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Ferryman #1
O Barqueiro
Dylan é uma adolescente, vive com a mãe, nunca conheceu o pai. Até agora. Quando o pai entra em contacto, e a convida a visitá-lo, ela aceita sem pensar duas vezes. E, contra a vontade da mãe, parte para Aberdeen, no Norte da Escócia. Vai de comboio, através de paisagens desoladas. Ao passar num túnel, dá-se um acidente terrível. E Dylan é a única sobrevivente. Ou talvez não. Ao emergir dos escombros encontra-se numa paisagem desolada, desértica. E Tristan, um rapaz de olhos tristes, está à sua espera. É ele o barqueiro, é ele quem terá a missão de a levar, através de um cenário cada vez mais assustador, para o outro lado - tal como fez milhares de vezes antes, com milhares de outras pessoas. Desta vez, porém, tudo é diferente. Perseguidos por fúrias à caça de almas humanas, Tristan e Dylan aproximam-se cada vez mais. Mas há um limite. Eles já não pertencem a este mundo. E no outro lado, há uma fronteira que ninguém consegue passar. A não ser que... O Barqueiro, inspirado no mito grego do Barqueiro do Hades, é uma história de amor profundamente original, que desafia os limites da morte. Obra premiada na Escócia, país natal da autora, Claire McFall, tornou-se um dos maiores bestsellers contemporâneos na China, onde já vendeu mais de um milhão de exemplares - e onde permanece há anos entre os dez livros mais vendidos.
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2013
385 people are currently reading
9314 people want to read
About the author
Claire McFall
12 books305 followersClaire McFall's work is, in essence, all about first love and difficult decisions. Her novels take straightforward romantic narratives and hurl them into unusual and extreme settings, blurring accepted genre boundaries and creating new sub-genres of her own. She then charts her characters' reactions to these unfamiliar situations and the new and confusing feelings that beset them in a hyper-real, engaging, deeply poignant and literary manner. Claire is a former teacher from Scotland who now lives in sunny Colorado with her husband, two children, and pooch, Jazz.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,000 reviews
November 13, 2021
Loved the premise, but the book ended up being too lackluster to enjoy. I didn't get why the two leads would be in love with each other besides the fact that she's a girl and he's a boy and they're the only characters we read about in the book. 99% of the story is aimless wandering without any explanation for the world they're in or any interesting plot points. The book feels very much underdeveloped with just the idea for a story and not much else.
April 16, 2020
3/5
El barquero de almas me llamó mucho la atención desde que Puck anunciara la novedad. El hecho de que la historia se basara en un retelling de la leyenda de Caronte, el barquero que navegaba a través de la laguna Estigia trasladando las almas de los muertos al más allá, me produjo mucha curiosidad.
Cuando comencé su lectura, tenía claro que me encontraría muchos tópicos, empezando por lo más evidente: el romance. Lo bueno es que el libro no intenta convencer al lector de que va a ser una historia épica, sino una historia de amor, así que no creo que nadie comience a leerlo creyendo que no va a caer en ciertos recursos. Evidentemente, esto no me disgustó para nada y, de hecho, disfruté del desarrollo del romance entre Tristan y Dylan. De su indiferencia inicial, hasta los sentimientos más profundos que se despiertan hacia el final de la historia. Al principio es más que evidente que están donde están porque no les queda más remedio: uno está haciendo su trabajo, la otra no tiene otro lugar donde ir y está perdida. Pero a medida que pasan tiempo juntos, hablan y se conocen, van abriéndose partes de ellos mismos que no sabían que escondían.
También me ha gustado la ambientación, el páramo que tienen que cruzar (en vez de la laguna), y los obstáculos que esconde. En mi cabeza aparecía un páramo apagado y un poco triste, lleno de niebla la mayoría de las veces, y pensaba también mucho en los páramos de la película de El castillo ambulante. Me ha gustado cómo la autora ha buscado sacarle el máximo partido a un escenario tan sencillo, añadiendo algunos detalles y no desviando el foco de la relación de los protagonistas, así de cómo Dylan va aceptando poco a poco la realidad. Y adaptándose a ella.
En cuanto al ritmo, os diré que me sorprendió mucho. Hacia la mitad del libro hay un cambio que no esperaba, y a partir de ese punto todo comienza a tener un ritmo más acelerado. Fue un cambio positivo, a mi parecer, y que salvó mucho de que la historia se volviera repetitiva o monótona.
Con todo esto reconozco que, sin ser una novela que vaya a marcarme como lectora (ni mucho menos), sí que ha resultado ser una lectura agradable y que recomiendo. Lo único, tened en cuenta que es la primera parte de una trilogía, por si acaso no estáis dispuestos/as a embarcaros en una nueva ;) (aunque, sinceramente, el final de este primer libro podría ser perfectamente válido también).
El barquero de almas me llamó mucho la atención desde que Puck anunciara la novedad. El hecho de que la historia se basara en un retelling de la leyenda de Caronte, el barquero que navegaba a través de la laguna Estigia trasladando las almas de los muertos al más allá, me produjo mucha curiosidad.
Cuando comencé su lectura, tenía claro que me encontraría muchos tópicos, empezando por lo más evidente: el romance. Lo bueno es que el libro no intenta convencer al lector de que va a ser una historia épica, sino una historia de amor, así que no creo que nadie comience a leerlo creyendo que no va a caer en ciertos recursos. Evidentemente, esto no me disgustó para nada y, de hecho, disfruté del desarrollo del romance entre Tristan y Dylan. De su indiferencia inicial, hasta los sentimientos más profundos que se despiertan hacia el final de la historia. Al principio es más que evidente que están donde están porque no les queda más remedio: uno está haciendo su trabajo, la otra no tiene otro lugar donde ir y está perdida. Pero a medida que pasan tiempo juntos, hablan y se conocen, van abriéndose partes de ellos mismos que no sabían que escondían.
También me ha gustado la ambientación, el páramo que tienen que cruzar (en vez de la laguna), y los obstáculos que esconde. En mi cabeza aparecía un páramo apagado y un poco triste, lleno de niebla la mayoría de las veces, y pensaba también mucho en los páramos de la película de El castillo ambulante. Me ha gustado cómo la autora ha buscado sacarle el máximo partido a un escenario tan sencillo, añadiendo algunos detalles y no desviando el foco de la relación de los protagonistas, así de cómo Dylan va aceptando poco a poco la realidad. Y adaptándose a ella.
En cuanto al ritmo, os diré que me sorprendió mucho. Hacia la mitad del libro hay un cambio que no esperaba, y a partir de ese punto todo comienza a tener un ritmo más acelerado. Fue un cambio positivo, a mi parecer, y que salvó mucho de que la historia se volviera repetitiva o monótona.
Con todo esto reconozco que, sin ser una novela que vaya a marcarme como lectora (ni mucho menos), sí que ha resultado ser una lectura agradable y que recomiendo. Lo único, tened en cuenta que es la primera parte de una trilogía, por si acaso no estáis dispuestos/as a embarcaros en una nueva ;) (aunque, sinceramente, el final de este primer libro podría ser perfectamente válido también).
June 10, 2013
Dylan was travelling across Scotland to meet her father for the first time when the train she was on was involved in an accident. Regaining consciousness alone and in the dark tunnel she is terrified and can't work out why there are no rescue workers on hand to help her. When she finally stumbles out of the tunnel she finds herself completely alone on a Scottish hillside. That is until she spots Tristan, a teenage boy who seems to be waiting for her. But who is Tristan and where are all the other passengers? Why is Tristan so determined to get her to follow him and what kind of creatures could be making the terrifying noises she keeps hearing in the distance?
I wanted to read Ferryman from the moment I first heard about it, I was incredibly intrigued by the concept for the story and curious to see how it would play out. It's hard to say too much about the story because it would be easy to give things away but I found the world that Claire McFall has created was really interesting and I was kept hooked because I wanted to see how things would play out for Dylan and Tristan. The writing style is beautiful and descriptive but it took me a while to get used to the way the perspective would change from one paragraph to the next. It felt like I spent quite a lot of time backtracking as I tried to make sense of things and that did throw me out of the story more than once.
Although I found the world interesting I have to admit that I wasn't a huge fan of either of the main characters. I never really felt that we got to know Tristan well enough to understand Dylan's fascination with him, in the beginning he pretty much ignores her or is rude to her and although he opens up later on I just never felt that connected to the relationship between them. I think my main problem was that I found Dylan very hard to relate to. Her reactions just didn't feel realistic to me, she accepts what has happened to her far too easily and without really batting an eyelid but then gets completely hysterical when she is separated from a boy she has only known for a few days. Perhaps if I'd been more invested in the relationship with Tristan I might have found that easier to believe her reaction but it just had me rolling my eyes in frustration.
There were a lot of good things about the story though, the concept was great and the world was well thought out and described beautifully. I would have loved to have learnt about more about some of the other people who had crossed Tristan's path because I'm sure he would have some very interesting stories to tell. Nearly all of the reviews I have seen for Ferryman have been incredibly positive so even though there were some things that didn't work for me personally I am definitely in the minority in that regard so I would hate to put anyone off giving it a try. If you're looking for a paranormal romance that doesn't involve your standard vampires or shape shifters but instead brings something unique to the genre then it might be worth checking this out.
I wanted to read Ferryman from the moment I first heard about it, I was incredibly intrigued by the concept for the story and curious to see how it would play out. It's hard to say too much about the story because it would be easy to give things away but I found the world that Claire McFall has created was really interesting and I was kept hooked because I wanted to see how things would play out for Dylan and Tristan. The writing style is beautiful and descriptive but it took me a while to get used to the way the perspective would change from one paragraph to the next. It felt like I spent quite a lot of time backtracking as I tried to make sense of things and that did throw me out of the story more than once.
Although I found the world interesting I have to admit that I wasn't a huge fan of either of the main characters. I never really felt that we got to know Tristan well enough to understand Dylan's fascination with him, in the beginning he pretty much ignores her or is rude to her and although he opens up later on I just never felt that connected to the relationship between them. I think my main problem was that I found Dylan very hard to relate to. Her reactions just didn't feel realistic to me, she accepts what has happened to her far too easily and without really batting an eyelid but then gets completely hysterical when she is separated from a boy she has only known for a few days. Perhaps if I'd been more invested in the relationship with Tristan I might have found that easier to believe her reaction but it just had me rolling my eyes in frustration.
There were a lot of good things about the story though, the concept was great and the world was well thought out and described beautifully. I would have loved to have learnt about more about some of the other people who had crossed Tristan's path because I'm sure he would have some very interesting stories to tell. Nearly all of the reviews I have seen for Ferryman have been incredibly positive so even though there were some things that didn't work for me personally I am definitely in the minority in that regard so I would hate to put anyone off giving it a try. If you're looking for a paranormal romance that doesn't involve your standard vampires or shape shifters but instead brings something unique to the genre then it might be worth checking this out.
March 7, 2023
An interesting story. I didn't know anything going into this story. It was surprising what the story was about. I didn't enjoy the lengthy trip in the wasteland much but now that I finished the story, it makes sense why the wasteland took majority space of the book. I like the humor, teen love, and the characters. Dylan seems to be more mature when she's on her own and more immature when Tristan was around. When he's around, she became way too dependent on him. I enjoyed reading his view a bit more.
This story followed Dylan. She lived with her mom but wanted to make a trip to see her dad. During the trip, the train crashed in the tunnel. Dylan died and her soul lifted off. Tristan was a ferryman who's job was to guide souls across the wasteland to the other side to move on. Along the way, they fell in love. Dylan realized she doesn't want to go on without Tristan so she went back to find him. Going back was defying laws but if she succeeded, she could survive the train crash. She convinced Tristan to go back with her. Tristan never knew anywhere but the wasteland but since he loved Dylan, he wanted to try.
I'm excited to read book 2!
Thank you Candlewick Press for the opportunity to read and review.
This story followed Dylan. She lived with her mom but wanted to make a trip to see her dad. During the trip, the train crashed in the tunnel. Dylan died and her soul lifted off. Tristan was a ferryman who's job was to guide souls across the wasteland to the other side to move on. Along the way, they fell in love. Dylan realized she doesn't want to go on without Tristan so she went back to find him. Going back was defying laws but if she succeeded, she could survive the train crash. She convinced Tristan to go back with her. Tristan never knew anywhere but the wasteland but since he loved Dylan, he wanted to try.
I'm excited to read book 2!
Thank you Candlewick Press for the opportunity to read and review.
September 18, 2018
I do own this book and I regret buying it. Well not exactly regret, but there goes my dollars.
It is a story about a Mary Sue and a Marty Stu. Yeah. That. The characters are flat and vague like fog to me. Dylan has no personalities- she is just a whiny, unfortunate teen. And that boy, the ferryman, is like a cardboard cut-out for 'hotness'. The only purpose of his existence is to protect Dylan, and no one else. His mission is to protect souls from devils, yet when he sees her he let go of the soul... WTF? WTF?? Are you actually serious?
And it is creepy, alright? The ferryman is what, like hundreds of years old. And Dylan is 15, or 16. Sure. Sure. Bet you are thinking of Twilight. Mm, aren't you?
It is a story about a Mary Sue and a Marty Stu. Yeah. That. The characters are flat and vague like fog to me. Dylan has no personalities- she is just a whiny, unfortunate teen. And that boy, the ferryman, is like a cardboard cut-out for 'hotness'. The only purpose of his existence is to protect Dylan, and no one else. His mission is to protect souls from devils, yet when he sees her he let go of the soul... WTF? WTF?? Are you actually serious?
And it is creepy, alright? The ferryman is what, like hundreds of years old. And Dylan is 15, or 16. Sure. Sure. Bet you are thinking of Twilight. Mm, aren't you?
March 23, 2020
Patri: en cuanto vi esta portada, me enamoré de ella y del título. No quise mirar ninguna reseña ni opinión, porque sí o sí quería leerlo, y claro, me ha pasado factura.
Yo esperaba una historia larga, madura, con una trama un tanto oscura, me imagine muchas posibilidades de llevar el tema, pero, no esperaba lo que me he encontrado.
Tenemos una trama llana, simple y sencilla, nada elaborada, sin ningún giro, llena de incoherencias, un mismo escenario y dos personajes, planos infantiles, caprichosos, irresponsables y aburridos.
Le doy el aprobado raspado porque para otro publico puede estar decente, pero para el sello de Puck esperaba mucho más.
Yo esperaba una historia larga, madura, con una trama un tanto oscura, me imagine muchas posibilidades de llevar el tema, pero, no esperaba lo que me he encontrado.
Tenemos una trama llana, simple y sencilla, nada elaborada, sin ningún giro, llena de incoherencias, un mismo escenario y dos personajes, planos infantiles, caprichosos, irresponsables y aburridos.
Le doy el aprobado raspado porque para otro publico puede estar decente, pero para el sello de Puck esperaba mucho más.
March 5, 2020
2,75/5
“-¿Dónde estoy?
-En el páramo. Es la extensión entre los mundos. Hay que cruzarlo. Todos deben hacerlo. Cada uno cruza su propio páramo. Es un lugar en el que deben descubrir que han muerto y aceptarlo.”
El barquero de almas es un libro que me ha decepcionado en varios aspectos pero que, gracias al final, me ha dejado con ganas de leer la segunda parte.
-Reseña completa: http://addicionaloslibros.blogspot.co...
“-¿Dónde estoy?
-En el páramo. Es la extensión entre los mundos. Hay que cruzarlo. Todos deben hacerlo. Cada uno cruza su propio páramo. Es un lugar en el que deben descubrir que han muerto y aceptarlo.”
El barquero de almas es un libro que me ha decepcionado en varios aspectos pero que, gracias al final, me ha dejado con ganas de leer la segunda parte.
-Reseña completa: http://addicionaloslibros.blogspot.co...
October 21, 2020
Supongo que ya no estoy en edad para este tipo de romances.
Mi problema no son los clichés porque los adoro, pero siento que lo mínimo es que los autores impriman su propio estilo, interpretación y desarrollo a sus libros.
Acá sentí que la historia era una más sin nada que la hiciera brillar.
Pero hey! rescato la portada, me hizo reír un montón y al final igual quedé con ganas de saber que sucede en los siguientes libros.
Mi problema no son los clichés porque los adoro, pero siento que lo mínimo es que los autores impriman su propio estilo, interpretación y desarrollo a sus libros.
Acá sentí que la historia era una más sin nada que la hiciera brillar.
Pero hey! rescato la portada, me hizo reír un montón y al final igual quedé con ganas de saber que sucede en los siguientes libros.
March 26, 2014
I read this book after a recommendation from a friend and I'm so glad I did. I don't often go in for stories with a strong romance element (I'm just too blokey that way) but I was so caught up in the mythology and the mystery of the journey that the protagonist, Dylan goes on that I just had to read on to the end. There are so many things I could say about the things I liked in the book, but they'd all be massive spoilers.
It's really hard to categorise too. Supernatural? Maybe. Spiritual? Possibly. Adventure? Definitely - with a strong romantic theme that drives the plot forward without making it (apologies to fans) insipid like the Twilight series. The main character of the story is brave, likeable and vulnerable at the same time, making you suffer along with her and cheer her on to succeed when she takes control of her situation.
My best advice is, read it. I doubt anyone with an imagination will be disappointed.
Now I'll be off to the bookshop to get Claire McFall's next novel - Bombmaker.
It's really hard to categorise too. Supernatural? Maybe. Spiritual? Possibly. Adventure? Definitely - with a strong romantic theme that drives the plot forward without making it (apologies to fans) insipid like the Twilight series. The main character of the story is brave, likeable and vulnerable at the same time, making you suffer along with her and cheer her on to succeed when she takes control of her situation.
My best advice is, read it. I doubt anyone with an imagination will be disappointed.
Now I'll be off to the bookshop to get Claire McFall's next novel - Bombmaker.
January 22, 2022
This was cute.
I think if I would have read this a few years earlier, I would have rated it higher.
I thought Tristan and Dylan were cute but not remarkable.
I did find that the way Dylan handled her situation was quite mature and that made me like her just a bit more.
While I wasn't blown away by this story, I am intrigued enough to see what happens next with the two of them to continue the series.
I think if I would have read this a few years earlier, I would have rated it higher.
I thought Tristan and Dylan were cute but not remarkable.
I did find that the way Dylan handled her situation was quite mature and that made me like her just a bit more.
While I wasn't blown away by this story, I am intrigued enough to see what happens next with the two of them to continue the series.
March 12, 2020
2,75/5 ⭐️ Creo que ha sido una historia rara, al principio me aburría porque no ocurría nada interesante, y al final del todo es cuando pasa algo guay. No sé, creo que la premisa estaba bien pero la autora no lo ha llevado de la mejor manera. Podría haber metido más cosas en la historia.
October 30, 2018
Que livro fabuloso! Espero pelo próximo e pelo filme! Simplesmente adorei!
February 20, 2020
El barquero de almas de Claire McFall nos hablará de qué hay tras la muerte pues su protagonista, Dylan, acaba de tener un accidente de tres del que parece salir ilesa. Sin embargo, al salir de los escombros y recorrer el túnel de vuelta hacia un lugar seguro se encuentra con Tristán, un joven al que no conoce pero que, inspirándole confianza, la anima a ir hacia un lugar en el que estará a salvo.
Lo que tiene de interesante esta novela es que puede llegar a considerarse un retelling de Caronte, sin llegar a serlo porque no termina de entrar en la mitología propia. Pero sí que tiene todos los componentes necesarios para que evoque al mítico personaje del Estigia: Tristán es el que se dedica a llevar a las almas hacia el más allá, las protege durante el camino que hay entre el lugar donde han muerto y el sitio al que deben de ir.
Sin embargo, no tenemos un río como tal sino el Páramo: una especie de dimensión que está plagada de demonios que se quieren llevar las almas más puras. Y aquí es donde el papel de Tristán es importante y donde reside el quid del libro: o Dylan llega hasta el final, o Dylan la palma y aquí paz y después gloria.
En cuanto a los personajes, podemos conocer antes del gran acontecimiento cómo es la vida de Dylan y no deja de ser una chica con sus problemas —sus padres están separados y ella no sabe nada de su padre, en el colegio le hacen bullying y no es que encaje en su instituto. Pero nada más, después conocemos a la Dylan que ha muerto y parece no tener claro si quiere llegar al más allá, pero ha asumido que ha fallecido y que poco puede hacer.
Tristán, por su parte, es el personaje más interesante del libro puesto que tiene muchos años —repito: muchos años— y a lo largo de las páginas nos va relatando datos de ese mundo en el que solo hay almas y demonios, y de las personas que ha acompañado hasta el otro lado. Y de verdad que consigues empatizar con un personaje que no sabe nada de su pasado salvo haber despertado con su misión de llevar almas —y las historias que cuenta, menuda bendición de muchacho.
La trama al final es bastante lineal y pasamos mucho tiempo a solas con los dos personajes principales. Es un libro donde los sentimientos tienen peso, y los pensamientos. Sobre todo, los de Dylan, ya que al final no deja de ser la protagonista principal. También es interesante ver cómo va funcionando la relación entre ambos personajes conforme avanzan las páginas, cómo ella no deja de ser una chica a la que le da pereza tener que subir una montaña y cómo él necesita hacerla llegar hasta el final antes de que algo pueda pasar.
Sin embargo, el principal problema del libro es que la trama no da más de sí y que el viaje se hace demasiado largo y monótono, siguiendo una estructura que a la segunda ya te la sabes: salen de una casa en la que están protegidos durante la noche y tienen que llegar hasta la siguiente mientras sea de día. Sí que tiene algunos momentos de tensión y acción en los que se disfrutan y en los que yo realmente llegué a decir: vale, esto es lo que a mí me pide el cuerpo.
El otro problema que le he visto es la relación entre los protagonistas ya que desde que se conocen ya hay una química que ni ellos entienden —ni yo— pero que ha de tener una explicación después de ese final, así que espero que el segundo me dé una explicación de peso porque sí os tengo que decir que el final me ha gustado: muchísimo.
En definitiva, El barquero de almas no es un mal libro a pesar de que le sobren algunas páginas del Páramo y le falten otras de momentos que realmente habrían sido muy interesantes de cara al lector. El final no te lo esperas y consigue despertarte el gusanillo del segundo, la verdad.
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Lo que tiene de interesante esta novela es que puede llegar a considerarse un retelling de Caronte, sin llegar a serlo porque no termina de entrar en la mitología propia. Pero sí que tiene todos los componentes necesarios para que evoque al mítico personaje del Estigia: Tristán es el que se dedica a llevar a las almas hacia el más allá, las protege durante el camino que hay entre el lugar donde han muerto y el sitio al que deben de ir.
Sin embargo, no tenemos un río como tal sino el Páramo: una especie de dimensión que está plagada de demonios que se quieren llevar las almas más puras. Y aquí es donde el papel de Tristán es importante y donde reside el quid del libro: o Dylan llega hasta el final, o Dylan la palma y aquí paz y después gloria.
En cuanto a los personajes, podemos conocer antes del gran acontecimiento cómo es la vida de Dylan y no deja de ser una chica con sus problemas —sus padres están separados y ella no sabe nada de su padre, en el colegio le hacen bullying y no es que encaje en su instituto. Pero nada más, después conocemos a la Dylan que ha muerto y parece no tener claro si quiere llegar al más allá, pero ha asumido que ha fallecido y que poco puede hacer.
Tristán, por su parte, es el personaje más interesante del libro puesto que tiene muchos años —repito: muchos años— y a lo largo de las páginas nos va relatando datos de ese mundo en el que solo hay almas y demonios, y de las personas que ha acompañado hasta el otro lado. Y de verdad que consigues empatizar con un personaje que no sabe nada de su pasado salvo haber despertado con su misión de llevar almas —y las historias que cuenta, menuda bendición de muchacho.
La trama al final es bastante lineal y pasamos mucho tiempo a solas con los dos personajes principales. Es un libro donde los sentimientos tienen peso, y los pensamientos. Sobre todo, los de Dylan, ya que al final no deja de ser la protagonista principal. También es interesante ver cómo va funcionando la relación entre ambos personajes conforme avanzan las páginas, cómo ella no deja de ser una chica a la que le da pereza tener que subir una montaña y cómo él necesita hacerla llegar hasta el final antes de que algo pueda pasar.
Sin embargo, el principal problema del libro es que la trama no da más de sí y que el viaje se hace demasiado largo y monótono, siguiendo una estructura que a la segunda ya te la sabes: salen de una casa en la que están protegidos durante la noche y tienen que llegar hasta la siguiente mientras sea de día. Sí que tiene algunos momentos de tensión y acción en los que se disfrutan y en los que yo realmente llegué a decir: vale, esto es lo que a mí me pide el cuerpo.
El otro problema que le he visto es la relación entre los protagonistas ya que desde que se conocen ya hay una química que ni ellos entienden —ni yo— pero que ha de tener una explicación después de ese final, así que espero que el segundo me dé una explicación de peso porque sí os tengo que decir que el final me ha gustado: muchísimo.
En definitiva, El barquero de almas no es un mal libro a pesar de que le sobren algunas páginas del Páramo y le falten otras de momentos que realmente habrían sido muy interesantes de cara al lector. El final no te lo esperas y consigue despertarte el gusanillo del segundo, la verdad.
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September 26, 2024
4/5
Перше, що вам потрібно знати - ця книга є своєрідним переосмисленням міфу про Харона (перевізника душ)
Головна героїня 16-річна Ділан потрапляє в аварію і несподівано помирає. Вона опиняється в Пустці - місці переходу між світом живих і мертвих. Там дівчина зустрічає Трістана - молодого хлопця, не набагато старшого за неї, який стає її провідником до потойбічного світу.
Було цікаво спостерігати за подорожжю головних героїв і за перипетіями, що на них очікували.
Мені сподобалася рішучість і незламність Ділан. Вона поводила себе дуже спокійно і розсудливо і досить швидко змирилася з ситуацією в якій опинилася. Що було трохи дивно. Але саме цим вона й зачепила Трістана, адже хлопець не очікував такої поведінки.
Для Трістана, у якого кожен день був одноманітним Ділан стала ковтком свіжого повітря.
Герої дуже швидко і сильно закохалися, що виглядало не дуже правдоподібно, тобто, звісно, вони провели разом декілька днів, зблизилися, краще дізналися один одного, але все-одно швидко.
Ну а кінець був несподіваним, я очікувала зовсім іншого перебігу подій
Загалом, мені сподобалося, книга читається в повільному, спокійному темпі, без яскравих сюжетних поворотів, без емоційних гойдалок, легко і ненапряжно
Перше, що вам потрібно знати - ця книга є своєрідним переосмисленням міфу про Харона (перевізника душ)
Головна героїня 16-річна Ділан потрапляє в аварію і несподівано помирає. Вона опиняється в Пустці - місці переходу між світом живих і мертвих. Там дівчина зустрічає Трістана - молодого хлопця, не набагато старшого за неї, який стає її провідником до потойбічного світу.
Було цікаво спостерігати за подорожжю головних героїв і за перипетіями, що на них очікували.
Мені сподобалася рішучість і незламність Ділан. Вона поводила себе дуже спокійно і розсудливо і досить швидко змирилася з ситуацією в якій опинилася. Що було трохи дивно. Але саме цим вона й зачепила Трістана, адже хлопець не очікував такої поведінки.
Для Трістана, у якого кожен день був одноманітним Ділан стала ковтком свіжого повітря.
Герої дуже швидко і сильно закохалися, що виглядало не дуже правдоподібно, тобто, звісно, вони провели разом декілька днів, зблизилися, краще дізналися один одного, але все-одно швидко.
Ну а кінець був несподіваним, я очікувала зовсім іншого перебігу подій
Загалом, мені сподобалося, книга читається в повільному, спокійному темпі, без яскравих сюжетних поворотів, без емоційних гойдалок, легко і ненапряжно
May 17, 2021
A very interesting concept, which I think could have been handled much better. Unfortunately the narrative often descends into a kind of goofy romance and the story itself is very linear; it needed much more depth to lift it from the realms of mediocrity.
August 14, 2023
Reseña completa http://letraslibrosymas.blogspot.com/...
“El barquero de almas” es el inicio de la trilogía Ferryman, unos libros juveniles paranormales con sus buenas dosis románticas.
La trama es bastante sencilla, tiene algunos giros argumentales chulos pero en general no cuenta con demasiado movimiento ni nada que te mantenga enganchado a tope entre sus páginas. Más bien es una novela sin grandes pretensiones, fácil de leer y perfecta para desconectar.
Un viaje con algunos peligros, algo de auto descubrimiento y romance prohibido, tiene una pizca de salseo y chispa que le hace sobresalir un poco porque si no hubiera sido demasiado monótono. Y es que aunque la pluma esté bien, la historia tenga cosillas interesantes y sea entretenida he echado en falta más de todo, se me ha quedado corta en profundidad, personajes y trama y eso que iba con cero expectativas. Pero bueno no me quejo porque al menos no me ha aburrido ni se me ha parecido demasiado densa, ha cumplido bastante bien.
Inicio de trilogía paranormal con romance muy prometedor.
“El barquero de almas” es el inicio de la trilogía Ferryman, unos libros juveniles paranormales con sus buenas dosis románticas.
La trama es bastante sencilla, tiene algunos giros argumentales chulos pero en general no cuenta con demasiado movimiento ni nada que te mantenga enganchado a tope entre sus páginas. Más bien es una novela sin grandes pretensiones, fácil de leer y perfecta para desconectar.
Un viaje con algunos peligros, algo de auto descubrimiento y romance prohibido, tiene una pizca de salseo y chispa que le hace sobresalir un poco porque si no hubiera sido demasiado monótono. Y es que aunque la pluma esté bien, la historia tenga cosillas interesantes y sea entretenida he echado en falta más de todo, se me ha quedado corta en profundidad, personajes y trama y eso que iba con cero expectativas. Pero bueno no me quejo porque al menos no me ha aburrido ni se me ha parecido demasiado densa, ha cumplido bastante bien.
Inicio de trilogía paranormal con romance muy prometedor.
March 9, 2020
Una premisa muy interesante y bastante bien ejecutada.
A mí cualquier cosa que recuerde a la mitología griega ya me tiene ganada, y bueno, se sabe poco sobre Caronte, el barquero, ¿así que una historia que podría tomarse como más desarrollo sobre este personaje? I'm in.
No obstante, aunque me ha gustado, me ha faltado saber más sobre cómo funciona realmente el mundo de Tristan, entiendo que eso se desarrollará en los siguientes libros, pero quizá haber dado alguna pista o haber planteado ciertas dudas habría estado muy bien.
A mí cualquier cosa que recuerde a la mitología griega ya me tiene ganada, y bueno, se sabe poco sobre Caronte, el barquero, ¿así que una historia que podría tomarse como más desarrollo sobre este personaje? I'm in.
No obstante, aunque me ha gustado, me ha faltado saber más sobre cómo funciona realmente el mundo de Tristan, entiendo que eso se desarrollará en los siguientes libros, pero quizá haber dado alguna pista o haber planteado ciertas dudas habría estado muy bien.
June 3, 2020
El principal problema de este libro es la monotonía de la trama, esa repetición existe. Aunque tampoco es un mal libro, si queréis pasar el rato, es el indicado. Prácticamente lo he devorado porque sigue siendo adictivo, teniendo unos personajes muy reales y una premisa de lo más original. Además, con ese final, os prometo que necesito su continuación para que se desarrolle ciertos conceptos que deja al lector con ganas de más información en esta primera premisa.
El resto de mi opinión aquí
El resto de mi opinión aquí
dnf
March 19, 2022Dnf at 70%
So much unnecessary and redundant information. I did not need to read a whole page about Dylan washing her jeans at the sink with cold water and little soap.
This was very early 2010 YA and it shows. It’s a good book but just not for me unfortunately. Maybe they’ll make the movie better 😖
So much unnecessary and redundant information. I did not need to read a whole page about Dylan washing her jeans at the sink with cold water and little soap.
This was very early 2010 YA and it shows. It’s a good book but just not for me unfortunately. Maybe they’ll make the movie better 😖
April 14, 2021
"Where am I?"
"The Wasteland."
Okay, I'm gonna say it right away: this was NOT the most mind-blowing, fantastically written and most excellent story. But did it hold my attention? Did it crawl into my heart and latch onto my feelings, pulling me into it with a slow, relentless build until I realized almost halfway through that I was in love??
Y E S
Honestly, I didn't come here looking for much. I was simply more than intrigued by the premise and hoping for some scraps of my favorite tropes . . . which I got!! This is a slower paced, fascinating story that made its own place in the midst of hints of a retelling (or two!) and forbidden love clichés. I rolled my eyes A LOT in the first part of the book and while this still stands quite firmly in the midst of YA first love/instalove/fated love tropes, it's still a worthwhile read in my opinion.
Why?? THE WRITING! ! ! (and also the worldbuilding but too many thoughts bouncing around on that to really put them down properly but it was NEAT)
'For a heartbeat she felt as if time had stopped, suspended on the brink of chaos.
For the all the times this felt like a glorified Wattpad book (nothing against them; they just have a certain level of . . . not amazing, I guess) this still managed to stay something GOOD because the writing quality didn't waver or change. It's not great but it is consistently decent , which also somehow (to me) felt like it stayed in line with the story matter and subject as it's basically a trek through a Purgatory-type "world" and the main character is very much a teenager.
So, while I would have a few editing suggestions such as paragraph arrangement and sentence structure in some areas, overall this kept me invested because the writing was of a fairly average quality.
'She could not bear to be faceless to him. Not when he had become everything to her.
However, I was mostly here for the romance, okay. The idea of a ferryman falling for the soul he's guiding to the "paradise" realm of the afterworld is the main reason I came for this book . . . and I really wasn't disappointed!! It was cheesy. It was dramatic. It was a frustrating, bouncing-in-my-seat-waiting-for-a-kiss, shrieking when their hands touched, and heart thumping when feelings were actually acknowledged kind of read. I have absolutely no shame about this and will defend "shallow" books if they are fairly decent and make me happy—as this one most certainly did!
And yet, this read as a solid YA book as it's fairly clean & innocent on the romantic side (something that did admittedly irk me a little until I had to remember this an immortal creature who doesn't know a thing and a teenager who just died and coming to grips with all of that) so I guess it makes sense. Still wish some of the kisses had been a wee bit more expounded upon BECAUSE EVERYTHING ELSE WAS DETAILED SO WHY NOT THOSE???
anyways . . .
It really felt like a kdrama in that it's predictable, not full of much depth, and yet it's just A GOOD KIND OF FAIRYTALE that makes you feel good. And it somehow made me invested enough to buy the rest of the series so I can see where the story takes me next.
I received a digital ARC from Walker Books US via Edelweiss. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Quotes are taken from an uncorrected ARC copy.
"The Wasteland."
Okay, I'm gonna say it right away: this was NOT the most mind-blowing, fantastically written and most excellent story. But did it hold my attention? Did it crawl into my heart and latch onto my feelings, pulling me into it with a slow, relentless build until I realized almost halfway through that I was in love??
Y E S
Honestly, I didn't come here looking for much. I was simply more than intrigued by the premise and hoping for some scraps of my favorite tropes . . . which I got!! This is a slower paced, fascinating story that made its own place in the midst of hints of a retelling (or two!) and forbidden love clichés. I rolled my eyes A LOT in the first part of the book and while this still stands quite firmly in the midst of YA first love/instalove/fated love tropes, it's still a worthwhile read in my opinion.
Why?? THE WRITING! ! ! (and also the worldbuilding but too many thoughts bouncing around on that to really put them down properly but it was NEAT)
'For a heartbeat she felt as if time had stopped, suspended on the brink of chaos.
For the all the times this felt like a glorified Wattpad book (nothing against them; they just have a certain level of . . . not amazing, I guess) this still managed to stay something GOOD because the writing quality didn't waver or change. It's not great but it is consistently decent , which also somehow (to me) felt like it stayed in line with the story matter and subject as it's basically a trek through a Purgatory-type "world" and the main character is very much a teenager.
So, while I would have a few editing suggestions such as paragraph arrangement and sentence structure in some areas, overall this kept me invested because the writing was of a fairly average quality.
'She could not bear to be faceless to him. Not when he had become everything to her.
However, I was mostly here for the romance, okay. The idea of a ferryman falling for the soul he's guiding to the "paradise" realm of the afterworld is the main reason I came for this book . . . and I really wasn't disappointed!! It was cheesy. It was dramatic. It was a frustrating, bouncing-in-my-seat-waiting-for-a-kiss, shrieking when their hands touched, and heart thumping when feelings were actually acknowledged kind of read. I have absolutely no shame about this and will defend "shallow" books if they are fairly decent and make me happy—as this one most certainly did!
And yet, this read as a solid YA book as it's fairly clean & innocent on the romantic side (something that did admittedly irk me a little until I had to remember this an immortal creature who doesn't know a thing and a teenager who just died and coming to grips with all of that) so I guess it makes sense. Still wish some of the kisses had been a wee bit more expounded upon BECAUSE EVERYTHING ELSE WAS DETAILED SO WHY NOT THOSE???
anyways . . .
It really felt like a kdrama in that it's predictable, not full of much depth, and yet it's just A GOOD KIND OF FAIRYTALE that makes you feel good. And it somehow made me invested enough to buy the rest of the series so I can see where the story takes me next.
I received a digital ARC from Walker Books US via Edelweiss. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Quotes are taken from an uncorrected ARC copy.
September 6, 2021
thank you to Walker Books US and Candlewick Press for gifting me this ARC!
i believe this book was originally published in 2013 and it definitely shows. this reminds me of the typical YA fantasy i would read when i was 13-14 years old and i think if i had read this when i was that age i would have eaten this up. i normally don't mind insta-love in books but in this instance it was just too ridiculous for me. we would also change POVs in the middle of a page and i kept getting confused about who we were following. there were points where i just turned off my critical brain and enjoyed the story but the cons far outweighed the pros for me. i feel like the best way to describe this book is that it was like twilight but less problematic. i would recommend this book to young teens because i feel like they would enjoy tristan and dylan's story but sadly i don't really recommend this to anyone else.
i believe this book was originally published in 2013 and it definitely shows. this reminds me of the typical YA fantasy i would read when i was 13-14 years old and i think if i had read this when i was that age i would have eaten this up. i normally don't mind insta-love in books but in this instance it was just too ridiculous for me. we would also change POVs in the middle of a page and i kept getting confused about who we were following. there were points where i just turned off my critical brain and enjoyed the story but the cons far outweighed the pros for me. i feel like the best way to describe this book is that it was like twilight but less problematic. i would recommend this book to young teens because i feel like they would enjoy tristan and dylan's story but sadly i don't really recommend this to anyone else.
March 5, 2013
Review originally posted on Queen Ella Bee Reads
THE REVIEW
Dylan gets into this wicked awful train crash, walks off the train and thinks she's the only one to survive when really, she's the only one to have died. SAY WHAT NOW? I don't know if it's my morbid curiosity but the minute I read the summary of this book I KNEW I'D HAVE TO READ IT.
Let's break this down:
At first I thought I loved this book because it's a little like If I Stay with a little bit of the Greek Mythology type stuff we've been seeing in a lot of books recently. And I do love it for that, but then I was sitting around, still thinking about this book days after finishing and I REALIZED that yeah, it's a bit of the above, but really, it reminds me of Doctor Who.
Hear me out. Tristan is like the Doctor. He's this lonely Ferryman who's been alive for longer than he can remember. He's kind of emotionally detached from what he does and yet he still does it because that's his purpose. But he's a miserable, jaded Ferryman until he meets Dylan. Who's basically Rose (if we're working from the Doctor Who 2005 reboot. I haven't watched any of the earlier stuff). And Dylan, like Rose, is this plucky girl who doesn't behave like anyone Tristan has ever met before, which is what piques Tristan's interest in her. LIKE THE DOCTOR AND ROSE.
Of course, the plot line of Ferryman is totally different. It's not sci-fi, and even though the book's a journey through the afterlife, the story isn't about vanquishing the wraiths and saving all the souls, like it might be in a sci-fi/supernatural story. No, this story follows more of a contemporary story line - one of self-discovery and growth, done by both Tristan and Dylan.
And now, considering I've outline the two main character, I'd like to talk a little bit more about them:
Dylan, I love. I feel like a lot of the times female leads get really boy-focused and, as such, the story suffers. And sure, Dylan is pretty Tristan-focused, but somehow Claire McFall MAKES THIS WORK. Probably because the story is about Dylan growing into herself and not just a girl simpering over a boy she can't have. So even if Tristan's her push a lot of the time (whether physically other otherwise), it's more about Dylan and her journey than Dylan pining after Tristan. It's a delicate balance but it's books like this one that prove IT CAN BE DONE, y'know? Like, a girl can be REALLY into a guy, but still be a compelling character.
Then there's Tristan. Oh please Tristan. I will take one of him please. His character is SO INTERESTING because of what he is (who he is as well, but the what's pretty clutch here). There's so much incredible depth that not only do you not mind the POV shifts, but you kind of WANT them.
Yeah, that's right, the POV shifts. And not just chapter to chapter (although that happens sometimes). It's more of a mid-chapter shift. It's subtle and smooth (at least for me), although I think I can see why some people might have problems with it. I honestly feel like it's one of those things where Tristan, as Ferryman, knows EVERYTHING about Dylan and as such, the whole story is really coming from Tristan who's relaying Dylan's POV while interjecting bits and pieces of what he feels along the way. Which could be how the story's supposed to be read. Or maybe just me making stuff up to be meta or whatever. But either way, it's like, y'know when you read a story and it's from the girl's POV and you're like I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT HE'S THINKING FOR 30 SECONDS. Well, Claire McFall lets you have those 30 seconds and while said seconds remove reader uncertainty in regards to Tristan's intentions, there's still the tension there because Dylan can't possibly know.
I hope you guys followed all that. And are now prepared for me to gush about the romance. Because IT IS THERE. Oh guys. The big kissing scene? I got the tinglies. The whole relationship is just so incredibly complicated. In fact, one might call it a forbidden love and, in case you guys didn't know, FORBIDDEN LOVE STORIES ARE THE BEST LOVE STORIES. I mean, I'm not the biggest fan of Romeo and Juliet because everyone dies, but most of us just overlook the fact that Juliet was 14 and that they'd only been together for 3 days because WHOA forbidden love is phenom.
So good characters, great development, compelling story, KISSING and lovely prose (which I haven't mentioned before but I just did so, yeah). Why does this book only get 4 stars? Because I feel like the ending happened a little fast. I have about a hundred questions at the end of the book. Mostly: HOWHOWHOWHOWHOW (100 times over). I feel like not enough of the rules of the world were laid out.
And y'know what? That'd be totally fine if I knew FOR SURE that there's gonna be another book. But as a standalone, there's not enough closure here for me. I do occasionally enjoy a slightly open-ended story, but there are just TOO MANY loose ends in this one for me to be cool with it. So like, instead of my insides just feeling FEELSY over this one, they feel FEELSY and a little bit unsatisfied and rushed. It's like I'm eating the best piece of cheesecake EVER and I'm savoring and loving but then, when I get to the last four amazing bites, someone's like HURRY UP YOU HAVE A TRAIN TO CATCH and so the last bites are so wonderful, but not the appropriate finale for the best piece of cheesecake EVER.
The long and short of it?
Plot: I would like it very much if I could read more stories like this. Or to just watch Doctor Who everyday for the rest of my life.
World Building: I'm not sure I really understood THE RULES, but the lay of the land is pretty solid.
Character Development: The whole book is seeped in amazing character development and I love it.
Prose: Sweet and oh so very honest.
Would I Recommend This Book?: This one's a little different sounding, but I think it is, at it's base, very much contemporary (despite the sci-fi/supernatural leanings). As such, I'll be pushing this one on hesitant. Also, this book's only out in the UK, but FEAR NOT MY DARLINGS! I bought a copy to lend out when I get home. Get exciiiiited lovely friends in the States!
THE REVIEW
Dylan gets into this wicked awful train crash, walks off the train and thinks she's the only one to survive when really, she's the only one to have died. SAY WHAT NOW? I don't know if it's my morbid curiosity but the minute I read the summary of this book I KNEW I'D HAVE TO READ IT.
Let's break this down:
At first I thought I loved this book because it's a little like If I Stay with a little bit of the Greek Mythology type stuff we've been seeing in a lot of books recently. And I do love it for that, but then I was sitting around, still thinking about this book days after finishing and I REALIZED that yeah, it's a bit of the above, but really, it reminds me of Doctor Who.
Hear me out. Tristan is like the Doctor. He's this lonely Ferryman who's been alive for longer than he can remember. He's kind of emotionally detached from what he does and yet he still does it because that's his purpose. But he's a miserable, jaded Ferryman until he meets Dylan. Who's basically Rose (if we're working from the Doctor Who 2005 reboot. I haven't watched any of the earlier stuff). And Dylan, like Rose, is this plucky girl who doesn't behave like anyone Tristan has ever met before, which is what piques Tristan's interest in her. LIKE THE DOCTOR AND ROSE.
Of course, the plot line of Ferryman is totally different. It's not sci-fi, and even though the book's a journey through the afterlife, the story isn't about vanquishing the wraiths and saving all the souls, like it might be in a sci-fi/supernatural story. No, this story follows more of a contemporary story line - one of self-discovery and growth, done by both Tristan and Dylan.
And now, considering I've outline the two main character, I'd like to talk a little bit more about them:
Dylan, I love. I feel like a lot of the times female leads get really boy-focused and, as such, the story suffers. And sure, Dylan is pretty Tristan-focused, but somehow Claire McFall MAKES THIS WORK. Probably because the story is about Dylan growing into herself and not just a girl simpering over a boy she can't have. So even if Tristan's her push a lot of the time (whether physically other otherwise), it's more about Dylan and her journey than Dylan pining after Tristan. It's a delicate balance but it's books like this one that prove IT CAN BE DONE, y'know? Like, a girl can be REALLY into a guy, but still be a compelling character.
Then there's Tristan. Oh please Tristan. I will take one of him please. His character is SO INTERESTING because of what he is (who he is as well, but the what's pretty clutch here). There's so much incredible depth that not only do you not mind the POV shifts, but you kind of WANT them.
Yeah, that's right, the POV shifts. And not just chapter to chapter (although that happens sometimes). It's more of a mid-chapter shift. It's subtle and smooth (at least for me), although I think I can see why some people might have problems with it. I honestly feel like it's one of those things where Tristan, as Ferryman, knows EVERYTHING about Dylan and as such, the whole story is really coming from Tristan who's relaying Dylan's POV while interjecting bits and pieces of what he feels along the way. Which could be how the story's supposed to be read. Or maybe just me making stuff up to be meta or whatever. But either way, it's like, y'know when you read a story and it's from the girl's POV and you're like I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT HE'S THINKING FOR 30 SECONDS. Well, Claire McFall lets you have those 30 seconds and while said seconds remove reader uncertainty in regards to Tristan's intentions, there's still the tension there because Dylan can't possibly know.
I hope you guys followed all that. And are now prepared for me to gush about the romance. Because IT IS THERE. Oh guys. The big kissing scene? I got the tinglies. The whole relationship is just so incredibly complicated. In fact, one might call it a forbidden love and, in case you guys didn't know, FORBIDDEN LOVE STORIES ARE THE BEST LOVE STORIES. I mean, I'm not the biggest fan of Romeo and Juliet because everyone dies, but most of us just overlook the fact that Juliet was 14 and that they'd only been together for 3 days because WHOA forbidden love is phenom.
So good characters, great development, compelling story, KISSING and lovely prose (which I haven't mentioned before but I just did so, yeah). Why does this book only get 4 stars? Because I feel like the ending happened a little fast. I have about a hundred questions at the end of the book. Mostly: HOWHOWHOWHOWHOW (100 times over). I feel like not enough of the rules of the world were laid out.
And y'know what? That'd be totally fine if I knew FOR SURE that there's gonna be another book. But as a standalone, there's not enough closure here for me. I do occasionally enjoy a slightly open-ended story, but there are just TOO MANY loose ends in this one for me to be cool with it. So like, instead of my insides just feeling FEELSY over this one, they feel FEELSY and a little bit unsatisfied and rushed. It's like I'm eating the best piece of cheesecake EVER and I'm savoring and loving but then, when I get to the last four amazing bites, someone's like HURRY UP YOU HAVE A TRAIN TO CATCH and so the last bites are so wonderful, but not the appropriate finale for the best piece of cheesecake EVER.
The long and short of it?
Plot: I would like it very much if I could read more stories like this. Or to just watch Doctor Who everyday for the rest of my life.
World Building: I'm not sure I really understood THE RULES, but the lay of the land is pretty solid.
Character Development: The whole book is seeped in amazing character development and I love it.
Prose: Sweet and oh so very honest.
Would I Recommend This Book?: This one's a little different sounding, but I think it is, at it's base, very much contemporary (despite the sci-fi/supernatural leanings). As such, I'll be pushing this one on hesitant. Also, this book's only out in the UK, but FEAR NOT MY DARLINGS! I bought a copy to lend out when I get home. Get exciiiiited lovely friends in the States!
August 16, 2021
En realidad 2,5.
Dylan lleva toda su vida queriendo conocer a su padre ya que desde que sus padres se separaron no se han vuelto a ver. Pero el día en el que por fin se va a reencontrar con su padre, Dylan sufre un accidente de tren en el que muere. Tras unos breves momentos de confusión la joven acepta con entereza su destino y emprende su nuevo camino junto con Tristan, el guía que le ayudará a cruzar “el Páramo”, el lugar que separa el mundo de los vivos con el más allá. Durante el camino Dylan establece un vínculo muy especial con Tristán lo que la hace desear poder quedarse en el páramo junto a él aunque sabe que es imposible ya que su alma corre peligro allí.
Desde que se publicó este libro tenía ganas de leerlo más que nada por su bonita portada y porque había leído que era un retelling del mito del barquero de la mitología griega pero una vez que lo he leído tengo que decir que la historia me ha decepcionado un montón y no me ha gustado nada. La trama es muy lineal, apenas sucede nada en todas las páginas del libro. Básicamente seguimos a Dylan y a Tristán durante su camino cruzando “el Párámo”. Un camino en el que los protagonistas apenas encuentran dificultades a parte del frío, el barro, las inclemencias del tiempo y algunos pequeños enfrentamientos con los espectros. La historia se me ha hecho muy aburrida y monótona ya que apenas sucedía algo que pudiera sorprenderme o engancharme. Los personajes tampoco me gustaron. Me parecieron muy simples y planos. El personaje de Dylan es el de la típica chica marginada de instituto que vive infeliz ya que no tiene nadie a su lado que la pueda apoyar. Lo que la conduce a afrontar una situación tan dura como es su muerte con tanta madurez ya que pese a que tiene una madre y un padre no tiene mucho apego hacia ellos ni tiene ninguna figura importante en su vida ni nada por lo que luchar. Lo que también explica que se enamoré al instante de Tristán, su barquero ya que se ha presentado ante ella con una apariencia que a la joven le resulta atractiva. El personaje de Tristán tampoco me gustó ya que es muy soso y apenas tiene carácter, Otra cosa que no me gustó nada fue el romance, sinceramente creo que es un instalove de manual. El enamoramiento que sufre Dylan es muy predecible y casi instantáneo y el de Tristán es casi inexplicable porque es que apenas hay escenas en los que ambos intercambien palabra o suceda algo entre ellos a excepción de caminar por el barro. El final no me convenció nada ya que no explican nada de lo que ocurrió en el tren ni de lo que pasa después con Tristán. La pluma de la autora tampoco me gustó me pareció muy monótona y lineal. Hubiese agradecido algo más de originalidad en la trama. En definitiva un libro que tiene una trama muy pobre y muy plano que tenía el potencial para ser un buen retelling pero que se quedó en esto.
Dylan lleva toda su vida queriendo conocer a su padre ya que desde que sus padres se separaron no se han vuelto a ver. Pero el día en el que por fin se va a reencontrar con su padre, Dylan sufre un accidente de tren en el que muere. Tras unos breves momentos de confusión la joven acepta con entereza su destino y emprende su nuevo camino junto con Tristan, el guía que le ayudará a cruzar “el Páramo”, el lugar que separa el mundo de los vivos con el más allá. Durante el camino Dylan establece un vínculo muy especial con Tristán lo que la hace desear poder quedarse en el páramo junto a él aunque sabe que es imposible ya que su alma corre peligro allí.
Desde que se publicó este libro tenía ganas de leerlo más que nada por su bonita portada y porque había leído que era un retelling del mito del barquero de la mitología griega pero una vez que lo he leído tengo que decir que la historia me ha decepcionado un montón y no me ha gustado nada. La trama es muy lineal, apenas sucede nada en todas las páginas del libro. Básicamente seguimos a Dylan y a Tristán durante su camino cruzando “el Párámo”. Un camino en el que los protagonistas apenas encuentran dificultades a parte del frío, el barro, las inclemencias del tiempo y algunos pequeños enfrentamientos con los espectros. La historia se me ha hecho muy aburrida y monótona ya que apenas sucedía algo que pudiera sorprenderme o engancharme. Los personajes tampoco me gustaron. Me parecieron muy simples y planos. El personaje de Dylan es el de la típica chica marginada de instituto que vive infeliz ya que no tiene nadie a su lado que la pueda apoyar. Lo que la conduce a afrontar una situación tan dura como es su muerte con tanta madurez ya que pese a que tiene una madre y un padre no tiene mucho apego hacia ellos ni tiene ninguna figura importante en su vida ni nada por lo que luchar. Lo que también explica que se enamoré al instante de Tristán, su barquero ya que se ha presentado ante ella con una apariencia que a la joven le resulta atractiva. El personaje de Tristán tampoco me gustó ya que es muy soso y apenas tiene carácter, Otra cosa que no me gustó nada fue el romance, sinceramente creo que es un instalove de manual. El enamoramiento que sufre Dylan es muy predecible y casi instantáneo y el de Tristán es casi inexplicable porque es que apenas hay escenas en los que ambos intercambien palabra o suceda algo entre ellos a excepción de caminar por el barro. El final no me convenció nada ya que no explican nada de lo que ocurrió en el tren ni de lo que pasa después con Tristán. La pluma de la autora tampoco me gustó me pareció muy monótona y lineal. Hubiese agradecido algo más de originalidad en la trama. En definitiva un libro que tiene una trama muy pobre y muy plano que tenía el potencial para ser un buen retelling pero que se quedó en esto.
December 20, 2021
Ferryman by Claire McFall is a young adult fantasy romance about Dylan, a teenage girl who is from Scotland and has recently met with an accident and suddenly ends up in a place called Wasteland. It's a place which is haunted by wraiths searching for human souls.
She meets Tristan, her Ferryman, who helps these souls pass through between Life and Death - Wasteland and go through the other side. Tristan is a Ferryman, tasked with transporting her soul safely to the afterlife, a journey he's made a thousand times before.
The story is full of adventures and it describes some really beautiful and thought provoking scenes between the two. The world that Claire McFall has created in this book is very beautiful and its written brilliantly. I cannot wait to read the sequel now.
I liked how we got to see paranormal romance setting between Tristan and Dylan, yet it is different from the regular vampires and witches. I felt the story was a little bit rushed at many points in the book. I would have liked to read more about the other characters and more about Tristan's past life.
She meets Tristan, her Ferryman, who helps these souls pass through between Life and Death - Wasteland and go through the other side. Tristan is a Ferryman, tasked with transporting her soul safely to the afterlife, a journey he's made a thousand times before.
The story is full of adventures and it describes some really beautiful and thought provoking scenes between the two. The world that Claire McFall has created in this book is very beautiful and its written brilliantly. I cannot wait to read the sequel now.
I liked how we got to see paranormal romance setting between Tristan and Dylan, yet it is different from the regular vampires and witches. I felt the story was a little bit rushed at many points in the book. I would have liked to read more about the other characters and more about Tristan's past life.
October 7, 2020
No sabía que esperar de esta historia, sabía que se basaba en el mito de Caronte, el barquero de Hades, pero no tenía más información que esa.
Ahora, luego de haberlo terminado, debo admitir que ame la historia.
La narrativa es simple, rápida pero cargada de emociones. Lloré mucho, no voy a negarlo, un capítulo en particular me partió el corazón (lloré con Dylan).
Espero podés leer pronto la segunda parte porque ese final me dejó deseosa de más! Quiero leerlo ya!!!! 🥰
Ahora, luego de haberlo terminado, debo admitir que ame la historia.
La narrativa es simple, rápida pero cargada de emociones. Lloré mucho, no voy a negarlo, un capítulo en particular me partió el corazón (lloré con Dylan).
Espero podés leer pronto la segunda parte porque ese final me dejó deseosa de más! Quiero leerlo ya!!!! 🥰
February 9, 2021
4.0
AY DIOS NECESITO MÁS
AY DIOS NECESITO MÁS
March 16, 2018
Head-hopping within scenes. I'll come back to this but I wanted to say this out of the gate: this book jumps between POVs without scene breaks, and more importantly, without a reliable omniscient view. I would say it's relatively close 3rd person which is what makes the head-hopping distracting. One second you're in Dylan's head, the next you're in Tristan's, and back again, all within the space of a paragraph.
Be warned, this gives the book a very amateurish feel. Along with the prose. If you're reading reviews to decide whether to give this one a chance, I think that needs to be said up front. Head-hopping *can* work, but only, I've found, when done by a writer who is able to make the transitions smooth, clean, and most importantly, clear. In this book there are no transitions.
I want to start by saying what drew me to this book, which might explain my less-than-shining review. I saw the cover online and yes, it is beautiful, but the title was what did it. I don't remember where I heard about this book but wherever it was did *not* make it clear that it was YA. I believed, based on whatever blurb I read, that it was Adult, in the vein of The Lovely Bones.
It is not.
Fine, not a problem. I love YA. Unfortunately once I got going, it felt more like Middle Grade than YA. More on that later.
Obviously if I'd come on to Goodreads I'd have quickly realised the error of my thinking, but the premise is so hook-y -- a girl escapes a train crash believing she's the sole survivor, but the truth is, she's the only casualty. That's how the blurb (and I wish I could find it again because it was misleading beyond all belief) portrayed it. As I said, it felt very Lovely Bones-ish, set in Scotland, so even better.
And positives I can share, before I get to the nitty-gritty:
1) As I said, the premise is fantastic.
2) The character of Tristan had all my sympathy. For many reasons. (His backstory, his horrific "job" with no experience actually living, and yes, because he had to put up with Dylan's whinging throughout the entire book).
3) The concept of the world was interesting, though it could have been fleshed out more.
4) The character of Jonas, though we see him only briefly, was a nice touch.
On to what made me give this a 2-star review -- and this is where I have to point out that on Goodreads, 2 stars means, "It was ok." Which to me, is quite generous for 2 stars. Usually 2 stars seems to indicate, "It was excruciating but it wasn't the worst thing I've ever read." I gather most people think 2 stars on Goodreads means the latter anyhow, but I digress.
Problem #1: Head-hopping.
The biggest issue I had with this book was head-hopping. As I said at the top, the author switches POVs between main characters back and forth and back and forth throughout the chapters. I've never seen this in a non-indie, published book before. This is supposedly a major no-no, so I'm not sure how this slid by the editors but presumably this is a small press.
Problem #2: The prose.
The language she uses made this book -- apart from the kissing and undressing -- feel Middle Grade instead of YA. Which is especially disappointing given I'd inadvertently believed it was Adult when I downloaded it to my Kindle. She uses the same phrases and words over and over to the point where it feels as if there were never any proper revisions done. Amping up the verbs chosen would've gone a long way, along with cutting out cliches like "butterflies in her stomach."
A few examples:
"It was faded and showing signs and wear and tear." (Surely only one of those, faded or signs of wear and tear, is necessary).
"...drunks, weirdos, people who wanted to tell you their life stories and philosophise on the meaning of life."
"Her face fell into a mask of confusion and unease."
"His eyes were magnetic, and they seemed to see through to her very core."
"Tristan broke through her thoughts, bringing her back to the present."
"Her heart started to beat faster and she had to concentrate on inhaling through her nose to keep her breathing under control."
- - -
I also think the Middle Grade-feel is helped by the clingy, whiny, immature tone of Dylan (who I kept forgetting was the girl -- just not used to Dylan being a girl's name but that's on me). She read more like a 10-year-old girl than a late-teens girl.
Problem #3: Believability.
As others have rightly pointed out, it's odd how Dylan accepted being dead so casually. She acted like it was no biggie and was more worried about what her face and hair looked like to her ancient ferryman-in-the-shape-of-a-cute-teen-boy. If we'd had even a bit more regret and despair at being separated from her life so young, from any dreams she might have had (we don't get much of a sense of where she wanted to go in life, apart from Aberdeen to meet her dad), then it might've been easier to accept these oddities.
And also, on the topic of believability, I found it really sweet that Tristan cared about her, but kind of hard to imagine how he -- an, as I said, ancient ferryman who's never lived a life of his own -- falls in love and willingly risks his job and existence for her. He's seen it all. That's understandable -- what we need to know is WHAT about this girl, this soul, makes him fall in love and risk it all? We need to be shown that, and we never are. Dylan, as she is in this book, is not believably a girl someone like Tristan would risk it all for. She's a whiny teenager who acts at least 5 years younger than she is, who has only one friend and therefore is likely missing some social skills, but somehow manages with this being who has ferried thousands of souls over hundreds of years across the "wasteland" to their afterlives.
Also in this vein, we're to believe that Tristan has been a ferryman for untold centuries and has never once thought of trying to escape? Hmm. That's... troubling. If he's an automaton or an android, okay, but I don't think he is.
Problem #4: Length
This book went on way longer than it should have, given the content. For the majority of the book, it's trudge through wasteland, face minor danger before safehouse, sleep in safehouse. Trudge, danger, safehouse. But the danger never feels real, and because it's the same cycle repeated, it feels like the book isn't going anywhere. The characters do get to know each other a little better each night in each safehouse, but because the surroundings barely change, and the description and language is really rudimentary, it begins to blur together. For the way this was written and the repetitive nature of the journey, it could've stood to be about 40 pages shorter.
I'll stop there because I feel horribly critical, but I can't lie -- I was really disappointed by this book, how it was sold to me, how poorly it was edited, and the messy way the head-hopping was handled. I ended up skimming the last 25% because it felt like it was never going to end.
I will say again that I think the author was on to a fantastic idea with this book, but I sadly feel it missed the mark. But I stand behind my 2 stars: It was "okay." I wouldn't re-read it, nor would I recommend it. Oddly, the book seems to have a major following in China.
Be warned, this gives the book a very amateurish feel. Along with the prose. If you're reading reviews to decide whether to give this one a chance, I think that needs to be said up front. Head-hopping *can* work, but only, I've found, when done by a writer who is able to make the transitions smooth, clean, and most importantly, clear. In this book there are no transitions.
I want to start by saying what drew me to this book, which might explain my less-than-shining review. I saw the cover online and yes, it is beautiful, but the title was what did it. I don't remember where I heard about this book but wherever it was did *not* make it clear that it was YA. I believed, based on whatever blurb I read, that it was Adult, in the vein of The Lovely Bones.
It is not.
Fine, not a problem. I love YA. Unfortunately once I got going, it felt more like Middle Grade than YA. More on that later.
Obviously if I'd come on to Goodreads I'd have quickly realised the error of my thinking, but the premise is so hook-y -- a girl escapes a train crash believing she's the sole survivor, but the truth is, she's the only casualty. That's how the blurb (and I wish I could find it again because it was misleading beyond all belief) portrayed it. As I said, it felt very Lovely Bones-ish, set in Scotland, so even better.
And positives I can share, before I get to the nitty-gritty:
1) As I said, the premise is fantastic.
2) The character of Tristan had all my sympathy. For many reasons. (His backstory, his horrific "job" with no experience actually living, and yes, because he had to put up with Dylan's whinging throughout the entire book).
3) The concept of the world was interesting, though it could have been fleshed out more.
4) The character of Jonas, though we see him only briefly, was a nice touch.
On to what made me give this a 2-star review -- and this is where I have to point out that on Goodreads, 2 stars means, "It was ok." Which to me, is quite generous for 2 stars. Usually 2 stars seems to indicate, "It was excruciating but it wasn't the worst thing I've ever read." I gather most people think 2 stars on Goodreads means the latter anyhow, but I digress.
Problem #1: Head-hopping.
The biggest issue I had with this book was head-hopping. As I said at the top, the author switches POVs between main characters back and forth and back and forth throughout the chapters. I've never seen this in a non-indie, published book before. This is supposedly a major no-no, so I'm not sure how this slid by the editors but presumably this is a small press.
Problem #2: The prose.
The language she uses made this book -- apart from the kissing and undressing -- feel Middle Grade instead of YA. Which is especially disappointing given I'd inadvertently believed it was Adult when I downloaded it to my Kindle. She uses the same phrases and words over and over to the point where it feels as if there were never any proper revisions done. Amping up the verbs chosen would've gone a long way, along with cutting out cliches like "butterflies in her stomach."
A few examples:
"It was faded and showing signs and wear and tear." (Surely only one of those, faded or signs of wear and tear, is necessary).
"...drunks, weirdos, people who wanted to tell you their life stories and philosophise on the meaning of life."
"Her face fell into a mask of confusion and unease."
"His eyes were magnetic, and they seemed to see through to her very core."
"Tristan broke through her thoughts, bringing her back to the present."
"Her heart started to beat faster and she had to concentrate on inhaling through her nose to keep her breathing under control."
- - -
I also think the Middle Grade-feel is helped by the clingy, whiny, immature tone of Dylan (who I kept forgetting was the girl -- just not used to Dylan being a girl's name but that's on me). She read more like a 10-year-old girl than a late-teens girl.
Problem #3: Believability.
As others have rightly pointed out, it's odd how Dylan accepted being dead so casually. She acted like it was no biggie and was more worried about what her face and hair looked like to her ancient ferryman-in-the-shape-of-a-cute-teen-boy. If we'd had even a bit more regret and despair at being separated from her life so young, from any dreams she might have had (we don't get much of a sense of where she wanted to go in life, apart from Aberdeen to meet her dad), then it might've been easier to accept these oddities.
And also, on the topic of believability, I found it really sweet that Tristan cared about her, but kind of hard to imagine how he -- an, as I said, ancient ferryman who's never lived a life of his own -- falls in love and willingly risks his job and existence for her. He's seen it all. That's understandable -- what we need to know is WHAT about this girl, this soul, makes him fall in love and risk it all? We need to be shown that, and we never are. Dylan, as she is in this book, is not believably a girl someone like Tristan would risk it all for. She's a whiny teenager who acts at least 5 years younger than she is, who has only one friend and therefore is likely missing some social skills, but somehow manages with this being who has ferried thousands of souls over hundreds of years across the "wasteland" to their afterlives.
Also in this vein, we're to believe that Tristan has been a ferryman for untold centuries and has never once thought of trying to escape? Hmm. That's... troubling. If he's an automaton or an android, okay, but I don't think he is.
Problem #4: Length
This book went on way longer than it should have, given the content. For the majority of the book, it's trudge through wasteland, face minor danger before safehouse, sleep in safehouse. Trudge, danger, safehouse. But the danger never feels real, and because it's the same cycle repeated, it feels like the book isn't going anywhere. The characters do get to know each other a little better each night in each safehouse, but because the surroundings barely change, and the description and language is really rudimentary, it begins to blur together. For the way this was written and the repetitive nature of the journey, it could've stood to be about 40 pages shorter.
I'll stop there because I feel horribly critical, but I can't lie -- I was really disappointed by this book, how it was sold to me, how poorly it was edited, and the messy way the head-hopping was handled. I ended up skimming the last 25% because it felt like it was never going to end.
I will say again that I think the author was on to a fantastic idea with this book, but I sadly feel it missed the mark. But I stand behind my 2 stars: It was "okay." I wouldn't re-read it, nor would I recommend it. Oddly, the book seems to have a major following in China.
August 6, 2023
Dylan sedang dlm perjalanan utk mengunjungi ayahnya. Tetapi mendadak terjadi kecelakaan parah dan Dylan ada di dunia perantara antara dunia nyata dan arwah. Disana dirinya dibimbing oleh Tristan, pemuda yg bertugas sbg pengantar roh atau ferryman.
Sudah gampang diduga, Dylan dan Tristan saling jatuh cinta. Tristan merasa Dylan berbeda dari semua yg pernah diantarnya. Dylan tergolong impulsif, nekad dan sembrono.
Background ceritanya mengingatkan saya sedikit pd novel "The Ghost Bride", dimana para roh jahat berusaha menangkap jiwa yg baru mati. Perbedaannya tentu saja kalau di "Ghost Bride" masih bisa disuap dgn uang²an orang mati. Kalau di novel ini Dylan hrs cekatan dan sigap menghindari dari wraith² yg gampang marah dan gak sabaran.
Baca novel ini ringan aja sih, gak perlu mikir malah. Ala² Twilight jg.
Apakah mereka akan bersatu selamanya? Dibaca aja ya.
Sudah gampang diduga, Dylan dan Tristan saling jatuh cinta. Tristan merasa Dylan berbeda dari semua yg pernah diantarnya. Dylan tergolong impulsif, nekad dan sembrono.
Background ceritanya mengingatkan saya sedikit pd novel "The Ghost Bride", dimana para roh jahat berusaha menangkap jiwa yg baru mati. Perbedaannya tentu saja kalau di "Ghost Bride" masih bisa disuap dgn uang²an orang mati. Kalau di novel ini Dylan hrs cekatan dan sigap menghindari dari wraith² yg gampang marah dan gak sabaran.
Baca novel ini ringan aja sih, gak perlu mikir malah. Ala² Twilight jg.
Apakah mereka akan bersatu selamanya? Dibaca aja ya.
April 7, 2020
5/5 estrelas.
Que livro! Adorei simplesmente!
A maneira como esta história me envolveu, a maneira como a escrita da autora que cativou. Incrível.
Mal posso esperar por o segundo, preciso de o ler desesperadamente!
Que livro! Adorei simplesmente!
A maneira como esta história me envolveu, a maneira como a escrita da autora que cativou. Incrível.
Mal posso esperar por o segundo, preciso de o ler desesperadamente!
September 16, 2024
I love this book for many reasons!! One, it was beautifully written. Two, it had me guessing and had me eager to read more. Three, it is SO cute. Four, I love the concept of this book. And five, I love how fast-paced it was. 5 stars, highly recommend! Can't wait to read the rest!!
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