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The Beholder #1
The Beholder
Selah has waited her whole life for a happily ever after.
As the only daughter of the leader of Potomac, she knows her duty is to find the perfect match, a partner who will help secure the future of her people. Now that day has finally come.
But when the night of Selah's engagement ends in an excruciatingly public rejection, her stepmother proposes the unthinkable: Selah must set sail across the Atlantic, where a series of potential suitors awaits—and if she doesn’t come home engaged, she shouldn’t come home at all.
From English castle gardens to the fjords of Norge, and even beyond borders of the dreaded Imperiya Yotne, Selah’s quest will be the journey of a lifetime. But as she searches for her future husband, she realizes that her stepmother’s schemes aren’t the only secrets hiding belowdecks… and the stakes of her voyage may be higher than any happy ending.
As the only daughter of the leader of Potomac, she knows her duty is to find the perfect match, a partner who will help secure the future of her people. Now that day has finally come.
But when the night of Selah's engagement ends in an excruciatingly public rejection, her stepmother proposes the unthinkable: Selah must set sail across the Atlantic, where a series of potential suitors awaits—and if she doesn’t come home engaged, she shouldn’t come home at all.
From English castle gardens to the fjords of Norge, and even beyond borders of the dreaded Imperiya Yotne, Selah’s quest will be the journey of a lifetime. But as she searches for her future husband, she realizes that her stepmother’s schemes aren’t the only secrets hiding belowdecks… and the stakes of her voyage may be higher than any happy ending.
429 pages, Hardcover
First published June 4, 2019
278 people are currently reading
26791 people want to read
About the author
Anna Bright
4 books960 followersI believe in woods, mountains, highways, cobblestones, roller coasters, dancing, concerts, cherry Pop Tarts, books, and magic.
When I'm not reading or writing on my couch, I'm dragging my husband off on an adventure, snuggling my new baby daughter, communing with Salem (my kitten/spiritual familiar), or causing trouble at One More Page Books, where I work.
**note: i don't accept GR friends anymore, because of amazon review policy nonsense. please come find me on twitter or insta at @brightlyanna, and we can talk books there! <3***
When I'm not reading or writing on my couch, I'm dragging my husband off on an adventure, snuggling my new baby daughter, communing with Salem (my kitten/spiritual familiar), or causing trouble at One More Page Books, where I work.
**note: i don't accept GR friends anymore, because of amazon review policy nonsense. please come find me on twitter or insta at @brightlyanna, and we can talk books there! <3***
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lost-interest
November 16, 2018I will not be seduced by beautiful covers.
I will not be seduced by beautiful covers.
I will not be seduced by beautiful covers.
I will not be seduced by beautiful covers.
I will not be seduced by beautiful covers.
I will not...
👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀
*Adds to TBR*
Seriously, though. Odyssey retelling.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube
I will not be seduced by beautiful covers.
I will not be seduced by beautiful covers.
I will not be seduced by beautiful covers.
I will not be seduced by beautiful covers.
I will not...
👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀
*Adds to TBR*
Seriously, though. Odyssey retelling.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube
Read
April 1, 2019DNF @ pg. 217
Video review - https://youtu.be/zoBNGM4nViQ?t=408
I’m sorry I’ve been DNFing so much recently but I’m also not sorry because I also have way too many books I really want to read to waste my time. To sum up why I DNFed: nothing happened.
Video review - https://youtu.be/zoBNGM4nViQ?t=408
I’m sorry I’ve been DNFing so much recently but I’m also not sorry because I also have way too many books I really want to read to waste my time. To sum up why I DNFed: nothing happened.
March 27, 2021
Ok, but first of all, can we appreciate this book's cover? Take a moment to scroll back up to it, I'll wait here. Did you see it? Were you impressed? Yes? Good, because I was, and still am, hella impressed by that beautiful cover.
Now let's move on to this review.
Last year, I had the pleasure of meeting Anna Bright at a Stephanie Garber book signing in Washington D.C. She seemed nice and was super excited about her upcoming novel and it made me super excited about it as well. So, you can only imagine my excitement when I was granted the opportunity to read an ARC.
Then you can only imagine my disappointment when this book did not live up to the expectations raised by that beautiful cover and that interesting synopsis. This book was advertised as a mix between The Odyssey and Cinderella.
So, before you get too excited, let me just say that this supposedly The Odyssey retelling, ain't got nothing to do with The Odyssey. There's a ship, there's a guy named Homer, and Selah has a dream about Penelope.
This book is also nothing at all like Cinderella. There's an evil stepmother (but isn't there always), a godmother, and Selah loses a shoe at one point.
That's about it.
But false advertising wasn't really my main problems with the book.
My main issue with this book was Selah. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at her naive, childish ways. She's 18 years old and the next ruler of Potomac. She is the one that is supposed to lead her people into the future and keep the peace. She is also the least qualified person to do this. Her kingdom would probably thrive more without her so maybe I don't totally blame the stepmother for trying to send her away.
Selah is the kind of person who trusts people based on their looks and falls in love days after meeting a guy. She's the kind of person who storms out of rooms when things don't go her way and who sits by and sort of just lets the plot happen to her. She's supposed to be the next leader of her people but instead of spending her time learning to lead she spends it reading fairytales and gardening.
I'm so tired of YA trying to push the idea that all you need to be a leader is to be a nice person. Or that being noble and humble makes you qualified for anything. Because as nice as she may be, this girl would undoubtedly lead her nation to ruin due to her naivety and general weak will.
Then there was the world building. I was so confused. This book takes place in a world that is geographically like our own. The continents are all there, but they are also all different, arranged in different ways and given different names. There are different histories and myths and all of it is shaped in a different way. And I didn't understand any of it.
There were moments where I thought I knew what was happening, and then moments where I had no idea where we were or what was going on.
Maybe I'm just dumb, I can't rule that out. But maybe this book did a bad job at world building. The world may never know.
In the end, I didn't love this book. I wanted to, but no matter how beautiful this cover might be, I just couldn't fall into it the way I wanted. And yet, I was actually entertained while reading, hence my rating.
I think this book had amazing potential and think that there will be many that like it. That said, go into it at your own risk and after taking all of this into account. I hope you all have better luck with it.
**ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own**
Follow Me Here Too: My Blog || Twitter || Bloglovin' || Instagram || Tumblr
Now let's move on to this review.
Last year, I had the pleasure of meeting Anna Bright at a Stephanie Garber book signing in Washington D.C. She seemed nice and was super excited about her upcoming novel and it made me super excited about it as well. So, you can only imagine my excitement when I was granted the opportunity to read an ARC.
Then you can only imagine my disappointment when this book did not live up to the expectations raised by that beautiful cover and that interesting synopsis. This book was advertised as a mix between The Odyssey and Cinderella.
So, before you get too excited, let me just say that this supposedly The Odyssey retelling, ain't got nothing to do with The Odyssey. There's a ship, there's a guy named Homer, and Selah has a dream about Penelope.
This book is also nothing at all like Cinderella. There's an evil stepmother (but isn't there always), a godmother, and Selah loses a shoe at one point.
That's about it.
But false advertising wasn't really my main problems with the book.
My main issue with this book was Selah. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at her naive, childish ways. She's 18 years old and the next ruler of Potomac. She is the one that is supposed to lead her people into the future and keep the peace. She is also the least qualified person to do this. Her kingdom would probably thrive more without her so maybe I don't totally blame the stepmother for trying to send her away.
Selah is the kind of person who trusts people based on their looks and falls in love days after meeting a guy. She's the kind of person who storms out of rooms when things don't go her way and who sits by and sort of just lets the plot happen to her. She's supposed to be the next leader of her people but instead of spending her time learning to lead she spends it reading fairytales and gardening.
I'm so tired of YA trying to push the idea that all you need to be a leader is to be a nice person. Or that being noble and humble makes you qualified for anything. Because as nice as she may be, this girl would undoubtedly lead her nation to ruin due to her naivety and general weak will.
Then there was the world building. I was so confused. This book takes place in a world that is geographically like our own. The continents are all there, but they are also all different, arranged in different ways and given different names. There are different histories and myths and all of it is shaped in a different way. And I didn't understand any of it.
There were moments where I thought I knew what was happening, and then moments where I had no idea where we were or what was going on.
Maybe I'm just dumb, I can't rule that out. But maybe this book did a bad job at world building. The world may never know.
In the end, I didn't love this book. I wanted to, but no matter how beautiful this cover might be, I just couldn't fall into it the way I wanted. And yet, I was actually entertained while reading, hence my rating.
I think this book had amazing potential and think that there will be many that like it. That said, go into it at your own risk and after taking all of this into account. I hope you all have better luck with it.
**ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own**
Follow Me Here Too: My Blog || Twitter || Bloglovin' || Instagram || Tumblr
September 22, 2019
May Fairyloot. Click the link under the pic to see my goodies
THE GOODIES
It was okay. 🖤🐶🐺🐾
THE GOODIES
It was okay. 🖤🐶🐺🐾
![Profile Image for Namera [The Literary Invertebrate].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1647896333i%2F31792110._UX200_CR0%2C96%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
May 11, 2019
ARC received in exchange for an honest review - thank you!
Buckle up, folks. This isn’t going to be a review.
This is going to be a rant.
Let me start with my biggest issue. They seem to have taken it off the blurb now, but this book was marketed as an Odyssey retelling. It is NOT an Odyssey retelling. It has as much in common with The Odyssey as Harry Potter does.
And, here is the key, frustrating thing: HAVING A CHARACTER CALLED HOMER WHO APPEARS FOR TWO SECONDS 🔴DOES NOT🔴 MAKE YOUR BOOK AN ODYSSEY RETELLING!!!
ONE DESCRIPTION OF THE SEA AS ‘WINE-DARK’ 🔴DOES NOT🔴 MAKE YOUR BOOK AN ODYSSEY RETELLING!!!
I can only assume that whoever came up with that marketing ploy has never read either The Odyssey or The Beholder. The only reason I didn’t DNF this thing, and thus give it one star, is because I was waiting to see if it suddenly turned into gods and sea monsters near the end. (Spoiler: it didn’t).
There are a lot of other problems with this book, too. Let me start with the biggest one: our heroine, Selah, Seneschal-Elect of Potomac. Selah has got to be one of the worst heroines I’ve read for a while. Let’s catalogue her multiple issues:
✴️ She’s naïve. She actually thinks she’s in a fairy-tale: she judges people based on their appearance. She trusts some random man because he has ‘kind eyes’, she distrusts someone else because they ‘smirk’. You know how in Disney films, you always know who the villain is, because they’ll always look evil? Well, to Selah, life IS a Disney film. Considering she’s supposed to be the next ruler of her people, I pity the folk of Potomac. All it’s going to take is one trustworthy-looking con artist, and BOOM – there goes the country’s budget. Linked to this is the fact that she’s a huge idealist. All three boys that she has a crush on throughout the course of the book – Peter, Bear, and Torsden – are described as ‘flawless’ and ‘perfect.’ STOP IDOLISING THEM, GIRL.
✴️ She’s far too emotional. Like I said, she’s the Seneschal-Elect, so she’ll be Seneschal when her father dies. She’s going to be a ruler, a diplomat. Which involves NOT spilling out your heart and soul to every-bloody-body you meet, which involves NOT crying in front of foreign delegations constantly, which involves a measure of discretion. I realise Selah grew up very sheltered, but surely these basic tenets have somehow impressed themselves upon her? Apparently not. Her emotions were on display for all to see, and I wanted to cringe on her behalf SO BADLY. She is going to be a shite Seneschal, because with the way she loudly broadcasts what she’s thinking and feeling, manipulating her will be easier than taking candy from a baby. She also gave her heart away FAR too easily – undying love is declared for at least two boys in the book, one of whom she’s known for a week. Helloooo, insta-love.
✴️ She’s incredibly passive. She knows that the crew tasked with ferrying her to all these countries to meet suitors are up to something shady. But she doesn’t even try to do anything about it. You know how Scarlett O’Hara’s motto is ‘I’ll think about it tomorrow?’ Yeah, that’s Selah. Why discover today what you can discover never? Who cares if it’s happening right under my nose and is clearly deeply shady? It was so painful to read about how easily Selah was put off from finding out anything about what was happening directly in front of her. She doesn’t do a single thing throughout the whole book. Plot is something that happens to her, she has no agency whatsoever. I can’t remember the last time I encountered such a weak, easily led heroine. Literally EVERY SINGLE THING THAT HAPPENS is done by other characters. The more I think about this, the more I realise how bad it really was. It was pathetic.
Alright, I think I’m done with Selah. Let’s move onto the worldbuilding.
MAKE UP YOUR MIND ABOUT WHAT KIND OF WORLD IT IS.
It took me far too long to situate myself within the temporal frame of the world in The Beholder. There were clearly no planes, or electric light, etc. Selah is shocked to learn about what a radio is. So: old-fashioned. But then characters said things like ‘barf’ and ‘sure thing’, which in the context became ridiculously anachronistic. You can’t have it both ways!
Selah’s attitude towards marriage was also deeply anachronistic. We’ve already established that this is a world where modern amenities don’t exist, where even though she’s going to be a female ruler she’ll need a husband by her side. But she acted like a potential suitor who was nine years older than her was a huge travesty. Um, no? In the actual nineteenth century, which this book was pretending to be set in, you were lucky as a ruler if your spouse was only nine years older than you! King William IV was 27 YEARS older than his queen, and that wasn’t even that shocking!!!
This book flip-flopped ridiculously between old-fashioned and anachronistic. Not in a way that made Selah look like a feminist, just like a fool. Another example: she’s left her country to choose from a short list of pre-approved suitors (she doesn’t even know who’s on the list until it’s given to her), and then they’ll have a week of chaperoned courtship. Typical historical stuff. She’s making a political alliance to benefit her country, and she never once demurs. But suddenly, when it comes to her friend Anya, she’s all ‘Girls aren’t commodities! Let Anya marry whoever she wants, stop seeing her as a diplomatic chess piece!’ She’s apparently utterly blind to the fact that she is ALSO a diplomatic chess piece, and her rant didn’t feel assertive or feminist. Just dumb and lacking in self-awareness.
The writing was fairly bland. When it came to relationships, there was lots of telling, not showing. Selah somehow feels like every one of the crew members of The Beholder is her family. How??? Why??? When did this happen?!?! The crowning moment came when she declared that Skop, a boy she’s exchanged three words with since she first met him, was like a brother to her. No wonder she falls in love at the drop of a hat, if people she’s spoken twice to mean that much to her. In fact, every single member of The Beholder’s crew feel as thin as paper.
So why have I given it two stars and not just one?
Because I was slightly charmed by this thing the author did, where there was an allusion in many of the characters’ names. Perrault, Anderson, Homer… there’s even a horse named Cotton Nero, which is the manuscript Sir Gawain and the Green Knight comes from. Speaking of Sir Gawain, there was a weird little attempt to weave in elements from that story, but it fell very flat. I’m honestly not sure why it was even there.
The description of Norge was also great, but the one of Winchester severely lacking in terms of making me feel like I was actually there.
Now for the final verdict:
This book is, largely, a huge disappointment. Will I read the sequel? Probably not. Don’t be seduced by the cover, or its claims to be a retelling of any sort.
[Blog] - [Bookstagram]
Buckle up, folks. This isn’t going to be a review.
This is going to be a rant.
Let me start with my biggest issue. They seem to have taken it off the blurb now, but this book was marketed as an Odyssey retelling. It is NOT an Odyssey retelling. It has as much in common with The Odyssey as Harry Potter does.
And, here is the key, frustrating thing: HAVING A CHARACTER CALLED HOMER WHO APPEARS FOR TWO SECONDS 🔴DOES NOT🔴 MAKE YOUR BOOK AN ODYSSEY RETELLING!!!
ONE DESCRIPTION OF THE SEA AS ‘WINE-DARK’ 🔴DOES NOT🔴 MAKE YOUR BOOK AN ODYSSEY RETELLING!!!
I can only assume that whoever came up with that marketing ploy has never read either The Odyssey or The Beholder. The only reason I didn’t DNF this thing, and thus give it one star, is because I was waiting to see if it suddenly turned into gods and sea monsters near the end. (Spoiler: it didn’t).
There are a lot of other problems with this book, too. Let me start with the biggest one: our heroine, Selah, Seneschal-Elect of Potomac. Selah has got to be one of the worst heroines I’ve read for a while. Let’s catalogue her multiple issues:
✴️ She’s naïve. She actually thinks she’s in a fairy-tale: she judges people based on their appearance. She trusts some random man because he has ‘kind eyes’, she distrusts someone else because they ‘smirk’. You know how in Disney films, you always know who the villain is, because they’ll always look evil? Well, to Selah, life IS a Disney film. Considering she’s supposed to be the next ruler of her people, I pity the folk of Potomac. All it’s going to take is one trustworthy-looking con artist, and BOOM – there goes the country’s budget. Linked to this is the fact that she’s a huge idealist. All three boys that she has a crush on throughout the course of the book – Peter, Bear, and Torsden – are described as ‘flawless’ and ‘perfect.’ STOP IDOLISING THEM, GIRL.
✴️ She’s far too emotional. Like I said, she’s the Seneschal-Elect, so she’ll be Seneschal when her father dies. She’s going to be a ruler, a diplomat. Which involves NOT spilling out your heart and soul to every-bloody-body you meet, which involves NOT crying in front of foreign delegations constantly, which involves a measure of discretion. I realise Selah grew up very sheltered, but surely these basic tenets have somehow impressed themselves upon her? Apparently not. Her emotions were on display for all to see, and I wanted to cringe on her behalf SO BADLY. She is going to be a shite Seneschal, because with the way she loudly broadcasts what she’s thinking and feeling, manipulating her will be easier than taking candy from a baby. She also gave her heart away FAR too easily – undying love is declared for at least two boys in the book, one of whom she’s known for a week. Helloooo, insta-love.
✴️ She’s incredibly passive. She knows that the crew tasked with ferrying her to all these countries to meet suitors are up to something shady. But she doesn’t even try to do anything about it. You know how Scarlett O’Hara’s motto is ‘I’ll think about it tomorrow?’ Yeah, that’s Selah. Why discover today what you can discover never? Who cares if it’s happening right under my nose and is clearly deeply shady? It was so painful to read about how easily Selah was put off from finding out anything about what was happening directly in front of her. She doesn’t do a single thing throughout the whole book. Plot is something that happens to her, she has no agency whatsoever. I can’t remember the last time I encountered such a weak, easily led heroine. Literally EVERY SINGLE THING THAT HAPPENS is done by other characters. The more I think about this, the more I realise how bad it really was. It was pathetic.
Alright, I think I’m done with Selah. Let’s move onto the worldbuilding.
MAKE UP YOUR MIND ABOUT WHAT KIND OF WORLD IT IS.
It took me far too long to situate myself within the temporal frame of the world in The Beholder. There were clearly no planes, or electric light, etc. Selah is shocked to learn about what a radio is. So: old-fashioned. But then characters said things like ‘barf’ and ‘sure thing’, which in the context became ridiculously anachronistic. You can’t have it both ways!
Selah’s attitude towards marriage was also deeply anachronistic. We’ve already established that this is a world where modern amenities don’t exist, where even though she’s going to be a female ruler she’ll need a husband by her side. But she acted like a potential suitor who was nine years older than her was a huge travesty. Um, no? In the actual nineteenth century, which this book was pretending to be set in, you were lucky as a ruler if your spouse was only nine years older than you! King William IV was 27 YEARS older than his queen, and that wasn’t even that shocking!!!
This book flip-flopped ridiculously between old-fashioned and anachronistic. Not in a way that made Selah look like a feminist, just like a fool. Another example: she’s left her country to choose from a short list of pre-approved suitors (she doesn’t even know who’s on the list until it’s given to her), and then they’ll have a week of chaperoned courtship. Typical historical stuff. She’s making a political alliance to benefit her country, and she never once demurs. But suddenly, when it comes to her friend Anya, she’s all ‘Girls aren’t commodities! Let Anya marry whoever she wants, stop seeing her as a diplomatic chess piece!’ She’s apparently utterly blind to the fact that she is ALSO a diplomatic chess piece, and her rant didn’t feel assertive or feminist. Just dumb and lacking in self-awareness.
The writing was fairly bland. When it came to relationships, there was lots of telling, not showing. Selah somehow feels like every one of the crew members of The Beholder is her family. How??? Why??? When did this happen?!?! The crowning moment came when she declared that Skop, a boy she’s exchanged three words with since she first met him, was like a brother to her. No wonder she falls in love at the drop of a hat, if people she’s spoken twice to mean that much to her. In fact, every single member of The Beholder’s crew feel as thin as paper.
So why have I given it two stars and not just one?
Because I was slightly charmed by this thing the author did, where there was an allusion in many of the characters’ names. Perrault, Anderson, Homer… there’s even a horse named Cotton Nero, which is the manuscript Sir Gawain and the Green Knight comes from. Speaking of Sir Gawain, there was a weird little attempt to weave in elements from that story, but it fell very flat. I’m honestly not sure why it was even there.
The description of Norge was also great, but the one of Winchester severely lacking in terms of making me feel like I was actually there.
Now for the final verdict:
This book is, largely, a huge disappointment. Will I read the sequel? Probably not. Don’t be seduced by the cover, or its claims to be a retelling of any sort.
[Blog] - [Bookstagram]
June 11, 2019
It's important for people to know exactly what they're getting into, so to avoid confusion: this book is not a retelling of a specific story. Rather, it incorporates many myths and fairy tales into the storyline. Also, it is most certainly not a retelling of The Odyssey- the characters travel on a ship to far away lands and there's a person called Homer but the similarities end there.
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Writing: 4/5
The Beholder was an alternate history novel, set in a world slightly similar to ours but heavily influenced by myths and fairy tales. It wasn't perfect but it was still alright I did enjoy reading it.
The story followed Selah, the seneschal-elect of Potomac. After an embarrassing rejection, her troublesome step-mother forces her to travel across the ocean and meet a myriad of suitors in various countries that she must choose from in order to 'do her duty'. Selah seemed like the average teenager trying to find her place in the world. She was quite shy, bookish and had a great love for fairy tales. During the duration of the book she grows in confidence and comes into her own which was a pleasure to see. However, some of her and the other characters' actions were very unrealistic and the romance element was cute but contrived.
It wasn't amazing but I liked it and the ending leaves many unanswered questions which I hope will be answered in the next book.
Thank you to HarperTeen and Anna Bright for providing me with a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
This book review and more brilliantly bookish things can be found at Sereadipity!!!
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Writing: 4/5
The Beholder was an alternate history novel, set in a world slightly similar to ours but heavily influenced by myths and fairy tales. It wasn't perfect but it was still alright I did enjoy reading it.
The story followed Selah, the seneschal-elect of Potomac. After an embarrassing rejection, her troublesome step-mother forces her to travel across the ocean and meet a myriad of suitors in various countries that she must choose from in order to 'do her duty'. Selah seemed like the average teenager trying to find her place in the world. She was quite shy, bookish and had a great love for fairy tales. During the duration of the book she grows in confidence and comes into her own which was a pleasure to see. However, some of her and the other characters' actions were very unrealistic and the romance element was cute but contrived.
It wasn't amazing but I liked it and the ending leaves many unanswered questions which I hope will be answered in the next book.
Thank you to HarperTeen and Anna Bright for providing me with a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
This book review and more brilliantly bookish things can be found at Sereadipity!!!
Read
November 18, 2017i loved writing this book, and i love its characters. i hope you have as much fun reading as i had writing. <3
August 6, 2019
Gorgeous book!!!
This was such a lovely retelling mash-up of different fairy tales and myths into one! My first to read one like this and I did not know it could be done. But it was and it worked so well!
YA readers and fairy tale lovers don't let this one slip by, it is too enchanting of a read to be missed! And how about that cover? Simply stunning.
Selah wants to give a budding love interest a beautiful public proposal but is turned down and humiliated. Being of marriable age, she is sent to find her prince charming in a quest laid out for her by her stepmother.
By ship and with a few possessions only, one of them a special book from her godmother, she is crossing the Atlantic to meet her prospective candidates from different countries and of various social statuses.
From the showoff to the brave, everything is in the mix and the meet-ups vary in their intensity and all over setting and characters.
Where can you read about so many new romances and fall in love with new characters in one book? Right here!
But it isn't all as it seems to be at first. It never is. Selah has to see truth over swagger and use instinct over her heart. From reaching the North to traveling the Mediterranean Sea, her quest may seem like a game to some but a dark plan hides deep within.
As Selah receives word that her father lays very ill, tensions rise and someone close by betrays her. New friends she has made are in danger stemming of a deeply rooted Germanic conflict that needs resolve. Spinning a curveball into her plans, she not only contemplates love but also a higher purpose for life, honor, family, and friendships.
Will she be able to find love and return to her father in time before his demise? With the stakes high her future hinges on swift decisions and sacrifices to be made...even if it costs her newfound love.
***
This novel is super cute. I don't read romance novels but some YA. What drew me to this book was ultimately the cover. Yes, I judged it by its cover FIRST, admittedly. What I did not expect was the intrigue and beautiful imagined alternate realism of the countries visited and the voyage. Yes, there are tropes, the stepmother and the sick father, but the rest was an amazingly cute mesh-up.
Certainly entertaining, love the worlds and vile characters and I want to read the next book as I WAS LEFT HANGING with: "...to be continued!"
So, tapping my fingers, waiting...
Anyhow, give it a try. It's lovely :)
More of my reviews here:
https://scarlettreadzandrunz.com/
This was such a lovely retelling mash-up of different fairy tales and myths into one! My first to read one like this and I did not know it could be done. But it was and it worked so well!
YA readers and fairy tale lovers don't let this one slip by, it is too enchanting of a read to be missed! And how about that cover? Simply stunning.
Selah wants to give a budding love interest a beautiful public proposal but is turned down and humiliated. Being of marriable age, she is sent to find her prince charming in a quest laid out for her by her stepmother.
By ship and with a few possessions only, one of them a special book from her godmother, she is crossing the Atlantic to meet her prospective candidates from different countries and of various social statuses.
From the showoff to the brave, everything is in the mix and the meet-ups vary in their intensity and all over setting and characters.
Where can you read about so many new romances and fall in love with new characters in one book? Right here!
But it isn't all as it seems to be at first. It never is. Selah has to see truth over swagger and use instinct over her heart. From reaching the North to traveling the Mediterranean Sea, her quest may seem like a game to some but a dark plan hides deep within.
As Selah receives word that her father lays very ill, tensions rise and someone close by betrays her. New friends she has made are in danger stemming of a deeply rooted Germanic conflict that needs resolve. Spinning a curveball into her plans, she not only contemplates love but also a higher purpose for life, honor, family, and friendships.
Will she be able to find love and return to her father in time before his demise? With the stakes high her future hinges on swift decisions and sacrifices to be made...even if it costs her newfound love.
***
This novel is super cute. I don't read romance novels but some YA. What drew me to this book was ultimately the cover. Yes, I judged it by its cover FIRST, admittedly. What I did not expect was the intrigue and beautiful imagined alternate realism of the countries visited and the voyage. Yes, there are tropes, the stepmother and the sick father, but the rest was an amazingly cute mesh-up.
Certainly entertaining, love the worlds and vile characters and I want to read the next book as I WAS LEFT HANGING with: "...to be continued!"
So, tapping my fingers, waiting...
Anyhow, give it a try. It's lovely :)
More of my reviews here:
https://scarlettreadzandrunz.com/
June 18, 2019
The Beholder promises a romantic sea adventure à la The Selection, which it sadly only delivers when it comes to the negatives like bad world building.
“I have seen how we look side by side and it has changed how I imagine my life. With you, I see a wider world.”
This was the most confusing world building I have ever read in my entire life. It was some alternate universe of the world or rather Europe.. I guess? But I didn't really understand what the point of it was. There's England, apparently as it is(?), and then there's.. Norway, except the author uses the Norwegian word "Norge", which is confusing for most readers. And then there's.. other made up countries I guess??? Y'all I couldn't tell you. To me none of it made sense. I didn't understand the world (a map would've helped already) but I also didn't understand the point of this world.
And then there was technology, which seemed mostly nonexistent except the main character had a radio with which she could receive audio transmissions from her godmother in America. This was just something that was completely unexplained. I'd honestly rather would've just had it be some magical device then this random technology thrown into this already confusing world.
Here is a delicious quote from the book, just for you to cringe some. It is especially flavourful if you know German, in my opinion: “The tsarytsya has done her best to break Deutschland. But her armies have met too much resistance. Yotunkheym is barely present in the Shvartsval'd now. The forest has grown wild, swallowed the Neukatzenelnbogen completely. The tsarytsya barely acknowledges Katz Castel.”
And in case you're wondering, even though I read the whole book I don't understand a single thing of this, in case you're wondering.
It's also pretty meh on the retelling aspect. The idea of making this book a mix of all kinds of different folklore and fairytales is a fun one and seemed pretty intriguing in the beginning but eventually ended up not working. It was simply not a big enough theme throughout the novel.
“You have the power to choose. Set your course and trim your sails, Seneschal-elect. And whatever your heading, keep your eyes ahead.”
Just as the barely explained world, I thought the characters were all super surface level and we did not at all take enough time to explore the relationships between the main character and her crew. Apparently they're all super close and like family but there was no show and all telling. None of the relationships seemed in any form believable to me.
I totally could've loved this for its romance alone. I am a sucker for cheesy romance plots and I can easily five star a bad book if I fall for the romance. But this is where the book let me down too. THIS BOOK HAD TWO ROMANTIC PLOTS? AND THEN A POTENTIAL OTHER LOVE INTEREST ON TOP? This was soo ambitious. There's already so little in-story time to make the romances believable, you can't, on top of that, only invest so little words in your romantic storylines. Less than half a book is not enough to make your 10 day romance believable, even to someone who is as easy to forgive insta-love as I am.
And honestly the romance in the second half had SO MUCH POTENTIAL! It was truly upsetting because it could've been incredibly strong as the only romantic plot.
I truly believe that Anna Bright will one day write a YA Romance in a fantastical setting that I will love. Today is absolutely not that day.
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I received an ARC through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review!
July 10, 2021
”You will always be the sun to me. Bright and beautiful and the warmest thing in my world”.
The Beholder se presenta como una reinterpretación de La Odisea, pero la verdad es que me parece una mentira tan grande como una catedral. En esta historia nos encontramos con Selah, la heredera y senescal de un reino que se llama Potomac. La vida de Selah es bastante familiar y siempre ha soñado con quedarse en su tierra junto a su padre y su abuela. Sin embargo, después de que su amigo de toda la vida rechaza casarse con ella, la madrastra de Selah la enviará en un viaje a través del Atlántico para que encuentre un pretendiente y se case con él. Selah, que sabe que su madrastra la detesta, accede a este viaje, pero con la mentalidad de encontrar a un hombre en Inglaterra o las tierras nórdicas que pueda volver con ella a Potomac. Sin embargo, lo que ella no sabe al comienzo es que su madrastra sólo organizó visitas con hombres herederos que no pueden dejar su reino, así que los planes de Selah se van a complicar.
Creo que The Beholder es uno de esos libros que sencillamente están bien y cumplen con su función de entretenerme. ¿Lo amé? No. ¿Me cambió la vida? Tampoco. ¿Me cabreé enormemente cuando me di cuenta de que esto no era un standalone sino una bilogía? Terriblemente.
Honestamente ni sé qué decir, creo que fue una historia bastante olvidable y sin ningún tipo de momento que resaltara especialmente. Sí, Selah va a diferentes cortes, conoce sus costumbres, habla con los hombres que quizá pueda conquistar, hay algunos engaños y también momentos robados, pero nada es remarcable. Si bien me gustó muchísimo más su visita a los reinos nórdicos que a Inglaterra, creo que la autora no supo componer bien la historia. A lo que me refiero es que desde el principio Selah está asustada de ir a las tierras rusas, pero se sustenta en cuentos para niños. Y luego, de repente, al final todo esto cobra muchísima importancia y aparece una rebelión de la nada. Fue un cambio cero creíble y que, en mi opinión, desvía completamente la historia.
Creo que sobra decir que no me queda ningún interés en leer el libro que cierra esta trilogía. Sorry not sorry.
The Beholder se presenta como una reinterpretación de La Odisea, pero la verdad es que me parece una mentira tan grande como una catedral. En esta historia nos encontramos con Selah, la heredera y senescal de un reino que se llama Potomac. La vida de Selah es bastante familiar y siempre ha soñado con quedarse en su tierra junto a su padre y su abuela. Sin embargo, después de que su amigo de toda la vida rechaza casarse con ella, la madrastra de Selah la enviará en un viaje a través del Atlántico para que encuentre un pretendiente y se case con él. Selah, que sabe que su madrastra la detesta, accede a este viaje, pero con la mentalidad de encontrar a un hombre en Inglaterra o las tierras nórdicas que pueda volver con ella a Potomac. Sin embargo, lo que ella no sabe al comienzo es que su madrastra sólo organizó visitas con hombres herederos que no pueden dejar su reino, así que los planes de Selah se van a complicar.
Creo que The Beholder es uno de esos libros que sencillamente están bien y cumplen con su función de entretenerme. ¿Lo amé? No. ¿Me cambió la vida? Tampoco. ¿Me cabreé enormemente cuando me di cuenta de que esto no era un standalone sino una bilogía? Terriblemente.
Honestamente ni sé qué decir, creo que fue una historia bastante olvidable y sin ningún tipo de momento que resaltara especialmente. Sí, Selah va a diferentes cortes, conoce sus costumbres, habla con los hombres que quizá pueda conquistar, hay algunos engaños y también momentos robados, pero nada es remarcable. Si bien me gustó muchísimo más su visita a los reinos nórdicos que a Inglaterra, creo que la autora no supo componer bien la historia. A lo que me refiero es que desde el principio Selah está asustada de ir a las tierras rusas, pero se sustenta en cuentos para niños. Y luego, de repente, al final todo esto cobra muchísima importancia y aparece una rebelión de la nada. Fue un cambio cero creíble y que, en mi opinión, desvía completamente la historia.
Creo que sobra decir que no me queda ningún interés en leer el libro que cierra esta trilogía. Sorry not sorry.
June 1, 2019
ARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review (Thank you!)
"I tried not to wobble, thankful that a thick layer of wool lay between my unshaved knees and his palms."
Yeah I know right? Wool leggings are perfect to hide hairy legs and we're not always in the mood to shave.
Okay, back to the review.
The Beholder is NOT a retelling of the Odyssey , so just because there was a guy named Homer and a ship, this was clearly a mistake in marketing. There are references to dozens of fairytales/legends, lots of characters named with fairytale writers' names like Lang, Grimm, Perrault or characters' names from myths like King Arthur etc. Odd but somehow it worked even though the characters have absolutely nothing in common with the "story" they allude.
The heroine Selah (yes, a Biblical name) is a book lover introvert with a severe lack of self-esteem, a sort of Cinderella (yes, she actually loses her slipper). She has a loving father, the ruler of Potomac and an "evil" stepmother that sends her away forcefully so she can marry one of her endless list of suitors which live very far away. Selah embarks in a ship with a bunch of strangers that are under her employment and her journey to foreign countries begins. Meeting a bunch of love interests seems an awesome premise even though this is not a reverse harem but you get the vibes of one.
The worldbuilding was actually interesting: we have countries based in actual countries like England or Germany but all seem to be a mix of societies based in ancient medieval times but at the same time they actually have some early "modern" technology thrown in like radios and transmitters (this part was really odd...very odd and I'm not sure it worked well but this was like an alternate world similar to ours but not quite).
As for the characters, Selah reminded me a lot of my younger self and it's been a while since I've found a character that did it so accurately. She's insecure, she craves for love and acceptance, she falls in love with a guy instantly if he is nice to her. Yes, she is a bit shallow sometimes. She is also very naive, and kind and a complete failure in leadership skills.
And yet, I was able to connect with her and feel for her and I thought it was wonderful the way the author writes. Fluid, clear and somehow lyrical, thanks to it I was able to see the world through Selah's eyes. I could not criticize her poor decisions like, for instance, not standing up to her stepmother and let herself be used as a pawn. The thing is, sometimes people do things they never expected to do in order to be acknowledged. And Selah really wants to be happy and to bring happiness to her family and to her kingdom and there's nothing wrong with that. She keeps depending on strangers and blindly trusting them. Okay so she is far from being a badass and she made me roll my eyes several times, but I really liked how slowly she started (near the end), progressing and maturing and finally standing up and making decisions for herself. It felt more realistic this way.
However...I honestly don't know how to rate this book. There were parts I felt like rolling my eyes. There were other parts I was all giddy and enthusiastic. This book makes me struggle to rate it. There are way too many characters and except the main three (Selah and two of her suitors) we barely get a glimpse at the others, even those who are supposed to be important (The crew), or those who have a huge possibility to become a main character in the next book (Yes I'm looking at you, Lang). We get to see the personalities of the main two suitors of Selah and all other supporting characters seem to be one-dimensional.
There was a particular character, Aleksei, I was hoping to have more screen time because he seemed so complex: a little bit of angsty/morally grey with a little bit of cinnamon roll and who doesn't love a character like that? I really loved the very few pages he appeared and if his character had been developed (and his relationship with Selah) I would have become so happy. He was not a suitor and yet I could not stop wishing for him to be one.
So, how to rate a book that conflicts me so much? I'm going to let pass the lack of depth, plot devices, and predictability and I'm just going this time to simply overlook all that and rate it by my personal enjoyment and the very awesome potential I feel from it. I feel that it has the potential to become something awesome. I had a good time reading it and I believe the next one will be improved and grant more depth to the main characters and make Selah less shallow and more pro-active. She doesn't have to become a badass, she just needs to love and accept herself and believe in her because a girl's worth is not only based on beauty or badassery. Also, I feel more Aleksei lingering in the air and I'm all for it.
If you like light, sweet romance, angst, royal feasts, tragic orphans, bookworm heroines and something a little different than the usual YA fantasy, give this a try:)
Real rating: 3,5 stars
"I tried not to wobble, thankful that a thick layer of wool lay between my unshaved knees and his palms."
Yeah I know right? Wool leggings are perfect to hide hairy legs and we're not always in the mood to shave.
Okay, back to the review.
The Beholder is NOT a retelling of the Odyssey , so just because there was a guy named Homer and a ship, this was clearly a mistake in marketing. There are references to dozens of fairytales/legends, lots of characters named with fairytale writers' names like Lang, Grimm, Perrault or characters' names from myths like King Arthur etc. Odd but somehow it worked even though the characters have absolutely nothing in common with the "story" they allude.
The heroine Selah (yes, a Biblical name) is a book lover introvert with a severe lack of self-esteem, a sort of Cinderella (yes, she actually loses her slipper). She has a loving father, the ruler of Potomac and an "evil" stepmother that sends her away forcefully so she can marry one of her endless list of suitors which live very far away. Selah embarks in a ship with a bunch of strangers that are under her employment and her journey to foreign countries begins. Meeting a bunch of love interests seems an awesome premise even though this is not a reverse harem but you get the vibes of one.
The worldbuilding was actually interesting: we have countries based in actual countries like England or Germany but all seem to be a mix of societies based in ancient medieval times but at the same time they actually have some early "modern" technology thrown in like radios and transmitters (this part was really odd...very odd and I'm not sure it worked well but this was like an alternate world similar to ours but not quite).
As for the characters, Selah reminded me a lot of my younger self and it's been a while since I've found a character that did it so accurately. She's insecure, she craves for love and acceptance, she falls in love with a guy instantly if he is nice to her. Yes, she is a bit shallow sometimes. She is also very naive, and kind and a complete failure in leadership skills.
And yet, I was able to connect with her and feel for her and I thought it was wonderful the way the author writes. Fluid, clear and somehow lyrical, thanks to it I was able to see the world through Selah's eyes. I could not criticize her poor decisions like, for instance, not standing up to her stepmother and let herself be used as a pawn. The thing is, sometimes people do things they never expected to do in order to be acknowledged. And Selah really wants to be happy and to bring happiness to her family and to her kingdom and there's nothing wrong with that. She keeps depending on strangers and blindly trusting them. Okay so she is far from being a badass and she made me roll my eyes several times, but I really liked how slowly she started (near the end), progressing and maturing and finally standing up and making decisions for herself. It felt more realistic this way.
However...I honestly don't know how to rate this book. There were parts I felt like rolling my eyes. There were other parts I was all giddy and enthusiastic. This book makes me struggle to rate it. There are way too many characters and except the main three (Selah and two of her suitors) we barely get a glimpse at the others, even those who are supposed to be important (The crew), or those who have a huge possibility to become a main character in the next book (Yes I'm looking at you, Lang). We get to see the personalities of the main two suitors of Selah and all other supporting characters seem to be one-dimensional.
There was a particular character, Aleksei, I was hoping to have more screen time because he seemed so complex: a little bit of angsty/morally grey with a little bit of cinnamon roll and who doesn't love a character like that? I really loved the very few pages he appeared and if his character had been developed (and his relationship with Selah) I would have become so happy. He was not a suitor and yet I could not stop wishing for him to be one.
So, how to rate a book that conflicts me so much? I'm going to let pass the lack of depth, plot devices, and predictability and I'm just going this time to simply overlook all that and rate it by my personal enjoyment and the very awesome potential I feel from it. I feel that it has the potential to become something awesome. I had a good time reading it and I believe the next one will be improved and grant more depth to the main characters and make Selah less shallow and more pro-active. She doesn't have to become a badass, she just needs to love and accept herself and believe in her because a girl's worth is not only based on beauty or badassery. Also, I feel more Aleksei lingering in the air and I'm all for it.
If you like light, sweet romance, angst, royal feasts, tragic orphans, bookworm heroines and something a little different than the usual YA fantasy, give this a try:)
Real rating: 3,5 stars
November 7, 2019
I WANTED TO LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH :((((((
okay it wasn't BAD and i would totally recommend this book if you're looking for a ~*bachelorette*~ type of plot with lots court politics
but i found this book to be confusing, poorly explained, and quite meandering and that's what made it hard to get through
HOWEVER, the second half of the book sneaked up on me and i honestly fell in love with torden and i am ready to FIGHT for that boy (though still time to change my mind so we shall SEE 👀)
idk if it's going to be memorable for me, but i'd probably give the sequel a go
rtc
2.5 stars
okay it wasn't BAD and i would totally recommend this book if you're looking for a ~*bachelorette*~ type of plot with lots court politics
but i found this book to be confusing, poorly explained, and quite meandering and that's what made it hard to get through
HOWEVER, the second half of the book sneaked up on me and i honestly fell in love with torden and i am ready to FIGHT for that boy (though still time to change my mind so we shall SEE 👀)
idk if it's going to be memorable for me, but i'd probably give the sequel a go
rtc
2.5 stars
June 29, 2020
3.75/5 stars. Reread review: Looking back at my original review after rereading this confounding book, I realize I was a tad bit harsh. It was much easier to enjoy this book with the benefit of hindsight and the knowledge of how certain twists play out and how the end comes to light. I was still irritated at certain characters and their back and forth attitude-Anya and Lang, mostly-but I don't dislike Selah half as much as I did last time, and I'm tentatively excited to see whether the backbone she grew after knowing Torden and his brothers will stick with her through the sequel.
--------------------------------------
Okay so this book has me feeling all the weird feelings that I can't figure out, so I'm doing a pro/con list to keep this review from getting to an essay in length.
Pros
-The plot for the first 80% of the book
-Captain Lang
-Bear Green until the last day of Selah's visit to England
-The camaraderie of the Beholder's crew
-Torden
-Alexsei (I'm probably not spelling this right lol)
-The Marvel-like Thor/Loki relationship between aforementioned Alexsei and Torden
-The not-so-subtle hints at the Odyssey, norse mythology, English fables, etc
-Selah's periodic moments where she grows a spine
-Pretty much all of the side characters when they were on their own and weren't really interacting with Selah
Cons
-The practically insta love between Selah and her two men
-The trick that the English royals played on Selah and her crew
-The overplayed Cinderella stepmother plot intertwined with a rebellion plot
-The REBELLION
-The fact that the crew can't really keep a secret to save their lives
-Selah
-The weird mix of like 10 different decades in one world that is never expounded upon and explained
-Captain Lang
-Bear Green
-Torden
-Alexsei
Can you see the problems I'm having with being decisive about this book???
On the one hand, there were aspects that I truly enjoyed about almost everything in this book. But then on the other side of that same hand, I was constantly cringing at decisions, actions, plot changes, behaviors of the characters, etc and wishing I was reading something else. It seemed like this book really liked to contradict itself at every point it possibly could.
One thing that I can agree on, however, is that Selah is a horrible main character. She's wimpy, whiny, cries all the time, has no backbone whatsoever, ignorant af, refuses to try, expects everything to happen for her, etc. I could honestly go on. She spends 99% of the book wincing and complaining about being rejected by a guy that she barely knows when her father offers him a proposal on her behalf. Let me repeat that... her father formally extends a proposal to this teenager that his daughter has barely spoken to in the past for no political reason other than she obsessively thinks the world of him. I'm fairly certain that most of my grievances towards this book would be solved if we swapped Selah out for someone else like Sharzhad from The Wrath and the Dawn or Tessa Grey from Clockwork Angel. Just, anyone besides Selah please.
Secondly, it really felt like the author changed her mind in regards to the side characters and the underlying focus of the story multiple times before the end of the book rolls around. For instance, Captain Lang goes through so many different stances/beliefs throughout the journey that I have absolutely no clue what he really wants anymore. And not in a "oh this cunning, devious ship captain knows how to play the game" sort of way. It's more of a "what the actual hell is this guy even doing here, I honestly don't think he even knows why he's on this ship either".
And the worst part- where the HELL are ALL THE SUITORS I WAS PROMISED?? I thought the main point of this book was the fact that Selah needs to travel all across Europe to find a hubby so she can rule Potomac to the satisfaction of the council?? Her stepmother provides her a long ass list of potential candidates that she's supposed to meet and greet, and yet it takes 400 some odd pages for us to only meet two. I will be absolutely pissed if the next book(s) in this story have only one or two other suitors. I expected something like The Selection, Lady Smoke, or Three Dark Crowns when I read this synopsis. That was the biggest thing to draw me in. So disappointed.
But like, aside from those grievances, I honestly can't say that I hated this book. There's just something about it that kept drawing me in. Maybe it was all the side characters (minus their moments of stupidity and indecisiveness) and their shining personalities, or maybe it was just that beautiful cover and the promise of better things to come in future installments. Who knows, hopefully the second book is even better. Maybe Selah will be killed off and all the suitors will band together to face the rebellion together lol.
--------------------------------------
"But now. You form. A plan."
I shook her off. "Your plan fell apart," I pointed out.
"I wove another plan. I made it through, one day at a time...If you're one step ahead of them, they still haven't caught you."
Okay so this book has me feeling all the weird feelings that I can't figure out, so I'm doing a pro/con list to keep this review from getting to an essay in length.
Pros
-The plot for the first 80% of the book
-Captain Lang
-Bear Green until the last day of Selah's visit to England
-The camaraderie of the Beholder's crew
-Torden
-Alexsei (I'm probably not spelling this right lol)
-The Marvel-like Thor/Loki relationship between aforementioned Alexsei and Torden
-The not-so-subtle hints at the Odyssey, norse mythology, English fables, etc
-Selah's periodic moments where she grows a spine
-Pretty much all of the side characters when they were on their own and weren't really interacting with Selah
Cons
-The practically insta love between Selah and her two men
-The trick that the English royals played on Selah and her crew
-The overplayed Cinderella stepmother plot intertwined with a rebellion plot
-The REBELLION
-The fact that the crew can't really keep a secret to save their lives
-Selah
-The weird mix of like 10 different decades in one world that is never expounded upon and explained
-Captain Lang
-Bear Green
-Torden
-Alexsei
Can you see the problems I'm having with being decisive about this book???
On the one hand, there were aspects that I truly enjoyed about almost everything in this book. But then on the other side of that same hand, I was constantly cringing at decisions, actions, plot changes, behaviors of the characters, etc and wishing I was reading something else. It seemed like this book really liked to contradict itself at every point it possibly could.
One thing that I can agree on, however, is that Selah is a horrible main character. She's wimpy, whiny, cries all the time, has no backbone whatsoever, ignorant af, refuses to try, expects everything to happen for her, etc. I could honestly go on. She spends 99% of the book wincing and complaining about being rejected by a guy that she barely knows when her father offers him a proposal on her behalf. Let me repeat that... her father formally extends a proposal to this teenager that his daughter has barely spoken to in the past for no political reason other than she obsessively thinks the world of him. I'm fairly certain that most of my grievances towards this book would be solved if we swapped Selah out for someone else like Sharzhad from The Wrath and the Dawn or Tessa Grey from Clockwork Angel. Just, anyone besides Selah please.
Secondly, it really felt like the author changed her mind in regards to the side characters and the underlying focus of the story multiple times before the end of the book rolls around. For instance, Captain Lang goes through so many different stances/beliefs throughout the journey that I have absolutely no clue what he really wants anymore. And not in a "oh this cunning, devious ship captain knows how to play the game" sort of way. It's more of a "what the actual hell is this guy even doing here, I honestly don't think he even knows why he's on this ship either".
And the worst part- where the HELL are ALL THE SUITORS I WAS PROMISED?? I thought the main point of this book was the fact that Selah needs to travel all across Europe to find a hubby so she can rule Potomac to the satisfaction of the council?? Her stepmother provides her a long ass list of potential candidates that she's supposed to meet and greet, and yet it takes 400 some odd pages for us to only meet two. I will be absolutely pissed if the next book(s) in this story have only one or two other suitors. I expected something like The Selection, Lady Smoke, or Three Dark Crowns when I read this synopsis. That was the biggest thing to draw me in. So disappointed.
But like, aside from those grievances, I honestly can't say that I hated this book. There's just something about it that kept drawing me in. Maybe it was all the side characters (minus their moments of stupidity and indecisiveness) and their shining personalities, or maybe it was just that beautiful cover and the promise of better things to come in future installments. Who knows, hopefully the second book is even better. Maybe Selah will be killed off and all the suitors will band together to face the rebellion together lol.
April 28, 2021
The Beholder is a charmingly romantic fantasy that left me longing to cross the ocean and explore new lands.
When I went into this, I expected the story of a girl forced into a betrothal by an evil stepmother only to find she’s developing feelings for the one she’s meant to marry. While some of those aspects are somewhat true, this story took me by surprise and ended up subverting my expectations at multiple turns.
First, I fell in love with the crew of The Beholder and I fully expect to learn more about them in the next book, particularly our prickly captain.
Selah is blindsided by plans to marry her off across the world and quickly suspects something is afoot. However, she’s also awed and quickly swept away by the people, cultures, and new places she’s introduced to.
It was easy to get just as swept away as Selah. While this story can’t claim to be a retelling of a single story, there is a blending of elements from Cinderella, The Odyssey, King Arthur, and Hansel & Gretel into the story (and probably a few others I’m not thinking of off the top of my head).
My biggest caveat with this story is that Selah is the type of character that things seem to just happen to. And that is fine, but Selah doesn’t often use the agency she has to question and push for answers or seek answers on her own. There’s several instances of obvious foreshadowing in this that I felt Selah could have used a gateway to be more forward and stop letting people direct her life. However, this is something that Selah comes to do by the end of the book, it’s just unfortunate to see her characterized this way initially. It makes her seem very naive and aloof, especially when one considers how quickly and easily she is willing to give her heart away (something I hope she keeps close to herself in the next book).
Other than that, I’d say the time period is a little difficult to pin down. Initially, I felt the story took places in the 19th century for sure, but there is mention and use of a technology that won’t be as advanced as it is in this book until the early 20th century. If anything, there are times the world building is descriptive and interesting, but it does feel as though it’s fully realized and developed enough in this book. I’d love to see more explanation about how Potomac and the other countries came to be and their story, beyond the brief explanations we get in this book.
However, I think both Selah’s characterization and the time period/world-building are minor aspects to the whole of this book. It’s charming and romantic and definitely pulled me in to Selah’s story and adventures. I’m absolutely going to be reading the next one – I’m excited about where this book leaves us!
When I went into this, I expected the story of a girl forced into a betrothal by an evil stepmother only to find she’s developing feelings for the one she’s meant to marry. While some of those aspects are somewhat true, this story took me by surprise and ended up subverting my expectations at multiple turns.
First, I fell in love with the crew of The Beholder and I fully expect to learn more about them in the next book, particularly our prickly captain.
Selah is blindsided by plans to marry her off across the world and quickly suspects something is afoot. However, she’s also awed and quickly swept away by the people, cultures, and new places she’s introduced to.
It was easy to get just as swept away as Selah. While this story can’t claim to be a retelling of a single story, there is a blending of elements from Cinderella, The Odyssey, King Arthur, and Hansel & Gretel into the story (and probably a few others I’m not thinking of off the top of my head).
My biggest caveat with this story is that Selah is the type of character that things seem to just happen to. And that is fine, but Selah doesn’t often use the agency she has to question and push for answers or seek answers on her own. There’s several instances of obvious foreshadowing in this that I felt Selah could have used a gateway to be more forward and stop letting people direct her life. However, this is something that Selah comes to do by the end of the book, it’s just unfortunate to see her characterized this way initially. It makes her seem very naive and aloof, especially when one considers how quickly and easily she is willing to give her heart away (something I hope she keeps close to herself in the next book).
Other than that, I’d say the time period is a little difficult to pin down. Initially, I felt the story took places in the 19th century for sure, but there is mention and use of a technology that won’t be as advanced as it is in this book until the early 20th century. If anything, there are times the world building is descriptive and interesting, but it does feel as though it’s fully realized and developed enough in this book. I’d love to see more explanation about how Potomac and the other countries came to be and their story, beyond the brief explanations we get in this book.
However, I think both Selah’s characterization and the time period/world-building are minor aspects to the whole of this book. It’s charming and romantic and definitely pulled me in to Selah’s story and adventures. I’m absolutely going to be reading the next one – I’m excited about where this book leaves us!
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May 29, 2020a DELIGHT
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May 24, 2020
August 8, 2019
2.5 stars
I didn't love this... the all, a girl sent away to find suitors was not my thing.
I didn't care for the main character and for me, there was not much plot.
The end intrigued me but I just don't know if it is enough to make me read the second book.
I didn't love this... the all, a girl sent away to find suitors was not my thing.
I didn't care for the main character and for me, there was not much plot.
The end intrigued me but I just don't know if it is enough to make me read the second book.
April 14, 2019
*Notes: An advanced copy of the book was provided in exchange of an honest review. This is an ARC, so quotes are subject to change. I would like to thank @HaperCollinsCa for the copy.*
-Samidha
🌟🌟
Sigh, this is going to be tough.
Just to start, do not be deceived by the blurb and think this is an Odyssey retelling. It is not. Let it be known that this book has nothing in common with the legendary Odyssey, unless a ship, a royal heir, and the sea are your words to describe it.
The novel starts with a rejected proposal (not a spoiler), and a Kingdom that for the life of me I could not understand. Is it fictional?Is it present day Europe? Who knows? The main character, a young Royal Princess of Potomac, Selah, has been waiting to get married and live her happily ever after. However, she is rejected by the only man she’s ever truly loved. Her misfortune is her stepmother’s fortune as she decides to send Selah away in search of a husband. So, the stepmother organises an entire cruise (?), and at each stop Selah would meet a potential suitor. The deal is that Selah can only come back once she finds a suitor/husband. There are other fun bits, right out of a fairytale, like Selah’s good father slowly withering away into nothingness even though he is King, the Stepmother/Queen being pregnant, the Stepmother taking over the counsel as the King is very sick.
"Bharat's revolt had meant the begining of the end of the British Empire - and, for a time, of all empires."
I mean, I am really tired of YA fantasy portraying polarizing views of good versus evil, can we at least get some back-story for the character before we deem her as evil?
Anyway, back to the book. One would think that after being rejected, Selah would learn her lesson and harden up – unfortunately not. Apart from having the absolutely worst world building – which I could not understand a bit – the book’s main character is unbearably dull and naive. Not only does she act as a subservient chamber maid in front of the Captain, but she doesn’t even protest to this whole scheme that her stepmother has laid for her. There are attempts within the book to make her seem very feminist, and ‘woke’, but those just seem dumb because this was the ,early 1800s, 19th century, so how about we play a little with time, but don’t entirely change the customs. And even if the author does want to change certain things, it would be a good idea to provide a basic idea of what the world is like. Due to the unclear world building, I just had to rip it off of our, real world in the 19th century. I’ll be very honest, after the 200 page mark I had started skim reading. It was extremely difficult for me to understand which part of the world they were in, and what were the fantastical aspects.
"'Yes, and don't go poking around', Lang said sharply. I stared at him, and he hesitated.
'Fine' I crossed my arms a bit taken aback."
Finally, the biggest qualm I have about the novel were the love interests. Initially I thought it could be Captain Lang, and that kept me going. However, I was so disappointed with the main character’s love choices and choices in general. I won’t say much on the topic, in case I give away something but honestly, there could not have been a duller, more lack-lustre female character in the whole of my fantasy reading years. And the first person perspective just made her more infuriating. The other characters too were like props, of no significant value. And to top it all off; the writing. I get it debut writers would use a bit of tropes and some other clichés as they are just starting out, but the writing style was not my cup of tea. It made me actually want to sit with a pencil and start changing paragraphs, and fleshing-out characters. Literally, the only character I liked was Godmother Alethea.
So final verdict: no. I was waiting for sirens, and Gods, or maybe even Pegasus; but what I got instead was a boring female character, absolutely horrendous world building, and a narrative that put me to sleep.
-Samidha
October 11, 2019
'No mortal wounds, perhaps, but the scars these boys had left me would remain.'
TDL: if Selah was political first and a hopeful romantic second, the plot wouldn't have been as oddly entrancing from all the boys she falls after only to realize, whoops, she fell too fast. But help I fell for them too while reading so now I'm in the same pickle because gosh darn it all they're all so charming??
But the Thor/Loki vibes of Torden and Alexsei were the best. But the soft-hearted guard in disguise also stole my heart first??
Idk what it was about this book 'cause it should NOT be the kind of thing I like so much . . . and yet I did?? It was unexpectedly entertaining and enjoyable??? Either way, I liked this a lot and I would really like to see how it all ends.
TDL: if Selah was political first and a hopeful romantic second, the plot wouldn't have been as oddly entrancing from all the boys she falls after only to realize, whoops, she fell too fast. But help I fell for them too while reading so now I'm in the same pickle because gosh darn it all they're all so charming??
But the Thor/Loki vibes of Torden and Alexsei were the best. But the soft-hearted guard in disguise also stole my heart first??
Idk what it was about this book 'cause it should NOT be the kind of thing I like so much . . . and yet I did?? It was unexpectedly entertaining and enjoyable??? Either way, I liked this a lot and I would really like to see how it all ends.
July 27, 2019
What did I just read? I'm not sure how to categorize it. Hmmm. This book would have been five stars had it not strayed course at the very end and become what exactly? Political, I suppose.
This is the story of a young Seneschal-elect of Potomac who is promised to marry a young man from her Homeland. When she is slighted by him for reasons unknown, she is ordered within one day to board The Beholder and sail to countries such as England and Norge to find a suitable husband. The main portion of the book is about two potential love matches she makes, and then the last twenty pages turn it all on a dime, and we're left waiting for the next book.
I would dock it more if not for the swooning storytelling, the smoothness of it all for a YA book was unparallel. I loved it. I guess I'll have to get over my pouting and wait for its successor. And because Anna Bright is such a gifted author, that's what I'll do.
This is the story of a young Seneschal-elect of Potomac who is promised to marry a young man from her Homeland. When she is slighted by him for reasons unknown, she is ordered within one day to board The Beholder and sail to countries such as England and Norge to find a suitable husband. The main portion of the book is about two potential love matches she makes, and then the last twenty pages turn it all on a dime, and we're left waiting for the next book.
I would dock it more if not for the swooning storytelling, the smoothness of it all for a YA book was unparallel. I loved it. I guess I'll have to get over my pouting and wait for its successor. And because Anna Bright is such a gifted author, that's what I'll do.
June 12, 2020
Okay so. There is zERO world building and I kind of need an explanation how New York and Asgard exist in the same world. Like I need history of this world. Is it the future? Alternative reality? There are radios but they travel by ships?
Main character is just naive? She legit falls in love with every guy she meets and trust them from second one.
We basically spent the whole book in two locations and it was just overly dramatic
Main character is just naive? She legit falls in love with every guy she meets and trust them from second one.
We basically spent the whole book in two locations and it was just overly dramatic
August 24, 2019
Man, I do love retellings!
The Beholder was so freaking good guys! I don't know why it took me forever and a day to dive into it BUT I am so happy that I did. In it, you will meet Selah. She is basically an awesome and amazing character to fall in love with. She doesn't just sit around and wait for prince charming to come to her. Nope, she's going out into the world to find his ass.
Throughout this book, her journey was just so intriguing. I couldn't put this book down once I officially got into it. I loved seeing her meet all these prospects but I just wanted to see her grow as a character as well. With each twist and turn, I just wanted to know what the heck was going to happen next. Ugh, this book guys - it was amazing!
Overall, when can I get the next book? ...because that ending...
The Beholder was so freaking good guys! I don't know why it took me forever and a day to dive into it BUT I am so happy that I did. In it, you will meet Selah. She is basically an awesome and amazing character to fall in love with. She doesn't just sit around and wait for prince charming to come to her. Nope, she's going out into the world to find his ass.
Throughout this book, her journey was just so intriguing. I couldn't put this book down once I officially got into it. I loved seeing her meet all these prospects but I just wanted to see her grow as a character as well. With each twist and turn, I just wanted to know what the heck was going to happen next. Ugh, this book guys - it was amazing!
Overall, when can I get the next book? ...because that ending...
July 29, 2020
5 Words: Family, duty, betrayal, politics, survival.
Got this in May's Fairyloot box, reading for the readalong.
Book Beginnings: The Beholder by Anna Bright
Book Review: The Beholder by Anna Bright
Five Favourite Quotes from The Beholder by Anna Bright
The cover reminds me of the intro for Black Sails.
I'm struggling to review The Beholder - it's a book I enjoyed immensely and struggled to put down, but at the same time I can't quite put my finger on why I loved it.
First off, this book is beautifully written. Every so often there was a line that would stop me reading, because I had to read it over and over and make a note of it. It's almost lyrical, poetic, at times.
Something I really liked was the abundance of fashion. So many pretty dresses and intricate jewellery. I also loved how the characters would talk about them and have fun. There's a part where Selah and another character just play around with makeup and dresses while getting ready and YES I need more of this please.
I think it has a lot to do with Selah.
Selah is such a darling, an absolute delight to read about, someone whose every action seems filled with good. She has such a big heart, and she wears it on her sleeve and give her love freely, and it was so endearing. But at the same time she's a little bit stubborn and strong-willed and knows what she wants. She's an incredibly well written character, so many layers and nuances bring her to life on the page.
I can understand how The Beholder will not be everyone's cup of tea, but I adored it. I loved the slower pace, the time spent getting to know each character, how I couldn't help but get fully invested in Selah and heart.
After how The Beholder ended, I can't wait to read the next one. I'm so glad that this is the start of a series, because I need more of Selah and her generous heart.
Got this in May's Fairyloot box, reading for the readalong.
Book Beginnings: The Beholder by Anna Bright
Book Review: The Beholder by Anna Bright
Five Favourite Quotes from The Beholder by Anna Bright
The cover reminds me of the intro for Black Sails.
I'm struggling to review The Beholder - it's a book I enjoyed immensely and struggled to put down, but at the same time I can't quite put my finger on why I loved it.
First off, this book is beautifully written. Every so often there was a line that would stop me reading, because I had to read it over and over and make a note of it. It's almost lyrical, poetic, at times.
Something I really liked was the abundance of fashion. So many pretty dresses and intricate jewellery. I also loved how the characters would talk about them and have fun. There's a part where Selah and another character just play around with makeup and dresses while getting ready and YES I need more of this please.
I think it has a lot to do with Selah.
Selah is such a darling, an absolute delight to read about, someone whose every action seems filled with good. She has such a big heart, and she wears it on her sleeve and give her love freely, and it was so endearing. But at the same time she's a little bit stubborn and strong-willed and knows what she wants. She's an incredibly well written character, so many layers and nuances bring her to life on the page.
I can understand how The Beholder will not be everyone's cup of tea, but I adored it. I loved the slower pace, the time spent getting to know each character, how I couldn't help but get fully invested in Selah and heart.
After how The Beholder ended, I can't wait to read the next one. I'm so glad that this is the start of a series, because I need more of Selah and her generous heart.
March 24, 2020
ARC received from Edelweiss for a fair review.
F me, I freaking loved it. FRTC.
Round 2, still love it.
F me, I freaking loved it. FRTC.
Round 2, still love it.
April 2, 2019
A stunning, sweeping tale that combines elements of beloved classics and yet is somehow entirely original. A unique and unforgettable fairytale.
April 15, 2020
”You will always be the sun to me. Bright and beautiful and the warmest thing in my world.”
This book took me on a rollercoaster ride, and NOT in a good way. I will say that the world building in this book was beautiful and I enjoyed the names of just about every character in this story lol the author got very creative with the names IMO.
When I first started the book it was easy for me to get into it because of Selah’s rejection. I was so ready to see how she’d handle that and what the outcome would be. The moment she stepped on the Beholder the story got quite boring. Other than her little flirtations with Lang and the clues they were giving about suspicious stuff below deck, the whole trip to England was a snooze fest. I promised myself I’d read up to 50% before I marked this as a DNF!!!
Then finally, at about 53% things looked up. I love forbidden romances and I was sucked in at a possible love triangle that never happened haha. I was rooting for Selah and Lang but that’s ended up being.. Nothing? Like seriously nothing. Anywho we met Bear and boom I had another ship that I was quite fond of, and that turned out to be a disaster although after he explained why he did what he did, I was rooting for him again. Of course, the author had other plans lol at that point I decided to stop shipping any of the couples and just enjoy the ride.
I instantly fell in love with Torden the moment he was described to us haha and I’m so happy with Selah’s choice! Then of course it all spiraled out of control. I need more of them so I’m actually looking forward to the next book, just to see if they find there way back to each other. I just hope it doesn’t start off as slow as this one.
3.5/5 🌟’s
This book took me on a rollercoaster ride, and NOT in a good way. I will say that the world building in this book was beautiful and I enjoyed the names of just about every character in this story lol the author got very creative with the names IMO.
When I first started the book it was easy for me to get into it because of Selah’s rejection. I was so ready to see how she’d handle that and what the outcome would be. The moment she stepped on the Beholder the story got quite boring. Other than her little flirtations with Lang and the clues they were giving about suspicious stuff below deck, the whole trip to England was a snooze fest. I promised myself I’d read up to 50% before I marked this as a DNF!!!
Then finally, at about 53% things looked up. I love forbidden romances and I was sucked in at a possible love triangle that never happened haha. I was rooting for Selah and Lang but that’s ended up being.. Nothing? Like seriously nothing. Anywho we met Bear and boom I had another ship that I was quite fond of, and that turned out to be a disaster although after he explained why he did what he did, I was rooting for him again. Of course, the author had other plans lol at that point I decided to stop shipping any of the couples and just enjoy the ride.
I instantly fell in love with Torden the moment he was described to us haha and I’m so happy with Selah’s choice! Then of course it all spiraled out of control. I need more of them so I’m actually looking forward to the next book, just to see if they find there way back to each other. I just hope it doesn’t start off as slow as this one.
3.5/5 🌟’s
July 14, 2019
They Odyssey meets Cinderella and Pirates of the Caribbean and political schemes and backstabbing and undercover rebellions and and and
September 5, 2020
Reread in August to prepare for THE BOUNDLESS. As good the second time!
I loved this book so much! It was unapologetically romantic, with MULTIPLE adorable, viable love interests, a unique and engaging heroine, and a lot of mystery to keep me turning pages. It felt old school YA in the best way. And I can't WAIT to find out what happens next!!
I loved this book so much! It was unapologetically romantic, with MULTIPLE adorable, viable love interests, a unique and engaging heroine, and a lot of mystery to keep me turning pages. It felt old school YA in the best way. And I can't WAIT to find out what happens next!!
June 1, 2019
You can also read my review here:https://devouringbooks2017.wordpress....
This book was so much better than I had expected it to be. The cover made me think that the entire book took place on a ship, but in reality very little of it did. The Beholder is about Selah traveling to find a suitor among several princes deemed suitable. The book moves fast and was compulsively readable, I hardly set it down and finished it in less than 24 hours. I see how it could be compared to The Selection with the suitors and a bit of a twist on history, but it was also inspired by folklore and fairy tales. The beginning felt comparable to Cinderella, but there was also quite a bit of Norse mythology included.
The characters and their relationships were really fun to read about. I also really enjoyed the different settings as Selah visited her suitors. I found myself rooting against one suitor pretty early on and then very attached to a different one later. I found it difficult to quickly bounce from one romantic entanglement to another, but so did Selah. Her emotions were clearly translated to the page and I understood how she felt and was able to relate pretty well to her character.
The plot drove the story forward at a decent pace and I’m glad they didn’t try to condense the whole journey into one book, because I was able to get an accurate feel for each suitor and setting. While the book is centered on romance, which typically isn’t my thing, I found it to be an interesting love story without too much lust as a driving factor. Selah’s devotion to home and family was something I could relate to as well. I did wish that I got more of the story, because it didn’t quite feel finished.
The Beholder was a fast paced story about Selah’s journey to find a suitor to marry. It is a love story, but it is also an adventure. I am so glad that I read some positive reviews, because I almost passed this one by and it was so captivating. As a debut novel I am impressed and I can’t wait for the sequel.
This book was so much better than I had expected it to be. The cover made me think that the entire book took place on a ship, but in reality very little of it did. The Beholder is about Selah traveling to find a suitor among several princes deemed suitable. The book moves fast and was compulsively readable, I hardly set it down and finished it in less than 24 hours. I see how it could be compared to The Selection with the suitors and a bit of a twist on history, but it was also inspired by folklore and fairy tales. The beginning felt comparable to Cinderella, but there was also quite a bit of Norse mythology included.
The characters and their relationships were really fun to read about. I also really enjoyed the different settings as Selah visited her suitors. I found myself rooting against one suitor pretty early on and then very attached to a different one later. I found it difficult to quickly bounce from one romantic entanglement to another, but so did Selah. Her emotions were clearly translated to the page and I understood how she felt and was able to relate pretty well to her character.
The plot drove the story forward at a decent pace and I’m glad they didn’t try to condense the whole journey into one book, because I was able to get an accurate feel for each suitor and setting. While the book is centered on romance, which typically isn’t my thing, I found it to be an interesting love story without too much lust as a driving factor. Selah’s devotion to home and family was something I could relate to as well. I did wish that I got more of the story, because it didn’t quite feel finished.
The Beholder was a fast paced story about Selah’s journey to find a suitor to marry. It is a love story, but it is also an adventure. I am so glad that I read some positive reviews, because I almost passed this one by and it was so captivating. As a debut novel I am impressed and I can’t wait for the sequel.
December 5, 2023
I believe these two things need to happen in order to deliver a good book. First: you need to have at least one character who makes the readers feel something. Root for them or against them. Second: you need to build a world which interests your readers. The Beholder's protagonist makes me feel absolutely nothing. Selah is supposed to become a leader: yet she is not capable of making a single decision on her own. I read a first few pages and it started off really well... you know, it is quite okay for the main character to be lost at the very beginning: still searching their voice. But Selah does not progress. She does not make me feel anything apart for little annoyance. She makes a decision wether she likes someone or not based on their appearance. Honestly, she is as shallow as they get.
If it comes to the world building... welll, I am not sure. I am still not 100% sure what happened there. It seems like our world but was not, no, okay, I won't even try because I will get you as lost as I was. I am not sure what to tell you guys: if you fall for this beautiful cover (and OMG it is so, so pretty!) go for it, give it a shot. Otherwise... next, please.
If it comes to the world building... welll, I am not sure. I am still not 100% sure what happened there. It seems like our world but was not, no, okay, I won't even try because I will get you as lost as I was. I am not sure what to tell you guys: if you fall for this beautiful cover (and OMG it is so, so pretty!) go for it, give it a shot. Otherwise... next, please.
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