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The Badlings
Of all of the naughty, mischievous, disrespectful, and downright horrible things that children can be, a badling is perhaps one of the worst. Badlings abandon books without finishing them, leaving their characters sad and lonely—not to mention angry. Meet Bells, Peacock, Rusty, and Grand, four ragtag friends convicted of this monstrous crime. As punishment, they get sucked into a book of unfinished stories, whose patchwork pages they must traverse...and read to the end this time.
268 pages, Paperback
First published July 7, 2015
1 person is currently reading
429 people want to read
About the author
Ksenia Anske
10 books634 followersKsenia Anske was born in Moscow, Russia, and came to the US in 1998. She is the author of dark fantasy short fiction and 8 novels, and the resident writer of the Amtrak Residency Program 2015 (http://kseniaanske.com). Her novel Rosehead won Honorary Mention in the YA Category in the Indie Ebook Award 2016. Ksenia lives in Seattle.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
July 7, 2015
Bells, Grand, Peacock and Rusty fall into a book, but not just any book, the Book of Dead Pages AKA Mad Tome. Within Mad Tome reside all the pages that people didn’t finish reading and all the characters who are tired of continuously playing out those pages over and over again. Bells and her friends discover a world of books that have ulterior motives. Are these Badling children here by accident or were they lured into this imaginative world for another purpose? But hey, since books aren’t ‘real’ and Mad Tome is just a collection of pages torn out of other books they should be able to escape easily, right? After hopping through quite a number of stories and meeting quite a number of characters Bells and her buddies will discover that it’s not as easy to escape after all.
Rusty and I both like doughnuts. Bells and I both don’t how to pick our fights as we choose to battle every time. Grand and I both ramble on when people don’t necessarily want to listen anymore. Sometimes I just want to be noticed, like Peacock. Ksenia Anske builds characters that may be completely different from her readers, but they always have something you can hold onto as a characteristic you can relate to. Which is good, because sometimes her storylines become entirely peculiar.
Anske is a bit like Louis Sachar in that her characters are young and whiny and whimsical. Anske is a bit like Neil Gaiman in that she crafts a story that has creative rhyme and reason to the imaginative twists. Anske is a bit like Lewis Carroll in that the reader can’t quite tell what is real and what is false. In The Badlings, Ksenia Anske gives me some of what I longed for in the Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. The Badlings is young adult and references books I’ve actually read, unlike Eyre Affair with its snooty books for adults.
The Badlings began with a neat little twist, like a less sinister (or so I thought) Jumanji that was all about books! Four kids find an object (a book) and it does something completely out of the ordinary (pulls them in). From there Anske does things a little bit differently. I appreciated the fact that there is a subtle theme for holding books sacred and that you shouldn’t just throw them here or there and that you MUST FINISH THEM or be regarded as a Badling. Everybody should strive to be a Goodling.
I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys the whimsical imagination of Neil Gaiman or appreciates books.
Rusty and I both like doughnuts. Bells and I both don’t how to pick our fights as we choose to battle every time. Grand and I both ramble on when people don’t necessarily want to listen anymore. Sometimes I just want to be noticed, like Peacock. Ksenia Anske builds characters that may be completely different from her readers, but they always have something you can hold onto as a characteristic you can relate to. Which is good, because sometimes her storylines become entirely peculiar.
Anske is a bit like Louis Sachar in that her characters are young and whiny and whimsical. Anske is a bit like Neil Gaiman in that she crafts a story that has creative rhyme and reason to the imaginative twists. Anske is a bit like Lewis Carroll in that the reader can’t quite tell what is real and what is false. In The Badlings, Ksenia Anske gives me some of what I longed for in the Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. The Badlings is young adult and references books I’ve actually read, unlike Eyre Affair with its snooty books for adults.
The Badlings began with a neat little twist, like a less sinister (or so I thought) Jumanji that was all about books! Four kids find an object (a book) and it does something completely out of the ordinary (pulls them in). From there Anske does things a little bit differently. I appreciated the fact that there is a subtle theme for holding books sacred and that you shouldn’t just throw them here or there and that you MUST FINISH THEM or be regarded as a Badling. Everybody should strive to be a Goodling.
I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys the whimsical imagination of Neil Gaiman or appreciates books.
January 4, 2016
The Badlings was incredibly inventive. I loved the idea of a book that punishes readers who stopped reading a book, or destroyed a book, or chickened out from a book because it was terrifying.
The moment Bells got sucked into the book had my heart gripped with steel talons. She found her self alone on a plank page and had absolutely no clue how to get back out to the real world again. The concept of being trapped in nothing really got to me.
I loved the idea of having all of the book characters play acting their parts. As if they were performers and the whole book was their stage. It was clever, creative, and something that set my mind wandering to wonder about my own favorite books. (That I've finished, thank you very much Mad Tome.)
The pages turning and the landscapes changing with each story was a beautiful image. It suggested a non-permanence to the whole thing. And the constant reminder of the dirt wall continually placing the mysterious interior of Mad Tome in real space kept the entire story grounded. (Yes, pun intended.)
Another thing I thoroughly enjoyed about the story was that the characters explored books (all but one: Don Quixote) I've never read. So their adventures gave me little sneak peak windows into new stories, in a similar way to what they were experiencing. Kind of like the caterpillar's tunnel through the pages, opening out onto so many stories. The idea of the tunnels actually burrowing through the pages, creating striations like in a rock face or even something similar to rings on a tree, was an image that has stayed with me.
Without spoiling anything, the last things that impressed me was the windmill in the jungle at the end. (Won't say anything more about that, read the book.) That moment felt like taking the idea of a book and turning it on its head. When two things that belong in two very different stories suddenly appear in the same story.
The comment about how destroying--burning--a book is incredibly easier than creating one is something I wonder about every day, as a writer. And that comment created instant heartache for me. I can related wholeheartedly with it.
The only reason, and I emphasize only, that I gave three stars and not four is that this book was meant for a younger audience. I was not fooled into thinking it wasn't, it wasn't misleading or anything like that. I wish I could have been ten or eleven again while I was reading this book. And, at the same time, I wish this book existed while I was ten or eleven. It would have made my younger self so happy that an author of Ksenia's dark inclinations existed in this world.
Read this book if any of what I've said above resonates with you. Check it out. Ksenia Anske is an author to watch. You have my word on that.
The moment Bells got sucked into the book had my heart gripped with steel talons. She found her self alone on a plank page and had absolutely no clue how to get back out to the real world again. The concept of being trapped in nothing really got to me.
I loved the idea of having all of the book characters play acting their parts. As if they were performers and the whole book was their stage. It was clever, creative, and something that set my mind wandering to wonder about my own favorite books. (That I've finished, thank you very much Mad Tome.)
The pages turning and the landscapes changing with each story was a beautiful image. It suggested a non-permanence to the whole thing. And the constant reminder of the dirt wall continually placing the mysterious interior of Mad Tome in real space kept the entire story grounded. (Yes, pun intended.)
Another thing I thoroughly enjoyed about the story was that the characters explored books (all but one: Don Quixote) I've never read. So their adventures gave me little sneak peak windows into new stories, in a similar way to what they were experiencing. Kind of like the caterpillar's tunnel through the pages, opening out onto so many stories. The idea of the tunnels actually burrowing through the pages, creating striations like in a rock face or even something similar to rings on a tree, was an image that has stayed with me.
Without spoiling anything, the last things that impressed me was the windmill in the jungle at the end. (Won't say anything more about that, read the book.) That moment felt like taking the idea of a book and turning it on its head. When two things that belong in two very different stories suddenly appear in the same story.
The comment about how destroying--burning--a book is incredibly easier than creating one is something I wonder about every day, as a writer. And that comment created instant heartache for me. I can related wholeheartedly with it.
The only reason, and I emphasize only, that I gave three stars and not four is that this book was meant for a younger audience. I was not fooled into thinking it wasn't, it wasn't misleading or anything like that. I wish I could have been ten or eleven again while I was reading this book. And, at the same time, I wish this book existed while I was ten or eleven. It would have made my younger self so happy that an author of Ksenia's dark inclinations existed in this world.
Read this book if any of what I've said above resonates with you. Check it out. Ksenia Anske is an author to watch. You have my word on that.
November 19, 2015
I really enjoyed this story of four kids--Bells, who wants to be a scientist, and her three friends, Peacock, Rusty, and Grand--who find a magic book and journey through it, fighting characters like the Snow Queen and Dracula as they learn more about themselves and what they're made of.
What I loved:
-Anske is wonderful at describing things. She has a gift for magical realism/fantasy, and walking the line between what is "real" and what isn't.
-Her dialogue is fresh and her characters are fully realized--they make sense to me, and I feel like I got a lot of background information and could tell the difference between each kid.
-The storyline is never boring. It *is* like a series of connected stories that could almost be read independently of one another, but the overarching plot is still enough to keep you turning the pages. Another triumph from Ksenia Anske!
What I loved:
-Anske is wonderful at describing things. She has a gift for magical realism/fantasy, and walking the line between what is "real" and what isn't.
-Her dialogue is fresh and her characters are fully realized--they make sense to me, and I feel like I got a lot of background information and could tell the difference between each kid.
-The storyline is never boring. It *is* like a series of connected stories that could almost be read independently of one another, but the overarching plot is still enough to keep you turning the pages. Another triumph from Ksenia Anske!
October 4, 2019
This book was entertaining to read. I really enjoyed the whole idea of a "badling" and the consequences of being a badling. All of the different scenes that the badlings got entangled in was really fun to read too. The characters were funny and had so much personality, they all made me chuckle. That being said, I was hoping it to get even darker.... even creepier... Before this book, I read "Irkadura" which is also by Ksenia and I loved the scary aspect of that book. This one was scary, but more children-scary. I think it would make a great movie for children or young teens. I didn't feel threatened like how I did when reading Irkadura. A good threatened feeling. "The Badlings" didn't grab my attention as much as Irkadura either. However, it wasn't boring and I don't regret reading it. I don't feel like I wasted my time. I would suggest this book for a younger audience (9 or 10 years old) who enjoys a scary book and a fun idea. I will definitely continue reading Ksenia's other pieces of writing. Smile.
July 24, 2016
4/5 stars
Look closely at your bookshelf. Are you sure every book is where you left it? Doesn't one seem to stick out from the rest? I thought so. It wants to be noticed. The more you read it, the thicker it will get, bursting with pride. And the books you haven't touched in years will get thinner and thinner until they perish
Honestly, the only reason this lost a star is because I had too high expectations and it couldn't compare to the miracle named Rosehead.
Lessons taught by The Badlings
♦ Never, EVER leave a book unfinished
♦ Never, ever damage a book (unless you want to have a fate worse than the one you'll receive if you leave it unfinished)
♦ Ducks are life savers (I don't know what the Herondales are talking about)
♦ Doughnuts are also life savers (believe me)
♦ Never joke about fictional characters
♦ Never joke about the power of books
♦ Never underestimate a girl (we saw what happened to Peacock for being a sexist!)
♦ Books can be villains at stories
♦ Never wish you were a fictional character
♦ Do not, at any circumstances, underestimate the power of sugar
♦ Read this book, or at least one of Ksenia Anske's ones of your choice
Overall this book was cute, funny, dark (Obviously at some points) and the power of friendship was strong in it. Bonus points because it's a book about a book. Tim Burton has to make a movie for this one as well (I swear, I am waiting!)
~Totally recommended
Mary
Look closely at your bookshelf. Are you sure every book is where you left it? Doesn't one seem to stick out from the rest? I thought so. It wants to be noticed. The more you read it, the thicker it will get, bursting with pride. And the books you haven't touched in years will get thinner and thinner until they perish
Honestly, the only reason this lost a star is because I had too high expectations and it couldn't compare to the miracle named Rosehead.
Lessons taught by The Badlings
♦ Never, EVER leave a book unfinished
♦ Never, ever damage a book (unless you want to have a fate worse than the one you'll receive if you leave it unfinished)
♦ Ducks are life savers (I don't know what the Herondales are talking about)
♦ Doughnuts are also life savers (believe me)
♦ Never joke about fictional characters
♦ Never joke about the power of books
♦ Never underestimate a girl (we saw what happened to Peacock for being a sexist!)
♦ Books can be villains at stories
♦ Never wish you were a fictional character
♦ Do not, at any circumstances, underestimate the power of sugar
♦ Read this book, or at least one of Ksenia Anske's ones of your choice
Overall this book was cute, funny, dark (Obviously at some points) and the power of friendship was strong in it. Bonus points because it's a book about a book. Tim Burton has to make a movie for this one as well (I swear, I am waiting!)
~Totally recommended
Mary
September 26, 2017
If You haven't Read it Yet, You Should!
The Badlings is thoroughly Engaging, highly Creative, and Phenomenally Magick!
I
finished this book for the second time today, actually i finished reading the final draft,
The Badlings is a Brilliant Journey,
Colorful, and Surprising with each turn of the page, the Characters vividly brought to life which makes The Badlings feel as Though You know them personally,
As soon as You open the book and begin reading , Ksenia Deftly captivates You and pulls You into the heart of the story, once She has pulled You in, You never want to leave, and i couldn't stop reading until the story wove its way to the End, even then, i was tempted to read it through again, just to mull over the intricacies!
Humorous and Touching, Journey into Mad Tomes Pages,
Expect some serious twists and turns, a Touch of Horror
and Madness , The Badlings has quickly become one of my Very favourite Stories.
I highly Recommend it to Everyone!
* i have to add i have seen people compare Ksenia to Neil Gaiman, and Lewis Carroll, not to follow the crowd blindly, i agree except i have to say Ksenias Style so Uniquely Her own*
Ksenia is a Master at her craft, and The Badlings shines with the Brilliance i am coming to Know is Entirely Ksenia Anske!
The Badlings is thoroughly Engaging, highly Creative, and Phenomenally Magick!
I
finished this book for the second time today, actually i finished reading the final draft,
The Badlings is a Brilliant Journey,
Colorful, and Surprising with each turn of the page, the Characters vividly brought to life which makes The Badlings feel as Though You know them personally,
As soon as You open the book and begin reading , Ksenia Deftly captivates You and pulls You into the heart of the story, once She has pulled You in, You never want to leave, and i couldn't stop reading until the story wove its way to the End, even then, i was tempted to read it through again, just to mull over the intricacies!
Humorous and Touching, Journey into Mad Tomes Pages,
Expect some serious twists and turns, a Touch of Horror
and Madness , The Badlings has quickly become one of my Very favourite Stories.
I highly Recommend it to Everyone!
* i have to add i have seen people compare Ksenia to Neil Gaiman, and Lewis Carroll, not to follow the crowd blindly, i agree except i have to say Ksenias Style so Uniquely Her own*
Ksenia is a Master at her craft, and The Badlings shines with the Brilliance i am coming to Know is Entirely Ksenia Anske!
July 4, 2016
This is an excellent book for older children who have outgrown Goosebumps but aren't quite ready for Stephen King. Relationships are complicated and everything isn't tied up with a bow at the end. But, it does have a very satisfactory ending
August 7, 2015
If you read The Badlings:
1. finish it.
2. when you finish it, you will be glad you did, and will never want to leave a book unfinished again, ever.
1. finish it.
2. when you finish it, you will be glad you did, and will never want to leave a book unfinished again, ever.
October 30, 2017
Having been a fan of Rosehead, I expected a lot from The Badlings, and it did not disappoint me AT ALL! I have never read anything like it. It is very unique, like Rosehead, written by the same author, the amazing Ksenia Anske. It is like Neil Gaiman and Lewis Carroll in one body, being a mix of horror, fantasy, and wonder. Every chapter is never boring, and that's evident for I finished it in one sitting. One time I opened the book, and later I realized I have read the whole book.
The idea was unique, lovely, but guilt-tripping for me, because I am guilty of leaving a book unfinished (I'm sorry Mad Tome.) The plot was not predictable, and so that makes it such a page-turning book. Also, I love the idea of featuring those classics (that I really love) and having your characters encounter those featured characters. It makes me want to be a badling, get taken by Mad Tome and meet those characters (I'm kidding, don't take me!)
As for the characters, I really like them, especially Bells, who, at such a young age, passionate about who she wants to be in the future. Also, she has the personality of a girl who is fearless, yet has compassion for other people. For that, I admire her a lot, and her friends, too! They remind me of my friends. Being boys, they sometimes tend to seem to not care, but in fact, they care so much about Bells. Each and every character possess personalities that are really suited for the adventure. It is fun, thrilling, and clever.
Another commendable thing, the first paragraph of every chapter always make me think and reflect. It really hooks the reader and make them look forward to something wonderful.
Congratulations, Ksenia Anske! You have amazed me once more with this another masterpiece of yours!
Now, I'll have to finish this off and get going, because I have to go to my shelves and start reading my unfinished books till the end, before I end up getting eaten by Mad Tome!
The idea was unique, lovely, but guilt-tripping for me, because I am guilty of leaving a book unfinished (I'm sorry Mad Tome.) The plot was not predictable, and so that makes it such a page-turning book. Also, I love the idea of featuring those classics (that I really love) and having your characters encounter those featured characters. It makes me want to be a badling, get taken by Mad Tome and meet those characters (I'm kidding, don't take me!)
As for the characters, I really like them, especially Bells, who, at such a young age, passionate about who she wants to be in the future. Also, she has the personality of a girl who is fearless, yet has compassion for other people. For that, I admire her a lot, and her friends, too! They remind me of my friends. Being boys, they sometimes tend to seem to not care, but in fact, they care so much about Bells. Each and every character possess personalities that are really suited for the adventure. It is fun, thrilling, and clever.
Another commendable thing, the first paragraph of every chapter always make me think and reflect. It really hooks the reader and make them look forward to something wonderful.
Congratulations, Ksenia Anske! You have amazed me once more with this another masterpiece of yours!
Now, I'll have to finish this off and get going, because I have to go to my shelves and start reading my unfinished books till the end, before I end up getting eaten by Mad Tome!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 8, 2020
The Badlings by Ksenia Anskeis a young adult horror/fantasy story. Anske was born in Moscow, Russia, and came to the US in 1998. She is the author of dark fantasy short fiction and 7 novels, and the winner of Amtrak Residency Program 2015. I was lucky enough to meet the author at the Dallas stop in her Amtrak Residency.
Back in the early 1970s when Saturday Morning cartoons were still a thing, there was a live action show called Lidsville by Sid and Marty Kroft. The storyline is about a boy, Mark, who falls into a magicians hat and ends up in a land of living hats. A very weird show for kids from the creators of H.R. Pufnstuf (It's rumored that the H.R. stood for Hand Rolled if that offers a hint). I nearly forgot about that show until I started The Badlings.
Belladonna wants to be a scientist much against her mother's wishes for her daughter to follow in her footsteps as a opera singer. Belladonna prefers Bells as a nickname and keeps an analytical mind. She and her three male friends Rusty, Grand, and Peacock find themselves pulled into an adventure. After meeting at the duck pond, Bells finds a book half buried, digs it up, and flings it at some nearby duck as stress relief from an argument with her mother. However, like Mark in Lidsville, Bells and her friends find themselves pulled into a world they could never imagine. Well, actually, they could imagine because it's a world of books they started but did not finish.
Anske writes intriguing fantasy and horror fiction. The stories, for the most part, seem to be for the young adult crowd with teen characters. These stories, however, can also be enjoyed by adults. Although there is an air horror in portions of the story, it is not something that is graphic or intense but a good old-fashioned scare. For those, parents and others, worried about language or adult situations, there are none. A well told and well thought out story for fans of fantasy of all ages.
Back in the early 1970s when Saturday Morning cartoons were still a thing, there was a live action show called Lidsville by Sid and Marty Kroft. The storyline is about a boy, Mark, who falls into a magicians hat and ends up in a land of living hats. A very weird show for kids from the creators of H.R. Pufnstuf (It's rumored that the H.R. stood for Hand Rolled if that offers a hint). I nearly forgot about that show until I started The Badlings.
Belladonna wants to be a scientist much against her mother's wishes for her daughter to follow in her footsteps as a opera singer. Belladonna prefers Bells as a nickname and keeps an analytical mind. She and her three male friends Rusty, Grand, and Peacock find themselves pulled into an adventure. After meeting at the duck pond, Bells finds a book half buried, digs it up, and flings it at some nearby duck as stress relief from an argument with her mother. However, like Mark in Lidsville, Bells and her friends find themselves pulled into a world they could never imagine. Well, actually, they could imagine because it's a world of books they started but did not finish.
Anske writes intriguing fantasy and horror fiction. The stories, for the most part, seem to be for the young adult crowd with teen characters. These stories, however, can also be enjoyed by adults. Although there is an air horror in portions of the story, it is not something that is graphic or intense but a good old-fashioned scare. For those, parents and others, worried about language or adult situations, there are none. A well told and well thought out story for fans of fantasy of all ages.
January 19, 2018
Are you a Badling? If so, you best watch out when picking up any old book you find lying around, for it might be Mad Tome waiting for you.
This book had me hooked from the beginning. I loved each chapter's beginning, where the author spent a paragraph or so as the narrator, speaking to the reader in a way. Ksenia's writing style is also extremely easy and entertaining to read.
The story was great. I loved the idea of entering a book for real (which somewhat reminded me of The Pagemaster movie), and it brought a sense of wonder. Following the four kids, who each had their own life stories and personalities shine through the book, it felt like I was definitely along for the ride with them. It was great to see The Badlings' characters interact with some very classic literature characters in a very inventive and compelling story. Why are they "badlings"? What is Mad Tome's game? Who are the characters in the book really? You must read to find out, and I implore you, you must make it all the way to the end.
This book had me hooked from the beginning. I loved each chapter's beginning, where the author spent a paragraph or so as the narrator, speaking to the reader in a way. Ksenia's writing style is also extremely easy and entertaining to read.
The story was great. I loved the idea of entering a book for real (which somewhat reminded me of The Pagemaster movie), and it brought a sense of wonder. Following the four kids, who each had their own life stories and personalities shine through the book, it felt like I was definitely along for the ride with them. It was great to see The Badlings' characters interact with some very classic literature characters in a very inventive and compelling story. Why are they "badlings"? What is Mad Tome's game? Who are the characters in the book really? You must read to find out, and I implore you, you must make it all the way to the end.
January 27, 2018
The Badlings was fantastically clever. I must admit, I have been a Badling a few times myself, but nonetheless I loved the concept of this book. It was fairytail-ish yet still had a mix of terror in it.
I don't think I can rave about the actual story of the book without giving anything away, so I will focus on the characters instead. I especially loved Bells because she was passionate about her future career, which I admired because even I, a seventeen year old girl, don't know which career path I want to take. Meanwhile, each of the character of her friends in this book are strikingly different from each other, but in a way that makes them seem like different pieces of a puzzle. In short, they fit together well.
Read this book if you can identify with anything that I have said. Ksenia Anske is someone to watch out for. Read this book, before she herself comes visiting your nightmares tonight and tells you to read it instead.
I don't think I can rave about the actual story of the book without giving anything away, so I will focus on the characters instead. I especially loved Bells because she was passionate about her future career, which I admired because even I, a seventeen year old girl, don't know which career path I want to take. Meanwhile, each of the character of her friends in this book are strikingly different from each other, but in a way that makes them seem like different pieces of a puzzle. In short, they fit together well.
Read this book if you can identify with anything that I have said. Ksenia Anske is someone to watch out for. Read this book, before she herself comes visiting your nightmares tonight and tells you to read it instead.
December 21, 2017
Imagine if Roald Dahl (Matilda) collaborated with Lewis Carrol (Alice in Wonderland) and Jasper Fforde (Nursery Crimes). You might then get something like 'The Badlings' by Ksenia Anske. But probably not.
Ms. Anske writes at a breathtaking pace, catapulting her pre-teen protagonists from adventure to adventure, after sucking them into a book in the first chapter. But this isn't an ordinary book. It's called 'Mad Tome' because the book is crazy. Insane. Psychopathic.
Why it's crazy and what it and the characters inside the book are trying to do about it and to the four young adventurers is for you to find out. Beg, borrow, or steal this book and read it--all the way through. That's VERY important.
Or, you can ignore this review and deprive yourself of reading pleasure.
Ms. Anske writes at a breathtaking pace, catapulting her pre-teen protagonists from adventure to adventure, after sucking them into a book in the first chapter. But this isn't an ordinary book. It's called 'Mad Tome' because the book is crazy. Insane. Psychopathic.
Why it's crazy and what it and the characters inside the book are trying to do about it and to the four young adventurers is for you to find out. Beg, borrow, or steal this book and read it--all the way through. That's VERY important.
Or, you can ignore this review and deprive yourself of reading pleasure.
January 17, 2018
The story really appealed to me. How these kids tackle their problems and grow due to that. There's a good flow of the story and it's very creatively put together. For me, the only drawback was that the narrative sometimes felt a bit too much like writing and it pulled me out of the story.
In general, though, I enjoyed it very much, and I might even be brave enough to try one of the more gruesome stories by Ksenia.
In general, though, I enjoyed it very much, and I might even be brave enough to try one of the more gruesome stories by Ksenia.
April 5, 2018
A quirky, fun and imaginative story that captured my attention throughout. The voice of the narrative was intriguing and fun and the characters were all well defined with their distinctive traits. Would definitely read again!
September 6, 2018
I left it for a while and came back to it. Ironic, considering what the book is about. It just couldn't keep my focus for a few chapters, but it picked right back up and ended up being totally wonderful!
September 23, 2017
I absolutely LOVED this book! The characters were wonderfully developed, as well as the plot. Ksenia is a spectacular writer and I can't wait to read more from her!
May 26, 2018
This story reads so easy, you just want to see what happens next!
November 15, 2018
Really enjoyed the story of four children falling into a book and traveling through its pages. It made me want to reread all the other great books mentioned in Mad Tome.
October 13, 2016
After reading this, I will never want to leave a book unfinished again, ever. This book is such a unique read! Ksenia Anske is such a talented author to have created such a phenomenal book. This is perhaps the best indie book that I've read and it deserves to be read by young and not-so-young readers alike.
Ksenia's words will captivate you from the very first page and it will leave you speculating 'til the last.
The badlings is not only the story and journey of the 4 quirky main characters but it also contain stories within stories. I love love love this book. I love the characters. I love how it made me excited to read about characters from other books; books that I've read and books that I'm excited to read now that I've read badlings. I highly recommend reading this book. This was such a fun reading experience and it's definitely included on my favorites list.
Ksenia's words will captivate you from the very first page and it will leave you speculating 'til the last.
The badlings is not only the story and journey of the 4 quirky main characters but it also contain stories within stories. I love love love this book. I love the characters. I love how it made me excited to read about characters from other books; books that I've read and books that I'm excited to read now that I've read badlings. I highly recommend reading this book. This was such a fun reading experience and it's definitely included on my favorites list.
May 5, 2019
At first I struggled to read The Badlings but after a second attempt, I read it entirely. the best things about the book are the concept, the ghoulish creepiness of it all, and the subtle but none the less pertinent social commentary on how boys and girls are raised and viewed in society. overall I would say this is not the author's strongest work but it is still fascinating.
October 30, 2023
A bunch of kids don’t finish reading books and, as punishment, are pulled into a sentient book filled with the stories they left unread.
As someone very pro-DNF, I was bound not to love this book. In fact, I very nearly DNF’d it. My first Anske was Rosehead, a book that is dark and dreamy and poetic. This book is kind of the opposite, silly and simple and, in my opinion, a reading experience that feels mostly pointless. This book is aimed at kids, which puts me out of its target audience anyway. But, yeah, I didn’t like it.
As someone very pro-DNF, I was bound not to love this book. In fact, I very nearly DNF’d it. My first Anske was Rosehead, a book that is dark and dreamy and poetic. This book is kind of the opposite, silly and simple and, in my opinion, a reading experience that feels mostly pointless. This book is aimed at kids, which puts me out of its target audience anyway. But, yeah, I didn’t like it.
August 28, 2015
Oh, Ksenia Anske, how you and your imagination continue to be inspired like nothing else. This is my second book of hers I've found on Wattpad, and it's every bit as gothic and disturbing as Rosehead. Here, however, it's a little less Alice in Wonderland and a little more Grimm meets Jasper Fforde (or Neil Gaiman - I've seen a few other commenters on Wattpad who support this comparison.) But there's definitely more than a bit of Fforde in The Badlings' DNA, with its use of classic books and characters who are all out for your blood - if you've committed the grievous sin of not finishing their book. (So, in other words, I should be glad I never read Mad Tome editions of stuff like Obsidian or The Passage or Dragon Tattoo - yeah, I didn't finish Dragon Tattoo my first time around.)
There's so totally a Sequel Hook at the end of this one, but it also ends in a way similar to Pushing Daisies (saying something to the effect of "endings, as they say, are where we begin.") So if there's no sequel, I won't be too surprised - although I would be quite disappointed that Anske's boundless creative mind isn't exploring this world any further.
There's so totally a Sequel Hook at the end of this one, but it also ends in a way similar to Pushing Daisies (saying something to the effect of "endings, as they say, are where we begin.") So if there's no sequel, I won't be too surprised - although I would be quite disappointed that Anske's boundless creative mind isn't exploring this world any further.
June 11, 2016
Another winner from the unique voice of Ksenia Anske!
Ksenia is a fantasy author unlike any other. All of her books are, in one way or another, "fantasy," but they are each so vastly different and unique. SIREN SUICIDES tells of a teenage girl's struggle with suicide through her transformation into a siren of the sea; ROSEHEAD sees a misunderstood girl at a family reunion, sure that the rose garden and the mansion itself is alive and evil; IRKADURA is a heartwrenching account of a pregnant girl fleeing her abusive home and wandering mute through a dangerous Soviet Russia.
And now I've read THE BADLINGS, a charming tale of four friends who get sucked into a crazy, living book full of popular characters in literature--from Dracula to Don Quixote to Alice--who all want these children, these badlings, to take their place.
A story about the importance of stories.
Read this one, then read all the classics if you haven't already, then share them with a friend.
Ksenia is a fantasy author unlike any other. All of her books are, in one way or another, "fantasy," but they are each so vastly different and unique. SIREN SUICIDES tells of a teenage girl's struggle with suicide through her transformation into a siren of the sea; ROSEHEAD sees a misunderstood girl at a family reunion, sure that the rose garden and the mansion itself is alive and evil; IRKADURA is a heartwrenching account of a pregnant girl fleeing her abusive home and wandering mute through a dangerous Soviet Russia.
And now I've read THE BADLINGS, a charming tale of four friends who get sucked into a crazy, living book full of popular characters in literature--from Dracula to Don Quixote to Alice--who all want these children, these badlings, to take their place.
A story about the importance of stories.
Read this one, then read all the classics if you haven't already, then share them with a friend.
March 8, 2018
Read by my 5th grader who insisted on leaving the following review himself: This is one of the greatest books I've ever read. Its a magical adventure that comes out of nowhere. So you guys should read badlings ASAP. This book has sad and happy parts in it. It was so good that I stayed up all night reading it.
December 19, 2015
Had this book been by another writer I would have given it a 2 stars rating, but having loved other books by Ksenia Anske I really felt her vision for this book. Maybe it was the wrong timing, or maybe the wrong book for me after all, but I felt it was a bit too repetitive for my own taste, and had a very abrupt ending. I still think she has a gift in creating beautiful fantasy worlds, I just feel that this one was lost in its will to appear dark when in fact it was very safe.
September 5, 2015
This title was a fresh and exciting read full of fantastic scenery and colorful characters that get to explore what happens when certain books are left unread. The Backing a is for fans of stories like Coraline by Neil Gaiman & The Thief Of Always by Clive Barker.
October 19, 2015
I received this book through goodreads first reads. My review is very simple. Very creative and original story, could see this book being made into a movie.
April 29, 2016
This book made me scared! I have started too many books without finishing them. I should probably go read them now. Still an amazing book.
October 14, 2016
This was a Goodreads win. It's like the movies PageMaster and Goonies all in one, a silly/fun read.
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