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Thin Places
A dazzling story told in verse, of sixteen-year-old Declan Lynch and the girl whose centuries-old voice rings in his head.
One day, Declan Lynch, a regular teenager, starts hearing a girl’s voice inside his head. Eventually, he even begins to see her. Though he’s not certain the girl, Rebecca, is real, Declan finds himself falling for her. She shows him visions of places and people he has never seen — places he feels compelled to find in hopes of meeting her.
His quest takes him to County Sligo, Ireland, and its “thin places,” spots where the earth and the spirit world seem almost to touch. His slightly crazy Uncle Seamus takes him in, as Declan’s search has him wondering which world he belongs in — his, or the one belonging to a girl who might not even be real.
One day, Declan Lynch, a regular teenager, starts hearing a girl’s voice inside his head. Eventually, he even begins to see her. Though he’s not certain the girl, Rebecca, is real, Declan finds himself falling for her. She shows him visions of places and people he has never seen — places he feels compelled to find in hopes of meeting her.
His quest takes him to County Sligo, Ireland, and its “thin places,” spots where the earth and the spirit world seem almost to touch. His slightly crazy Uncle Seamus takes him in, as Declan’s search has him wondering which world he belongs in — his, or the one belonging to a girl who might not even be real.
200 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 22, 2017
3 people are currently reading
52 people want to read
About the author
Lesley Choyce
131 books123 followersLesley Choyce is a novelist and poet living at Lawrencetown Beach, Nova Scotia. He is the author of more than 80 books for adults, teens and children. He teaches in the English Department and Transition Year Program at Dalhousie University. He is a year-round surfer and founding member of the 1990s spoken word rock band, The SurfPoets. Choyce also runs Pottersfield Press, a small literary publishing house and hosted the national TV show, Off The Page, for many years. His books have been translated into Spanish, French, German and Danish and he has been awarded the Dartmouth Book Award and the Ann Connor Brimer Award.
Lesley Choyce was born in New Jersey in 1951 and moved to Canada in 1978 and became a citizen.
His YA novels concern things like skateboarding, surfing, racism, environmental issues, organ transplants, and rock bands.
Lesley Choyce was born in New Jersey in 1951 and moved to Canada in 1978 and became a citizen.
His YA novels concern things like skateboarding, surfing, racism, environmental issues, organ transplants, and rock bands.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
May 9, 2017
Thanks for Netgalley and respective publishers.
Another fantasy book.
It was good and easy read.
I've got this book today and finished in one hour.
It describes a boy story which was attracted to selkie girl.
Boy completely indulged in whole history and story of girl.
I think this book could be more better.
No offence.
Good one.
Another fantasy book.
It was good and easy read.
I've got this book today and finished in one hour.
It describes a boy story which was attracted to selkie girl.
Boy completely indulged in whole history and story of girl.
I think this book could be more better.
No offence.
Good one.
May 14, 2017
Originally posted on: The Quirky Book Nerd
I am having a lot of trouble gathering together my thoughts on this book. A novel in verse, this is a short and poetic read in a beautiful setting. However, though verse novels always tend to be quicker reads, this one was way too short, in my opinion. So short, that I had absolutely no time to connect with the characters or the plot before it was finished. Though I fluidly sped through it, I never had a chance to involve myself in it. This is what makes voicing my thoughts particularly difficult—this novel left me with a sense of confusion and incompleteness.
This novel had an intriguing and eye-catching plot to me for a number of reasons. We follow a young boy named Declan Lynch, who is no stranger to hearing voices in his head. For the first sixteen years of his life, those voices took on the form of characters, involving themselves in his decision-making and all he did. Despite this, these characters still sounded like his own internal voice, allowing him to retain some sort of connection with reality.
One day, however, this changes when he begins to not only hear the voice of a girl named Rebecca, but is able to see her materialize in his head. The strong connection he immediately feels to Rebecca sends him on a journey to County Sligo, Ireland. Declan is thrust into the arms of his estranged Uncle Seamus, as he attempts to locate Ireland’s “thin places”—where the world of the living is believed to meet that of the deceased—and unite with this mysterious girl.
I was expecting this to be a sweeping journey in a beautiful country as a young boy answers a calling in himself to uncover a hidden portion of family history and discover who he is—where he fits into the world—in the process. What I actually found was that over half the book had flown by before Declan even arrived in Ireland to begin his quest to find Rebecca. This left very little time for what I thought would be—and what was represented as—the main plot point in the narrative, given the synopsis.
The characters were incredibly one-dimensional, as the length of this novel gave them little to no room to be developed. I absolutely could not connect with a single one of them, simply because there was no time. The narrative barely skimmed the surface of key elements such as characterization and world-building. It is driven much less by the characters and descriptions and much more by dialogue, which did not serve this novel well. Instead, it heavily weighed the text down.
On top of everything, this novel was insta-love central, aggravated immensely by the length of the narrative. This is never usually a good thing to have in a story—it is definitely one of those overused and highly disliked tropes in writing. The romance feels like it is just haphazardly shoved into the plotline. From the first second that Declan sees Rebecca in his mind, he instantly falls in love with her, and this takes up a huge portion of his thoughts for most of the novel. They haven’t met, he has no idea whether she is even real or not, and yet she is automatically the love of his life. This “romance” took over the majority of the narrative.
On a slightly more positive note, despite my problems with the plot and characters, the writing was surprisingly delightful in some ways. While there were some problems, the overall prose could be quite beautiful.
The only complaint I had when it came to the writing aspect of the novel was the fact that the layout of the verses—a key and very compelling point in a verse novel—felt very random and disjointed. Part of the art of a verse novel is to arrange the lines of text and breaks in those lines so that they add to the tone and significance of the plot. So not only does the writing itself need to be beautiful, but that layout has to be meaningful as well—preferably not feeling like a hasty jumbling of words.
In the end, I unfortunately did not particularly enjoy this story as a whole. It left me feeling extraordinarily unsatisfied and as if I had missed a huge chunk of plot that should have been there. I just needed more from this book and it never delivered. It was a nice, quick read that definitely staves off any sort of reading slump, but that was one of the only positives I felt by finishing this novel.
I am having a lot of trouble gathering together my thoughts on this book. A novel in verse, this is a short and poetic read in a beautiful setting. However, though verse novels always tend to be quicker reads, this one was way too short, in my opinion. So short, that I had absolutely no time to connect with the characters or the plot before it was finished. Though I fluidly sped through it, I never had a chance to involve myself in it. This is what makes voicing my thoughts particularly difficult—this novel left me with a sense of confusion and incompleteness.
This novel had an intriguing and eye-catching plot to me for a number of reasons. We follow a young boy named Declan Lynch, who is no stranger to hearing voices in his head. For the first sixteen years of his life, those voices took on the form of characters, involving themselves in his decision-making and all he did. Despite this, these characters still sounded like his own internal voice, allowing him to retain some sort of connection with reality.
One day, however, this changes when he begins to not only hear the voice of a girl named Rebecca, but is able to see her materialize in his head. The strong connection he immediately feels to Rebecca sends him on a journey to County Sligo, Ireland. Declan is thrust into the arms of his estranged Uncle Seamus, as he attempts to locate Ireland’s “thin places”—where the world of the living is believed to meet that of the deceased—and unite with this mysterious girl.
I was expecting this to be a sweeping journey in a beautiful country as a young boy answers a calling in himself to uncover a hidden portion of family history and discover who he is—where he fits into the world—in the process. What I actually found was that over half the book had flown by before Declan even arrived in Ireland to begin his quest to find Rebecca. This left very little time for what I thought would be—and what was represented as—the main plot point in the narrative, given the synopsis.
The characters were incredibly one-dimensional, as the length of this novel gave them little to no room to be developed. I absolutely could not connect with a single one of them, simply because there was no time. The narrative barely skimmed the surface of key elements such as characterization and world-building. It is driven much less by the characters and descriptions and much more by dialogue, which did not serve this novel well. Instead, it heavily weighed the text down.
On top of everything, this novel was insta-love central, aggravated immensely by the length of the narrative. This is never usually a good thing to have in a story—it is definitely one of those overused and highly disliked tropes in writing. The romance feels like it is just haphazardly shoved into the plotline. From the first second that Declan sees Rebecca in his mind, he instantly falls in love with her, and this takes up a huge portion of his thoughts for most of the novel. They haven’t met, he has no idea whether she is even real or not, and yet she is automatically the love of his life. This “romance” took over the majority of the narrative.
On a slightly more positive note, despite my problems with the plot and characters, the writing was surprisingly delightful in some ways. While there were some problems, the overall prose could be quite beautiful.
The only complaint I had when it came to the writing aspect of the novel was the fact that the layout of the verses—a key and very compelling point in a verse novel—felt very random and disjointed. Part of the art of a verse novel is to arrange the lines of text and breaks in those lines so that they add to the tone and significance of the plot. So not only does the writing itself need to be beautiful, but that layout has to be meaningful as well—preferably not feeling like a hasty jumbling of words.
In the end, I unfortunately did not particularly enjoy this story as a whole. It left me feeling extraordinarily unsatisfied and as if I had missed a huge chunk of plot that should have been there. I just needed more from this book and it never delivered. It was a nice, quick read that definitely staves off any sort of reading slump, but that was one of the only positives I felt by finishing this novel.
Read
May 11, 2017So this is my first review assignment for SLJ! I don't think I'm allowed to post my review until well after the official one comes out, so this is a placeholder to say, "Yes, I read this."
September 14, 2017
A story told in verse about a boy struggling to fit in and the voice of a girl that rings in his head
The author teaches creative writing at various universities and has written a very creative short novel about a sixteen-year-old boy, the only child of Irish immigrants who struggles to fit in. One day he starts hearing a girl’s voice in his head and eventually he even begins to see her. Declan discovers he is falling in love with this girl, even though he is not even certain that she is real. She gives him visions of a mountain, a beach and people he has never encountered and he comes to believe he must locate these places and go there, hoping to meet her.
This is a story of a quest to find true love, in whatever form it may arise and will bring out the romantic in the most cynical individual. The unusual way of writing the story in verse is a kind of visual map for the reader to travel into the world of fiction. Being an only child of immigrants myself, I really identified with Declan’s search for his roots, to understand the voice of the past and to try to make sense of all that had happened to him and all that was yet to come.
Saphira
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
The author teaches creative writing at various universities and has written a very creative short novel about a sixteen-year-old boy, the only child of Irish immigrants who struggles to fit in. One day he starts hearing a girl’s voice in his head and eventually he even begins to see her. Declan discovers he is falling in love with this girl, even though he is not even certain that she is real. She gives him visions of a mountain, a beach and people he has never encountered and he comes to believe he must locate these places and go there, hoping to meet her.
This is a story of a quest to find true love, in whatever form it may arise and will bring out the romantic in the most cynical individual. The unusual way of writing the story in verse is a kind of visual map for the reader to travel into the world of fiction. Being an only child of immigrants myself, I really identified with Declan’s search for his roots, to understand the voice of the past and to try to make sense of all that had happened to him and all that was yet to come.
Saphira
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
August 15, 2017
Thin Places is a modern day fairy tale.
Declan always heard voices growing up but they also always sounded like him. His imaginary friends drove his dad crazy. At 16, a new voice has come calling and she most definitely does not sound like Declan. Rebecca tells Declan that she needs his help. Shows him what she looks like and puts images in his mind of places important to her. Through some research and a bit of help from his uncle, Delcan figures out Rebecca is somewhere in Ireland and convinces his dad to let him go. But where in Ireland? She doesn’t turn up on the mountain or any of the beaches he searches.
A story that leaves you feeling like you’re wandering through the mist even after everything is explained, perhaps like walking in your own neighbourhood in the fog. It’s all there but so deliciously mysterious. A story of magic and gentle heroism. The chosen format – poems – only strengthens this fuzziness. It allows us to fade in and out on the important bits and gloss over the rest.
A copy of this book was provided by Netgalley for an honest review.
Declan always heard voices growing up but they also always sounded like him. His imaginary friends drove his dad crazy. At 16, a new voice has come calling and she most definitely does not sound like Declan. Rebecca tells Declan that she needs his help. Shows him what she looks like and puts images in his mind of places important to her. Through some research and a bit of help from his uncle, Delcan figures out Rebecca is somewhere in Ireland and convinces his dad to let him go. But where in Ireland? She doesn’t turn up on the mountain or any of the beaches he searches.
A story that leaves you feeling like you’re wandering through the mist even after everything is explained, perhaps like walking in your own neighbourhood in the fog. It’s all there but so deliciously mysterious. A story of magic and gentle heroism. The chosen format – poems – only strengthens this fuzziness. It allows us to fade in and out on the important bits and gloss over the rest.
A copy of this book was provided by Netgalley for an honest review.
August 14, 2017
This verse novel flies by and takes you a short, but sweet, ride into the thin places of Ireland. The mythology/fantasy aspect was my favorite and I loved the way Choyce plays with the concept of the (un)real.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from Edelweiss.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from Edelweiss.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
August 7, 2017
I got this from NetGalley to preview.
I'm a sucker for anything with Celtic ties, or Irish, or Scottish. And myth. And this blended things so well. It's short, a novella, really, and it read quick. And it has to do with one of my favorite mythological creatures. And I won't give it away, but I recommend it to anyone who likes a good mystery with a little bit of the supernatural.
I'm a sucker for anything with Celtic ties, or Irish, or Scottish. And myth. And this blended things so well. It's short, a novella, really, and it read quick. And it has to do with one of my favorite mythological creatures. And I won't give it away, but I recommend it to anyone who likes a good mystery with a little bit of the supernatural.
May 14, 2017
Please!
I shouted.
Someone save me!
But no one did.
There was only one voice.
The voice was me
saying I was doomed
to live in a world
where I did not belong."
Thin Places can certainly be called an easy, quick read. It takes close to no energy from the reader and it's perfect for reading slumps. But, although I flew though it, there were quite a few things I did not like. But let's start with the positive aspects.
This book definitely deserves some brownie points for dealing with Irish culture and legends. I deeply enjoy reading about mythology of any kind so this came as a pleasant surprise. (And the main character is called Declan Lynch. Let's be real, that's probably the reason why I even read this book. I'm a shallow human being, shame on me.) And once again - it's such a fast read! It could serve as a great filler if you fall behind on your reading challenge. Thin Places could also become a great start for an English learner who would like to start reading in English and is looking for something easy to understand.
And now comes the negative part of the review.
First of all - the story felt so poorly executed. It was far-fetched, the characters seemed one dimensional and undeveloped. The writing was simplistic to the point of being plain and completely unremarkable. It lacked in description and poetic writing. Thin Places is written in verse but it seems almost unnecessary. At some points it felt more as if the author wrote a sentence and then started randomly pressing Enter.
I made some research on selkies in hopes of finding a mention of some seductive abilities they posses to make humans fall in love with them instantly so I could explain the instant love Declan felt for Rebecca few days upon her appearing in his head. But unfortunately I found nothing of that sort. (The actual research consisted of reading a few articles on selkies so I may have missed something - feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.)
The idea behind Thin Places is interesting. It only needs to be given some more thought and time.
1.5 not-so-poetic stars.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for kindly allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
I shouted.
Someone save me!
But no one did.
There was only one voice.
The voice was me
saying I was doomed
to live in a world
where I did not belong."
Thin Places can certainly be called an easy, quick read. It takes close to no energy from the reader and it's perfect for reading slumps. But, although I flew though it, there were quite a few things I did not like. But let's start with the positive aspects.
This book definitely deserves some brownie points for dealing with Irish culture and legends. I deeply enjoy reading about mythology of any kind so this came as a pleasant surprise. (And the main character is called Declan Lynch. Let's be real, that's probably the reason why I even read this book. I'm a shallow human being, shame on me.) And once again - it's such a fast read! It could serve as a great filler if you fall behind on your reading challenge. Thin Places could also become a great start for an English learner who would like to start reading in English and is looking for something easy to understand.
And now comes the negative part of the review.
First of all - the story felt so poorly executed. It was far-fetched, the characters seemed one dimensional and undeveloped. The writing was simplistic to the point of being plain and completely unremarkable. It lacked in description and poetic writing. Thin Places is written in verse but it seems almost unnecessary. At some points it felt more as if the author wrote a sentence and then started randomly pressing Enter.
I made some research on selkies in hopes of finding a mention of some seductive abilities they posses to make humans fall in love with them instantly so I could explain the instant love Declan felt for Rebecca few days upon her appearing in his head. But unfortunately I found nothing of that sort. (The actual research consisted of reading a few articles on selkies so I may have missed something - feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.)
The idea behind Thin Places is interesting. It only needs to be given some more thought and time.
1.5 not-so-poetic stars.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for kindly allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 12, 2017
It is difficult to make up my mind about what I think of this book because it feels too short to even form an opinion. The story is about a boy, Declan, who can hear voices, and one day he hears a girl Rebecca, who urges him to come find her in Ireland. So halfway through the novel, he leaves his life and goes in search of her. He finds her, and she tells why she called him there, and by then the story is pretty much over!
At first, I thought it was the style which had me on edge. Verse is not my favored style of writing (in fact, I have read very few books in verse) but I do see some snippets that make it work. This one didn't really feel like verse, though, because it just felt prose arranged in a random style that can best be described as 'without punctuation'. If it was supposed to evoke a sense of magic, I did not feel it. Which is a damn shame, because Irish folklore is like the theme of this story. It tries to reel you in with the magic of the old world and all, but it fails.
Secondly, the romance is pretty much insta-love. He sees her, thinks she is hot, and boom, two verses (paras?) later he is in lurve. So much so that he is willing to go on a foolish quest to find her without any information. Okay, maybe the wandering could have been explored a little more, to bring out the magic of Irish hillside and stuff, or maybe give more character development but nope, he just laments about his failure. Also, it is never explained what and why are the voices in his head - are they all like her, or were they real like her too? There is no world-building in place, and yes, I will hold that against it even in verse!
Lastly, besides the romance, the story doesn't offer anything else; no characterization, no proper resolution (look I don't know about you but I like my resolutions to be more than a couple of lines) and no explanation for Declan himself. It evokes themes of loneliness and longing, but doesn't do much to explore them. I am not angry at this book for taking an one hour of my life, I am just disappointed in the wasted potential of a story that promises so much and delivers little.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Dundurn, via Netgaley.
At first, I thought it was the style which had me on edge. Verse is not my favored style of writing (in fact, I have read very few books in verse) but I do see some snippets that make it work. This one didn't really feel like verse, though, because it just felt prose arranged in a random style that can best be described as 'without punctuation'. If it was supposed to evoke a sense of magic, I did not feel it. Which is a damn shame, because Irish folklore is like the theme of this story. It tries to reel you in with the magic of the old world and all, but it fails.
Secondly, the romance is pretty much insta-love. He sees her, thinks she is hot, and boom, two verses (paras?) later he is in lurve. So much so that he is willing to go on a foolish quest to find her without any information. Okay, maybe the wandering could have been explored a little more, to bring out the magic of Irish hillside and stuff, or maybe give more character development but nope, he just laments about his failure. Also, it is never explained what and why are the voices in his head - are they all like her, or were they real like her too? There is no world-building in place, and yes, I will hold that against it even in verse!
Lastly, besides the romance, the story doesn't offer anything else; no characterization, no proper resolution (look I don't know about you but I like my resolutions to be more than a couple of lines) and no explanation for Declan himself. It evokes themes of loneliness and longing, but doesn't do much to explore them. I am not angry at this book for taking an one hour of my life, I am just disappointed in the wasted potential of a story that promises so much and delivers little.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Dundurn, via Netgaley.
May 6, 2017
The main character, Declan Lynch is a 16 year old of Irish decent who while living in the US starts hearing the voice of a girl, Rebecca, in his head. And eventually he can also see her as well. Rebecca begins showing him things such as beaches, mountains and other places and people that he has never before seen. Declan begins to fall in love with Rebecca even though he is not sure she is real or what she actually is. Declan comes to believe that he must find these places and people that Rebecca has shown him, hoping that will bring him to her.
This is the first verse novel that I have read in quite a while and although I find it a bit hard to read at times, I did enjoy this book. It is fairly short at 170 pages and because of the style, there are some pages that don't contain a great deal of text. I can't say that I really connected with Declan very much as a character. That may be because he is a 16 year old boy or because I am not used to reading shorter novels where we don't get much time to get to know the character. I did find the story to be quite interesting and different from what I normally read. And there is a bit of Celtic folklore that made the story a more interesting. I did really enjoy the ending of this book and liked how things ended between Declan and Rebecca. Overall, a quick read with an interesting style of writing and an engaging story mixed with folklore and mythology.
Thank you to the publisher, Dundurn, for sending me an advanced reading copy of this book.
This is the first verse novel that I have read in quite a while and although I find it a bit hard to read at times, I did enjoy this book. It is fairly short at 170 pages and because of the style, there are some pages that don't contain a great deal of text. I can't say that I really connected with Declan very much as a character. That may be because he is a 16 year old boy or because I am not used to reading shorter novels where we don't get much time to get to know the character. I did find the story to be quite interesting and different from what I normally read. And there is a bit of Celtic folklore that made the story a more interesting. I did really enjoy the ending of this book and liked how things ended between Declan and Rebecca. Overall, a quick read with an interesting style of writing and an engaging story mixed with folklore and mythology.
Thank you to the publisher, Dundurn, for sending me an advanced reading copy of this book.
June 1, 2017
*Recieved an e-arc from Edelweiss and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
I let out an audible gasp at the first page when I realized that this was written in verse, a format that tends to make me weak in the knees right from the getgo. I love how erratic the phrasing is, the format really lets us get into the main character Declan's mind. He's a young man who is different, who has always had voices in his head, never quite fit in with the people around him. His thoughts are beautifully unstable, as if he's never quite sure if the narration is from him or somebody else. The plot is gorgeous, okay, when Rebecca's voice filters into the storyline we can actually witness the change it elicits in Declan. Watching him come out of his shell in order to find her is intensely emotional and intimate in a way that made me feel like I'd made a new best friend when the story ended. It's a fast read, 200 pages that soars by because the verses just float right through you and it's easy to devour them in vast quantities. The imagery and the gorgeous phrasing is something I will never forget and this is the kind of book I will read over and over once it's published and a snag a hard copy. Fabulous read, recommended to EVERYBODY.
I let out an audible gasp at the first page when I realized that this was written in verse, a format that tends to make me weak in the knees right from the getgo. I love how erratic the phrasing is, the format really lets us get into the main character Declan's mind. He's a young man who is different, who has always had voices in his head, never quite fit in with the people around him. His thoughts are beautifully unstable, as if he's never quite sure if the narration is from him or somebody else. The plot is gorgeous, okay, when Rebecca's voice filters into the storyline we can actually witness the change it elicits in Declan. Watching him come out of his shell in order to find her is intensely emotional and intimate in a way that made me feel like I'd made a new best friend when the story ended. It's a fast read, 200 pages that soars by because the verses just float right through you and it's easy to devour them in vast quantities. The imagery and the gorgeous phrasing is something I will never forget and this is the kind of book I will read over and over once it's published and a snag a hard copy. Fabulous read, recommended to EVERYBODY.
July 18, 2017
Declan is sixteen, awkward and doesn't fit in at school. His parents are originally from Ireland. His father sees things in black 'n white and his mother is more open and spiritual.
One day Declan starts hearing the voice of Rebecca inside his head and when he closes his eyes, she is able to show him visions. He is determined to find and meet her. Once he realizes she is in Ireland, he convinces his parents to let him go there and stay with his Uncle Seamus. What they don't know is that he intents to search for Rebecca.
According to Rebecca, "thin places" are "where they say the spirit world and the physical world are close together. Sacred places and ancient burial sites."
I don't usually read books like this but I'd read and enjoyed a book by this author years ago. Plus he's a Canadian from Nova Scotia (like me).
It took me a while to get used to the writing style but once I caught the rhythm, it was fine.
It was an interesting story and it was fun to step out of my comfort zone. It's not a deep story and is a quick read. You'll especially like it if you enjoy reading stories about selkies, mystical Ireland, etc.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2017/07...
One day Declan starts hearing the voice of Rebecca inside his head and when he closes his eyes, she is able to show him visions. He is determined to find and meet her. Once he realizes she is in Ireland, he convinces his parents to let him go there and stay with his Uncle Seamus. What they don't know is that he intents to search for Rebecca.
According to Rebecca, "thin places" are "where they say the spirit world and the physical world are close together. Sacred places and ancient burial sites."
I don't usually read books like this but I'd read and enjoyed a book by this author years ago. Plus he's a Canadian from Nova Scotia (like me).
It took me a while to get used to the writing style but once I caught the rhythm, it was fine.
It was an interesting story and it was fun to step out of my comfort zone. It's not a deep story and is a quick read. You'll especially like it if you enjoy reading stories about selkies, mystical Ireland, etc.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2017/07...
December 5, 2023
A novel in verse telling the tale of a lonely boy trying to fit in and a maiden who just wants to return home.
Declan Lynch is our main character in "Thin Places." He's always had an active imagination, but when he starts to hear a girl talk to him in his head, he begins to question himself. She relays that her name is Rebecca and that she desperately needs his help for some reason. This leads to him taking an impromptu trip to Ireland to find this dream girl in hopes that she is real.
The prose in this book was good and it read like a modern day fairy tale, but overall, it wasn't anything special. I have read other books starring the same magical creatures that have been much better, so this one lacked originality for me. I also didn't appreciate the "love at first sight" romance element or the flatness of the relationships.
Overall, this book has a decent enough premise, is told in poetry, and is a short read. Therefore, the book wasn't ever painful to read, but I still felt that I got nothing out of reading this book. It does feature Irish folklore and has a fairy tale vibe going, so if those are your things you may enjoy this one.
Declan Lynch is our main character in "Thin Places." He's always had an active imagination, but when he starts to hear a girl talk to him in his head, he begins to question himself. She relays that her name is Rebecca and that she desperately needs his help for some reason. This leads to him taking an impromptu trip to Ireland to find this dream girl in hopes that she is real.
The prose in this book was good and it read like a modern day fairy tale, but overall, it wasn't anything special. I have read other books starring the same magical creatures that have been much better, so this one lacked originality for me. I also didn't appreciate the "love at first sight" romance element or the flatness of the relationships.
Overall, this book has a decent enough premise, is told in poetry, and is a short read. Therefore, the book wasn't ever painful to read, but I still felt that I got nothing out of reading this book. It does feature Irish folklore and has a fairy tale vibe going, so if those are your things you may enjoy this one.
August 19, 2017
Declan is just an average teenage boy until he starts hearing the voice of a girl inside his head. He doesn’t believe she is a figment of his imagination, though. When he closes his eyes … he sees her. Through their conversations and visions she shares, he feels the need to go to Ireland and find her. Can Declan convince his parents to let him travel to his crazy Uncle Seamus? Will he discover the mystery behind this voice in his head?
Thin Places is a stand-alone novel in verse. The book is very short, even for its format, and most readers will finish it in about an hour. Choyce gives just enough background about Ireland’s history and mysteries to pull the reader in and gives them a reason to keep going. The “thin places” are a tantalizing idea that connects Declan to his family’s ancestral Ireland. Thin Places is a very quick read and it is also enjoyable.
Thin Places is a stand-alone novel in verse. The book is very short, even for its format, and most readers will finish it in about an hour. Choyce gives just enough background about Ireland’s history and mysteries to pull the reader in and gives them a reason to keep going. The “thin places” are a tantalizing idea that connects Declan to his family’s ancestral Ireland. Thin Places is a very quick read and it is also enjoyable.
September 25, 2017
Thin Places by Lesley Choyce is a novel in verse about Declan Lynch, a sixteen-year-old boy, who hears the voice of a girl who lived hundreds of years ago. He falls in love with her and travels to Ireland to go and find her, and in the process, learns about the place his family comes from.
I read this book in under an hour, and usually, I enjoy novels in verse because they are so quick. Thin Places, while easy to read, left a lot unsaid-- too much unsaid for my taste. I would have enjoyed this story more if it was in a short story format.
While it can be said that this kind of novel in verse format lives in the "thin places" of the literary world, I think that also means that not many people will access this book. It's marketed for ages 12-15, and while 12-15 years can read this with ease, I don't think the interest level will be there for them.
I read this book in under an hour, and usually, I enjoy novels in verse because they are so quick. Thin Places, while easy to read, left a lot unsaid-- too much unsaid for my taste. I would have enjoyed this story more if it was in a short story format.
While it can be said that this kind of novel in verse format lives in the "thin places" of the literary world, I think that also means that not many people will access this book. It's marketed for ages 12-15, and while 12-15 years can read this with ease, I don't think the interest level will be there for them.
September 6, 2023
This is one of those books I don't believe I'll be able to part with, simply for the brilliance of the format. Written in verse, without quotation marks, Choyce still managed to tell a beautiful story and make it clear who was speaking even when Declan, the main character, wasn't sure.
On a journey through self-discovery, Declan realizes the world and his life consists of more than what he sees. With imaginary people by his side, and his parents at odds with what should be done, Declan seizes the opportunity to travel to Ireland for love, under the guise of being threatened by violence in his school.
Touching on very heavy topics and Irish legends, Declan's story teaches readers the value of trusting yourself.
On a journey through self-discovery, Declan realizes the world and his life consists of more than what he sees. With imaginary people by his side, and his parents at odds with what should be done, Declan seizes the opportunity to travel to Ireland for love, under the guise of being threatened by violence in his school.
Touching on very heavy topics and Irish legends, Declan's story teaches readers the value of trusting yourself.
July 11, 2019
This book was one that caught my attention because it was written in verse, and I was interested enough in the story to finish the book in a sitting (about an hour-long read, if you take your time), but after finishing the book I was not left with a very strong impression.
The general premise of the book was interesting, and I really enjoyed some of the descriptions about the land he was seeing or feelings he was experiencing.
I think that, if there was more room for character development and expanding on the story, this would be a good read. But all in all, this is not a book I am inclined to think twice about. Not bad, but nothing too thought-provoking.
The general premise of the book was interesting, and I really enjoyed some of the descriptions about the land he was seeing or feelings he was experiencing.
I think that, if there was more room for character development and expanding on the story, this would be a good read. But all in all, this is not a book I am inclined to think twice about. Not bad, but nothing too thought-provoking.
May 12, 2017
Dnfed 30% in.
I should at least be a tiny bit interested in what I'm reading, and I'm not. Not at all.
I'm supposed to be in the head of a teenager and I feel like a 12-year-old boy is telling a story before he goes to sleep.
I don't think this is the good format for this story ... it's written in verse, but it adds NOTHING to the story, it's not even poetic.
I'm sorry, but I don't have time for that.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
I should at least be a tiny bit interested in what I'm reading, and I'm not. Not at all.
I'm supposed to be in the head of a teenager and I feel like a 12-year-old boy is telling a story before he goes to sleep.
I don't think this is the good format for this story ... it's written in verse, but it adds NOTHING to the story, it's not even poetic.
I'm sorry, but I don't have time for that.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
August 20, 2017
I've been very happy with books written in verse but this one didn't do it for me. I never felt invested in the main character because there wasn't enough time to get to know him before the story kicked off. It's still a good quick read since it only took me 1.5 hours to finish.
Thank you to Netgalley and the author for this review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley and the author for this review copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 26, 2023
This was interesting I think. I got it a free bookstand and just read it out of bordem. I was intrigued while reading it but I didn’t really get too much out of it. Also I’ve never read a book written in verse so I have nothing to compare it to.
July 3, 2017
Unfortunately all I can really say is this book was not at all what I had expected had I known I wouldn't have tried to read it I'm glad I gave it a shot but plain and simple this wasn't for me.
September 12, 2017
I am beyond confused and I don't even want to know what's going on.
December 26, 2018
Novel in verse that features a sad boy who has visions, convos with a girl who is reaching out to him from?? An accessible read for those wanting a bit of Irish mythology, magic.
January 15, 2021
Slow to get into, but interesting. I think it would have been more interesting if it hadn't been in verse, but it was still good reading.
March 10, 2022
A complete and utter gem! 💕
June 15, 2017
I am unexpectedly in love with this story. First of all opening it up and seeing it was written in verse was such an exciting surprise, and it immediately primed me to be all the more interested. It fit Declan's narrative voice so perfectly as well, the way his thoughts would spiral and put a stop to the rhythm of the writing. The status of his mental health is haunting and not pieced together with clear dedication, but honestly that only made it all the more interesting to me. Life is baffling and abstract sometimes, and I enjoy a good story that mirrors that, that leaves me with questions and holes and an ache in my chest because I want to know what happens next. His journey to Ireland is so compelling to follow, and the way the mythology sweeps into the story through beautiful imagery and character building gave me goosebumps. Read if you want to be swept up in something different!!
November 23, 2016
highly readable novel in verse
April 13, 2017
What I liked:
-Some phrases were really nice
-Set in Ireland
What I didn't like:
-Okay so teenage guy meets a girl in his head and IMMEDIATELY FALLS IN LOVE WITH HER despite having spoken to her about half an hour
-Said teenager finds out girl is Pretty Old and Not Human and responds with 'i'll be with you forever i love you omg.' I'm paraphrasing but...
-I like poetry because it's sparse and every word is important and powerful. But there wasn't ENOUGH in this book. I wanted to know more, to be given more time to get used to characters and the situation. (I'm not even sure what the situation was even now. Why could he hear her, how was it just HIM affected by the thin places?)
-I don't know exactly what about the writing style I didn't get, but I didn't like it much. I just wish there was MORE.
-Some phrases were really nice
-Set in Ireland
What I didn't like:
-Okay so teenage guy meets a girl in his head and IMMEDIATELY FALLS IN LOVE WITH HER despite having spoken to her about half an hour
-Said teenager finds out girl is Pretty Old and Not Human and responds with 'i'll be with you forever i love you omg.' I'm paraphrasing but...
-I like poetry because it's sparse and every word is important and powerful. But there wasn't ENOUGH in this book. I wanted to know more, to be given more time to get used to characters and the situation. (I'm not even sure what the situation was even now. Why could he hear her, how was it just HIM affected by the thin places?)
-I don't know exactly what about the writing style I didn't get, but I didn't like it much. I just wish there was MORE.
April 14, 2017
(I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review)
I am a huge fan of books in verse, so I was excited to read an MG/YA Fantasy in this style.
I was hugely disappointed in this book. It's billed as "haunting verse", but this book barely felt like poetry. The line breaks carried little weight and felt random and unplanned. The poet missed opportunities for description and poetic insight, opting instead for a narrative heavily driven by dialogue.
Instalove ran rampant and even at the end, character motivations made little sense. I wanted so much more from this book.
I am a huge fan of books in verse, so I was excited to read an MG/YA Fantasy in this style.
I was hugely disappointed in this book. It's billed as "haunting verse", but this book barely felt like poetry. The line breaks carried little weight and felt random and unplanned. The poet missed opportunities for description and poetic insight, opting instead for a narrative heavily driven by dialogue.
Instalove ran rampant and even at the end, character motivations made little sense. I wanted so much more from this book.
August 29, 2017
First, I want to say that Thin Places was my first-ever approved request on NetGalley. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Dundurn, for that. However, this book was a disappointment and I am wholeheartedly sorry that it didn't work for me.
Thin Places is a verse novel following a teenager named Declan who starts to hear a girl's voice inside his head and begins to have strange visions. He believes the girl, whose name is Rebecca, is not just his imagination and flies to Ireland to find her. Having not read anything Irish folklore-inspired before, the book's premise was indeed what got me into requesting the title. I still appreciate Choyce's bold decision to write a novel with Irish characters. We do need diversity in literature.
BUT, there were so many problematic things going on in the story that the unique background is not enough to make me enjoy the book.
First, it is completely unnecessary to write this book in verses. I'm not saying Choyce can't write, no doubt he can, but the verses look so much like he was just hitting enter randomly for every sentence. I think it would've been much better if it was written the normal way instead of turning out as a not-there verse novel.
Second, the plot is unconvincing and it's hard to connect with the characters because the story is underdeveloped. Being just 174 pages in length, everything was moving too quickly without explanations. Isn't it strange we didn't even get a chance to know more about our protagonist, whom we spend the whole time reading about? But that's what you get in Thin Places. Also, I don't believe Declan's parents would let him fly alone to the other side of the globe since Declan is only 16. In his parents' POV, they would have thought their son is showing signs of schizophrenia, but his mother doesn't seem concerned and encourages Declan to find the girl instead. Speaking of how young Declan is, his narrative sounds even younger than 16. I think it's more like a middle-grade story than young adult because Declan sounds so immature.
Third (and the most annoying) problem is insta-love and manipulation in Declan and Rebecca's relationship. Their connection sounds very much like pure witchcraft to me, that the whole time Declan is just a means for Rebecca to get back to where she belongs. The funny thing is, Rebecca did choose Declan to show the images to on purpose. It gets a bit scary when Declan gets to Ireland.
Again, I'm extremely sorry it didn't work for me. I just can't ignore the huge problems I have with this book.
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Also posted on Ravishing Tales.
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