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Phalaina
Par un froid jour d'hiver, un villageois découvre une petite fille à l'orée d'un bois. Muette, les yeux rouges, ses réactions sont aussi violentes qu'irrationnelles. De la campagne anglaise à un orphelinat londonien, le chemin de l'orpheline semble jalonné de phénomènes inexplicables, de morts violentes et de questions sans réponse. D'où vient-elle ? Qui sont les hommes à ses trousses ? Quel est son lien avec la célèbre Fondation Humphrey ? Pour rester libre, la jeune fille va devoir dénouer tout cela, coûte que coûte. Dans ce roman polyphonique à la richesse folle, l'autrice ressuscite avec une langue aussi tranchante que drôle l'Angleterre du 19e siècle (Charles Darwin et Jack l'éventreur ne sont pas loin) et interroge nos rapports aux autres êtres vivants, à la nature et à nos choix de survie...
314 pages, Paperback
First published August 26, 2020
18 people are currently reading
2619 people want to read
About the author
Alice Brière-Haquet
135 books22 followersAlice Brière-Haquet vit en Italie. Elle a publié plusieurs ouvrages pour la jeunesse, notamment La princesse qui n’aimait pas les princes chez Actes Sud Junior, ou encore Le ballon de Zébulon chez Auzou, plusieurs fois récompensé. Chez Flammarion, elle est l’auteure des albums Le chat d’Elsa, Une histoire de galette et de roi, Le bonhomme et l’oiseau, Pouce !, Mes lunettes !, et des séries «Collège Art» et «Au secours !
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
November 19, 2022
The concept of this book is crazy, and I loved it!!
August 9, 2022
4.5 stars. (i will have real concrete thoughts at a normal hour. since it is 2 am when i finished this) talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before, unafraid to reference or not reference, put it in a blender, shit on it, vomit on it, eat it, give birth to it
March 9, 2021
Un très bon roman policier historico-fantastique. Belle écriture, chapitres courts, enlevés. Tout fonctionne à merveille !
September 22, 2020
3,5/5
J’ai passé un très bon moment de lecture avec ce livre ! Sans même parler du fait que j’ai une totale confiance dans la collection Epik de Rouergue Jeunesse, j’ai été hyper intrigué par la couverture et le résumé de ce livre et je me suis donc rapidement jeté dessus.
⠀
Du départ, j’ai beaucoup aimé l’ambiance un peu pesante et sombre (même si on reste quand même dans de la jeunesse, entendons-nous bien). Le début est assez lent finalement mais c’est aussi ce qui contribue à l’ambiance générale. Malgré tout, l’histoire est pas mal rythmée par les chapitres assez courts qu’on nous propose.
⠀
C’est vrai qu’on a un peu de mal à voir où on va de prime abord : on suit beaucoup de personnages, on ne sait pas trop qui/ce qu’est Manon (le personnage principal) et on n’arrive pas toujours à identifier les intentions de certains personnages. Pas mal de mystère donc, ce qui est plutôt cool !
⠀
Ce qui a un peu péché pour moi c’est plutôt la résolution. La véritable nature de Manon ne m’a pas plus emballé que ça (même s’il y avait des choses intéressantes) et j’ai trouvé la fin un peu facile quand même. Un autre petit point qui m’a gêné était les pensées qu’on prêtait aux animaux (notamment à Giulio le chien) qui étaient un peu trop articulées, un peu trop humaines. Encore une fois, on est sur de la jeunesse donc ça s’explique, mais ça m’a quand même un peu embêté.
⠀
Ceci étant dit, j’ai quand même bien aimé cette lecture qui a été très rapide et divertissante. Je pense que ça peut être très sympa pour les jeunes (et les moins jeunes) à cette période de l’année.
J’ai passé un très bon moment de lecture avec ce livre ! Sans même parler du fait que j’ai une totale confiance dans la collection Epik de Rouergue Jeunesse, j’ai été hyper intrigué par la couverture et le résumé de ce livre et je me suis donc rapidement jeté dessus.
⠀
Du départ, j’ai beaucoup aimé l’ambiance un peu pesante et sombre (même si on reste quand même dans de la jeunesse, entendons-nous bien). Le début est assez lent finalement mais c’est aussi ce qui contribue à l’ambiance générale. Malgré tout, l’histoire est pas mal rythmée par les chapitres assez courts qu’on nous propose.
⠀
C’est vrai qu’on a un peu de mal à voir où on va de prime abord : on suit beaucoup de personnages, on ne sait pas trop qui/ce qu’est Manon (le personnage principal) et on n’arrive pas toujours à identifier les intentions de certains personnages. Pas mal de mystère donc, ce qui est plutôt cool !
⠀
Ce qui a un peu péché pour moi c’est plutôt la résolution. La véritable nature de Manon ne m’a pas plus emballé que ça (même s’il y avait des choses intéressantes) et j’ai trouvé la fin un peu facile quand même. Un autre petit point qui m’a gêné était les pensées qu’on prêtait aux animaux (notamment à Giulio le chien) qui étaient un peu trop articulées, un peu trop humaines. Encore une fois, on est sur de la jeunesse donc ça s’explique, mais ça m’a quand même un peu embêté.
⠀
Ceci étant dit, j’ai quand même bien aimé cette lecture qui a été très rapide et divertissante. Je pense que ça peut être très sympa pour les jeunes (et les moins jeunes) à cette période de l’année.
March 24, 2023
Another DNF, but I should have known.
I'll echo that this isn't a J-fiction. Not only bloody with torture, beheading, murder, etc. and more adult topics (procrastination), Phalaina is narratively complex with multiple perspectives, jumps and devices. One of the focal characters is an adult detective.
A surprising amount of death and dismemberment for a book that couldn't hold my interest-not enough time in any one place with any one person to start caring for the characters.
I'll echo that this isn't a J-fiction. Not only bloody with torture, beheading, murder, etc. and more adult topics (procrastination), Phalaina is narratively complex with multiple perspectives, jumps and devices. One of the focal characters is an adult detective.
A surprising amount of death and dismemberment for a book that couldn't hold my interest-not enough time in any one place with any one person to start caring for the characters.
March 31, 2024
This book was an ARC I received from Levine Querido.
A quick but excellent read. Great characters and storyline. A very sad bit about animal testing, including a great line, "This is the price we pay for the illusion of looking a bit younger in the mirror... But who still dares to look at their reflection?"
Definitely recommend.
A quick but excellent read. Great characters and storyline. A very sad bit about animal testing, including a great line, "This is the price we pay for the illusion of looking a bit younger in the mirror... But who still dares to look at their reflection?"
Definitely recommend.
October 5, 2022
This is an EXQUISITE novel!!! It deserves so much more recognition than it has. I cannot recommend it enough. What a delightfully dark and charming tale. I can’t wait to read it again.
March 13, 2023
This book was weird as hell. I finished it in 2 days and loved every page.
March 30, 2024
Unlike anything I’ve read before. Reading this book is like watching Simone Biles compete—you’re holding your breath, in disbelief at seeing her land every jump and turn and twist, all of it increasingly frenetic and complicated, all of it leaving you in awe, but you have this undercurrent of dread because with a story this good, will she stick the landing? Can she? Is it even possible?
Reader, the author sticks the landing. I hugged this book after I finished it. It’s just so perfectly satisfying.
Reader, the author sticks the landing. I hugged this book after I finished it. It’s just so perfectly satisfying.
December 26, 2022
2.5 stars. unfortunately I didn't really like this. even though there was a lot happening and the premise is very interesting, I found myself confused and not at all invested in the story.
January 26, 2023
That was bizarre.
July 7, 2024
Basically, a scientist discovers a race of moth people, falls in love with a moth lady, has secret moth daughter, then scientist must run away with his moth daughter because his moth in-laws don’t approve of any of this, and then the scientist is murdered. (No idea what happens to the moth lady.) Moth daughter grows up in an orphanage, people are searching for her, and the shambles of a plot ensue.
There are crumbs of an interesting story here, but this reads like the cliff notes version of the summary of the first draft. And that’s being generous. It’s all supposed to be this mystery of who Manon is, what she is, where she came from, and then the villain reveals it all in a paragraph so there’s no intrigue here. (Also, I kept forgetting who John was. He showed up so infrequently.) All this about a secret race of moth people? We meet one, Lbn, and like everyone else in this book, he barely counts as a character. Again, the secret race of moth people is tacked on AT THE END OF THE BOOK, and it’s just like, “Sure, fine, whatever. At least something happened.”
None of the characters matter. I don’t know any of them, I don’t really care about any of them. They have all the depth of a puddle on asphalt.
There’s a scene where a detective is interviewing this guy who says that he killed the Mother Superior—oh yeah, they straight up butcher a nun—because “She” is coming back, and they needed a blood sacrifice and “She” is a goddess, she’s called Lilith and Kali and Diana, and she’s amazing and she’s coming back AND THIS SCENE GOES NO WHERE. The detective is like, “This man is nuts” and that’s it. Are there people who aware of the moth people? Do they worship the moth people? Why do they need a blood sacrifice? Did a moth lady once rogue and now the rest of them are trying to be as secretive as possible? This is probably the most interesting thing that happens and it is never brought up again. (Why was Jack the Ripper brought into this at all?)
I really don’t know what I just read. This was a complete mess. This review is a mess because this book is a mess, and there is not enough Advil in the world to make this right. Also, how the hell is this classified as middle grade? The only thing middle grade about this was the chapter length.
There are crumbs of an interesting story here, but this reads like the cliff notes version of the summary of the first draft. And that’s being generous. It’s all supposed to be this mystery of who Manon is, what she is, where she came from, and then the villain reveals it all in a paragraph so there’s no intrigue here. (Also, I kept forgetting who John was. He showed up so infrequently.) All this about a secret race of moth people? We meet one, Lbn, and like everyone else in this book, he barely counts as a character. Again, the secret race of moth people is tacked on AT THE END OF THE BOOK, and it’s just like, “Sure, fine, whatever. At least something happened.”
None of the characters matter. I don’t know any of them, I don’t really care about any of them. They have all the depth of a puddle on asphalt.
There’s a scene where a detective is interviewing this guy who says that he killed the Mother Superior—oh yeah, they straight up butcher a nun—because “She” is coming back, and they needed a blood sacrifice and “She” is a goddess, she’s called Lilith and Kali and Diana, and she’s amazing and she’s coming back AND THIS SCENE GOES NO WHERE. The detective is like, “This man is nuts” and that’s it. Are there people who aware of the moth people? Do they worship the moth people? Why do they need a blood sacrifice? Did a moth lady once rogue and now the rest of them are trying to be as secretive as possible? This is probably the most interesting thing that happens and it is never brought up again. (Why was Jack the Ripper brought into this at all?)
I really don’t know what I just read. This was a complete mess. This review is a mess because this book is a mess, and there is not enough Advil in the world to make this right. Also, how the hell is this classified as middle grade? The only thing middle grade about this was the chapter length.
December 2, 2022
What a weird, intriguing book about our interconnectedness with other species and what we have to learn if we choose to act with ethics and recognition. I think it’ll go right over the heads of middle school readers, but this copy is already processed and catalogued, so into our library it goes. It will definitely require a reader able to handle point of view jumps and who is also savvy enough to track multiple characters, not all of whom are human. The vocabulary is also very elevated for the age group this book is intended for.
Here are some poignant lines I personally loved:
“ isn’t it more that we don’t have a desire to listen? It is obvious that the pig whose throat is slit suffers, and that the hunted deer is terrorized; a cry, a look, tells us this. Man has over other animals that superiority of articulated language, but it has rendered him death to the world around him. with his precious words, he has constructed towers of belief and myths, and has forgotten simple reason. “ (87).
“What mechanism renders us so insensitive to the suffering of others? No one inflicts pain for the pleasure of it, and it’s in the name of progress that we have started to use animals in laboratories… Progress for what, for whom, and at what price? 90% of tests that have worked on animals have turned out to be ineffective on humans. But logic was pushed aside, habit took over, laws engraved, barbarity in marble. Why measure the toxicity of domestic products in the eyes of rabbits? And why do we perform psychological experiments to determine the intelligence of such and such a species? Do we think that by torturing them we can better understand them?” (208-209).
“To understand the process of aging, pigs are regularly burned: we tear off pieces of skin, wait for it to scar, and begin again. It’s one way of studying our tissue’s capacity for renewal, and also finding the right substance to add to firming cream to make it more effective. This is the price we pay for the illusion of looking a bit younger in the mirror… But who still dares to look at their reflection?” (209).
Here are some poignant lines I personally loved:
“ isn’t it more that we don’t have a desire to listen? It is obvious that the pig whose throat is slit suffers, and that the hunted deer is terrorized; a cry, a look, tells us this. Man has over other animals that superiority of articulated language, but it has rendered him death to the world around him. with his precious words, he has constructed towers of belief and myths, and has forgotten simple reason. “ (87).
“What mechanism renders us so insensitive to the suffering of others? No one inflicts pain for the pleasure of it, and it’s in the name of progress that we have started to use animals in laboratories… Progress for what, for whom, and at what price? 90% of tests that have worked on animals have turned out to be ineffective on humans. But logic was pushed aside, habit took over, laws engraved, barbarity in marble. Why measure the toxicity of domestic products in the eyes of rabbits? And why do we perform psychological experiments to determine the intelligence of such and such a species? Do we think that by torturing them we can better understand them?” (208-209).
“To understand the process of aging, pigs are regularly burned: we tear off pieces of skin, wait for it to scar, and begin again. It’s one way of studying our tissue’s capacity for renewal, and also finding the right substance to add to firming cream to make it more effective. This is the price we pay for the illusion of looking a bit younger in the mirror… But who still dares to look at their reflection?” (209).
August 14, 2023
Narrated by both human and animal, Phalaina tells the story of Homo sapiens and what has been lost in the quest to dominate the world. In 1881 London, Manon is an orphaned girl with red eyes who doesn’t speak and who has never fit in with the world around her. But wherever Manon goes, death seems to trail her. Little does she know the lengths some people will go to acquire and study her. She’s a new branch of humanity: a race possessing powers for healing and telepathy, gifts one scientist believes will bring him fame and fortune. However, he and his nefarious henchmen must catch her first.
The book is an examination of the world beyond the human senses, what we’ve gained and what we’ve lost. It’s a melancholy view of progress and its cost, not just to nature but to the essence of humanity. Chapters are short, often only a couple of pages, resulting in rapid scene and narrative changes. Interspersed between the chapters are faux letters from a professor to Charles Darwin examining the living world and humanity’s place in it.
The narrative style is very ‘tell’ heavy, so it’s hard to empathize with the characters. Of note: there are gruesome and explicit mutilations and death, so I would suggest caution regarding the middle-grade classification. There’s also fat-shaming of one character whose kindness doesn’t seem to be mentioned as much as her weight. She’s referred to as fat poetess and fat loon. Even in a chapter introducing us to the character, it states: “She had the memory of an elephant. The hips and butt too…” Including such comments in a novel about the beauty of diversity is both distasteful and counterintuitive to the overall message.
Review originally posted via the Historical Novel Society at: https://historicalnovelsociety.org/re...
The book is an examination of the world beyond the human senses, what we’ve gained and what we’ve lost. It’s a melancholy view of progress and its cost, not just to nature but to the essence of humanity. Chapters are short, often only a couple of pages, resulting in rapid scene and narrative changes. Interspersed between the chapters are faux letters from a professor to Charles Darwin examining the living world and humanity’s place in it.
The narrative style is very ‘tell’ heavy, so it’s hard to empathize with the characters. Of note: there are gruesome and explicit mutilations and death, so I would suggest caution regarding the middle-grade classification. There’s also fat-shaming of one character whose kindness doesn’t seem to be mentioned as much as her weight. She’s referred to as fat poetess and fat loon. Even in a chapter introducing us to the character, it states: “She had the memory of an elephant. The hips and butt too…” Including such comments in a novel about the beauty of diversity is both distasteful and counterintuitive to the overall message.
Review originally posted via the Historical Novel Society at: https://historicalnovelsociety.org/re...
January 2, 2023
First published in France in 2020, this translated fantasy has it all - action, thrilling suspense, mind games, and empathy.
When Professor Humphrey is murdered for his papers while driving through the woods on his way home, his killers search for the young girl with red eyes who is accompanying him. They abandon the search when they can't find her, assuming she will either be killed by either wolves in the woods or the impending winter weather. They do not see her, up high in a tree and safely wrapped in a cocoon. When she emerges that spring, she is found by a local peasant whose wife takes her to the local Catholic orphanage. There, she is named Manon by the nuns and is considered a "wild child" because she resists the discipline they expect of her. Unbeknownst to her, she is being ruthlessly tracked by an unidentified man who will go to the ends of the earth to capture her to learn her secrets. And her fantastic tale has just begun...
Like a carefully crafted puzzle, Brière-Haquet assembles this suspense-filled fantasy of an orphan, evolution, and the foibles of humanity piece by piece until its surprising end. Thrilling passages of chase scenes, cat-and-mouse conversations, and self-exposition are paced with expository letters by the late Professor Humphrey to his friend, Charles Darwin. These letters carry big clues to the surprising exposition to come. Short chapters help make this fantasy a quick read. A movie-worthy cast of odd and eccentric characters, each with their own agenda, drive this fast-moving tale with twists and turns galore.
Like a satisfying roller coaster ride, this one takes off and doesn't stop until the surprise ending. Hang on for this chilling ride...
High Recommend for grades 7-10.
When Professor Humphrey is murdered for his papers while driving through the woods on his way home, his killers search for the young girl with red eyes who is accompanying him. They abandon the search when they can't find her, assuming she will either be killed by either wolves in the woods or the impending winter weather. They do not see her, up high in a tree and safely wrapped in a cocoon. When she emerges that spring, she is found by a local peasant whose wife takes her to the local Catholic orphanage. There, she is named Manon by the nuns and is considered a "wild child" because she resists the discipline they expect of her. Unbeknownst to her, she is being ruthlessly tracked by an unidentified man who will go to the ends of the earth to capture her to learn her secrets. And her fantastic tale has just begun...
Like a carefully crafted puzzle, Brière-Haquet assembles this suspense-filled fantasy of an orphan, evolution, and the foibles of humanity piece by piece until its surprising end. Thrilling passages of chase scenes, cat-and-mouse conversations, and self-exposition are paced with expository letters by the late Professor Humphrey to his friend, Charles Darwin. These letters carry big clues to the surprising exposition to come. Short chapters help make this fantasy a quick read. A movie-worthy cast of odd and eccentric characters, each with their own agenda, drive this fast-moving tale with twists and turns galore.
Like a satisfying roller coaster ride, this one takes off and doesn't stop until the surprise ending. Hang on for this chilling ride...
High Recommend for grades 7-10.
October 4, 2023
There is something strange about Manon. Could be her red eyes, could be that she's mute, or it could be the fact that brutal deaths seem to show up wherever she's been.
The only thing that is known for certain is that someone is hunting her. And they are being offered quite a lot of money to catch her, find out where she came from, and what exactly she is.
-
At the same time, we see letters Charles Darwin from Professor Humphrey, a scientist whose death is tangled in mystery. These letters bring the origin of humanity into question. Are humans truly at the top of the pyramid, after all? Did humans lose an important piece that connected them to the other life on earth? Could there be others out there who are different in ways we don't understand?
-
It would seem the only way Manon can make it out alive is to dive into the mystery of who she is and where she came from. And maybe discover the true origins of humanity along the way.
-
I'll be honest, I wasn't sure if I would be able to finish this book. I was a bit confused in the beginning, I just don't think it was quite clicking. But as I continued, I finally started to feel like I was understanding and really ended up enjoying the story! This is definitely a book I may read again, knowing what I know now, and try to give a better description and review, but for now, this is what I can give! It was an interesting little book, better than I expected in the end, and I would definitely recommend giving it a shot!
The only thing that is known for certain is that someone is hunting her. And they are being offered quite a lot of money to catch her, find out where she came from, and what exactly she is.
-
At the same time, we see letters Charles Darwin from Professor Humphrey, a scientist whose death is tangled in mystery. These letters bring the origin of humanity into question. Are humans truly at the top of the pyramid, after all? Did humans lose an important piece that connected them to the other life on earth? Could there be others out there who are different in ways we don't understand?
-
It would seem the only way Manon can make it out alive is to dive into the mystery of who she is and where she came from. And maybe discover the true origins of humanity along the way.
-
I'll be honest, I wasn't sure if I would be able to finish this book. I was a bit confused in the beginning, I just don't think it was quite clicking. But as I continued, I finally started to feel like I was understanding and really ended up enjoying the story! This is definitely a book I may read again, knowing what I know now, and try to give a better description and review, but for now, this is what I can give! It was an interesting little book, better than I expected in the end, and I would definitely recommend giving it a shot!
December 26, 2022
"Et si le progrès dont nous sommes si fiers signait en vérité notre échec ? Je ne parle pas de tous ces formidables efforts que l'homme fait pour comprendre le monde qui l'entoure, et qu'on appelle la science. La théorie, toujours, est belle. Mais en pratique ? Que faisons-nous ? Nous n'utilisons pour conquérir, asservir, détruire. Nous cassons tout ce que nous touchons."
Nous sommes en 1881. Une petite fille apparaît soudain dans la campagne anglaise, à la lisière d'une forêt. Nul ne sait qui elle est, ni d'où elle vient. Elle ne parle pas, et possède de mystérieux yeux rouges. C'est Albert qui la recueille et la prénomme Manon. Mais sa femme n'en veut pas, alors Manon est envoyée à l'orphelinat. Heureusement pour elle, car d'étranges hommes sont à sa recherche. Qui est Manon, et quel est cet organisme qui envoie des tueurs à ses trousses ?
***
Un roman ado qui avait tout pour me plaire : l'époque, le côté scientifique, le mystère... mais des chapitres très courts m'ont un peu gênée pour entrer dans le récit et m'attacher aux personnages. Il m'a fallu une cinquantaine de pages pour apprécier à sa juste valeur ce récit très intéressant.
Au final, j'ai beaucoup aimé cet univers sombre, froid, légèrement surnaturel, qui pose de nombreuses réflexions éthiques et écologiques. Les lettres qui sont insérées dans le récit forment un magnifique réquisitoire contre la souffrance animale. À travers elles, l'autrice critique la société de consommation, la cruauté des expériences scientifiques, l'égoïsme de l'homme face à la nature...
L'enquête et le suspense sont habilement menés, notamment grâce à l'alternance des chapitres et des points de vue. Les révélations sont savamment distillées, au fur et à mesure on découvre le passé des personnages et les liens qui les relient. Passées les 50 premières pages, j'ai littéralement dévoré le roman pour savoir comment il se terminait !
En bref, une jolie découverte !
Nous sommes en 1881. Une petite fille apparaît soudain dans la campagne anglaise, à la lisière d'une forêt. Nul ne sait qui elle est, ni d'où elle vient. Elle ne parle pas, et possède de mystérieux yeux rouges. C'est Albert qui la recueille et la prénomme Manon. Mais sa femme n'en veut pas, alors Manon est envoyée à l'orphelinat. Heureusement pour elle, car d'étranges hommes sont à sa recherche. Qui est Manon, et quel est cet organisme qui envoie des tueurs à ses trousses ?
***
Un roman ado qui avait tout pour me plaire : l'époque, le côté scientifique, le mystère... mais des chapitres très courts m'ont un peu gênée pour entrer dans le récit et m'attacher aux personnages. Il m'a fallu une cinquantaine de pages pour apprécier à sa juste valeur ce récit très intéressant.
Au final, j'ai beaucoup aimé cet univers sombre, froid, légèrement surnaturel, qui pose de nombreuses réflexions éthiques et écologiques. Les lettres qui sont insérées dans le récit forment un magnifique réquisitoire contre la souffrance animale. À travers elles, l'autrice critique la société de consommation, la cruauté des expériences scientifiques, l'égoïsme de l'homme face à la nature...
L'enquête et le suspense sont habilement menés, notamment grâce à l'alternance des chapitres et des points de vue. Les révélations sont savamment distillées, au fur et à mesure on découvre le passé des personnages et les liens qui les relient. Passées les 50 premières pages, j'ai littéralement dévoré le roman pour savoir comment il se terminait !
En bref, une jolie découverte !
January 10, 2023
"When you go looking for skeletons in the closet, you might wind up a corpse yourself.
Death can be contagious."
When Manon escapes from a harrowing situation at her orphanage and goes on the run, she discovers that there's plenty of people out there willing to help her. She also discovers that there's even more who are trying to track her down. Not quite human, not quite something else, Manon is a scientific discovery like no other. In fact, she may discredit Charles Darwin by means of existing.
Told in short chapters that are almost like character studies and letters address to Charles Darwin, we readers are taken on a journey to unearth the origins of Manon's birth and identity. A fantastic romp between historical fiction, science fiction, speculative fiction, and more, this book cannot be pinned down and simply observed. Instead, you must experience it fully as it spreads its wings and flies through your imagination.
Totally unlike anything I've ever read, this book offers a fantastical look at how humans can adapt and overcome as well as how humans can be manipulative, greedy, and attempt to learn something new and exciting at any and all costs...
Death can be contagious."
When Manon escapes from a harrowing situation at her orphanage and goes on the run, she discovers that there's plenty of people out there willing to help her. She also discovers that there's even more who are trying to track her down. Not quite human, not quite something else, Manon is a scientific discovery like no other. In fact, she may discredit Charles Darwin by means of existing.
Told in short chapters that are almost like character studies and letters address to Charles Darwin, we readers are taken on a journey to unearth the origins of Manon's birth and identity. A fantastic romp between historical fiction, science fiction, speculative fiction, and more, this book cannot be pinned down and simply observed. Instead, you must experience it fully as it spreads its wings and flies through your imagination.
Totally unlike anything I've ever read, this book offers a fantastical look at how humans can adapt and overcome as well as how humans can be manipulative, greedy, and attempt to learn something new and exciting at any and all costs...
May 22, 2022
A captivating read using the vehicle the story of a strange girl as a rebuke against humanity and it’s greed.
Fascinating, thrilling complete with an underlining and building sense of dread from page one right up to the vengeful climax!
Gorgeous, vivid prose and the mystery of Manon’s orgins will keep you engaged to the end!
Definitely recommended reading! Especially if you’re someone who’s looking for more fiction that delves into humanity’s shattered relationship with nature!
I would class this as an upper middle grade, there is a bit of gore-y imagery and themes of the morality of scientific research, mankind’s distance from nature and some reflection on human nature itself. The story for all its frank look at our ills does end on a hopeful note and I for one am excited to read more from this author!
The translator also did a stunning job!
Thank you to the publisher and edelweiss for an eARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Fascinating, thrilling complete with an underlining and building sense of dread from page one right up to the vengeful climax!
Gorgeous, vivid prose and the mystery of Manon’s orgins will keep you engaged to the end!
Definitely recommended reading! Especially if you’re someone who’s looking for more fiction that delves into humanity’s shattered relationship with nature!
I would class this as an upper middle grade, there is a bit of gore-y imagery and themes of the morality of scientific research, mankind’s distance from nature and some reflection on human nature itself. The story for all its frank look at our ills does end on a hopeful note and I for one am excited to read more from this author!
The translator also did a stunning job!
Thank you to the publisher and edelweiss for an eARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
June 2, 2022
A very interesting story, creatively told. It was hard for me to predict where this plot would go, which I liked. I also loved how it ended. Everything got wrapped up so nicely.
On the other hand, the writing style didn’t really click with me, and I felt like because of that the characters were a bit hard to connect with. The tone felt a bit disjointed at times. I can’t say whether that was due to the translation or not. There were some wonderfully written philosophical bits about nature and the environment though.
Educators might need to use a little caution when recommending this book to middle grade readers, since there are some pretty grotesque murders that occur in the story. The descriptions are mildly graphic — not gratuitous but still not for the very faint of heart.
Thank you very much to the publishers for kindly providing me with an eARC via Edelweiss in return for my honest review!
On the other hand, the writing style didn’t really click with me, and I felt like because of that the characters were a bit hard to connect with. The tone felt a bit disjointed at times. I can’t say whether that was due to the translation or not. There were some wonderfully written philosophical bits about nature and the environment though.
Educators might need to use a little caution when recommending this book to middle grade readers, since there are some pretty grotesque murders that occur in the story. The descriptions are mildly graphic — not gratuitous but still not for the very faint of heart.
Thank you very much to the publishers for kindly providing me with an eARC via Edelweiss in return for my honest review!
January 10, 2023
I picked
Phalaina
off a shelf in my library because of the title.
Phalaina is the Greek word for moth and when I read the blurb, I was most definitely intrigued.
Categorized as a book for young readers, I was pulled into the narrative of a young girl named Manon who is not like every little girl you'll meet.
She's not of humble origins and possesses extraordinary abilities a very bad person wants to get his hands on.
The chapters are very brief, which heightened the tone and urgency of the narrative.
The setting is old-timey, fun timey, which adds to the otherwordly vibe of the narrative.
I appreciated the not so subtle point the author is making about protecting our environment, nature and its inhabitants.
This was an original story I enjoyed, especially the ending. But I'm a sucker for a happy ending, including ones that end with a new family.
I also learned something: Butterflies have 360 chromosomes. Wow!
Phalaina is the Greek word for moth and when I read the blurb, I was most definitely intrigued.
Categorized as a book for young readers, I was pulled into the narrative of a young girl named Manon who is not like every little girl you'll meet.
She's not of humble origins and possesses extraordinary abilities a very bad person wants to get his hands on.
The chapters are very brief, which heightened the tone and urgency of the narrative.
The setting is old-timey, fun timey, which adds to the otherwordly vibe of the narrative.
I appreciated the not so subtle point the author is making about protecting our environment, nature and its inhabitants.
This was an original story I enjoyed, especially the ending. But I'm a sucker for a happy ending, including ones that end with a new family.
I also learned something: Butterflies have 360 chromosomes. Wow!
June 10, 2022
3.75/5 (rounded up)
This was a very interesting read for sure! I was encapsulated by the very premise and the shifting of the points of view. It was certainly unpredictable but the ending was satisfying.
I will say I found some downfall with the writing style. It was much more tell rather than show. This is completely fine, I personally find it hard to get into books that rely more on statements rather than descriptions. The descriptions that were there, were very detailed.
For readers, be wary of some graphic and grotesque events and descriptions.
Thank you so much to the publishers for allowing me to read and review this eARC via Edelweiss for an honest review. Happy reading!
This was a very interesting read for sure! I was encapsulated by the very premise and the shifting of the points of view. It was certainly unpredictable but the ending was satisfying.
I will say I found some downfall with the writing style. It was much more tell rather than show. This is completely fine, I personally find it hard to get into books that rely more on statements rather than descriptions. The descriptions that were there, were very detailed.
For readers, be wary of some graphic and grotesque events and descriptions.
Thank you so much to the publishers for allowing me to read and review this eARC via Edelweiss for an honest review. Happy reading!
July 19, 2022
Who intercepts the carriage carrying Manon and her father, and murders him? Why is the head of a scientific research foundation and his smarmy mistress looking for Manon? Big ideas in this mystery include the nature of species, the dangers and benefits of scientific inquiry, and the serious downsides of being human. Intriguing storytelling style with multiple points of view and some very intriguing faux correspondence with Charles Darwin. Originally published in French. EARC from Edelweiss.
March 3, 2023
I think this is a bit too short for the scope it's trying to have, especially the world building remains superficial at best, which really took from my enjoyment of the story. It's definitely weird and has some nice messages, but it's also very disturbing from time to time and I wouldn't recommend this to young readers even though most of the story felt geared towards more younger readers... So overall: I'm confused, but had an okay to good time reading this.
TW: torture, death (of animals and people), murder, animal cruelty, child abuse, rich people being entitled
TW: torture, death (of animals and people), murder, animal cruelty, child abuse, rich people being entitled
January 23, 2023
This was a book that was definitely out of my comfort zone. That being said, I thought it was ok. I had trouble in the beginning getting into the story. I'm not sure if was because of the translation, the various story lines or difference of culture, but it was a bit of a struggle to get there.
That all being said, about halfway through this novel, everything started to move nicely. I enjoyed the play on Darwin and the different species and the age old question of what makes us human.
That all being said, about halfway through this novel, everything started to move nicely. I enjoyed the play on Darwin and the different species and the age old question of what makes us human.
February 8, 2024
I found this story very entertaining full of twists and turns that I could have never expected from first picking up the book. I won't spoil, but I love the diary excerpts found at the end of some of the chapters. The chapters were very short and sweet as well. I recommend this to any sci-fi, thriller fanatics!
November 20, 2022
This felt like a quick read and kept me interested with many perspectives of different characters. The story was good and kept my interest and sparked ah-ha moments from start to finish. I feel like the end felt a little abrupt but overall a good read.
Read
November 3, 2022DNF p. 70
December 20, 2022
The story got lost in translation for me. Amorphous characters equal in temperaments, flippant sensibilities and similar traits. At page 97, I decided to see the movie if one ever comes out!
January 9, 2023
ending had me cheesing so hard i love when little strange and offputting children are adopted by two perfectly normal people
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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