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Fearsome Dreamer #1
Fearsome Dreamer
There is a world where gods you’ve never heard of have wound themselves into hearts, and choice has led its history down a different path.
This is a world where France made a small, downtrodden island called England part of its vast and bloated empire.
There are people here who can cross a thousand miles with their minds. There are rarer people still who can move between continents in the blink of an eye.
These people are dangerous.
And wanted. Desperately wanted.
Apprentice hedgewitch Vela Rue knows that she is destined for more. She knows being whisked off from a dull country life to a city full of mystery and intrigue is meant to be. She knows she has something her government wants, a talent so rare and precious and new that they will do anything to train her in it.
But she doesn’t know that she is being lied to. She doesn’t know that the man teaching her about her talent is becoming obsessed by her, and considered by some to be the most dangerous man alive ...
This is a world where France made a small, downtrodden island called England part of its vast and bloated empire.
There are people here who can cross a thousand miles with their minds. There are rarer people still who can move between continents in the blink of an eye.
These people are dangerous.
And wanted. Desperately wanted.
Apprentice hedgewitch Vela Rue knows that she is destined for more. She knows being whisked off from a dull country life to a city full of mystery and intrigue is meant to be. She knows she has something her government wants, a talent so rare and precious and new that they will do anything to train her in it.
But she doesn’t know that she is being lied to. She doesn’t know that the man teaching her about her talent is becoming obsessed by her, and considered by some to be the most dangerous man alive ...
384 pages, Paperback
First published October 3, 2013
19 people are currently reading
5652 people want to read
About the author
Laure Eve
7 books510 followersLaure Eve is the author of critically acclaimed duologies The Graces and The Curses,
Fearsome Dreamer and The Illusionists,
and the forthcoming duology Blackheart Knights (spring 2021).
She has been published in 10 languages and has regularly appeared at festivals, conventions and conferences in countries around the world.
She speaks English and French, and can hold a vague conversation, usually about food, in Greek.
The name is pronounced lore eev. (in English. In French there's a whole back of the throat deal).
Fearsome Dreamer and The Illusionists,
and the forthcoming duology Blackheart Knights (spring 2021).
She has been published in 10 languages and has regularly appeared at festivals, conventions and conferences in countries around the world.
She speaks English and French, and can hold a vague conversation, usually about food, in Greek.
The name is pronounced lore eev. (in English. In French there's a whole back of the throat deal).
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
July 4, 2017
5 Words: War, power, technology, knowledge, heritage.
YA Shot February Read-a-long!
I thought this was quite slow to start, and it felt like it took forever to pick up. But when it did pick up there was no stopping it.
Full review to come.
YA Shot February Read-a-long!
I thought this was quite slow to start, and it felt like it took forever to pick up. But when it did pick up there was no stopping it.
Full review to come.
January 17, 2016
★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
With an amazing cover and a promising premise,Fearsome Dreamer has to be good,right?
Right?
Though the original idea,Fearsome Dreamer was a huge disappointment.
Here are a few reasons why I disliked this book:
Originality Lack of originality
World→Ignoring the lack of creativity in naming this nation,World is the typical dystopian setting.
Angle Tar→The name may sound clever and creative if we ignore the strange similarity between Angle Tar and Angleterre.
Life→A virtual reality.Another example of the author's imagination.
Talented→A highly technical term that refers to talented people,really unexpected and creative.
Castle→A castle called Castle.Mind blowing.
World building Chaotic setting
Rue lives in Angle Tar and White lives in World.World depends on technology while Angle Tar seems a lot more rural.Easy peasy,right?
World→Little useful information is given about World.It's described by one of the characters as having a lot of countries,how many exactly?No clue.
World citizens depend on Life a virtual reality where people can meet...and do other stuff.
White's mother is addicted to Life,how exactly can someone point out her addiction when supposedly every World citizen depends on Life is a big mystery.It's not explained how Life really works and what can people exactly do while connected to it.
In the first few chapters a few agents from World are appointed by Castle and have to find Talented people.
Yet having a Talent seem to be illegal in World.
Angle Tar→The typical medieval sounding land,from the long hair all men in Angle Tarmust have to the particular accents citizens of Angle Tar are the picture of fantasy inhabitants.
If World is confusing Angle Tar was even more questionable.
Talented→Like the name suggests these individuals have special talents,what kind of abilities and when they first manifest them it's apparently not useful information therefore missing in the book.
Castle→ ...
Characters
Rue→If you want to read about a weak,self-absorbed,vain,incoherentbitch girl,Rue is the your kind of heroine.Also she's constantly thinking about how miserable she is without a man in her life.
White→A powerful Talented with a painful past he's the epitome of an unoriginal hero.
Frith→He's an agent of Angle Tar that works for Castle,why was he convinced to work for them?Another mystery.
Wren→Some friend of White and possible romantic interest for Rue.
The Romance
The two main characters meet at nearly three-quarters into the book.
Usually this should mean that in the 200 pages prior their encounter the story would be concentrated on their character development,not in this case.
They don't get along but for some reason are fascinated with each other.
Their relationship was boring and vague.
Because of various misunderstandings,that could have been easily explained but weren't because that would be too easy,Rue
It just couldn't be unoriginal without a love triangle.
The writing
The chapters are formed this way: n°of the chapter,if it takes place in Angle Tar or World and the name of the character from which it will be told from.One would think that Chapter 18-Angle Tar-White is a chapter told by White's pov,instead in this chapter like in a few others the pov changes to Rue.
What is the point in that?
My final thoughts
Fearsome Dreamer is a irritatingly unoriginal,cryptic,full of mumbo-jumbo read.
Positive thoughts?
It's a library book.
With an amazing cover and a promising premise,Fearsome Dreamer has to be good,right?
Right?
Though the original idea,Fearsome Dreamer was a huge disappointment.
Here are a few reasons why I disliked this book:
World→Ignoring the lack of creativity in naming this nation,World is the typical dystopian setting.
Angle Tar→The name may sound clever and creative if we ignore the strange similarity between Angle Tar and Angleterre.
Life→A virtual reality.Another example of the author's imagination.
Talented→A highly technical term that refers to talented people,really unexpected and creative.
Castle→A castle called Castle.Mind blowing.
Rue lives in Angle Tar and White lives in World.World depends on technology while Angle Tar seems a lot more rural.Easy peasy,right?
World→Little useful information is given about World.It's described by one of the characters as having a lot of countries,how many exactly?No clue.
World citizens depend on Life a virtual reality where people can meet...and do other stuff.
White's mother is addicted to Life,how exactly can someone point out her addiction when supposedly every World citizen depends on Life is a big mystery.It's not explained how Life really works and what can people exactly do while connected to it.
In the first few chapters a few agents from World are appointed by Castle and have to find Talented people.
Yet having a Talent seem to be illegal in World.
Angle Tar→The typical medieval sounding land,from the long hair all men in Angle Tar
If World is confusing Angle Tar was even more questionable.
Talented→Like the name suggests these individuals have special talents,what kind of abilities and when they first manifest them it's apparently not useful information therefore missing in the book.
Castle→ ...
"This was Castle.It showed you the past and the now and the what might be.It showed them all together in the same place until it was hard to know when you were.It showed you other world,other times,other and other,until you started to lose all sense of yourself in time and place,and years could pass out there while you stood in a room,frozen and alone."
Characters
Rue→If you want to read about a weak,self-absorbed,vain,incoherent
"If she could find a man like that,he would rule her.But she hadn't yet,because no man had yet passed the test she set them.Because they were ordinary,and she knew that.Ordinary people couldn't measure up[...]people that would never measure up.And what was the point,she thought,of measuring for that?"
White→A powerful Talented with a painful past he's the epitome of an unoriginal hero.
Frith→He's an agent of Angle Tar that works for Castle,why was he convinced to work for them?Another mystery.
Wren→Some friend of White and possible romantic interest for Rue.
The Romance
The two main characters meet at nearly three-quarters into the book.
Usually this should mean that in the 200 pages prior their encounter the story would be concentrated on their character development,not in this case.
They don't get along but for some reason are fascinated with each other.
Their relationship was boring and vague.
Because of various misunderstandings,that could have been easily explained but weren't because that would be too easy,Rue
It just couldn't be unoriginal without a love triangle.
The writing
The chapters are formed this way: n°of the chapter,if it takes place in Angle Tar or World and the name of the character from which it will be told from.One would think that Chapter 18-Angle Tar-White is a chapter told by White's pov,instead in this chapter like in a few others the pov changes to Rue.
What is the point in that?
My final thoughts
Fearsome Dreamer is a irritatingly unoriginal,cryptic,full of mumbo-jumbo read.
Positive thoughts?
It's a library book.
Read
February 13, 2014As my updates show, I struggled quite a bit with this book. It got me on the wrong foot from the start because it initially felt like just a cross between a mediocre fantasy and a rather dark dystopian novel instead of the magical wonderful mashup the blurb describes. It did quickly become more interesting than a simple dystopia - for one thing, it’s also an alternate history - but there was a disconnect for me between the blurb (and many reviewers’ comments) and my experience. YA dystopian fiction isn’t really my favourite sub–genre, but I can overlook it if I’m in the right mood, and I wasn’t.
The main weakness of the novel, I think, is the slow and spare development of plot of characters in order to set up the following book(s).
So: the plot. There is the trope of the special teenagers, ‘the Talented’, who are hunted by those who need them and those who would harm them. Two large plot arcs concern the betrayals of one character by another. Of course there is more to the plot than just these two overarching schemas, but they dominate the book. I particularly squirmed during the second plot arc, during the last two thirds or so of the novel, when it’s only the reader and the lying, manipulative character who know what is going on. It’s not that this wasn’t done well – in fact I think the writer handled it extremely well, especially the portrayal of the deceiver. It’s that I actually find this kind of plot device particularly excruciating. This is a purely personal thing, of course, and many other readers won’t find it a problem. It’s an effective tool to ramp up the tension; I just don’t happen to like that particular form of tension.
Apart from that, I found the plot rather simplistic and somewhat cliched – but given that this is the first volume of a series and that this one moves quite slowly, that’s not surprising. My big beef here is that in order for the plot finale to occur, both characters in the budding romantic relationship need to be oddly passive and unassertive when the plot heats up. There is one particular episode which seems to be an homage to the scene in Pride and Prejudice where Darcy proposes to Elizabeth – not that there is an actual proposal here, but there is the equivalent of Elizabeth’s assumptions and her disdain, and of Darcy’s fury and inability or reluctance to tell her the truth about Wickham. This parallel scene is handled quite well, by the way, but the parallel with P&P falls down because in the latter the reader is duped along with Elizabeth (at least on the first reading), while in this book, the reader already knows every detail of the truth. For me, the subtle power of that scene from P&P is that the reader is a partner with Elizabeth in her assumptions and her anger so that later the reader is also a partner in her self-insight. Now, of course it’s not fair to compare a first-time novelist to Jane Austen, but the scene really seems to invite comparison. What’s more to the point, the attempt the writer made to make it seem believable in terms of the personalities involved didn’t really work for me and I’m not sure I buy it. It’s not that the characters are outwardly passive – there’s plenty of conflict and slow burn – but that the plot requires that neither of them act, neither in regard to each other nor in regard to the betrayer. It just didn’t work for me.
Another thing that’s lacking a bit is the world-building. It’s all a bit sketchy. I don’t have a full sense of either World or Angle Tar, the two locations in which the plot takes place. And World irritated me in its role as the stereotypical future world gone totally wrong, with just about everyone (except for the archetypal rebels) lost in a virtual reality - clearly echoing our current obsessions with the internet and electronic devices. This may well change and become more nuanced in future books, but in this one, it felt a bit inadequate to me. Mind you, I very much enjoyed the name quirky name ‘Angle Tar’ and its meaning in the alternate history in which the novel is set.
Other things I liked: the characters of Rue, White and Frith really begin to come to life towards the end of the book (in fact, everything really only started to interest me towards the end). White, in particular, has huge potential as a character. The other thing I might just read the next book for, apart from the development of the characters, is to find out more about the central mystery, which is mostly hidden and only peeps out now and then, except at the very end: what is the Castle, who is the Ghost Lady, what is the monster and what’s really going on? That’s what really piqued my interest – and it’s beautifully portrayed, with the right amount of horror and dread, but it’s hardly touched upon until the very end.
At its best, the writing is something else I appreciated, but it’s rather uneven – at times rather clumsy and stilted, but at other times, really vivid and lovely. It seemed to build to a crescendo towards the very last pages of the book, when it soared and sang, and managed to rescue the book for me.
It’s a shame that I spent so much time squirming while I read this book, but having finished it, and been piqued by the intriguing crescendo, I might just possibly have a peep at the next one to see what the mystery is all about, to find out more about the characters, and hoping to imbibe more of the best of that interesting voice.
I have so many conflicting reactions that it’s impossible for me to rate this book, so for once, I’m just not going to.
The main weakness of the novel, I think, is the slow and spare development of plot of characters in order to set up the following book(s).
So: the plot. There is the trope of the special teenagers, ‘the Talented’, who are hunted by those who need them and those who would harm them. Two large plot arcs concern the betrayals of one character by another. Of course there is more to the plot than just these two overarching schemas, but they dominate the book. I particularly squirmed during the second plot arc, during the last two thirds or so of the novel, when it’s only the reader and the lying, manipulative character who know what is going on. It’s not that this wasn’t done well – in fact I think the writer handled it extremely well, especially the portrayal of the deceiver. It’s that I actually find this kind of plot device particularly excruciating. This is a purely personal thing, of course, and many other readers won’t find it a problem. It’s an effective tool to ramp up the tension; I just don’t happen to like that particular form of tension.
Apart from that, I found the plot rather simplistic and somewhat cliched – but given that this is the first volume of a series and that this one moves quite slowly, that’s not surprising. My big beef here is that in order for the plot finale to occur, both characters in the budding romantic relationship need to be oddly passive and unassertive when the plot heats up. There is one particular episode which seems to be an homage to the scene in Pride and Prejudice where Darcy proposes to Elizabeth – not that there is an actual proposal here, but there is the equivalent of Elizabeth’s assumptions and her disdain, and of Darcy’s fury and inability or reluctance to tell her the truth about Wickham. This parallel scene is handled quite well, by the way, but the parallel with P&P falls down because in the latter the reader is duped along with Elizabeth (at least on the first reading), while in this book, the reader already knows every detail of the truth. For me, the subtle power of that scene from P&P is that the reader is a partner with Elizabeth in her assumptions and her anger so that later the reader is also a partner in her self-insight. Now, of course it’s not fair to compare a first-time novelist to Jane Austen, but the scene really seems to invite comparison. What’s more to the point, the attempt the writer made to make it seem believable in terms of the personalities involved didn’t really work for me and I’m not sure I buy it. It’s not that the characters are outwardly passive – there’s plenty of conflict and slow burn – but that the plot requires that neither of them act, neither in regard to each other nor in regard to the betrayer. It just didn’t work for me.
Another thing that’s lacking a bit is the world-building. It’s all a bit sketchy. I don’t have a full sense of either World or Angle Tar, the two locations in which the plot takes place. And World irritated me in its role as the stereotypical future world gone totally wrong, with just about everyone (except for the archetypal rebels) lost in a virtual reality - clearly echoing our current obsessions with the internet and electronic devices. This may well change and become more nuanced in future books, but in this one, it felt a bit inadequate to me. Mind you, I very much enjoyed the name quirky name ‘Angle Tar’ and its meaning in the alternate history in which the novel is set.
Other things I liked: the characters of Rue, White and Frith really begin to come to life towards the end of the book (in fact, everything really only started to interest me towards the end). White, in particular, has huge potential as a character. The other thing I might just read the next book for, apart from the development of the characters, is to find out more about the central mystery, which is mostly hidden and only peeps out now and then, except at the very end: what is the Castle, who is the Ghost Lady, what is the monster and what’s really going on? That’s what really piqued my interest – and it’s beautifully portrayed, with the right amount of horror and dread, but it’s hardly touched upon until the very end.
At its best, the writing is something else I appreciated, but it’s rather uneven – at times rather clumsy and stilted, but at other times, really vivid and lovely. It seemed to build to a crescendo towards the very last pages of the book, when it soared and sang, and managed to rescue the book for me.
It’s a shame that I spent so much time squirming while I read this book, but having finished it, and been piqued by the intriguing crescendo, I might just possibly have a peep at the next one to see what the mystery is all about, to find out more about the characters, and hoping to imbibe more of the best of that interesting voice.
I have so many conflicting reactions that it’s impossible for me to rate this book, so for once, I’m just not going to.
November 5, 2013
Original mini review:
If you mixed Pride & Prejudice with The Black Magician Trilogy, threw in some sci-fi, a bit of alternative history, and gave the whole thing a seductive, almost surreal quality, you wouldn't have a book *quite* as good as Fearsome Dreamer, but you'd be close.
Full-length review:
Fearsome Dreamer is the sort of book that desires to seduce you slowly. There’s no quick pay off, no one night stand, the story reels you in, gently, gently, until you’re completely enraptured, immersed in the world Laure Eve has created. It’s clear that Laure Eve has been inspired by a great many things; paying them homage whilst still crafting a novel that is entirely unique and entirely her own.
You may feel that fantasy, alternate history, sci-fi, a slight dystopian slant and hints of horror would not a fantastic book make. You would be wrong. Laure Eve seamlessly weaves together snippets from multiple genres to create a story that almost defies categorisation and makes it one of the most unique and interesting books I have ever read. The World and world Laure Eve has created is both intriguing and developed. An interesting mix of future technological globalisation and old-England-come-fantasy-setting, information about the state of our planet and its inhabitants is drip-fed, avoiding a confusion-inducing info-dump and succeeding in holding the interest of the reader; curious to learn more.
The characters are real, with personality traits that are not always desirable but in no way affect the likability of those possessing them. Rue is fanciful and almost silly; with that innocent narcissistic touch that many teenagers exhibit, making her easy to relate to. She believes she is destined for great things, in that self-involved way many of us view ourselves in our teen years, and, in her case, she is right. Transported from her home in the countryside of Angle Tar, to one of the majestic cities, she meets White. The young and severely introverted instructor is quickly irritated by Rue’s thoughtless, unfiltered way of speaking; leading to a strained relationship, until an episode reminiscent of one of my favourite moments in Buffy the Vampire Slayer forces them to re-evaluate how they feel about each other. This new tension, this awareness, is heightened during my favourite scene of the book, which is clearly inspired by one of the great scenes of literature and is absolute perfection. White’s almost desperate attempts to forge the sort of connection he wants but struggles to make are endearingly heartbreaking, as is the almost complete social shutdown he forces upon himself, and the flashes of what happened to him before Rue came along are even more so.
White and Rue are both ‘headhunted’ by Frith; a complex and complicated character that I found myself both respecting and fearing. It is through Frith that we discover the end game of the story: the mysterious Castle; the horrors it contains; the need for the Talented, and the tense relationship between Angle Tar and World: a relationship that fuels some of the most important elements of this book.
Fearsome Dreamer is very literary in the sense that there’s a certain emphasis placed on the language and the characters; specifically their interactions and relationships with each other. The book reminds me of The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater in this aspect, and its ending certainly packs a similar emotional punch to the climax of that novel.
TL;DR: Fiercely compelling, Fearsome Dreamer is an accomplished, captivating and thoughtful debut novel. There are some fantastic female writers really making waves in the fantasy genre lately; Leigh Bardugo, Samantha Shannon, Sarah J. Maas, and Laure Eve should count herself among them.
If you mixed Pride & Prejudice with The Black Magician Trilogy, threw in some sci-fi, a bit of alternative history, and gave the whole thing a seductive, almost surreal quality, you wouldn't have a book *quite* as good as Fearsome Dreamer, but you'd be close.
Full-length review:
Fearsome Dreamer is the sort of book that desires to seduce you slowly. There’s no quick pay off, no one night stand, the story reels you in, gently, gently, until you’re completely enraptured, immersed in the world Laure Eve has created. It’s clear that Laure Eve has been inspired by a great many things; paying them homage whilst still crafting a novel that is entirely unique and entirely her own.
You may feel that fantasy, alternate history, sci-fi, a slight dystopian slant and hints of horror would not a fantastic book make. You would be wrong. Laure Eve seamlessly weaves together snippets from multiple genres to create a story that almost defies categorisation and makes it one of the most unique and interesting books I have ever read. The World and world Laure Eve has created is both intriguing and developed. An interesting mix of future technological globalisation and old-England-come-fantasy-setting, information about the state of our planet and its inhabitants is drip-fed, avoiding a confusion-inducing info-dump and succeeding in holding the interest of the reader; curious to learn more.
The characters are real, with personality traits that are not always desirable but in no way affect the likability of those possessing them. Rue is fanciful and almost silly; with that innocent narcissistic touch that many teenagers exhibit, making her easy to relate to. She believes she is destined for great things, in that self-involved way many of us view ourselves in our teen years, and, in her case, she is right. Transported from her home in the countryside of Angle Tar, to one of the majestic cities, she meets White. The young and severely introverted instructor is quickly irritated by Rue’s thoughtless, unfiltered way of speaking; leading to a strained relationship, until an episode reminiscent of one of my favourite moments in Buffy the Vampire Slayer forces them to re-evaluate how they feel about each other. This new tension, this awareness, is heightened during my favourite scene of the book, which is clearly inspired by one of the great scenes of literature and is absolute perfection. White’s almost desperate attempts to forge the sort of connection he wants but struggles to make are endearingly heartbreaking, as is the almost complete social shutdown he forces upon himself, and the flashes of what happened to him before Rue came along are even more so.
White and Rue are both ‘headhunted’ by Frith; a complex and complicated character that I found myself both respecting and fearing. It is through Frith that we discover the end game of the story: the mysterious Castle; the horrors it contains; the need for the Talented, and the tense relationship between Angle Tar and World: a relationship that fuels some of the most important elements of this book.
Fearsome Dreamer is very literary in the sense that there’s a certain emphasis placed on the language and the characters; specifically their interactions and relationships with each other. The book reminds me of The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater in this aspect, and its ending certainly packs a similar emotional punch to the climax of that novel.
TL;DR: Fiercely compelling, Fearsome Dreamer is an accomplished, captivating and thoughtful debut novel. There are some fantastic female writers really making waves in the fantasy genre lately; Leigh Bardugo, Samantha Shannon, Sarah J. Maas, and Laure Eve should count herself among them.
November 2, 2016
I'd say a 3,5 stars, some elements I really liked and some I didn't; will write a full review!
October 6, 2020
Starting with "Fearsome Dreamer" I discovered a new genre - technofantasy. Sounds dope, right?
Imagine the world as you know erased. No animals, no vegetation, nothing. The buildings, the houses all gone and replaced with grey cubes, where people live their lifes in apartments. And you'd think, this is bullshit, how are they living? Well wait cause this isn't all. There this virtual reality that gives you access to a world of dreams, that let's you create your own home, your own universe. You need to work, right? You do it there. There are devices that provides you with food, just choose a dish and it's done.
Everything is controlled by a world council.
Rue lives in the only one country which isn't part of this new world, Angle Tar, and she hates it. She has a power, she's a Talented and she's not the only one.
White is considere the most dangerous man alive. He lived in World all his life, being able to roam free in the Angle Tar only in his mind, until one day he decided to leave his old life behind and go there.
It's a really interesting concept, I liked this series, and I want to explore this genre more.
Imagine the world as you know erased. No animals, no vegetation, nothing. The buildings, the houses all gone and replaced with grey cubes, where people live their lifes in apartments. And you'd think, this is bullshit, how are they living? Well wait cause this isn't all. There this virtual reality that gives you access to a world of dreams, that let's you create your own home, your own universe. You need to work, right? You do it there. There are devices that provides you with food, just choose a dish and it's done.
Everything is controlled by a world council.
Rue lives in the only one country which isn't part of this new world, Angle Tar, and she hates it. She has a power, she's a Talented and she's not the only one.
White is considere the most dangerous man alive. He lived in World all his life, being able to roam free in the Angle Tar only in his mind, until one day he decided to leave his old life behind and go there.
It's a really interesting concept, I liked this series, and I want to explore this genre more.
September 4, 2016
Vela Rue is a dedicated young hedgewitch-in-training, living in the Angle Tarr (extra points if you understand the etymology of the name!) countryside, always wishing for something more. White is a boy who lives in the technologically advanced World, and has been locked up and tortured because of his gift. Rue and White have both been experiencing strange, realistic dreams all their lives, but are unaware what it means and how far it could go.
Fearsome Dreamers' strength is its intricately woven and immensely detailed world-building, but its vivid characters stood out to me the most.
Rue is stubborn, outwardly confident yet quietly unsure. She is unsatisfied with her monotonous life as an assistant in the countryside, and feels like everyone in her village is merely existing rather than living. She often watches them gather round to gossip; today's news surrounds a forbidden couple who have run away together. (Although, Rue may have had a part to play in this debacle!). Rue wants to see what else is out there, but running away never crosses her mind. I admired Rue's strength, determination and ability to brush off unwarranted criticism, but thought she was believable in her lack of desire to simply take off, leaving the only place she's ever known to see what is beyond her tiny bit of Angle Tarr – until Frith comes to visit.
Frith is a government spy, working at the university. It's his job to discover and bring back the Talented – people who experience these unusual dreams – and see that they are trained. It is in Angle Tarr that he is unexpectedly introduced to White, who's run away from World in search for a life free from persecution, and quickly realises he's the most Talented yet. Months later, White and Rue clash instantly (and, for us, humorously!) but do not realise how alike they are.
Fearsome Dreamer delicately explores the tension between Rue and White throughout, developing them as individual, strong-willed characters until they eventually collide. We get to watch them circle each other, seeing the worst in one another, while trying to ignore the inevitable attraction; both outcasts even in a sea of non-conformity. And all this takes place in a well-developed and fascinating setting, which we learn more about as the story progresses.
Fearsome Dreamer does an excellent job of pulling you into the alternative world where technology is shunned yet there are people who exist that surpass the most technically advanced. Alternative reality is blended with the modern world as we know it. It's different, but it's there, and if you're a fellow Brit, it'll make you feel very small indeed.
Thank you Hot Key Books for providing this book for review!
I also reviewed this book over on Pretty Books.
Fearsome Dreamers' strength is its intricately woven and immensely detailed world-building, but its vivid characters stood out to me the most.
Rue is stubborn, outwardly confident yet quietly unsure. She is unsatisfied with her monotonous life as an assistant in the countryside, and feels like everyone in her village is merely existing rather than living. She often watches them gather round to gossip; today's news surrounds a forbidden couple who have run away together. (Although, Rue may have had a part to play in this debacle!). Rue wants to see what else is out there, but running away never crosses her mind. I admired Rue's strength, determination and ability to brush off unwarranted criticism, but thought she was believable in her lack of desire to simply take off, leaving the only place she's ever known to see what is beyond her tiny bit of Angle Tarr – until Frith comes to visit.
Frith is a government spy, working at the university. It's his job to discover and bring back the Talented – people who experience these unusual dreams – and see that they are trained. It is in Angle Tarr that he is unexpectedly introduced to White, who's run away from World in search for a life free from persecution, and quickly realises he's the most Talented yet. Months later, White and Rue clash instantly (and, for us, humorously!) but do not realise how alike they are.
Fearsome Dreamer delicately explores the tension between Rue and White throughout, developing them as individual, strong-willed characters until they eventually collide. We get to watch them circle each other, seeing the worst in one another, while trying to ignore the inevitable attraction; both outcasts even in a sea of non-conformity. And all this takes place in a well-developed and fascinating setting, which we learn more about as the story progresses.
Fearsome Dreamer does an excellent job of pulling you into the alternative world where technology is shunned yet there are people who exist that surpass the most technically advanced. Alternative reality is blended with the modern world as we know it. It's different, but it's there, and if you're a fellow Brit, it'll make you feel very small indeed.
Thank you Hot Key Books for providing this book for review!
I also reviewed this book over on Pretty Books.
Want to read
August 1, 2013Oh God oh God oh God! I really wanna win this book!!!!
June 28, 2015
Okay so there wasn't like anything particularly ~problematic in this novel but it was just incredibly, INCREDIBLY boring. It's a real shame, because the premise of a group of people able to teleport and invade the dreams of others is always a fun plot (I mean look at how successful Inception was) but MAN was the way the narrative was written was a massive flop.
For starters the narrative is split between four narrators: White, Wren, Rue and Frith. In novels where the narration style is split like this you need to have solid characters and have them navigating different aspects of the plot. White, Wren and Rue unfortunately all occupy the same space in the narrative, and Frith's narrative was so loaded with random techno-babble and unexplained plot points that it was impossible to relate to it. Rue is the heroine, of sorts, but watching her try to work out who is friend and who is foe is made completely redundant by the fact the two boys she is trying to navigate between are also given their own narratives and make the chapters where Rue is trying to work out truth completely redundant and a rather irritating waste of time for the reader.
The other issue is that there are absolutely no stakes in this novel, at all. It doesn't even have a real conclusion, the novel just sort of peters out as if the writer hacked their manuscript in two just so they could have a series. The only 'enemy' given is a mysterious monster that is neither named nor adequately described and seems to exist only in the cyberspace realm occupied by the technologically advanced nations.
The author so desperately wants to build dramatic tension by not revealing everything, but goes to far and instead reveals absolutely nothing.
There was also a couple of very uncomfortable couple of scenes where White fantasized about pinning Rue down and kissing her till she 'submitted' which was just....uh...work out your issues author.
For starters the narrative is split between four narrators: White, Wren, Rue and Frith. In novels where the narration style is split like this you need to have solid characters and have them navigating different aspects of the plot. White, Wren and Rue unfortunately all occupy the same space in the narrative, and Frith's narrative was so loaded with random techno-babble and unexplained plot points that it was impossible to relate to it. Rue is the heroine, of sorts, but watching her try to work out who is friend and who is foe is made completely redundant by the fact the two boys she is trying to navigate between are also given their own narratives and make the chapters where Rue is trying to work out truth completely redundant and a rather irritating waste of time for the reader.
The other issue is that there are absolutely no stakes in this novel, at all. It doesn't even have a real conclusion, the novel just sort of peters out as if the writer hacked their manuscript in two just so they could have a series. The only 'enemy' given is a mysterious monster that is neither named nor adequately described and seems to exist only in the cyberspace realm occupied by the technologically advanced nations.
The author so desperately wants to build dramatic tension by not revealing everything, but goes to far and instead reveals absolutely nothing.
There was also a couple of very uncomfortable couple of scenes where White fantasized about pinning Rue down and kissing her till she 'submitted' which was just....uh...work out your issues author.
August 17, 2018
Did not finish.
I didn't have particularly high expectations for this book. I picked it up in a pound shop because the cover is georgeous so big shout out to the person who did this. I wanted a fun, low brain power romp of some kind. This isn't that.
I have two major complaints that made me stop reading: The two main characters are deeply unlikeable and the book is boring.
The two characters both whine continually about how special they are and how nobody appreciates them. This is boring. The male MC constantly whines about how spcial it is and how nobody appreciates him and how hard it is to be as special as he is. The female MC constantly whines about having to actually do something for the job oportunity she's been given and she's too special to be here why can't people just see what's special and let her lie in a field and daydream all day? Neither of them are particularly compelling.
The boring is because the author has not yet mastered show don't tell. I get it, it's harder than it looks. It's one of those things that sounds simple but it actually really easy to mess up. Here, it takes the form of bucket loads of introspective dialogue (normally about the above). There was a scene where the female MC walked through a field, lay down, and had a dream. Most of it, though, was her refecting on things. That is telling. Don't make your MC reflect on it, show it to me!
There were also some editing things (sentences not quite making sense) that I hold the publisher responsible for.
But, basically, there was a good concept. I think maybe the author had a good novel that she hadn't quite yet reached the skill level she needed to carry of, and certainly not to make into a trillogy. There was some skilled writing in here, I don't think it's unreadable which is why I've given it a 2 and not a 1, it just tended to get drowned out by another three paragraph monologue about how nobody appreaictes them.
I didn't have particularly high expectations for this book. I picked it up in a pound shop because the cover is georgeous so big shout out to the person who did this. I wanted a fun, low brain power romp of some kind. This isn't that.
I have two major complaints that made me stop reading: The two main characters are deeply unlikeable and the book is boring.
The two characters both whine continually about how special they are and how nobody appreciates them. This is boring. The male MC constantly whines about how spcial it is and how nobody appreciates him and how hard it is to be as special as he is. The female MC constantly whines about having to actually do something for the job oportunity she's been given and she's too special to be here why can't people just see what's special and let her lie in a field and daydream all day? Neither of them are particularly compelling.
The boring is because the author has not yet mastered show don't tell. I get it, it's harder than it looks. It's one of those things that sounds simple but it actually really easy to mess up. Here, it takes the form of bucket loads of introspective dialogue (normally about the above). There was a scene where the female MC walked through a field, lay down, and had a dream. Most of it, though, was her refecting on things. That is telling. Don't make your MC reflect on it, show it to me!
There were also some editing things (sentences not quite making sense) that I hold the publisher responsible for.
But, basically, there was a good concept. I think maybe the author had a good novel that she hadn't quite yet reached the skill level she needed to carry of, and certainly not to make into a trillogy. There was some skilled writing in here, I don't think it's unreadable which is why I've given it a 2 and not a 1, it just tended to get drowned out by another three paragraph monologue about how nobody appreaictes them.
August 28, 2013
Picked up a copy of this at LeakyCon London and was lucky enough to sit in on some panels to hear Laure talk about writing and then meet her afterwards and get my book signed. :)
It took me a few chapters to get into this book, but as soon as I did I just could not put it down at all and ended up finishing it in a few hours! You get completely sucked into the worlds and abilities that have been created - World and Angle Tar both leave you wanting to know more about them, as do the abilities - the Jumps and Hooks and everything else. When this book gets a general release it is going to be huge. Already looking forward to the sequel!!!
It took me a few chapters to get into this book, but as soon as I did I just could not put it down at all and ended up finishing it in a few hours! You get completely sucked into the worlds and abilities that have been created - World and Angle Tar both leave you wanting to know more about them, as do the abilities - the Jumps and Hooks and everything else. When this book gets a general release it is going to be huge. Already looking forward to the sequel!!!
December 26, 2017
DNF
I give up. I just can't get into this. And well, I'm not longer wanting to waste my time reading something that I don't wish too.
I give up. I just can't get into this. And well, I'm not longer wanting to waste my time reading something that I don't wish too.
August 18, 2019
i... i need a moment. dear lord
rtc
rtc
October 18, 2013
Fearsome Dreamer is a novel that is hard to fit into any one category, it manages to have an olde worlde feel to it at the same time as it includes some fantastical futuristic technology. Think alternate history, one small isolated country standing against corporate global domination, magic, dreams that intersect with reality and characters from two completely different worlds colliding and you'll be along the right lines. This is without a doubt one of the most original books I've read in a long time and it's an impressive debut from Laure Eve. She has put a huge amount of effort into building her world but she manages to do it seamlessly so I was never left feeling confused or subjected to info dumping.
Both sides of her world are complete opposites of each other but they are both familiar enough to grasp easily. One one hand you have Angle Tar, a small island country that is cut off from the rest of World. Visiting Angle Tar is like stepping back in time, you have very few forms of transport, most people will spend their entire lives in the same village and life is very simple. They have very little in the way of technology and it's a bit like stepping back into the middle ages. Then on the other hand you have the rest of World, where lives are ruled by technology. People rarely leave their homes because they can visit anywhere on the planet via a virtual reality network, food is created by machines and everyone's lives are monitored constantly. Life in both places couldn't be more different and the two sides are natural enemies but a danger is coming that neither is fully prepared to face and that is where Frith and his Castle colleagues come in. They know an unforeseen enemy is approaching and they are searching for the Talented few who are the only ones with a chance of saving the world.
Rue is a young apprentice hedgewitch who dreams of a better life, she believes she is destined for greatness and when she is offered the chance of travelling to the capital city to discover if she is Talented she jumps at it. All of her training hasn't prepared her for what she is about to face though and learning to use her Talent is the least of her worries. White was forced to run from World when his Talent was discovered and he took refuge in Angle Tar. Frith has brought the two of them together but they come from such different backgrounds that they find it almost impossible to see eye to eye and they instantly rub each other up the wrong way. Rue is supposed to be learning from White but she isn't exactly ready to listen to him, she is out of her depth and struggling to know who to trust. They are attracted to each other but both are suspicious and wary, will they be able to put their differences to one side so they can work together?
I don't want to go into any more detail about the plot so I'll just say that Fearsome Dreamer is a captivating story that had me hooked all the way through. I loved the mishmash of genres and the way the author has woven them all together to create something so unique. As the first book in a trilogy it does leave you with plenty of questions but it wasn't a killer cliffhanger like so many other books I've read recently so as much as I'm excited to carry on reading about Rue and White I'm not left screaming in frustration waiting for the next instalment. If you're looking for something fresh and different then look no further because I'm sure you'll love this story!
Both sides of her world are complete opposites of each other but they are both familiar enough to grasp easily. One one hand you have Angle Tar, a small island country that is cut off from the rest of World. Visiting Angle Tar is like stepping back in time, you have very few forms of transport, most people will spend their entire lives in the same village and life is very simple. They have very little in the way of technology and it's a bit like stepping back into the middle ages. Then on the other hand you have the rest of World, where lives are ruled by technology. People rarely leave their homes because they can visit anywhere on the planet via a virtual reality network, food is created by machines and everyone's lives are monitored constantly. Life in both places couldn't be more different and the two sides are natural enemies but a danger is coming that neither is fully prepared to face and that is where Frith and his Castle colleagues come in. They know an unforeseen enemy is approaching and they are searching for the Talented few who are the only ones with a chance of saving the world.
Rue is a young apprentice hedgewitch who dreams of a better life, she believes she is destined for greatness and when she is offered the chance of travelling to the capital city to discover if she is Talented she jumps at it. All of her training hasn't prepared her for what she is about to face though and learning to use her Talent is the least of her worries. White was forced to run from World when his Talent was discovered and he took refuge in Angle Tar. Frith has brought the two of them together but they come from such different backgrounds that they find it almost impossible to see eye to eye and they instantly rub each other up the wrong way. Rue is supposed to be learning from White but she isn't exactly ready to listen to him, she is out of her depth and struggling to know who to trust. They are attracted to each other but both are suspicious and wary, will they be able to put their differences to one side so they can work together?
I don't want to go into any more detail about the plot so I'll just say that Fearsome Dreamer is a captivating story that had me hooked all the way through. I loved the mishmash of genres and the way the author has woven them all together to create something so unique. As the first book in a trilogy it does leave you with plenty of questions but it wasn't a killer cliffhanger like so many other books I've read recently so as much as I'm excited to carry on reading about Rue and White I'm not left screaming in frustration waiting for the next instalment. If you're looking for something fresh and different then look no further because I'm sure you'll love this story!
May 28, 2014
Review: Rue is an apprentice to a Hedgewitch in technophobic Angle Tar , which stands alone against World, the merge of other nations that is reliant on the virtual reality system Life. She dreams of other places, can feel herself physically there. Then she gets taken to the city by Frith, a man who hunts down Talented fro a living, and is tutuored by White, a very powerful Talented. And then there’s a boy with silver eyes who keeps appearing in her dreams, and Rue learns how powerful said dreams can be.
I love the world of this. Laure’s English/French heritage shows through in this, as Angle Tar is quite French with language, titles and the name (somewhere near the end, I realised Angle Tar is a derivation of Angleterre) but there’s some things that are decidedly British. World is totally different, a wonderful vision of overreliance on technology. Both worlds are excellent.
I liked Rue. She’s clever, makes realistic mistakes, talks back, sometimes to the point of annoyance , and is a very intriguing character. White, I didn’t like because of his arrogance as a teacher, but he was nice in between his first appearance and his arrival at the Capital. Wren I didn’t mind. Frith was awesome.
I think some things at the Castle and World can be explored further. I look forwards to it.
Laure has a very distinctive writing style that’s hard to describe. If I had to put it into words, I’d say gently descriptive. It fills in all the details really well.
For something described as brimming with unresolved sexual tension, I didn’t see it. I say that as someone who’s pretty good at seeing it. That doesn’t make the book bad, in my opinion. Just the marketing. Rue and White infuriate each other to start with, and dancing a dance of intent doesn’t change it that much.
It’s a slow book, a lot of build up, then the end happens when everything happens,
I love the dreams and the idea of being able to jump. It’s a new take on teleportation, and this scifiy-country fantasy mix works well.
Overall: Strength 3.5,very slightly a 4, tea to a book with a great setting and mythos.
I love the world of this. Laure’s English/French heritage shows through in this, as Angle Tar is quite French with language, titles and the name (somewhere near the end, I realised Angle Tar is a derivation of Angleterre) but there’s some things that are decidedly British. World is totally different, a wonderful vision of overreliance on technology. Both worlds are excellent.
I liked Rue. She’s clever, makes realistic mistakes, talks back, sometimes to the point of annoyance , and is a very intriguing character. White, I didn’t like because of his arrogance as a teacher, but he was nice in between his first appearance and his arrival at the Capital. Wren I didn’t mind. Frith was awesome.
I think some things at the Castle and World can be explored further. I look forwards to it.
Laure has a very distinctive writing style that’s hard to describe. If I had to put it into words, I’d say gently descriptive. It fills in all the details really well.
For something described as brimming with unresolved sexual tension, I didn’t see it. I say that as someone who’s pretty good at seeing it. That doesn’t make the book bad, in my opinion. Just the marketing. Rue and White infuriate each other to start with, and dancing a dance of intent doesn’t change it that much.
It’s a slow book, a lot of build up, then the end happens when everything happens,
I love the dreams and the idea of being able to jump. It’s a new take on teleportation, and this scifiy-country fantasy mix works well.
Overall: Strength 3.5,very slightly a 4, tea to a book with a great setting and mythos.
November 9, 2013
Laure Eve writes beautifully. Her descriptive voice is rich with detail – to the point I could almost be in the scenes presented. The world building is immense in detail, fascinating and in parts scarily, premonitory. The echoes of our present need for constant Internet access are mirrored here with a futuristic, full on dependency on Life, by most humans. France is the big fat cat in charge of its poor relation, little old England. Just imagine how different life would be if that happened; how would we fair as a nation?
Originally published on www.serendipityreviews.co.uk
This book is an unusual book as it has a little bit of everything, beautifully blended together to create an intriguing plot, which is told from varying view points and we are shown the contrasting lifestyles of the World and Angletar. I did struggle at first to get my head around the differences, as Angletar had a historical feel to it, almost reminding me of the Middle Ages. I do think now on a second read, I will understand it a lot clearer than my first interpretation.
Rue and White were interesting and extremely well written characters – I would’ve liked them to meet earlier in the book, but I can see how that wasn’t possible with so much world building to be created. When the characters do meet, the attraction can only mean trouble.
I would advise reading the blurb on this book before reading it, as it does set you up for the plot. I only say this because this book is completely different to anything I’ve ever read before. The blurb actually prepares you extremely well for what is to come.
Definitely an original. Beautifully written and well paced. Laure Eve has created her very own genre!
Originally published on www.serendipityreviews.co.uk
This book is an unusual book as it has a little bit of everything, beautifully blended together to create an intriguing plot, which is told from varying view points and we are shown the contrasting lifestyles of the World and Angletar. I did struggle at first to get my head around the differences, as Angletar had a historical feel to it, almost reminding me of the Middle Ages. I do think now on a second read, I will understand it a lot clearer than my first interpretation.
Rue and White were interesting and extremely well written characters – I would’ve liked them to meet earlier in the book, but I can see how that wasn’t possible with so much world building to be created. When the characters do meet, the attraction can only mean trouble.
I would advise reading the blurb on this book before reading it, as it does set you up for the plot. I only say this because this book is completely different to anything I’ve ever read before. The blurb actually prepares you extremely well for what is to come.
Definitely an original. Beautifully written and well paced. Laure Eve has created her very own genre!
July 21, 2015
I received this from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
I heard about this book through booktube (the book community on youtube) and what really sold me was the idea that the world was divided into two parts, in one technology ruled and in the other it is old-fashioned without any technology what so ever. But that wasn’t really what this book is actually about – and that kind of annoy me.
This story is told from multiple perspectives – which at times was confusing, but it is relevant for the story to be told in that way. We have Angel Tar (the place without any technology and then we have World (the place with technology). The part I was the most interested in was World, but the focus lies on Angel Tar instead. I hope to get some more world building when it comes to World in the second book.
I have to admit that I am pretty disappointed, it’s not that my expectations was incredibly high, but I was expecting a solid 4 star read, and this was barely a 3 star read.
The things I expected to enjoy about this story was the world divided in two – I’ve always enjoyed that kind of stories but this one not so much.
I know a review is supposed to be all about our thoughts about a book, but somehow I can’t seem to figure out what to say or write. I didn’t enjoy it, I didn’t connect with the characters, I wasn’t intrigued, I had a hard time reading it and all in all my thoughts are either neutral or negative.
Nonetheless I still recommend this book – I just don’t think that this book is for everyone.
I heard about this book through booktube (the book community on youtube) and what really sold me was the idea that the world was divided into two parts, in one technology ruled and in the other it is old-fashioned without any technology what so ever. But that wasn’t really what this book is actually about – and that kind of annoy me.
This story is told from multiple perspectives – which at times was confusing, but it is relevant for the story to be told in that way. We have Angel Tar (the place without any technology and then we have World (the place with technology). The part I was the most interested in was World, but the focus lies on Angel Tar instead. I hope to get some more world building when it comes to World in the second book.
I have to admit that I am pretty disappointed, it’s not that my expectations was incredibly high, but I was expecting a solid 4 star read, and this was barely a 3 star read.
The things I expected to enjoy about this story was the world divided in two – I’ve always enjoyed that kind of stories but this one not so much.
I know a review is supposed to be all about our thoughts about a book, but somehow I can’t seem to figure out what to say or write. I didn’t enjoy it, I didn’t connect with the characters, I wasn’t intrigued, I had a hard time reading it and all in all my thoughts are either neutral or negative.
Nonetheless I still recommend this book – I just don’t think that this book is for everyone.
December 2, 2013
3.5 stars Quite a good read.
Laure Eve has set several intriguing elements in motion: the Talent; the Castle, which is shaping up to be a pretty major force; and stuff to do with Frith who brings in the coolness of secret agents (back before I watched The Americans and realised I'd never ever want to be a spy) to name a few without spoilers.
But it is precisely this, Laure Eve has only set things in motion. Having just come out of the reader's post-read daze, I'm wondering if much really happened in Fearsome Dreamer.
Things happen but nothing big happens, you know?
It's like the first half of a book that has been dragged longer to make it a 384 paged novel. Not that it feels super draggy.
But what it does feel like is that we skipped a climax.
Or we're still building towards one, slowly. In that case, Laure Eve better make it a good one.
And I've got quite a few questions now, mostly the same ones I had when I was a third through the book. E.g. we haven't really gotten into what the Talent is and why some people have it, why some are more Talented than others. And why the Talented is of such interest to the Castle. So I hope Laure Eve is just saving the big reveals for the sequel(s), which I will certainly read. I want my climax!
Laure Eve has set several intriguing elements in motion: the Talent; the Castle, which is shaping up to be a pretty major force; and stuff to do with Frith who brings in the coolness of secret agents (back before I watched The Americans and realised I'd never ever want to be a spy) to name a few without spoilers.
But it is precisely this, Laure Eve has only set things in motion. Having just come out of the reader's post-read daze, I'm wondering if much really happened in Fearsome Dreamer.
Things happen but nothing big happens, you know?
It's like the first half of a book that has been dragged longer to make it a 384 paged novel. Not that it feels super draggy.
But what it does feel like is that we skipped a climax.
Or we're still building towards one, slowly. In that case, Laure Eve better make it a good one.
And I've got quite a few questions now, mostly the same ones I had when I was a third through the book. E.g. we haven't really gotten into what the Talent is and why some people have it, why some are more Talented than others. And why the Talented is of such interest to the Castle. So I hope Laure Eve is just saving the big reveals for the sequel(s), which I will certainly read. I want my climax!
February 13, 2014
Simply stunning.
I had no expectations going into reading this, and having received a proof copy from our editor (Laure and I share the same editor at Hot Key), there's not that much out yet in the world about this book. Come October though, that's all going to change.
Fearsome Dreamer is a seductive, imaginative novel that I just could not put down. It draws you in slowly, unfurling its story and its characters in such a beautiful, easy way that, about a third of the way in, I realised I'd fallen in love with everything about Fearsome Dreamer, and I read the rest of the book over a day and a half. Plus, Laure writers with an incredibly descriptive, dreamy but simple prose that you slip so effortlessly into the narrative (I'm very jealous of her skill, really). And don't even get me started on that ending.
Pre-order it now. This is going to be huge.
See this review and more on my blog
I had no expectations going into reading this, and having received a proof copy from our editor (Laure and I share the same editor at Hot Key), there's not that much out yet in the world about this book. Come October though, that's all going to change.
Fearsome Dreamer is a seductive, imaginative novel that I just could not put down. It draws you in slowly, unfurling its story and its characters in such a beautiful, easy way that, about a third of the way in, I realised I'd fallen in love with everything about Fearsome Dreamer, and I read the rest of the book over a day and a half. Plus, Laure writers with an incredibly descriptive, dreamy but simple prose that you slip so effortlessly into the narrative (I'm very jealous of her skill, really). And don't even get me started on that ending.
Pre-order it now. This is going to be huge.
See this review and more on my blog
November 12, 2016
I've left it too long between finishing this book and reviewing it to do it justice
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and loved the mix between fantasy and dystopian that runs throughout it and found myself wanting to now more about the world and characters. I must admit at times I did find it a bit slow and I got to the end wishing I had book two to go straight into as by the end I really got quite invested in what was happening and where things were going.
I think I really just liked how completely different it was to everything else I've read of late and would definitely recommend it.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and loved the mix between fantasy and dystopian that runs throughout it and found myself wanting to now more about the world and characters. I must admit at times I did find it a bit slow and I got to the end wishing I had book two to go straight into as by the end I really got quite invested in what was happening and where things were going.
I think I really just liked how completely different it was to everything else I've read of late and would definitely recommend it.
October 11, 2013
While I did like the book, it felt like it was the first part of a longer book or series and it could not stand on its own. It was slow to start and did not really gain momentum. The story felt disjointed and that was not due to the character chapter focus approach.
With that said, I will look forward to reading the sequel so as to hopefully attain the answers to:
What is the Castle?
What is attacking the Castle? And why if it gets in will it kill everyone?
Who is the Ghost Girl?
What more can the Talented do? Did Oaker have a part in healing Frith? Was it part of his Talent, or was it truly just the herbs as Frith though?
And many more :)
With that said, I will look forward to reading the sequel so as to hopefully attain the answers to:
What is the Castle?
What is attacking the Castle? And why if it gets in will it kill everyone?
Who is the Ghost Girl?
What more can the Talented do? Did Oaker have a part in healing Frith? Was it part of his Talent, or was it truly just the herbs as Frith though?
And many more :)
September 10, 2013
Absolutely brilliant world building, I felt as though this world could be real it felt so believable. I felt as though the story was a little lacklustre however as it really didn't start to progress until about 3/4 of the way through the book - it did however vaguely remind me of the night circus by Erin Morgenstern which is never a bad thing. Full review to come!
July 7, 2015
DNF, which makes it an automatic one star. The plot and worldbuilding were decent, but I couldn't stand either of the main characters. About a third of the way through I decided I didn't care what happened to anyone in the story and stopped reading.
July 31, 2013
A little slow in the start but quickly picks up and there is a great tension surrounding the characters. Fallen a little in love with White.
Full review to come soon on the blog
Full review to come soon on the blog
September 13, 2013
4.5 / 5 Stars! Awesome stuff! Review to come....
May 26, 2014
I'm actually really upset that I didn't like this much. Review coming in next couple of days!
April 6, 2016
3.5
I really enjoyed it and that ending is a real definition of a cliffhanger!
I really enjoyed it and that ending is a real definition of a cliffhanger!
January 18, 2018
WHAT WAS THAT ENDING OMG YOU CANT JUST LEAVE IT THERE
July 12, 2021
The world building is hellaaa "blunt". Like all of the places name literally call world, life, iceland and etc. The chacracters on the other hand is sooooooo frustrating. Especially that dumbass Rue like bitch how could trust some weird silver eye looking Wren than the hot annoying aggressive White. LIKE HOWWWW. She's just dumbbbb.
I always get confuse with Frith characters age. Somtime i thought he was around 20-22 but then somtime i thought he was in his 50s lol. But guess what. Idc how old he is he still hot when he's aggressive.
This is the first fantasy that I've give 2⭐. In the author note, she write there's a "saucy sexual tension". WHERE THE HELL IS THAT. ik the story do not focus on romance but still. IF U SAY THERE SOME HOT TENSION. GIMME THAT. All the romance shit going on is Wren and Rue make out scene IN White dream. Gosh and the BALL SCENE. DONT EVEN GET ME START ON THAT. and surprise surprise THERE NO TENSION OR SHIT AT ALL IN THE BOOK. The amount of time im thinking od dnf this is A LOT. but i decided to be patience and read this and fell asleep on it again and again. R the timeline confusing? Honestly no. I believe there's 2 different past in this. Idk if this a spoiler but idc. If im correct Rue past were 20 years before the present time while Frith and White past were 1-2 years before ths present. But if im wrong idc cause the time isnt that important to focus on. Ok i done letting my anger out thats all byyeyeye🧑🦼
I always get confuse with Frith characters age. Somtime i thought he was around 20-22 but then somtime i thought he was in his 50s lol. But guess what. Idc how old he is he still hot when he's aggressive.
This is the first fantasy that I've give 2⭐. In the author note, she write there's a "saucy sexual tension". WHERE THE HELL IS THAT. ik the story do not focus on romance but still. IF U SAY THERE SOME HOT TENSION. GIMME THAT. All the romance shit going on is Wren and Rue make out scene IN White dream. Gosh and the BALL SCENE. DONT EVEN GET ME START ON THAT. and surprise surprise THERE NO TENSION OR SHIT AT ALL IN THE BOOK. The amount of time im thinking od dnf this is A LOT. but i decided to be patience and read this and fell asleep on it again and again. R the timeline confusing? Honestly no. I believe there's 2 different past in this. Idk if this a spoiler but idc. If im correct Rue past were 20 years before the present time while Frith and White past were 1-2 years before ths present. But if im wrong idc cause the time isnt that important to focus on. Ok i done letting my anger out thats all byyeyeye🧑🦼
June 4, 2020
I had a hard time getting in to this book, cause I the world wasn’t explained enough for me. And that is what the first hundred or so pages are about. About two teenagers want to get away from the world they’re living in.
After that, the world was descripted in more details and the plot started picking up. I really enjoyed the middle part of the book, but did feel like there wasn’t much happening.
And that is what my problem was with the rest of the book. Not much happened. You know that they’re building up to something, bit you get so little information about it that it didn’t interested me. The plot continuous on the romance, that in my eyes doesn’t exists. He had a dream of her and now he’s in love with her?! It felt really flat. And from her side you didn’t feel like there was any interest in him, but one dance and all she can think about is him. Seriously?!
One scene in the book that irritated me was the conversation between Firth and White after the dance. The whole ‘any can’t have a relationship with her because she’s your student’ thing. White is only like two years older. It is perfectly normal for them to be in a relationship!
After that, the world was descripted in more details and the plot started picking up. I really enjoyed the middle part of the book, but did feel like there wasn’t much happening.
And that is what my problem was with the rest of the book. Not much happened. You know that they’re building up to something, bit you get so little information about it that it didn’t interested me. The plot continuous on the romance, that in my eyes doesn’t exists. He had a dream of her and now he’s in love with her?! It felt really flat. And from her side you didn’t feel like there was any interest in him, but one dance and all she can think about is him. Seriously?!
One scene in the book that irritated me was the conversation between Firth and White after the dance. The whole ‘any can’t have a relationship with her because she’s your student’ thing. White is only like two years older. It is perfectly normal for them to be in a relationship!
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