What do you think?
Rate this book
The Vespertine #3
The Elementals
Kate Witherspoon has lived a bohemian life with her artist parents. In 1917, the new art form of the motion picture is changing entertainment—and Kate is determined to become a director.
Meanwhile, midwestern farm boy Julian Birch has inherited the wanderlust that fueled his parents’ adventures. A childhood bout with polio has left him crippled, but he refuses to let his disability define him.
Strangers driven by a shared vision, Kate and Julian set out separately for Los Angeles, the city of dreams. There, they each struggle to find their independence. When they finally meet, the teenage runaways realize their true magical legacy: the ability to triumph over death, and over time. But as their powerful parents before them learned, all magic comes with a price.
Meanwhile, midwestern farm boy Julian Birch has inherited the wanderlust that fueled his parents’ adventures. A childhood bout with polio has left him crippled, but he refuses to let his disability define him.
Strangers driven by a shared vision, Kate and Julian set out separately for Los Angeles, the city of dreams. There, they each struggle to find their independence. When they finally meet, the teenage runaways realize their true magical legacy: the ability to triumph over death, and over time. But as their powerful parents before them learned, all magic comes with a price.
Hardcover
First published June 4, 2013
3 people are currently reading
1476 people want to read
About the author
Saundra Mitchell
31 books564 followersSaundra Mitchell is the author of SHADOWED SUMMER, THE VESPERTINE, THE SPRINGSWEET, THE ELEMENTALS, MISTWALKER, and ALL THE THINGS WE DO IN THE DARK. In non-fiction, she’s the author of the non-fiction THEY DID WHAT!? series for middle grade readers. Her first adult novel, THIS SIDE OF GONE, will be published by William Morrow in January 2026.
She’s also the co-author of the CAMP MURDERFACE series with Josh Berk, and the editor of four YA anthologies: DEFY THE DARK, ALL OUT, OUT NOW, and OUT THERE. She also adapted the hit Broadway Musical THE PROM for teen readers!
Mitchell writes under multiple pen names, including Jessa Holbrook (WHILE YOU’RE AWAY,) Alex Mallory (WILD,) and Rory Harrison (LOOKING FOR GROUP.)
SHADOWED SUMMER was the 2010 winner of The Society of Midland Authors Book Award for Children’s Fiction and a 2010 Edgar® Award Nominee. It was chosen as a Junior Library Guild selection and an ALAN Pick in 2009. In 2020, ALL THE THINGS WE DO IN THE DARK was a Lambda Finalist, and the winner of the Indiana Authors Award for Young Adult Fiction.
Her short story “Ready to Wear” was nominated for a 2007 Pushcart Prize after appearing in Vestal Review Issue 27. Her short fiction and non-fiction has appeared in anthologies including TRANSMOGRIFY!, FORESHADOW, YOU TOO?, A TYRANNY OF PETTICOATS, FORETOLD, and DEAR BULLY.
For twenty years, she was the head screenwriter and an executive producer with Dreaming Tree Films on their various teen filmmaking programs, including the largest teen filmmaking program in the United States, Fresh Films. They produced more than four hundred films from her screenplays, and she earned Academy Award eligibility ten times during her tenure.
In other arenas, Ms. Mitchell was interviewed by the New York Times and the BBC for her part in exposing the Kaycee Nicole hoax, and she’s been tapped by morning radio shows all over the United States as a guest expert on Urban Legends & Folklore.
In her free time, she enjoys fandom, studying history, playing ttrpgs and video games, and spending time with her wife and daughters. Her pronouns are she/they.
She’s also the co-author of the CAMP MURDERFACE series with Josh Berk, and the editor of four YA anthologies: DEFY THE DARK, ALL OUT, OUT NOW, and OUT THERE. She also adapted the hit Broadway Musical THE PROM for teen readers!
Mitchell writes under multiple pen names, including Jessa Holbrook (WHILE YOU’RE AWAY,) Alex Mallory (WILD,) and Rory Harrison (LOOKING FOR GROUP.)
SHADOWED SUMMER was the 2010 winner of The Society of Midland Authors Book Award for Children’s Fiction and a 2010 Edgar® Award Nominee. It was chosen as a Junior Library Guild selection and an ALAN Pick in 2009. In 2020, ALL THE THINGS WE DO IN THE DARK was a Lambda Finalist, and the winner of the Indiana Authors Award for Young Adult Fiction.
Her short story “Ready to Wear” was nominated for a 2007 Pushcart Prize after appearing in Vestal Review Issue 27. Her short fiction and non-fiction has appeared in anthologies including TRANSMOGRIFY!, FORESHADOW, YOU TOO?, A TYRANNY OF PETTICOATS, FORETOLD, and DEAR BULLY.
For twenty years, she was the head screenwriter and an executive producer with Dreaming Tree Films on their various teen filmmaking programs, including the largest teen filmmaking program in the United States, Fresh Films. They produced more than four hundred films from her screenplays, and she earned Academy Award eligibility ten times during her tenure.
In other arenas, Ms. Mitchell was interviewed by the New York Times and the BBC for her part in exposing the Kaycee Nicole hoax, and she’s been tapped by morning radio shows all over the United States as a guest expert on Urban Legends & Folklore.
In her free time, she enjoys fandom, studying history, playing ttrpgs and video games, and spending time with her wife and daughters. Her pronouns are she/they.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
September 10, 2013
I am really, really, really crushingly disappointed right now. And for the moment the only thing I can think to say is that.
It's been a bit, and every time I think about this book I get more and more sad/angry. My biggest complaint is that this book was much, much, much too short. Too many things were happening for it to make any sense. In the first two books in this series, we were limited in our point of view to our heroines, so the brevity could work. Here, we're divided between our heroine AND our hero. Complicating that is the fact that they don't meet or know anything about the other until 3/4 of the way through the damn book. So we have two people leading two separate lives and not enough time to do anything with them.
And now I have to talk about spoilers...so.
I read an ARC of this book, so maybe some substantial changes were made to the published version. If so, someone let me know. I really enjoyed the first two books in this series and I would love to find out that I'm being an idiot about the final installment. As it stands, this book was just flat out frustrating and not up to the standards set by the previous two books.
It's been a bit, and every time I think about this book I get more and more sad/angry. My biggest complaint is that this book was much, much, much too short. Too many things were happening for it to make any sense. In the first two books in this series, we were limited in our point of view to our heroines, so the brevity could work. Here, we're divided between our heroine AND our hero. Complicating that is the fact that they don't meet or know anything about the other until 3/4 of the way through the damn book. So we have two people leading two separate lives and not enough time to do anything with them.
And now I have to talk about spoilers...so.
I read an ARC of this book, so maybe some substantial changes were made to the published version. If so, someone let me know. I really enjoyed the first two books in this series and I would love to find out that I'm being an idiot about the final installment. As it stands, this book was just flat out frustrating and not up to the standards set by the previous two books.
March 6, 2013
Another one for the "WTF ending" shelf.
January 23, 2014
So I have to start this review out by saying that I’ve truly enjoyed Saundra Mitchell’s writing. I’ve read all the books in her The Vespertine series, and was immediately sucked into the world that she created with Amelia and Zora. However, that being said this book was somewhat of a disappointment. There were many things that I enjoyed and loved about The Elementals, but there were also certain aspects that I felt detracted from the story. Let me start by telling you what I did enjoy.
The writing was phenomenal as always. The descriptions were rich and luscious, and both Kate and Julian were characters I could connect with. Kate was mischievous and ambitious, and I loved that she never let the rules of her time confine her. Kate wasn’t afraid to be herself, and I did really enjoy that she was willing to step out on her own. She didn’t really understand what the meant, but she was absolutely fearless in doing it.
Julian was a different story. He was quiet, sensitive, and just a very good person. It hurt to read about him getting looked down upon just because he had a bad leg. A leg that was only bad because of polio! It definitely made me thankful that this is one disease that we don’t have to worry about anymore. I hated the situation that led to Julian leaving the farm. It seemed so unfair to consider him useless, especially because he was a hard worker. I can understand why people who didn’t know him felt that way, but it bothered me that his family and Elise looked at him that way. Still these are all reasons why I liked the book. It made me think and feel for the characters.
However what didn’t work for me was that all of those bits took up most of the book, and really were supposed to be setting up a plot that was resolved in 25 pages. It was difficult to understand how Kate could go from this massive crush on Mollie to suddenly be willing to give up everything for Julian. As a reader I found it hard to believe that after 24 hours they were willing to give up everything for each other. I actually didn’t think the ending was bad, it wasn’t a perfect happily ever after, but that wasn’t the issue for me. It just felt incredibly rushed, and because most of book was set up. It literally went from setting everything up, to Kate and Julian meeting, to the end. It just felt like there was more to the story, and Kate and Julian had a connection that was unrealistic based on the amount of time they knew each other.
There were so many positives in this book. Saundra Mitchell did a great job of writing and creating characters that I cared about. However, I did feel let down because I was waiting for this amazing second half that never happened until the last few chapters. Because of that I feel like this book would get a 2.5 out of 5 stars from me. I feel a little guilty about the rating because everything else was so great, but it was really noticeable when it didn’t work. I still wouldn’t hesitate to read a book by this author, because all of their other works were amazing.
*This review was first posted to Moonlight Gleam Reviews http://moonlightgleam.com/2014/01/the...*
The writing was phenomenal as always. The descriptions were rich and luscious, and both Kate and Julian were characters I could connect with. Kate was mischievous and ambitious, and I loved that she never let the rules of her time confine her. Kate wasn’t afraid to be herself, and I did really enjoy that she was willing to step out on her own. She didn’t really understand what the meant, but she was absolutely fearless in doing it.
Julian was a different story. He was quiet, sensitive, and just a very good person. It hurt to read about him getting looked down upon just because he had a bad leg. A leg that was only bad because of polio! It definitely made me thankful that this is one disease that we don’t have to worry about anymore. I hated the situation that led to Julian leaving the farm. It seemed so unfair to consider him useless, especially because he was a hard worker. I can understand why people who didn’t know him felt that way, but it bothered me that his family and Elise looked at him that way. Still these are all reasons why I liked the book. It made me think and feel for the characters.
However what didn’t work for me was that all of those bits took up most of the book, and really were supposed to be setting up a plot that was resolved in 25 pages. It was difficult to understand how Kate could go from this massive crush on Mollie to suddenly be willing to give up everything for Julian. As a reader I found it hard to believe that after 24 hours they were willing to give up everything for each other. I actually didn’t think the ending was bad, it wasn’t a perfect happily ever after, but that wasn’t the issue for me. It just felt incredibly rushed, and because most of book was set up. It literally went from setting everything up, to Kate and Julian meeting, to the end. It just felt like there was more to the story, and Kate and Julian had a connection that was unrealistic based on the amount of time they knew each other.
There were so many positives in this book. Saundra Mitchell did a great job of writing and creating characters that I cared about. However, I did feel let down because I was waiting for this amazing second half that never happened until the last few chapters. Because of that I feel like this book would get a 2.5 out of 5 stars from me. I feel a little guilty about the rating because everything else was so great, but it was really noticeable when it didn’t work. I still wouldn’t hesitate to read a book by this author, because all of their other works were amazing.
*This review was first posted to Moonlight Gleam Reviews http://moonlightgleam.com/2014/01/the...*
August 27, 2013
I enjoyed Saundra Mitchell's debut SHADOWED SUMMER, and I've always meant to read her new books but never quite managed. Thus I haven't read THE VESPERTINE or THE SPRINGSWEET, the companions to THE ELEMENTALS.
I've been told the first two books stand very well on their own, but I wish I had read them before reading THE ELEMENTALS. There is a reasonable amount of background, but the villain is entirely motivated by events that happened in one of the earlier books, which I could merely make educated guesses about. I feel like there would've been more of a sense of something building if I was familiar with the characters and their relationships.
The main characters of THE ELEMENTALS are the children of the main characters of the first two books. Kate has been raised all over the world, always partying, never working. Her dream is to become a Hollywood director, and it becomes far more possible once she finds her muse. Julian has been raised on a farm, where he does the chores that don't tax his bad leg, lost to polio. Both of them also have a power: Kate can stop time for thirty seconds and Julian can raise small animals from the dead. Inevitably, the two meet.
I feel like there were glimmerings of a more interesting, more complicated novel. For instance, there's Kate's relationship with her muse, a girl who is the consummate actress and determined to get her way, qualities Kate notices but doesn't comprehend until too late. Saundra Mitchell is terrific at creating characters who don't fit the normal mode, but the plotting isn't quite there. What carries THE ELEMENTALS is the writing. Mitchell's writing is wonderfully atmospheric, from Europe to the farm to summery Los Angeles.
The simple plot might've worked if not for the ending, which is quite rushed. It makes a vague sense with the themes of the novel and the rules of Kate and Julian's power, but there's no time for consequences. How do Zora and Amelia and Emerson and Nathaniel, fairly important characters at the beginning of the novel, react to their children's actions? It felt like the actual fate of the families was left hanging.
I enjoyed reading THE ELEMENTALS, because as I said before, Mitchell could write. But when the book ended, I was left with the nagging sense that part of the book was missing. I feel like this one could've used another round of polishing. All the same, I still want to read the first two books and I'm interested in reading future books from Mitchell.
I've been told the first two books stand very well on their own, but I wish I had read them before reading THE ELEMENTALS. There is a reasonable amount of background, but the villain is entirely motivated by events that happened in one of the earlier books, which I could merely make educated guesses about. I feel like there would've been more of a sense of something building if I was familiar with the characters and their relationships.
The main characters of THE ELEMENTALS are the children of the main characters of the first two books. Kate has been raised all over the world, always partying, never working. Her dream is to become a Hollywood director, and it becomes far more possible once she finds her muse. Julian has been raised on a farm, where he does the chores that don't tax his bad leg, lost to polio. Both of them also have a power: Kate can stop time for thirty seconds and Julian can raise small animals from the dead. Inevitably, the two meet.
I feel like there were glimmerings of a more interesting, more complicated novel. For instance, there's Kate's relationship with her muse, a girl who is the consummate actress and determined to get her way, qualities Kate notices but doesn't comprehend until too late. Saundra Mitchell is terrific at creating characters who don't fit the normal mode, but the plotting isn't quite there. What carries THE ELEMENTALS is the writing. Mitchell's writing is wonderfully atmospheric, from Europe to the farm to summery Los Angeles.
The simple plot might've worked if not for the ending, which is quite rushed. It makes a vague sense with the themes of the novel and the rules of Kate and Julian's power, but there's no time for consequences. How do Zora and Amelia and Emerson and Nathaniel, fairly important characters at the beginning of the novel, react to their children's actions? It felt like the actual fate of the families was left hanging.
I enjoyed reading THE ELEMENTALS, because as I said before, Mitchell could write. But when the book ended, I was left with the nagging sense that part of the book was missing. I feel like this one could've used another round of polishing. All the same, I still want to read the first two books and I'm interested in reading future books from Mitchell.
Read
July 10, 2013This is a companion novel to THE VESPERTINE and THE SPRINGSWEET, in which our previous heroines' children - also gifted with elemental magic – meet in LA during World War I, with disastrous consequences. I loved seeing how life played out for both of our previous couples. Nathaniel and Amelia have become a bit insufferable in their privileged flights around the globe, but Emerson and Zora have become one of my favorite book couples with all their laughter and hard work and passion for one another. Both their son Julian (a handsome musician with a bad leg from polio, who can resurrect dead animals) and Kate (Amelia and Nathaniel’s daughter) are terribly interesting characters – though the edge might go to Kate, an aspiring filmmaker who prefers to dress as a boy, crushes on her actress muse, keeps a pet raven named Handsome, and can stop time. Their banter and the sense of predestination about their meeting is lovely. But my favorite thing about Mitchell’s writing is how incredibly vivid her settings are. Whether it’s Victorian Baltimore (THE VESPERTINE) or the drought-struck prairie (THE SPRINGSWEET) or the California coast (here), her descriptions are so jaw-droppingly perfect I have to stop and read over the sentences again and again, marveling at her gorgeous wordsmithing. Recommend! (bought)
March 13, 2014
This teen historical paranormal fiction, the last book of the Vespertine trilogy, is published by HMH Books for Young Readers. It gets an extra star for some bisexual affectional content, pretty daring for the age group of 12 and up, though there's no actual sex and the word "bisexual" is never spoken.
This felt more like a sketch for a novel than an actual novel. By the time all the various characters were outlined, the action was already finishing up. I couldn’t believe it was the end already, and I didn’t feel that invested in the characters. Once again, the same-sex relationship is portrayed as shallow compared to the different-sex relationship that follows. That always bugs me.
This felt more like a sketch for a novel than an actual novel. By the time all the various characters were outlined, the action was already finishing up. I couldn’t believe it was the end already, and I didn’t feel that invested in the characters. Once again, the same-sex relationship is portrayed as shallow compared to the different-sex relationship that follows. That always bugs me.
November 8, 2013
To be honest, I read this book such a long time ago (maybe not too long ago) that I really don’t remember what happened but the ending.
The ending was fucking fantastic. It almost made me cry! It made me think about the meaning of life. It made me appreciate love (that was before I knew what love was).
The ending was so good that it made me change my mind about the book as a whole.
I’m happy that Mitchell’s writing improved so much since that ugly first book.
--
Are you an interior decorator? 'Cause when I saw you, the room became beautiful.
The ending was fucking fantastic. It almost made me cry! It made me think about the meaning of life. It made me appreciate love (that was before I knew what love was).
The ending was so good that it made me change my mind about the book as a whole.
I’m happy that Mitchell’s writing improved so much since that ugly first book.
--
Are you an interior decorator? 'Cause when I saw you, the room became beautiful.
Want to read
August 30, 2012I kinda liked the title Aetherborne better.....
And I like the cover of The Springsweet better.
Oh well. This cover seems much dark and mysterious, so let's see what it offers.
And I like the cover of The Springsweet better.
Oh well. This cover seems much dark and mysterious, so let's see what it offers.
January 2, 2013
It feels like I just read The Vespertine and The Springsweet. But it's been many months. Been dying for this third and final book ever since then. While it doesn't come out until June 2013, I was lucky enough to get an review copy of it from the publisher via NetGalley. <3 And I'm so happy about that. My review won't be spoilery, but you probably shouldn't read it unless you have read the first two books in this series. Which you really must.
I have read a lot of great books. And this series is some of the bests. These books are just amazing. The writing is stunning, the characters amazing, and the plot is just so incredibly good. I also very much love the time these books are set in. It's very interesting to read about, and I loved it very much. Everything is so different in these books. So perfect. There wasn't anything not to love. Well, okay, maybe this ending :D
The Elementals is an amazing book. A perfect sequel. A perfect ending. Even if it did break my heart many times. And it was pretty sad. But it's also happy and full of sweet moments, and I kind of liked the ending while I was hating it. If that makes sense. I'm so glad to have read these books. Didn't re-read the first two before reading this, but I know I will have to do so very soon. I can't wait.
I don't know how to express my feelings for this book. There is a lot of love. But also some heartbreak. And a tiny bit confusion. Maybe. I also thought it was perfect. The Elementals is still about the same characters from the first two books. Sort of. It's about the main characters kids. And I kind of loved that. I really did. Even if I did wish it had just been Amelia and Nathaniel.. <3 Yeah. I very much want another book about just them, all the time. But I was happy with this book. I really was.
We get to read more about Amelia and Nathaniel. And I loved that so so so much. It's been many years since we last saw them. For a few pages in the beginning of this book we get to see some of the years passing for them. And it's perfect. And so sweet. But also so heartbreaking, because I want so many books with just them. I adore Amelia and Nathaniel. They are just perfect together. This book is about their child. Her name is Kate. She's now sixteen, and she wants a different life for herself.
She's lived her whole live moving around with her parents, never living in one place for long. It has been perfect. At least, it sounds so perfect. But she wants more. She wants to be a director for a motion picture. She loves filming with all her heart. And I loved that about her. She's just so amazing. Even if I did think that she should have cared much more for her parents.. Still. I adored her. And especially loved her raven; Handsome. He was pretty cool. He could even talk! Yeah. I want one of those too :)
Kate has a power as well. Like Amelia has the power of seeing the future, if she wants to. But she hasn't done that for years, ever since all the tragedy that happened in the first book. Sniffs. And Nathaniel. With his powers. He can walk on the wind. And omg. I just adored that about him so much. Made it easy for them to move, to go places, to see things. I loved that so much. Sigh. Nathaniel is still the most perfect character. Heh. And I did like that they now have a kid. Their love for each other is perfect.
Then there is Zora and Emerson. Who lives in the desert. Sort of. And oh. I loved reading about them in The Springsweet so much. They were just adorable. Sniffs. We get to see some of their life as well. And I loved it so much. They also have children. Four boys. And oh. They were adorable. I loved Charlie so much. He was just so kind and perfect. Biggest love for Julian, though. The youngest brother. He's amazing. But oh. He had polio as a child, and now his leg is mostly crippled. Still loved him a whole lot.
I do love a broken boy. And Julian was very broken. Just made me love him so much more. He's kind and sweet and loving. They live a good life. Then things start changing, of course. Three of their boys have to go to war. Oh, how I wish to know how that ended. Julian then realizes that he doesn't want to stay there, since he can't help out at the farm, he can't really do much of anything. So he just leaves. Like that. And it kind of broke my heart. It was a bit cruel. But I couldn't really dislike him for doing it.
I loved reading about Julian. He's just so broken, but also so strong and sweet. I hated what happened between him and this girl he was in love with back home. It was cruel. And I didn't want to read about it. But it was also very real, and I couldn't really help but loving it. Julian is an amazing character. I loved his relationship with Charlie and the rest of his brothers. Didn't really like Sam much, though :\ But yeah. They are all such an amazing family and I couldn't have loved it more. Such perfection.
Julian has a power as well. Okay, I should probably have called it a gift. But I do like the sound of power. I won't say what it is, just like I won't say what Kate's power is :) But oh. I loved reading more about Zora's water power, and Emerson's earth power. They are just amazing. And their love it so strong and I loved reading about it all. I loved that we got romance from them all. Zora and Emerson. Amelia and Nathaniel. It made this book perfect. Sigh. I cannot get over how much love there is in this book.
It isn't all just love, though. There is a lot of heartbreak and evil people. We get to read about this one character from book one as well. A total asshole. I won't say who it is, but yeah. Cruel. Cruel. Cruel. But also so good. Kate runs away from home as well. Both she and Julian goes to Los Angeles. But not together. Kate goes with this girl called Mollie. Her big movie star. And omg. I hated her so much. She was just so awful and not very nice at all. I didn't like her. Wish I had known more about her, though ;p
The plot in The Elementals is perfect. I won't spoil it, or talk too much about it because the book isn't so long. And oh. How I wish it had been longer.. never ending. But I still thought it ended perfectly. Maybe. I hope. The story is just amazing. And I loved every part of this book. I loved reading about everything that happened. Even this one thing near the end that was so cruel. Wish it had ended a bit differently. This book is just so good. The writing. The plot. The characters. The love. The romance. Everything.
There isn't really that much romance in this book. There is between Amelia and Nathaniel and between Zora and Emerson. But not much between Kate and Julian. They do meet. But very late. And I just wished it had been longer, with even more romance. But I loved everything there was. I just don't know how to describe the ending of this book. It's awful. It's perfect. It's beyond heartbreaking. The ending is evil. But I loved it. I just very much want another book. Pretty please? I need more. Really, truly do.
Because I felt like it ended too soon, with many loose ends still there. And I need to know something that happens next with some characters. I need to know. I really do. Sigh. Still, this book was perfect, and I'm so happy I was able to read and review it early. Cannot wait to read it again. It's just that perfect. <3 Thank you so much to Houghton Children's Books for letting me read this early :)
I have read a lot of great books. And this series is some of the bests. These books are just amazing. The writing is stunning, the characters amazing, and the plot is just so incredibly good. I also very much love the time these books are set in. It's very interesting to read about, and I loved it very much. Everything is so different in these books. So perfect. There wasn't anything not to love. Well, okay, maybe this ending :D
The Elementals is an amazing book. A perfect sequel. A perfect ending. Even if it did break my heart many times. And it was pretty sad. But it's also happy and full of sweet moments, and I kind of liked the ending while I was hating it. If that makes sense. I'm so glad to have read these books. Didn't re-read the first two before reading this, but I know I will have to do so very soon. I can't wait.
I don't know how to express my feelings for this book. There is a lot of love. But also some heartbreak. And a tiny bit confusion. Maybe. I also thought it was perfect. The Elementals is still about the same characters from the first two books. Sort of. It's about the main characters kids. And I kind of loved that. I really did. Even if I did wish it had just been Amelia and Nathaniel.. <3 Yeah. I very much want another book about just them, all the time. But I was happy with this book. I really was.
We get to read more about Amelia and Nathaniel. And I loved that so so so much. It's been many years since we last saw them. For a few pages in the beginning of this book we get to see some of the years passing for them. And it's perfect. And so sweet. But also so heartbreaking, because I want so many books with just them. I adore Amelia and Nathaniel. They are just perfect together. This book is about their child. Her name is Kate. She's now sixteen, and she wants a different life for herself.
She's lived her whole live moving around with her parents, never living in one place for long. It has been perfect. At least, it sounds so perfect. But she wants more. She wants to be a director for a motion picture. She loves filming with all her heart. And I loved that about her. She's just so amazing. Even if I did think that she should have cared much more for her parents.. Still. I adored her. And especially loved her raven; Handsome. He was pretty cool. He could even talk! Yeah. I want one of those too :)
Kate has a power as well. Like Amelia has the power of seeing the future, if she wants to. But she hasn't done that for years, ever since all the tragedy that happened in the first book. Sniffs. And Nathaniel. With his powers. He can walk on the wind. And omg. I just adored that about him so much. Made it easy for them to move, to go places, to see things. I loved that so much. Sigh. Nathaniel is still the most perfect character. Heh. And I did like that they now have a kid. Their love for each other is perfect.
Then there is Zora and Emerson. Who lives in the desert. Sort of. And oh. I loved reading about them in The Springsweet so much. They were just adorable. Sniffs. We get to see some of their life as well. And I loved it so much. They also have children. Four boys. And oh. They were adorable. I loved Charlie so much. He was just so kind and perfect. Biggest love for Julian, though. The youngest brother. He's amazing. But oh. He had polio as a child, and now his leg is mostly crippled. Still loved him a whole lot.
I do love a broken boy. And Julian was very broken. Just made me love him so much more. He's kind and sweet and loving. They live a good life. Then things start changing, of course. Three of their boys have to go to war. Oh, how I wish to know how that ended. Julian then realizes that he doesn't want to stay there, since he can't help out at the farm, he can't really do much of anything. So he just leaves. Like that. And it kind of broke my heart. It was a bit cruel. But I couldn't really dislike him for doing it.
I loved reading about Julian. He's just so broken, but also so strong and sweet. I hated what happened between him and this girl he was in love with back home. It was cruel. And I didn't want to read about it. But it was also very real, and I couldn't really help but loving it. Julian is an amazing character. I loved his relationship with Charlie and the rest of his brothers. Didn't really like Sam much, though :\ But yeah. They are all such an amazing family and I couldn't have loved it more. Such perfection.
Julian has a power as well. Okay, I should probably have called it a gift. But I do like the sound of power. I won't say what it is, just like I won't say what Kate's power is :) But oh. I loved reading more about Zora's water power, and Emerson's earth power. They are just amazing. And their love it so strong and I loved reading about it all. I loved that we got romance from them all. Zora and Emerson. Amelia and Nathaniel. It made this book perfect. Sigh. I cannot get over how much love there is in this book.
It isn't all just love, though. There is a lot of heartbreak and evil people. We get to read about this one character from book one as well. A total asshole. I won't say who it is, but yeah. Cruel. Cruel. Cruel. But also so good. Kate runs away from home as well. Both she and Julian goes to Los Angeles. But not together. Kate goes with this girl called Mollie. Her big movie star. And omg. I hated her so much. She was just so awful and not very nice at all. I didn't like her. Wish I had known more about her, though ;p
The plot in The Elementals is perfect. I won't spoil it, or talk too much about it because the book isn't so long. And oh. How I wish it had been longer.. never ending. But I still thought it ended perfectly. Maybe. I hope. The story is just amazing. And I loved every part of this book. I loved reading about everything that happened. Even this one thing near the end that was so cruel. Wish it had ended a bit differently. This book is just so good. The writing. The plot. The characters. The love. The romance. Everything.
There isn't really that much romance in this book. There is between Amelia and Nathaniel and between Zora and Emerson. But not much between Kate and Julian. They do meet. But very late. And I just wished it had been longer, with even more romance. But I loved everything there was. I just don't know how to describe the ending of this book. It's awful. It's perfect. It's beyond heartbreaking. The ending is evil. But I loved it. I just very much want another book. Pretty please? I need more. Really, truly do.
Because I felt like it ended too soon, with many loose ends still there. And I need to know something that happens next with some characters. I need to know. I really do. Sigh. Still, this book was perfect, and I'm so happy I was able to read and review it early. Cannot wait to read it again. It's just that perfect. <3 Thank you so much to Houghton Children's Books for letting me read this early :)
August 2, 2019
A tad disappointed.
The first book was fantastic. I couldn't put it down. The second was a little weak in plot and ended as if it were rushed, as did this last book. I was disappointed that the characters seemed rushed and I didn't get to know them deeply and become attached. Disappointed that the endings were hurried and shallow. I was really hoping that the second book was a fluke. Unfortunately not.
The first book was fantastic. I couldn't put it down. The second was a little weak in plot and ended as if it were rushed, as did this last book. I was disappointed that the characters seemed rushed and I didn't get to know them deeply and become attached. Disappointed that the endings were hurried and shallow. I was really hoping that the second book was a fluke. Unfortunately not.
August 12, 2017
3.5 stars - most enjoyable of the trilogy, although felt more like magical realism (Things Happened for the sake of happening). Liked how atmospheric the setting was, not very keen on the ending but ok. Saved by the writing style.
June 8, 2020
Slow until sad, very sad. Girl who stops time and boy who donates his life force to revive the dead both go to Hollywood and meet vengeful sailor. By trade of magic, I should've guessed tragedy.Typos: 3.14 laugher IS laughter
12.11 clown IS down
12.11 clown IS down
March 5, 2022
I have never been more upset at the ending of a book series before. The whole trilogy has an amazing atmosphere and lovable characters.. I was all set to call this a new favorite series. But then that ending let me down! :(
October 9, 2020
Cloud your thoughts
February 5, 2023
Writing style drives me nuts & is way too vague.
September 11, 2013
Cover Blurb: Yes or No? I've always liked that you can never fully see the character impersonators' faces on the Vespertine Trilogy books, and that remains true with this one. I like the simplicity of it and the photograph feel it has.
Characters: Out of all of the characters in this entire trilogy; out of all of the protagonists in this entire trilogy, Kate Witherspoon is not my favorite. That doesn't mean I didn't like her, because I did a bit. She wasn't an awful protagonist; it's just out of all of the books, she just isn't my favorite. Kate is spunky and knows exactly what she wants, and doesn't mind pushing to achieve her goals. What I didn't like about her was she was also flighty, and tried too hard to be unconventional. She still fit her era, but I think the Author tried a little too hard to make her the "modern woman" of the time. About the only thing Kate didn't do was smoke a cigarette, but I imagine she would have if given the chance. She never annoyed me, but she just wasn't a favorite. Mollie, Kate's friend who runs off to Los Angeles with her to make movies, was trouble through and through. I didn't trust her the moment she popped into the story, and I dearly wished Kate had been as smart about it. The second protagonist, Julian, was easier for me to like. He was sensible and hardworking and never once asked for help. Nor did he get angry if people tried to because he was a cripple.
The Romance: Obviously, Julian and Kate end up together at some point. Reading two of these books, I knew how it would play out in the third. A boy and girl, both with extraordinary powers - yeah, they're soulmates. Oddly enough, though, the romance actually doesn't appear until the very end, and I wished it hadn't. Because it suddenly felt extremely rushed, and I'm sorry, but I couldn't buy the whole "they have a special connection" ploy to explain away why they were so attached to one another after so short a time.
Plot: Here is where The Elementals began to stumble. There is no denying that whatever your feelings are toward Kate, she's an interesting character, as are all of the characters in this story. And the Author's writing is captivating. But the plot itself is practically nil. The Vespertine and The Springsweet had much more of a plot. Much of The Elementals is spent establishing Julian and Kate's lives before they discovered their powers, their lives after they discovered them, and how they cope in Los Angeles. A character from the past (as in the very first book) appears, hinting at ominous things to come, but it takes a good long while for him to become relevant to the rest of the characters' lives. And when he does . . . . Well, I'll talk about that in the conclusion. So there really isn't much of a plot, but the characters and the writing does make up for it.
Believability: Nothing to complain about.
Writing Style: Third person, past tense. Each chapter switches between Julian and Kate, and sometimes it follows the "ominous character from the past." The Author's writing style has always drawn me in. It's not breath-takingly beautiful, but it has its own pretty rhythm to it, and fits the era very well. Her descriptions are simple, but pleasing and intriguing. I really didn't notice the lack of plot until the end, because I was so taken in by the writing.
Content: None.
Conclusion: The ominous character finally comes into play! But what happens is so sudden and so horribly pointless (actually, it's a lot like the end of Romeo and Juliet) that I was a little disappointed. I knew much couldn't happen, because there weren't enough pages, but it still left me thinking, "That was the purpose of their powers? Really? That's kinda lame - and depressing." So if someone asked me, "How is this trilogy?" I would tell them that the first two books are good, and the third is a good end to it, but it's not as good as the other two. I didn't dislike it, but it isn't my favorite out of the three.
Recommended Audience: Girl-read, fifteen-and-up, fans of historical fantasy, romance, and paranormal.
Characters: Out of all of the characters in this entire trilogy; out of all of the protagonists in this entire trilogy, Kate Witherspoon is not my favorite. That doesn't mean I didn't like her, because I did a bit. She wasn't an awful protagonist; it's just out of all of the books, she just isn't my favorite. Kate is spunky and knows exactly what she wants, and doesn't mind pushing to achieve her goals. What I didn't like about her was she was also flighty, and tried too hard to be unconventional. She still fit her era, but I think the Author tried a little too hard to make her the "modern woman" of the time. About the only thing Kate didn't do was smoke a cigarette, but I imagine she would have if given the chance. She never annoyed me, but she just wasn't a favorite. Mollie, Kate's friend who runs off to Los Angeles with her to make movies, was trouble through and through. I didn't trust her the moment she popped into the story, and I dearly wished Kate had been as smart about it. The second protagonist, Julian, was easier for me to like. He was sensible and hardworking and never once asked for help. Nor did he get angry if people tried to because he was a cripple.
The Romance: Obviously, Julian and Kate end up together at some point. Reading two of these books, I knew how it would play out in the third. A boy and girl, both with extraordinary powers - yeah, they're soulmates. Oddly enough, though, the romance actually doesn't appear until the very end, and I wished it hadn't. Because it suddenly felt extremely rushed, and I'm sorry, but I couldn't buy the whole "they have a special connection" ploy to explain away why they were so attached to one another after so short a time.
Plot: Here is where The Elementals began to stumble. There is no denying that whatever your feelings are toward Kate, she's an interesting character, as are all of the characters in this story. And the Author's writing is captivating. But the plot itself is practically nil. The Vespertine and The Springsweet had much more of a plot. Much of The Elementals is spent establishing Julian and Kate's lives before they discovered their powers, their lives after they discovered them, and how they cope in Los Angeles. A character from the past (as in the very first book) appears, hinting at ominous things to come, but it takes a good long while for him to become relevant to the rest of the characters' lives. And when he does . . . . Well, I'll talk about that in the conclusion. So there really isn't much of a plot, but the characters and the writing does make up for it.
Believability: Nothing to complain about.
Writing Style: Third person, past tense. Each chapter switches between Julian and Kate, and sometimes it follows the "ominous character from the past." The Author's writing style has always drawn me in. It's not breath-takingly beautiful, but it has its own pretty rhythm to it, and fits the era very well. Her descriptions are simple, but pleasing and intriguing. I really didn't notice the lack of plot until the end, because I was so taken in by the writing.
Content: None.
Conclusion: The ominous character finally comes into play! But what happens is so sudden and so horribly pointless (actually, it's a lot like the end of Romeo and Juliet) that I was a little disappointed. I knew much couldn't happen, because there weren't enough pages, but it still left me thinking, "That was the purpose of their powers? Really? That's kinda lame - and depressing." So if someone asked me, "How is this trilogy?" I would tell them that the first two books are good, and the third is a good end to it, but it's not as good as the other two. I didn't dislike it, but it isn't my favorite out of the three.
Recommended Audience: Girl-read, fifteen-and-up, fans of historical fantasy, romance, and paranormal.
May 23, 2014
See more of my reviews at Once Upon a Prologue!
From the first Saundra Mitchell book I read (The Vespertine), on to the second (The Springsweet), and now the third and final book in her trilogy, The Elementals, one thing remains constant. I am in awe of Saundra’s ability to write words that read like magic. I fell in love with her writing, and with her characters in The Vespertine, and although I did have some issues with The Elementals, I enjoyed revisiting old favorites and meeting new beloved characters in the final chapter of the trilogy. The Elementals wasn’t quite the book I’d hoped it would be, but ultimately it finishes an emotionally satisfying trilogy.
Before I knew what it was about, it was enough to know there would be one more story about Amelia, Nathaniel, Emerson, and Zora. One more chance to soak in Saundra’s vivid, wild imagery, to wrap myself up in her stories. Saundra is the sort of writer whose books just make you feel blessed for the chance to read them, and that’s no less true with The Elementals.
Purely on feelings – from feeling like I was IN all the places the Witherspoons traveled, or where Zora and Emerson settled, to feeling such empathy for Kate, and such sympathy for Julian, to feeling so privileged to read about what felt like such private and beautiful moments between various characters – The Elementals is an amazing read.
Technically though, I wasn’t always AS blown away as I wanted to be. I feel as if The Elementals was too short by about 75 pages, which gave it a perpetually rushed feeling.
I’ve waited some time after finishing The Elementals to write this review because I keep going back to the ending. My first thought as I closed the book was, “well, the ending ruined it.” That’s not really true, because it’s Saundra’s ending, her vision for how to close this glimpse into her characters. So it’s more fair to say it wasn’t the ending I hoped for, and that colored my experience reading The Elementals.
Also, there aren't enough characters like Julian, or Kate in YA literature. Julian was just so GOOD, and hard-working and sweet, with yearnings. And Kate. *sigh* Saundra wrote a wonderful post about Kate's sexuality, which I thought was explored so beautifully in The Elementals. I loved that Kate had huge dreams and wasn't afraid to be herself.
Final thoughts: The Elementals is a sweeping conclusion to the Vespertine trilogy, though admittedly it’s not at all the ending *I* hoped for. It’s part adventure, part character-study, and part magical realism/historical that felt short and rushed, but I’ll always savor these characters and the beautiful writing.
From the first Saundra Mitchell book I read (The Vespertine), on to the second (The Springsweet), and now the third and final book in her trilogy, The Elementals, one thing remains constant. I am in awe of Saundra’s ability to write words that read like magic. I fell in love with her writing, and with her characters in The Vespertine, and although I did have some issues with The Elementals, I enjoyed revisiting old favorites and meeting new beloved characters in the final chapter of the trilogy. The Elementals wasn’t quite the book I’d hoped it would be, but ultimately it finishes an emotionally satisfying trilogy.
Before I knew what it was about, it was enough to know there would be one more story about Amelia, Nathaniel, Emerson, and Zora. One more chance to soak in Saundra’s vivid, wild imagery, to wrap myself up in her stories. Saundra is the sort of writer whose books just make you feel blessed for the chance to read them, and that’s no less true with The Elementals.
Purely on feelings – from feeling like I was IN all the places the Witherspoons traveled, or where Zora and Emerson settled, to feeling such empathy for Kate, and such sympathy for Julian, to feeling so privileged to read about what felt like such private and beautiful moments between various characters – The Elementals is an amazing read.
Technically though, I wasn’t always AS blown away as I wanted to be. I feel as if The Elementals was too short by about 75 pages, which gave it a perpetually rushed feeling.
I’ve waited some time after finishing The Elementals to write this review because I keep going back to the ending. My first thought as I closed the book was, “well, the ending ruined it.” That’s not really true, because it’s Saundra’s ending, her vision for how to close this glimpse into her characters. So it’s more fair to say it wasn’t the ending I hoped for, and that colored my experience reading The Elementals.
Also, there aren't enough characters like Julian, or Kate in YA literature. Julian was just so GOOD, and hard-working and sweet, with yearnings. And Kate. *sigh* Saundra wrote a wonderful post about Kate's sexuality, which I thought was explored so beautifully in The Elementals. I loved that Kate had huge dreams and wasn't afraid to be herself.
Final thoughts: The Elementals is a sweeping conclusion to the Vespertine trilogy, though admittedly it’s not at all the ending *I* hoped for. It’s part adventure, part character-study, and part magical realism/historical that felt short and rushed, but I’ll always savor these characters and the beautiful writing.
May 8, 2013
When I selected this book, it wasn’t really clear that this was part of a series, one which I haven’t read. Luckily for me I didn’t realize that until I’d already started reading it and it didn’t matter.
This was the entire description I read before requesting it: “Kate Witherspoon has lived a bohemian life with her artist parents. In 1917, the new art form of the motion picture is changing entertainment—and Kate is determined to become a director.
Meanwhile, midwestern farm boy Julian Birch has inherited the wanderlust that fueled his parents’ adventures. A childhood bout with polio has left him crippled, but he refuses to let his disability define him.
Strangers driven by a shared vision, Kate and Julian set out separately for Los Angeles, the city of dreams. There, they each struggle to find their independence. When they finally meet, the teenage runaways realize their true magical legacy: the ability to triumph over death, and over time. But as their powerful parents before them learned, all magic comes with a price.”
The very early days of the movie industry and a magical twist? Sign me up.
For me the book didn’t really start until about 120 pages in. Up until that point it was a fairly slow story and can actually be summarized quite easily in a sentence or two. The problem is that even when the story really takes off, not much happens. I’d be okay with that if there were more character development going on, but there’s not even really that. I ended up incredibly disappointed by this book. That’s not to say it was poorly written, it wasn’t. I could see myself liking other things by this author, this one just missed the mark. Still in just a sentence or two the author can vividly show us just how much Kate loves movies and explain why she does. She can make us feel Julian’s disappointment in being treated like a burden by people he’s known for his whole life.
Being able to really connect us to the characters we most needed to identify with simply wasn’t enough. A story that should have been a “cannot put it down” for me was something I found dull and forgettable.
* Disclaimer: I received this book at no cost in order to review it. I offered no guarantee of a positive review, though I only request books I think I'll like because why read a book you think you’ll hate?
This was the entire description I read before requesting it: “Kate Witherspoon has lived a bohemian life with her artist parents. In 1917, the new art form of the motion picture is changing entertainment—and Kate is determined to become a director.
Meanwhile, midwestern farm boy Julian Birch has inherited the wanderlust that fueled his parents’ adventures. A childhood bout with polio has left him crippled, but he refuses to let his disability define him.
Strangers driven by a shared vision, Kate and Julian set out separately for Los Angeles, the city of dreams. There, they each struggle to find their independence. When they finally meet, the teenage runaways realize their true magical legacy: the ability to triumph over death, and over time. But as their powerful parents before them learned, all magic comes with a price.”
The very early days of the movie industry and a magical twist? Sign me up.
For me the book didn’t really start until about 120 pages in. Up until that point it was a fairly slow story and can actually be summarized quite easily in a sentence or two. The problem is that even when the story really takes off, not much happens. I’d be okay with that if there were more character development going on, but there’s not even really that. I ended up incredibly disappointed by this book. That’s not to say it was poorly written, it wasn’t. I could see myself liking other things by this author, this one just missed the mark. Still in just a sentence or two the author can vividly show us just how much Kate loves movies and explain why she does. She can make us feel Julian’s disappointment in being treated like a burden by people he’s known for his whole life.
Being able to really connect us to the characters we most needed to identify with simply wasn’t enough. A story that should have been a “cannot put it down” for me was something I found dull and forgettable.
* Disclaimer: I received this book at no cost in order to review it. I offered no guarantee of a positive review, though I only request books I think I'll like because why read a book you think you’ll hate?
June 16, 2013
I loved "The Vespertine" and "The Springsweet". They were everything I ever wanted in a novel. I loved the setting and the characters. I enjoyed that although there were supernatural elements to each of the first two novels, they were about so much more. Saundra Mitchell's writing is lovely and engaging. I was swept into her world in each book.
I was thrilled about the final book being released and have anticipated it for ages. I was eager to read about the children of the heroines of the first two novels. But unfortunately "The Elementals" didn't really live up to its potential. The idea behind the book was excellent. I enjoyed both main characters, Julian and Kate. Julian works on his parent's farm and has a bad leg. He can bring back dead animals. Kate is a free spirit who yearns to be a movie director. She finds a muse in an actress named Mollie. The two become friends and run off together to chase their dreams. Kate has more than 'friendly' feelings for Mollie. I want to be clear that I adored Julian and Mollie and I have no complaints with their portrayal in the book other than the fact that there was so much lost potential. The two meet very late in the story and the ending felt rushed.
The ending was very disappointing as well. Maybe if there had been more time for us to see the two grow in their friendship with each other, the ending would have worked for me better. It is quite a shocking ending so maybe not. Either was it seemed to come out of nowhere and was very unsatisfying. The writing was still beautiful, the characterization strong. "The Elementals" is missing some important element of its own.
I was thrilled about the final book being released and have anticipated it for ages. I was eager to read about the children of the heroines of the first two novels. But unfortunately "The Elementals" didn't really live up to its potential. The idea behind the book was excellent. I enjoyed both main characters, Julian and Kate. Julian works on his parent's farm and has a bad leg. He can bring back dead animals. Kate is a free spirit who yearns to be a movie director. She finds a muse in an actress named Mollie. The two become friends and run off together to chase their dreams. Kate has more than 'friendly' feelings for Mollie. I want to be clear that I adored Julian and Mollie and I have no complaints with their portrayal in the book other than the fact that there was so much lost potential. The two meet very late in the story and the ending felt rushed.
The ending was very disappointing as well. Maybe if there had been more time for us to see the two grow in their friendship with each other, the ending would have worked for me better. It is quite a shocking ending so maybe not. Either was it seemed to come out of nowhere and was very unsatisfying. The writing was still beautiful, the characterization strong. "The Elementals" is missing some important element of its own.
April 24, 2015
I was excited to read this because I wanted to see where the story was going to go for Amelia, Nathaniel, Zora and Emerson’s children. During this trilogy, I enjoyed how the elements were magic for these characters. We got to see them come together, fall in love and finally start a family. In the beginning, we saw friends coming together for a night. Years later, when they had their children, we saw their powers, making a show for the first time at a young age. Then, both being almost eighteen, their story started. Kate, daughter of Amelia and Nathaniel, wants to be a director, but can control time. Julian, son of Zora and Emerson, wants to show he is more than what meets the eye, but can bring others back to life and can survive death. Each has a cost. I knew that eventually these two characters would meet, but I felt that it took to them for them too. Which made the end suffer because I felt it was too rushed and wasn’t much of an ending. I found both characters were strong. They were willing to do what they had to get what they wanted. Saundra Mitchell didn’t just focus on Kate and Julian, but also their parents and a character from The Vespertine made appearances. We switched between all of their perspectives. Though I did like that, it became confusing at times. The ending has left me frustrated. It was anticlimactic. All these different things lead up to it and it just ended. Not all of my questions were answered. More could have been written for the other characters that were part of the story. As a whole, I did enjoy this trilogy. The storyline and the characters, but for me it wasn’t executed all that well.
June 7, 2013
The first book in this series is The Springsweet and it is my favorite of all three. It tells the story of Zora and Emerson and it was perfect:} Then there is The Vespertine that answers a lot of the questions I had about Springsweet and tells the story of Zora and Amelia's friendship and Amelia and Nathaniel's love. It was also a very good book. The Elementals at first gives you a look at them together one last time before splitting apart to their separate worlds. Zora to the farm and Amelia to a gypsy life. They both have children and this story is about Amelia's daughter Kate and Zora's son Julian. It was very good but; and here is a little *spoiler* I waited almost the whole book for these two to meet!! That was very frustrating. They could have met much sooner in the book and spent more time together. I didn't really like how the book ended either, it was too abrupt. Overall the writing is beautiful and the characters are real people who deal with real things and I will be reading more of Mitchell's books.
Sex- none, one or two kisses.
Language- I can't remember any.
Violence- The bad guy in the book has some violent thoughts about our characters. There is some death and someone gets shot.
Sex- none, one or two kisses.
Language- I can't remember any.
Violence- The bad guy in the book has some violent thoughts about our characters. There is some death and someone gets shot.
June 29, 2014
The writing was nice, as always. But...the book just didn't do it for me. I liked some of the characters enough (though I mostly felt indifferent at best), but the pacing was all wrong. I found myself skimming through the first 3/4s of the book. I wish Saundra had made that last bit into the last half. And honestly, I would have much preferred a book soley about the parents to this.
I will say I applaud Mitchell for basically writing a bisexual character and not making it her defining point. It was refreshing and very well done. I hope that this becomes the norm for young adult literature, inclusion of bisexual, pansexual, trans*, or asexual characters without dwelling on how *bizarre* they are. The character just is who she is, and it isn't really a big deal.
I didn't hate the book by any means. It just didn't come anywhere close to the expectations I had for it. It left me feeling sad and a little empty, which is not what I expected from a book which followed the Vespertine and the Springsweet, both of which had satisfying endings. Normally, when I read a good book, I'm left almost feeling like I've eaten a good meal. That was not the case with this one.
I will say I applaud Mitchell for basically writing a bisexual character and not making it her defining point. It was refreshing and very well done. I hope that this becomes the norm for young adult literature, inclusion of bisexual, pansexual, trans*, or asexual characters without dwelling on how *bizarre* they are. The character just is who she is, and it isn't really a big deal.
I didn't hate the book by any means. It just didn't come anywhere close to the expectations I had for it. It left me feeling sad and a little empty, which is not what I expected from a book which followed the Vespertine and the Springsweet, both of which had satisfying endings. Normally, when I read a good book, I'm left almost feeling like I've eaten a good meal. That was not the case with this one.
April 14, 2014
I was totally not ready for that ending. I didn't see that coming.
Here we get to see the effect that the elements have on Zora's and Amelia's children. You see what happens when two people with element powers have children.
I liked Kate and Julian's story. I thought that it was very different from that of their parents. We get to see how they go out and try to make a life for themselves outside of their parents's homes. They try their hand at jobs and even at love.
I hate to say it, but I don't like this ending for the series. It was a good one, and definitely a unique one. However, I can't stop thinking about Amelia and Zora. How they are going to feel about what has happened here. I hate that part. I'm not totally clear about what happened at the end, but I have a good picture.
Overall, it was a good series with a totally what the heck just happened ending. I'll definitely be checking out more of Mitchell's work.
Here we get to see the effect that the elements have on Zora's and Amelia's children. You see what happens when two people with element powers have children.
I liked Kate and Julian's story. I thought that it was very different from that of their parents. We get to see how they go out and try to make a life for themselves outside of their parents's homes. They try their hand at jobs and even at love.
I hate to say it, but I don't like this ending for the series. It was a good one, and definitely a unique one. However, I can't stop thinking about Amelia and Zora. How they are going to feel about what has happened here. I hate that part. I'm not totally clear about what happened at the end, but I have a good picture.
Overall, it was a good series with a totally what the heck just happened ending. I'll definitely be checking out more of Mitchell's work.
September 27, 2015
This is the third and final book in a series, the first two being The Verspertine and The Springsweet, respectively. Elementals relied on the premises constructed in the first two books, so, not having read them, I was lost in the beginning of the story (the author counts on the reader knowing the circumstances up to that point). Slowly, the main characters, Kate and Julian, developed. Both teens had run away from home to start a new life in 1917 Los Angeles. Kate wants to be a movie director and Julian wants to be freed from the farm he was raised on, where his polio disability defined him. Kate and Jim have magical powers and learn to embrace them. I found this story slow-going and, although intriguing in parts, difficult to wade through. Perhaps had I read the first two works, I would have loved this third one. Best for grades 7-12.
August 11, 2023
***TRIGGER WARNINGS***
-Suicide, accidental infanticide, animal abuse
This book is the extremely depressing and disappointing final book in The Vespertine Trilogy. It focuses on the children of the couples from the first two books. Instead of having a sweet romance between the protagonists, they form friendship based on their mutual dissatisfaction with life. It is very weird and dark throughout, and ends much like Romeo and Juliet, with the two young protagonists committing mutual suicide. Although they do it to save a baby not for "true love", which is maybe better? I don't know. It was still kind of messed up.
Would not recommend to anyone. If you have read the first two books in the series, don't bother reading this one. It isn't anything like the first two, it doesn't add anything to the others, and is just kind of messed up.
-Suicide, accidental infanticide, animal abuse
This book is the extremely depressing and disappointing final book in The Vespertine Trilogy. It focuses on the children of the couples from the first two books. Instead of having a sweet romance between the protagonists, they form friendship based on their mutual dissatisfaction with life. It is very weird and dark throughout, and ends much like Romeo and Juliet, with the two young protagonists committing mutual suicide. Although they do it to save a baby not for "true love", which is maybe better? I don't know. It was still kind of messed up.
Would not recommend to anyone. If you have read the first two books in the series, don't bother reading this one. It isn't anything like the first two, it doesn't add anything to the others, and is just kind of messed up.
July 15, 2014
Mmmmmm.... not sure how I fell about this book. There was so much unexplained and strange things going on. I didn't see much of a plot happening besides the romance between the girl and guy which was almost nonexistent until the last few chapters. I didn't like Kate, but I loved Julian. There were some poetic lines and phrases here and there that were sort of cool, but otherwise everything was just kind of vague and random. Definitely not the ending I was expecting in this trilogy considering how different the first two books were. The historical theme was very well written, but the villain was a let down. He's super creepy but then is finished so quick and easily that you wonder what was the point of his character? Still an ok read, probably wouldn't read it again, though.
December 22, 2016
I found Mitchell's book to be well-written, with a neat use of language that managed to be rich and delicately figurative without being florid or overwrought. It was prettily done, and pleasant to read. However, when I finished the book, it felt too soon. It was as if a carefully constructed scaffold had only been fleshed out half way. But perhaps it only feels that way because it is the third in a series; perhaps the book would feel more complete in the context of those that preceded it.
This is not to say that the ending felt rushed, at all. I found it beautifully done. I just felt that the story was bigger, more expansive, than we got to see. Or that, somehow, the novel itself could have been more...
This is not to say that the ending felt rushed, at all. I found it beautifully done. I just felt that the story was bigger, more expansive, than we got to see. Or that, somehow, the novel itself could have been more...
June 25, 2013
A bittersweet ending to a captivating series. I hate saying goodbye to series I've come to love. This is one series I feel like I've gotten to personally know over the course of Saundra writing it, and I didn't want it to end just yet, though I do love the way this book wrapped up everything up. It has closure, and yet it's a little open ended due to the fact it makes me hopeful with all that happens. Not to mention all my favorite characters are back together, as this story is about their children. Well two of them, Kate and Julian.
Read the rest of my review here http://mundiemoms.blogspot.com/2013/0...
Read the rest of my review here http://mundiemoms.blogspot.com/2013/0...
June 8, 2015
The elementals
I really enjoyed this book but was friggin confused as to what happened at the end. Like I get that she's taking time off her life every time she stopped time. So did she stop time so they could be together and as they were in their own little world hundreds of years went by and so they died of old age? And what about their parents? They just like ditched them so they could run out their internal clocks? I'm so confused. Someone needs to explain it to me.
I really enjoyed this book but was friggin confused as to what happened at the end. Like I get that she's taking time off her life every time she stopped time. So did she stop time so they could be together and as they were in their own little world hundreds of years went by and so they died of old age? And what about their parents? They just like ditched them so they could run out their internal clocks? I'm so confused. Someone needs to explain it to me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 21, 2014
I ADORE Saundra Mitchell's writing. This book had beautiful writing, excellent characterization, and an interesting plot. I just feel a bit weird about the ending. I'm not sure that that's how I would've foreseen this trilogy ending. I still enjoyed reading it overall, and I would totally read more by Saundra.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews