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Solace
Corina Marion has a father problem—namely that her Red Cross doctor of a dad has finally returned home from sixteen years of war...
...as a body in a box to be buried.
Her mother is devastated, her friends shocked and saddened, her hometown in mourning at the loss of its local hero. And Corina, indifferent to the man she never met, is trapped in the middle of an emotional onslaught she isn't prepared to handle.
But when a strange old man confronts Corina at her father's funeral, he offers her an impossible opportunity: the chance to know the late Luther Marion. And in a moment of uncertainty, Corina makes a choice with consequences she can barely fathom.
A choice that sends her twenty-five years into the past.
Right on the cusp of the harrowing events that will shape Luther Marion's life...and death.
And in order to return to her damaged home, supportive friends, and uncertain future, Corina will have to fight tooth and nail alongside the man she's resented her entire life. Because if she doesn't help fix the past she's inadvertently changed with her presence, Luther Marion may not live long enough to become a hero at all.
...as a body in a box to be buried.
Her mother is devastated, her friends shocked and saddened, her hometown in mourning at the loss of its local hero. And Corina, indifferent to the man she never met, is trapped in the middle of an emotional onslaught she isn't prepared to handle.
But when a strange old man confronts Corina at her father's funeral, he offers her an impossible opportunity: the chance to know the late Luther Marion. And in a moment of uncertainty, Corina makes a choice with consequences she can barely fathom.
A choice that sends her twenty-five years into the past.
Right on the cusp of the harrowing events that will shape Luther Marion's life...and death.
And in order to return to her damaged home, supportive friends, and uncertain future, Corina will have to fight tooth and nail alongside the man she's resented her entire life. Because if she doesn't help fix the past she's inadvertently changed with her presence, Luther Marion may not live long enough to become a hero at all.
325 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 7, 2015
11 people are currently reading
1261 people want to read
About the author
Therin Knite
11 books170 followersTherin Knite was born and raised in backwoods Virginia, USA. Currently in her mid-twenties, Therin holds a degree in English and Finance from the College of William & Mary and recently retired from the hustle and bustle of Washington, DC to return to the homeland and pick up the quiet writing life.
Therin spends most of her time (when she's not writing) dreaming up new story ideas, studying Japanese, and slowly reading through the several-hundred-book backlog in her budding home library.
If she's not occupied with any of those things, then you can probably find her playing with her two cats or lurking in the shadows of various social media websites.
Therin spends most of her time (when she's not writing) dreaming up new story ideas, studying Japanese, and slowly reading through the several-hundred-book backlog in her budding home library.
If she's not occupied with any of those things, then you can probably find her playing with her two cats or lurking in the shadows of various social media websites.
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April 30, 2017
Good.
August 23, 2016
I wanted to like this book. Really. But I couldn't. There is this whinny absurd girl called Corine who has lost her father, a man she never knew because he was away with the Red Cross in World War 3. And then he gets caught and then he gets killed. So... here my doubts began... in like sixten years he had never any time off? Really? I get he got caught, but... before?
Then this weird apparition man that is hinted as some kind of powerful cosmic being... yep. Got it right. More doubts. Only now they are fustration. Whi the Hell is he? Why she is the only one that can see him? A ghost? A god?
Going back to the man-ghost-whatever: he offers this girl who has always hated his father for being a family desertor the chance to meet him. And, surprisingly enough as she wants NOTHING to do with him for 16 years, she says... yes. She says yes.
Yep. Bullshit-meter scalating.
But then, o then... it gets better!!! Everyone sees there is a relation between Lu (the father) and her, mistaking them for family... but for Lu himself and his grandmother. Really? Crap-o-meter begins to raise.
The relation between both of them feels weird. I can't believe they are father and daughter eventhough he is not supposed to know. Doesn't seem like she acts her part (despite keeping it a secret she is his daughter).
Then some major thing happens and she gets to fast-forward ten years by grace of Ghost-god-whatever-man, and to meet him again while she looks the same as when she dissappeared ten years before. He is afraid he is getting crazy, she says she can't exactly share the truth whithout his brain imploding, and there they go again in their merry way.
Summarizing:
boring, crazy plot with no sense of continuity or holding it together
boring, plane characters for which you feel nothing
some sage quotations
I had to stop reading it when after 60% or so I realised I was just skipping pages... :(
Then this weird apparition man that is hinted as some kind of powerful cosmic being... yep. Got it right. More doubts. Only now they are fustration. Whi the Hell is he? Why she is the only one that can see him? A ghost? A god?
Going back to the man-ghost-whatever: he offers this girl who has always hated his father for being a family desertor the chance to meet him. And, surprisingly enough as she wants NOTHING to do with him for 16 years, she says... yes. She says yes.
Yep. Bullshit-meter scalating.
But then, o then... it gets better!!! Everyone sees there is a relation between Lu (the father) and her, mistaking them for family... but for Lu himself and his grandmother. Really? Crap-o-meter begins to raise.
The relation between both of them feels weird. I can't believe they are father and daughter eventhough he is not supposed to know. Doesn't seem like she acts her part (despite keeping it a secret she is his daughter).
Then some major thing happens and she gets to fast-forward ten years by grace of Ghost-god-whatever-man, and to meet him again while she looks the same as when she dissappeared ten years before. He is afraid he is getting crazy, she says she can't exactly share the truth whithout his brain imploding, and there they go again in their merry way.
Summarizing:
boring, crazy plot with no sense of continuity or holding it together
boring, plane characters for which you feel nothing
some sage quotations
I had to stop reading it when after 60% or so I realised I was just skipping pages... :(
February 9, 2015
I really enjoyed this book! I would read more from this author. I liked how she used small sentences when she was telling about how Corina's mind was working. The book was just very engaging all the way around. It was a hard book to put down for me. I really enjoyed it! *This book was given to me from the author in exchange for an honest review*
January 28, 2015
For more reviews, go check out For The Love of Fictional Worlds I promise you won't regret it ;)
Actual Rating 4.5 Stars
The author provided me with an ARC of the novel in exchange for an honest review.
There are times, when you read a book, that reaches inside you and pulls at your inside, twists them and leaves you feeling same on the outside, yet
everything changed on the inside.
This book was that book for me.
I requested to review this novel on GoodReads because well the blurb stuck a chord with me, even though I didn’t realise it at the time. You’ll realise why when you read this review, or better yet, this book!
The journey I went on, while reading this book was a roller coaster ride. I was was honestly expecting this to be a typical time travel book, though in retrospect I wonder why was I so near sighted?
Because this book was so much more! Because this book was not just about the journey of a daughter to understand the man who was her father, yet was hero to the world. This was also about the journey of a boy into a man. It was the understanding of a boy who grew up with ideals to the man who felt the need to protect the world in any way he could.
This novel strikes at the heart of every child’s thought – How is my father the way he is today? What made my father to be the kind of man that he is today? Why did he make the decisions he did?
This story is about a girl who gets a chance to find answers. Answers about a father she has never known, a father she has hated for all her life, just to understand the choices he made.
The story starts off with Corina fighting two bullies, not for herself, not for fun, but to protect her friend. The way the author introduces Corina, is quite an interesting choice. Because it’s only later on in the story you realise that that introduction tells a lot.
It’s the year 2026 and a war in Asia has been going on for 16 years. And Corina’s father, Luther had been a part of the war as Red Cross Volunteer since before she was born. (A Little background: China refuse to adhere to the World Order and even missionaries were considered ‘fair game’ if they ‘interfered’ in the matters of state. Can I just say how plausible I found this tidbit? Not the China part, but that any superpower could do that!).
She has not known her father herself, only through few cheerful letters sent sporadically and the stories of the ‘hero’ her small town remembered. The day she fights the bullies, is the day she and her mother get the news that her father has died of starvation as a POW in China.
Understandably, she is a little more than pissed at him for ‘choosing the war’ over her and her mother while giving her mother false hope of getting back home safe and sound.
So when an old man starts following her around and watching her, she assumes that either she is being haunted or being stalked by a creepy old man, on top of being asked to mourn a father she believes is attention seeking prick.
Everything comes to head, when she is given a chance to know her father, by the same creepy old man, she jumps on the chance. (Funnily enough, she is actually was quite amenable to the idea, without a hint of fear. I liked her even more for it <3)
She is thrust into her father’s timeline, not once, not twice, but three times. While this happens on a space of one night (my approximation) for her, years have passed for Lu, her father, between each visit. All this to understand, the boy who had been, the man he became and the man who died.
You would think, with her snarkiness, and her cold shoulder attitude, Corina would be hard to like. That with her skewed perceptions of a father she had never known (Don’t judge just by what you see? Right?), she would be irritating and come off as a stubborn whiny little girl, but she doesn't.
Her feelings and thoughts are as real to me as mine are. Her anger at her father whom she believes left her, is as wounding to me as if mine had. Her interactions with a father are absolutely adorable, just like that of a brother with a sister (which for him would be normal, because she didn’t even exist as thought the first two times!).
As for Lu, we see him grow and see the influence his ‘daughter’ has on his life and his decisions. (Irony at it’s best!). We see him grow from an idealistic young man to a cynical doctor to a hero and that growth just takes your breath away! We understand his decisions and his fascination and courageousness at the face of tragedy.
Every single time, Corina met Lu, they battled for their lives along with others around. If it wasn’t a blazing inferno, then it was a hostage situation, last but not the least, it was in the middle of a war.
Corina and Lu behaved courageously in every single situation. You would think their actions would be incredible and fantastical, but all I could think when I was reading about it was ‘I hope that if I am ever in such a situation, I could be half as awesome as they were!’
But it was only at the last leg of their journey that both father and daughter really connected. It was only when they realised the mistakes each of them made that they realised they weren’t truly different after all.
Was it any wonder that I bawled my eyes out (at work, no less) when I came to the same understanding of her father as Corina did;
“What makes him a hero isn’t that he came here. Isn’t that he’s saved lives here. Isn’t that he will die here, fighting for a good cause.
It’s that he came here knowing there was little he could do but was willing to do that little anyway. Because that little meant saving lives that would otherwise be lost.
Lives no one else was willing to save.”
Pg 365
Maybe this novel wouldn’t resound to others the same way it did to me. But that’s okay. Because I know this story, the message in it, will resound in your head anyways. Haven’t you wondered why do people give their lives to save others? Haven’t you wondered why people have those bursts of courageous acts for people they don’t know and just might never meet again?
What Lu says, just might give you another perspective:
“It’s one thing to help a person who might be helped anyways, by someone else equally capable as you. It’s another to help a person who would die without your help.”
The author has written a story that has captivated me from the start, making me laugh and snort at Corina’s sassy sarcasm while making me slowly admire Lu’s tenacity to do good for those who don’t have a lot of good coming for them. The writing style itself is a beauty and it grips you when you believe that you can’t get more invested in the story and the characters.
I can’t wait to read more from this author, because this book definitely made to the list of my favourites!
Actual Rating 4.5 Stars
The author provided me with an ARC of the novel in exchange for an honest review.
There are times, when you read a book, that reaches inside you and pulls at your inside, twists them and leaves you feeling same on the outside, yet
everything changed on the inside.
This book was that book for me.
I requested to review this novel on GoodReads because well the blurb stuck a chord with me, even though I didn’t realise it at the time. You’ll realise why when you read this review, or better yet, this book!
The journey I went on, while reading this book was a roller coaster ride. I was was honestly expecting this to be a typical time travel book, though in retrospect I wonder why was I so near sighted?
Because this book was so much more! Because this book was not just about the journey of a daughter to understand the man who was her father, yet was hero to the world. This was also about the journey of a boy into a man. It was the understanding of a boy who grew up with ideals to the man who felt the need to protect the world in any way he could.
This novel strikes at the heart of every child’s thought – How is my father the way he is today? What made my father to be the kind of man that he is today? Why did he make the decisions he did?
This story is about a girl who gets a chance to find answers. Answers about a father she has never known, a father she has hated for all her life, just to understand the choices he made.
The story starts off with Corina fighting two bullies, not for herself, not for fun, but to protect her friend. The way the author introduces Corina, is quite an interesting choice. Because it’s only later on in the story you realise that that introduction tells a lot.
It’s the year 2026 and a war in Asia has been going on for 16 years. And Corina’s father, Luther had been a part of the war as Red Cross Volunteer since before she was born. (A Little background: China refuse to adhere to the World Order and even missionaries were considered ‘fair game’ if they ‘interfered’ in the matters of state. Can I just say how plausible I found this tidbit? Not the China part, but that any superpower could do that!).
She has not known her father herself, only through few cheerful letters sent sporadically and the stories of the ‘hero’ her small town remembered. The day she fights the bullies, is the day she and her mother get the news that her father has died of starvation as a POW in China.
Understandably, she is a little more than pissed at him for ‘choosing the war’ over her and her mother while giving her mother false hope of getting back home safe and sound.
So when an old man starts following her around and watching her, she assumes that either she is being haunted or being stalked by a creepy old man, on top of being asked to mourn a father she believes is attention seeking prick.
Everything comes to head, when she is given a chance to know her father, by the same creepy old man, she jumps on the chance. (Funnily enough, she is actually was quite amenable to the idea, without a hint of fear. I liked her even more for it <3)
She is thrust into her father’s timeline, not once, not twice, but three times. While this happens on a space of one night (my approximation) for her, years have passed for Lu, her father, between each visit. All this to understand, the boy who had been, the man he became and the man who died.
You would think, with her snarkiness, and her cold shoulder attitude, Corina would be hard to like. That with her skewed perceptions of a father she had never known (Don’t judge just by what you see? Right?), she would be irritating and come off as a stubborn whiny little girl, but she doesn't.
Her feelings and thoughts are as real to me as mine are. Her anger at her father whom she believes left her, is as wounding to me as if mine had. Her interactions with a father are absolutely adorable, just like that of a brother with a sister (which for him would be normal, because she didn’t even exist as thought the first two times!).
As for Lu, we see him grow and see the influence his ‘daughter’ has on his life and his decisions. (Irony at it’s best!). We see him grow from an idealistic young man to a cynical doctor to a hero and that growth just takes your breath away! We understand his decisions and his fascination and courageousness at the face of tragedy.
Every single time, Corina met Lu, they battled for their lives along with others around. If it wasn’t a blazing inferno, then it was a hostage situation, last but not the least, it was in the middle of a war.
Corina and Lu behaved courageously in every single situation. You would think their actions would be incredible and fantastical, but all I could think when I was reading about it was ‘I hope that if I am ever in such a situation, I could be half as awesome as they were!’
But it was only at the last leg of their journey that both father and daughter really connected. It was only when they realised the mistakes each of them made that they realised they weren’t truly different after all.
Was it any wonder that I bawled my eyes out (at work, no less) when I came to the same understanding of her father as Corina did;
“What makes him a hero isn’t that he came here. Isn’t that he’s saved lives here. Isn’t that he will die here, fighting for a good cause.
It’s that he came here knowing there was little he could do but was willing to do that little anyway. Because that little meant saving lives that would otherwise be lost.
Lives no one else was willing to save.”
Pg 365
Maybe this novel wouldn’t resound to others the same way it did to me. But that’s okay. Because I know this story, the message in it, will resound in your head anyways. Haven’t you wondered why do people give their lives to save others? Haven’t you wondered why people have those bursts of courageous acts for people they don’t know and just might never meet again?
What Lu says, just might give you another perspective:
“It’s one thing to help a person who might be helped anyways, by someone else equally capable as you. It’s another to help a person who would die without your help.”
The author has written a story that has captivated me from the start, making me laugh and snort at Corina’s sassy sarcasm while making me slowly admire Lu’s tenacity to do good for those who don’t have a lot of good coming for them. The writing style itself is a beauty and it grips you when you believe that you can’t get more invested in the story and the characters.
I can’t wait to read more from this author, because this book definitely made to the list of my favourites!
Read
July 9, 2015ABR's original Solace audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.
Solace by Therin Knite is a type of coming of age novel. Corina Marion is a high school student who’s always heard that her father, Lou Marion, a Red Cross doctor, is a great man. But in a world set in the near future where a long war is raging, her father comes home from the battle ravaged war country in a casket. When a supernatural opportunity knocks on her door, Corina gets the opportunity to get to know her now-deceased father and learn whether or not he lives up to the hype of being such a great guy.
While this novel wasn’t what I was expecting, I really ended up liking it. It’s a novel about a frustrated and resentful teenage girl trying to figure out how her family situation came to be the way that it is. The plot revolves around Corina’s relationship with her father. All the supporting characters, even her mother, are really just that, supportive to the plot. Normally, I prefer to have a really robust cast of characters, but from the beginning it was clear what this novel was going to be and it worked. It was really interesting to see how both Corina and Lou grow though the novel as individuals even over a short period of time. I thought it was especially touching to see how Corina’s relationship and feelings toward her father change as she gets to know him better. The end of the novel is heartwarming in a bittersweet way.
The narration by Julia Knippen was great. I think she did a great job of voicing the characters. I didn’t particularly feel like she aged Lou much over time or had dramatic differences in the voices of the characters, but I liked her narration. The production quality of the novel was good. I would recommend this novel to people who like coming of age novels for strong female protagonists and stories that tug on your heart.
Audiobook provided for review by the narrator.
Solace by Therin Knite is a type of coming of age novel. Corina Marion is a high school student who’s always heard that her father, Lou Marion, a Red Cross doctor, is a great man. But in a world set in the near future where a long war is raging, her father comes home from the battle ravaged war country in a casket. When a supernatural opportunity knocks on her door, Corina gets the opportunity to get to know her now-deceased father and learn whether or not he lives up to the hype of being such a great guy.
While this novel wasn’t what I was expecting, I really ended up liking it. It’s a novel about a frustrated and resentful teenage girl trying to figure out how her family situation came to be the way that it is. The plot revolves around Corina’s relationship with her father. All the supporting characters, even her mother, are really just that, supportive to the plot. Normally, I prefer to have a really robust cast of characters, but from the beginning it was clear what this novel was going to be and it worked. It was really interesting to see how both Corina and Lou grow though the novel as individuals even over a short period of time. I thought it was especially touching to see how Corina’s relationship and feelings toward her father change as she gets to know him better. The end of the novel is heartwarming in a bittersweet way.
The narration by Julia Knippen was great. I think she did a great job of voicing the characters. I didn’t particularly feel like she aged Lou much over time or had dramatic differences in the voices of the characters, but I liked her narration. The production quality of the novel was good. I would recommend this novel to people who like coming of age novels for strong female protagonists and stories that tug on your heart.
Audiobook provided for review by the narrator.
January 26, 2015
Well, this book just sucked me right in - what an amazing concept. It's impossible not to like Corina - she's smart, highly spirited, brave, and hilarious at times. I loved the way her mind worked - the short choppy sentences the author used when describing the inner workings of Corina's mind were perfect for her character.
And what a gift Corina was given in this story - the chance to know her father, someone she'd never met. Their interactions ranged from awkward, comical, insightful, dangerous, and touching - I damn near needed a tissue at one point. She was able to meet her father at different points in his lifetime, giving her the opportunity to see the man he became and although Corina harbors some heavy negative feelings towards her father, the reader realizes long before Corina that she and her father are more alike than she ever would have believed.
Admittedly, the first few chapters were a slow build for me, but the pace quickly picked up and I doubt anyone could have pried the book from my hands after that.
This author's books are traditionally sci-fi, but I would recommend Solace for all readers - I think there's something here for everyone. A real treat to read.
I received a digital copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
And what a gift Corina was given in this story - the chance to know her father, someone she'd never met. Their interactions ranged from awkward, comical, insightful, dangerous, and touching - I damn near needed a tissue at one point. She was able to meet her father at different points in his lifetime, giving her the opportunity to see the man he became and although Corina harbors some heavy negative feelings towards her father, the reader realizes long before Corina that she and her father are more alike than she ever would have believed.
Admittedly, the first few chapters were a slow build for me, but the pace quickly picked up and I doubt anyone could have pried the book from my hands after that.
This author's books are traditionally sci-fi, but I would recommend Solace for all readers - I think there's something here for everyone. A real treat to read.
I received a digital copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
January 22, 2016
Corina Marion has a father problem—namely that her Red Cross doctor of a dad has finally returned home from sixteen years of war...
...as a body in a box to be buried.
Her mother is devastated, her friends shocked and saddened, her hometown in mourning at the loss of its local hero. And Corina, indifferent to the man she never met, is trapped in the middle of an emotional onslaught she isn't prepared to handle.
But when a strange old man confronts Corina at her father's funeral, he offers her an impossible opportunity: the chance to know the late Luther Marion. And in a moment of uncertainty, Corina makes a choice with consequences she can barely fathom.
A choice that sends her twenty-five years into the past.
Right on the cusp of the harrowing events that will shape Luther Marion's life...and death.
And in order to return to her damaged home, supportive friends, and uncertain future, Corina will have to fight tooth and nail alongside the man she's resented her entire life. Because if she doesn't help fix the past she's inadvertently changed with her presence, Luther Marion may not live long enough to become a hero at all.
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Quick Reasons: awesome, Christmas Carol-esque story/plot; characters easy to identify and fall in love with; absolutely gorgeous, breath-taking prose; high action; a deep exploration of the reach of family...and the love that comes with this
HOLY WOW, this book! I just... I can't...
Be still, my breaking heart!
Honestly, though; I think I've forgotten how to words properly. Give me just a minute to collect myself, won't you? No? Well, you asked for it then.
Therin Knite is a writer I discovered via Tumblr. Yes. When an opportunity came up to read and review, of course I jumped at the chance (many thanks, therefore, to Therin—for this AND future opportunities.) I spent a good five minutes debating which book I wanted to start with—and in the end, chose this one. Why? The cover is gorgeous. The story was intriguing. And because I wanted to. I know, really valid reasons there.
I was expecting a book with a lot of action, a fair amount of character growth (maybe?), and a few unexpected revelations. Suffice to say, I got all of that...and so much more.
This read has a lot of heart. Corina as a character is intelligent, confident in herself and her goals, often times a wise-ass, and, in moments that matter, utterly reckless. For me, who enjoys books with characters that break the rules and go their own ways, she's absolutely PERFECT. I was hooked from sentence one. I spent most of this read either giggling, or holding my breath with suspense—neither of which is a bad thing.
The exploration of the characters—specifically, their deepest, most secret aspirations and emotions—is hard-hitting and realistic. Weaving Corina's present with moments from her father's past, Therin Knite takes readers on a journey of discovery, family ties, and the reach/devestation of war. The prose is beautiful, though at times a bit jarring (there are a lot of simple sentences, and it took a bit of time gettig used to the writing style—a good amount of sentences are split up arbitrarily or unnecessarily into two or three different phrasings.) The plot is well-structured, maintained, and brilliantly executed. The use of the “paranormal” acts almost like a side-dish to this main course; it's there, it's maybe a tiny bit unexplained...but it doesn't really HAVE to be to understand the message of the story. The paranormal aspect is not the most important part of this. The most important part is the heart.
But above all is the emotional reach. This book strips down your walls as you go. While Corina is learning about and experiencing glimpses from the past of a man she grew up loathing, a man she never knew, readers are learning about the characters (and themselves!) at the same time. There's a sense of connection between the words on the page and the readers' heart that grips with iron fists and refuses to let go. The pace is quick, and while there are small moments of “quiet” when revelations are being made or deeper connections being forged, these are so beautifully written and woven into the immediate story you won't notice what's happening.
Therin Knite is, judging from just this one read, a writer that pours heart and soul into a story, and asks readers for nothing more than an open mind. This story—and the way it impacted me—took me by surprise. Mark this down as one of my newest favorite reads; it's gorgeous, and I really enjoyed the journey. I highly recommend, especially to those who enjoyed reads like The Book Thief (Marcus Suzak) or The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold). To be fair, though, I think if you go into this with an open mind and a willingness to FEEL, pretty much everyone will be touched by Corina's journey toward peace—with herself, with the world, and with the father she never got the chance to really know.
...as a body in a box to be buried.
Her mother is devastated, her friends shocked and saddened, her hometown in mourning at the loss of its local hero. And Corina, indifferent to the man she never met, is trapped in the middle of an emotional onslaught she isn't prepared to handle.
But when a strange old man confronts Corina at her father's funeral, he offers her an impossible opportunity: the chance to know the late Luther Marion. And in a moment of uncertainty, Corina makes a choice with consequences she can barely fathom.
A choice that sends her twenty-five years into the past.
Right on the cusp of the harrowing events that will shape Luther Marion's life...and death.
And in order to return to her damaged home, supportive friends, and uncertain future, Corina will have to fight tooth and nail alongside the man she's resented her entire life. Because if she doesn't help fix the past she's inadvertently changed with her presence, Luther Marion may not live long enough to become a hero at all.
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Quick Reasons: awesome, Christmas Carol-esque story/plot; characters easy to identify and fall in love with; absolutely gorgeous, breath-taking prose; high action; a deep exploration of the reach of family...and the love that comes with this
HOLY WOW, this book! I just... I can't...
Be still, my breaking heart!
Honestly, though; I think I've forgotten how to words properly. Give me just a minute to collect myself, won't you? No? Well, you asked for it then.
Therin Knite is a writer I discovered via Tumblr. Yes. When an opportunity came up to read and review, of course I jumped at the chance (many thanks, therefore, to Therin—for this AND future opportunities.) I spent a good five minutes debating which book I wanted to start with—and in the end, chose this one. Why? The cover is gorgeous. The story was intriguing. And because I wanted to. I know, really valid reasons there.
I was expecting a book with a lot of action, a fair amount of character growth (maybe?), and a few unexpected revelations. Suffice to say, I got all of that...and so much more.
This read has a lot of heart. Corina as a character is intelligent, confident in herself and her goals, often times a wise-ass, and, in moments that matter, utterly reckless. For me, who enjoys books with characters that break the rules and go their own ways, she's absolutely PERFECT. I was hooked from sentence one. I spent most of this read either giggling, or holding my breath with suspense—neither of which is a bad thing.
The exploration of the characters—specifically, their deepest, most secret aspirations and emotions—is hard-hitting and realistic. Weaving Corina's present with moments from her father's past, Therin Knite takes readers on a journey of discovery, family ties, and the reach/devestation of war. The prose is beautiful, though at times a bit jarring (there are a lot of simple sentences, and it took a bit of time gettig used to the writing style—a good amount of sentences are split up arbitrarily or unnecessarily into two or three different phrasings.) The plot is well-structured, maintained, and brilliantly executed. The use of the “paranormal” acts almost like a side-dish to this main course; it's there, it's maybe a tiny bit unexplained...but it doesn't really HAVE to be to understand the message of the story. The paranormal aspect is not the most important part of this. The most important part is the heart.
But above all is the emotional reach. This book strips down your walls as you go. While Corina is learning about and experiencing glimpses from the past of a man she grew up loathing, a man she never knew, readers are learning about the characters (and themselves!) at the same time. There's a sense of connection between the words on the page and the readers' heart that grips with iron fists and refuses to let go. The pace is quick, and while there are small moments of “quiet” when revelations are being made or deeper connections being forged, these are so beautifully written and woven into the immediate story you won't notice what's happening.
Therin Knite is, judging from just this one read, a writer that pours heart and soul into a story, and asks readers for nothing more than an open mind. This story—and the way it impacted me—took me by surprise. Mark this down as one of my newest favorite reads; it's gorgeous, and I really enjoyed the journey. I highly recommend, especially to those who enjoyed reads like The Book Thief (Marcus Suzak) or The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold). To be fair, though, I think if you go into this with an open mind and a willingness to FEEL, pretty much everyone will be touched by Corina's journey toward peace—with herself, with the world, and with the father she never got the chance to really know.
April 14, 2015
(
I received this book free from the Author in exchange for my honest review
)
4.5 Stars!
This heartwarming father daughter tail will have your feels in a death grip, but at the same time it will have you smiling like a fool.
Corina grew up without her father. All she knew about him was that he was a red-cross doctor, trying to save war torn villages that have been terrorized by a decade long - ongoing war. When he dies, in a POW camp, she's angry, not sad; angry.
Her anger is well placed, and felt real. She's angry at everyone for placing her father, who's is partially a stranger to her, onto an extremely high pedestal; fluffing up his achievements and exaggerating their own personal tails almost to the point where he sounds more valuable than gold.
She doesn't know how to react. That is a real, solid. Blood may have had made them family but years have made them strangers. I know this because when my grandmother died, I wasn't sad. She was 92, I never knew the woman outside of small visit that where 10 years apart. The only sadness I felt was for my dad, who was heartbroken. It’s a heard frustrating feeling not knowing how to react when you aren’t as devastated as everyone else. It’s one you can’t understand until you’ve felt it yourself. And believe me it doesn’t make you a cold person for feeling so.
My favorite moments where when Corina and her father (in the past) bantered back and forth, and had without reason, a strong connected. As they went through trail after trail, (very exciting trails, full of action to boot) you get to see how alike they actually are. Not only are we getting to know Corina but we are also getting to know the man that she disliked, and had us disliking at the beginning. By then end, as Corina mind changes, so does ours.
I liked the raw nature of this book. Just like the war it portrays, nothing was sided stepped or simply waved off. Like most teenagers Corina swears, ( not all the time, but there are times when a good swear is called for) and shows us that she can be a brat. Most YA sugar coat that bit, like they're writing a PG movie. <- Stupid.
There are a few graphic scenes. One of which is of a news report showing the war, as it really is, no editing, no cutting, just death and blood. I can't figure out if that's a good or bad thing. Too many things are surge coted, making us naive.
My only tiff, you could say, is that some of the dialogue was too long. I get it, a point needs to get across, but sometimes fewer words are more.
In all this book is about the what if's, and the if only's. For Corina, hers gets answered, and in doing so she’s taken on a world wind adventure through time and space. (Well more like a watery rabbit hole.)
I highly recommend this book, as I said; this is a father daughter tail. One that will hook your feels and have you cheering with all your heart, that somehow, by the time you're done reading, the ending will have changed.
Thank You Therin Knite for letting me read such outstanding work.
Happy Reading
-Emily
4.5 Stars!
This heartwarming father daughter tail will have your feels in a death grip, but at the same time it will have you smiling like a fool.
Corina grew up without her father. All she knew about him was that he was a red-cross doctor, trying to save war torn villages that have been terrorized by a decade long - ongoing war. When he dies, in a POW camp, she's angry, not sad; angry.
Her anger is well placed, and felt real. She's angry at everyone for placing her father, who's is partially a stranger to her, onto an extremely high pedestal; fluffing up his achievements and exaggerating their own personal tails almost to the point where he sounds more valuable than gold.
She doesn't know how to react. That is a real, solid. Blood may have had made them family but years have made them strangers. I know this because when my grandmother died, I wasn't sad. She was 92, I never knew the woman outside of small visit that where 10 years apart. The only sadness I felt was for my dad, who was heartbroken. It’s a heard frustrating feeling not knowing how to react when you aren’t as devastated as everyone else. It’s one you can’t understand until you’ve felt it yourself. And believe me it doesn’t make you a cold person for feeling so.
My favorite moments where when Corina and her father (in the past) bantered back and forth, and had without reason, a strong connected. As they went through trail after trail, (very exciting trails, full of action to boot) you get to see how alike they actually are. Not only are we getting to know Corina but we are also getting to know the man that she disliked, and had us disliking at the beginning. By then end, as Corina mind changes, so does ours.
I liked the raw nature of this book. Just like the war it portrays, nothing was sided stepped or simply waved off. Like most teenagers Corina swears, ( not all the time, but there are times when a good swear is called for) and shows us that she can be a brat. Most YA sugar coat that bit, like they're writing a PG movie. <- Stupid.
There are a few graphic scenes. One of which is of a news report showing the war, as it really is, no editing, no cutting, just death and blood. I can't figure out if that's a good or bad thing. Too many things are surge coted, making us naive.
My only tiff, you could say, is that some of the dialogue was too long. I get it, a point needs to get across, but sometimes fewer words are more.
In all this book is about the what if's, and the if only's. For Corina, hers gets answered, and in doing so she’s taken on a world wind adventure through time and space. (Well more like a watery rabbit hole.)
I highly recommend this book, as I said; this is a father daughter tail. One that will hook your feels and have you cheering with all your heart, that somehow, by the time you're done reading, the ending will have changed.
Thank You Therin Knite for letting me read such outstanding work.
Happy Reading
-Emily
June 15, 2015
Audiobook
This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review
Narration - Julia Knippen - Kick Ass! She might be why I gave this 5 stars instead of 4. Really just a great story teller. Half the time I didn't even notice the narration because I was so sucked right into the story. And that's the point right?
So, the story... I'm having a bit of a book hangover right now. I think I'm a little sad about this book.
This is a story of opportunity. If you read the blurb, you now the basics. Corina never met her father - be's been away with the Red Cross, at war since before she was born.
This is a kid who is filled with some anger and resentment towards her father for not choosing her. Not choosing their family.
Choosing strangers...over her...and now he's gone.
She's given a paranormal opportunity to get to know her dad and she takes it.
It's an interesting concept for a book, and I so enjoyed every moment that she got to spend with her father. It was, at times, tense, suspenseful, dangerous, humorous and in the end, loving and heartbreaking.
I was hoping for a different ending, but that wasn't the point of the story and that's probably why I'm sad. I guess you could say that this has a happy ending, just not the one I hoped for.
Really great book! I think you'll enjoy it!
That's all!
This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review
Narration - Julia Knippen - Kick Ass! She might be why I gave this 5 stars instead of 4. Really just a great story teller. Half the time I didn't even notice the narration because I was so sucked right into the story. And that's the point right?
So, the story... I'm having a bit of a book hangover right now. I think I'm a little sad about this book.
This is a story of opportunity. If you read the blurb, you now the basics. Corina never met her father - be's been away with the Red Cross, at war since before she was born.
This is a kid who is filled with some anger and resentment towards her father for not choosing her. Not choosing their family.
Choosing strangers...over her...and now he's gone.
She's given a paranormal opportunity to get to know her dad and she takes it.
It's an interesting concept for a book, and I so enjoyed every moment that she got to spend with her father. It was, at times, tense, suspenseful, dangerous, humorous and in the end, loving and heartbreaking.
I was hoping for a different ending, but that wasn't the point of the story and that's probably why I'm sad. I guess you could say that this has a happy ending, just not the one I hoped for.
Really great book! I think you'll enjoy it!
That's all!
April 16, 2016
Solace by Therin Knite is a compelling novel, with a ridiculous plot and badass protagonist.
Knite probably went a little overboard with Corina's character, making her selfless and heroic and brave and comical and lovable. Nobody is like that. At least, not in my experience. But then, I don't have Luther Marion for a father.
The whole old man transports her back into time thing was absurd. Cosmic being of power? Really? Ludicrous.
If not for the interactive writing style and humorous characters, this book would have been annoying and uninteresting at the very least.
I liked that there was no romance in this book and was solely centered on Corina and her father. It was refreshing.
3/5 stars
(Source: Netgalley)
Knite probably went a little overboard with Corina's character, making her selfless and heroic and brave and comical and lovable. Nobody is like that. At least, not in my experience. But then, I don't have Luther Marion for a father.
The whole old man transports her back into time thing was absurd. Cosmic being of power? Really? Ludicrous.
If not for the interactive writing style and humorous characters, this book would have been annoying and uninteresting at the very least.
I liked that there was no romance in this book and was solely centered on Corina and her father. It was refreshing.
3/5 stars
(Source: Netgalley)
May 28, 2016
In the near future and alternate past, the world is on the brink of war. World War 3. China is at war with Russia and people are dying. Corina's father has died after serving in the Red Cross during the war for sixteen years. I liked Corina. She is tough and spunky. This is a fast paced, well written story. Corina never knew her father, he left for the war before she was born. Everyone says what an amazing person and he was, but Corina isn't too sure. And then a mysterious man shows up and offers Corina a magical solution and Corina meets her father. I was enjoying this book a lot. There was a lot of adventure and teenage angst and then it was really heart warming and sweet. Great book. 5 stars.
January 11, 2017
The concept of this book was unique...
It's about a girl that lost a father to was that is too far from her and the only thing she feels about him is resentment. Because she can't mourn for a man that she never get to know... His death brought only havoc to her family...
So what is she gonna do when she is given the opportunity to get to know her father?
Solace was fun but at some points I wished it was faster, although I enjoyed it still...
But the plot was very different from everything I had read so far which made me enjoyed it more.
It's about a girl that lost a father to was that is too far from her and the only thing she feels about him is resentment. Because she can't mourn for a man that she never get to know... His death brought only havoc to her family...
So what is she gonna do when she is given the opportunity to get to know her father?
Solace was fun but at some points I wished it was faster, although I enjoyed it still...
But the plot was very different from everything I had read so far which made me enjoyed it more.
December 11, 2015
Wow, what a story! It went in directions I wasn't expecting, and some parts were pretty graphic (as you would expect in times of war, I suppose), but I couldn't put it down! The characters alone make this book worth the read!
Want to read
May 31, 2016Buddy Reading with my favourite person aka Varsha.
July 20, 2016
I enjoyed the read and the conversations between Corina & Lu. The humor is awesome. Action packed. More detailed review at www.howusefulitis.wordpress.com
May 31, 2016
I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
First off I have to say I would have definitely rated this 5 stars except for the language used in it. The story was absolutely amazing but my preference for books is usually ones with no language. The beginning starts out with some intense language but since I agreed to review the book I kept going and oh my word I am so glad I did! The language continues throughout the novel but despite that, I laughed, I cried, it was a really great moving novel. Therin Knite is a very talented writer, very descriptive and the style just draws you in from the very beginning. I love when I get sucked into a book and I feel like I am right there beside the character. That's exactly how I felt with this one. If possible this would be an amazing book to turn into a movie.
Now onto more about the novel. I don't want to give you any spoilers because I enjoy reading to find that out for myself. Corina is 16 years old and has never met her father. The story takes place in the future while a war is raging with China. Her father joins the red cross as a doctor to go help. He knows his wife is just barely pregnant but they agree this is what he needs to do. They just don't realize the war is going to last 16+ years. Corina grows up hearing about the amazing hero that her father is but just doesn't know if she believes all that she's heard. A little ways into the novel her and her mother are notified that he was killed in the war. (Her father was a POW for 2 years before his death.) Corina becomes even more hardened and angry as her mom is trying to grieve over his death but continues to become more depressed.
Enter a mysterious old man who appears randomly and disappears just as randomly. Eventually Corina and the old man connect and she discovers he is a powerful cosmic being who asks her if she would like to know who her father really was. She answers yes and is immediately transported back in time 25 years. She is taken to the small town where her father grew up and he ends up saving her and takes her back to his grandmother's house until they can figure out where she is from. The whole town believes she is a runaway. Corina tells Lu(her father Luther) that she isn't a runaway and that if she told him the truth he wouldn't believe it. So for the time being he trusts her and calls her mystery girl. Corina witnesses a crucial point in her father's life and at the end of it the old man appears and whisks her away to another crucial point 10 years later. She comes upon her father and he is so shocked to see her, dressed the same as their last encounter and the exact same age. Yet again another crucial moment happens in his life that Corina witnesses and is then whisked away by the old man to appear somewhere in China where her father has just been captured. The last and final crucial moment that she gets to witness and be a part of with her father finishes and the novel jumps to a Corina's present time, but a year later.
The moments that Corina is able to share with her father are turning points for him and help him determine what he is going to do in his life. He is the kind of guy who does the right thing because it is the right thing to do. Corina has some rules from the old man that she can't just tell Lu and try to alter his life, she can be there in those moments and learn from him. She ends up helping him in every instance and, those happen to be moments when he is struggling and trying to decide what path is right for him.
I'm really trying hard not to spoil it for you. It was just so well written and the relationship that develops between the two is so sweet, a great friendship. From Corina's insight as being the daughter who, she feels, was left behind and never thought about or cared for, she shares her thoughts and feelings with Lu. He is shocked by her thoughts and knowledge about his life, but every time she hits the mark with her comment for what he needs to hear. I kept thinking throughout the story that the events would change the outcome of what happened to her father. I'm not going to say what the outcome was but it was such a great ending. I think this was more personal for me because I have had many ancestors fight in wars for our freedom and the freedom of those who can't fight for it. I've read their words and listened to their accounts and have felt of their deep desires to sacrifice and give what they can for the blessing of freedom for all. Having the character of Lu show that so strongly reminded me of my gratitude to my family.
Corina's journey as she came to finally meet her father and have many firsts with him was very special. She didn't see a biased opinion, she got to know him personally and learn about these experiences that truly made him who he was. You'll have to read it to see how it all pans out and if she ever comes to forgive him or still carries that anger with her.
Thank you Therin Knite for the copy of the book to review!!! I was very moved by it and just couldn't put it down. I usually don't recommend books with language or explicit content but it was just so well written and such a wonderful story line that I do recommend it. Take a chance and share these first moments with this father and his daughter.
Happy Reading!!!
First off I have to say I would have definitely rated this 5 stars except for the language used in it. The story was absolutely amazing but my preference for books is usually ones with no language. The beginning starts out with some intense language but since I agreed to review the book I kept going and oh my word I am so glad I did! The language continues throughout the novel but despite that, I laughed, I cried, it was a really great moving novel. Therin Knite is a very talented writer, very descriptive and the style just draws you in from the very beginning. I love when I get sucked into a book and I feel like I am right there beside the character. That's exactly how I felt with this one. If possible this would be an amazing book to turn into a movie.
Now onto more about the novel. I don't want to give you any spoilers because I enjoy reading to find that out for myself. Corina is 16 years old and has never met her father. The story takes place in the future while a war is raging with China. Her father joins the red cross as a doctor to go help. He knows his wife is just barely pregnant but they agree this is what he needs to do. They just don't realize the war is going to last 16+ years. Corina grows up hearing about the amazing hero that her father is but just doesn't know if she believes all that she's heard. A little ways into the novel her and her mother are notified that he was killed in the war. (Her father was a POW for 2 years before his death.) Corina becomes even more hardened and angry as her mom is trying to grieve over his death but continues to become more depressed.
Enter a mysterious old man who appears randomly and disappears just as randomly. Eventually Corina and the old man connect and she discovers he is a powerful cosmic being who asks her if she would like to know who her father really was. She answers yes and is immediately transported back in time 25 years. She is taken to the small town where her father grew up and he ends up saving her and takes her back to his grandmother's house until they can figure out where she is from. The whole town believes she is a runaway. Corina tells Lu(her father Luther) that she isn't a runaway and that if she told him the truth he wouldn't believe it. So for the time being he trusts her and calls her mystery girl. Corina witnesses a crucial point in her father's life and at the end of it the old man appears and whisks her away to another crucial point 10 years later. She comes upon her father and he is so shocked to see her, dressed the same as their last encounter and the exact same age. Yet again another crucial moment happens in his life that Corina witnesses and is then whisked away by the old man to appear somewhere in China where her father has just been captured. The last and final crucial moment that she gets to witness and be a part of with her father finishes and the novel jumps to a Corina's present time, but a year later.
The moments that Corina is able to share with her father are turning points for him and help him determine what he is going to do in his life. He is the kind of guy who does the right thing because it is the right thing to do. Corina has some rules from the old man that she can't just tell Lu and try to alter his life, she can be there in those moments and learn from him. She ends up helping him in every instance and, those happen to be moments when he is struggling and trying to decide what path is right for him.
I'm really trying hard not to spoil it for you. It was just so well written and the relationship that develops between the two is so sweet, a great friendship. From Corina's insight as being the daughter who, she feels, was left behind and never thought about or cared for, she shares her thoughts and feelings with Lu. He is shocked by her thoughts and knowledge about his life, but every time she hits the mark with her comment for what he needs to hear. I kept thinking throughout the story that the events would change the outcome of what happened to her father. I'm not going to say what the outcome was but it was such a great ending. I think this was more personal for me because I have had many ancestors fight in wars for our freedom and the freedom of those who can't fight for it. I've read their words and listened to their accounts and have felt of their deep desires to sacrifice and give what they can for the blessing of freedom for all. Having the character of Lu show that so strongly reminded me of my gratitude to my family.
Corina's journey as she came to finally meet her father and have many firsts with him was very special. She didn't see a biased opinion, she got to know him personally and learn about these experiences that truly made him who he was. You'll have to read it to see how it all pans out and if she ever comes to forgive him or still carries that anger with her.
Thank you Therin Knite for the copy of the book to review!!! I was very moved by it and just couldn't put it down. I usually don't recommend books with language or explicit content but it was just so well written and such a wonderful story line that I do recommend it. Take a chance and share these first moments with this father and his daughter.
Happy Reading!!!
December 31, 2020
Do you ever wonder...
...what your parents were like when they were close to your age? Corina gets that chance. When the father she never knew died at war, she wonders what kind of man chooses was over family?
This is a bittersweet story about a girl who learns about the boy who made that Heart-breaking decision. Grab some tissues. You'll need them.
...what your parents were like when they were close to your age? Corina gets that chance. When the father she never knew died at war, she wonders what kind of man chooses was over family?
This is a bittersweet story about a girl who learns about the boy who made that Heart-breaking decision. Grab some tissues. You'll need them.
August 20, 2025
Quite a warm-hearted redemption story, I can really feel the YA/Teen vibe. I'd have taken a lot from Corina Marion. With lovely overtones of Wilde and Dickens to flavour the English, a brutal war not to shy away from reality and a seriously strong dose of family, this was an emotional punch-packer of a teen yarn.
July 3, 2016
Corina Marion has a father problem—namely that her Red Cross doctor of a dad has finally returned home from sixteen years of war...
...as a body in a box to be buried.
Her mother is devastated, her friends shocked and saddened, her hometown in mourning at the loss of its local hero. And Corina, indifferent to the man she never met, is trapped in the middle of an emotional onslaught she isn't prepared to handle.
But when a strange old man confronts Corina at her father's funeral, he offers her an impossible opportunity: the chance to know the late Luther Marion. And in a moment of uncertainty, Corina makes a choice with consequences she can barely fathom.
A choice that sends her twenty-five years into the past. To the heyday of her father's hometown. Right on the cusp of the harrowing events that will shape his life...and his death.
And in order to return to her damaged home, supportive friends, and uncertain future, Corina will have to fight tooth and nail alongside the man she's resented her entire life. Because if she doesn't help fix the past she's inadvertently changed with her presence, Luther Marion may not live long enough to become a hero at all.
I Received an Electronic Copy from Netgalley, in exchange of honest review.
Beautiful. Breathtaking. Powerful. Spectacular Writing.
There are so many other words that I can use to describe this novel, expect that would take a while. I had a feeling that I was going to like this book once I read that it had to do with time travel, cause that always has been one of my favorites genres. I had read few through the years, but I didn’t realize that I would fall in love with book and the characters. You can’t help but fall in love the story and the characters, especially Corina and Luther. SOLACE will have your attention from first page, till the last and even afterwards. Most of all cause you can’t help but wonder what happens to Corina after, especially after the adventure that she had. I read few different time travel novels before, but it was nothing like SOLACE were. To go back into time, so she can get to know the father that she never knew? How can something like that not capture your attention? It did for me. At start I didn’t know how to think about Luther myself, but as Corina time traveled and got to know her father, and of course so did I. I felt everything that they felt, anger, fear, bravery. I could tell that it was not long that Corina realized that Luther wasn’t what she thought that he was.
One of my most favorite parts, was the fact that Corina got to travel to her father’s different time lines and yet he seemed to remember her every time that she reappeared. However, I was as surprised as she was when he finally figured out that she was his daughter. I did not see that coming. I couldn’t help but wonder how he managed to put two and two together. But if he wasn’t protective over her then, he became even more protective once he found that she was his daughter. Despite what Corina thought of him when the time traveling started, it wasn’t long before the two of them established a bond between each other, the one that Corina always missed out on with her father. I loved Corina right from the start, she was brave, and she didn’t let anyone mess with her and her friends, and of course she was bit stubborn, never takin no for an answer. You could see the change in her during the time travel, but then who wouldn’t change when you go through what she went through. I am just glad that she made through it alive, and got to know her father.
What caught my attention first was the cover. Just look at it, isn’t completely stunning? Also with a bit of mysterious look to it, don’t you think? You can’t help but wonder what is going on by looking at the girl on the cover. I know that I was when I came across the book on Netgalley. SOLACE was the first novel that I read by THERIN KNITE and it won’t be the last one. I want to, no, I need to know what other amazing adventures the author will come up with next. I enjoyed the adventures, the obstacles that Corina had to face and in general the story. It was unique and I couldn’t get enough, I found myself reading it most of day and at night, just so I know how it will all end. SOLACE was pretty descriptive and that’s what I loved about it, with all those descriptions, I felt as I was there along with Corina and Luther. An Amazing experience. A Magical story about family and forgiveness.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 3, 2015
I read about half before having to stop. Full disclosure: I'm not the target audience so the review that follows may not be all that helpful. Young adult science fiction isn't really my thing but the premise sounded very interesting. A young girl with the opportunity to go back in time to get to know the father she never met. Great idea for a novel! Unfortunately the plot and character development had too many problems for me to finish.
Solace is about Corina Marion, a 16 year old growing up in Virginia in the midst of World War 3. Her father is a medic or Red Cross volunteer (it isn't clear which) serving on the front in Asia. It is just her and her mother back home. Upon learning of her father's death, her otherwise normal life is turned upside down as everyone around her pays tribute to her hero father. The problem is Corina never met her father. He went off to war before she was born. After the funeral, a mysterious old man appears and offers her an opportunity to go back in time and meet her father about twenty years before his death, and before she was even a twinkle in his eye.
I loved the premise but had serious issues with the execution. First, Corina's father is gone for 16 years! If he was military (which isn't clear), he would not spend more than 24 months in the theater operations unless he consistently kept re-upping his enlistment and refused to come home for R-and-R. Another possibility is that he was a POW that entire time, but the novel suggests he was captured only in the last year or two of that time period.
Corina's mother mourns the loss of a man she hasn't seen in 16 years, the majority of her adult life. It is extremely difficult to buy into a wife remaining faithful and deeply committed to a man she hasn't seen in 16 years. Military spouses struggle with going 1 year.
How can anyone admire a man who refuses to come home to his family for 16 years!!!
While there was so much potential for deep intra family drama, the narrator Corina uses a wall of teenage cynicism and overwhelming sarcasm to avoid experiencing any serious emotions. Her expressions of anger, frustration, and sadness are diluted with ill-timed dry humor, safely keeping her away from any real "moments." It is all in first person POV, so it is possible that the narrator is not reliable and that we are getting the Corina that she wants to convey: smart, sassy, and totally in control.
As the story progresses there are additional head-scratching moments. In one chapter, Corina says she walks the 10 mile trail home. Seriously? 10 miles in an age where parents get arrested for letting their kids walk to the park down the street? What teenager walks 10 miles for anything?
Corina also seems to possess a tremendous amount of knowledge and maturity for a 16 year old. She speaks about her friends and neighbors as if they were all ignorant townsfolk to be pitied, while she possesses inexplicable depth and insight. Of course, at 16 a lot of kids think they know everything about the world. The problem is Corina doesn't just believe she is smarter than everyone else, she has opportunities to demonstrate it time and again. In one hospital scene she suggests that two young patients have received too much morphine for their small size. How would she know that?
Another head scratcher was the dynamic between Corina and her father. Naturally, her father doesn't recognize her and believes she is just a runaway. He is a 22 year old college graduate preparing for medical school. She travels back in time as her 16 year old self. For him to be spending that much time with her, and for her to have such an interest in him would raise a lot of eyebrows. Yet absolutely no one in the first half of the novel brings it up. Any college graduate spending time with a high school girl would definitely receive some looks and a few whispers.
I don't know if the father-daughter dynamic through time ever evolved into something truly great. Maybe the second half of Solace addressed some of these issues and pulled everything together. The problem is my suspension of disbelief was far too damaged after 150-160 pages.
Again, I am not the target audience so take from this what you will. It gets two stars for having some strong writing and a few exciting and interesting scenes.
Solace is about Corina Marion, a 16 year old growing up in Virginia in the midst of World War 3. Her father is a medic or Red Cross volunteer (it isn't clear which) serving on the front in Asia. It is just her and her mother back home. Upon learning of her father's death, her otherwise normal life is turned upside down as everyone around her pays tribute to her hero father. The problem is Corina never met her father. He went off to war before she was born. After the funeral, a mysterious old man appears and offers her an opportunity to go back in time and meet her father about twenty years before his death, and before she was even a twinkle in his eye.
I loved the premise but had serious issues with the execution. First, Corina's father is gone for 16 years! If he was military (which isn't clear), he would not spend more than 24 months in the theater operations unless he consistently kept re-upping his enlistment and refused to come home for R-and-R. Another possibility is that he was a POW that entire time, but the novel suggests he was captured only in the last year or two of that time period.
Corina's mother mourns the loss of a man she hasn't seen in 16 years, the majority of her adult life. It is extremely difficult to buy into a wife remaining faithful and deeply committed to a man she hasn't seen in 16 years. Military spouses struggle with going 1 year.
How can anyone admire a man who refuses to come home to his family for 16 years!!!
While there was so much potential for deep intra family drama, the narrator Corina uses a wall of teenage cynicism and overwhelming sarcasm to avoid experiencing any serious emotions. Her expressions of anger, frustration, and sadness are diluted with ill-timed dry humor, safely keeping her away from any real "moments." It is all in first person POV, so it is possible that the narrator is not reliable and that we are getting the Corina that she wants to convey: smart, sassy, and totally in control.
As the story progresses there are additional head-scratching moments. In one chapter, Corina says she walks the 10 mile trail home. Seriously? 10 miles in an age where parents get arrested for letting their kids walk to the park down the street? What teenager walks 10 miles for anything?
Corina also seems to possess a tremendous amount of knowledge and maturity for a 16 year old. She speaks about her friends and neighbors as if they were all ignorant townsfolk to be pitied, while she possesses inexplicable depth and insight. Of course, at 16 a lot of kids think they know everything about the world. The problem is Corina doesn't just believe she is smarter than everyone else, she has opportunities to demonstrate it time and again. In one hospital scene she suggests that two young patients have received too much morphine for their small size. How would she know that?
Another head scratcher was the dynamic between Corina and her father. Naturally, her father doesn't recognize her and believes she is just a runaway. He is a 22 year old college graduate preparing for medical school. She travels back in time as her 16 year old self. For him to be spending that much time with her, and for her to have such an interest in him would raise a lot of eyebrows. Yet absolutely no one in the first half of the novel brings it up. Any college graduate spending time with a high school girl would definitely receive some looks and a few whispers.
I don't know if the father-daughter dynamic through time ever evolved into something truly great. Maybe the second half of Solace addressed some of these issues and pulled everything together. The problem is my suspension of disbelief was far too damaged after 150-160 pages.
Again, I am not the target audience so take from this what you will. It gets two stars for having some strong writing and a few exciting and interesting scenes.
July 25, 2015
SOLACE
Author: Therin Knite
Type of Book: Audiobook - Unabridged
Narrator: Julia Knippen
Length: 11 hours, 1 minute
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Drama
Release Date: May 13, 2015
Publisher: Knite and Day Publishing
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
* I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
Wow! I just finished listening to the audiobook version of Solace.
I'm not sure what I thought this audiobook would be like, but I know that I did not expect to be so completely sucked in to the story, nor did I expect the narration to be so incredibly well done.
If you follow my blog at amiesbookreviews dot wordpress dot com you know that I read A LOT of books and listen to A LOT of audiobooks. That is probably why I do not rate many books or audiobooks as 5 out of 5 stars. If I enjoy a book and like it a lot it gets a 4 star rating from me. To get a 5 star rating, it must be exceptional. The audiobook version of SOLACE is exceptional.
The author has captured the emotions of Corina Marion perfectly.
Corina Marion's father is dead.
Before she was born, her father left to be Red Cross doctor in the War in Asia. That war has been going on for the entirety of her sixteen year life.
Luther Marion has never been a tangible presence in his daughter's life. What little she knows about him has come from her mother or from the damaged pictures and letters he has sent home over the years.
But now Luther Marion has returned home at last, but not in the way his family had hoped. Instead of a joyful family reunion, Luther Marion arrives home in a body bag. His wife, Corina's mother, is devastated and it is up to Corina to pick up the pieces of her mother's shattered hopes.
The residents of the small town where Corina and her mother live all mourn the loss of Luther Marion and talk about him as if he were a hero. Everyone tells Corina how proud she should be of her father, but it is difficult for her to feel much (other than anger) about the man she sees as a 'glory hound' and who chose war over being a real parent to Corina.
But when a mysterious old man confronts Corina at her father's funeral, she finds herself drawn to his impossible offer: a chance to know the now late Luther Marion. It's an offer she can't resist.
What she doesn't expect is that her choice will send her to the last place she ever expected to go: Her father's hometown. Six hundred miles south. And 25 years in the past.
You may think this sounds like a story that will be predictable and full of emotional trope, but you would be wrong. Corina is no push-over and she has a bone to pick with her father (and rightly so).
This story kept my interest for the entire 11 hours, which is a feat in itself.
I really liked the character of Corina. She came across as realistic and not just as a one dimensional character in a novel. She is snarky. She is strong and she's a badass. But, she is also just a girl who missed out on having a father in her life.
I am sure that many readers/listeners will be able to relate to Corina and the things she has gone through in her fictional life.
This audiobook is very engaging and entertaining. Even though this is fiction, it addresses some very real and very socially relevant issues facing people in the real world.
With the "War on Terror" still being fought and with so many American and Canadian military, medical and volunteer personnel being deployed overseas, the media often overlooks or ignores the effect this has on those who are left behind. I cannot (thankfully) imagine what a spouse would go through emotionally knowing that their loved one is facing mortal danger on a daily basis. The stress and worry must be mind-numbing. I also cannot imagine the toll it takes on a child knowing their parent is in danger. It would be very difficult for a child to form any sort of emotional bond with someone that they rarely see.
This audiobook has a great story with terrific narration and interesting subject matter. I rate SOLACE as 5 out of 5 stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Author: Therin Knite
Type of Book: Audiobook - Unabridged
Narrator: Julia Knippen
Length: 11 hours, 1 minute
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Drama
Release Date: May 13, 2015
Publisher: Knite and Day Publishing
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
* I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
Wow! I just finished listening to the audiobook version of Solace.
I'm not sure what I thought this audiobook would be like, but I know that I did not expect to be so completely sucked in to the story, nor did I expect the narration to be so incredibly well done.
If you follow my blog at amiesbookreviews dot wordpress dot com you know that I read A LOT of books and listen to A LOT of audiobooks. That is probably why I do not rate many books or audiobooks as 5 out of 5 stars. If I enjoy a book and like it a lot it gets a 4 star rating from me. To get a 5 star rating, it must be exceptional. The audiobook version of SOLACE is exceptional.
The author has captured the emotions of Corina Marion perfectly.
Corina Marion's father is dead.
Before she was born, her father left to be Red Cross doctor in the War in Asia. That war has been going on for the entirety of her sixteen year life.
Luther Marion has never been a tangible presence in his daughter's life. What little she knows about him has come from her mother or from the damaged pictures and letters he has sent home over the years.
But now Luther Marion has returned home at last, but not in the way his family had hoped. Instead of a joyful family reunion, Luther Marion arrives home in a body bag. His wife, Corina's mother, is devastated and it is up to Corina to pick up the pieces of her mother's shattered hopes.
The residents of the small town where Corina and her mother live all mourn the loss of Luther Marion and talk about him as if he were a hero. Everyone tells Corina how proud she should be of her father, but it is difficult for her to feel much (other than anger) about the man she sees as a 'glory hound' and who chose war over being a real parent to Corina.
But when a mysterious old man confronts Corina at her father's funeral, she finds herself drawn to his impossible offer: a chance to know the now late Luther Marion. It's an offer she can't resist.
What she doesn't expect is that her choice will send her to the last place she ever expected to go: Her father's hometown. Six hundred miles south. And 25 years in the past.
You may think this sounds like a story that will be predictable and full of emotional trope, but you would be wrong. Corina is no push-over and she has a bone to pick with her father (and rightly so).
This story kept my interest for the entire 11 hours, which is a feat in itself.
I really liked the character of Corina. She came across as realistic and not just as a one dimensional character in a novel. She is snarky. She is strong and she's a badass. But, she is also just a girl who missed out on having a father in her life.
I am sure that many readers/listeners will be able to relate to Corina and the things she has gone through in her fictional life.
This audiobook is very engaging and entertaining. Even though this is fiction, it addresses some very real and very socially relevant issues facing people in the real world.
With the "War on Terror" still being fought and with so many American and Canadian military, medical and volunteer personnel being deployed overseas, the media often overlooks or ignores the effect this has on those who are left behind. I cannot (thankfully) imagine what a spouse would go through emotionally knowing that their loved one is facing mortal danger on a daily basis. The stress and worry must be mind-numbing. I also cannot imagine the toll it takes on a child knowing their parent is in danger. It would be very difficult for a child to form any sort of emotional bond with someone that they rarely see.
This audiobook has a great story with terrific narration and interesting subject matter. I rate SOLACE as 5 out of 5 stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
April 5, 2015
Corina is a tough, independent teenager. She’s had to be. Her doctor father left before she was born to save lives in a never-ending war on the other side of the world, leaving just her and her mother waiting for him to return. But when he does, it’s in a box. Angry at what’s happened, and the reverence in which her father she’s never known is held, she tries to escape the cloying atmosphere at her father’s funeral, only to meet a mysterious man who offers her the chance to know what her father was really like. Corina agrees, and before she know’s it she’s being rescued from a canal 25 years in the past – by the man who became her father.
Solace is a well-written, hard hitting YA coming of age story set in an alternate version of our future. It’s a modern take on the Dickens classic, A Christmas Carol, but instead of our protagonist following her own life, she gets to follow the life of her absent father.
Therin Knite has a great writing style, and it didn’t take me long to be sucked into the story. The opening scenes are about as tough as I’ve read in my (admittedly sparse) experience of YA novels and set the tone for the rest of the book, introducing us to the harsh world in which the tough, loyal and driven Corina lives. It’s a dark but well realised vision of our future, with America almost on its knees due to the effects of an ongoing war against China. Yet almost as soon as we’re introduced to this world we’re taken out of it as Corina is sent back in time on a journey to discover the real person behind her father’s heroic image. The only rule, is she’s not allowed to turn him away from the life he is going to lead.
At the heart of the story is the relationship between the abandoned daughter and the absent father. As they journey together through some of the defining moments of her father’s life, the two of them form a bond which never existed in real life as they each learn about the other. But throughout the book the joy of a daughter learning about her father is tempered by the knowledge of where that journey’s heading.
I really enjoyed both the concept behind this story and found Knite’s stripped-down writing sharp and very engaging. The characters were well-rounded and believable, the settings realistic, and I devoured it in just a few days. The only issue I had with the book was that there were a few occasions where the dialogue appeared forced, with some conversations used as a means to explain or advance the plot (in the hospital, for example), but they probably stood out because of the high quality work in what is yet another strong novel by Therin Knite. If you like gripping, near-future thrillers with strong female protagonists, this is the book for you. Highly recommended.
I was given a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Solace is a well-written, hard hitting YA coming of age story set in an alternate version of our future. It’s a modern take on the Dickens classic, A Christmas Carol, but instead of our protagonist following her own life, she gets to follow the life of her absent father.
Therin Knite has a great writing style, and it didn’t take me long to be sucked into the story. The opening scenes are about as tough as I’ve read in my (admittedly sparse) experience of YA novels and set the tone for the rest of the book, introducing us to the harsh world in which the tough, loyal and driven Corina lives. It’s a dark but well realised vision of our future, with America almost on its knees due to the effects of an ongoing war against China. Yet almost as soon as we’re introduced to this world we’re taken out of it as Corina is sent back in time on a journey to discover the real person behind her father’s heroic image. The only rule, is she’s not allowed to turn him away from the life he is going to lead.
At the heart of the story is the relationship between the abandoned daughter and the absent father. As they journey together through some of the defining moments of her father’s life, the two of them form a bond which never existed in real life as they each learn about the other. But throughout the book the joy of a daughter learning about her father is tempered by the knowledge of where that journey’s heading.
I really enjoyed both the concept behind this story and found Knite’s stripped-down writing sharp and very engaging. The characters were well-rounded and believable, the settings realistic, and I devoured it in just a few days. The only issue I had with the book was that there were a few occasions where the dialogue appeared forced, with some conversations used as a means to explain or advance the plot (in the hospital, for example), but they probably stood out because of the high quality work in what is yet another strong novel by Therin Knite. If you like gripping, near-future thrillers with strong female protagonists, this is the book for you. Highly recommended.
I was given a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
February 2, 2015
I got this book for free from librarything.com member giveaway.
It's my humble opinion that details is the most important tool that used correctly can turn good story to exceptional. Exactly details ignite the imagination, sharpen all five senses and create three-dimensional world.
To my disappontment this story didn't pay attention to details at all. It was flat and one - dimensional.
The story started with the description of the fight between two schoolgirls. The only details accented were about smashed jaws, poked out eyes, peeled out flesh, broken teeth. And it went on and on the same way throughout the book. It felt like the author really enjoyed herself talking about unnecessary violance, blood and torn off limbs because otherwise it was just pointless. You can't transfer reader to the place were action is taking place just talking about beatings. You can't create the sensation of war just talking about torn of faces. It's actually pretty disgusting. You have to create the scene by giving possibility to smell, hear and immerse. Those small details so fragile you can feel with only the slightest touch of your fingertips transfers you to the place, not brutal descriptions of beatings and death.
I really tried to connect with the main characters but it was impossible, they were too shallow and hollow. No true emotions. And if I can't bond with the characters I really can't enjoy the story even if the idea of the message is not bad in itself.
And then of course thos childish things you see in bad Hollywood movies when you are struggling for life and death, gun to your face and you are still capable of having those fanatasticly meaningful conversations. In those moments I just want to scream: "No! You would wet your pants instead of talking!".
Must admit that the ending (the last quarter of the book) wasn't bad. It was even okay. It felt like the author knew what did she want to say but didn't know how to get there. However I don't think that it's worth to read 3/4 of the bad story just to get to the 1/4 part which is not bad. Because it wasn't fantastic either. There were some emotions but the characters remained dull at their core.
I mean - if someone says to the person that he will die tomorrow if he goes to the left but might survive if he goes to the right - everyone (and I mean everyone) would go to the right. And if someone still goes left just out of his stubbornness you call it stupidity not heroism. All animals have self perservation instincts, including human beings. And even if you risk your life for someone it's out of that same instinct, it's not the well considered decision yout take sitting at the fireplace.
I will not try to read anything from this author again - at least not in the next 5-10 years.
It's my humble opinion that details is the most important tool that used correctly can turn good story to exceptional. Exactly details ignite the imagination, sharpen all five senses and create three-dimensional world.
To my disappontment this story didn't pay attention to details at all. It was flat and one - dimensional.
The story started with the description of the fight between two schoolgirls. The only details accented were about smashed jaws, poked out eyes, peeled out flesh, broken teeth. And it went on and on the same way throughout the book. It felt like the author really enjoyed herself talking about unnecessary violance, blood and torn off limbs because otherwise it was just pointless. You can't transfer reader to the place were action is taking place just talking about beatings. You can't create the sensation of war just talking about torn of faces. It's actually pretty disgusting. You have to create the scene by giving possibility to smell, hear and immerse. Those small details so fragile you can feel with only the slightest touch of your fingertips transfers you to the place, not brutal descriptions of beatings and death.
I really tried to connect with the main characters but it was impossible, they were too shallow and hollow. No true emotions. And if I can't bond with the characters I really can't enjoy the story even if the idea of the message is not bad in itself.
And then of course thos childish things you see in bad Hollywood movies when you are struggling for life and death, gun to your face and you are still capable of having those fanatasticly meaningful conversations. In those moments I just want to scream: "No! You would wet your pants instead of talking!".
Must admit that the ending (the last quarter of the book) wasn't bad. It was even okay. It felt like the author knew what did she want to say but didn't know how to get there. However I don't think that it's worth to read 3/4 of the bad story just to get to the 1/4 part which is not bad. Because it wasn't fantastic either. There were some emotions but the characters remained dull at their core.
I mean - if someone says to the person that he will die tomorrow if he goes to the left but might survive if he goes to the right - everyone (and I mean everyone) would go to the right. And if someone still goes left just out of his stubbornness you call it stupidity not heroism. All animals have self perservation instincts, including human beings. And even if you risk your life for someone it's out of that same instinct, it's not the well considered decision yout take sitting at the fireplace.
I will not try to read anything from this author again - at least not in the next 5-10 years.
May 30, 2015
I received a free eBook copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This novel was kind of hard for me to get into for a while. It's not that I wasn't enjoying it, because I was, but I had a hard time really connecting for a while. The novel starts with action and doesn't let up much as it continues, dragging the reader along on an emotional ride. The beginning is somewhat slow in comparison to the rest of the novel. Corina has to be properly introduced and it takes time to get to know her and why she feels the way she does. So while it seemed slow, I think it was also necessary.
Knite's writing excels in action scenes. This novel is packed with dramatic fights, fires, wars, you name it. And Knite can write a good action scene. I always felt like I was there, in the moment with the characters, not just being told about what happened. That is a skill many authors wish they had and Knite has it. Emotions are also very well depicted. This novel made me feel so many different things all at once that it could sometimes be overwhelming. The further I got in, the more I emotionally invested and could really feel what the characters were feeling.
Some of the sentence structure was not my favorite. I thought that the use of fragmented sentences was a bit choppy at times and hindered the flow of the novel. I think this can be utilized effectively for emphasis and to convey feeling, but it was overdone at times here. Overall I thought the writing was very nice, it could just use a little more polish to make it exceptional.
The characters in this novel were phenomenal. Corina was easy to relate with and I loved her travels through time to meet Lu, her father. The relationship that developed through interactions was just so interesting. I loved his character. I thought he was brilliant. There were few other characters that played a large role here, since Corina was learning about the father she never knew, but all of the supporting characters were well done compelling.
This book nearly had me in tears on multiple occasions. Emotions run high and the action is fast. This is definitely a book that I'm going to remember. I really enjoyed the way time travel was presented here and being able to tag along with Corina on her adventures was heartbreaking and exhilarating all at once. A really good book. Particularly if you want something with a heavy focus on parent/child relationships, because that was beautiful.
This and other reviews can be found on my blog: www.courtneysreads.blogspot.com
This novel was kind of hard for me to get into for a while. It's not that I wasn't enjoying it, because I was, but I had a hard time really connecting for a while. The novel starts with action and doesn't let up much as it continues, dragging the reader along on an emotional ride. The beginning is somewhat slow in comparison to the rest of the novel. Corina has to be properly introduced and it takes time to get to know her and why she feels the way she does. So while it seemed slow, I think it was also necessary.
Knite's writing excels in action scenes. This novel is packed with dramatic fights, fires, wars, you name it. And Knite can write a good action scene. I always felt like I was there, in the moment with the characters, not just being told about what happened. That is a skill many authors wish they had and Knite has it. Emotions are also very well depicted. This novel made me feel so many different things all at once that it could sometimes be overwhelming. The further I got in, the more I emotionally invested and could really feel what the characters were feeling.
Some of the sentence structure was not my favorite. I thought that the use of fragmented sentences was a bit choppy at times and hindered the flow of the novel. I think this can be utilized effectively for emphasis and to convey feeling, but it was overdone at times here. Overall I thought the writing was very nice, it could just use a little more polish to make it exceptional.
The characters in this novel were phenomenal. Corina was easy to relate with and I loved her travels through time to meet Lu, her father. The relationship that developed through interactions was just so interesting. I loved his character. I thought he was brilliant. There were few other characters that played a large role here, since Corina was learning about the father she never knew, but all of the supporting characters were well done compelling.
This book nearly had me in tears on multiple occasions. Emotions run high and the action is fast. This is definitely a book that I'm going to remember. I really enjoyed the way time travel was presented here and being able to tag along with Corina on her adventures was heartbreaking and exhilarating all at once. A really good book. Particularly if you want something with a heavy focus on parent/child relationships, because that was beautiful.
This and other reviews can be found on my blog: www.courtneysreads.blogspot.com
February 10, 2016
This review is structured with the help of questions from Audible.com.
What did you love best about Solace?
Solace really surprised me in how deep and philosophical it got while Corina was getting to know the boy, then the man, who would become her father. A story about a girl getting a chance to go back in time to meet her recently deceased father is already a brilliant idea, and is even more satisfying when it is executed so well. Solace is full of graceful descriptions of how gritty and terrifying fire, riots, and war are while showing us characters who are strong and stubborn and are heroes without the hero complex.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Solace?
The scene where Corina returns and Lou recognizes her dressed exactly the same as when she disappeared almost a decade prior was quite memorable and a fun turning point for the story.
Have you listened to any of Julia Knippen’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
This is my first audio book of Julia Knippen's but I really enjoyed it. She has a very pleasant voice that is easy to understand and enjoy. The only complaint I would have is her male voices could have been made more different than the main character's narrating voice.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
It didn't make me cry, but it did make me think about what drives people to take certain risks or make life-altering decisions. We really can't judge someone without understanding the events that shaped their personality and major decisions were based on.
Any additional comments?
I was waiting to see if this book would break the fundamental rules of time travel and change the outcome of the events. I think this book handled time travel in a really exciting way, one where you think Corina's actions were maybe even necessary for the progression of events.
I was provided this audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator in exchange for an unbiased review via audiobookblast.com
What did you love best about Solace?
Solace really surprised me in how deep and philosophical it got while Corina was getting to know the boy, then the man, who would become her father. A story about a girl getting a chance to go back in time to meet her recently deceased father is already a brilliant idea, and is even more satisfying when it is executed so well. Solace is full of graceful descriptions of how gritty and terrifying fire, riots, and war are while showing us characters who are strong and stubborn and are heroes without the hero complex.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Solace?
The scene where Corina returns and Lou recognizes her dressed exactly the same as when she disappeared almost a decade prior was quite memorable and a fun turning point for the story.
Have you listened to any of Julia Knippen’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
This is my first audio book of Julia Knippen's but I really enjoyed it. She has a very pleasant voice that is easy to understand and enjoy. The only complaint I would have is her male voices could have been made more different than the main character's narrating voice.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
It didn't make me cry, but it did make me think about what drives people to take certain risks or make life-altering decisions. We really can't judge someone without understanding the events that shaped their personality and major decisions were based on.
Any additional comments?
I was waiting to see if this book would break the fundamental rules of time travel and change the outcome of the events. I think this book handled time travel in a really exciting way, one where you think Corina's actions were maybe even necessary for the progression of events.
I was provided this audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator in exchange for an unbiased review via audiobookblast.com
July 7, 2015
The bones of this book are really great. The idea of a teenage girl who never knew her war-hero father being offered the chance at his funeral to go back in time and meet him at seminal points in his life to understand who he is and why he made the choices he did is so unique and heart-wrenching. The fact that the teenager is funny, resourceful, and really does open herself up to trying to understand her father's personality and motivations, allowing herself to get past her resentment and anger and forge a bond with him really makes the story poignant and enjoyable. I liked that the mystery of how she is given this chance is never fully explained, and that it is not a superpower of her own that makes it possible are also positive elements of the story. Corina felt like a real teenager, mercurial and sarcastic but yearning for connection and a sense of how she fits in the world, not quite adult but not a child any more either.
The book flows smoothly, starting off perhaps a bit slowly and then speeding toward an increasingly intense, emotional, and satisfying ending in which our characters really find a better appreciation for what makes each other tick.
My main complaint about this book is that the author is never content to say a thing once. It's always a staement followed by three elaborations or rewordings on the statement. It's not just windy, it's gusting like a tornado, enough to blow her socks off, so windy she can't breathe. A paring down of the descriptive phrases would allow the reader to focus on the deeper messages more than the wordplay.
The narration by Julia Knippen is very good. She was a believable teenager without being grating, and handled pacing and the male voices well.
NOTE: I was given a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
The book flows smoothly, starting off perhaps a bit slowly and then speeding toward an increasingly intense, emotional, and satisfying ending in which our characters really find a better appreciation for what makes each other tick.
My main complaint about this book is that the author is never content to say a thing once. It's always a staement followed by three elaborations or rewordings on the statement. It's not just windy, it's gusting like a tornado, enough to blow her socks off, so windy she can't breathe. A paring down of the descriptive phrases would allow the reader to focus on the deeper messages more than the wordplay.
The narration by Julia Knippen is very good. She was a believable teenager without being grating, and handled pacing and the male voices well.
NOTE: I was given a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
April 12, 2016
Set in the time of World War Three with China at war with Russia and soldiers/ Red Cross volunteers have been sent from America, our main character Corina - a sixteen year old girl has been without her dad Luther aka Lu Marion all her life and now he has passed away and left her mother a complete wreck. Corina, is sick of hearing about her father from others and how amazing he was and what a hero he was as if he really cared about her and her mother then he would have been a family with them instead of trying to save others in the War and ending up dying in a Chinese POW camp. Corina meets an old man who can grant her a wish - he can help her travel back and understand and meet the person her father was and what he really was like and why he chose the war and helping others over his family. During the course of the novel , Corina will visit her father three times and in each one play a part in his life and go through a tragic situation with him. Over the course of the novel, we get to see the relationship between the two and reading it, it made me feel sad as I knew that this was the extent of a relationship Corina could have with her father as of course - he never got to actually meet her when he was alive. In a way this book reminded me of the Canadian TV Show "Finding Erica' where the character got to revisit regrets and make them right - but in a way where they still had the same outcome in the future tense. At first Solace was a slow read but once the time travelling part starts the book sucks you in and the pace starts to pick up steadily. I really enjoyed the interaction between father/daughter in Solace and I look forward to discovering more of this author's work in the future.
July 25, 2016
After 16 years, Corina's father comes home from his Red Cross role in China. But he comes home in a casket. Corina has never met her father. Her entire life she has been told how brave and heroic her father is. However, Corina doesn't feel this way. She holds a grudge. And when her mother breaks down after the funeral, all of Corina's feelings begin suffocating her. Then a mysterious man appears offering Corina the opportunity to get to know her father. Corina accepts the offer and is whisked back in time in order to get to know her dad.
This book offers a fresh, unique plot that I thought would completely captivate my attention. Yet, as I was reading I found myself getting distracted and doing other things. It honestly doesn't make much sense because there is a ton of action in this book. Corina literally jumps from one dangerous situation to another; yet, I wasn't involved. I felt very little connection to Corina or Luther. If anything I felt pity for Luther. This poor guy goes through some extremely scary and difficult situations. I don't know what was missing. But it needed something I just cannot point out what. Overall I found myself not really caring one way or another. Maybe it is because I knew in the back of my mind that there would be no changing of fates. So perhaps I prevented myself from attaching to the characters. Ultimately, there is a beautiful message here. A message that stresses the importance of standing up for those that cannot protect themselves and the importance of hope.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this title and the opportunity to review it.
This book offers a fresh, unique plot that I thought would completely captivate my attention. Yet, as I was reading I found myself getting distracted and doing other things. It honestly doesn't make much sense because there is a ton of action in this book. Corina literally jumps from one dangerous situation to another; yet, I wasn't involved. I felt very little connection to Corina or Luther. If anything I felt pity for Luther. This poor guy goes through some extremely scary and difficult situations. I don't know what was missing. But it needed something I just cannot point out what. Overall I found myself not really caring one way or another. Maybe it is because I knew in the back of my mind that there would be no changing of fates. So perhaps I prevented myself from attaching to the characters. Ultimately, there is a beautiful message here. A message that stresses the importance of standing up for those that cannot protect themselves and the importance of hope.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this title and the opportunity to review it.
April 18, 2016
(I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.)
Nothing pleases me more than receiving a free copy of a book that I enjoy. Sometimes it’s hard to write these reviews and stay pleasant. Sometimes it’s hard not to be the grammar Nazi, the critical editor, the disappointed reader/listener. (Especially since I go into these types of books without expectation other than for what I’ve read in the summary.)
Usually, it’s a toss up. Sometimes I end up not liking the genre at all. Sometimes I discover a new favorite (author, narrator, series). The second, well, those are what I am honestly looking for when I volunteer to review.
This one was honestly a surprise. I liked it so much, I’ve listened to it twice.
And cried both times.
Sure, it’s time travel. But not like any sci-fi time travel you’d expect.
Sure, it’s emotional…a roller coaster, really. (And I do not say that often.)
Sure, it’s a teenage daughter with a smidgeon of angst and a whole lot of anger toward an absent father.
It’s all those things all wrapped up in a neat package of something different.
Don’t go reading other reviews. Avoid spoilers at all costs.
Listen to Julia Knippen take you on this wild ride and sound just like you’d expect Corina to sound, every nuance, every snarky remark, every bit of understanding she gains on her unexpected path.
Understand the parallels between Corina’s world and our own. Maybe, just maybe, gain some insight about yourself.
Do not pass this up.
You’d be missing out.
Nothing pleases me more than receiving a free copy of a book that I enjoy. Sometimes it’s hard to write these reviews and stay pleasant. Sometimes it’s hard not to be the grammar Nazi, the critical editor, the disappointed reader/listener. (Especially since I go into these types of books without expectation other than for what I’ve read in the summary.)
Usually, it’s a toss up. Sometimes I end up not liking the genre at all. Sometimes I discover a new favorite (author, narrator, series). The second, well, those are what I am honestly looking for when I volunteer to review.
This one was honestly a surprise. I liked it so much, I’ve listened to it twice.
And cried both times.
Sure, it’s time travel. But not like any sci-fi time travel you’d expect.
Sure, it’s emotional…a roller coaster, really. (And I do not say that often.)
Sure, it’s a teenage daughter with a smidgeon of angst and a whole lot of anger toward an absent father.
It’s all those things all wrapped up in a neat package of something different.
Don’t go reading other reviews. Avoid spoilers at all costs.
Listen to Julia Knippen take you on this wild ride and sound just like you’d expect Corina to sound, every nuance, every snarky remark, every bit of understanding she gains on her unexpected path.
Understand the parallels between Corina’s world and our own. Maybe, just maybe, gain some insight about yourself.
Do not pass this up.
You’d be missing out.
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