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Дванайсет нощи
Пленителният свят на „Дванайсет нощи“ носи духа на Оксфорд на Лира („Тъмните му материи“, Филип Пулман) и „Алиса в Страната на чудесата“.
Бъдни вечер. Бащата на Кей още е на работа – пак закъснява, както всеки ден тази седмица и всяка седмица този месец. Както всеки месец тази година: в лабораторията или в кабинета си, по две седмици на разкопки някъде, в библиотеки или на срещи; Кей не успява да запомни всичко.
Огорчена, майка ѝ хваща нея и сестра ѝ и трите отиват заедно, за да го приберат от Кеймбриджкия колеж, където преподава. Когато пристигат обаче, първо портиерът, а след това и всички други отричат човек с това име някога да е работил там…
Всъщност, изглежда сякаш той никога не е съществувал.
Същата нощ Кей е събудена от гласове под прозореца: това са Оли и Флип, които наричат сами себе си безплътници.
Но те не са хора. И Кей по принцип не трябва да може да ги вижда.
Но тя някак успява.
Бъдни вечер. Бащата на Кей още е на работа – пак закъснява, както всеки ден тази седмица и всяка седмица този месец. Както всеки месец тази година: в лабораторията или в кабинета си, по две седмици на разкопки някъде, в библиотеки или на срещи; Кей не успява да запомни всичко.
Огорчена, майка ѝ хваща нея и сестра ѝ и трите отиват заедно, за да го приберат от Кеймбриджкия колеж, където преподава. Когато пристигат обаче, първо портиерът, а след това и всички други отричат човек с това име някога да е работил там…
Всъщност, изглежда сякаш той никога не е съществувал.
Същата нощ Кей е събудена от гласове под прозореца: това са Оли и Флип, които наричат сами себе си безплътници.
Но те не са хора. И Кей по принцип не трябва да може да ги вижда.
Но тя някак успява.
368 pages, Paperback
First published April 5, 2018
48 people are currently reading
522 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
February 22, 2021
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Okay, so, when I first got Twelve Nights I was thinking it was a nice children's book that would fly by with no questions. Ha! That didn't last long at all.
In the beginning, the main characters seemed like children to me but then like 2.4 seconds later I was filled with so much confusion and questions. Questions that had me thinking that these weren't even children to begin with. Which definitely had me going down a deep deep and very dark rabbit hole because it was a children's book.
Or so I thought.
All confusion aside, I honestly didn't care about any of the characters or the adventure that they went on. Yeah, in the beginning it seemed kind of cool but then it just became a hot mess that my brain was too tired to catch up and explain it to me.
In the end, I'm just glad that it's over and that I got to dive into this weirdness of a book.
September 23, 2019
Do you guys check on Goodreads about a book before you buy it?
I didn’t and I strongly urge that you do. This 400-page monstrosity cost me two things. Thirteen days of my life and 125 Rupees out of my pocket (Should have known it would be bad). I understood, profoundly, the meaning of the phrase, "The struggle is real" when I was 10 pages into this book. I literally had to force myself to read it and I am so happy now that it’s over.
Twelve Nights is a fantasy book that describes a world where Phantasms and wraiths live hidden alongside humans and they preserve stories. Bewildered? So am I. The story starts with our two protagonists Kay and Ell who find that their father is missing and there is no trace of proof that he even existed. Later that night they are visited by Will and Flip, two wraiths who call themselves removers and they have come to retrieve the father’s tooth. The story begins then with Kay sleeping throughout the entire book. (In very chapter, she dozes off and Will creepily holds her). Ghast is the antagonist, a version of Hitler in the Phantasm world and he wants to be crowned king of their world and will use everyone to achieve this.
The story is a literal war between Ghast and the protagonists and the whole experience is entirely boring. The tale is an entire mix of stories from Greek mythology, Egyptian Mythology, a lot of crying and a hell of a lot of sleeping. I had strong revelations against Will’s character, who is the personification of depression itself .There are a lot of plot holes and twists that make no sense at all. When you finish, you’re left with a lot of questions buzzing around your head.
I strongly recommend that you do not pick up this book. Even if you do, you can use it to take pictures because the covers really good and that’s just about the only thing that is good.
I didn’t and I strongly urge that you do. This 400-page monstrosity cost me two things. Thirteen days of my life and 125 Rupees out of my pocket (Should have known it would be bad). I understood, profoundly, the meaning of the phrase, "The struggle is real" when I was 10 pages into this book. I literally had to force myself to read it and I am so happy now that it’s over.
Twelve Nights is a fantasy book that describes a world where Phantasms and wraiths live hidden alongside humans and they preserve stories. Bewildered? So am I. The story starts with our two protagonists Kay and Ell who find that their father is missing and there is no trace of proof that he even existed. Later that night they are visited by Will and Flip, two wraiths who call themselves removers and they have come to retrieve the father’s tooth. The story begins then with Kay sleeping throughout the entire book. (In very chapter, she dozes off and Will creepily holds her). Ghast is the antagonist, a version of Hitler in the Phantasm world and he wants to be crowned king of their world and will use everyone to achieve this.
The story is a literal war between Ghast and the protagonists and the whole experience is entirely boring. The tale is an entire mix of stories from Greek mythology, Egyptian Mythology, a lot of crying and a hell of a lot of sleeping. I had strong revelations against Will’s character, who is the personification of depression itself .There are a lot of plot holes and twists that make no sense at all. When you finish, you’re left with a lot of questions buzzing around your head.
I strongly recommend that you do not pick up this book. Even if you do, you can use it to take pictures because the covers really good and that’s just about the only thing that is good.
February 20, 2021
1.75/5 stars!
“Everyone, everyone is like a buried treasure. Everyone. Every person who has ever been born is inestimable valuable.”
This book contains: removals, aurors, teeth, hot air balloons and mythology.
I’m just confused. Isn’t this supposed to be a book for children? I felt like this story is too complex, scary and slow paced for children to follow. If I was confused and bored, I can’t imagine what kids would feel while reading this.
I spent so much time listening to this book, waiting for it to get better but it never happened. And I really thought it was me, because I re-listened to hours of it just thinking it was my fault and that maybe I wasn’t paying attention. But I was, and I got to the conclusion that I was not the problem.
I think the biggest issue I had with this book was how painfully slow it was. I think it’s supposed to be an adventure book, but the scenes are so slow that it feels like they were never ending.
The characters were incredibly boring, and when I think about the two main characters they’re either sleeping or crying. And why are they leaving in the middle of the night with two men/creatures? What about their mother? I thought that was weird. But that wasn’t the only problem, there are so many plot holes and unexplained situations in this it’s insane. Oh, and did I mention there is mythology in the mix? I was just confused the entire time.
I will say that if you like very descriptive books, this one's for you. The author describes anything and everything in this and he does it beautifully, so if you prefer descriptions in books over plot maybe you’ll like this? And the narrator is also pretty good, I would love to hear more books narrated by her!
It’s no fun forcing yourself to read a book. And keep in mind I listened to the audiobook version. I didn’t know listening to an audiobook could be so hard. I appreciate my free copy, but it was definitely not for me!
***A big thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review***
Blog | Bookstagram
“Everyone, everyone is like a buried treasure. Everyone. Every person who has ever been born is inestimable valuable.”
This book contains: removals, aurors, teeth, hot air balloons and mythology.
I’m just confused. Isn’t this supposed to be a book for children? I felt like this story is too complex, scary and slow paced for children to follow. If I was confused and bored, I can’t imagine what kids would feel while reading this.
I spent so much time listening to this book, waiting for it to get better but it never happened. And I really thought it was me, because I re-listened to hours of it just thinking it was my fault and that maybe I wasn’t paying attention. But I was, and I got to the conclusion that I was not the problem.
I think the biggest issue I had with this book was how painfully slow it was. I think it’s supposed to be an adventure book, but the scenes are so slow that it feels like they were never ending.
The characters were incredibly boring, and when I think about the two main characters they’re either sleeping or crying. And why are they leaving in the middle of the night with two men/creatures? What about their mother? I thought that was weird. But that wasn’t the only problem, there are so many plot holes and unexplained situations in this it’s insane. Oh, and did I mention there is mythology in the mix? I was just confused the entire time.
I will say that if you like very descriptive books, this one's for you. The author describes anything and everything in this and he does it beautifully, so if you prefer descriptions in books over plot maybe you’ll like this? And the narrator is also pretty good, I would love to hear more books narrated by her!
It’s no fun forcing yourself to read a book. And keep in mind I listened to the audiobook version. I didn’t know listening to an audiobook could be so hard. I appreciate my free copy, but it was definitely not for me!
***A big thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review***
Blog | Bookstagram
January 16, 2018
Such a beautifully written book. There are sentences in here I’d want to write down to remember forever. It’s the kind of book that answers questions you didn’t know you had. And the kind of book that after finishing, makes you question the whole story and makes you want to start over. The writing is exquisite; some paragraphs are so much like poetry that they deserve a slow and unhurried reading, just for the sheer joy of the words themselves. I’m looking forward to the next in the series!
December 30, 2023
DNF @ 115 стр.
Интересна идея, но скучно изпълнение с нелогични действия и ненужно сложна магическа система. Действията на героите са нелогични, магията е изключително объркана с цел да създаде някаква мистерия и напрежение, а описанията са тягостни и същевременно неясни. Авторът се е опитал да избяга от клиширани сравнения, но в желанието си да звучи уникално, е написал "шедьоври" като: "Почувства се така, сякаш сълзи щяха да рукнат от върховете на пръстите й."
На теория книгата е детска, но не съм сигурна, че това, което минава за приключения в нея, е достатъчно грабващо, че да задържи детското внимание.
Интересна идея, но скучно изпълнение с нелогични действия и ненужно сложна магическа система. Действията на героите са нелогични, магията е изключително объркана с цел да създаде някаква мистерия и напрежение, а описанията са тягостни и същевременно неясни. Авторът се е опитал да избяга от клиширани сравнения, но в желанието си да звучи уникално, е написал "шедьоври" като: "Почувства се така, сякаш сълзи щяха да рукнат от върховете на пръстите й."
На теория книгата е детска, но не съм сигурна, че това, което минава за приключения в нея, е достатъчно грабващо, че да задържи детското внимание.
February 11, 2021
#ContainsSpoilers
Twelve Nights begins magically. Kay’s father vanishes overnight. And when I say ‘vanish”, I mean “vanish”. There’s no trace of his existence left anywhere. At night, Kay and her sister Eloise discover some strange beings in their bedroom who seem to be linked to the mysterious disappearance of their dad. That’s where their quest to bring back their dad begins, leading to an adventure of a lifetime.
In spite of the poor rating on GoodReads, I went for this book enthusiastically because the blurb seemed so promising. And the book lives up to this promise, till about 35%. The scenes move by quickly, and I waited eagerly to know what happened next. Unfortunately, after that point, the whole book collapses.
In an adventure book, pacing is key, and the slow narrative filled with overabundant descriptions and a paucity of action simply kills the interest. But there are people who enjoy descriptions in any genre. So I could have forgiven this flaw.
There are many gruesome scenes, leading me to wonder who is the exact target audience for this book. It is too scary for children, too descriptive and slow-paced for adventure lovers, and too tame for fantasy lovers. But there are readers who would have loved this strange mixed narrative. I could have ignored this flaw.
The story seemed to borrow a little bit from varied sources. You see glimpses of Egyptian mythology, Greek mythology, and many children’s fantasy series. But to create a new story from multiple existing sources too is creative. So I could have let this go too.
#BigSpoilerComingUp
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What I cannot ignore or forgive is this: The title says “Twelve nights” but this book narrates what happens only on six nights. The story is left incomplete, ostensibly for a sequel. But there is no evidence on the GoodReads page of the book to indicate that this is the first of a series. I forced myself to go through the whole book even after it became boring simply so that I could know what happens at the end, hoping for a happy ending to the girls’ adventure. And then to discover that we are just halfway done? Not fair at all. It was disappointing and irritating, to say the least.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#EndOfBigSpoiler
I am giving 2 stars to this book for two reasons: One star goes to the first 35%, which is simply brilliant. I wish the author could have retained that same momentum throughout. The second star goes to Liz Pearce, the narrator of the audiobook. I doubt I would have completed the audiobook were it some other narrator. She enlivens the proceedings to the best of her abilities and is magnificent with her narration. I would definitely love to hear more audio books narrated by her.
Thank you, NetGalley and RB Media, for the Advanced Audio Review Copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
Follow me on Instagram: RoshReviews
Twelve Nights begins magically. Kay’s father vanishes overnight. And when I say ‘vanish”, I mean “vanish”. There’s no trace of his existence left anywhere. At night, Kay and her sister Eloise discover some strange beings in their bedroom who seem to be linked to the mysterious disappearance of their dad. That’s where their quest to bring back their dad begins, leading to an adventure of a lifetime.
In spite of the poor rating on GoodReads, I went for this book enthusiastically because the blurb seemed so promising. And the book lives up to this promise, till about 35%. The scenes move by quickly, and I waited eagerly to know what happened next. Unfortunately, after that point, the whole book collapses.
In an adventure book, pacing is key, and the slow narrative filled with overabundant descriptions and a paucity of action simply kills the interest. But there are people who enjoy descriptions in any genre. So I could have forgiven this flaw.
There are many gruesome scenes, leading me to wonder who is the exact target audience for this book. It is too scary for children, too descriptive and slow-paced for adventure lovers, and too tame for fantasy lovers. But there are readers who would have loved this strange mixed narrative. I could have ignored this flaw.
The story seemed to borrow a little bit from varied sources. You see glimpses of Egyptian mythology, Greek mythology, and many children’s fantasy series. But to create a new story from multiple existing sources too is creative. So I could have let this go too.
#BigSpoilerComingUp
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What I cannot ignore or forgive is this: The title says “Twelve nights” but this book narrates what happens only on six nights. The story is left incomplete, ostensibly for a sequel. But there is no evidence on the GoodReads page of the book to indicate that this is the first of a series. I forced myself to go through the whole book even after it became boring simply so that I could know what happens at the end, hoping for a happy ending to the girls’ adventure. And then to discover that we are just halfway done? Not fair at all. It was disappointing and irritating, to say the least.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#EndOfBigSpoiler
I am giving 2 stars to this book for two reasons: One star goes to the first 35%, which is simply brilliant. I wish the author could have retained that same momentum throughout. The second star goes to Liz Pearce, the narrator of the audiobook. I doubt I would have completed the audiobook were it some other narrator. She enlivens the proceedings to the best of her abilities and is magnificent with her narration. I would definitely love to hear more audio books narrated by her.
Thank you, NetGalley and RB Media, for the Advanced Audio Review Copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
Follow me on Instagram: RoshReviews
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 17, 2019
Чаровно написана книга, към която обаче може би подходих с прекалено големи очаквания.
Историята е супер-интересна, мащабно разгърната и като цяло е много готино тълкувание на обичайни и не толкова митове, а първите няколко глави абсолютно грабват. Героите изглеждат епично и са изключително живописно представени. До голяма степен може да се каже, че книгата е кинематографична.
За себе си сравнявам с "Момичето, което изпи луната", която също започва грабващо, но просто не е моята книга. Така и тази - супер-много ме изненада колко вълнуващо е написано и как продължавам да се възхищавам на прозата (и превода й), но все по-малко ме "лови" сюжетът и все по-скучни ми стават героите.
Навярно това също не е моята книга.
Историята е супер-интересна, мащабно разгърната и като цяло е много готино тълкувание на обичайни и не толкова митове, а първите няколко глави абсолютно грабват. Героите изглеждат епично и са изключително живописно представени. До голяма степен може да се каже, че книгата е кинематографична.
За себе си сравнявам с "Момичето, което изпи луната", която също започва грабващо, но просто не е моята книга. Така и тази - супер-много ме изненада колко вълнуващо е написано и как продължавам да се възхищавам на прозата (и превода й), но все по-малко ме "лови" сюжетът и все по-скучни ми стават героите.
Навярно това също не е моята книга.
February 20, 2022
Авторът пише увлекателно, твори приказна история за митове и легенди, свързани чрез силата на въображението. Книгата е плетеница от философия, митология и приказки. Много старателно са подбрани думите и нанизани като броеница от истории.
В книгата се срещаме с Гроз, Върховен ментор на Изтъканото и Старши секретар на Книговезницата, който иска да изтрие въображателите и да прекрати приказките. Мечтата му е да убие всичко красиво и да се възкачи на трона като цар, замествайки изчезналата Булка. Булката е митично същество, което знае всички приказки и държи нишките към тях (поне аз така го разбрах). К��й и Ел случайно (или не) се замесват в тази борба. Ел е авторка, а Кей тепърва ще трябва да преоткрие себе си. Техният баща е отстранен от Гроз и те, заедно с двама безплътници, ще преживеят невероятни приключения, за да спасят баща си, фабулирайки своята приказка.
Книгата разкрива един невероятен въображаем свят с философски размисли и преразказани легенди, но по различен начин, включително и за Орфей. Много цитати си извадих, но въпреки това на моменти ми доскучаваше, другаде не можех да осмисля какво точно се случва, поради това давам 3 звезди, въпреки красиво нанизаните думи.
В книгата се срещаме с Гроз, Върховен ментор на Изтъканото и Старши секретар на Книговезницата, който иска да изтрие въображателите и да прекрати приказките. Мечтата му е да убие всичко красиво и да се възкачи на трона като цар, замествайки изчезналата Булка. Булката е митично същество, което знае всички приказки и държи нишките към тях (поне аз така го разбрах). К��й и Ел случайно (или не) се замесват в тази борба. Ел е авторка, а Кей тепърва ще трябва да преоткрие себе си. Техният баща е отстранен от Гроз и те, заедно с двама безплътници, ще преживеят невероятни приключения, за да спасят баща си, фабулирайки своята приказка.
Книгата разкрива един невероятен въображаем свят с философски размисли и преразказани легенди, но по различен начин, включително и за Орфей. Много цитати си извадих, но въпреки това на моменти ми доскучаваше, другаде не можех да осмисля какво точно се случва, поради това давам 3 звезди, въпреки красиво нанизаните думи.
February 23, 2021
I didn't tag this middle grade because even though it's supposed to be, I don't think it fits well. The story is about a young girl and her sister going on an adventure to find her father, okay so far. But then the plot gets overly complicated and is very slow moving. I found it difficult to understand what was happening and I can't imagine a twelve year old enjoying this.
I will say that this had decent bones. I like the idea of the Erasers making people disappear and the Authors weaving stories. There's also a sisterly bond that strengthens throughout the story which I appreciated. I think this just needs to be gone over and simplified a bit so it's not as tangled. The ending is also very sad and ends on a cliffhanger, but I'll need a rework of this book before I jump into book two.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I will say that this had decent bones. I like the idea of the Erasers making people disappear and the Authors weaving stories. There's also a sisterly bond that strengthens throughout the story which I appreciated. I think this just needs to be gone over and simplified a bit so it's not as tangled. The ending is also very sad and ends on a cliffhanger, but I'll need a rework of this book before I jump into book two.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 16, 2019
Хаос! Така мога да опиша книгата! Действието ни въвежда в един половинчато изграден, непълен свят, неразгърнати образи. Много малко информация се дава на читателя. Реално до близо страница 200 се чудиш за какво изобщо става въпрос. Както и самата главна героиня, постоянно си задаваш въпроси, на които автора не ти дава отговор или той е толкова кратък и объркан, че нищо не се разбира. С цел поддържане на интереса или държане "на нокти" (което всъщност изобщо не се получава) всичко е потулено в мистерия и неясноти. Постоянно се налага да се връщаш назад в страниците, за да търсиш нещо, което може би си изпуснал. Но уви не - просто изобщо го няма в историята! Трите ключови момента в действието са толкова постни и минават някак мимоходом. Без грам напрежение, безинтересно. Просто така, защото трябва да ги има. Като идея е изключително оригинална, но като изпълнение е потресаващо слаба история.
May 29, 2020
Genre ratings
Low Fantasy: 3.5/5
Ease of Language: A Bit drawn out, descriptive sentences, on average about 2-3 lines long.
Length: Feels dragged out at points
Strength: interesting topic, validated treatment
Best chapters: 12-14
Weakness: Too confusing for own good,
Worst chapters: 3-6 (hence you can see many people leaving it at that stage)
Why to Read: If Low Fantasy is your cup of tea, and you love reading tales about mechanisms of tales (Tale-ception!?)
Why not to Read: If you can be easily distracted from reading a tale (which is ironic considering what is Antagonist's Raison d'être)
Overall: Give it a try before you DNF it. We need more of such well-thought plots.
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Low Fantasy: 3.5/5
Ease of Language: A Bit drawn out, descriptive sentences, on average about 2-3 lines long.
Length: Feels dragged out at points
Strength: interesting topic, validated treatment
Best chapters: 12-14
Weakness: Too confusing for own good,
Worst chapters: 3-6 (hence you can see many people leaving it at that stage)
Why to Read: If Low Fantasy is your cup of tea, and you love reading tales about mechanisms of tales (Tale-ception!?)
Why not to Read: If you can be easily distracted from reading a tale (which is ironic considering what is Antagonist's Raison d'être)
Overall: Give it a try before you DNF it. We need more of such well-thought plots.
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March 13, 2019
Ако сте в настроение за леко четиво, пропито с очарование, тайнственост и магия, то „Дванадесет нощи” (изд. „Сиела”) е точно за вас. Баща, който не просто изчезва мистериозно, а сякаш никога не е съществувал. Среднощна среща с двойка чудати странници, които май не са съвсем от тук. Какво ли предстои? Вълшебно пътешествие и елегантен реверанс към древната митология, романът на Андрю Зюркър е много приятно фентъзи, подходящо както за деца, така и за всички, които все още пазят детето в себе си. Прочетете ревюто на "Книжни Криле": https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/201...
November 9, 2021
I loved this book! It was so interesting and fun!
December 27, 2018
I’m afraid I found this novel a strange beast: fine prose that wouldn’t scorn Dickens used to tell a madcap children’s adventure story. It could have successfully been an adult fantasy novel (in the mode of Cathrynne Valente) or a children’s alternative-world romp but in the end was neither. Instead it got bogged down in portent and lost the brilliant easy charm of the first half a dozen chapters. I loved the first quarter but my interest gradually waned until I wasn’t sure I could finish. I did, if only for the descriptive flourishes - the writing can be exquisite - but not because I cared what happened to the characters.
April 10, 2018
DNF - I wanted so badly to like this book especially as I had received an ARC of it. However, I was solely disappointed. It had promise but it just fell short for me. I found the plot to be confusing and despite there being lots of incredible description (from what I read) I felt it didn’t really help move the story on. I got near enough up to page 150 when I realised Twelve Nights just wasn’t engaging me. A let down if I’m honest as I had such high hopes.
March 17, 2018
I didn't manage to get to page 100 of this book before I gave up and decided to put it to one side. The writing style was excellent for description, but not so much for building suspense and wanting me to read more. I felt very distant from the characters and wasn't really understanding what was going on, and couldn't persuade myself to carry on wasting time trying to make it pick up.
February 24, 2021
This audiobook presented a real challenge for me.
The narrator did a great job however, the access was very thick and at times became unbearable to listen to. The accent reminded me of the chimney sweep from Mary Poppins and is probably appropriate to the time and place of the story. But at times it became harsh and grating for me.
I was really looking forward to this adventurous story but once in it, I found it to be very stressful, full of information that raised more questions for me than the story provided answers to. (How does mom and kids find out that their father has been replaced at work and no one knows him and they just go home and go to sleep? If he's missing, why is mom not calling the police? Why is the fathers tooth sitting around the house and not in his mouth? And why is it considered a treasure for the family and the kids are carrying it around like it's a medal? Such strangeness. And that's just a few of the questions I had in the first couple of chapters!
In some cases, answers were provided later in the story, but in some cases I never received answers. Overall, it was just too confusing and a real struggle to appreciate the current event transpiring when I'm still hung up on the 30 questions I had from before.
And I'm confused about the audience for this story. I thought it was a children's story but maybe it's for YA? It seems pretty scary for a children's book.
I'd say this should be labeled as a dark adventure. That might target the correct audience of readers. But the lack of clarity throughout would still be an issue.
Thank you to #NetGalley for providing this book. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy and all views expressed are only my honest opinion.
The narrator did a great job however, the access was very thick and at times became unbearable to listen to. The accent reminded me of the chimney sweep from Mary Poppins and is probably appropriate to the time and place of the story. But at times it became harsh and grating for me.
I was really looking forward to this adventurous story but once in it, I found it to be very stressful, full of information that raised more questions for me than the story provided answers to. (How does mom and kids find out that their father has been replaced at work and no one knows him and they just go home and go to sleep? If he's missing, why is mom not calling the police? Why is the fathers tooth sitting around the house and not in his mouth? And why is it considered a treasure for the family and the kids are carrying it around like it's a medal? Such strangeness. And that's just a few of the questions I had in the first couple of chapters!
In some cases, answers were provided later in the story, but in some cases I never received answers. Overall, it was just too confusing and a real struggle to appreciate the current event transpiring when I'm still hung up on the 30 questions I had from before.
And I'm confused about the audience for this story. I thought it was a children's story but maybe it's for YA? It seems pretty scary for a children's book.
I'd say this should be labeled as a dark adventure. That might target the correct audience of readers. But the lack of clarity throughout would still be an issue.
Thank you to #NetGalley for providing this book. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy and all views expressed are only my honest opinion.
August 14, 2022
This book continued to confuse me until the very end. It starts off with a light pace, a fun childhood tale of two young sisters suddenly facing magic and mystery on Christmas Eve - something you would expect from a middle-grade level book. The wraiths, all their subdivisions and abilities, the occasional Greek mythology excerpt, however, are so sporadic, so random and presented in such lyrical depth that I doubt a 10-year-old could understand even a third of it. Some of the aspects of the adventure weren't clear until the end of the book, other "explanations" we got early on didn't provide any insight whatsoever. Very little of the lore helped the characters on their quest and the plot twist at the final ceremony was flat as if plastered there at the last second. I enjoyed the mythology part of it, tales I'm already familiar with through other books, but I feel like the idea could either be simplified down to the starting level or, alternatively, be expanded upon so it's at least coherent.
April 2, 2021
Na úvod musím povedať, že viem, že je to detská kniha a rozhodne nie som cieľová skupina, ale:
1. nezmyselnosť deja mi spôsobovala odumieranie buniek
2. rozhodne je kniha určená menej náročným čitateľom
3. zbytočná vata, ktorá brzdila dynamiku ma nútila preskakovať často aj celé kapitoly
4. postavy, ktoré nemali hĺbku síce boli fajn, ma nijako nezaujali - na tom by autor mohol ešte popracovať
5. najväčším kameňom úrazu bola celková chaotickosť príbehu a hlavne dosť veľké diery v deji
Celkovo som pri čítaní až príliš často mala chuť knihu odložiť, lenže mám pravidlo, že nech je kniha akákoľvek nudná, alebo nezmyselná, vždy ju dočítam, a tak nebolo ani pri tejto. Mohol to byť naozaj zaujímavý príbeh, keby si autor dal na toľkých veciach viac záležať.
1. nezmyselnosť deja mi spôsobovala odumieranie buniek
2. rozhodne je kniha určená menej náročným čitateľom
3. zbytočná vata, ktorá brzdila dynamiku ma nútila preskakovať často aj celé kapitoly
4. postavy, ktoré nemali hĺbku síce boli fajn, ma nijako nezaujali - na tom by autor mohol ešte popracovať
5. najväčším kameňom úrazu bola celková chaotickosť príbehu a hlavne dosť veľké diery v deji
Celkovo som pri čítaní až príliš často mala chuť knihu odložiť, lenže mám pravidlo, že nech je kniha akákoľvek nudná, alebo nezmyselná, vždy ju dočítam, a tak nebolo ani pri tejto. Mohol to byť naozaj zaujímavý príbeh, keby si autor dal na toľkých veciach viac záležať.
February 13, 2019
Writing style fits very well with the general idea of the book. Who weaves stories? How they are made? Forgotten? At times dream like quality. But- characters? Why not make them adults and wholly embrace dreams, stories, myths... I had hard time relating these characters, especially since they did not feel child like despite their age. Orpheus, the Bride, Builder... great ideas. I just wish writer had chosen adult characters and wrote for adults,idea and concept are so interesting. I felt characters and search for father limited the story at times.
August 29, 2025
Фентъзито определено не е моят жанр, но точно тази книга ми хареса!
Има една топлина в нея, която не мога да нарека по друг начин, освен човешка.
Измежду редовете й се крие толкова мъдрост и човечност, колкото може би в живота.
Харесват ми препратките към митовете и самата приказна част на историята. Харесва ми и силата на словото - тема, върху която се разсъждава твърде малко вече, а всъщност на нея точно дължим всичко, което имаме.
Хареса ми и идеята за "въобразителите", не сме ли всички ние от точно този тип вълшебници, поне в някоя мигове от живота си?!
Има една топлина в нея, която не мога да нарека по друг начин, освен човешка.
Измежду редовете й се крие толкова мъдрост и човечност, колкото може би в живота.
Харесват ми препратките към митовете и самата приказна част на историята. Харесва ми и силата на словото - тема, върху която се разсъждава твърде малко вече, а всъщност на нея точно дължим всичко, което имаме.
Хареса ми и идеята за "въобразителите", не сме ли всички ние от точно този тип вълшебници, поне в някоя мигове от живота си?!
February 25, 2020
WHY?
- did the author write this?
- did the publisher except this?
- why did they stoop so low?
this is garbage, absolute dribble, i read it and actually thought of burning it. i recommended it to my friend while i was a couple chapters in (when it was readable) and she used it as her school book study and nearly died. our library has two copies and i swear the only reason someone would read this it to bush them over the edge. okay that might be a bit to harsh but i don't know what they were thinking.
- did the author write this?
- did the publisher except this?
- why did they stoop so low?
this is garbage, absolute dribble, i read it and actually thought of burning it. i recommended it to my friend while i was a couple chapters in (when it was readable) and she used it as her school book study and nearly died. our library has two copies and i swear the only reason someone would read this it to bush them over the edge. okay that might be a bit to harsh but i don't know what they were thinking.
September 26, 2021
Okay, maybe this wasn't the right book for a beach vacation, but I was kinda confused for the most part. Kay seemed very mature for her age and had some very deep thoughts going through her young mind. The fantasy part was cool, but also kinda confusing. Maybe I would have liked this better if I'd been able to concentrate on the plot.
May 26, 2019
един декан по английска литература дебютира с фентъзи роман, страстна защита на въображението, на историята, на вечната приказка в която дори смъртта е надежда, начало, а не край.
January 19, 2021
Really clever and engaging story which had a twist that I genuinely didn't see coming.
Want to read
September 18, 2022this is the lowest-rated book I've ever come across naturally (as in, I didn't go to its goodreads page KNOWING the rating would be low). so obviously I need to read this and figure out if it truly is that bad
May 26, 2018
I'm sorry not to give more than 3 stars as I thought this book looked full of promise and I was really excited to receive a copy from the publisher. However, after an exciting first chapter, I found large parts of the plot to be very complicated indeed and difficult to follow in parts. The story is a middle grade fantasy adventure with a really interesting basic premise, but the vocabulary and some of the literary references that filter into the puzzling plot lines contribute to the sense that the story becomes quickly too convoluted for children to understand. Saying this, I can see that is may appeal to a niche market of young readers (I would estimate the 10-14 age bracket) that are well versed in fantasy adventure like Pullman and ready for more of a challenging read without some of the teenage subject matter in YA texts.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a review copy of this text.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a review copy of this text.
June 1, 2018
It was a really pretty idea, and well executed. There were a few times when I thought it was a little heavy handed when discussing the importance of stories - sometimes I thought it tried to get a 'meaning' across too much, when really a good story doesn't need to signpost the ideas going into it that much. I think the book would have been just as interesting and would have flowed smoother if they'd trusted the audience to pick up on those ideas a bit more. Cover design of this edition is lovely as well, and having the different coloured pages for certain sections worked well. I really appreciated that some of the main plot points were hinted at through stories and myths retold earlier in the book though - that was a nice touch.
March 3, 2021
Ehm. Bohužel toto je jedna z těch knížek, které mají jednu z nejhezčích obálek v mé knihovně, ale obsahově jsou jedny z nejhorších v mé knihovně.😂 Anotace je slabší, ale já si řekl, že to zkusím. No, bohužel. Knížka má sice zajímavý svět, ale má spoustu špatných vlastností. Špatné je, že mezi ně se počítá i hlavní zápletka. Děj mi přišel hodně přeplácaný a to, čeho se postavy, které na štěstí celkem ušly, snažily dosáhnout, bylo naprosto k ničemu a to, jak to skončilo je pro mě nepochopitelné a na to, jak nedosažitelně výhra nad zlem vypadala, tak to bylo až mooooc jednoduché.
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