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Jasmyn
An ancient fairy tale, a contemporary heroine – and cracking good read.One day, without warning, Jasmyn’s husband died of an aneurysm.Since then, everything has been different.Wrapped up in her grief, Jasmyn is trapped in a world without colour, without flavour – without Liam. But even through the haze of misery she begins to notice strange events. Even with Liam gone, things are not as they should be, and eventually Jasmyn begins to explore the mysteries that have sprung up after her husband’s death… and follow their trail back into the events of his life.But the mysteries are deeper than Jasmyn expects, and are leading her in unexpected directions – into fairytales filled with swans, castles and bones; into a tale of a murder committed by a lake and a vicious battle between brothers; into a story of a lost past, and a stolen love. She’s entering a magical story.Jasmyn’s story.
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First published June 1, 2009
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733 people want to read
About the author
Alex Bell
45 books626 followersAlex Bell signed her first book deal at nineteen and, since then, has written multiple books for both adults and young people. After completing a law degree, she now works for a legal advice charity. Alex lives in Hampshire with her husband, sons and Sphynx cats. She also writes as Alexandra Bell.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
June 12, 2009
"You have never heard a story quite like this one."
Start a book with a sentence like this, and you've given yourself a tall order to fill. However, Alex Bell doesn't disappoint. Jasmyn is something special indeed, putting me under its spell in a way that only a few books a year ever do.
Our heroine, Jasmyn, is devastated when her beloved husband Liam dies suddenly, just a year after their marriage. Then, at his funeral, things really start getting weird: five black swans fall dead from the sky during the interment. In the coming months, Jasmyn learns that Liam may have had a secret life--and it's not your ordinary garden-variety secret life. She teams up with Liam's grumpy brother, Ben, to uncover the truth. Their quest takes them all over Europe, to real-life places as enchanting as any fairy-tale castle.
I figured out one of the Big Secrets pretty early in the book, and so I got to read it on both levels at once: what Jasmyn thinks is going on, and what's really going on. The difference between the two is heartbreaking.
Alex Bell weaves several old tales into her plot, and fleshes them out with vivid characters and settings, so that the story feels both familiar and fresh. I highly recommend Jasmyn to anyone who likes an excellent grown-up fairy tale.
This review originally published at FantasyLiterature.net.
Start a book with a sentence like this, and you've given yourself a tall order to fill. However, Alex Bell doesn't disappoint. Jasmyn is something special indeed, putting me under its spell in a way that only a few books a year ever do.
Our heroine, Jasmyn, is devastated when her beloved husband Liam dies suddenly, just a year after their marriage. Then, at his funeral, things really start getting weird: five black swans fall dead from the sky during the interment. In the coming months, Jasmyn learns that Liam may have had a secret life--and it's not your ordinary garden-variety secret life. She teams up with Liam's grumpy brother, Ben, to uncover the truth. Their quest takes them all over Europe, to real-life places as enchanting as any fairy-tale castle.
I figured out one of the Big Secrets pretty early in the book, and so I got to read it on both levels at once: what Jasmyn thinks is going on, and what's really going on. The difference between the two is heartbreaking.
Alex Bell weaves several old tales into her plot, and fleshes them out with vivid characters and settings, so that the story feels both familiar and fresh. I highly recommend Jasmyn to anyone who likes an excellent grown-up fairy tale.
This review originally published at FantasyLiterature.net.
June 22, 2017
2.5 stars. Excellent, but very poorly executed premise. An extremely annoying heroine, hardly bearable writing. Not engaging at all storytelling.
March 25, 2016
Не моё. Мучила-мучила и на 60% бросила, сил нет.
July 23, 2014
After reading the novel twice in two days I have to say that the very high expectations I had of "Jasmyn" were not only met but surpassed and this one will be most likely a #1 or co-#1 mainstream fantastic for 2009. It is just a magical book, another fairy tale for adults in the vein of my top 08 book "Memoirs of a Master Forger", but this time with real princesses, knights and faeries.
From my full FBC review:
"In contemporary England, Jasmyn Gracey, 27 years old is burying her husband Liam. They were childhood friends since age 4, when the albino Jasmyn sent to kindergarten for the first time could not understand why her classmates were shunning her ("Is that girl a ghost, Mummy?"). But then a boy rolled a ball to her and asked "Are you a snow princess?"
Later they were engaged for several years and after a 10 month marriage, Liam died of a sudden cerebral aneurysm. And then at the funeral five black swans fell dead from the sky..."
And so it starts...
From my full FBC review:
"In contemporary England, Jasmyn Gracey, 27 years old is burying her husband Liam. They were childhood friends since age 4, when the albino Jasmyn sent to kindergarten for the first time could not understand why her classmates were shunning her ("Is that girl a ghost, Mummy?"). But then a boy rolled a ball to her and asked "Are you a snow princess?"
Later they were engaged for several years and after a 10 month marriage, Liam died of a sudden cerebral aneurysm. And then at the funeral five black swans fell dead from the sky..."
And so it starts...
March 20, 2016
Потрясающая мрачно-готическая сказка, где реальность тесно переплетается с волшебством. Ничего подобного я не читала. Но мне эта история по атмосфере напомнила моего любимого Чарльза де Линта. Начинала читать ее еще давно, но потом пришлось отложить, поэтому, взявшись за нее сейчас, перечитала сначала. И я помню, как тогда мне безумно захотелось посмотреть замки Нойшванштайн и Хоэншвангау. Моя мечта сбылась, поэтому во время чтения я ясно представляла себе все происходящее и вспоминала свои ощущения. Возможно, местами повествование может показаться скучным и затянутым, но интерес не пропадает до самого конца. Я не пыталась сама разгадывать загадку, что же случилось, а доверялась самой истории вести меня, наслаждаясь подробным описанием мест, проникаясь духом волшебства и мистики.
January 22, 2012
A very easy to read book with a very intriguing plot. The ending is quite guessable though. After reading the book, I really want to visit "Neuschwanstein".
May 10, 2015
YouTube Book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PuJq...
DARK MAGIC. FAIRIES. LEGENDS. DYING SWANS
It's a fairy-tale adventure for those who love beautiful landscapes, a combination of fantasy and romance and action.
SWAN PRINCESSES. CASTLES. LOVE.
The story moves to many different locations, The Caribbean, the UK, Paris, Bavaria are combined with an Enchanted Forest, Fairies, Castles, Swan Princesses... providing a sophisticated setting combined with old school magic....
Schloss Neuschwanstein: (New Swanstone Castle) is a 19th-century Romanesque Revival palace on a rugged hill above the village of Hohenschwangau near Füssen in southwest Bavaria, Germany.
London:
Paris:
The Enchanted Forest:
The Fairies....
=============
The Characters
Jasmyn the protagonist is a young Albino violinist. She's not a remarkable character and I found her annoying. I appreciate she recently lost her husband hence the hysterics but that didn't' stop me from despising her. I couldn't warm to her.
The prose is odd. Well the story is told from Jasmyn's point of view and her language (monologues/dialogues) is stilted, oddly formal and prissy that it becomes irritating. However, the plot and the locations were engrossing and hence redeemed the book..
Plot cliches. The vulnerable heroine, the tall, dark handsome her, the evil Baddie etc but it was ok.
===========
Clues/ Mystery
Juvenile. There were times when I tread through the book and thought “duuuh the clues are so obvious” e.g. the petals with P.A.R.I.S, and when did men start wearing engagement rings? And why would he wear a wedding band as an engagement ring? And many other incidents.
But overall, this book is worth reading and I highly enjoyed it. It left me with a hunger to delve into the fantastic world of Magic once again (and visit Germany).
=============
Review from the Guardian (newspaper):
First-person narrator Jasmyn Gracey loses her husband Liam, a writer on occult subjects, to an aneurysm shortly before the novel opens. At his funeral dead swans fall from the air, harbingers of much strangeness to come. Bell skilfully depicts Jasmyn's grief, isolation and growing bewilderment as she learns that nothing in the past year has been as it appeared. Liam, a charming, daredevil thrill-seeker, stole the enchanted voice of the swan and concealed it before his death. Now other-worldly powers seek its return and Jasmyn, accompanied by Liam's brother Ben, travels through England, the US, Germany and France in search of the "swansong". Bell's strength lies in fusing fairytale and psychological suspense in a compelling modern narrative, combined with effective characterisation - Jasmyn's loneliness and vulnerability are well-handled. Her weakness is occasional wooden dialogue and a lack of focus in action scenes. That said, Bell charts original territory with considerable charm.
DARK MAGIC. FAIRIES. LEGENDS. DYING SWANS
It's a fairy-tale adventure for those who love beautiful landscapes, a combination of fantasy and romance and action.
SWAN PRINCESSES. CASTLES. LOVE.
The story moves to many different locations, The Caribbean, the UK, Paris, Bavaria are combined with an Enchanted Forest, Fairies, Castles, Swan Princesses... providing a sophisticated setting combined with old school magic....
Schloss Neuschwanstein: (New Swanstone Castle) is a 19th-century Romanesque Revival palace on a rugged hill above the village of Hohenschwangau near Füssen in southwest Bavaria, Germany.
London:
Paris:
The Enchanted Forest:
The Fairies....
=============
The Characters
Jasmyn the protagonist is a young Albino violinist. She's not a remarkable character and I found her annoying. I appreciate she recently lost her husband hence the hysterics but that didn't' stop me from despising her. I couldn't warm to her.
The prose is odd. Well the story is told from Jasmyn's point of view and her language (monologues/dialogues) is stilted, oddly formal and prissy that it becomes irritating. However, the plot and the locations were engrossing and hence redeemed the book..
Plot cliches. The vulnerable heroine, the tall, dark handsome her, the evil Baddie etc but it was ok.
===========
Clues/ Mystery
Juvenile. There were times when I tread through the book and thought “duuuh the clues are so obvious” e.g. the petals with P.A.R.I.S, and when did men start wearing engagement rings? And why would he wear a wedding band as an engagement ring? And many other incidents.
But overall, this book is worth reading and I highly enjoyed it. It left me with a hunger to delve into the fantastic world of Magic once again (and visit Germany).
=============
Review from the Guardian (newspaper):
First-person narrator Jasmyn Gracey loses her husband Liam, a writer on occult subjects, to an aneurysm shortly before the novel opens. At his funeral dead swans fall from the air, harbingers of much strangeness to come. Bell skilfully depicts Jasmyn's grief, isolation and growing bewilderment as she learns that nothing in the past year has been as it appeared. Liam, a charming, daredevil thrill-seeker, stole the enchanted voice of the swan and concealed it before his death. Now other-worldly powers seek its return and Jasmyn, accompanied by Liam's brother Ben, travels through England, the US, Germany and France in search of the "swansong". Bell's strength lies in fusing fairytale and psychological suspense in a compelling modern narrative, combined with effective characterisation - Jasmyn's loneliness and vulnerability are well-handled. Her weakness is occasional wooden dialogue and a lack of focus in action scenes. That said, Bell charts original territory with considerable charm.
January 29, 2012
4 Stars
This is a dark adult fairy tale that itself is based around a fairy tale. You have a deeply depressed widow, Jasmyn as the main protagonist. She is a broken woman of 27 years of age that loses her husband after only a year of marriage. She quickly finds things to be “Off” and not quite right. First she is plagued by weird and strange feelings, like being followed. Then the dead black swans, black roses, mysterious men, and piles of bones all turn up and her life heads into the unknown and bizarre. With “help” from her dead husband’s brother Ben, Jasmyn goes on a journey to discover the mystery behind the secrets of her husband.
This is a fast read and fans of Catherynne M. Valente and even Neil Gaiman will find a lot to like in this fairy tale. The plot is very intriguing and filled with several cool twists and turns, and even though the ending becomes a bit apparent, it is still satisfying.
Alex Bell writes well and her prose is competent and descriptive:
“Suddenly, the idea of swan princesses and lonely kings and enchanted voices and aggressive knights did not seem quite as preposterous as they had by the light of day . . . I tore my eyes from the castle and glanced around at the surrounding trees, picking them out in the darkness. When a branch rustled somewhere close I turned my head sharply, for a moment genuinely expecting to see a huge, ornate sleigh come around the corner, complete with black horses and swans . . . But there was nothing there and, in another moment, everything was still.”
Bell makes the story interesting by giving us a really cool old world German setting, where the landscape becomes a character too. The castles of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau are right out of most fairy tales and makes this one that much more interesting and real.
I enjoyed the twists and found the ending to be better than I thought that it would be. The line between the real and the fairytale for Jasmyn made this book a lot of fun to read. I would have never thought that Swan Knights would be cool, but they were. I recommend this book to both adults and the YA crowd and look forward to reading more from Alex Bell.
This is a dark adult fairy tale that itself is based around a fairy tale. You have a deeply depressed widow, Jasmyn as the main protagonist. She is a broken woman of 27 years of age that loses her husband after only a year of marriage. She quickly finds things to be “Off” and not quite right. First she is plagued by weird and strange feelings, like being followed. Then the dead black swans, black roses, mysterious men, and piles of bones all turn up and her life heads into the unknown and bizarre. With “help” from her dead husband’s brother Ben, Jasmyn goes on a journey to discover the mystery behind the secrets of her husband.
This is a fast read and fans of Catherynne M. Valente and even Neil Gaiman will find a lot to like in this fairy tale. The plot is very intriguing and filled with several cool twists and turns, and even though the ending becomes a bit apparent, it is still satisfying.
Alex Bell writes well and her prose is competent and descriptive:
“Suddenly, the idea of swan princesses and lonely kings and enchanted voices and aggressive knights did not seem quite as preposterous as they had by the light of day . . . I tore my eyes from the castle and glanced around at the surrounding trees, picking them out in the darkness. When a branch rustled somewhere close I turned my head sharply, for a moment genuinely expecting to see a huge, ornate sleigh come around the corner, complete with black horses and swans . . . But there was nothing there and, in another moment, everything was still.”
Bell makes the story interesting by giving us a really cool old world German setting, where the landscape becomes a character too. The castles of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau are right out of most fairy tales and makes this one that much more interesting and real.
I enjoyed the twists and found the ending to be better than I thought that it would be. The line between the real and the fairytale for Jasmyn made this book a lot of fun to read. I would have never thought that Swan Knights would be cool, but they were. I recommend this book to both adults and the YA crowd and look forward to reading more from Alex Bell.
November 12, 2015
Rating: 4.25 rounded to 4
Jasmyn is a story built around a fairy tale that involves castles and swans and a certain secret something that makes the entire story revolve around itself. And that certain something is very unique and mystical.
The book jumps into action immediately, without wasting any time, at the end of the first chapter itself. At the end of Jasmyn’s husband’s funeral, 5 black swans fall from the sky. Everyone dismisses them as a consequence of some natural disaster or a disease (?, sorry don’t remember), but then things start to get more mysterious and confusing. Jasmyn comes to know things about her husbands past which she never knew existed. She goes on a journey with Bill, her husband’s brother, to find out the truth for herself.
Jasmyn is very different from the many fairy tale retellings I have read. But wait, Jasmyn is not a fairy tale retelling; it’s a story that revolves around a fairy tale, something so different and unique that I have to applaud the genius behind the story.
I really don’t want to give away much because I know that I enjoyed discovering a new secret, a new mystery after every few pages and I don’t want anyone else’s experience to lessen even by 1%. I thought there were a few loop holes in the story for almost 3/4 of the book, but trust me it all comes together in the end. And the end is as dramatic and grand as any action packed fantasy movie.
Read it if you enjoy fast paced mysteries and fairy tales. I’m not sure if I should tell which fairy tale it is for the fear of spoiling the book for you. Because as far as I know, it’s not a very well known one, it could be called more of a myth based around real places and people. But yes, this book will make you want to finish it in one sitting.
First posted at http://violetcrush.wordpress.com/2009...
Jasmyn is a story built around a fairy tale that involves castles and swans and a certain secret something that makes the entire story revolve around itself. And that certain something is very unique and mystical.
The book jumps into action immediately, without wasting any time, at the end of the first chapter itself. At the end of Jasmyn’s husband’s funeral, 5 black swans fall from the sky. Everyone dismisses them as a consequence of some natural disaster or a disease (?, sorry don’t remember), but then things start to get more mysterious and confusing. Jasmyn comes to know things about her husbands past which she never knew existed. She goes on a journey with Bill, her husband’s brother, to find out the truth for herself.
Jasmyn is very different from the many fairy tale retellings I have read. But wait, Jasmyn is not a fairy tale retelling; it’s a story that revolves around a fairy tale, something so different and unique that I have to applaud the genius behind the story.
I really don’t want to give away much because I know that I enjoyed discovering a new secret, a new mystery after every few pages and I don’t want anyone else’s experience to lessen even by 1%. I thought there were a few loop holes in the story for almost 3/4 of the book, but trust me it all comes together in the end. And the end is as dramatic and grand as any action packed fantasy movie.
Read it if you enjoy fast paced mysteries and fairy tales. I’m not sure if I should tell which fairy tale it is for the fear of spoiling the book for you. Because as far as I know, it’s not a very well known one, it could be called more of a myth based around real places and people. But yes, this book will make you want to finish it in one sitting.
First posted at http://violetcrush.wordpress.com/2009...
May 29, 2018
I’ve sat down to write this review a few times, and I simply can’t make my mind up about how I felt about this book.
Jasmyn feels like a thriller book but with folklore and fairy tale woven through it. It’s fast paced and the settings are wonderful - Ice Hotels, castles, forests, lakes. It relies heavily on Germanic fairy tales, as one would expect, particularly the folklore around swans.
It is very easy to read - you can read upwards of 100 pages at a time. My problem was that it didn’t grip me enough, and I wasn’t desperate to pick it back up.
The plot twists are enjoyable and many of the strands at the beginning are tied nicely in a bow by the end. The characters were believable, particularly Jasmyn’s portrayal of grief. There wasn’t a huge amount of development however and I still have a few questions about some of the events in the book. The writing wasn’t particularly stunning but, again, readable.
Overall, this didn’t blow me away and it didn’t particularly grab me, but it was an interesting take on mystical adventures through the lens of fairy tale. If you enjoy thrillers and ‘action’ books, and are looking to read more about folklore, this may be the book for you.
Jasmyn feels like a thriller book but with folklore and fairy tale woven through it. It’s fast paced and the settings are wonderful - Ice Hotels, castles, forests, lakes. It relies heavily on Germanic fairy tales, as one would expect, particularly the folklore around swans.
It is very easy to read - you can read upwards of 100 pages at a time. My problem was that it didn’t grip me enough, and I wasn’t desperate to pick it back up.
The plot twists are enjoyable and many of the strands at the beginning are tied nicely in a bow by the end. The characters were believable, particularly Jasmyn’s portrayal of grief. There wasn’t a huge amount of development however and I still have a few questions about some of the events in the book. The writing wasn’t particularly stunning but, again, readable.
Overall, this didn’t blow me away and it didn’t particularly grab me, but it was an interesting take on mystical adventures through the lens of fairy tale. If you enjoy thrillers and ‘action’ books, and are looking to read more about folklore, this may be the book for you.
October 5, 2012
Loved the imagination, and all the elements behind this fairy tale/nightmare story.
Unfortunately the writing _for me _ wasn't as good as it could have been.
I would also have appreciated, more interaction and a little more development between the characters due to the nature of the story. Because in the end it just felt like something was missing.
But even so, i found the story so addictive that i have to give it a solid four stars.
Unfortunately the writing _for me _ wasn't as good as it could have been.
I would also have appreciated, more interaction and a little more development between the characters due to the nature of the story. Because in the end it just felt like something was missing.
But even so, i found the story so addictive that i have to give it a solid four stars.
April 16, 2010
Nom nom good book, loved.
(Reviewed elsewhere: http://therockpool.wordpress.com/2010...)
(Reviewed elsewhere: http://therockpool.wordpress.com/2010...)
January 6, 2026
Feen auf Schloss Neuschwanstein
Jasmyn hat gerade ihren Ehemann verloren und versinkt in Trauer, als plötzlich unerklärliche Dinge geschehen. Bei der Beerdigung fallen schwarze Schwäne vom Himmel und Fabelwesen jagen sie in Träumen wie auch in der Realität. Auf der Suche nach Antworten reist sie durch Europa, deckt ein Geheimnis nach dem anderen auf und muss schon bald beginnen, an Magie zu glauben und sich fragen, ob sie ihren Mann überhaupt gekannt hat…
Das Abenteuer von Jasmyn verspricht eine erstaunliche Mischung aus Urban Fantasy, alten Märchen und dem einzigartigen Setting Neuschwanstein. Wer wäre da nicht neugierig? Bis die Handlung in Gang kommt, braucht es einige Zeit, denn die Protagonistin erstickt halb an ihrer Trauer und nimmt die Welt um sich kaum noch wahr. So ist sie auch ziemlich blind für die Meinungen anderer und muss ihre Vorstellungen durchsetzen. Aber das sei ihr an der Stelle mal verziehen.
Die Autorin spannt dann nach und nach einen Bogen aus dem Mysterium um den bayrischen Märchenkönig Ludwig, der Neuschwanstein bauen ließ, dem Ballett Schwanensee, Grimms Märchen und alten Sagen über das Feenreich. Wie so oft im Märchen bleibt aber der ganze Hintergrund der Magie eher im Hintergrund und wird als gegeben hingenommen, nicht weiter erklärt. Das war bei dieser ja doch speziellen Mischung von Fantasy-Elementen ein bisschen überfordernd, es hätte gern ein paar mehr Erklärungen geben können, wie es zu dem ganzen Schlamassel, in dem die Protagonisten feststecken, eigentlich gekommen ist.
Die Geschichte selbst überzeugt nicht auf ganzer Linie mit Spannung, wird aber auch, besonders durch den mysteriösen Aspekt, niemals langweilig, auch wenn man der manchmal etwas begriffsstutzigen Protagonistin gern mal einen Schritt voraus ist. Man merkt eben, dass es sich hier um ein Erstlingswerk handelt. Stellenweise ist der Schreibstil etwas holprig, Kapitelüberschriften enthalten Spoiler, manche Szene wirkt allzu konstruiert und es wird mehr umschrieben als wirklich geschieht. Das eigentliche Problem liegt aber bei der teilweise wirklich schlechten Übersetzung, voller Rechtschreib- und Grammatikfehler und Namensverwechslungen. Da redet zum Beispiel plötzlich der tote Ehemann und nicht mehr sein Bruder.
Zum Ende hin steigert sich die Spannung noch mal, die Autorin hat ein Happy End kräftig hinausgezögert und noch ein paar unerwartete Wendungen eingebaut, aber auf den letzten Seiten findet die Geschichte dann doch zu einem guten Abschluss. Das Buch wagt einiges, setzt nicht alle Ideen gut um, kann aber trotzdem unterhalten und überzeugt als eine Art modernes Märchen voller Winterzauber.
Jasmyn hat gerade ihren Ehemann verloren und versinkt in Trauer, als plötzlich unerklärliche Dinge geschehen. Bei der Beerdigung fallen schwarze Schwäne vom Himmel und Fabelwesen jagen sie in Träumen wie auch in der Realität. Auf der Suche nach Antworten reist sie durch Europa, deckt ein Geheimnis nach dem anderen auf und muss schon bald beginnen, an Magie zu glauben und sich fragen, ob sie ihren Mann überhaupt gekannt hat…
Das Abenteuer von Jasmyn verspricht eine erstaunliche Mischung aus Urban Fantasy, alten Märchen und dem einzigartigen Setting Neuschwanstein. Wer wäre da nicht neugierig? Bis die Handlung in Gang kommt, braucht es einige Zeit, denn die Protagonistin erstickt halb an ihrer Trauer und nimmt die Welt um sich kaum noch wahr. So ist sie auch ziemlich blind für die Meinungen anderer und muss ihre Vorstellungen durchsetzen. Aber das sei ihr an der Stelle mal verziehen.
Die Autorin spannt dann nach und nach einen Bogen aus dem Mysterium um den bayrischen Märchenkönig Ludwig, der Neuschwanstein bauen ließ, dem Ballett Schwanensee, Grimms Märchen und alten Sagen über das Feenreich. Wie so oft im Märchen bleibt aber der ganze Hintergrund der Magie eher im Hintergrund und wird als gegeben hingenommen, nicht weiter erklärt. Das war bei dieser ja doch speziellen Mischung von Fantasy-Elementen ein bisschen überfordernd, es hätte gern ein paar mehr Erklärungen geben können, wie es zu dem ganzen Schlamassel, in dem die Protagonisten feststecken, eigentlich gekommen ist.
Die Geschichte selbst überzeugt nicht auf ganzer Linie mit Spannung, wird aber auch, besonders durch den mysteriösen Aspekt, niemals langweilig, auch wenn man der manchmal etwas begriffsstutzigen Protagonistin gern mal einen Schritt voraus ist. Man merkt eben, dass es sich hier um ein Erstlingswerk handelt. Stellenweise ist der Schreibstil etwas holprig, Kapitelüberschriften enthalten Spoiler, manche Szene wirkt allzu konstruiert und es wird mehr umschrieben als wirklich geschieht. Das eigentliche Problem liegt aber bei der teilweise wirklich schlechten Übersetzung, voller Rechtschreib- und Grammatikfehler und Namensverwechslungen. Da redet zum Beispiel plötzlich der tote Ehemann und nicht mehr sein Bruder.
Zum Ende hin steigert sich die Spannung noch mal, die Autorin hat ein Happy End kräftig hinausgezögert und noch ein paar unerwartete Wendungen eingebaut, aber auf den letzten Seiten findet die Geschichte dann doch zu einem guten Abschluss. Das Buch wagt einiges, setzt nicht alle Ideen gut um, kann aber trotzdem unterhalten und überzeugt als eine Art modernes Märchen voller Winterzauber.
August 4, 2019
Her book The Ninth Circle was good - dark, interesting - I so enjoyed it. I had high hopes of Jasmyn. But Jasmyn was written in a different style - reminded me of the romance/thriller genre for women popular several decades ago. It was achingly, excruciatingly predictable, it was filled with laborious explanations in a tell rather than show style, it was in places so cliched and childlike that I felt like a slow learner having things spelt out for me, it had many contrived twists that seemed to have no point to them or contribute to the plot, the fairy tale elements just did not ring true and what WAS it with that irritating violin that had to be mentioned 752 times?? Ghastly. Gave up half way through, flicked through the rest - yes yes yes no surprises, it just got worse and worse. I wanted to slap that gormless 'heroine'. So disappointing. The writer is capable of far better than this.
May 14, 2023
DNF @ Pg 166
The premise of this book sounded really good when I first picked it. A widow who starts poking into her husband's mysterious hidden life that leads her into a fairytale-like story.
My main problem with the book was that it started (and stayed) really slow. The writing itself was good but I had a hard time staying interested and it didn't have that binge worthy flow like Alex Bell's Frozen Charlotte books had.
I was hoping for a bit more scares or at least a bit more fairy tale themed things going on. Sadly that wasn't the case.
The premise of this book sounded really good when I first picked it. A widow who starts poking into her husband's mysterious hidden life that leads her into a fairytale-like story.
My main problem with the book was that it started (and stayed) really slow. The writing itself was good but I had a hard time staying interested and it didn't have that binge worthy flow like Alex Bell's Frozen Charlotte books had.
I was hoping for a bit more scares or at least a bit more fairy tale themed things going on. Sadly that wasn't the case.
January 30, 2025
I love this book, I've read it so many times that the pages are worn out, I'd like to read it in the future but in the English version. I'm just sorry that the Portuguese translation has spelling errors
December 4, 2016
This was a nice bit of escapism for me. An enchanting and unique plot and an unusual tie-in to a fable/legend/fairy tale I had never heard of. Thanks, Scott, for the recommendation!
March 7, 2017
Love it!!!!!!
October 20, 2018
Top marks for originality. This book really didn't go where I expected. But I wasn't really fussed about any of the characters.
January 23, 2020
Absolutely awesome, magical, dark, fantastic and beautiful.
Read
September 5, 2022Better suited as a Teen fantasy Romance.
July 30, 2024
Not bad. The pace of the book itself is somewhat questioning. In terms of interest while reading, i had to push through some phases but it was worth it.
April 5, 2025
Ich denke gar nichts
June 26, 2025
It is something different and very special. Sometimes a bit confusing but everything gets explained at some point.
November 6, 2025
first fantasy i’ve read in quite some time. not once did i know where this was heading, but i quite liked it
July 7, 2021
The last few chapters after the big reveal were so awkward to read.
That said I had an enjoyable time reading this, the historical fairy tale was intriguing and I liked the two main characters' chemistry since the beginning.
That said I had an enjoyable time reading this, the historical fairy tale was intriguing and I liked the two main characters' chemistry since the beginning.
February 27, 2017
I can honestly say I was pleasantly surprised when I read this.
I remember feeling so bad for Jasmyn suddenly becoming a widow then all these unusual things start happening around her.
Through twists and turns, legends and things to be found, I was very much hooked until the very ending.
There was one point (If you've read it you know what I mean) when I had to put the book down for a good few minutes to process what I had read.
I would recommend this book for those who enjoy reading fantasy and mystery.
I remember feeling so bad for Jasmyn suddenly becoming a widow then all these unusual things start happening around her.
Through twists and turns, legends and things to be found, I was very much hooked until the very ending.
There was one point (If you've read it you know what I mean) when I had to put the book down for a good few minutes to process what I had read.
I would recommend this book for those who enjoy reading fantasy and mystery.
November 8, 2012
I'd seen this book around for some time and had been tempted by it - and I knew a number of my friends had read and enjoyed it. So when I learnt it was going out of print, I decided to finally buy it. However, it was one of those books that did not live up to expectations and was disappointing.
As my other half pointed out, it sounds like Alex Bell is young and still learning, finding her voice. For most of this, I was bored. In the end, I only kept reading because I wanted to see if my theory was right.
Three words sum up this book for me: casual, frivolous, and flat. Casual - because Jasmyn is a poor narrator and we end up with a running commentary of her day-to-day business, in that casual way you talk to those you're closest with. Frivolous - because of all the extraneous bits of information that just seemed to be in the story in a poor attempt to flesh the characters or plot out (e.g. Jasmyn's albinism, Jasmyn seeing a faery as a child, the Violectra, the bones, the roses being black, etc). And flat - because, well, the book lacked depth. It was boring.
It was a very slow start. I felt like the first 80 pages had just been spent in Jasmyn's flat, doing nothing but grieving and wishing. Even when the plot got going, there was a surprising lack of suspense or mystery. Her flat had been broken into and turned upside down - and yet I didn't feel in any way emotionally invested. This was not one of those un-put-downable books.
In my opinion, the first person POV was a mistake. We the readers only know what Jasmyn knows - and as Jasmyn knows so very little, it makes for a very one-level novel. I didn't feel like I could sink my teeth in to the fairy tale or fantasy, because most of the time we were just being strung along.
Also, the blurb gave away the main plot point (that of Liam having stolen Jasmyn from Ben) so it was like being strung along to reach a conclusion that I already knew. Huh.
I also have a few problems with Ben's character and the relationship between himself and Jasmyn towards the end of the book:
(1) Why does he act so aggressively towards the woman he loves throughout the whole book? I suppose it makes for a more interesting tale but it doesn't exactly tie in when we discover that, okay yes, he's been hurting, but he's loved her all along.
(2) Secondly, after certain events Jasmyn thinks Ben is a murderous, cold-hearted bastard. As soon as the enchantment lifts, she of course falls in love with him again. BUT the fact that he WAS acting like a murderous, cold-hearted bastard is conveniently forgotten altogether.
(3) They are all full of doom and gloom for the future of their relationship (and I was actually wondering how Bell was going to end the novel), until the last few pages, when like waving a magic wand they simply ignore everything.
(4) Ben is a swan knight now. Can he even have a relationship with a human? If so, how would it work? Would they have to move to Germany to live near the lake?
(5) Bell conveniently ends the story with the "happily ever after" note, because I feel like she wrote herself into a bit of a tangle. Because the enchantment didn't cover friends and family, they will all now think that Jasmyn has switched brothers again. That's going to make for interesting family reunions.
All in all, I felt it was a disconnected, dull novel that, although surprising in its dark twists towards the end, generally lacked depth or interest. A good idea that was not well executed. I don't think I'd recommend this.
As my other half pointed out, it sounds like Alex Bell is young and still learning, finding her voice. For most of this, I was bored. In the end, I only kept reading because I wanted to see if my theory was right.
Three words sum up this book for me: casual, frivolous, and flat. Casual - because Jasmyn is a poor narrator and we end up with a running commentary of her day-to-day business, in that casual way you talk to those you're closest with. Frivolous - because of all the extraneous bits of information that just seemed to be in the story in a poor attempt to flesh the characters or plot out (e.g. Jasmyn's albinism, Jasmyn seeing a faery as a child, the Violectra, the bones, the roses being black, etc). And flat - because, well, the book lacked depth. It was boring.
It was a very slow start. I felt like the first 80 pages had just been spent in Jasmyn's flat, doing nothing but grieving and wishing. Even when the plot got going, there was a surprising lack of suspense or mystery. Her flat had been broken into and turned upside down - and yet I didn't feel in any way emotionally invested. This was not one of those un-put-downable books.
In my opinion, the first person POV was a mistake. We the readers only know what Jasmyn knows - and as Jasmyn knows so very little, it makes for a very one-level novel. I didn't feel like I could sink my teeth in to the fairy tale or fantasy, because most of the time we were just being strung along.
Also, the blurb gave away the main plot point (that of Liam having stolen Jasmyn from Ben) so it was like being strung along to reach a conclusion that I already knew. Huh.
I also have a few problems with Ben's character and the relationship between himself and Jasmyn towards the end of the book:
(1) Why does he act so aggressively towards the woman he loves throughout the whole book? I suppose it makes for a more interesting tale but it doesn't exactly tie in when we discover that, okay yes, he's been hurting, but he's loved her all along.
(2) Secondly, after certain events Jasmyn thinks Ben is a murderous, cold-hearted bastard. As soon as the enchantment lifts, she of course falls in love with him again. BUT the fact that he WAS acting like a murderous, cold-hearted bastard is conveniently forgotten altogether.
(3) They are all full of doom and gloom for the future of their relationship (and I was actually wondering how Bell was going to end the novel), until the last few pages, when like waving a magic wand they simply ignore everything.
(4) Ben is a swan knight now. Can he even have a relationship with a human? If so, how would it work? Would they have to move to Germany to live near the lake?
(5) Bell conveniently ends the story with the "happily ever after" note, because I feel like she wrote herself into a bit of a tangle. Because the enchantment didn't cover friends and family, they will all now think that Jasmyn has switched brothers again. That's going to make for interesting family reunions.
All in all, I felt it was a disconnected, dull novel that, although surprising in its dark twists towards the end, generally lacked depth or interest. A good idea that was not well executed. I don't think I'd recommend this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 20, 2011
Jasmyn by Alex Bell is a book of myths and fairytales - fantasy in its purest form.
The story starts off being about a young widower, Jasmyn Gracey, who over the course of a week is approached by various odd individuals, all asking about her recently deceased husband or for reasons unknown to her, know exactly who she is.
After some bizarre run-ins with dead swans, a black horse, and apparitions of human bones, Jasmyn finds herself joining forces with her estranged brother-in-law Ben, in order to unravel the mysteries surrounding the life & death of her husband.
I found the plot in this novel to be good, and the story and characters kept me engaged throughout. The novel itself is not a particularly difficult read, but it is a very enjoyable one if you are fan of the fantastic with a bit of a taste for the macabre. The "twist" in the story, the one thing that seems to elude Jasmyn throughout the majority of the book, was fairly obvious (to me) about 1/3 of the way in. Despite that, I was still interested in seeing exactly how Bell managed this information, how it was parceled out to us, and what clues she left along the way.
And I have to say, while I found my suspicions confirmed as to the nature of certain relationships within the novel, I was pleasantly surprised by exactly how they were revealed to me, and I found myself slightly off-base as to the motives/identities of certain characters (which I loved). Gotta love a bit of smoke and mirrors in the plot.
There were elements in the book that are fairly fairytale-like in themselves: Jasmyn's albino complexion, her ethereal violin, her connection to her music, her perfect romance with her deceased husband Liam. I did like how other elements in the book (the black horse, the black swans, the red eyes etc) did not have the typical color associations they would other tales.
The novel was fairly fast-moving, and I enjoyed seeing things unravel from Jasmyn's perspective. My favorite moment in the book is the grand reveal, which is done quite well. Jasmyn has revealed so many of her memories to you in the beginning, and you've gotten to see how tightly she's held on to those moments, and how they've defined who she is. The moment when the life she believes she'd lived and the life the world has seen are merge with reality was really well done.
The ending was more or less what I imagined it would be (as this is at its heart a fairytale), but there were moments where the ending was left in doubt. One of the things that I liked about the book, was that every character took in stride the existence of the fantasy world that had bled into their own. There were no lengthy explanations or attempts to explain away what they'd seen/experienced. It happened, they accepted it, and moved forward. There were moments where the plot could have been a bit tighter, or perhaps the elements of the story less transparent, but overall, I'd recommend this book. It was a fun read for Saturday afternoon.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2012
Last summer I stumbled across a book titled “The Ninth Circle”, and although this is not review of that book they do in fact share the same author. “The Ninth Circle” was actually my favorite book last year. Sadly in an effort to share her genius I suggested that someone read it and they either chose not to return the book or agreed with me in my assumption of genius and greedily chose to not return the book. Why this is relevant, well someone asked me for a referral and I immediately started digging through my books looking for it. When it failed to appear to my whims of discovery I kicked down to B-Noble, mind you at the time I had forgotten the authors name and the exact title. So here I am at B-Noble walking up and down the aisles looking for this book when I finally give up and decide to go see what had just come in for my reading pleasure. Lucky for me I have a really good sense of art association and new instantly that the cover of “Jasmyn” was immediately the person who had also wrote “The Ninth Circle”. I was sold instantaneously and also was able to find “The Ninth Circle” although reacquiring that proved quite the ordeal.
Alex Bell, whom I though was a man until I did some research is actually a 25 year old nice pillow built mommy from England. She is responsible for “Jasmyn”, “The Ninth Circle”, and a developing series titled “Lex Trent.” I have had a few brief conversations with her on f-book, don’t really know why but she seems very approachable so I approach. Anyways, enough about Alex and onto her work on “Jasmyn.”
“Jasmyn” started slower than I expected but slowly and surely you begin to understand that weird stuff, stuff that really is kind of odd in context, is happening more and more abundantly. Jasmyn being the main character happens to be the run of the mill Albino violin player, recently a widow. During the course of mourning things start getting weird. Not to sound redundant with “weird” but you start picking out inconsistencies and then suddenly in the midst of normality you are swept to a paragraph or two that makes sense but seem to belong in a different story. It is fantastic, magical, and nearly seamless as I often find myself stopping a few sentences in to reread what just passed in front of my face. It would appear that Jasmyn’s now deceased husband, Liam; who had in his active life researched and written about fairy tales, was also into some shady stuff. Jasmyn, who is oblivious to it all, must come face to face with her deceased husbands extra-curricular life.
The story starts more natural and then seems to descend into this fairy tale style that is grand and kicks you in the teeth. As if there are two stories side by side and every so often they violently cross leaving the reader wondering which path they are still on.
Alex Bell, whom I though was a man until I did some research is actually a 25 year old nice pillow built mommy from England. She is responsible for “Jasmyn”, “The Ninth Circle”, and a developing series titled “Lex Trent.” I have had a few brief conversations with her on f-book, don’t really know why but she seems very approachable so I approach. Anyways, enough about Alex and onto her work on “Jasmyn.”
“Jasmyn” started slower than I expected but slowly and surely you begin to understand that weird stuff, stuff that really is kind of odd in context, is happening more and more abundantly. Jasmyn being the main character happens to be the run of the mill Albino violin player, recently a widow. During the course of mourning things start getting weird. Not to sound redundant with “weird” but you start picking out inconsistencies and then suddenly in the midst of normality you are swept to a paragraph or two that makes sense but seem to belong in a different story. It is fantastic, magical, and nearly seamless as I often find myself stopping a few sentences in to reread what just passed in front of my face. It would appear that Jasmyn’s now deceased husband, Liam; who had in his active life researched and written about fairy tales, was also into some shady stuff. Jasmyn, who is oblivious to it all, must come face to face with her deceased husbands extra-curricular life.
The story starts more natural and then seems to descend into this fairy tale style that is grand and kicks you in the teeth. As if there are two stories side by side and every so often they violently cross leaving the reader wondering which path they are still on.
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