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The Muse Chronicles #1
We Own the Sky
What could you create if you fell in love with a Muse?
16-year-old musician, Sylvia Baker, has always been different. She's the only one who can see the "flickering people." When she sees a gorgeous flickering man named Vincent, she learns that they are Muses.
With his help, she finds herself creating exquisite songs that she loves almost as much as songs by her favorite bands--Radiohead, M83, and The Black Keys--and she is falling in love in a way she never knew was possible. While trying to maintain her newfound friendships and her band, she falls deeper into the world of the Muses.
When the original Greek Muses wake to find a world in which the internet has given everyone the tools to be an artist, a battle between traditional and new methods of creation ensues. As Sylvia discovers how she is connected to the world of the Muses, she learns that this war may put her music, her love, her very life at stake.
16-year-old musician, Sylvia Baker, has always been different. She's the only one who can see the "flickering people." When she sees a gorgeous flickering man named Vincent, she learns that they are Muses.
With his help, she finds herself creating exquisite songs that she loves almost as much as songs by her favorite bands--Radiohead, M83, and The Black Keys--and she is falling in love in a way she never knew was possible. While trying to maintain her newfound friendships and her band, she falls deeper into the world of the Muses.
When the original Greek Muses wake to find a world in which the internet has given everyone the tools to be an artist, a battle between traditional and new methods of creation ensues. As Sylvia discovers how she is connected to the world of the Muses, she learns that this war may put her music, her love, her very life at stake.
513 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 15, 2017
127 people are currently reading
598 people want to read
About the author
Sara Crawford
20 books75 followersSara Crawford is an author, a playwright, and a musician. Ever since she was five years old, she has lived for art in one form or another. This manifested itself as writing plays at age eight and convincing (forcing) the neighborhood kids to perform them on her driveway, auditioning for Atlanta Ballet's The Nutcracker three years in a row before finally landing a small role as a toy soldier, starting an all-girl band in high school, writing and producing her own plays and short films, and most recently, writing a YA trilogy about a girl who falls in love with her Muse (THE MUSE CHRONICLES). Sara has been an actress, a singer, a playwright, a songwriter, a guitarist, a keyboard player, a poet, a screenwriter, and an author of both fiction and non-fiction.
She graduated in 2008 from Kennesaw State University with a B.A. in English and in 2012 from the University of New Orleans with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing (emphasis in Playwriting). She has taught creative writing courses for Southern New Hampshire University, and she has been in numerous bands in Atlanta, including Pocket the Moon. She also loves to talk about books, music, and writing on her YouTube channel. For more information visit http://saracrawford.net or https://www.youtube.com/user/saracraw....
She graduated in 2008 from Kennesaw State University with a B.A. in English and in 2012 from the University of New Orleans with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing (emphasis in Playwriting). She has taught creative writing courses for Southern New Hampshire University, and she has been in numerous bands in Atlanta, including Pocket the Moon. She also loves to talk about books, music, and writing on her YouTube channel. For more information visit http://saracrawford.net or https://www.youtube.com/user/saracraw....
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
March 24, 2018
WoW 60-Second Spotlight Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rqyzx...
“We Own the Sky” is an old story that has been given a new look. Take two people who fall in love when they shouldn’t, and then detail all the problems they both must face. This first book of the Muse Chronicles relates the story of Sylvia Baker, a young musician who falls in love with Vincent, her Muse.
It took about half the book for me to become absorbed in the plot. I struggled initially with the concept, but the introduction of danger moved the entire story to another path, and the aura of suspense helped to carry the book through to the end.
Author Sara Crawford is the reason that this story sings, preventing it from being just another YA book on the shelf. Most of the details are seen through the eyes of Sylvia, and the reader is permitted a deeply intimate view of her world. Ms. Crawford has a way of explaining the action, and then at the end of the paragraph adding one more revealing item, almost like an afterthought. Right from the beginning, I liked the character of Sylvia, primarily because of this technique.
There were a few things that bothered me. Vincent lacked a deeper character development. After all, he is the new love of Sylvia’s life, but I only felt a bland, one-dimensional connection to him. The plot was okay, but I have never been a fan of the cliffhanger ending. A compelling story has a much better chance of convincing me to read the next book.
Overall, even though I wasn’t happy with various elements of the book, it was a tradeoff as the author’s interesting prose kept me reading all the way to the end. Three-and-a-half stars.
“We Own the Sky” is an old story that has been given a new look. Take two people who fall in love when they shouldn’t, and then detail all the problems they both must face. This first book of the Muse Chronicles relates the story of Sylvia Baker, a young musician who falls in love with Vincent, her Muse.
It took about half the book for me to become absorbed in the plot. I struggled initially with the concept, but the introduction of danger moved the entire story to another path, and the aura of suspense helped to carry the book through to the end.
Author Sara Crawford is the reason that this story sings, preventing it from being just another YA book on the shelf. Most of the details are seen through the eyes of Sylvia, and the reader is permitted a deeply intimate view of her world. Ms. Crawford has a way of explaining the action, and then at the end of the paragraph adding one more revealing item, almost like an afterthought. Right from the beginning, I liked the character of Sylvia, primarily because of this technique.
There were a few things that bothered me. Vincent lacked a deeper character development. After all, he is the new love of Sylvia’s life, but I only felt a bland, one-dimensional connection to him. The plot was okay, but I have never been a fan of the cliffhanger ending. A compelling story has a much better chance of convincing me to read the next book.
Overall, even though I wasn’t happy with various elements of the book, it was a tradeoff as the author’s interesting prose kept me reading all the way to the end. Three-and-a-half stars.
February 13, 2018
For you to understand why I’m giving this a 5*, I have to preface my review with how sick and tired I am of YA love triangles and Twilight-y plots and bs rehashed to infinity and beyond.
This book was SUCH a refreshing read from start to finish! As a fan of Greek mythology since I was a child, it was a true pleasure to see one of the lesser known stories - of the Muses - incorporated into a beautiful, entrancing read! It was an even bigger surprise to see their stories depicted correctly yet with an artistic freedom that made sense! Crawford developed the world of the Earthly Muses into a new universe, and its one I loved discovering even more than the central characters!
“We Own the Sky” has complicated characters, teenage angst and hope, and drama. But boy, it is a thoroughly engaging read with characters that leap off the pages and are described in detail.
Sylvia & Vincent’s evolving romance took a piece of my heart and I can’t wait to see what happens in book 2!!
This book was SUCH a refreshing read from start to finish! As a fan of Greek mythology since I was a child, it was a true pleasure to see one of the lesser known stories - of the Muses - incorporated into a beautiful, entrancing read! It was an even bigger surprise to see their stories depicted correctly yet with an artistic freedom that made sense! Crawford developed the world of the Earthly Muses into a new universe, and its one I loved discovering even more than the central characters!
“We Own the Sky” has complicated characters, teenage angst and hope, and drama. But boy, it is a thoroughly engaging read with characters that leap off the pages and are described in detail.
Sylvia & Vincent’s evolving romance took a piece of my heart and I can’t wait to see what happens in book 2!!
March 18, 2018
We Own the Sky is the first book in Sara Crawford’s The Muse Chronicles, and I’m excited to see where this series takes us. This first book has certainly sucked me in, and there is no doubt of me reading book two, Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming.
Like many readers, I’m a fan of mythology inspired stories. I’m especially fond of stories that take something different – be it a mythology that is often overlooked, or an element of mythology that is little used. Sara Crawford takes the latter, providing us a story based upon a little used aspect of Greek mythology: Muses. It’s a straightforward enough aspect, making for a simple twist, but it was unique enough to hold my attention. In fact, I think this may have been my favourite element of the story – I’m always won over when an author takes a chance and does something new.
You do not need to be an expert in Greek mythology to enjoy this one – although those with knowledge will appreciate the twists thrown in – as this book wonderfully incorporates the mythology into the modern world whilst providing a unique twist that is solely the author. In fact, you need more musical knowledge than you need Greek mythology knowledge to understand this one – although you do not need to be an expert there, either – as this story is very music centric.
From the first chapter I was pulled into this one, curious about the story. The deeper into the story I went, the more I found myself lost to the tale. There are plenty of elements introduced to us throughout this story, plenty of aspects that will keep you entertained. Details are slowly fed to you, twists start to appear, and there is such a wonderful set up for the future books. Without a doubt, this one sets the stage for the future books in a fabulous manner – there is so much I cannot wait to see, so many things I’m excited to dig deeper into.
The only thing I wasn’t too crazy about was the romance. I’m sure many will start to draw Twilight parallels, and I can understand why. This, however, was not my issue. For me, I felt as though the romantic subplot was never really given the depth it could have been. We were told, rather than shown. It seemed to happen, yet I never felt a connection to it. I’m hoping this aspect of the story will be expanded in future books, and that I will come to enjoy it more, but at the end of this book I wasn’t completely sold on the romantic plotline.
Overall, though, I had a lot of fun with this one. As I said, I’ll certainly be giving Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming a read.
Like many readers, I’m a fan of mythology inspired stories. I’m especially fond of stories that take something different – be it a mythology that is often overlooked, or an element of mythology that is little used. Sara Crawford takes the latter, providing us a story based upon a little used aspect of Greek mythology: Muses. It’s a straightforward enough aspect, making for a simple twist, but it was unique enough to hold my attention. In fact, I think this may have been my favourite element of the story – I’m always won over when an author takes a chance and does something new.
You do not need to be an expert in Greek mythology to enjoy this one – although those with knowledge will appreciate the twists thrown in – as this book wonderfully incorporates the mythology into the modern world whilst providing a unique twist that is solely the author. In fact, you need more musical knowledge than you need Greek mythology knowledge to understand this one – although you do not need to be an expert there, either – as this story is very music centric.
From the first chapter I was pulled into this one, curious about the story. The deeper into the story I went, the more I found myself lost to the tale. There are plenty of elements introduced to us throughout this story, plenty of aspects that will keep you entertained. Details are slowly fed to you, twists start to appear, and there is such a wonderful set up for the future books. Without a doubt, this one sets the stage for the future books in a fabulous manner – there is so much I cannot wait to see, so many things I’m excited to dig deeper into.
The only thing I wasn’t too crazy about was the romance. I’m sure many will start to draw Twilight parallels, and I can understand why. This, however, was not my issue. For me, I felt as though the romantic subplot was never really given the depth it could have been. We were told, rather than shown. It seemed to happen, yet I never felt a connection to it. I’m hoping this aspect of the story will be expanded in future books, and that I will come to enjoy it more, but at the end of this book I wasn’t completely sold on the romantic plotline.
Overall, though, I had a lot of fun with this one. As I said, I’ll certainly be giving Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming a read.
February 26, 2018
I enjoyed this book and it reminded a little of Twilight and Harry Potter. I love both series so this book was very good for me. I enjoyed it! The book kept reading all the way thru. I think this book is for as Young Adult audience but I enjoyed it and I am not young adult any longer. *This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.*
February 17, 2018
review to come
April 20, 2018
I received a free copy for an honest review.
First impressions are very important when introducing anything new to an audience, and this book definitely gave me a very, very positive first impression. We Own the Sky captured me first with the likable narration from our protagonist, Sylvia, and the first few chapters of the book gave me signs of a very promising story.
Unfortunately, after the period of a very good "first impression", it kind of went downhill from there...
This book was very easy for me critique as a reviewer, because this was not one of those books that I know I did not enjoy as much as I would've liked, but at the same time was having trouble explaining why I didn't like it and expressing what the problem was.
I didn't really enjoy the book because several factors caused this book to not hold my attention as a reader as well as it should've. The story was...kind of weak, and I'm not really sure what I feel about the idea of muses. It gets confusing for me because the book (at least for me) was not clear to identify what different between gods and muses. You've got the muses basically acting as god, but then they're kind of not...and then there are the Olympians such as Zeus etc, and...the logic just kind of didn't add up. And I'm a walking Greek/Roman Mythology Encyclopedia by the way. I know my mythologies, so I know what I'm talking about.
But the greater issue was the poorly written (I'm sorry, I'm really just being honest) character relationship developments, portrayal, as well as the interactions in general. The characters have literally the exact same tone, basically identical attitudes, as well as similar interactions. The muses also did not sound like muses. I'm not saying they need to talk in Shakespearian, but logically, I really don't think they would or should be sounding so much like 16-year-olds. Vincent sounded more like a creepy-gothy-teenage-stalker-guy than a muse, and the muses themselves sounded more like Bianca. Which I also have a problem with, because her relationship arc with Sylvia was way to fast. Friends don't make up like that, especially when they didn't talk for years during one friend's tough times. Like, that just doesn't happen.
Also, just a side note, this book has a pretty severe case of instant-love, and I still don't understand why authors just cannot understand how much of a taboo instant love is for readers. Nobody likes it. Nobody.
Original review: http://anneclarence.wixsite.com/there...
First impressions are very important when introducing anything new to an audience, and this book definitely gave me a very, very positive first impression. We Own the Sky captured me first with the likable narration from our protagonist, Sylvia, and the first few chapters of the book gave me signs of a very promising story.
Unfortunately, after the period of a very good "first impression", it kind of went downhill from there...
This book was very easy for me critique as a reviewer, because this was not one of those books that I know I did not enjoy as much as I would've liked, but at the same time was having trouble explaining why I didn't like it and expressing what the problem was.
I didn't really enjoy the book because several factors caused this book to not hold my attention as a reader as well as it should've. The story was...kind of weak, and I'm not really sure what I feel about the idea of muses. It gets confusing for me because the book (at least for me) was not clear to identify what different between gods and muses. You've got the muses basically acting as god, but then they're kind of not...and then there are the Olympians such as Zeus etc, and...the logic just kind of didn't add up. And I'm a walking Greek/Roman Mythology Encyclopedia by the way. I know my mythologies, so I know what I'm talking about.
But the greater issue was the poorly written (I'm sorry, I'm really just being honest) character relationship developments, portrayal, as well as the interactions in general. The characters have literally the exact same tone, basically identical attitudes, as well as similar interactions. The muses also did not sound like muses. I'm not saying they need to talk in Shakespearian, but logically, I really don't think they would or should be sounding so much like 16-year-olds. Vincent sounded more like a creepy-gothy-teenage-stalker-guy than a muse, and the muses themselves sounded more like Bianca. Which I also have a problem with, because her relationship arc with Sylvia was way to fast. Friends don't make up like that, especially when they didn't talk for years during one friend's tough times. Like, that just doesn't happen.
Also, just a side note, this book has a pretty severe case of instant-love, and I still don't understand why authors just cannot understand how much of a taboo instant love is for readers. Nobody likes it. Nobody.
Original review: http://anneclarence.wixsite.com/there...
March 10, 2018
Title: We Own The Sky, Hurry Up, We're Dreaming (The Muse Chronicles #1-2)
Author: Sara Crawford
Publisher: Createspace, 2017
Genre: YA Mythology, YA Paranormal
**I received a copy of this book from the author and my review is in no way affected or influenced by receipt of this book**
This review can be found on my Blog, TeacherofYA's Tumblr, or my Goodreads page My Review:
ALAMW (I will post Part III soon, don't worry) had me all kinds of thrown off. I can't believe it's been a month: my birthday was on March 8, and it's now already the 10th. Time went really really quickly. I have been too lax on my Review writing and I am going to make up for that, starting now. (Plus my email keeps blocking notifications from the blogs I follow, so I'm missing all the good reviews you guys post!!)
I feel extremely bad for Sara, who sent me this book months ago, and I got busy with other things...and when I finally did read it, I HAD TOread the next book. And then after that I was desperate for the next - but alas, it's not ready yet.
Then I haven't posted a review for the books when they are absolutely fabulous books!! If you know me, you know I'm a supporter of the underdog, the little book that could, and Sara's Muse Chronicles are just that: undermentioned and underrated. I loved these books and they should be on every shelf and in every YA fan's hands. How many people love books about mythology?? ::raises hand:: 🤚
When we think of Muses, we think of art, theater, poetry, and definitely Greeks. The Muse is said to inspire - to hit us with a shot of creativity and set us to our task with passion. Sara Crawford took the Muse and made it into something modern and real...and made me love mythology all over again. Her books do one thing I haven't yet seen done correctly: they mix art, music, and the written word into prose that sings to the eyes and pulls at the heart. Her love of music is palpable - I had to look up several bands to find out what my protagonist was listening to, and I found new music as well as a favorite book.
But enough gushing...let me tell you ABOUT the book so you know why I love it so much. Sylvia Baker sees what she calls "flickering people." She can't seem to focus on them...but they have been there all her life. They seem like ghosts, but Sylvia knows she can't tell anyone about what she sees or she will be thrown in a padded cell.
When one flickering man comes into focus, and he looks directly at Sylvia, she has so many questions. Who are these people? Why can she see them when no one else can? When the man she sees, Vincent, explains he has been assigned to be her Muse, Sylvia cannot believe her luck. Not only is she not crazy, but Muses exist! And she actually has one! Now that she puts it together, the flickering people have always been by artists...apparently they have been inspiring them. It's not uncommon for Muses to make themselves known to those they inspire, but Sylvia is the first that can see other people's Muses and interact with all of them.
What she learns is that the original nine Greek Muses take turns ruling the "Earthly Muses," people that were artists before they died and were given the option to continue to inspire the world through others. Vincent is an Earthly Muse. Currently Urania, one of the original nine, is awake and in charge, and she has filled the world with Muses...but when one of her sisters wakes and thinks that the state of art has been corrupted, that there are too many artists, she goes on a mission to rid the world of Earthly Muses. While this is happening, Sylvia cannot help develop feelings for Vincent. He is passionate about music like her...he inspires her to write songs she would never feel confident to write alone. She even joins a band to her young father's surprise (it has just been he and Sylvia since her mother left so many years ago). While she is on top of the world, finally feeling something besides the crippling depression she has fought for years, Vincent learns that Sylvia is in danger...and so he must stop being her Muse, if only to keep her safe.
Because though he's not supposed to, Vincent loves Sylvia...Sylvia has begun to love Vincent....and a reckoning is coming that will put their lives both in danger.
Is it Classroom-Appropriate?
Actually yes. It's not something I would necessarily need to use, but it does shine the light on Muses in Greek mythology. It also deals with teenage suicidal urges, a topic that gets skirted. I tend not to recommend books that aren't standalones in the classroom, because there isn't time to read more than one book on a subject, but it would make a good tie-in for a college mythology class. It would also be a book I would recommend to YA readers that are fans of mythology. The artistic expression alone would really speak to a young reader - I'm not young and it spoke to me. Sylvia's emotions are strong, but students can relate to the feelings that she fights. It would definitely be one I would put on the shelf for free reading.
So for classroom use alone, I would give both We Own the Sky and Hurry Up, We're Dreaming ★★★☆☆ - not for high school classes in my opinion, but definitely an option for higher education. Age Range
Since independent books are always left out of the Lexile, I will go with my best assessment here: I would recommend readers 15 and up. Nothing is explicit but Sylvia does deal with some strong feelings and suicidal tendencies, and it can be one of those things that might be a little too strong for the younger YA audience. However, I think anyone who can read Speak by Laurie Hals Andersen and be okay with rape in a YA book would think this is tame (sorry, sometimes I think what passes for young readers is a little heavy). I would feel wholly confident that a teen who is struggling with strong emotions could identify with Sylvia and her passion, and they might find music an outlet like she does.
End Result:
If you haven't guessed by how much I gushed in the beginning, I'm a huge fan of The Muse Chronicles. I read book one and two back to back and will read three the min I have it in my hands. Crawford's books have strong characters and she definitely knows her subject matter. I don't need to read the final book to know that I give this series ★★★★★, though I will definitely review the final book in the series. Sometimes you just know...but I guess to be fair and unbiased, I will stick to giving the two I read, We Own the Sky and Hurry Up, We're Dreaming ★★★★★. If you love music, if you love mythology, and if you love stories with love that melts your heart, you will love Crawford's Muse Chronicles. If you don't believe me, pick up We Own the Sky and give it a read...I bet you'll be as impressed as I am.
**I received a copy of this book from the author and my review is in no way affected or influenced by receipt of this book**
This review can be found on my Blog, TeacherofYA's Tumblr, or my Goodreads page My Review:
ALAMW (I will post Part III soon, don't worry) had me all kinds of thrown off. I can't believe it's been a month: my birthday was on March 8, and it's now already the 10th. Time went really really quickly. I have been too lax on my Review writing and I am going to make up for that, starting now. (Plus my email keeps blocking notifications from the blogs I follow, so I'm missing all the good reviews you guys post!!)
I feel extremely bad for Sara, who sent me this book months ago, and I got busy with other things...and when I finally did read it, I HAD TOread the next book. And then after that I was desperate for the next - but alas, it's not ready yet.
Then I haven't posted a review for the books when they are absolutely fabulous books!! If you know me, you know I'm a supporter of the underdog, the little book that could, and Sara's Muse Chronicles are just that: undermentioned and underrated. I loved these books and they should be on every shelf and in every YA fan's hands. How many people love books about mythology?? ::raises hand:: 🤚
When we think of Muses, we think of art, theater, poetry, and definitely Greeks. The Muse is said to inspire - to hit us with a shot of creativity and set us to our task with passion. Sara Crawford took the Muse and made it into something modern and real...and made me love mythology all over again. Her books do one thing I haven't yet seen done correctly: they mix art, music, and the written word into prose that sings to the eyes and pulls at the heart. Her love of music is palpable - I had to look up several bands to find out what my protagonist was listening to, and I found new music as well as a favorite book.
But enough gushing...let me tell you ABOUT the book so you know why I love it so much. Sylvia Baker sees what she calls "flickering people." She can't seem to focus on them...but they have been there all her life. They seem like ghosts, but Sylvia knows she can't tell anyone about what she sees or she will be thrown in a padded cell.
When one flickering man comes into focus, and he looks directly at Sylvia, she has so many questions. Who are these people? Why can she see them when no one else can? When the man she sees, Vincent, explains he has been assigned to be her Muse, Sylvia cannot believe her luck. Not only is she not crazy, but Muses exist! And she actually has one! Now that she puts it together, the flickering people have always been by artists...apparently they have been inspiring them. It's not uncommon for Muses to make themselves known to those they inspire, but Sylvia is the first that can see other people's Muses and interact with all of them.
What she learns is that the original nine Greek Muses take turns ruling the "Earthly Muses," people that were artists before they died and were given the option to continue to inspire the world through others. Vincent is an Earthly Muse. Currently Urania, one of the original nine, is awake and in charge, and she has filled the world with Muses...but when one of her sisters wakes and thinks that the state of art has been corrupted, that there are too many artists, she goes on a mission to rid the world of Earthly Muses. While this is happening, Sylvia cannot help develop feelings for Vincent. He is passionate about music like her...he inspires her to write songs she would never feel confident to write alone. She even joins a band to her young father's surprise (it has just been he and Sylvia since her mother left so many years ago). While she is on top of the world, finally feeling something besides the crippling depression she has fought for years, Vincent learns that Sylvia is in danger...and so he must stop being her Muse, if only to keep her safe.
Because though he's not supposed to, Vincent loves Sylvia...Sylvia has begun to love Vincent....and a reckoning is coming that will put their lives both in danger.
Is it Classroom-Appropriate?
Actually yes. It's not something I would necessarily need to use, but it does shine the light on Muses in Greek mythology. It also deals with teenage suicidal urges, a topic that gets skirted. I tend not to recommend books that aren't standalones in the classroom, because there isn't time to read more than one book on a subject, but it would make a good tie-in for a college mythology class. It would also be a book I would recommend to YA readers that are fans of mythology. The artistic expression alone would really speak to a young reader - I'm not young and it spoke to me. Sylvia's emotions are strong, but students can relate to the feelings that she fights. It would definitely be one I would put on the shelf for free reading.
So for classroom use alone, I would give both We Own the Sky and Hurry Up, We're Dreaming ★★★☆☆ - not for high school classes in my opinion, but definitely an option for higher education. Age Range
Since independent books are always left out of the Lexile, I will go with my best assessment here: I would recommend readers 15 and up. Nothing is explicit but Sylvia does deal with some strong feelings and suicidal tendencies, and it can be one of those things that might be a little too strong for the younger YA audience. However, I think anyone who can read Speak by Laurie Hals Andersen and be okay with rape in a YA book would think this is tame (sorry, sometimes I think what passes for young readers is a little heavy). I would feel wholly confident that a teen who is struggling with strong emotions could identify with Sylvia and her passion, and they might find music an outlet like she does.
End Result:
If you haven't guessed by how much I gushed in the beginning, I'm a huge fan of The Muse Chronicles. I read book one and two back to back and will read three the min I have it in my hands. Crawford's books have strong characters and she definitely knows her subject matter. I don't need to read the final book to know that I give this series ★★★★★, though I will definitely review the final book in the series. Sometimes you just know...but I guess to be fair and unbiased, I will stick to giving the two I read, We Own the Sky and Hurry Up, We're Dreaming ★★★★★. If you love music, if you love mythology, and if you love stories with love that melts your heart, you will love Crawford's Muse Chronicles. If you don't believe me, pick up We Own the Sky and give it a read...I bet you'll be as impressed as I am.
April 21, 2018
Okay, admittedly, about 80% of the reason I initially decided to pick up a copy of this book was because of THAT COVER. I'm a sucker for gorgeous covers. However, I can assure you that the story inside definitely does the cover justice.
We've had plenty of stories about vampires, mermaids, and ancient myths of all types, but I can't recall ever coming across a book about the Muses. Especially not one with a modern take on Muses, where any artist who dies can become a Muse. That's right -- in this story, there are pop star Muses, emo Muses, and '50s pin-up girl Muses. Also a love-interest Muse. We'll get to him in a minute.
Our protagonist is Sylvia, a lonely, music-loving teenager with a history of depression. Over the course of the story, we see her use music to connect with the real world and make some new friends, which I thought was a lovely arc. She has a quirky habit of naming objects that are important to her -- her iPod is Murphy, her journal is Lily, her drum set is Charlie. She also has an excellent taste in music, as the references sprinkled throughout the story attest (anyone who listens to The Beatles as much as she does is a winner in my book).
Sylvia's love interest is Vincent, a Muse from the 1800s who died at 19 and now eternally looks that age (so it's totally not creepy :P). A lot of people have compared their relationship to that of Edward and Bella -- the immortal dude who stalks his love interest, and the clingy girl who can't live without her man -- but, you know, at least Vincent never got the overpowering urge to kill Sylvia.
Okay, in truth, the romance wasn't bad. I just kind of wish there had been more connection between Sylvia and Vincent other than "We both love Art" and "tingly feelings." I didn't really get a sense of how their personalities match up, and I often found myself asking whether their relationship would exist if Vincent was a regular human. But like I said, it's still a better love story than Twilight (*badum tish*) (No, actually I'm serious).
So what's the main conflict in the story? Well, the modern Muses are overseen by the original Muses from Greek mythology (Calliope, Erato, Melpomene, Terpsichore, Euterpe, Polyhymnia, Urania, and Clio -- but not Thalia, because ... well, read the book to find out). Urania, the current ruling Muse, has been very lenient about which artists can become Muses. This has angered her sister, Clio, who vows to kill some of the modern Muses to pare things down a bit. Of course, she wants to start with Vincent, who has flaunted the Muse rules by becoming visible to his artists -- most recently, Sylvia. We get a dual narrative -- Sylvia going about her high school life and trying to explore her new-found musical inspiration, interspersed with what's going on in the world of Muses. Vincent acts as kind of a bridge between the two. You'd have thought that this sort of holistic narration wouldn't leave many surprises to be discovered, but there are, in fact, plenty.
Overall, the general appeal of this book to me was the unique concept. I loved exploring this modern interpretation of the Greek Muses myth, and Sylvia's sensitive character and heavy musical themes just added to the joy of reading We Own the Sky. If you'd like to read something that blends mythology, modern music, and a Twilight-esque romance, then this book is for you.
We've had plenty of stories about vampires, mermaids, and ancient myths of all types, but I can't recall ever coming across a book about the Muses. Especially not one with a modern take on Muses, where any artist who dies can become a Muse. That's right -- in this story, there are pop star Muses, emo Muses, and '50s pin-up girl Muses. Also a love-interest Muse. We'll get to him in a minute.
Our protagonist is Sylvia, a lonely, music-loving teenager with a history of depression. Over the course of the story, we see her use music to connect with the real world and make some new friends, which I thought was a lovely arc. She has a quirky habit of naming objects that are important to her -- her iPod is Murphy, her journal is Lily, her drum set is Charlie. She also has an excellent taste in music, as the references sprinkled throughout the story attest (anyone who listens to The Beatles as much as she does is a winner in my book).
Sylvia's love interest is Vincent, a Muse from the 1800s who died at 19 and now eternally looks that age (so it's totally not creepy :P). A lot of people have compared their relationship to that of Edward and Bella -- the immortal dude who stalks his love interest, and the clingy girl who can't live without her man -- but, you know, at least Vincent never got the overpowering urge to kill Sylvia.
Okay, in truth, the romance wasn't bad. I just kind of wish there had been more connection between Sylvia and Vincent other than "We both love Art" and "tingly feelings." I didn't really get a sense of how their personalities match up, and I often found myself asking whether their relationship would exist if Vincent was a regular human. But like I said, it's still a better love story than Twilight (*badum tish*) (No, actually I'm serious).
So what's the main conflict in the story? Well, the modern Muses are overseen by the original Muses from Greek mythology (Calliope, Erato, Melpomene, Terpsichore, Euterpe, Polyhymnia, Urania, and Clio -- but not Thalia, because ... well, read the book to find out). Urania, the current ruling Muse, has been very lenient about which artists can become Muses. This has angered her sister, Clio, who vows to kill some of the modern Muses to pare things down a bit. Of course, she wants to start with Vincent, who has flaunted the Muse rules by becoming visible to his artists -- most recently, Sylvia. We get a dual narrative -- Sylvia going about her high school life and trying to explore her new-found musical inspiration, interspersed with what's going on in the world of Muses. Vincent acts as kind of a bridge between the two. You'd have thought that this sort of holistic narration wouldn't leave many surprises to be discovered, but there are, in fact, plenty.
Overall, the general appeal of this book to me was the unique concept. I loved exploring this modern interpretation of the Greek Muses myth, and Sylvia's sensitive character and heavy musical themes just added to the joy of reading We Own the Sky. If you'd like to read something that blends mythology, modern music, and a Twilight-esque romance, then this book is for you.
March 3, 2018
A love story about music, and aaaah! Cliffhanger!
I'm typing this fast and furious on my Kindle so I can download the next book and start reading *right now.* Thank heavens - and the Muses, and the author while we're at it - that it's written and waiting.
This book is a love song, in free verse, to art in all forms but with a strong lean and extra affection towards music. Song and artist references are scattered through the text like gleeful confetti, some real and some only alive within the narrative.
Sylvia is a teen with a tough start; her mother is gone, her father a young, addict musician. She's experienced some mental issues due to this, and names things around her as a coping mechanism for familiarity. Murphy, her iPod. Lily, her journal. Vincent, the flickering man that keeps appearing.
Imaginary friend, ghost, or mythology infused into modern times? While I'd like to avoid spoilers, the book title carries the truth. The book is well crafted, primarily from Sylvia's viewpoint with secondary characters fully realized and engaging.
The author asked me to read this book; I'm grateful as it's lovely. It's also currently available on Kindle Unlimited.
I'm typing this fast and furious on my Kindle so I can download the next book and start reading *right now.* Thank heavens - and the Muses, and the author while we're at it - that it's written and waiting.
This book is a love song, in free verse, to art in all forms but with a strong lean and extra affection towards music. Song and artist references are scattered through the text like gleeful confetti, some real and some only alive within the narrative.
Sylvia is a teen with a tough start; her mother is gone, her father a young, addict musician. She's experienced some mental issues due to this, and names things around her as a coping mechanism for familiarity. Murphy, her iPod. Lily, her journal. Vincent, the flickering man that keeps appearing.
Imaginary friend, ghost, or mythology infused into modern times? While I'd like to avoid spoilers, the book title carries the truth. The book is well crafted, primarily from Sylvia's viewpoint with secondary characters fully realized and engaging.
The author asked me to read this book; I'm grateful as it's lovely. It's also currently available on Kindle Unlimited.
November 3, 2017
Really enjoyed this! I'm not much into YA anymore but this surprised me! It was like Percy Jackson & the Olympians and The Mortal Instruments had a baby and produced We Own the Sky! I loved looking up all the songs and bands that were mentioned throughout the book, and have now been introduced to so much new music! I'm really proud of Sara and can't wait for the next book to come out!
October 26, 2017
I am new to Sara's writing style, I love the cover, totally pulled me in right off. I was sent a copy from the author for a honest review, I think it needs to be said if you have issues with content about suicide, depression, u should know there are bits in this read about those health conditions. I've never had an issue reading about those sort of thoughts, not that I would want to read them daily. Sylvia, you just feel for 'cause of her upbringing dealing with her mother overdose, her father and his addiction. She needs to get a break already. I enjoy picking up books that are not my typical read, a different genre, it makes life more interesting & fun. I love music, love how it can change your mood and thoughts. I don't go a day with out tunes. If you are one who enjoys darker fantasy, YA books, Greek mythology, love of art and music this might be the read for you. I wish Sara all the best and look forward to seeing where her book career heads next. ( ;
August 30, 2017
Sylvia is a tortured 16 year old musician. Depressed to the point of suicide, music is her only salvation. Vincent is an Earth muse, created by one of the original Greek muses to inspire art. Both are at their end when they enter the other's life. Now beautiful music and love are within their reach. With Vincent by her side, Sylvia finds confidence, creates music, makes friends. However, danger follows close behind Vincent's arrival. One of the Original Muses, Clio has a vendetta that may destroy Sylvia and Vincent.
This story wasn't what I was expecting at all. It's a dark, painful tale worthy of the Muse of Tragedy herself. There's so much depth to the story. Music is an integral component of the story and to understanding Sylvia. The characters were nicely developed if not likable. I did like Sylvia, damaged young lady that she is. Her pain was overwhelming and her dependence on music was compelling. (I have included a sound track for the book at the end). I loved her quirkiness; naming all of the inanimate objects in her world amused me greatly. My personal favorites were Lily and Murphy. Her dad was somewhat likable. He tried his best, but he was weak and in the end caused her unnecessary pain. Her friends were not at all likable! They used her, talked about her behind her back, betrayed her. I wish that they did some of this out of love and worry for her, but I don't feel as though they did. They all seemed selfish and self-involved. The only one I thought nice was Cassie, the others I didn't trust. I feel like Sylvia was so starved for friendship and thought so little about herself that she didn't think to protect herself and choose her friends wisely. She did have a couple cool teachers in her life. And then there's Vincent. I'm conflicted about him. I never felt that Sylvia was his great love even though he was her everything. I felt that Izabella, his past love was still too dear to him and this bothered me greatly. I am selfish about my leading characters. I want each to focus solely on the other. I want great love. Vincent still needs to work to gain my respect and trust where Syliva is concerned. I trust him as her muse, but not with her heart.
The backstory of the Original Muses and incorporating them into contemporary times is very clever. The interwoven worlds were nicely done. The danger of Clio and the path of destruction she wove and her rational enthralled me. The impact on Sylvia devastated me. The way this book ended was pure torture for me and I need the second book immediately. I need everything to be put right for Sylvia. The poor girl has endured so much pain; I can't stand how things ended after such a brief flirtation with happiness. Maybe Sylvia's right, maybe the only thing that survives is Art. I like to believe Izabella had it right too though, Love is the greatest Art of all. I need book 2!
**Sylvia's Playlist
Sea Change by Beck
Grace by Jeff Buckley
She's Leaving Home by The Beatles
Hurt by Nine Inch Nails
Young Guns by Moonlight Bride
Angel, Angel Down We Go Together by Morrisey
No Surprises by Radiohead
Tonight, Tonight by The Smashing Pumpkins
Cosmic Love by Florence and the Machine
*Sing for Absolution Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty
*We Own the Sky by M83
This story wasn't what I was expecting at all. It's a dark, painful tale worthy of the Muse of Tragedy herself. There's so much depth to the story. Music is an integral component of the story and to understanding Sylvia. The characters were nicely developed if not likable. I did like Sylvia, damaged young lady that she is. Her pain was overwhelming and her dependence on music was compelling. (I have included a sound track for the book at the end). I loved her quirkiness; naming all of the inanimate objects in her world amused me greatly. My personal favorites were Lily and Murphy. Her dad was somewhat likable. He tried his best, but he was weak and in the end caused her unnecessary pain. Her friends were not at all likable! They used her, talked about her behind her back, betrayed her. I wish that they did some of this out of love and worry for her, but I don't feel as though they did. They all seemed selfish and self-involved. The only one I thought nice was Cassie, the others I didn't trust. I feel like Sylvia was so starved for friendship and thought so little about herself that she didn't think to protect herself and choose her friends wisely. She did have a couple cool teachers in her life. And then there's Vincent. I'm conflicted about him. I never felt that Sylvia was his great love even though he was her everything. I felt that Izabella, his past love was still too dear to him and this bothered me greatly. I am selfish about my leading characters. I want each to focus solely on the other. I want great love. Vincent still needs to work to gain my respect and trust where Syliva is concerned. I trust him as her muse, but not with her heart.
The backstory of the Original Muses and incorporating them into contemporary times is very clever. The interwoven worlds were nicely done. The danger of Clio and the path of destruction she wove and her rational enthralled me. The impact on Sylvia devastated me. The way this book ended was pure torture for me and I need the second book immediately. I need everything to be put right for Sylvia. The poor girl has endured so much pain; I can't stand how things ended after such a brief flirtation with happiness. Maybe Sylvia's right, maybe the only thing that survives is Art. I like to believe Izabella had it right too though, Love is the greatest Art of all. I need book 2!
**Sylvia's Playlist
Sea Change by Beck
Grace by Jeff Buckley
She's Leaving Home by The Beatles
Hurt by Nine Inch Nails
Young Guns by Moonlight Bride
Angel, Angel Down We Go Together by Morrisey
No Surprises by Radiohead
Tonight, Tonight by The Smashing Pumpkins
Cosmic Love by Florence and the Machine
*Sing for Absolution Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty
*We Own the Sky by M83
February 24, 2018
We Own the Sky, by Sara Crawford, is a young adult romance inspired by music and the Greek Muses. This blending of art & mythology immediately piqued my interest, even though I am not an oft reader of teen romance. I am, however, both a writer & singer that appreciates stories that celebrate music and creativity. And this story certainly does that.
Protagonist Sylvia is a teen for whom music is a both a passion and a refuge. She lives with her father, a talented musician himself, who is also a recovering alcoholic that hasn’t always been a responsible parent. Sylvia also struggles, having attempted suicide in the past and spent time in counseling and mental health hospitals. Both father and daughter use music to inspire themselves to keep living through an often painful and lonely life. There are many references to rock, jazz & popular songs throughout the text - particularly alternative bands from the 1990s.
Though I think the emotional tension between Sylvia and her father could be enough for a story about overcoming adversities and strengthening relationships - We Own the Sky becomes a fantasy as well. Sylvia has a secret, one that makes me her feel even more distant from her peers. She sees “flickering” people. They appear around a pianist, a writer, a singer - and after she attends a mythology class at school, she realizes that they are the Greek Muses. Mythology becomes reality then, in a story that gains pace as we meet the Muses and Sylvia becomes involved in a romance with her Muse, Vincent.
What began as a “coming of age” story/father-daughter saga, then fantasy-now morphs into a dramatic love connection between a teenage girl and her immortal Muse. Readers will recognize in an instant that Sylvia and Vincent mirror the girl and vampire from the highly popular Twilight. With a constant attraction that verges on obsession, this kind of characterization of teen romance has always unsettled me, and is one of the reasons I don’t like the Twilight series. I also have a strong aversion to vampires - but the Muses, creative, mythological, magical beings - remain intriguing to me. Perhaps this is the reason that I continued to turn the pages and found myself enjoying We Own the Sky despite its melodramatic teen/Muse love affair.
More likely, I found myself interested in seeing this book through to its end because of its multiple layers. With so many themes being presented in one story, there is something here for readers of fantasy, drama, romance and those looking for a “coming-of-age” tale. And I think most music fans, musicians and singers will find that We Own the Sky will have them wondering about their own Muse. It will certainly get them to turn on a playlist, practice their own instruments or write a new song after they’ve finished this book. And to me - that’s worth 4 stars out of 5 - because I believe we must keep creating in order to experience a life worth living.
Protagonist Sylvia is a teen for whom music is a both a passion and a refuge. She lives with her father, a talented musician himself, who is also a recovering alcoholic that hasn’t always been a responsible parent. Sylvia also struggles, having attempted suicide in the past and spent time in counseling and mental health hospitals. Both father and daughter use music to inspire themselves to keep living through an often painful and lonely life. There are many references to rock, jazz & popular songs throughout the text - particularly alternative bands from the 1990s.
Though I think the emotional tension between Sylvia and her father could be enough for a story about overcoming adversities and strengthening relationships - We Own the Sky becomes a fantasy as well. Sylvia has a secret, one that makes me her feel even more distant from her peers. She sees “flickering” people. They appear around a pianist, a writer, a singer - and after she attends a mythology class at school, she realizes that they are the Greek Muses. Mythology becomes reality then, in a story that gains pace as we meet the Muses and Sylvia becomes involved in a romance with her Muse, Vincent.
What began as a “coming of age” story/father-daughter saga, then fantasy-now morphs into a dramatic love connection between a teenage girl and her immortal Muse. Readers will recognize in an instant that Sylvia and Vincent mirror the girl and vampire from the highly popular Twilight. With a constant attraction that verges on obsession, this kind of characterization of teen romance has always unsettled me, and is one of the reasons I don’t like the Twilight series. I also have a strong aversion to vampires - but the Muses, creative, mythological, magical beings - remain intriguing to me. Perhaps this is the reason that I continued to turn the pages and found myself enjoying We Own the Sky despite its melodramatic teen/Muse love affair.
More likely, I found myself interested in seeing this book through to its end because of its multiple layers. With so many themes being presented in one story, there is something here for readers of fantasy, drama, romance and those looking for a “coming-of-age” tale. And I think most music fans, musicians and singers will find that We Own the Sky will have them wondering about their own Muse. It will certainly get them to turn on a playlist, practice their own instruments or write a new song after they’ve finished this book. And to me - that’s worth 4 stars out of 5 - because I believe we must keep creating in order to experience a life worth living.
May 17, 2018
We Own the Sky is a breath of fresh air in the world of YA paranormal romance, breathing originality and creativity to the concept of Art (music) and Muses that is both intriguing and imaginative, fueling my love even more for Greek Mythology.
Sylvia, the main character, is a young teenage girl who once battled depression after the death of her mother. Living only with her father, who was also musically attuned, music runs deep in her bones and became her all-consuming passion. Then she met Vincent, who is one of the "flickering people" that only she can see and which later on she realized was actually her "muse".
...............................................
I struggled with the first few chapters as the pace was a little too slow, however, about halfway through the book, I couldn't stop turning the pages as the story picked up and I was so absorbed by the world that the author has created. The author is magnificent in her world building and she effortlessly delivered a beautiful story that will capture her reader's heart.
The only bummer about the storyline was the romance, which I felt the relationship between Sylvia and Vincent hasn't blossomed to its full potential although Vincent was supposedly her "muse". I am hoping that perhaps it would be more developed in the second book.
Overall, We Own the Sky is a unique retelling of Muses & inspirations that you'd have to read!
I read and reviewed a free copy of this book generously provided by the author.
June 29, 2018
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Rating: 4/5
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Recommended Age: 15+ (some sexual references)
Pages: 510
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: 16-year-old musician, Sylvia Baker, has always been different. She's the only one who can see the "flickering people." When she sees a gorgeous flickering man named Vincent, she learns that they are Muses.
With his help, she finds herself creating exquisite songs that she loves almost as much as songs by her favorite bands--Radiohead, M83, and The Black Keys--and she is falling in love in a way she never knew was possible. While trying to maintain her newfound friendships and her band, she falls deeper into the world of the Muses.
When the original Greek Muses wake to find a world in which the internet has given everyone the tools to be an artist, a battle between traditional and new methods of creation ensues. As Sylvia discovers how she is connected to the world of the Muses, she learns that this war may put her music, her love, her very life at stake.
Let’s start this off by saying this was a beautifully unique and moving book. I don’t think I’ve ever been so moved by a book that revolved around music except for Just Listen by Sarah Dessen. I thought it was well written and amazing. The characters were amazingly well constructed and complex. I loved the plot, I thought it was creative and well developed, and overall I felt that the book was one amazing song in itself.
The only tiny issues I had with the book are that Vincent gave me creeper vibes and I just couldn’t shake them. And the pacing was a bit sporadic at times. There were also some jumps in the scenes that didn’t make sense, but I don’t think they mattered overall for the book.
Verdict: If you’re looking for the perfect song, read this book.
Rating: 4/5
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Recommended Age: 15+ (some sexual references)
Pages: 510
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: 16-year-old musician, Sylvia Baker, has always been different. She's the only one who can see the "flickering people." When she sees a gorgeous flickering man named Vincent, she learns that they are Muses.
With his help, she finds herself creating exquisite songs that she loves almost as much as songs by her favorite bands--Radiohead, M83, and The Black Keys--and she is falling in love in a way she never knew was possible. While trying to maintain her newfound friendships and her band, she falls deeper into the world of the Muses.
When the original Greek Muses wake to find a world in which the internet has given everyone the tools to be an artist, a battle between traditional and new methods of creation ensues. As Sylvia discovers how she is connected to the world of the Muses, she learns that this war may put her music, her love, her very life at stake.
Let’s start this off by saying this was a beautifully unique and moving book. I don’t think I’ve ever been so moved by a book that revolved around music except for Just Listen by Sarah Dessen. I thought it was well written and amazing. The characters were amazingly well constructed and complex. I loved the plot, I thought it was creative and well developed, and overall I felt that the book was one amazing song in itself.
The only tiny issues I had with the book are that Vincent gave me creeper vibes and I just couldn’t shake them. And the pacing was a bit sporadic at times. There were also some jumps in the scenes that didn’t make sense, but I don’t think they mattered overall for the book.
Verdict: If you’re looking for the perfect song, read this book.
March 23, 2018
Title...
We Own The Sky
Author...
Sara Crawford
My " in a nutshell" summary...
Sylvie has had a rough young life...but her love for music seems to help her. It keeps her steady. It keeps her sane. Then...she begins to see “flickering people”...one in particular turns out to be Vincent...her own personal Muse. When he is around Sylvie sings better, plays better and is a totally unique performer.
My thoughts after reading this book...
This book was enjoyable...the Muses have their own life when not with their “people”. Sylvie sees more Muses than she should and develops a particular fondness for Vincent. Fondness = love? Totally forbidden in the world of Muses...
What I loved about this book...
I think I enjoyed the Muse aspect of this book. Sylvia’s life was rather sad. Her dad tried...her mom was gone...that’s another sad story...and she was left alone much of the time. It was easy for her to become attached to her Muse.
What I did not love about this book...
I can’t exactly say what else I needed from this book. It was different...it was interesting...but I lacked a connection with it.
Final thoughts...
Would this be a good choice for you...potential reader?
Readers who enjoy YA and unique characters and music should find this book an interesting one. I sometimes wonder if the music aspect was what threw me about this book...not certain...again...it was good but just not that good for me. The connection to Muses was interesting as well as exciting and dangerous. The ending of this book was kind of sad and disturbing but also let’s us know that more will be explained in the next book.
I received an advance reader’s copy of this book from the publisher and Amazon. It was my choice to read it and review it.
We Own The Sky
Author...
Sara Crawford
My " in a nutshell" summary...
Sylvie has had a rough young life...but her love for music seems to help her. It keeps her steady. It keeps her sane. Then...she begins to see “flickering people”...one in particular turns out to be Vincent...her own personal Muse. When he is around Sylvie sings better, plays better and is a totally unique performer.
My thoughts after reading this book...
This book was enjoyable...the Muses have their own life when not with their “people”. Sylvie sees more Muses than she should and develops a particular fondness for Vincent. Fondness = love? Totally forbidden in the world of Muses...
What I loved about this book...
I think I enjoyed the Muse aspect of this book. Sylvia’s life was rather sad. Her dad tried...her mom was gone...that’s another sad story...and she was left alone much of the time. It was easy for her to become attached to her Muse.
What I did not love about this book...
I can’t exactly say what else I needed from this book. It was different...it was interesting...but I lacked a connection with it.
Final thoughts...
Would this be a good choice for you...potential reader?
Readers who enjoy YA and unique characters and music should find this book an interesting one. I sometimes wonder if the music aspect was what threw me about this book...not certain...again...it was good but just not that good for me. The connection to Muses was interesting as well as exciting and dangerous. The ending of this book was kind of sad and disturbing but also let’s us know that more will be explained in the next book.
I received an advance reader’s copy of this book from the publisher and Amazon. It was my choice to read it and review it.
October 9, 2020
We Own the Sky by Sara Crawford is about a 16-year-old named Sylvia Baker who enjoys singing and playing drums and guitar. She’s a girl who has had a lot of depression, because she didn’t have many friends, and it was hard for her because she lost her mother when she was a baby. She has always been different which means she has been experiencing a lot of trepidation, struggling with depression, and loneliness. She‘s a real person with real struggles and this musical hobby even makes her stronger. She began to listen to this singer named Morrisey after she went through a lot of depression, and it helped her a lot, saved her life, made her feel good. In fact, Sylvia sees people that the other people cannot see. She calls them the “flickering people.” After meeting the flickering people, Sylvia realized she is linked to the muse universe. She’s a muse, which is a person who sees ghosts. As far as her career goal, Sylvia has been dreaming about performing her own songs on stage, dreaming about being a great singer but she feels like she won’t be one because she thinks her voice is ugly.
I honestly recommend the book because it’s about a girl going through depression and many other people have gone through the same thing. I’ve gone through depression and anxiety as well. Despite the struggles Sylvia goes through, the theme of the book is how music is the only thing that can save our lives. I’m connecting to the book because I love music and I would love to be a singer in the future. Even though it’s a large book, the book is good because it feels like a real story that is interesting and also relatable.
I honestly recommend the book because it’s about a girl going through depression and many other people have gone through the same thing. I’ve gone through depression and anxiety as well. Despite the struggles Sylvia goes through, the theme of the book is how music is the only thing that can save our lives. I’m connecting to the book because I love music and I would love to be a singer in the future. Even though it’s a large book, the book is good because it feels like a real story that is interesting and also relatable.
May 24, 2018
We own the sky is a young adult book about a sixteen-year-old girl. Sylvia Baker loves music and has the ability to see flickering people. Due to her nature being this way, she meets Vincent and realizes that he is, in fact, a muse. As she understands more about him and the muses, she falls in love and that is when the story takes an interesting turn.
Sylvia also suffers from depression which swayed the story towards a different dimension. It added depth, meaning and made it more relatable. Sylvia’s character was very interesting and it was enjoyable to read.
What I felt could have improved was the relationship she had with Vincent. He appeared to have a stronger hold on Sylvia and that made the love interest between them questionable.
The literature was smooth and the way it was written caused the reader to feel the impact of certain scenes. This made the book stand out for me and afterward gave me a certain secure feeling about the whole storyline.
Sylvia is a school girl with the feelings of an ordinary teenager. I recommend this book to Young adult readers and fantasy lovers.
Sylvia also suffers from depression which swayed the story towards a different dimension. It added depth, meaning and made it more relatable. Sylvia’s character was very interesting and it was enjoyable to read.
What I felt could have improved was the relationship she had with Vincent. He appeared to have a stronger hold on Sylvia and that made the love interest between them questionable.
The literature was smooth and the way it was written caused the reader to feel the impact of certain scenes. This made the book stand out for me and afterward gave me a certain secure feeling about the whole storyline.
Sylvia is a school girl with the feelings of an ordinary teenager. I recommend this book to Young adult readers and fantasy lovers.
January 26, 2018
Sylvia is a teenager with a very special gift, or is she crazy? She’s always seen flickering people, her imaginary friends. As the story starts both she and the reader have to question what is really going on with the depressed teenager. Turns out those flickering people are muses and there is a really good reason she can see them.
Together with her muse Vincent, who has really been there for her in more ways than she imagined, she makes some beautiful music and finds her will to live. There were heartwarming places and some pretty heartbreaking parts. I really enjoyed that there was more to the story than just a relationship with Sylvia and Vincent. The story about the muses, the originals and what was going on there, that I won’t get too detailed about, was really fascinating.
This a great YA read that should appeal to fans of all ages.
Together with her muse Vincent, who has really been there for her in more ways than she imagined, she makes some beautiful music and finds her will to live. There were heartwarming places and some pretty heartbreaking parts. I really enjoyed that there was more to the story than just a relationship with Sylvia and Vincent. The story about the muses, the originals and what was going on there, that I won’t get too detailed about, was really fascinating.
This a great YA read that should appeal to fans of all ages.
July 29, 2017
I have a lot of thought so strap yourselves in, its a long one. Like really long. Like actually.
**I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review**
Objectively this books is probably closer to a 3.5 but I rounded it up because I did enjoy this book greatly. This books was unlike anything I usually choose to read but especially for the first half of the book I found myself weirdly obsessed with this story. It was very likable and the plot flowed easily. This was very much a slice of life type story with relatively slow pacing so if you're someone who needs a book to have super quick pacing this probably isn't for you.
World Building
The fantasy aspect of this book was muses inspired by Ancient Greek mythology that inspire all different types of art across the world. There were the nine original muses, and then there were "human muses" who were human artists who had died and been kept in the world to inspire other artists. I found the concept interesting, and the way it was described and revealed was realistic.
I did have a few questions about whether humans could create good art on their own or whether they all needed a muse. I was also curious as to whether all the artists who became muses were ones with muses themselves, which I would guess yes? but ... makes it seem like humans have no artistic ability intrinsically. I would also be interested to find out whether some muses were better than others and could inspire better art, and whether this was reliant on their artistic abilities and accomplishments when they were alive.
Character
Overall, I liked the dynamics between the high school students. The way their friendships developed and evolved and the little dramas that happened and were resolved were so realistic and I really liked it. The characters weren't super mature or good at making rational decisions, they were teenagers and you could tell.
I liked that this book didn't shy away from talking about the way teenagers interact with alcohol and sex. I am not really the best judge of this, but from what I could tell the way these things popped up and were mentioned was realistic and similar to how it would happen in the real world. Teenage pregnancies and the repercussions of that were also mentioned as were topics such as mental health. I especially liked how none of theses things were specifically focused on, they were just there. And on that note, a quick warning that there were discussions about suicide and a scene that bordered on sexual assault.
Sylvia
The main character Sylvia wasn't really someone I could relate to, but she was someone I enjoyed learning about. She was very passionate about music, and a massive part of this book revolved around her playing music or listening to music and there were heaps of references to bands and musicians (some of whom I even recognized).
Sylvia was also quite isolated, she had loose connections to a few people but at the start of the book she didn't really have anyone in her world other than her father. In a way this was very realistic of her personality and past, but I do kind of feel like she would have had a few more connections to other people.
Vincent
I kind of couldn't really bring myself to absolutely love Vincent. This novel does have quite a strong romance plot (which I will discuss later) and he was the obvious love interest from the first second he appeared. In terms of personality, he was really bad at communicating things. We got a lot of chapters where we as the reader learnt things about what was going on in Vincent's life, and there was a lot going on in terms of plot (I will also discuss that later). However Vincent NEVER relayed any of that information to Sylvia which left her completely in the dark. She didn't even know half the drama that was going on, and when she asked about it Vincent downplayed how serious the matter was and just didn't explain what was going on. That really bugged me.
Other than that, Vincent had limited character development. He did have a past and things he was fighting for, but he didn't really have personality traits. He wasn't hot headed or introspective or excitable or humorous, he was just there. That was kind of annoying.
Sylvia's Dad
He was there, and he was a part of the plot, which was better than nothing. The things he did were justified, and I did feel like his character was realistic. However he was missing a lot and I really wanted to see him be there consistently. I feel like him missing was a part of the plot (a pretty typical YA trope) and although it felt realistic and believable of his character I still would have liked more of him.
Cassie, Bianca, Ryan and Travis
These were the other high school students. I really liked Bianca and her relationships with all the other characters. She really represented the idea that teenagers are a mess and they are very...drifty (I have forgotten the word but like noncommittal). Cassie... what can I even say. Not much of a spoiler but...
Ryan was also a favorite of mine, not that I actually liked his personality but because I liked what he represented. Ryan wasn't a good person, he was a horrible person who was slowly growing. And that's what being a teenager is about. I actually loved how Sylvia really didn't like him the whole time but they still hung out in a group. And they even came to a point of understanding where they could get along well enough. I really liked that.
Travis... what can I say... I liked that Sylvia shut down any ideas of this developing into a love triangle pretty early on. They were friends, they played music together, and that was that. He was kind of lacking in development, and some events that happened at the end of the book didn't necessarily feel unrealistic but they were a bit out of character in my mind. Like they were justifiable, but kind of unexpected.
Plot
Sylvia
The romance was definitely the biggest plot. It wasn't really one I was super interested in. It developed well for the first half of the book, but at the end it felt a bit rushed. I feel like the characters didn't go into full on "you're my true love" mode but it got a bit close for my liking.
Additionally, the things that happened at the end were kind of annoying. It was a bit rushed, and mostly a result of bad communication previously. It did however have me on the edge of my seat so I'd say job well done. This book ended in a massive cliff hanger, like there was basically nothing wrapped up. I feel like there's a difference between having high tension at the end of a book and having no closure from the conflict which this book kind of struggled with. I was left feeling unfulfilled.
Muses
The plot of the muses was a lot more interesting to me. I really liked this plot although it seemed to take a backseat to the romance a lot of the time. It was massively sped up at the end and I do wish there was more of a focus on this plot. I loved the villain of this plot, and I felt like she was someone I could totally end up being myself. The things she was fighting for were things I could kind of agree with even if her means to that end wasn't great.
**I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review**
Objectively this books is probably closer to a 3.5 but I rounded it up because I did enjoy this book greatly. This books was unlike anything I usually choose to read but especially for the first half of the book I found myself weirdly obsessed with this story. It was very likable and the plot flowed easily. This was very much a slice of life type story with relatively slow pacing so if you're someone who needs a book to have super quick pacing this probably isn't for you.
World Building
The fantasy aspect of this book was muses inspired by Ancient Greek mythology that inspire all different types of art across the world. There were the nine original muses, and then there were "human muses" who were human artists who had died and been kept in the world to inspire other artists. I found the concept interesting, and the way it was described and revealed was realistic.
I did have a few questions about whether humans could create good art on their own or whether they all needed a muse. I was also curious as to whether all the artists who became muses were ones with muses themselves, which I would guess yes? but ... makes it seem like humans have no artistic ability intrinsically. I would also be interested to find out whether some muses were better than others and could inspire better art, and whether this was reliant on their artistic abilities and accomplishments when they were alive.
Character
Overall, I liked the dynamics between the high school students. The way their friendships developed and evolved and the little dramas that happened and were resolved were so realistic and I really liked it. The characters weren't super mature or good at making rational decisions, they were teenagers and you could tell.
I liked that this book didn't shy away from talking about the way teenagers interact with alcohol and sex. I am not really the best judge of this, but from what I could tell the way these things popped up and were mentioned was realistic and similar to how it would happen in the real world. Teenage pregnancies and the repercussions of that were also mentioned as were topics such as mental health. I especially liked how none of theses things were specifically focused on, they were just there. And on that note, a quick warning that there were discussions about suicide and a scene that bordered on sexual assault.
Sylvia
The main character Sylvia wasn't really someone I could relate to, but she was someone I enjoyed learning about. She was very passionate about music, and a massive part of this book revolved around her playing music or listening to music and there were heaps of references to bands and musicians (some of whom I even recognized).
Sylvia was also quite isolated, she had loose connections to a few people but at the start of the book she didn't really have anyone in her world other than her father. In a way this was very realistic of her personality and past, but I do kind of feel like she would have had a few more connections to other people.
Vincent
I kind of couldn't really bring myself to absolutely love Vincent. This novel does have quite a strong romance plot (which I will discuss later) and he was the obvious love interest from the first second he appeared. In terms of personality, he was really bad at communicating things. We got a lot of chapters where we as the reader learnt things about what was going on in Vincent's life, and there was a lot going on in terms of plot (I will also discuss that later). However Vincent NEVER relayed any of that information to Sylvia which left her completely in the dark. She didn't even know half the drama that was going on, and when she asked about it Vincent downplayed how serious the matter was and just didn't explain what was going on. That really bugged me.
Other than that, Vincent had limited character development. He did have a past and things he was fighting for, but he didn't really have personality traits. He wasn't hot headed or introspective or excitable or humorous, he was just there. That was kind of annoying.
Sylvia's Dad
He was there, and he was a part of the plot, which was better than nothing. The things he did were justified, and I did feel like his character was realistic. However he was missing a lot and I really wanted to see him be there consistently. I feel like him missing was a part of the plot (a pretty typical YA trope) and although it felt realistic and believable of his character I still would have liked more of him.
Cassie, Bianca, Ryan and Travis
These were the other high school students. I really liked Bianca and her relationships with all the other characters. She really represented the idea that teenagers are a mess and they are very...drifty (I have forgotten the word but like noncommittal). Cassie... what can I even say. Not much of a spoiler but...
Ryan was also a favorite of mine, not that I actually liked his personality but because I liked what he represented. Ryan wasn't a good person, he was a horrible person who was slowly growing. And that's what being a teenager is about. I actually loved how Sylvia really didn't like him the whole time but they still hung out in a group. And they even came to a point of understanding where they could get along well enough. I really liked that.
Travis... what can I say... I liked that Sylvia shut down any ideas of this developing into a love triangle pretty early on. They were friends, they played music together, and that was that. He was kind of lacking in development, and some events that happened at the end of the book didn't necessarily feel unrealistic but they were a bit out of character in my mind. Like they were justifiable, but kind of unexpected.
Plot
Sylvia
The romance was definitely the biggest plot. It wasn't really one I was super interested in. It developed well for the first half of the book, but at the end it felt a bit rushed. I feel like the characters didn't go into full on "you're my true love" mode but it got a bit close for my liking.
Additionally, the things that happened at the end were kind of annoying. It was a bit rushed, and mostly a result of bad communication previously. It did however have me on the edge of my seat so I'd say job well done. This book ended in a massive cliff hanger, like there was basically nothing wrapped up. I feel like there's a difference between having high tension at the end of a book and having no closure from the conflict which this book kind of struggled with. I was left feeling unfulfilled.
Muses
The plot of the muses was a lot more interesting to me. I really liked this plot although it seemed to take a backseat to the romance a lot of the time. It was massively sped up at the end and I do wish there was more of a focus on this plot. I loved the villain of this plot, and I felt like she was someone I could totally end up being myself. The things she was fighting for were things I could kind of agree with even if her means to that end wasn't great.
August 21, 2017
Kindle Unlimited, saw the review and if it the story had given off twilight vibes to me it would not have gotten a 4 but much much worse, and as far as no teen angst uh hello yeah there was which is why toward the end it got dropped from a 5 {by the very end ended up a 2}. The parts here and there dragging wouldn't have done that and since there is no 1/2 would have otherwise left it at the 5, but just too much of the angst and the dragging parts and huh moments such as when the one guy asked the girl was she going to be at the jam session, the one being held at her house in her father's basement studio duh. The very not 'muse' sexual type feelings really started to get on my nerves, detracted from the story, and where overall stupid and weird. Off things like long part about only going up to the clouds and having to walk from there, but she just blinked her way back from there to the beach? The shift in tenses is aggravating as well. Also make up your mind who has the bottle and when it's passed back or is it supposed to magically switch back even though it didn't when the second person got it. Make up your mind, a while back it was they could go to the cloud then have to walk up, and now it's they are having to walk up way before the clouds.
How can several 'unusual' hugs be unusual, when they keep happening? How many times is the song over, and people continuing playing, but the song is over, but they continued playing until the song was over yet they'd stopped already. If it's all psychological then how come she was feeling better than she had for a long time and causes her to 'think less', it can't be both ways, and how could she have hangovers she'd mentioned, especially when she keeps saying things don't have the effect anymore. Learning how to play has nothing to do with writing music, two separate things. Which song is actually, really, on the playlist. You are making sure no one sees you talking to the Muse then you talk to him right outside the car right after you get out? Not thought it, said it. It's called padding a story, totally unnecessary as well, to state the same people's {singers/bands names, over and over and over}. Also for a book about muses, and talking over and over about songs, then vinyl and albums, it's A side and B side/flip side, so listening to an album which had average lengths of 40 minutes PER side, that would be 80 minutes with twice being 160 so over 2 1/2 hours.
Excuse me, if he was human then died and became a muse, and she's human and half muse, they are already basically the same. Now we're back to other people being able to see a muse that isn't there, when before said it couldn't be done. Why would she need to sneak in to the bathroom, her father can't see the guy muse and she hasn't even checked to see where he is at plus she's just putting on pajamas {though why she goes to the bathroom just to do that who knows}. Gawd more chick and teen angst, enough already, too much hundreds of pages ago. Why is Urania now talking about herself in the 3rd person. Can the chick make up her freaking mind whether she is part muse, and partly to herself as well as vincent, or not, already; this is like the 4th it's all him but no it's part him but no it's all him but.... No, Vincent isn't right, he's the one wanting to go to her, Urania is the one, both times, that said the the girl wouldn't be able to live a normal life so she's not agreeing with someone he said but the conversation is acting as if it's something he said when she said it both times. Blah blah useless filler blah. I haven't seen this much teen angst CRAP since I accidentally turned the channel that had the last couple of minutes of 90210 still on.
The made muses need to be hidden, yet she's asking where they are going, which means SHE will know where they are and therefore SO WILL the one hunting them, DUH. Why did the one muse have to be restrained TWICE when they teleported or whatever her to begin with. Blah blah blah teen angst cram redux for what seems like the hundredth time already, then she realizes she hasn't seen ANY muses, yet then goes on to whine about Vincent, a muse, not being there, how stupid is that chick. What, melancholy song about seasons and everything dying, but it's an 'upbeat' song, say what. The involuntary commitment, the laws {and especially for Georgia where this is taking place} requires more people and less time and more reasons to be put in to a psyche ward. Her father loved the music sets played but yet he's going to believe a drunk kid over his daughter that could have just lost her temper at a drunk idiot, makes no sense whatsoever.
Less than 300 pages by amazon count, page count for the cloud is over 5000, so yes some of that unnecessary and the contradictory stuff could have been taken out all together or edited better, like half the pages minus all the whingeing and whining chick and 90210 angst crap. Still stuck on how the drunk kid even got the journal in the first place, what is he a sneak thief as well. And with all that, it STILL ended up incomplete almost as a cliff hanger, uh no, write more concise and leave out all the crap, that would make 1 crappy book in to 2 crappy books cut all the crap from so maybe chance of 1 decent book.GREAT idea; LOUSY execution.
What could you create if you fell in love with a Muse?16-year-old musician, Sylvia Baker, has always been different. She's the only one who can see the "flickering people." When she sees a gorgeous flickering man named Vincent, she learns that they are Muses.With his help, she finds herself creating exquisite songs that she loves almost as much as songs by her favorite bands--Radiohead, M83, and The Black Keys--and she is falling in love in a way she never knew was possible. While trying to maintain her newfound friendships and her band, she falls deeper into the world of the Muses. When the original Greek Muses wake to find a world in which the internet has given everyone the tools to be an artist, a battle between traditional and new methods of creation ensues. As Sylvia discovers how she is connected to the world of the Muses, she learns that this war may put her music, her love, her very life at stake.
How can several 'unusual' hugs be unusual, when they keep happening? How many times is the song over, and people continuing playing, but the song is over, but they continued playing until the song was over yet they'd stopped already. If it's all psychological then how come she was feeling better than she had for a long time and causes her to 'think less', it can't be both ways, and how could she have hangovers she'd mentioned, especially when she keeps saying things don't have the effect anymore. Learning how to play has nothing to do with writing music, two separate things. Which song is actually, really, on the playlist. You are making sure no one sees you talking to the Muse then you talk to him right outside the car right after you get out? Not thought it, said it. It's called padding a story, totally unnecessary as well, to state the same people's {singers/bands names, over and over and over}. Also for a book about muses, and talking over and over about songs, then vinyl and albums, it's A side and B side/flip side, so listening to an album which had average lengths of 40 minutes PER side, that would be 80 minutes with twice being 160 so over 2 1/2 hours.
Excuse me, if he was human then died and became a muse, and she's human and half muse, they are already basically the same. Now we're back to other people being able to see a muse that isn't there, when before said it couldn't be done. Why would she need to sneak in to the bathroom, her father can't see the guy muse and she hasn't even checked to see where he is at plus she's just putting on pajamas {though why she goes to the bathroom just to do that who knows}. Gawd more chick and teen angst, enough already, too much hundreds of pages ago. Why is Urania now talking about herself in the 3rd person. Can the chick make up her freaking mind whether she is part muse, and partly to herself as well as vincent, or not, already; this is like the 4th it's all him but no it's part him but no it's all him but.... No, Vincent isn't right, he's the one wanting to go to her, Urania is the one, both times, that said the the girl wouldn't be able to live a normal life so she's not agreeing with someone he said but the conversation is acting as if it's something he said when she said it both times. Blah blah useless filler blah. I haven't seen this much teen angst CRAP since I accidentally turned the channel that had the last couple of minutes of 90210 still on.
The made muses need to be hidden, yet she's asking where they are going, which means SHE will know where they are and therefore SO WILL the one hunting them, DUH. Why did the one muse have to be restrained TWICE when they teleported or whatever her to begin with. Blah blah blah teen angst cram redux for what seems like the hundredth time already, then she realizes she hasn't seen ANY muses, yet then goes on to whine about Vincent, a muse, not being there, how stupid is that chick. What, melancholy song about seasons and everything dying, but it's an 'upbeat' song, say what. The involuntary commitment, the laws {and especially for Georgia where this is taking place} requires more people and less time and more reasons to be put in to a psyche ward. Her father loved the music sets played but yet he's going to believe a drunk kid over his daughter that could have just lost her temper at a drunk idiot, makes no sense whatsoever.
Less than 300 pages by amazon count, page count for the cloud is over 5000, so yes some of that unnecessary and the contradictory stuff could have been taken out all together or edited better, like half the pages minus all the whingeing and whining chick and 90210 angst crap. Still stuck on how the drunk kid even got the journal in the first place, what is he a sneak thief as well. And with all that, it STILL ended up incomplete almost as a cliff hanger, uh no, write more concise and leave out all the crap, that would make 1 crappy book in to 2 crappy books cut all the crap from so maybe chance of 1 decent book.GREAT idea; LOUSY execution.
What could you create if you fell in love with a Muse?16-year-old musician, Sylvia Baker, has always been different. She's the only one who can see the "flickering people." When she sees a gorgeous flickering man named Vincent, she learns that they are Muses.With his help, she finds herself creating exquisite songs that she loves almost as much as songs by her favorite bands--Radiohead, M83, and The Black Keys--and she is falling in love in a way she never knew was possible. While trying to maintain her newfound friendships and her band, she falls deeper into the world of the Muses. When the original Greek Muses wake to find a world in which the internet has given everyone the tools to be an artist, a battle between traditional and new methods of creation ensues. As Sylvia discovers how she is connected to the world of the Muses, she learns that this war may put her music, her love, her very life at stake.
dnf
December 9, 2019DNF at 31%
Look, I kind of thought that I wasn't going to like this book, so I'm not too disappointed. I wanted to give it a try, but I'm just not into Muse mythology, so....
I don't even know what was going on in this book. The fact is, all the kids in this high school drinks alcohol. It is so scary, I'm not even kidding. I was homeschooled.... Is high school really that bad? I only remember the kids drinking in this story, though I'm sure they were other bad things going on too....
Mainly the reason why I DNF this book is the relationship Sylvia has of her muse Vincent. It was very toxic to me. Vincent was so controlling and basically demanded Sylvia to do things. I'm okay if people get inspired from something when creating their masterpiece. But in this novel the muses are the creators, people don't create anything in this story, or nothing good that is. But like I said, Vincent didn't only create things for Sylvia he also had a toxic romantic relationship with her.
There is also mention a Sylvia going to commit suicide in her past....
I'm just not feeling like reading it, sorry guys.
Look, I kind of thought that I wasn't going to like this book, so I'm not too disappointed. I wanted to give it a try, but I'm just not into Muse mythology, so....
I don't even know what was going on in this book. The fact is, all the kids in this high school drinks alcohol. It is so scary, I'm not even kidding. I was homeschooled.... Is high school really that bad? I only remember the kids drinking in this story, though I'm sure they were other bad things going on too....
Mainly the reason why I DNF this book is the relationship Sylvia has of her muse Vincent. It was very toxic to me. Vincent was so controlling and basically demanded Sylvia to do things. I'm okay if people get inspired from something when creating their masterpiece. But in this novel the muses are the creators, people don't create anything in this story, or nothing good that is. But like I said, Vincent didn't only create things for Sylvia he also had a toxic romantic relationship with her.
There is also mention a Sylvia going to commit suicide in her past....
I'm just not feeling like reading it, sorry guys.
March 22, 2018
I have read a few books are centered around Greek mythology. Some have been horribad, some have been eh, and others great. We Own the Sky falls into the great category. I thought that it was a different and original take on the myth of the Muses.
We Own the Sky’s plot is original and sad at times. Sylvia is a 16-year-old musician who happens to see flickering people. That bit of information she keeps to herself because of her past mental health issues. So when one of the flickering people talk to her, she is shocked. Her shock turns to awe when Vincent tells her that the myths about the Muses are real and that he is an Earthly Muse. The same time that Sylvia and Vincent’s relationship turns to love, one of the Original Muses awakens from a 500-year sleep. Angered by what she finds, Clio decides that a culling of the Earthly Muses is needed. Starting with Vincent. At the same time, Sylvia’s world is rocked and not in a good way.
I loved how the author handled alcoholism, substance abuse and mental illness in We Own the Sky. They were written about realistically. Mental illness, substance abuse, and alcoholism are often written like there is a magical cure. That everything will be alright after the addict stops using/drinking or when the person with mental illness is put on medication. That is so far from the truth it isn’t funny. Like in the book, there are setbacks. There is rehab. There are interventions. We Own the Sky showed the messy side that most authors will not write about.
I liked and pitied Sylvia. She had dealt with so much in her life. Her mother OD’d when she was younger. Her father, a junkie, and alcoholic spiraled down until he hit rock bottom and went into rehab. Sylvia herself did a stint in rehab. Not for addiction but because she was depressed. I wanted to give her a hug. Writing in her journal and playing music was her solace. I loved her surprise when she realized that the flickering people weren’t a figment of her imagination.
I didn’t know what to think about Vincent. I know his sole purpose was to inspire his charges but to fall in love with each one of them? Uggh, typical guy…lol. What he did to his last charge was horrendous. I don’t know how Sylvia wasn’t scared off by it when he told her. I did think he did the right thing by not going near Sylvia after Clio started her rampage.
When Clio was introduced, I could understand why she felt the way she did. She was used to inspiring a few people by whispering in their ears. But now, in the age of the internet, anyone could be an artist and that bothered her. I also understood her anger at Urania. She was the one left awake for 500 years and in Clio’s mind, she should have put a stop to it instead of encouraging it. But I don’t understand why it pushed her over the edge. Because what she did after she had that dagger was very unMusely.
That brings me to the biggest issue I had in the book. If Urania knew that Clio was that unstable, why did she ask another Muse to create a room to hide it. Why didn’t she hide it and not tell anyone? That didn’t make sense to me. But then again, if she did that, then Clio wouldn’t have trapped her, gotten the dagger, and started her rampage.
The storyline with Sylvia’s mother bothered me too. I didn’t understand why she was brought into the book so late and why the author chose to have her do a 180. But, it made perfect sense once everything was brought together at the end of the book. Of course, there was a twist in her storyline that made me go “Shut up” when it was revealed.
The storyline with Sylvia’s friends was pretty rough. The only one who actually wanted to be her friend was Bianca. Everyone else talked to her because of her father owning a bar that plays live music. I kind of wanted to smack Travis and Ryan when Sylvia was butt dialed. Talk about jerks. But Travis did end up being a true friend in the end. It takes a true friend to do what he did.
The romance part of We Own the Sky was actually very sweet. Sylvia was heads over heels for Vincent. She fell hard for him. He was also heads over heels for her. Which is what made the end of the book so hard to read.
There is no sex in We Own the Sky. At least I don’t think there is. Vincent slept in Sylvia’s bed a few times and they kissed. I didn’t get the feeling that anything happened between them other than kissing. If it did, it was so vaguely written that even I didn’t catch it.
The end of We Own the Sky made me cry. It was heartbreaking on so many levels. It was not a happy ending. I cried for Sylvia. She got the rough end of the stick. I liked that there was an epilogue and I loved that the chapter of the next book was included. I am very interested in reading Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming.
What I liked about We Own the Sky:
A) Greek mythology. Loved that the Muses were used
B) Addiction/substance abuse/mental illness were correctly portrayed
C) Sylvia and Vincent’s romance
What I disliked about We Own the Sky:
A) Vincent falling in love on a dime. Every person he mentored, he fell for.
B) Urania knowing Clio was unstable and not hiding the dagger where only she knew where it was.
C) The storyline with Sylvia’s mother.
I would give We Own the Sky an Older Teen rating. There is mild violence (mostly Clio and nothing graphic, just implied), mild language. There are no sexual situations. Vincent and Sylvia do kiss but I believe that it stopped there. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.
There are trigger warnings in We Own the Sky. They are drug use, alcoholism, talk of suicide, talk of OD‘ing, talk of depression and talk of rehab. If you are triggered by any of these, I would suggest not to read the book.
I would recommend We Own the Sky to family and friends. I would include a note on the trigger warnings. This is a book that I would read again.
I would like to thank Sara Crawford for allowing me to read and review We Own the Sky.
All opinions stated on We Own the Sky are mine.
**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**
We Own the Sky’s plot is original and sad at times. Sylvia is a 16-year-old musician who happens to see flickering people. That bit of information she keeps to herself because of her past mental health issues. So when one of the flickering people talk to her, she is shocked. Her shock turns to awe when Vincent tells her that the myths about the Muses are real and that he is an Earthly Muse. The same time that Sylvia and Vincent’s relationship turns to love, one of the Original Muses awakens from a 500-year sleep. Angered by what she finds, Clio decides that a culling of the Earthly Muses is needed. Starting with Vincent. At the same time, Sylvia’s world is rocked and not in a good way.
I loved how the author handled alcoholism, substance abuse and mental illness in We Own the Sky. They were written about realistically. Mental illness, substance abuse, and alcoholism are often written like there is a magical cure. That everything will be alright after the addict stops using/drinking or when the person with mental illness is put on medication. That is so far from the truth it isn’t funny. Like in the book, there are setbacks. There is rehab. There are interventions. We Own the Sky showed the messy side that most authors will not write about.
I liked and pitied Sylvia. She had dealt with so much in her life. Her mother OD’d when she was younger. Her father, a junkie, and alcoholic spiraled down until he hit rock bottom and went into rehab. Sylvia herself did a stint in rehab. Not for addiction but because she was depressed. I wanted to give her a hug. Writing in her journal and playing music was her solace. I loved her surprise when she realized that the flickering people weren’t a figment of her imagination.
I didn’t know what to think about Vincent. I know his sole purpose was to inspire his charges but to fall in love with each one of them? Uggh, typical guy…lol. What he did to his last charge was horrendous. I don’t know how Sylvia wasn’t scared off by it when he told her. I did think he did the right thing by not going near Sylvia after Clio started her rampage.
When Clio was introduced, I could understand why she felt the way she did. She was used to inspiring a few people by whispering in their ears. But now, in the age of the internet, anyone could be an artist and that bothered her. I also understood her anger at Urania. She was the one left awake for 500 years and in Clio’s mind, she should have put a stop to it instead of encouraging it. But I don’t understand why it pushed her over the edge. Because what she did after she had that dagger was very unMusely.
That brings me to the biggest issue I had in the book. If Urania knew that Clio was that unstable, why did she ask another Muse to create a room to hide it. Why didn’t she hide it and not tell anyone? That didn’t make sense to me. But then again, if she did that, then Clio wouldn’t have trapped her, gotten the dagger, and started her rampage.
The storyline with Sylvia’s mother bothered me too. I didn’t understand why she was brought into the book so late and why the author chose to have her do a 180. But, it made perfect sense once everything was brought together at the end of the book. Of course, there was a twist in her storyline that made me go “Shut up” when it was revealed.
The storyline with Sylvia’s friends was pretty rough. The only one who actually wanted to be her friend was Bianca. Everyone else talked to her because of her father owning a bar that plays live music. I kind of wanted to smack Travis and Ryan when Sylvia was butt dialed. Talk about jerks. But Travis did end up being a true friend in the end. It takes a true friend to do what he did.
The romance part of We Own the Sky was actually very sweet. Sylvia was heads over heels for Vincent. She fell hard for him. He was also heads over heels for her. Which is what made the end of the book so hard to read.
There is no sex in We Own the Sky. At least I don’t think there is. Vincent slept in Sylvia’s bed a few times and they kissed. I didn’t get the feeling that anything happened between them other than kissing. If it did, it was so vaguely written that even I didn’t catch it.
The end of We Own the Sky made me cry. It was heartbreaking on so many levels. It was not a happy ending. I cried for Sylvia. She got the rough end of the stick. I liked that there was an epilogue and I loved that the chapter of the next book was included. I am very interested in reading Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming.
What I liked about We Own the Sky:
A) Greek mythology. Loved that the Muses were used
B) Addiction/substance abuse/mental illness were correctly portrayed
C) Sylvia and Vincent’s romance
What I disliked about We Own the Sky:
A) Vincent falling in love on a dime. Every person he mentored, he fell for.
B) Urania knowing Clio was unstable and not hiding the dagger where only she knew where it was.
C) The storyline with Sylvia’s mother.
I would give We Own the Sky an Older Teen rating. There is mild violence (mostly Clio and nothing graphic, just implied), mild language. There are no sexual situations. Vincent and Sylvia do kiss but I believe that it stopped there. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.
There are trigger warnings in We Own the Sky. They are drug use, alcoholism, talk of suicide, talk of OD‘ing, talk of depression and talk of rehab. If you are triggered by any of these, I would suggest not to read the book.
I would recommend We Own the Sky to family and friends. I would include a note on the trigger warnings. This is a book that I would read again.
I would like to thank Sara Crawford for allowing me to read and review We Own the Sky.
All opinions stated on We Own the Sky are mine.
**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**
February 13, 2018
I received a complimentary copy of this book for free to give a voluntary honest review. This review contains only my own thoughts and opinions of this book. As much as I am grateful for this opportunity I gotta say, this book did not do it for me. At. All.
We Own the Sky is basically a huge insult to any artist out there. I mean, sure. The idea behind the whole Muses theme is interesting and different and usually I’m all for originality and uniqueness. However, this book takes the word “talent” and makes it completely meaningless and useless. Because the artists in this world doesn’t have any own talents. Not really. No, the muses gives it to them and the “artists” takes credit for it. There is no need for any own talent or hard work if you are just given music, songs or the ability to sing better, paint a Picasso’s painting or act. And then they use the word “inspire”. Like they “inspired the artist” or “the artist was given inspiration”. Well, that word is extremely miss-used. Inspiration means that you find/are given a idea or a small puzzle piece, but then make it your own work, with your own efforts and thoughts and ideas behind it. Basically you make it all on your own with the idea you’ve gotten and you struggle and work hard for it. It is not even close to inspiration if you are just given the art right away and play it off as your own with no effort of your own either. It especially annoys me that the protagonist used her muse to basically cheat her way to a solo role in a concert. He made her sing good, so how was she more deserving of the part than anyone who actually could sing without a muse’s interference? Someone who actually had talent all on their own?
I think this book’s muse was Stephanie Meyer because the whole romance between Sylvia and Vincent hit a bit too close to twilight for my taste. Mainly because it was a very codependent unhealthy relationship (seriously, the main girl started crying like sobfest101 just because she couldn’t be apart from him for two days. Grow a pair! Or better yet, grow up and get some independence for gods sake!) where Vincent constantly put Sylvia in danger just by being close to her. Because of that he leaves, but comes back because he does not have the strength to stay away from her. Sounds familiar?
Their whole everyday life is spent with each other like clingy apes. I guess it was to show the readers how much in love they were, but it honestly felt very forced to me. They couldn’t have a normal human conversation ever. Their relationship contained only dialogues of music, the problems they faced and how much they loved each other. It felt more like a play of romance instead of an actual romance. It disturbed me that they could never argue or be in any sort of disagreement either. They were always on the same page (both figuratively and literally, in fact). It was just so unrealistic and so dull. There was nothing I could relate to in their relationship. The same goes for personality. These people could not possibly exist in real life, and I don’t just mean because of the hole muse thing. These people does not exist because real people don’t act like this.
Sylvia I guess was supposed to win our affection by her angsty behavior and troubled past. All I got from her however, is that she is so full of herself that she can’t think outside herself and notice the people surrounding her and that she’s socially awkward (she danced in the middle of the street while walking to school, and write in a diary she named Lily? I think most readers can agree with me that books are a way to escape embarrassment and awkwardness we personally experience in real life. So don’t make us read about it as well). Most everything about her annoyed me and I just wanted to climb into the book and tell her to get over herself and grow up. She kept throwing pity parties for herself and blamed her surroundings instead of actually actively trying to help herself. No, she expected everyone else to do it for her and just crawled into her little hole of loneliness and couldn’t understand why she was lonely. She thought of herself so special as well, naming every instrument and musical object like that is not a known fact that many musicians do.
I get that this book perhaps is more for music fans out there, but I can’t be the only one who found all the pop culture references too much, right? They were everywhere, in every page and chapter. Seriously, 90 % of this book was about music on repeat, what songs she listened to, what musicians and bands she liked. What she put on to listen to for bed, for waking up, for shower, on her way to school, her way home, while eating, while ... well, while everything. I know her passion was music but that’s just overkill.
There were just to much negative in this story to see anything of the good parts. The one thing that kind of made it better, perhaps, is the whole drama with Travis in the end. Other than that I can’t find any reason to want to keep reading this series, sadly. It was just too messy, with all the name dropping’s, pop culture references, bad romance and worst of all the butchering of art and talent. I’m not really artistic myself, so I guess it shouldn’t bother me that much. I do, however, have a sister who is an amazing painter and a seamstress. This is insulting to her and her gift. There is no invisible man telling her what to paint or sew for her to be good at it. She is an amazing artist because of practice and hard work, plus a smudge of genetics. Nothing and no one else!
We Own the Sky is basically a huge insult to any artist out there. I mean, sure. The idea behind the whole Muses theme is interesting and different and usually I’m all for originality and uniqueness. However, this book takes the word “talent” and makes it completely meaningless and useless. Because the artists in this world doesn’t have any own talents. Not really. No, the muses gives it to them and the “artists” takes credit for it. There is no need for any own talent or hard work if you are just given music, songs or the ability to sing better, paint a Picasso’s painting or act. And then they use the word “inspire”. Like they “inspired the artist” or “the artist was given inspiration”. Well, that word is extremely miss-used. Inspiration means that you find/are given a idea or a small puzzle piece, but then make it your own work, with your own efforts and thoughts and ideas behind it. Basically you make it all on your own with the idea you’ve gotten and you struggle and work hard for it. It is not even close to inspiration if you are just given the art right away and play it off as your own with no effort of your own either. It especially annoys me that the protagonist used her muse to basically cheat her way to a solo role in a concert. He made her sing good, so how was she more deserving of the part than anyone who actually could sing without a muse’s interference? Someone who actually had talent all on their own?
I think this book’s muse was Stephanie Meyer because the whole romance between Sylvia and Vincent hit a bit too close to twilight for my taste. Mainly because it was a very codependent unhealthy relationship (seriously, the main girl started crying like sobfest101 just because she couldn’t be apart from him for two days. Grow a pair! Or better yet, grow up and get some independence for gods sake!) where Vincent constantly put Sylvia in danger just by being close to her. Because of that he leaves, but comes back because he does not have the strength to stay away from her. Sounds familiar?
Their whole everyday life is spent with each other like clingy apes. I guess it was to show the readers how much in love they were, but it honestly felt very forced to me. They couldn’t have a normal human conversation ever. Their relationship contained only dialogues of music, the problems they faced and how much they loved each other. It felt more like a play of romance instead of an actual romance. It disturbed me that they could never argue or be in any sort of disagreement either. They were always on the same page (both figuratively and literally, in fact). It was just so unrealistic and so dull. There was nothing I could relate to in their relationship. The same goes for personality. These people could not possibly exist in real life, and I don’t just mean because of the hole muse thing. These people does not exist because real people don’t act like this.
Sylvia I guess was supposed to win our affection by her angsty behavior and troubled past. All I got from her however, is that she is so full of herself that she can’t think outside herself and notice the people surrounding her and that she’s socially awkward (she danced in the middle of the street while walking to school, and write in a diary she named Lily? I think most readers can agree with me that books are a way to escape embarrassment and awkwardness we personally experience in real life. So don’t make us read about it as well). Most everything about her annoyed me and I just wanted to climb into the book and tell her to get over herself and grow up. She kept throwing pity parties for herself and blamed her surroundings instead of actually actively trying to help herself. No, she expected everyone else to do it for her and just crawled into her little hole of loneliness and couldn’t understand why she was lonely. She thought of herself so special as well, naming every instrument and musical object like that is not a known fact that many musicians do.
I get that this book perhaps is more for music fans out there, but I can’t be the only one who found all the pop culture references too much, right? They were everywhere, in every page and chapter. Seriously, 90 % of this book was about music on repeat, what songs she listened to, what musicians and bands she liked. What she put on to listen to for bed, for waking up, for shower, on her way to school, her way home, while eating, while ... well, while everything. I know her passion was music but that’s just overkill.
There were just to much negative in this story to see anything of the good parts. The one thing that kind of made it better, perhaps, is the whole drama with Travis in the end. Other than that I can’t find any reason to want to keep reading this series, sadly. It was just too messy, with all the name dropping’s, pop culture references, bad romance and worst of all the butchering of art and talent. I’m not really artistic myself, so I guess it shouldn’t bother me that much. I do, however, have a sister who is an amazing painter and a seamstress. This is insulting to her and her gift. There is no invisible man telling her what to paint or sew for her to be good at it. She is an amazing artist because of practice and hard work, plus a smudge of genetics. Nothing and no one else!
June 9, 2018
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Trigger Warning: This book deals in themes and story elements involving drug and alcohol abuse, mental health and suicide. If any of these themes are triggering be warned this review and book involves them.
An incredible YA series gets a jump into a rarely used part of Greek mythology in author Sara Crawford’s We Own The Sky, book one in the Muse Chronicles series. Here’s the synopsis:
What could you create if you fell in love with a Muse?
16-year-old musician, Sylvia Baker, has always been different. She's the only one who can see the "flickering people." When she sees a gorgeous flickering man named Vincent, she learns that they are Muses.
With his help, she finds herself creating exquisite songs that she loves almost as much as songs by her favorite bands--Radiohead, M83, and The Black Keys--and she is falling in love in a way she never knew was possible. While trying to maintain her newfound friendships and her band, she falls deeper into the world of the Muses.
When the original Greek Muses wake to find a world in which the internet has given everyone the tools to be an artist, a battle between traditional and new methods of creation ensues. As Sylvia discovers how she is connected to the world of the Muses, she learns that this war may put her music, her love, her very life at stake.
I really have to applaud the author of this book. She did a marvelous job of drawing me into this world from the very first pages all the way to the stories climactic and cliff-hanger of an ending. I am already a big fan of Greek mythology, often employing it into my preferred reading material and my own writing. Getting to explore this underutilized aspect of mythology was brilliant. The story did a fantastic job of creating and building upon one of the world’s largest and most inspirational mythologies while blending a unique and personal tale of what it’s like to grow up in today’s society.
The character development was the highlight for me. As a mental health awareness advocate, this story did a great job of both highlighting the struggles of those with mental health ailments and showing the stereotypes those with mental health illnesses must deal with in our society. It also highlighted humanity’s instinct to label those who are creative or act outside of what society has deemed “normal” as being “crazy”, an offensive word that brings negative connotations to the mental health profession. The protagonist Sylvia is a relatable teenager and artist, showing how therapeutic and mentally alleviating diving into the arts can be for people. As someone who suffers from depression, I know my love for writing has helped me to channel the sadness and loneliness I’ve felt into something positive, and that’s what this author has shown brilliantly.
Overall I loved this story. It was emotional, personal and a fantastic entry into what promises to be a thrilling new YA franchise. This story is just the tip of the iceberg for the story of the Muses, and I cannot wait to dive head first into Sylvia’s story in book two. If you haven’t yet be sure to pick up your copy of We Own The Sky by Sara Crawford today!
Trigger Warning: This book deals in themes and story elements involving drug and alcohol abuse, mental health and suicide. If any of these themes are triggering be warned this review and book involves them.
An incredible YA series gets a jump into a rarely used part of Greek mythology in author Sara Crawford’s We Own The Sky, book one in the Muse Chronicles series. Here’s the synopsis:
What could you create if you fell in love with a Muse?
16-year-old musician, Sylvia Baker, has always been different. She's the only one who can see the "flickering people." When she sees a gorgeous flickering man named Vincent, she learns that they are Muses.
With his help, she finds herself creating exquisite songs that she loves almost as much as songs by her favorite bands--Radiohead, M83, and The Black Keys--and she is falling in love in a way she never knew was possible. While trying to maintain her newfound friendships and her band, she falls deeper into the world of the Muses.
When the original Greek Muses wake to find a world in which the internet has given everyone the tools to be an artist, a battle between traditional and new methods of creation ensues. As Sylvia discovers how she is connected to the world of the Muses, she learns that this war may put her music, her love, her very life at stake.
I really have to applaud the author of this book. She did a marvelous job of drawing me into this world from the very first pages all the way to the stories climactic and cliff-hanger of an ending. I am already a big fan of Greek mythology, often employing it into my preferred reading material and my own writing. Getting to explore this underutilized aspect of mythology was brilliant. The story did a fantastic job of creating and building upon one of the world’s largest and most inspirational mythologies while blending a unique and personal tale of what it’s like to grow up in today’s society.
The character development was the highlight for me. As a mental health awareness advocate, this story did a great job of both highlighting the struggles of those with mental health ailments and showing the stereotypes those with mental health illnesses must deal with in our society. It also highlighted humanity’s instinct to label those who are creative or act outside of what society has deemed “normal” as being “crazy”, an offensive word that brings negative connotations to the mental health profession. The protagonist Sylvia is a relatable teenager and artist, showing how therapeutic and mentally alleviating diving into the arts can be for people. As someone who suffers from depression, I know my love for writing has helped me to channel the sadness and loneliness I’ve felt into something positive, and that’s what this author has shown brilliantly.
Overall I loved this story. It was emotional, personal and a fantastic entry into what promises to be a thrilling new YA franchise. This story is just the tip of the iceberg for the story of the Muses, and I cannot wait to dive head first into Sylvia’s story in book two. If you haven’t yet be sure to pick up your copy of We Own The Sky by Sara Crawford today!
September 6, 2017
*Content/Trigger Warnings: suicidal thoughts/attempts, imbalanced power dynamic in a romantic relationship*
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
In We Own the Sky, the first book in The Muse Chronicles, we meet sixteen-year-old Sylvia. For her entire life, she’s lived through music, an attribute passed down from her rocker parents. Her mother overdosed when she was young, and her father struggles with addiction. Sylvia has some demons of her own- she’s struggled with depression and suicidal thoughts, and has recently been seeing “flickering people” around other musicians.
At first, Sylvia thinks she must be crazy. But when one of the flickering people, Vincent, shows up in her life and begins to show her the beautiful music they can create together, she realizes that these flickering people are not delusions at all- they’re Muses, like those from Greek mythology. Vincent has been assigned specifically to her in order to help peak her artistic capabilities, but their relationship quickly becomes intensely passionate.
We Own the Sky intertwines myth and reality absolutely beautifully through the lens of a high school girl. I tend to find most authors butcher these complex narrative shifts, but Crawford manages to execute them seamlessly. This is partially due to the sturdy character-building and world-building that starts right from the beginning.
While I wasn’t a huge fan of the constant referencing of songs by the same few bands a bit too often throughout the story, Sylvia’s passion for music was a huge strong suit throughout the book. Music itself holds a lot of weight in this story- not only is it the main character’s saving grace, but it’s also the thing that ties Sylvia and Vincent together.
Sylvia’s character is deeply relatable, especially to those who have struggled with depression or hidden family secrets. I felt almost protective of her as a character from the very start, perhaps because she reminded me of a younger me. The side characters were also built out fairly strongly, with the exception of one or two very minor characters.
This book reminded me of Twilight, in both good and bad ways. Good being that it was an addictive and fast read with a mythical high school twist that keeps readers curious. Bad being that it had a really uncomfortable, detrimental power dynamic between the main character and her love interest. The power that Vincent holds over Sylvia rubbed me the wrong way and seemed incredibly unhealthy. Sylvia is sixteen, while Vincent is an immortal nineteen-year-old who claims to serve as the reason behind her gift of music. At several points throughout the story, she feels as though she is nothing without his presence and is hopeless without his guidance. Not okay, not healthy, not safe.
All in all, I really enjoyed this novel. It was a quick read and definitely pulled me out of a reading slump- something that isn’t easy to do! If there hadn’t been that uncomfortable power dynamic between Sylvia and Vincent, I probably would have rated this higher.
3.5 stars
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
In We Own the Sky, the first book in The Muse Chronicles, we meet sixteen-year-old Sylvia. For her entire life, she’s lived through music, an attribute passed down from her rocker parents. Her mother overdosed when she was young, and her father struggles with addiction. Sylvia has some demons of her own- she’s struggled with depression and suicidal thoughts, and has recently been seeing “flickering people” around other musicians.
At first, Sylvia thinks she must be crazy. But when one of the flickering people, Vincent, shows up in her life and begins to show her the beautiful music they can create together, she realizes that these flickering people are not delusions at all- they’re Muses, like those from Greek mythology. Vincent has been assigned specifically to her in order to help peak her artistic capabilities, but their relationship quickly becomes intensely passionate.
We Own the Sky intertwines myth and reality absolutely beautifully through the lens of a high school girl. I tend to find most authors butcher these complex narrative shifts, but Crawford manages to execute them seamlessly. This is partially due to the sturdy character-building and world-building that starts right from the beginning.
While I wasn’t a huge fan of the constant referencing of songs by the same few bands a bit too often throughout the story, Sylvia’s passion for music was a huge strong suit throughout the book. Music itself holds a lot of weight in this story- not only is it the main character’s saving grace, but it’s also the thing that ties Sylvia and Vincent together.
Sylvia’s character is deeply relatable, especially to those who have struggled with depression or hidden family secrets. I felt almost protective of her as a character from the very start, perhaps because she reminded me of a younger me. The side characters were also built out fairly strongly, with the exception of one or two very minor characters.
This book reminded me of Twilight, in both good and bad ways. Good being that it was an addictive and fast read with a mythical high school twist that keeps readers curious. Bad being that it had a really uncomfortable, detrimental power dynamic between the main character and her love interest. The power that Vincent holds over Sylvia rubbed me the wrong way and seemed incredibly unhealthy. Sylvia is sixteen, while Vincent is an immortal nineteen-year-old who claims to serve as the reason behind her gift of music. At several points throughout the story, she feels as though she is nothing without his presence and is hopeless without his guidance. Not okay, not healthy, not safe.
All in all, I really enjoyed this novel. It was a quick read and definitely pulled me out of a reading slump- something that isn’t easy to do! If there hadn’t been that uncomfortable power dynamic between Sylvia and Vincent, I probably would have rated this higher.
3.5 stars
June 18, 2018
This review was originally posted on my blog, Sav Scribbles.
Thank you to Sara Crawford for sending me a finished copy of WE OWN THE SKY for free. This does not affect my review or opinion in any way.
WE OWN THE SKY was a whole jumble of thoughts and concepts that I have a lot to say about and can’t really sum up in a hook sentence so here goes nothing, y’all!
P L O T
First off, the concept of WE OWN THE SKY is really cool. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of Muses before, and I really like how thoroughly they were explained in this novel. I even felt that the system was explained a little too much; at one point, we’ve already had Sylvia learn about the system, and an Earthly Muse learns about it very soon after, and it just felt unnecessary and boring. (Now that I’m thinking about it, that whole character sees unnecessary to the whole plot, but maybe she’ll come up in the sequel?)
As a whole novel, though, I feel like we didn’t get too much accomplished in this book. We set up a whole concept, sure, but that’s expected of a first book and much more. The relationship that was set up felt very rushed, but at least it was established. And we’re right back at square one at the end- which, speaking of the end…
…what the heck kinda ending was that?! I felt like this duology was written in full, and then they decided “let’s cut it straight down the middle and see what happens!”. I am here for cliffhangers as much as your average Joe, but this one left me more annoyed than anticipating.
C H A R A C T E R S
Okay, so in WE OWN THE SKY, we have our two main characters, right? And they fall in love- not a spoiler, it’s in the description- and normally I wouldn’t mind that. The thing is, in this novel, their relationship is developed SO QUICKLY. Our main character, Sylvia, goes from thinking he’s cute to being in love with him in almost no time.
I just don’t get it.
Vincent was also too good to be true! He didn’t have many flaws-besides for being sad a couple of times and not being there every second of Sylvia’s life like she wanted him to (which is quite annoying, by the way). Pretty uninteresting character.
Sylvia herself also never came right out and said it, but she definitely had an I’m-not-like-other-girls attitude. If you are a human being, then that’s gotta get under your skin.
This novel also didn’t allow me to really get attatched to any of the characters. I feel like we don’t see most of the characters enough and their relationships to Sylvia aren’t really developed; they seem cut-and-dry when I stand back for a second. None of the characters really have clear descriptions, either; I know Vincent is tall, dark, and handsome, but besides for that? No idea.
Overall, WE OWN THE SKY had an interesting concept with mediocre execution. I really feel like Crawford’s writing and general execution will greatly improve in the sequel, so I look forward to reading that! I’d recommend WE OWN THE SKY to anyone who is looking for a fairly easy read that can hold your interest for the most part.
Thank you to Sara Crawford for sending me a finished copy of WE OWN THE SKY for free. This does not affect my review or opinion in any way.
WE OWN THE SKY was a whole jumble of thoughts and concepts that I have a lot to say about and can’t really sum up in a hook sentence so here goes nothing, y’all!
P L O T
First off, the concept of WE OWN THE SKY is really cool. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of Muses before, and I really like how thoroughly they were explained in this novel. I even felt that the system was explained a little too much; at one point, we’ve already had Sylvia learn about the system, and an Earthly Muse learns about it very soon after, and it just felt unnecessary and boring. (Now that I’m thinking about it, that whole character sees unnecessary to the whole plot, but maybe she’ll come up in the sequel?)
As a whole novel, though, I feel like we didn’t get too much accomplished in this book. We set up a whole concept, sure, but that’s expected of a first book and much more. The relationship that was set up felt very rushed, but at least it was established. And we’re right back at square one at the end- which, speaking of the end…
…what the heck kinda ending was that?! I felt like this duology was written in full, and then they decided “let’s cut it straight down the middle and see what happens!”. I am here for cliffhangers as much as your average Joe, but this one left me more annoyed than anticipating.
C H A R A C T E R S
Okay, so in WE OWN THE SKY, we have our two main characters, right? And they fall in love- not a spoiler, it’s in the description- and normally I wouldn’t mind that. The thing is, in this novel, their relationship is developed SO QUICKLY. Our main character, Sylvia, goes from thinking he’s cute to being in love with him in almost no time.
I just don’t get it.
Vincent was also too good to be true! He didn’t have many flaws-besides for being sad a couple of times and not being there every second of Sylvia’s life like she wanted him to (which is quite annoying, by the way). Pretty uninteresting character.
Sylvia herself also never came right out and said it, but she definitely had an I’m-not-like-other-girls attitude. If you are a human being, then that’s gotta get under your skin.
This novel also didn’t allow me to really get attatched to any of the characters. I feel like we don’t see most of the characters enough and their relationships to Sylvia aren’t really developed; they seem cut-and-dry when I stand back for a second. None of the characters really have clear descriptions, either; I know Vincent is tall, dark, and handsome, but besides for that? No idea.
Overall, WE OWN THE SKY had an interesting concept with mediocre execution. I really feel like Crawford’s writing and general execution will greatly improve in the sequel, so I look forward to reading that! I’d recommend WE OWN THE SKY to anyone who is looking for a fairly easy read that can hold your interest for the most part.
January 26, 2018
I was sent a digital copy of this book for free in exchange for my honest review:
I haven’t read a ton of urban fantasy. I get worried about that genre that the magic or fantastical elements will feel forced on the characters and the reader, but the magical elements in We Own the Sky were really well done! It didn’t feel forced at all.
This was so much fun to read! It was so different and original, and I love the treatment of Greek muses in this story! It really did Greek mythology and muses justice.
I flew through this book! I just couldn’t get enough. The plot moves very smoothly and fluidly so I really appreciated that it didn’t drag or have any slow chapters.
The characters were all very real and have depth to them. There are some depression/suicidal trigger warnings in this book so please be mindful of that before you read. Sometimes when books feature characters with mental illness, they do a poor job of describing/shining negative light on these ailments. I did not feel the author did that with the main character’s depression. It was all very relatable and the main character also seems to have breakthroughs with her depression which I really appreciated those moments. It showed that this is an ailment that people can overcome and rise above.
I really loved all of the different personalities of the muses and really enjoyed having some of the chapters be from their point of view. Even though Sylvia is our main character, the story is not always from her point of view. I felt like this kept the story fresh and moving.
I also loved the musical aspect of this book. You can really tell by the way music is described in this book that not only Sylvia, but the author Sara Crawford has a deep passion for music. The songs that were mentioned are fantastic and some of my favorites! I love reading other people’s writing with that much passion! You can just feel her love of music leaping off the page.
I was very impressed overall with this book! Like I said, I don’t read urban fantasy very much but I am glad to have read and enjoyed this one. I look forward to reading the second book: Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming.
Check out more of my book reviews and book chats on my YouTube channel: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCR4CMg...
And my blog novelsandhops.wordpress.com
I haven’t read a ton of urban fantasy. I get worried about that genre that the magic or fantastical elements will feel forced on the characters and the reader, but the magical elements in We Own the Sky were really well done! It didn’t feel forced at all.
This was so much fun to read! It was so different and original, and I love the treatment of Greek muses in this story! It really did Greek mythology and muses justice.
I flew through this book! I just couldn’t get enough. The plot moves very smoothly and fluidly so I really appreciated that it didn’t drag or have any slow chapters.
The characters were all very real and have depth to them. There are some depression/suicidal trigger warnings in this book so please be mindful of that before you read. Sometimes when books feature characters with mental illness, they do a poor job of describing/shining negative light on these ailments. I did not feel the author did that with the main character’s depression. It was all very relatable and the main character also seems to have breakthroughs with her depression which I really appreciated those moments. It showed that this is an ailment that people can overcome and rise above.
I really loved all of the different personalities of the muses and really enjoyed having some of the chapters be from their point of view. Even though Sylvia is our main character, the story is not always from her point of view. I felt like this kept the story fresh and moving.
I also loved the musical aspect of this book. You can really tell by the way music is described in this book that not only Sylvia, but the author Sara Crawford has a deep passion for music. The songs that were mentioned are fantastic and some of my favorites! I love reading other people’s writing with that much passion! You can just feel her love of music leaping off the page.
I was very impressed overall with this book! Like I said, I don’t read urban fantasy very much but I am glad to have read and enjoyed this one. I look forward to reading the second book: Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming.
Check out more of my book reviews and book chats on my YouTube channel: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCR4CMg...
And my blog novelsandhops.wordpress.com
April 10, 2018
I received a free digital copy of this book from the author but did not base my review on this. I actually went back and bought the book to support the author.
We Own the Sky was a refreshing and unique book to read. I think I have gotten tired of all the old clichés and this one delivered on something different.
Sylvia is a depressed girl who loves music. She doesn’t socialize well and she sees shimmering people that no one else sees. She hides herself in the music of others. The book describes this so well and actually uses real bands and songs and includes a playlist at the end, which I thought was fun and added some neat reference to the book. The only drawback I saw to this was that it might date the book in a few years.
Sylvia discovers the people that only she can see are Muses. Muses inspire people in all forms of art. Sylvia is chosen by a muse named Vincent. He has inspired writers, painters, and now Sylvia as a musician. Also, Vincent isn’t described as a 6’4” tall, perfectly sculpted, blond Adonis. He is described more real than that and I appreciated it. Sylvia is instantly curious and excited about the muses.
The part I loved most about this book is that once Vincent enters Sylvia’s life she doesn’t do the typical, spend every waking moment together and ditch all her friends. Actually, it’s the opposite. Sylvia gains confidence and makes a groups of new friends and even joins a band (without Vincent).
All the side characters are full characters. A lot happens with them that would in typical teenage friendships. The subplots and side stories are just as interesting as the main plot and a couple of times we see thing thru another POV but the book was mainly Sylvia’s. A lot happens in the book. I don’t want to give anything away but it’s not a straight forward boy meets girl love story. It also deals with her new friends, her assumed mental condition, her fathers past and addiction issues, and so much more.
Even Vincent has a past and the Muses are explained and fleshed out well. Like I said, a lot was put into the book but it never felt rushed. It flowed organically and was beautifully written. I had no idea what was going to happen next. The downside is that it ended in a cliffhanger. A big cliffhanger! I forgave it because I already planned on reading the next one. It was too good not too.
We Own the Sky was a refreshing and unique book to read. I think I have gotten tired of all the old clichés and this one delivered on something different.
Sylvia is a depressed girl who loves music. She doesn’t socialize well and she sees shimmering people that no one else sees. She hides herself in the music of others. The book describes this so well and actually uses real bands and songs and includes a playlist at the end, which I thought was fun and added some neat reference to the book. The only drawback I saw to this was that it might date the book in a few years.
Sylvia discovers the people that only she can see are Muses. Muses inspire people in all forms of art. Sylvia is chosen by a muse named Vincent. He has inspired writers, painters, and now Sylvia as a musician. Also, Vincent isn’t described as a 6’4” tall, perfectly sculpted, blond Adonis. He is described more real than that and I appreciated it. Sylvia is instantly curious and excited about the muses.
The part I loved most about this book is that once Vincent enters Sylvia’s life she doesn’t do the typical, spend every waking moment together and ditch all her friends. Actually, it’s the opposite. Sylvia gains confidence and makes a groups of new friends and even joins a band (without Vincent).
All the side characters are full characters. A lot happens with them that would in typical teenage friendships. The subplots and side stories are just as interesting as the main plot and a couple of times we see thing thru another POV but the book was mainly Sylvia’s. A lot happens in the book. I don’t want to give anything away but it’s not a straight forward boy meets girl love story. It also deals with her new friends, her assumed mental condition, her fathers past and addiction issues, and so much more.
Even Vincent has a past and the Muses are explained and fleshed out well. Like I said, a lot was put into the book but it never felt rushed. It flowed organically and was beautifully written. I had no idea what was going to happen next. The downside is that it ended in a cliffhanger. A big cliffhanger! I forgave it because I already planned on reading the next one. It was too good not too.
March 11, 2018
*voluntarily and honestly reviewed the ARC I received from the author*
It's a 4.5 for me. It started off slow but it was due to the writing style, which had a very pretty feel, like the cold morning air when you wake up before everyone else in the house. It was purposefully slow, I thought, like when you first wake up and slowly gain energy as the sun rises to warm you up. I seriously fell for what the author did with that, whether she meant it to come out that way or not.
As a reader of urban fantasy, I appreciated the Muse aspect and how music and the Art could be something paranormal (or would you consider this a myth fantasy? Hmm) and because music's a big part of my life, it wasn't at all hard to relate to the characters' love for music. Sylvie was a young girl with issues, and while I said this was a slow-build type of story, I still thought it had a certain fast pace to it that let you get as much as possible in the three-four months that this book contains.
I had a super hard time with people thinking she was crazy. It's one of my ultimate pet peeves with people and I hate when someone suffers because there are people telling them they're crazy and 'not right'. Grr! I pretty much cried when the people who thought they were doing the right thing- well. I can't say for spoiler's sake, so I'll just say that the ending really made me want to curl up in a blanket and think about everything that happened. I liked that this YA novel had some realistic issues of the teen life and how it built up the paranormal bit slowly until it started to tumble down like a snowball, gaining momentum with the climax. I liked that, a lot. And I'm pretty sure that if characters make you angry or annoyed, it's a good thing. I just hope Sylvie finds some confidence in herself in the next book to tell them all to stuff it and live her life happily. On to the second novel now!
It's a 4.5 for me. It started off slow but it was due to the writing style, which had a very pretty feel, like the cold morning air when you wake up before everyone else in the house. It was purposefully slow, I thought, like when you first wake up and slowly gain energy as the sun rises to warm you up. I seriously fell for what the author did with that, whether she meant it to come out that way or not.
As a reader of urban fantasy, I appreciated the Muse aspect and how music and the Art could be something paranormal (or would you consider this a myth fantasy? Hmm) and because music's a big part of my life, it wasn't at all hard to relate to the characters' love for music. Sylvie was a young girl with issues, and while I said this was a slow-build type of story, I still thought it had a certain fast pace to it that let you get as much as possible in the three-four months that this book contains.
I had a super hard time with people thinking she was crazy. It's one of my ultimate pet peeves with people and I hate when someone suffers because there are people telling them they're crazy and 'not right'. Grr! I pretty much cried when the people who thought they were doing the right thing- well. I can't say for spoiler's sake, so I'll just say that the ending really made me want to curl up in a blanket and think about everything that happened. I liked that this YA novel had some realistic issues of the teen life and how it built up the paranormal bit slowly until it started to tumble down like a snowball, gaining momentum with the climax. I liked that, a lot. And I'm pretty sure that if characters make you angry or annoyed, it's a good thing. I just hope Sylvie finds some confidence in herself in the next book to tell them all to stuff it and live her life happily. On to the second novel now!
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