.
April 10, 2015
There is a line between Middle School Fiction and YA, and Whole in the Clouds falls pretty firmly into the former category. The writing is pretty light, the plot probably fell more in the whole unicorns and rainbows and sparkly magic category that I usually like, and I got bored pretty quickly with the plot. That's not to say I may not have enjoyed it more had I been younger. But as it stands, this wasn't quite mature enough for my taste.
One of the biggest problems I had with this story though was the treatment of beauty and weight. Cora is, to be blunt, fat, and the people surrounding her are pretty terrible to her about it. While that happens, and people are mean, I didn't like how the book handled the issue of her weight. She goes to this magical place, and then suddenly, tada, she's going to be skinny and beautiful? It just irritates me a little when that much emphasis is put on looks only to give a magical answer. She's made skinny because she's a good person on the inside, and when she gets to this land, the inside matches the outside.
I just feel like the morals were coming across all wrong. I don't think I'd want to share this with a middle schooler because I'm really not sure that's the message I want to be sharing. If anything, the story would make me feel even more depressed as a kid. If I'm fat but I'm a nice person, I'm just backwards? If I was in this magical place it'll all get straightened out? Why should my weight have anything to do with who I am on the inside? Red flags, red flags all over the place.
The world is creative, and the cover was beautiful, but some things just seemed shallow to me. This book had a lot of potential to encourage younger readers, but somewhere in the execution it came out garbled.
One of the biggest problems I had with this story though was the treatment of beauty and weight. Cora is, to be blunt, fat, and the people surrounding her are pretty terrible to her about it. While that happens, and people are mean, I didn't like how the book handled the issue of her weight. She goes to this magical place, and then suddenly, tada, she's going to be skinny and beautiful? It just irritates me a little when that much emphasis is put on looks only to give a magical answer. She's made skinny because she's a good person on the inside, and when she gets to this land, the inside matches the outside.
I just feel like the morals were coming across all wrong. I don't think I'd want to share this with a middle schooler because I'm really not sure that's the message I want to be sharing. If anything, the story would make me feel even more depressed as a kid. If I'm fat but I'm a nice person, I'm just backwards? If I was in this magical place it'll all get straightened out? Why should my weight have anything to do with who I am on the inside? Red flags, red flags all over the place.
The world is creative, and the cover was beautiful, but some things just seemed shallow to me. This book had a lot of potential to encourage younger readers, but somewhere in the execution it came out garbled.
October 9, 2014
Whole in the Clouds by Kristine Kibbee is a delightful book of HOPE for young people. Even as an adult reader, I genuinely enjoyed this book. And as a grandmother, I look forward to sharing it with my young grandchildren in hopes that they will benefit from its valuable moral (non-preachy) lessons regarding issues like bullying, recognizing inner beauty and taking care of the gifts that nature has given us. The book had my imagination stretching and visualizing a whole new world. The descriptions were vivid and the dialogue was authentic and the writing was superb. I would highly recommend it to any reader, young or old. I feel it's a throwback to some of the classic fairy tales that I myself read as a child and yet still relish today. I have no doubt this book will become a classic right alongside Cinderella and be passed down for generations. It will become a dog-eared favorite of young people everywhere.
January 11, 2015
I love the concept of the worlds Kibbee has created. The contrast between Clouden and Backworlds is uniquely developed as perceptions of characters change. She has done a superb job of describing this world, bringing in all of the senses and enticing readers in.
But. There's a lot of editing issues, so many it's distracting. It's a slow start to a story that ends up not really going anywhere that makes sense. Stereotypes are relied on heavily, and wishes of characters don't go much beyond the immediate future.
I think it's a great story to young readers who want to get lost in a world. Anyone with interest in character development, this isn't really your book.
For my full review, check-out http://redcurlygurl.tumblr.com/post/1....
Or visit my tumblr at redcurlygurl.tumblr.com
But. There's a lot of editing issues, so many it's distracting. It's a slow start to a story that ends up not really going anywhere that makes sense. Stereotypes are relied on heavily, and wishes of characters don't go much beyond the immediate future.
I think it's a great story to young readers who want to get lost in a world. Anyone with interest in character development, this isn't really your book.
For my full review, check-out http://redcurlygurl.tumblr.com/post/1....
Or visit my tumblr at redcurlygurl.tumblr.com
October 10, 2014
I enjoyed Whole in the Clouds and would definitely be giving it to a daughter, granddaughter, niece in this age range come Christmas, especially if she feels out of sync with her contemporaries. (Our main character, Cora, is 12-13.) This book is almost a study for how a young girl contemplates and escapes unpleasant circumstances - first with sensitivity and then with imagination.
Naturally, the young reader will not necessarily capture those sensitivities; they will be captured by the fantastical world Cora encounters. Like all good children's books, our heroine is curious, brave, and ready for adventure.
Naturally, the young reader will not necessarily capture those sensitivities; they will be captured by the fantastical world Cora encounters. Like all good children's books, our heroine is curious, brave, and ready for adventure.
December 22, 2017
I read this story based solely on the strength of the author's Twitter account, which is a veritable fountain of splendid wit. Whole in the Clouds is one of her earliest works, but nevertheless her skill (and, I have no doubt, her joy) at playing with words is overtly apparent here; if the overall quality of her prose is not proof enough of that, there are plenty of more specific examples, from the pegasus who speaks only in rhymes to some good old-fashioned quipping. Although her powers have only increased in the intervening years, I still found Whole in the Clouds to be an entertaining read on a paragraph-by-paragraph basis.
Unfortunately, this story suffers from a failing that I believe my own attempts at prose are blighted by: a weak plot. The difference between writing a good sentence and writing a good story is vast. I am loath to criticise a narrative that I feel was aimed at an audience approximately half my own age, but there is an art to constructing a tale; the first act of Whole in the Clouds was a solid foundation, but the remainder of the story was somewhat aimless. Few of the characters had anything approaching a narrative arc; their interactions are fine in terms of dialogue, but a large portion of the novel is little more than easing the protagonist, Cora, into her new life in the fantastical world of Clouden, giving characters little room for growth. Pacing also proves to be a problem at times: in particular, Cora's introductions to two important characters (her romantic interest, and the main villain) both happen very abruptly, and the subsequent scenes are rushed through without giving the newcomers time to have much of an impact. The plot also hints at a lengthy civil war in Clouden, which (combined with the brief and violent role of the villain) seems quite at odds with the gentle tone of the tale; personally, I wish the story had cut away this thread of the narrative, and focused entirely on the dilemma of a young girl torn between two worlds - and the people who love her in each.
My final problem is more mundane: the text (of the Kindle version, at least) has a few too many distracting errors, and could use a good re-read for editorial purposes. The sentence 'He went down hard and his was mind knocked into unconsciousness' is especially unfortunate, occurring as it does at an important point in the final battle. As a side-note: reading a sentence about how a young girl 'drug herself through each monotonous school day' was a bit disturbing, until I learned that 'drug' is a legitimate (albeit dialectal, in my defence!) synonym for 'dragged'…
In short, Whole in the Clouds is a nice novel, populated with entertaining characters and studded with imaginative ideas; but it feels rushed, not to mention a tad incomplete. It won't please those who dislike tales of escapist fantasy, or stories that pay little heed to the usual rules of narrative, but it is likeable (and cheap) enough for me to have no regrets about reading it. Yes, I know, most of my review has been spent complaining, but that's only because I'm not used to writing reviews and it's easier to criticise art than compliment it. There is certainly enough potential here that I intend to read later works by the author in the near future.
Unfortunately, this story suffers from a failing that I believe my own attempts at prose are blighted by: a weak plot. The difference between writing a good sentence and writing a good story is vast. I am loath to criticise a narrative that I feel was aimed at an audience approximately half my own age, but there is an art to constructing a tale; the first act of Whole in the Clouds was a solid foundation, but the remainder of the story was somewhat aimless. Few of the characters had anything approaching a narrative arc; their interactions are fine in terms of dialogue, but a large portion of the novel is little more than easing the protagonist, Cora, into her new life in the fantastical world of Clouden, giving characters little room for growth. Pacing also proves to be a problem at times: in particular, Cora's introductions to two important characters (her romantic interest, and the main villain) both happen very abruptly, and the subsequent scenes are rushed through without giving the newcomers time to have much of an impact. The plot also hints at a lengthy civil war in Clouden, which (combined with the brief and violent role of the villain) seems quite at odds with the gentle tone of the tale; personally, I wish the story had cut away this thread of the narrative, and focused entirely on the dilemma of a young girl torn between two worlds - and the people who love her in each.
My final problem is more mundane: the text (of the Kindle version, at least) has a few too many distracting errors, and could use a good re-read for editorial purposes. The sentence 'He went down hard and his was mind knocked into unconsciousness' is especially unfortunate, occurring as it does at an important point in the final battle. As a side-note: reading a sentence about how a young girl 'drug herself through each monotonous school day' was a bit disturbing, until I learned that 'drug' is a legitimate (albeit dialectal, in my defence!) synonym for 'dragged'…
In short, Whole in the Clouds is a nice novel, populated with entertaining characters and studded with imaginative ideas; but it feels rushed, not to mention a tad incomplete. It won't please those who dislike tales of escapist fantasy, or stories that pay little heed to the usual rules of narrative, but it is likeable (and cheap) enough for me to have no regrets about reading it. Yes, I know, most of my review has been spent complaining, but that's only because I'm not used to writing reviews and it's easier to criticise art than compliment it. There is certainly enough potential here that I intend to read later works by the author in the near future.
October 11, 2017
A full 5/5 Sparkle Stars!
My mom owns a newspaper and one of her clients sent her this book to review! She did so and so did I. Since my name is ALSO the protagonists name, my mom thought I would enjoy it. And boy, was she right! I absolutely LOVE this book! I am normally super picky about which books I give 5 stars to (My absolute favorites), and this one is definitely in my Top 3 Favorite Books! I don't want to spoil anything so please go check it out! An amazing fantasy tied into reality book with just the right amount of mystery!
My mom owns a newspaper and one of her clients sent her this book to review! She did so and so did I. Since my name is ALSO the protagonists name, my mom thought I would enjoy it. And boy, was she right! I absolutely LOVE this book! I am normally super picky about which books I give 5 stars to (My absolute favorites), and this one is definitely in my Top 3 Favorite Books! I don't want to spoil anything so please go check it out! An amazing fantasy tied into reality book with just the right amount of mystery!
November 16, 2014
I felt very torn while reading this book. I liked the beginning of the book. I found Cora to be a likable character, and sympathized with her daily struggles. I was also impressed with how she kept meeting every day, even though she didn't expect much good to greet her (and she was usually right).
However, when we are introduced to Clouden, I had trouble suspending my disbelief. Which was odd, because it's normally not a problem for me. It all just seemed a little too fantastical. In some ways, I liked the idea of it showing Cora her true self, but at the same time, I felt a bit disappointed that things start to go well for the main character once she is made beautiful. At the beginning of the book, I was surprised that the heroine was not beautiful- because it's uncommon. But, I really started to like that, so when the problem was so easily solved, I found myself disappointed. I understand that the author was most likely sending a message to look beneath the surface, and that many times a pretty exterior hides an interior that is less than desirable. But, I guess I worried about the insinuation that, in the Backworlds if you were good-looking there was obviously something wrong with who you were.
I did try to keep in mind that this book is obviously intended for children. However, I find that with truly wonderful children's books, I still love them. As a reading teacher, I read books with my students, but I also read children's books separately from them, to expand my knowledge, so that I can better give reading recommendations. With a truly strong children's book, I usually don't struggle.
That's not to say that this isn't a good book. I think there are a lot of wonderful components to this book. I liked Motley, especially once he could talk. I loved Orion, and the way he spoke in rhyme (very clever, and yet it always made sense!). I guess, I wish that a little less time had been spent describing the perfectness of Clouden.
All of that being said, I think many children would love this book, and I would recommend it to students that I feel would enjoy it. I did enjoy the book most of the time.
Thank you very much to NetGalley and Zharmae Publishing Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
However, when we are introduced to Clouden, I had trouble suspending my disbelief. Which was odd, because it's normally not a problem for me. It all just seemed a little too fantastical. In some ways, I liked the idea of it showing Cora her true self, but at the same time, I felt a bit disappointed that things start to go well for the main character once she is made beautiful. At the beginning of the book, I was surprised that the heroine was not beautiful- because it's uncommon. But, I really started to like that, so when the problem was so easily solved, I found myself disappointed. I understand that the author was most likely sending a message to look beneath the surface, and that many times a pretty exterior hides an interior that is less than desirable. But, I guess I worried about the insinuation that, in the Backworlds if you were good-looking there was obviously something wrong with who you were.
I did try to keep in mind that this book is obviously intended for children. However, I find that with truly wonderful children's books, I still love them. As a reading teacher, I read books with my students, but I also read children's books separately from them, to expand my knowledge, so that I can better give reading recommendations. With a truly strong children's book, I usually don't struggle.
That's not to say that this isn't a good book. I think there are a lot of wonderful components to this book. I liked Motley, especially once he could talk. I loved Orion, and the way he spoke in rhyme (very clever, and yet it always made sense!). I guess, I wish that a little less time had been spent describing the perfectness of Clouden.
All of that being said, I think many children would love this book, and I would recommend it to students that I feel would enjoy it. I did enjoy the book most of the time.
Thank you very much to NetGalley and Zharmae Publishing Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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November 13, 2014Without any circumlocution, I will get straight to the point of review. As a young adult, this book let me relive my childhood fantasies: replete with all elements of magic and fantasy. Infact at a point I anticipated a feature of unicorns and Will-o'-the-wisp, well, I am kidding. Right there, I knew I am loving the novel, it was such a great escape.
For the first two chapters I thought I might just be reading another drag story of how a misfit teen battles with bullying and retreats into self-contemplation. But the turn that the story took was a welcome change.
Clouden, of all things, deserves a special mention. The place is a fragment of my childhood imagination, and reading the story gave me an inexplicable pleasure. A tickling tinge.
but when all is said and done, (and read) I believe that the plot somehow lacks the dramatic panache that such a novel demands. So, for instance, when Cora Catlin leaves home, a letter as a farewell seems highly inadequate. Similarly, she accepts everything very easily. Not that she is naive or credulous, but in a way that this is what she expected. Frankly, that bogged down even my enthusiasm regarding the plot. Which makes me question: if this book is not for adults, is it entirely for kids? I still doubt that too.
Also, I have scratched my brain a lot, but couldn't fit in the title convincingly with the book.
Still, I'd say that the book's best part is the descriptio of Clouden, and oh! what would I not give to live in those magical places again?
My blog tells more: here
For the first two chapters I thought I might just be reading another drag story of how a misfit teen battles with bullying and retreats into self-contemplation. But the turn that the story took was a welcome change.
Clouden, of all things, deserves a special mention. The place is a fragment of my childhood imagination, and reading the story gave me an inexplicable pleasure. A tickling tinge.
but when all is said and done, (and read) I believe that the plot somehow lacks the dramatic panache that such a novel demands. So, for instance, when Cora Catlin leaves home, a letter as a farewell seems highly inadequate. Similarly, she accepts everything very easily. Not that she is naive or credulous, but in a way that this is what she expected. Frankly, that bogged down even my enthusiasm regarding the plot. Which makes me question: if this book is not for adults, is it entirely for kids? I still doubt that too.
Also, I have scratched my brain a lot, but couldn't fit in the title convincingly with the book.
Still, I'd say that the book's best part is the descriptio of Clouden, and oh! what would I not give to live in those magical places again?
My blog tells more: here
February 24, 2016
Received the copy from NetGalley on behalf of Zharmae Publishing Press in exchange for honest review
WARNING: Probably contains minor spoilers
The concept about the land above the sky always captivating me. When I read the blurb, I imagined Clouden would be as beautiful as any magical world. And it was. You would be prettier than yourself in this world and you could eat so many sweet cakes, yummy cookies and every delicious foods with no regrets about cholesterols and fats. But the story itself failed everything. I didn't get the chemistry between Cora and Patrick, I didn't get the desire of Barnabus, and the war stuff.... it's like a one by one fight. IMO, a war should included troops and affected the civils, moreover Finnegan Thomas is a king!! But how can a king's war only described in two pages??
The concept about the appearance's contrary between Clouden and Backworld (our world, in Cloudenian language) also interesting. But, why only appearance? Could it be possible if the magic also leaked into the deepest of the heart? The people personality probably? It gonna be a great world to explore..me think. But once again, it was just me. Me who disagree that it was okay to eat so many sweet things and how we looked was above everything. If only there would be a story how Cora stand her up to fight the Bombshell, this story would be more epic.
Oh and one more....THE COVER IS AWESOME!!! Please don't change it :)
WARNING: Probably contains minor spoilers
The concept about the land above the sky always captivating me. When I read the blurb, I imagined Clouden would be as beautiful as any magical world. And it was. You would be prettier than yourself in this world and you could eat so many sweet cakes, yummy cookies and every delicious foods with no regrets about cholesterols and fats. But the story itself failed everything. I didn't get the chemistry between Cora and Patrick, I didn't get the desire of Barnabus, and the war stuff.... it's like a one by one fight. IMO, a war should included troops and affected the civils, moreover Finnegan Thomas is a king!! But how can a king's war only described in two pages??
The concept about the appearance's contrary between Clouden and Backworld (our world, in Cloudenian language) also interesting. But, why only appearance? Could it be possible if the magic also leaked into the deepest of the heart? The people personality probably? It gonna be a great world to explore..me think. But once again, it was just me. Me who disagree that it was okay to eat so many sweet things and how we looked was above everything. If only there would be a story how Cora stand her up to fight the Bombshell, this story would be more epic.
Oh and one more....THE COVER IS AWESOME!!! Please don't change it :)
January 9, 2015
This story takes the uncomfortable theme of not fitting in (in this case, over-weight) and whams it head-on. The main character, 12-year-old Cora, is miserable. From page one, her depression is crystal clear. She doesn't get along well with her 'mother', but does enjoy sneaking around to enjoy treats with her 'father'. Cora's concentration on food is not to be over-looked. At school, she's immediately bullied about her weight and spends the day sulking and hating life. So when she finally takes off into the forest and meets an elfin creature, the first rays (however, tiny) of sunshine come through.
The writing itself is simple and targets the younger side of the middle grade audience (I'd say ages 8-10). The plot moves along nicely, and there's never the danger of scenes being overly described or sticking around too long - nope, no risk of boredom here. The characters are easy to understand, and enjoyable to watch, especially in the fantasy world. It was easy to dive into the new world, and fun to watch Cora as she learns to like herself.
Summed up, this definitely is a story with purpose, but the writer does a nice job setting the message in a beautiful, fantasy realm. I believe younger readers will enjoy diving into the simpler story with Cora and have no trouble sympathizing with her situation.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
The writing itself is simple and targets the younger side of the middle grade audience (I'd say ages 8-10). The plot moves along nicely, and there's never the danger of scenes being overly described or sticking around too long - nope, no risk of boredom here. The characters are easy to understand, and enjoyable to watch, especially in the fantasy world. It was easy to dive into the new world, and fun to watch Cora as she learns to like herself.
Summed up, this definitely is a story with purpose, but the writer does a nice job setting the message in a beautiful, fantasy realm. I believe younger readers will enjoy diving into the simpler story with Cora and have no trouble sympathizing with her situation.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 26, 2015
I was gifted a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. That in no way changes my opinion of this book.
“Whole in the Clouds” is a cute, whimsical, and fun read. There are valuable lessons throughout the book that young readers may relate to ie: bullying (you know those ‘mean girls’), discovering your beauty from within, and appreciating the gifts from nature.
The main character, Cora, is taken to a whole new world via a tree in the forest, Clouden. The way the characters speak in Clouden takes a little getting used to, but you pick up on it quickly. The author does a wonderful job describing the scenery, the characters, and the mood of the moment, so much so that you feel like you are right there, alongside Cora.
Overall, this is a good book, age appropriate for all readers, though it will most likely appeal to middle school aged readers.
“Whole in the Clouds” is a cute, whimsical, and fun read. There are valuable lessons throughout the book that young readers may relate to ie: bullying (you know those ‘mean girls’), discovering your beauty from within, and appreciating the gifts from nature.
The main character, Cora, is taken to a whole new world via a tree in the forest, Clouden. The way the characters speak in Clouden takes a little getting used to, but you pick up on it quickly. The author does a wonderful job describing the scenery, the characters, and the mood of the moment, so much so that you feel like you are right there, alongside Cora.
Overall, this is a good book, age appropriate for all readers, though it will most likely appeal to middle school aged readers.
November 15, 2014
I want to say thanks to Zharmae Publishing Press and Netgalley for letting me read this book in exchange for a honest review. I really liked this book I feel like this isn't just for children, but for anyone really. This book is for basically anyone who is a misfit. Cora goes to this place where anything seems possible and it truly is. She discovers what friendship is and love. I think this book teaches you that it is okay to be you. You don't have to be someone else to have friendship and love. This could book people should read because it is important to understand the theme of this book. I would recommend this book to anyone who loved Fablehaven or anyone who is looking for a nice coming to age book.
January 27, 2015
Cora is a misfit. She doesn't understand people. One day an elfin stranger tells her that she is needed back in her world. When she goes, she discovers love and friendship. She understands that she is fine just the way she is.
A story for anyone who feels like a misfit and for those who don't. It is a book that needs to be read by everyone. I like the fantastic ideas in the story. It made me smile.
Disclaimer: I received a digital galley of this book free from the publisher from NetGalley. I was not obliged to write a favourable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
A story for anyone who feels like a misfit and for those who don't. It is a book that needs to be read by everyone. I like the fantastic ideas in the story. It made me smile.
Disclaimer: I received a digital galley of this book free from the publisher from NetGalley. I was not obliged to write a favourable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
January 3, 2015
Review copy received through NetGalley.
I love the time-honored concept of the unhappy misfit child discovering she really belongs in a fantastic magical land, but the execution here left much to be desired. Most of all, the incessant fat-shaming is NOT something we need any more of in children's literature or in society as a whole.
I love the time-honored concept of the unhappy misfit child discovering she really belongs in a fantastic magical land, but the execution here left much to be desired. Most of all, the incessant fat-shaming is NOT something we need any more of in children's literature or in society as a whole.
November 19, 2014
Such a cute MG book! Review to come
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