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Another #1
Another Faust
A devilish debut by a brother-sister team invites us into the world of the elite Marlowe School, where some gifted students are having a hell of a year. One night, in cities all across Europe, five children vanish―only to appear, years later, at an exclusive New York party with a strange and elegant governess. Rumor and mystery follow the Faust teenagers to the city’s most prestigious high school, where they soar to suspicious heights with the help of their benefactor’s extraordinary "gifts." But as the students claw their way up―reading minds, erasing scenes, stopping time, stealing power, seducing with artificial beauty―they start to suffer the sideeffects of their own addictions. And as they make further deals with the devil, they uncover secrets more shocking than their most unforgivable sins. At once chilling and wickedly satirical, this contemporary reimagining of the Faustian bargain is a compelling tale of ambition, consequences, and ultimate redemption.
9 pages, Audio CD
First published August 1, 2009
106 people are currently reading
3028 people want to read
About the author
Daniel Nayeri
29 books902 followersDaniel Nayeri is a writer and editor in New York City. He wrote and produced The Cult of Sincerity, the first feature film to be world-premiered by YouTube. He has had all kinds of jobs around books, including book repairman, literary agent, used bookstore clerk, children's librarian, Official Story-Time Reader Leader, editor, copy-editor, and even carpenter (making bookshelves). He's also a professional pastry chef. He loves Street Fighter 2, hates the word "foodie," and is an award-winning stuntman.
Daniel and his sister/co-writer Dina were both born in Iran and spent many young adult years in Europe. There they learned several languages between them and tried Frosted Flakes for the first time.
Daniel and his sister/co-writer Dina were both born in Iran and spent many young adult years in Europe. There they learned several languages between them and tried Frosted Flakes for the first time.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 536 reviews
August 6, 2020
Usually I don't write reviews, but I was genuinely shocked by how low the ratings were for this book, so I had to throw my two cents in. First of all, if you are expecting a run-of-the-mill teen fiction book with a flashy story and a happy ending, this is not the book you should be reading. Second, this is not a love story or even really a story about someone triumphing over odds. This story is about human failure. Faust is a completely different genre of fiction than most present-day teen literature. Faust is a morality tale about a dude who basically sells his soul to the devil for knowledge and worldly pleasures, makes a bunch of really stupid decisions, and then regrets ever dealing with the devil in the first place when he's on the verge of dying and realizes the eternal consequences of his misadventurous life (in some versions of the tale, Faust repents at some point or other and God saves him from eternal damnation...in others Faust doesn't repent and he is ultimately damned). Most teen fics these days are predictable stories about awkward teenagers who find love or win in some circumstance despite the overwhelming odds (like Twilight, for example); these stories usually end happily, triumphantly, or at least with the “good guy” winning (not really the case with Faust, it's more like the good guy is neutralized at the beginning). As you can see, there is a definite difference in substance and general trajectory of these two different kinds of stories. I like to think that the mediocre ratings people gave this book came from unmet expectations regarding its genre rather than judgments on the actual quality of literature, clever reproductions of the original Faust theme, and truthfulness of story (although I was a little disappointed with the un-Faustian ending. It left the reader with too much hope in human nature, the destruction of which was one of the main points of Faust to my mind. Then again, realistic views of human nature don't sell well these days, especially to the crowd teen literature is marketed for, so I don't judge too harshly although I do think it could have been true to the original and still maintained its form. Selling out to pop-culture makes me sad, especially when authors have a chance to shed light on pivotal but under-emphasized influences on Western literature, philosophy, and theology. Faust is all of those. *steps off soap box*).
That said, I was pleasantly surprised at the overall depth in this book. It is a very condemning and pessimistic, but ultimately true commentary on human nature (until the end, that is). It reminded me of C. S. Lewis's Screwtape Letters, to a certain degree, where we get a glimpse into the workings and machinations of the devil. From the perspective of religious morality, it gave me a lot of bits to mull over about greed, lies, ambition, sacrifice, relationship rifts, and also how human weaknesses and “little sins” are so easily manipulated and twisted into giant webs of chaos and destruction. If we're all honest with ourselves, we can see the truth of this in our own lives where we've “sold” ourselves (to some degree or other) for what we perceive to be better circumstances that are ultimately destructive not only to ourselves but to the people around us. The authors captured human nature pretty well, to my mind. In our post-modern psychological entanglement, we're all too willing to believe that people are good at heart and that every human action is ultimately justifiable and that rainbows, puppies, cupcakes, and unicorns orbit the relative perfection and enlightenment of the human race (barring a few evil people like Hitler, Che Guevara, Ghengis Kahn and other “really really bad” people, of course). The point of Faust is that there are evils and weaknesses in all human beings, not just the “really really bad” people. Faust wasn't a bad guy at the beginning of the story, he was a paragon of virtue and scholarly wisdom. If a man like Faust can fall to temptations and the wiles of his nature (if children like Victoria, Belle, Bice, Christian, and Valintin can fall to temptations and the wiles of their natures), the rest of us can too. It left me examining my decisions and my weaknesses, which, I suppose, is the ultimate aim of morality stories such as these.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faust Here's pretty much the bare bones of what you should know about the Faust mythos before you read this book to better appreciate what these authors have given you. I can't recommend enough that you read at least one version of Faust at some point in your life just to better yourself, if for nothing else. Faust is almost as foundational to Western literature as Dante's Inferno, the Odyssey and Ovid's Metamorphoses. Yes, old dead-guy books are not the priority for most teenagers, but if you really want to understand the undercurrents of Western thought and literature and what people actually mean when they write -and if you want to understand yourself better and why you think the way you do- you have to be familiar with the foundational pieces of your culture, otherwise you will spend your time guessing randomly about what things might mean instead of having a reference point for your ideas. While uncertain meanings are appealing to the Postmodern mind, there will come a day when we will grow up and wish to know what things mean with certainty.)
That said, I was pleasantly surprised at the overall depth in this book. It is a very condemning and pessimistic, but ultimately true commentary on human nature (until the end, that is). It reminded me of C. S. Lewis's Screwtape Letters, to a certain degree, where we get a glimpse into the workings and machinations of the devil. From the perspective of religious morality, it gave me a lot of bits to mull over about greed, lies, ambition, sacrifice, relationship rifts, and also how human weaknesses and “little sins” are so easily manipulated and twisted into giant webs of chaos and destruction. If we're all honest with ourselves, we can see the truth of this in our own lives where we've “sold” ourselves (to some degree or other) for what we perceive to be better circumstances that are ultimately destructive not only to ourselves but to the people around us. The authors captured human nature pretty well, to my mind. In our post-modern psychological entanglement, we're all too willing to believe that people are good at heart and that every human action is ultimately justifiable and that rainbows, puppies, cupcakes, and unicorns orbit the relative perfection and enlightenment of the human race (barring a few evil people like Hitler, Che Guevara, Ghengis Kahn and other “really really bad” people, of course). The point of Faust is that there are evils and weaknesses in all human beings, not just the “really really bad” people. Faust wasn't a bad guy at the beginning of the story, he was a paragon of virtue and scholarly wisdom. If a man like Faust can fall to temptations and the wiles of his nature (if children like Victoria, Belle, Bice, Christian, and Valintin can fall to temptations and the wiles of their natures), the rest of us can too. It left me examining my decisions and my weaknesses, which, I suppose, is the ultimate aim of morality stories such as these.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faust Here's pretty much the bare bones of what you should know about the Faust mythos before you read this book to better appreciate what these authors have given you. I can't recommend enough that you read at least one version of Faust at some point in your life just to better yourself, if for nothing else. Faust is almost as foundational to Western literature as Dante's Inferno, the Odyssey and Ovid's Metamorphoses. Yes, old dead-guy books are not the priority for most teenagers, but if you really want to understand the undercurrents of Western thought and literature and what people actually mean when they write -and if you want to understand yourself better and why you think the way you do- you have to be familiar with the foundational pieces of your culture, otherwise you will spend your time guessing randomly about what things might mean instead of having a reference point for your ideas. While uncertain meanings are appealing to the Postmodern mind, there will come a day when we will grow up and wish to know what things mean with certainty.)
December 13, 2009
This book is hard to get into. The first chapters are supposed to be mysterious, but end up just obscuring the truly fascinating mystery readers discover if they keep on.
The writing reminds me of my junior high school literary journal. The Nayeris describe and describe. They tell about their story, rather than telling their story.
The premise is so-so. Five Faustian teenagers in modern NY society? Eh. As urban fantasy goes, that's pretty lame. It's hardly fantastic that the people of high society have failed to remain in possession of their souls.
What's redeeming about this book is the question it asks about parenting and free will. Four ten-year-olds from all over the world beg to make a deal with the devil: anything for power, anything for wealth, anything for beauty, for charisma. The devil comes along, kidnaps them to raise as her own, and grants their wishes. One child tries to back out when he realizes what's going on. Another child brings along an innocent twin. The devil keeps the two who have not made this deal, raising them with the three who have. She gives the innocent two as well as the swindling three what they have been or might be willing to trade their souls for. Who will end up damned? Who will escape the devil?
Sadly, the ending did not have such a satisfying psychological ring as the build-up. At the point when I expected to be almost part of the characters, rushing through their emergency with them, I felt confused and awkward because they weren't being themselves, and with no explanations. They became plastic people manipulated to ensure there could be a resolution to the story. It was disappointing after I had stuck it out with this book.
I'm not going to pass this on to my kids. As much as I love an opportunity to make them aware of their lack of folkloric knowledge and thereby provoke an urge to bury their noses in old books, I can't see them doing well with this title. The nine-year-old will worry that her failure to find a sensible climax is her fault; the twelve-year-old will be frustrated that he spent reading time on this when he could have been writing his own Faustian characters.
The writing reminds me of my junior high school literary journal. The Nayeris describe and describe. They tell about their story, rather than telling their story.
The premise is so-so. Five Faustian teenagers in modern NY society? Eh. As urban fantasy goes, that's pretty lame. It's hardly fantastic that the people of high society have failed to remain in possession of their souls.
What's redeeming about this book is the question it asks about parenting and free will. Four ten-year-olds from all over the world beg to make a deal with the devil: anything for power, anything for wealth, anything for beauty, for charisma. The devil comes along, kidnaps them to raise as her own, and grants their wishes. One child tries to back out when he realizes what's going on. Another child brings along an innocent twin. The devil keeps the two who have not made this deal, raising them with the three who have. She gives the innocent two as well as the swindling three what they have been or might be willing to trade their souls for. Who will end up damned? Who will escape the devil?
Sadly, the ending did not have such a satisfying psychological ring as the build-up. At the point when I expected to be almost part of the characters, rushing through their emergency with them, I felt confused and awkward because they weren't being themselves, and with no explanations. They became plastic people manipulated to ensure there could be a resolution to the story. It was disappointing after I had stuck it out with this book.
I'm not going to pass this on to my kids. As much as I love an opportunity to make them aware of their lack of folkloric knowledge and thereby provoke an urge to bury their noses in old books, I can't see them doing well with this title. The nine-year-old will worry that her failure to find a sensible climax is her fault; the twelve-year-old will be frustrated that he spent reading time on this when he could have been writing his own Faustian characters.
October 14, 2009
I really tried to love this book. I read some stellar reviews and was super excited, headed out to my local bookstore and picked up a copy the day it came out - but sadly it fell flat for me.
I loved the idea of this book. The premise was fantastic - kids selling their souls to the devil in exchange for being beautiful, popular, intelligent, etc. But in the end, I just couldn’t relate to any of them. Don’t take me wrong, I once also dreamed of being the most beautiful girl in a room or excelling beyond my peers in academics, what kid hasn’t? But I just never warmed up to any of the characters.
I will admit though, that the story had a great ending and the last 100 or so pages were real page-turners. Another Faust is a dark, thought-provoking novel that requires the reader's full attention - but sadly, it just never caught mine.
I loved the idea of this book. The premise was fantastic - kids selling their souls to the devil in exchange for being beautiful, popular, intelligent, etc. But in the end, I just couldn’t relate to any of them. Don’t take me wrong, I once also dreamed of being the most beautiful girl in a room or excelling beyond my peers in academics, what kid hasn’t? But I just never warmed up to any of the characters.
I will admit though, that the story had a great ending and the last 100 or so pages were real page-turners. Another Faust is a dark, thought-provoking novel that requires the reader's full attention - but sadly, it just never caught mine.
April 24, 2018
Better than expected.
My review can also be found here:https://devouringbooks2017.wordpress....
This is such an original fantasy read. In a genre filled with books that all feel rather similar, originality is not super common, but this book is one that will stand out in my memory. The characters are all pretty fascinating. I hate one-dimensional characters that have no flaws or depth, the characters in this book are not like that, they're interesting to read about. The pacing is good, I didn't find myself getting bored. The story moves along pretty steadily.
The characters are all flawed in ways that I found interesting. Victoria is ruthlessly ambitious and they're each manipulative in order to achieve their respective goals. At times it feels like I'm reading from the perspective of a villain. It is refreshing as so much of the young adult genre is filled with protagonists that are very vanilla. These characters are dark, gritty and ruthless. They give into the dark sides of themselves. Yet since the character development is done so well you still manage to like them.
This novel became more than just another story to me. It got me thinking about how far person will go in order to achieve their goals. I wondered at what point ambition becomes toxic. If you are willing to lie, cheat and steal their goals is it worth the price? Is it worth losing your self to achieve everything you've ever wanted? Ambition can be costly. I never looked at it like that before, I always admired those who achieved what they wanted without ever wondering what the cost was.
For a lot of the book I felt confused on where it was going. I felt like there wasn't a plot and I didn't see the point of the novel. I was so wrong. The plot was intricately woven throughout the whole book and it all came together at the end. I am so glad that I followed this book through all the way.
My review can also be found here:https://devouringbooks2017.wordpress....
This is such an original fantasy read. In a genre filled with books that all feel rather similar, originality is not super common, but this book is one that will stand out in my memory. The characters are all pretty fascinating. I hate one-dimensional characters that have no flaws or depth, the characters in this book are not like that, they're interesting to read about. The pacing is good, I didn't find myself getting bored. The story moves along pretty steadily.
The characters are all flawed in ways that I found interesting. Victoria is ruthlessly ambitious and they're each manipulative in order to achieve their respective goals. At times it feels like I'm reading from the perspective of a villain. It is refreshing as so much of the young adult genre is filled with protagonists that are very vanilla. These characters are dark, gritty and ruthless. They give into the dark sides of themselves. Yet since the character development is done so well you still manage to like them.
This novel became more than just another story to me. It got me thinking about how far person will go in order to achieve their goals. I wondered at what point ambition becomes toxic. If you are willing to lie, cheat and steal their goals is it worth the price? Is it worth losing your self to achieve everything you've ever wanted? Ambition can be costly. I never looked at it like that before, I always admired those who achieved what they wanted without ever wondering what the cost was.
For a lot of the book I felt confused on where it was going. I felt like there wasn't a plot and I didn't see the point of the novel. I was so wrong. The plot was intricately woven throughout the whole book and it all came together at the end. I am so glad that I followed this book through all the way.
August 23, 2009
Like I said about Fairy Tale, Another Faust for me was another book that felt like my own personalized version of fantasy and reality. I'm the sort of person that sometimes avoids fantasy because I fear if there is too much fantasy there will be nothing I recognize and will be utterly and completely lost. So again, Another Faust was a perfect balance of me of the recognizable and the fantastical.
For me, Another Faust is all about the characters. I adored them and their gifts and their everyday and ordinary struggles. The way the authors narrated the book was just so right to me. It was the perfect perspective into the minds of these teens. For the cast of characters we have Victoria who is in it to win it when it comes to academics, Christian who wants to win at athletics, Bicé who keeps to herself and seems like the odd one out, Belle who is so beautiful but doesn't smell as such and Valentin the gifted poet. All under the control of Madame Vileroy who remains a mystery throughout the entire story. I actually consider their apartment another character but you will have to read the book to see why!
For me what's so great about this book is there are no gigantic displays of power or huge stand-offs but I know that might turn some people off. For me that's just the way I wanted it. All the teens gifts changed the events of the story in interesting ways, and I just loved it. And what a sense of humor this book had, I found it pretty funny. I can't wait to see what the authors have in story for the students at Marlowe in the next installment Another Pan!
For me, Another Faust is all about the characters. I adored them and their gifts and their everyday and ordinary struggles. The way the authors narrated the book was just so right to me. It was the perfect perspective into the minds of these teens. For the cast of characters we have Victoria who is in it to win it when it comes to academics, Christian who wants to win at athletics, Bicé who keeps to herself and seems like the odd one out, Belle who is so beautiful but doesn't smell as such and Valentin the gifted poet. All under the control of Madame Vileroy who remains a mystery throughout the entire story. I actually consider their apartment another character but you will have to read the book to see why!
For me what's so great about this book is there are no gigantic displays of power or huge stand-offs but I know that might turn some people off. For me that's just the way I wanted it. All the teens gifts changed the events of the story in interesting ways, and I just loved it. And what a sense of humor this book had, I found it pretty funny. I can't wait to see what the authors have in story for the students at Marlowe in the next installment Another Pan!
December 26, 2009
OKAY!!! I'm soooo sorry, but I couldn't read it, I just couldn't! I got to page 47! I swore that I would pick it up and read it again, but I just couldn't. WHEN I READ IT, I FELT LIKE THIS BOOK WAS PUNISHING ME. I CAN'T READ IT, I JUST CAN'T.
FIRST THINGS FIRST, The beginning of the book threw me off already. It gave like a little background of the characters in the book, foreboding that the beautiful lady with the blond hair was...I dunno. Something like this mistress kidnapping them, the devil or whatever, giving the kids what they want. It really just pissed me off. The way it started off, I knew I wouldn't like this book. It's a retelling of the of Faust, so I can say its not very original. Just give it a little twist, possibly a predictable twist, and a new setting. Tweak the characters, there you have a story, but I'm just being brash. Just judging without getting into the story.
The intriguing cover is what drew me in. And quite frankly, I didn't like the way it was written. I couldn't get through it. Plus, have you seen the size of the book, it's a good size book, but I couldn't get through it. Just the prospect of reading all those pages made me want to moan in anguish. I COULDN'T TAKE IT ANY LONGER, ANYTHING BUT THIS. I should give this book a chance, but I can't, it bored me from paragraph one. ITS A MIRACLE I GOT TO PAGE 47!!! 47 PEOPLE, FOURTY-SEVEN!
FIRST THINGS FIRST, The beginning of the book threw me off already. It gave like a little background of the characters in the book, foreboding that the beautiful lady with the blond hair was...I dunno. Something like this mistress kidnapping them, the devil or whatever, giving the kids what they want. It really just pissed me off. The way it started off, I knew I wouldn't like this book. It's a retelling of the of Faust, so I can say its not very original. Just give it a little twist, possibly a predictable twist, and a new setting. Tweak the characters, there you have a story, but I'm just being brash. Just judging without getting into the story.
The intriguing cover is what drew me in. And quite frankly, I didn't like the way it was written. I couldn't get through it. Plus, have you seen the size of the book, it's a good size book, but I couldn't get through it. Just the prospect of reading all those pages made me want to moan in anguish. I COULDN'T TAKE IT ANY LONGER, ANYTHING BUT THIS. I should give this book a chance, but I can't, it bored me from paragraph one. ITS A MIRACLE I GOT TO PAGE 47!!! 47 PEOPLE, FOURTY-SEVEN!
July 30, 2018
Everything about this book, from the cheesy cover to the 3.17 average rating, made me feel like I would hate it. In fact, I was reading this expecting to get trash and fully okay with it. And yet..... I actually ended up enjoying this. I think because I went in expecting a garbage book, I’m not disappointed. The premise is actually pretty unique, the writing is very plain but I enjoyed it, and the characters are all unlikeable in an enjoyable way. It wasn’t amazing, it was quite confusing, but overall I just am left feeling very entertained.
Can’t wait to see what the sequel has in store for me.
Can’t wait to see what the sequel has in store for me.
August 28, 2009
Nothing in life is free and in the Faust household 5 teenagers are going to find out firsthand what happens when you sell your soul to get to the top…
Christian, Bice, Belle, Valentin & Victoria find themselves in a new city 5 years later after their mysterious disappearance only to emerge with special “gifts” that could change the course of their lives forever…
Another Faust is a beautifully written tale where sinister deeds grab you by the collar and submerge you into the pages until you’re left wondering if the prospect of REDEMPTION could sound any better.
What ultimately lead these characters to this particular point in time in Another Faust gave great insight on the characters motivations and what they wanted out of life. The “Dynamic Nayeri Duo” cleverly recreated a great story that dares you to take a second look. The writing was intricately woven where all actions had consequences that rippled throughout the lives of the teens to give the manipulative and diabolical Madame Vileroy what she wanted most.
I loved how the authors gave us glimpses into past lives that were affected by the Faustian Bargain and how it tied in perfectly with the storyline. I was captivated by how deep the rabbit hole went and devoured every single page. I stayed up in the wee hours of the night to finish this book. To quote James Bryce - “The worth of a book is to be measured by what you can carry away from it.” Need I say more?
Can I say I loved to hate Victoria? Hate is such a strong word, so I’ll say I despised Victoria! She constantly had her hand in the cookie jar which is one of the reasons why I kept turning the pages. I.Wanted.To.Know – NO – I.Had.To.Know - With sinister deeds running amok, could these characters truly be redeemed?
Well, I got my answer and I’m still scratching my head thinking Maybe? Or What if?
Only Daniel & Dina can answer that question. Oh, where are my manners…you want to know what the question is? Well, Daniel & Dina have we seen the last of Madame Vileroy?
I look forward to reading more of Daniel and Dina Nayeri’s books!
4.5 Stars out of 5 Stars
Christian, Bice, Belle, Valentin & Victoria find themselves in a new city 5 years later after their mysterious disappearance only to emerge with special “gifts” that could change the course of their lives forever…
Another Faust is a beautifully written tale where sinister deeds grab you by the collar and submerge you into the pages until you’re left wondering if the prospect of REDEMPTION could sound any better.
What ultimately lead these characters to this particular point in time in Another Faust gave great insight on the characters motivations and what they wanted out of life. The “Dynamic Nayeri Duo” cleverly recreated a great story that dares you to take a second look. The writing was intricately woven where all actions had consequences that rippled throughout the lives of the teens to give the manipulative and diabolical Madame Vileroy what she wanted most.
I loved how the authors gave us glimpses into past lives that were affected by the Faustian Bargain and how it tied in perfectly with the storyline. I was captivated by how deep the rabbit hole went and devoured every single page. I stayed up in the wee hours of the night to finish this book. To quote James Bryce - “The worth of a book is to be measured by what you can carry away from it.” Need I say more?
Can I say I loved to hate Victoria? Hate is such a strong word, so I’ll say I despised Victoria! She constantly had her hand in the cookie jar which is one of the reasons why I kept turning the pages. I.Wanted.To.Know – NO – I.Had.To.Know - With sinister deeds running amok, could these characters truly be redeemed?
Well, I got my answer and I’m still scratching my head thinking Maybe? Or What if?
Only Daniel & Dina can answer that question. Oh, where are my manners…you want to know what the question is? Well, Daniel & Dina have we seen the last of Madame Vileroy?
I look forward to reading more of Daniel and Dina Nayeri’s books!
4.5 Stars out of 5 Stars
September 28, 2009
Another Faust is one of the most unique books I've read in a long time, if not ever. I don't recall having ever read a book that involved people, in this case kids/teenagers, selling their souls to the devil to get what they want. The unique plot line is what drew me to the story.
Unfortunately, overall the book was disappointing. Sometimes I found it difficult to follow all the different storylines of each character. Each character had their own ''gift'' from Madame Vileroy and sometimes it was hard for me to grasp what each character was doing. I had the most trouble following Christian's gift and his storyline. Valentin's gift was hard for me to follow but in the end it was explained better. It took me awhile to get into it. And by awhile I mean probably about 3/4 of the book. Once I hit Bice's parts, I wanted to read more. She was probably my favorite character and she didn't have enough of a storyline throughout the book until the end, in my opinion. The ending was somewhat disappointing. Things started to hit a climax and then all of a sudden it was over. I would have liked something more, more of an ending for the characters.
I was impressed with how the Nayeri's wrote the book. Everything was detailed. The book had a lot of mystery and suspense and it made me think, which I liked. I didn't know what was going to happen so it kept things suspenseful.
If you're looking for something light and fun, this book probably isn't for you. If you're looking to branch out from the usual fluffy romance, check it out.
Unfortunately, overall the book was disappointing. Sometimes I found it difficult to follow all the different storylines of each character. Each character had their own ''gift'' from Madame Vileroy and sometimes it was hard for me to grasp what each character was doing. I had the most trouble following Christian's gift and his storyline. Valentin's gift was hard for me to follow but in the end it was explained better. It took me awhile to get into it. And by awhile I mean probably about 3/4 of the book. Once I hit Bice's parts, I wanted to read more. She was probably my favorite character and she didn't have enough of a storyline throughout the book until the end, in my opinion. The ending was somewhat disappointing. Things started to hit a climax and then all of a sudden it was over. I would have liked something more, more of an ending for the characters.
I was impressed with how the Nayeri's wrote the book. Everything was detailed. The book had a lot of mystery and suspense and it made me think, which I liked. I didn't know what was going to happen so it kept things suspenseful.
If you're looking for something light and fun, this book probably isn't for you. If you're looking to branch out from the usual fluffy romance, check it out.
August 11, 2009
Another Faust tells the journey of five children who vanish from their homes and are re-introduced years later at an exclusive Manhattan prep school by their strange "governess", Madame Villeroy. The cover art of Another Faust gave me the impression that this book would be a much lighter read, but wow, was I wrong. If you think that Another Faust is going to be a glossy soap opera about spoiled rich kids with too much power, then you'd be mistaken, much like I was. Another Faust is a well crafted, educated and chilling tale of epic proportions. It is a re-imagined take on the Faustian tale that is masterfully written, with heavy prose and dark themes. To really understand it you need to give it your undivided attention. There are so many subtle machinations in motion as Madame Villeroy artfully exerts more and more of her control over the group of children.
The most appealing characters for me were Christian and Bice, because they had the most humanity. Having special abilities sounds fantastic right? Well Bice finds out that nothing is without a price when it comes to Madame Villeroy. Christian was willing to go to such great lengths for fame and fortune. But when reflecting on his background, I could understand his motivations, even if I didn't condone his actions. Bella’s regret over her superficial fixation with beauty was heartbreaking and I kept hoping Bice would get her out of the jam she was in. My least favorite person, however, was Victoria. She was so selfish and downright diabolical, it was difficult to actually care about whether she would turn her character around and break free from Madame Villeroy. But on the flip side, if a writer can inspire that kind of loathing in a fictional character, then you have to realize they are quite talented! I will say, though, that at then end of Another Faust, I did feel like I understood Victoria a great deal more than I had initially perceived, and almost felt sorry for her. The outcome of her character's storyline was appropriately handled by the authors though and I wouldn't change a thing! Valentin reminded me a lot of Victoria in that he had lost much of his decency, but there were times when I saw shreds of it coming through. More than anything I wanted these five teens to find REDEMPTION. This desire kept me anxiously turning pages and reading much too late on many a night I might add! The outcome of the novel was incredibly gripping and left me wondering if the authors will be writing more books in a series of novels. I have a feeling readers might not have seen the last of Madame Villeroy!
One additional note- If you enjoy thought provoking novels that can foster intelligent discussions about issues of morality and the pitfalls of greed and ambition, then this is a great book for you. For this reason I would even go a step further and suggest that Another Faust should be added to high school English curriculums. In my opinion it's a lot more fun than the original tale and I suspect would be more relatable for contemporary teen readers. In addition, Another Faust has allusions to the original tale which are fun to pick out—for instance, the name of the elite prep school is ‘Marlowe’, a nod to Christopher Marlowe, who was the first to turn the Faustian myth into a morality play.
The most appealing characters for me were Christian and Bice, because they had the most humanity. Having special abilities sounds fantastic right? Well Bice finds out that nothing is without a price when it comes to Madame Villeroy. Christian was willing to go to such great lengths for fame and fortune. But when reflecting on his background, I could understand his motivations, even if I didn't condone his actions. Bella’s regret over her superficial fixation with beauty was heartbreaking and I kept hoping Bice would get her out of the jam she was in. My least favorite person, however, was Victoria. She was so selfish and downright diabolical, it was difficult to actually care about whether she would turn her character around and break free from Madame Villeroy. But on the flip side, if a writer can inspire that kind of loathing in a fictional character, then you have to realize they are quite talented! I will say, though, that at then end of Another Faust, I did feel like I understood Victoria a great deal more than I had initially perceived, and almost felt sorry for her. The outcome of her character's storyline was appropriately handled by the authors though and I wouldn't change a thing! Valentin reminded me a lot of Victoria in that he had lost much of his decency, but there were times when I saw shreds of it coming through. More than anything I wanted these five teens to find REDEMPTION. This desire kept me anxiously turning pages and reading much too late on many a night I might add! The outcome of the novel was incredibly gripping and left me wondering if the authors will be writing more books in a series of novels. I have a feeling readers might not have seen the last of Madame Villeroy!
One additional note- If you enjoy thought provoking novels that can foster intelligent discussions about issues of morality and the pitfalls of greed and ambition, then this is a great book for you. For this reason I would even go a step further and suggest that Another Faust should be added to high school English curriculums. In my opinion it's a lot more fun than the original tale and I suspect would be more relatable for contemporary teen readers. In addition, Another Faust has allusions to the original tale which are fun to pick out—for instance, the name of the elite prep school is ‘Marlowe’, a nod to Christopher Marlowe, who was the first to turn the Faustian myth into a morality play.
March 16, 2016
Victoria cheats. Belle tricks. Valentin lies. Bice hides. Christian steals. Everything and nothing is connected, by the most invisible, inaudible things around the world. The darkness you trust to protect, the governesses--maids, nannies, baby-sitters--you trust to protect your children, is/are what betrays you when the right moment strikes for what they truly want and will give anything to have. The most five differentiated children are brought together by one governess because of their "weaknesses." Every person and nuisance they encounter or interact with is eventually ultimately used as an amusement for Madame Vileroy, no matter how humiliating or degrading it may be for them; beware if Madame gets a laugh out of your mortification of your most embarrassing moment, for she may come back to you for more.
Okay, why is it that the best books always take me forever to read? Of course, I don't know they're the best books until I actually read them.
The beginning of every chapter, after chapter two, has a specific capture of time in Madame Vileroy's life, mostly, anyway; past or future. At first I did not understand why they were there, until I actually got the whole understanding of the chapter still to come. The book is not necessarily told in anyone's perspective but that does not mean their feelings and emotions don't contribute to the narration of the novel. Another Faust tells the children's/teen's stories individually and, at times, mesh together because they're "siblings." All have their insecurities--no matter how confident they appear--and in that, their weaknesses. Another Faust is the opposite of every book I've been reading lately, yet the same in different ways. In a lot of books there are the good and the bad. In this book it also has both sides but from the opposite perspective--the bad one. Instead of the teens talking about the latest fashion for the New York holiday event, they're planning devious schemes, like paying the waiter to introduce himself to their enemy's high maintenance mother as an ex-boyfriend of her daughter, their enemy, just for kicks. Another Faust is smoothly written and doesn't frustrate you into skipping pages and finding out the secrets of others, it makes you want to go over every detail just to make sure you haven't missed anything.
Okay, why is it that the best books always take me forever to read? Of course, I don't know they're the best books until I actually read them.
The beginning of every chapter, after chapter two, has a specific capture of time in Madame Vileroy's life, mostly, anyway; past or future. At first I did not understand why they were there, until I actually got the whole understanding of the chapter still to come. The book is not necessarily told in anyone's perspective but that does not mean their feelings and emotions don't contribute to the narration of the novel. Another Faust tells the children's/teen's stories individually and, at times, mesh together because they're "siblings." All have their insecurities--no matter how confident they appear--and in that, their weaknesses. Another Faust is the opposite of every book I've been reading lately, yet the same in different ways. In a lot of books there are the good and the bad. In this book it also has both sides but from the opposite perspective--the bad one. Instead of the teens talking about the latest fashion for the New York holiday event, they're planning devious schemes, like paying the waiter to introduce himself to their enemy's high maintenance mother as an ex-boyfriend of her daughter, their enemy, just for kicks. Another Faust is smoothly written and doesn't frustrate you into skipping pages and finding out the secrets of others, it makes you want to go over every detail just to make sure you haven't missed anything.
February 7, 2012
I loved this book. Absolutely loved it! From the beautiful cover art, to the plot that was unfolding with every flip of a page, I loved this book. I was actually very curious prior to reading Another Faust to what exactly a 'Faust' is. So to the Wikipedia-mobile! Apparently, Faust is a German legend (I won't say any more because I don't want to risk any spoilers) and after finishing the novel you'll see all of the similarities that make Another Faust a great remake.
When I first began reading, I will admit I was a bit of a skeptic (like I am almost all the time) but only because I was wondering why we were learning about events that took place five years previous to the events taking place in the story. Meaning, we got to see how all of the characters ended up meeting Madame Vileroy, their governess. I felt like each character was very three dimensional and really expressed the reasons why they had the abilities that Madame Vileroy gave them. From being able to stop time, to learning languages, to being beautiful beyond all belief, to controlling insects…each of the five main characters had special gifts that I found very interesting.
I will also add that authors Daniel and Dina Nayeri had such a great and memorable writing style. There is one scene that I remember, and that I will always associate with Another Faust, is when Bicé froze time and wondered what would happen if she sprayed some Fabreeze, that if before doing so, would the water would appear like frozen crystals…one of my favorite. Probably the best part of the novel was how before every single chapter, you would end up reading a scene that took place in the past, all of which were haunting, and I would have to re-read it a few times so that I could find out exactly who is the protagonist was.
Now to the exciting stuff: The Elite Marlowe School. Kinda sounds like something you would find on Gossip Girl right? Well despite it being a school where all the smart and pretty rich kids in New York go to…guess what? The characters in Another Faust end up going there as well and attempt to achieve their own personal goals- turned obsessions- using their dangerous abilities. All of the characters did have different goals. Daniel and Dina Nayeri did show the lengths that the characters would go through to get what they wanted, no matter what the cost.
All in all, the novel was something that I definitely enjoyed and I'm glad that I came across it. From before the novel even started, with its hilarious dedication, to the opening sentence, and to the explosive ending, I can proudly say that this is one of the few novels that has managed to sate my hunger for a read that would give me everything I wanted and more.
When I first began reading, I will admit I was a bit of a skeptic (like I am almost all the time) but only because I was wondering why we were learning about events that took place five years previous to the events taking place in the story. Meaning, we got to see how all of the characters ended up meeting Madame Vileroy, their governess. I felt like each character was very three dimensional and really expressed the reasons why they had the abilities that Madame Vileroy gave them. From being able to stop time, to learning languages, to being beautiful beyond all belief, to controlling insects…each of the five main characters had special gifts that I found very interesting.
I will also add that authors Daniel and Dina Nayeri had such a great and memorable writing style. There is one scene that I remember, and that I will always associate with Another Faust, is when Bicé froze time and wondered what would happen if she sprayed some Fabreeze, that if before doing so, would the water would appear like frozen crystals…one of my favorite. Probably the best part of the novel was how before every single chapter, you would end up reading a scene that took place in the past, all of which were haunting, and I would have to re-read it a few times so that I could find out exactly who is the protagonist was.
Now to the exciting stuff: The Elite Marlowe School. Kinda sounds like something you would find on Gossip Girl right? Well despite it being a school where all the smart and pretty rich kids in New York go to…guess what? The characters in Another Faust end up going there as well and attempt to achieve their own personal goals- turned obsessions- using their dangerous abilities. All of the characters did have different goals. Daniel and Dina Nayeri did show the lengths that the characters would go through to get what they wanted, no matter what the cost.
All in all, the novel was something that I definitely enjoyed and I'm glad that I came across it. From before the novel even started, with its hilarious dedication, to the opening sentence, and to the explosive ending, I can proudly say that this is one of the few novels that has managed to sate my hunger for a read that would give me everything I wanted and more.
April 5, 2016
This is the story of Madame Vileory who lets face it, is the Goddess of Death. She takes unfortunate souls and make them dependent on her. Why she does this I have no idea why. That’s the thing about this book, there was no motive for these evil actions!
We have five teenagers who couldn’t be more different, yet what they wanted was the same. To be noticed and appreciated by their family, friends and the general public. Then Madame Vileroy comes into their lives and they sell their souls to her in exchange for something they need and wanted. If you haven’t heard of the German Faust story well this is what it’s based on. Being in lieu with Death itself has dire consequences and this was no exception.
I just wished there was a cause for the actions of such Vileory. Maybe they’ll be answered in the second book? Great writing and interesting concept but lacked a straightforward plot which I need to keep myself entertained.
We have five teenagers who couldn’t be more different, yet what they wanted was the same. To be noticed and appreciated by their family, friends and the general public. Then Madame Vileroy comes into their lives and they sell their souls to her in exchange for something they need and wanted. If you haven’t heard of the German Faust story well this is what it’s based on. Being in lieu with Death itself has dire consequences and this was no exception.
I just wished there was a cause for the actions of such Vileory. Maybe they’ll be answered in the second book? Great writing and interesting concept but lacked a straightforward plot which I need to keep myself entertained.
January 26, 2023
Прочитането на “Опасна дарба или поредният Фауст” ще остане като лош спомен от онзи път, когато забравих да си взема книга, която да чета докато съм при родителите си за коледните празници. Именно тази моя грешка стана п��ичина в момент на безобразна скука (и, трябва да призная, отчаяние) да се обърна към най-забутания рафт на своята предишна (тийнейджърска) библиотека. Там попаднах на книгата на Найери, от която имах много бегли, но интригуващи спомени.
И така… По Коледа наистина стават чудеса, защото реших най-накрая (след почти 10 години) да завърша историята за семейство Фауст.
Както може да се види от оценката ми, не останах особено впечатлена.
Всичко започва доста обещаващо. Представени са ни пет деца от различни краища на “света” (в случая на тази книга, под “света” се има предвид Западна Европа) и техните неудовлетворяващи ги животи. Единственото, което обединява тези деца е запознанството им с мистериозна гувернантка, която им обещава, че може да изпълни всичките им желания, ако те се съгласят да дойдат с нея (insert red flag here 🚩).
Тъй като книгата продължава още над 300 страници, положителният отговор, който получава тя от тях е пределно ясен.
Историята продължава пет години по-късно, когато всяко от децата има по една или няколко дарби/суперсили, които им помагат да получат всичко, което са искали в предишните си “нормални” животи.
Прекалено хубавото обаче не е на хубаво и се оказва, че тази една на милион сделки идва със своята солена цена.
Тъй като се старая да съм позитивен човек, реших първо да изброя нещата, които ми допаднаха в тази книга, а именно:
1. Авторите са съумяли да изградят разпознаваеми персонажи, всеки със своите уникални характеристики.
2. Атмосферата от първите глави, когато децата Фауст и първата проява на техните чудатости са представени като нещо, излезнало от “Семейство Адамс”.
3. Дарбите на всяко едно от децата. Първоначалните ми очаквания бяха, че авторите ще им дадат банални суперсили, достойни за Марвел Вселената. Затова останах приятно изненадана от креативността, с която са подходили. Най-силно впечатление ми направи дарбата на Валентин, който до края на книгата остана мой любимец.
Негативните аспекти на тази книга са, че не мога да намеря нищо позитивно в нея освен гореизброените три точки.
Не знам дали проблемът е в превода или е нещо от оригиналния текст, но историята се чете изключително трудно.
Също така често не разбирах какво трябва да се случи или се случва - сцените и диалозите между героите бяха накъсани и някак незавършени . Описанията на магическите стаи, това как всъщност работят някои от дарбите и цялостната концепция за гувернантката и продаването на душата също не ми станаха ясни до самия край на романа.
Като равносметка, мога да кажа, че се радвам, че завърших тази книга, само защото сега мога да се съсредоточа върху заглавия, които са действително в книжния ми списък и със сигурност имат по-голям шанс да ми харесат.
А на “Опасна дарба или поредният Фауст” давам 2⭐️, които се дължат единствено на поддаването ми на чара на Валентин.
И така… По Коледа наистина стават чудеса, защото реших най-накрая (след почти 10 години) да завърша историята за семейство Фауст.
Както може да се види от оценката ми, не останах особено впечатлена.
Всичко започва доста обещаващо. Представени са ни пет деца от различни краища на “света” (в случая на тази книга, под “света” се има предвид Западна Европа) и техните неудовлетворяващи ги животи. Единственото, което обединява тези деца е запознанството им с мистериозна гувернантка, която им обещава, че може да изпълни всичките им желания, ако те се съгласят да дойдат с нея (insert red flag here 🚩).
Тъй като книгата продължава още над 300 страници, положителният отговор, който получава тя от тях е пределно ясен.
Историята продължава пет години по-късно, когато всяко от децата има по една или няколко дарби/суперсили, които им помагат да получат всичко, което са искали в предишните си “нормални” животи.
Прекалено хубавото обаче не е на хубаво и се оказва, че тази една на милион сделки идва със своята солена цена.
Тъй като се старая да съм позитивен човек, реших първо да изброя нещата, които ми допаднаха в тази книга, а именно:
1. Авторите са съумяли да изградят разпознаваеми персонажи, всеки със своите уникални характеристики.
2. Атмосферата от първите глави, когато децата Фауст и първата проява на техните чудатости са представени като нещо, излезнало от “Семейство Адамс”.
3. Дарбите на всяко едно от децата. Първоначалните ми очаквания бяха, че авторите ще им дадат банални суперсили, достойни за Марвел Вселената. Затова останах приятно изненадана от креативността, с която са подходили. Най-силно впечатление ми направи дарбата на Валентин, който до края на книгата остана мой любимец.
Негативните аспекти на тази книга са, че не мога да намеря нищо позитивно в нея освен гореизброените три точки.
Не знам дали проблемът е в превода или е нещо от оригиналния текст, но историята се чете изключително трудно.
Също така често не разбирах какво трябва да се случи или се случва - сцените и диалозите между героите бяха накъсани и някак незавършени . Описанията на магическите стаи, това как всъщност работят някои от дарбите и цялостната концепция за гувернантката и продаването на душата също не ми станаха ясни до самия край на романа.
Като равносметка, мога да кажа, че се радвам, че завърших тази книга, само защото сега мога да се съсредоточа върху заглавия, които са действително в книжния ми списък и със сигурност имат по-голям шанс да ми харесат.
А на “Опасна дарба или поредният Фауст” давам 2⭐️, които се дължат единствено на поддаването ми на чара на Валентин.
Want to read
August 27, 2022[Rescued from my writing section]
Return Of The Revenge Of Faust 3: This Time It's Quantum
In response to David's ethical objections to quantum suicide (comment #66 onwards), two well-known characters debate the issues.
- Herr Faust?
- Do I know you?
- Come on, you can't have forgotten me already. Mephistopheles at your service.
- RETRO ME, SATANAS!!
- Hey, hey, cool it baby. I think we all learned from that last experience, and I promise you, this time it's gonna be different...
- IN NOMINE PADRE ET...
- Look, why don't you just listen to what I got to say, baby? If you don't like it, plenty of time to exorcise me later. Admit you want to know what I've come up with.
- Ah, I always was too curious...
- You certainly are. Now are you listening?
- I'm going to regret this, aren't I?
- We'll see. Okay, now here's the deal. I'm offering you the chance to play a game. There's a very, very small chance that you'll lose your immortal soul, but if you play I'll give you ten thousand dollars.
- Say that again?
- Wait, let me check the exchange rate. Beelzebub and Lucifer! I didn't realize it had gone up that much. I mean ten billion dollars of course.
- Okay, you got my attention. What do I have to do?
- Well, it's really simple. If you agree to play, I'm going to make a copy of you. It'll be an absolutely perfect copy, your thoughts, your memories, everything. There'll be no way to tell you apart.
- And then?
- Then I'm going to slowly torture the copy to death. But you'll get your ten billion dollars.
- No way!
- You're sure?
- Absolutely not! Quite apart from the torture, I'm indirectly committing suicide by agreeing to this. I'll be damned for all eternity. I'm not dumb you know.
- I think you're mostly bothered by the torture.
- I am not!
- Well, just in case you are, let me sweeten the deal. The copy will be killed painlessly and humanely.
- Still no deal! Knowing what's going to happen will be the worst torture of all. Not interested.
- Look, I'll improve it again. I'll knock you out and make the copy while you're unconscious. I'll kill it painlessly before either of you wakes up and then I'll dispose of the remains. It'll be as though your double had never existed. Except that you'll be ten billion dollars richer.
- But, even if my double's asleep, he may still somehow feel...
- And I'll do it all within a single microsecond. For that microsecond, there will be two of you, then there'll only be one Faust again. The only change you'll notice will be in your bank account.
- Hm, well, okay, I'm tempted. But it's still wrong. My immortal soul...
- Look, the soul is eternal and indivisible, isn't it?
- Yes...
- Then the copy of you that's alive will still have it. The copy can't have a soul.
- Ah, let me think. This is so confusing. I wish Thomas Aquinas had known about modern science. Hm, I don't know. But I can't take the risk. Not even for ten billion dollars.
- I'm willing to go up. You can marry the girl of your dreams too.
- Who is the girl of my dreams, anyway?
- I'll show you a picture. Here.
- Who's she?
- You sat opposite her on a bus for a few minutes when you were seventeen. You dream about her every night.
- I do?
- Yup.
- Hm, she does suddenly look familiar. And you're right, she's kind of cute. But...
- Look, I'll tell you whether the Higgs particle exists. That's my final offer.
- You really know??
- I know. I'm taking a risk offering you this. It's classified information.
- If it does exist, I get to find out all about it?
- I promise.
- And my double is killed painlessly inside a microsecond? And I marry the girl on the bus? And I get the money?
- Faust baby, would I lie to you? It's all in this contract. Just prick your finger and sign.
- Hm... well... ah, damn, I can't resist. Here you are.
- BWAHAHA. BWAHAHAHAHA. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...
- Shit. Shit! Shit!!! Why do I always fall for it?
Return Of The Revenge Of Faust 3: This Time It's Quantum
In response to David's ethical objections to quantum suicide (comment #66 onwards), two well-known characters debate the issues.
- Herr Faust?
- Do I know you?
- Come on, you can't have forgotten me already. Mephistopheles at your service.
- RETRO ME, SATANAS!!
- Hey, hey, cool it baby. I think we all learned from that last experience, and I promise you, this time it's gonna be different...
- IN NOMINE PADRE ET...
- Look, why don't you just listen to what I got to say, baby? If you don't like it, plenty of time to exorcise me later. Admit you want to know what I've come up with.
- Ah, I always was too curious...
- You certainly are. Now are you listening?
- I'm going to regret this, aren't I?
- We'll see. Okay, now here's the deal. I'm offering you the chance to play a game. There's a very, very small chance that you'll lose your immortal soul, but if you play I'll give you ten thousand dollars.
- Say that again?
- Wait, let me check the exchange rate. Beelzebub and Lucifer! I didn't realize it had gone up that much. I mean ten billion dollars of course.
- Okay, you got my attention. What do I have to do?
- Well, it's really simple. If you agree to play, I'm going to make a copy of you. It'll be an absolutely perfect copy, your thoughts, your memories, everything. There'll be no way to tell you apart.
- And then?
- Then I'm going to slowly torture the copy to death. But you'll get your ten billion dollars.
- No way!
- You're sure?
- Absolutely not! Quite apart from the torture, I'm indirectly committing suicide by agreeing to this. I'll be damned for all eternity. I'm not dumb you know.
- I think you're mostly bothered by the torture.
- I am not!
- Well, just in case you are, let me sweeten the deal. The copy will be killed painlessly and humanely.
- Still no deal! Knowing what's going to happen will be the worst torture of all. Not interested.
- Look, I'll improve it again. I'll knock you out and make the copy while you're unconscious. I'll kill it painlessly before either of you wakes up and then I'll dispose of the remains. It'll be as though your double had never existed. Except that you'll be ten billion dollars richer.
- But, even if my double's asleep, he may still somehow feel...
- And I'll do it all within a single microsecond. For that microsecond, there will be two of you, then there'll only be one Faust again. The only change you'll notice will be in your bank account.
- Hm, well, okay, I'm tempted. But it's still wrong. My immortal soul...
- Look, the soul is eternal and indivisible, isn't it?
- Yes...
- Then the copy of you that's alive will still have it. The copy can't have a soul.
- Ah, let me think. This is so confusing. I wish Thomas Aquinas had known about modern science. Hm, I don't know. But I can't take the risk. Not even for ten billion dollars.
- I'm willing to go up. You can marry the girl of your dreams too.
- Who is the girl of my dreams, anyway?
- I'll show you a picture. Here.
- Who's she?
- You sat opposite her on a bus for a few minutes when you were seventeen. You dream about her every night.
- I do?
- Yup.
- Hm, she does suddenly look familiar. And you're right, she's kind of cute. But...
- Look, I'll tell you whether the Higgs particle exists. That's my final offer.
- You really know??
- I know. I'm taking a risk offering you this. It's classified information.
- If it does exist, I get to find out all about it?
- I promise.
- And my double is killed painlessly inside a microsecond? And I marry the girl on the bus? And I get the money?
- Faust baby, would I lie to you? It's all in this contract. Just prick your finger and sign.
- Hm... well... ah, damn, I can't resist. Here you are.
- BWAHAHA. BWAHAHAHAHA. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...
- Shit. Shit! Shit!!! Why do I always fall for it?
August 29, 2010
DULL DULL DULL
Ever get 100 pages into a book and STILL not like a single thing about it?
It wasn't poorly written enough to force me to put it down (as is the case with many others) but I wish it had been.
There isn't a single likable character in this story, one would argue that Bicé was meant to be the sympathetic character but the problem was that she was only in the story enough to make you pity her, she never did anything likable, you just knew she was probably a good person and had to take that at face value. I found myself kinda hoping Belle would get what she wanted and I even felt bad whenever Victoria didn't get what she wanted. I was pretty interested in Valentin's story to be honest but god I got so tired of Patrick (I think that was his name) He was probably the most likable character in a way, given that he retained a level of innocence but managed to develop a bit of a character unlike Bicé but I just never enjoyed reading about him.
And even though I liked Valentin well enough, he was still an ass and couldn't have carried the story.
I get the feeling that the author(s) just came up with a really smashing idea and then just threw in plot device after plot device to really expand their idea to the above-average ending they had probably planned from the beginning.
Planning endings isn't always bad, Harry Potter did pretty good I think, but sometimes you need to make sure you have the writing talent to bring the story up to that ending in a way that doesn't fall flat.
Ever get 100 pages into a book and STILL not like a single thing about it?
It wasn't poorly written enough to force me to put it down (as is the case with many others) but I wish it had been.
There isn't a single likable character in this story, one would argue that Bicé was meant to be the sympathetic character but the problem was that she was only in the story enough to make you pity her, she never did anything likable, you just knew she was probably a good person and had to take that at face value. I found myself kinda hoping Belle would get what she wanted and I even felt bad whenever Victoria didn't get what she wanted. I was pretty interested in Valentin's story to be honest but god I got so tired of Patrick (I think that was his name) He was probably the most likable character in a way, given that he retained a level of innocence but managed to develop a bit of a character unlike Bicé but I just never enjoyed reading about him.
And even though I liked Valentin well enough, he was still an ass and couldn't have carried the story.
I get the feeling that the author(s) just came up with a really smashing idea and then just threw in plot device after plot device to really expand their idea to the above-average ending they had probably planned from the beginning.
Planning endings isn't always bad, Harry Potter did pretty good I think, but sometimes you need to make sure you have the writing talent to bring the story up to that ending in a way that doesn't fall flat.
August 28, 2009
This was an interesting read to say the least. I wasn’t aware when I first found the title was that the title was an extension of “Faustian bargains” or what I’ve always known it as– selling your soul to the devil. Perhaps I was alone in this revelation. I’ve seen it portrayed in literature and movies before, but this was an altogether take, which was refreshing.
I enjoyed the overall story, the manipulations, the deceit, the jealousy, makes you feel all warm in fuzzy inside to know what humans are capable of. But despite my intrigue with overall premise, at times I found the story to be tedious and sporadic. Parts of the story felt incomplete, while others were beautifully detailed.
And the ending for me, was completely anticlimactic. I found that I had a lot more questions than answers. Who really was Madame Vileroy and what was the point?
However, I did enjoyed the power of redemption that some of the characters ultimately achieved.
I enjoyed the overall story, the manipulations, the deceit, the jealousy, makes you feel all warm in fuzzy inside to know what humans are capable of. But despite my intrigue with overall premise, at times I found the story to be tedious and sporadic. Parts of the story felt incomplete, while others were beautifully detailed.
And the ending for me, was completely anticlimactic. I found that I had a lot more questions than answers. Who really was Madame Vileroy and what was the point?
However, I did enjoyed the power of redemption that some of the characters ultimately achieved.
January 19, 2010
This new rendition of the classic Faustian bargain has a brilliant conception and is an enjoyable read, but lacking in resolution and more importantly information. I find it somewhat impressive that they manage to actually make you care about these kids (excepting Victoria who never had my sympathy past the prologue), despite how horrid they are. I was pleased that B. manages to resist Madame Villeroy, and is able to assist the others, but apart from the bits at the beginning of the chapters, we know precious little about Villeroy herself. Enough, certainly, to know what she is, but more background and motivation on her part would have enhanced the story for me, as well as deeper characterization of the kids. I suppose in some ways I was expecting something with more substance, so while I still like the book, especially the idea, it just did not strike me. I will however be looking out for more books by this brother and sister writing team....
February 13, 2010
Before Christmas, when I saw this book in the store, I was jumping out of my skin to get a hold on a copy. It looked so good and the plot looked amazing.
Unfortunately, reality bites. The plot was character driven, which sucks when you don't like the characters. Just before the halfway mark, I almost quick reading it because I just couldn't get into it anymore. But I kept on.
There were many things I didn't like about this story, the biggest being the ages. Why do we have 10-year-olds selling their souls? What 10-year-old has enough sense to realize there are a few tricks in this? I don't know of anyone that age who would understand the consequences of their actions. And that was pretty much my breaking point.
I'd hoped for better, but I was sorely disappointed. Unless you really want to and won't take no for an answer, don't read it.
Unfortunately, reality bites. The plot was character driven, which sucks when you don't like the characters. Just before the halfway mark, I almost quick reading it because I just couldn't get into it anymore. But I kept on.
There were many things I didn't like about this story, the biggest being the ages. Why do we have 10-year-olds selling their souls? What 10-year-old has enough sense to realize there are a few tricks in this? I don't know of anyone that age who would understand the consequences of their actions. And that was pretty much my breaking point.
I'd hoped for better, but I was sorely disappointed. Unless you really want to and won't take no for an answer, don't read it.
February 16, 2010
I wanted to like this. I really did. This story had so much potential to be great but it fell flat.
It was bland and boring. It should have gone much farther into the character's lives, interactions, the plot. I felt like it was just skimming the surface.
I couldn't really connect with any of the characters. The main focus seemed to be on there "gifts". I wish it had gone more into detail with their internal thoughts and feelings. There were brief glimpses here and there, but not nearly enough. I wanted to know what made them tick.... even though I was told this, I felt like there was so much more.
The plot was predictable. No real surprises to be had.
It was just blah.
It was bland and boring. It should have gone much farther into the character's lives, interactions, the plot. I felt like it was just skimming the surface.
I couldn't really connect with any of the characters. The main focus seemed to be on there "gifts". I wish it had gone more into detail with their internal thoughts and feelings. There were brief glimpses here and there, but not nearly enough. I wanted to know what made them tick.... even though I was told this, I felt like there was so much more.
The plot was predictable. No real surprises to be had.
It was just blah.
April 17, 2016
Sorry I just can't finish this...It's boring and I just had no interest in ANY of the characters
June 4, 2022
The only reason I got this book was because my mom saw angsty teens on the cover at Goodwill and told me, "It's only two dollars, if it's bad it doesn't matter." So I got it, and it was pretty bad.
I thought it was going fine, the prologue was building up some interesting characters and then BOOM, first chapter and I couldn't tell you a single thing that happened. It was one of the most confusing, vague chapters I've ever read. The next one wasn't much better, it kept introducing characters I didn't care about because the book just started. Try to get me to like the main characters before you throw more characters at me. What sucks is that the idea is interesting, like a Umbrella Academy sort of premise where a handful of kids get raised by someone else because their different, but the pacing just threw that out the window.
So, I could not continue and you should save yourself some money and time by not picking up this book, ever.
I thought it was going fine, the prologue was building up some interesting characters and then BOOM, first chapter and I couldn't tell you a single thing that happened. It was one of the most confusing, vague chapters I've ever read. The next one wasn't much better, it kept introducing characters I didn't care about because the book just started. Try to get me to like the main characters before you throw more characters at me. What sucks is that the idea is interesting, like a Umbrella Academy sort of premise where a handful of kids get raised by someone else because their different, but the pacing just threw that out the window.
So, I could not continue and you should save yourself some money and time by not picking up this book, ever.
August 27, 2009
The Faustian Bargain is a popular worldwide legend about the devil. The bargain is the ultimate an individual might pay: the price of his soul for a devilish favor. Another Faust by Daniel and Dina Nayeri is the tale of five children and how they unwittingly make such a deal.
In locations around the world, five children vanish without a trace. Five years later, they appear at an elite New York party on Christmas Eve, accompanied by their governess, Madame Vileroy. As strikingly beautiful as she is devious, Vileroy has endowed each of the teens with a mysterious gift. The gifts are special, fitting for each child’s personality, and allow for some fun and mischief, such as Valentin’s ability to stop time leads to replay a scene over and over helps a nerdy classmate win over the popular cheerleader. The gifts also enable them to advance beyond their peers. But as it’s a Faustian Bargain, the gifts may have devastating consequences.
Another Faust’s characters and the historical backgrounds of the novel are the features I enjoyed the most from the novel. Each chapter opens in a different historical period, such as the time of the Romanov family or Egyptian pharoahs. If there's dialogue, the speakers often aren't named. This only adds to the sinister nature of Vileroy and the bargain. The scenes darkly echo the underlying tone of the chapter they open.
My favorite such scene is below:
“Why do you care about all of this? Why would someone like you bother helping someone like me?”
“Because some things that seem unimportant now can change the course of human history – and I am a student of human history.”
“Well, I’ve only ever been a failure. I sign here?”
“Lots of big accomplishments begin with failures.”
“Like what?”
“There was a man who owned a clothing store that went bankrupt.”
“Let me guess. He learned from his failure and started over as Georgio Armani.”
“No. He left the clothing business. He became president and dropped a bomb on Hiroshima.”
- Another Faust by Daniel and Dina Nayeri
The characters varied in personality and villainy, and the use of different viewpoints gives the reader a thorough view of their complexities. As Villeroy has erased their previous memories and implanted new ones (only one child knows the truth), they'd formed an awkward little family, and are siblings. I was so both horrified and intrigued by Victoria, the power-hungry teen who would stop at nothing - and I mean nothing - to win even above her brothers and sisters. Save Victoria, I wanted all of the teens to gain redemption even as they used their gifts to "cheat" over other students: Christian, the skilled athlete. Bice, who only wanted to hide away. Belle, as beautiful as she was odorous. Valentin, the liar with the soul of a poet. As they struggle with the unexpected consequences of their gifts and deceit, you'll be asking: to what lengths will someone go to win? And what happens when they reach that point?
This book grabbed me instantly. The first chapter , illustrating each of the children’s lives before they were taken was so engrossing as it spanned countries and social classes, it got my attention and didn’t let go until the last page. I read this on vacation, and I spent more time by the pool reading, than actually swimming. The ending was nothing like what I expected and if this title is indication, the second in the Another series will be just as suspenseful.
This review originally appeared at BriMeetsBooks.com
In locations around the world, five children vanish without a trace. Five years later, they appear at an elite New York party on Christmas Eve, accompanied by their governess, Madame Vileroy. As strikingly beautiful as she is devious, Vileroy has endowed each of the teens with a mysterious gift. The gifts are special, fitting for each child’s personality, and allow for some fun and mischief, such as Valentin’s ability to stop time leads to replay a scene over and over helps a nerdy classmate win over the popular cheerleader. The gifts also enable them to advance beyond their peers. But as it’s a Faustian Bargain, the gifts may have devastating consequences.
Another Faust’s characters and the historical backgrounds of the novel are the features I enjoyed the most from the novel. Each chapter opens in a different historical period, such as the time of the Romanov family or Egyptian pharoahs. If there's dialogue, the speakers often aren't named. This only adds to the sinister nature of Vileroy and the bargain. The scenes darkly echo the underlying tone of the chapter they open.
My favorite such scene is below:
“Why do you care about all of this? Why would someone like you bother helping someone like me?”
“Because some things that seem unimportant now can change the course of human history – and I am a student of human history.”
“Well, I’ve only ever been a failure. I sign here?”
“Lots of big accomplishments begin with failures.”
“Like what?”
“There was a man who owned a clothing store that went bankrupt.”
“Let me guess. He learned from his failure and started over as Georgio Armani.”
“No. He left the clothing business. He became president and dropped a bomb on Hiroshima.”
- Another Faust by Daniel and Dina Nayeri
The characters varied in personality and villainy, and the use of different viewpoints gives the reader a thorough view of their complexities. As Villeroy has erased their previous memories and implanted new ones (only one child knows the truth), they'd formed an awkward little family, and are siblings. I was so both horrified and intrigued by Victoria, the power-hungry teen who would stop at nothing - and I mean nothing - to win even above her brothers and sisters. Save Victoria, I wanted all of the teens to gain redemption even as they used their gifts to "cheat" over other students: Christian, the skilled athlete. Bice, who only wanted to hide away. Belle, as beautiful as she was odorous. Valentin, the liar with the soul of a poet. As they struggle with the unexpected consequences of their gifts and deceit, you'll be asking: to what lengths will someone go to win? And what happens when they reach that point?
This book grabbed me instantly. The first chapter , illustrating each of the children’s lives before they were taken was so engrossing as it spanned countries and social classes, it got my attention and didn’t let go until the last page. I read this on vacation, and I spent more time by the pool reading, than actually swimming. The ending was nothing like what I expected and if this title is indication, the second in the Another series will be just as suspenseful.
This review originally appeared at BriMeetsBooks.com
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2015
A devilish debut by a brother-sister team invites us into the world of the elite Marlowe School, where some gifted students are having a hell of a year.
One night, in cities all across Europe, five children vanish — only to appear, years later, at an exclusive New York party with a strange and elegant governess. Rumor and mystery follow the Faust teenagers to the city’s most prestigious high school, where they soar to suspicious heights with the help of their benefactor’s extraordinary "gifts." But as the students claw their way up — reading minds, erasing scenes, stopping time, stealing power, seducing with artificial beauty — they start to suffer the sideeffects of their own addictions. And as they make further deals with the devil, they uncover secrets more shocking than their most unforgivable sins. At once chilling and wickedly satirical, this contemporary reimagining of the Faustian bargain is a compelling tale of ambition, consequences, and ultimate redemption.
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Quick Reasons: retelling; quirky, imaginative world and characters; lots of action and suspense; some unforeseen plot twists; a good amount of giggle-worthy references and scenes; general high school drama
I read Dr. Faustus in college, and when I read the back of this novel and realized it was a sort-of-retelling of the same story as Faust and Mephistopheles, I knew I needed to read it; you don't see many retellings of that particular story, after all (at least, I don't think you do) and this one seemed especially intriguing.
The world building, while lacking in a few different distinct departments (for instance, I didn't really get a true sense of the setting, or how the magic came about—apart from the fact that Mephistopheles, as a minion of the devil, has the ability to take and receive “gifts” on a whim), the characters are thoroughly explored, the story is well-researched, and the modern day setting brings a subtle sense of paranormal WRONG that just feels so, so right.
There are characters you will love immediately, characters you won't be certain of until much later on, and characters you will love at first...and find you loathe at the end. The writing, while simplistic, has some GORGEOUS moments nonetheless—profound and wisened quotes that I will be thinking about for a long time to come.
And for being a brother/sister collaboration, this story is pretty seamless—I couldn't for certain tell you where one sibling ended and the other picked up at any given moment, for instance. It's as if they mind-melded...and found a balance between the both of their styles. An intriguing—and difficult!--feat to accomplish, for sure.
While this isn't my favorite retelling (I've read others this year a bit less confusing overall, a bit more intriguing), I enjoyed the read immensely, and found myself caught off-guard at several of the biggest plot twists. A definite must-read for lovers of Faust, Dr. Faustus, and Mephistopheles stories; this book will make you reconsider what it means to “sell your soul”...because it's something you do every day. Always.
One night, in cities all across Europe, five children vanish — only to appear, years later, at an exclusive New York party with a strange and elegant governess. Rumor and mystery follow the Faust teenagers to the city’s most prestigious high school, where they soar to suspicious heights with the help of their benefactor’s extraordinary "gifts." But as the students claw their way up — reading minds, erasing scenes, stopping time, stealing power, seducing with artificial beauty — they start to suffer the sideeffects of their own addictions. And as they make further deals with the devil, they uncover secrets more shocking than their most unforgivable sins. At once chilling and wickedly satirical, this contemporary reimagining of the Faustian bargain is a compelling tale of ambition, consequences, and ultimate redemption.
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Quick Reasons: retelling; quirky, imaginative world and characters; lots of action and suspense; some unforeseen plot twists; a good amount of giggle-worthy references and scenes; general high school drama
I read Dr. Faustus in college, and when I read the back of this novel and realized it was a sort-of-retelling of the same story as Faust and Mephistopheles, I knew I needed to read it; you don't see many retellings of that particular story, after all (at least, I don't think you do) and this one seemed especially intriguing.
The world building, while lacking in a few different distinct departments (for instance, I didn't really get a true sense of the setting, or how the magic came about—apart from the fact that Mephistopheles, as a minion of the devil, has the ability to take and receive “gifts” on a whim), the characters are thoroughly explored, the story is well-researched, and the modern day setting brings a subtle sense of paranormal WRONG that just feels so, so right.
There are characters you will love immediately, characters you won't be certain of until much later on, and characters you will love at first...and find you loathe at the end. The writing, while simplistic, has some GORGEOUS moments nonetheless—profound and wisened quotes that I will be thinking about for a long time to come.
And for being a brother/sister collaboration, this story is pretty seamless—I couldn't for certain tell you where one sibling ended and the other picked up at any given moment, for instance. It's as if they mind-melded...and found a balance between the both of their styles. An intriguing—and difficult!--feat to accomplish, for sure.
While this isn't my favorite retelling (I've read others this year a bit less confusing overall, a bit more intriguing), I enjoyed the read immensely, and found myself caught off-guard at several of the biggest plot twists. A definite must-read for lovers of Faust, Dr. Faustus, and Mephistopheles stories; this book will make you reconsider what it means to “sell your soul”...because it's something you do every day. Always.
June 30, 2017
I am forever apologies, but do you speak of moving picture show?No, the book is not written like that (thank god), but it's just a little quote that made me fall completely and irrevocably in love with Bicé. Which is kind of odd since the whole book is meant to be about the ugliness of human nature, more on that in the third part of my review. On the whole review topic, how the hell does this have such negative reviews? Like yeah it has it's flaws but it wasn't that bad.
Things that Made Me Smile!
✓ The Sheer Wrongness
It's no secret that I adore antagonists, villains and just generally dreadful people; and so this book was right up my alley. The way these kids manipulated and tormented others around them, while getting manipulated and tormented themselves by their governess, made for a conflicted mindset. Do I feel sorry for them or not?
✓ The Powers
Some of the powers were so originally new? Like alright, reading people's minds and being beautiful is kind of cliché but the whole rewinding time thing? That was pretty damn cool, it wasn't even the power it was just how it was shown and not told. There were lovely little scenes that showed Valentin being utterly terrible to everyone around him only to fix it instantly without lifting a finger. Although, there was also a scene where he kind of helped out an 'uncool' person? That was kind of cute even though he didn't do it for the right reasons.
✓ Christian's Struggles
Okay, that looks weird when I type it like that. What I mean to say, is that I love how they humanise Christian with his interactions with buddy and his desperation to write. Yeah, I guess it wasn't extremely faustian but it made him more realistic than Belle (but also, she barely got any time outside of Thomas. Like ??? Is she not a character in her own right.)
Things that Made Me Frown(?)
✖︎ The Happy Ending
The book that this was based on was all about the ugly side of human nature, a side that isn't hard to find when you enter high school. Apparently this high school was an exception. Honestly, the characters in this could have been so much more grotesque than they actually were (I know this is kind of contradicting my first point, what I'm saying is that though it was nice – it didn't really follow the theme of the original. AKA the thing that it's liTERAlly named after).
July 17, 2015
Overall: 5 Stars
I absolutely loved this book, although I can tell it's not going to be everyone's cup of tea. This definitely isn't a conventional YA book, which might turn off certain readers, but to me it was a welcome change.
The Nayeri's took a risk by using the Omniscient POV, as it isn't a popular choice anymore, especially when your audience is YA. The Omniscient POV decidedly distances the reader from the characters, but I felt it fit perfectly with the mood the story creates.
This book isn't asking you to love it's characters. There is no perfectly relatable heroine or handsome and righteous hero for you to latch unto and blindly root for like most YA novels. These characters aren't romanticized, and they're flawed in ways that aren't pretty.
You will doubtlessly want to fall in love with the devilishly charming Valentine or the brooding, thoughtful Christian. You will grasp at a straw, trying to project yourself unto Bicé or even Belle, but the story won't let you. At least not until the end. All the characters have their flaws, and their madness is laid out in front of you, but they are not worse than you or me.
This isn't a novel with a cutting edge, quick paced plot or with perfectly imperfect characters. This is a beautifully gothic tale of sin, human nature and redemption.
If you're someone who can't read a book without a page turning plotline or is someone who is simply looking for a light-hearted, entertaining read, then you might want to pass this book up. Another Faust is a different sort of captivating. It is captivating in a secretive, thought provoking sort of way.
I absolutely loved this book, although I can tell it's not going to be everyone's cup of tea. This definitely isn't a conventional YA book, which might turn off certain readers, but to me it was a welcome change.
The Nayeri's took a risk by using the Omniscient POV, as it isn't a popular choice anymore, especially when your audience is YA. The Omniscient POV decidedly distances the reader from the characters, but I felt it fit perfectly with the mood the story creates.
This book isn't asking you to love it's characters. There is no perfectly relatable heroine or handsome and righteous hero for you to latch unto and blindly root for like most YA novels. These characters aren't romanticized, and they're flawed in ways that aren't pretty.
You will doubtlessly want to fall in love with the devilishly charming Valentine or the brooding, thoughtful Christian. You will grasp at a straw, trying to project yourself unto Bicé or even Belle, but the story won't let you. At least not until the end. All the characters have their flaws, and their madness is laid out in front of you, but they are not worse than you or me.
This isn't a novel with a cutting edge, quick paced plot or with perfectly imperfect characters. This is a beautifully gothic tale of sin, human nature and redemption.
If you're someone who can't read a book without a page turning plotline or is someone who is simply looking for a light-hearted, entertaining read, then you might want to pass this book up. Another Faust is a different sort of captivating. It is captivating in a secretive, thought provoking sort of way.
November 18, 2009
Reason for Reading: The plot drove me to choosing this one. Plus, I'll admit the cover also attracted me.
Summary: Five children disappear from their homes, all ten years old. Five years later they all arrive at an elite New York high school with a governess in charge of them. They are all beautiful, brilliant or athletic and soon take over the school with their popularity. They each have a special talent such as stopping time, reading minds, etc. and they'll do anything to get what they want including making deals with the devil.
Comments: I absolutely loved this book so much! I really didn't know what to expect when I went into it as I have been avoiding reading any other reviews and it just surpassed all my possible expectations. The five teenagers range in temperament from nasty and backstabbing to shy and lonely. The governess is the real villain in this story and I was just tickled that she shared my name, Nicola. I don't come across my own name in literature all that often so that was fun for me. The story is amazing. I can't say much as it's best to find it all out on your own. The story slowly unravels itself chapter by chapter and has a very unexpected twist at the end which really brings home the dangers behind the classic story of selling one's soul to the devil. There's nothing I did not like about this book; the characters, the plot, the pacing, the theme made a brilliant reading experience for me which I was sad to see come to an end. The ending is satisfying and I heartily recommend this tale of greed, evil and redemption.
Summary: Five children disappear from their homes, all ten years old. Five years later they all arrive at an elite New York high school with a governess in charge of them. They are all beautiful, brilliant or athletic and soon take over the school with their popularity. They each have a special talent such as stopping time, reading minds, etc. and they'll do anything to get what they want including making deals with the devil.
Comments: I absolutely loved this book so much! I really didn't know what to expect when I went into it as I have been avoiding reading any other reviews and it just surpassed all my possible expectations. The five teenagers range in temperament from nasty and backstabbing to shy and lonely. The governess is the real villain in this story and I was just tickled that she shared my name, Nicola. I don't come across my own name in literature all that often so that was fun for me. The story is amazing. I can't say much as it's best to find it all out on your own. The story slowly unravels itself chapter by chapter and has a very unexpected twist at the end which really brings home the dangers behind the classic story of selling one's soul to the devil. There's nothing I did not like about this book; the characters, the plot, the pacing, the theme made a brilliant reading experience for me which I was sad to see come to an end. The ending is satisfying and I heartily recommend this tale of greed, evil and redemption.
September 19, 2009
Another Faust was filled splendid detail and glamours characters, but the overall story fell flat for me. I tried really hard to concentrate throughout the book, but some of the details were so long, my mind would wonder and then I'd have to start all over again.
I understood that the characters were robotic on purpose since they "sold their soul" to the devil, but they were still human and I was expecting them to be a little more personable. They weren't though, they felt too unrealistic.
Many confusing things happened throughout the book which made the storyline feel even more foggy. Some things I understood about how greed and hatred can consume people (I think that was what one of the main points), but I don't enjoy books that are dark and mysterious like that.
Though it took Brice the entire book just to figure out what was going on, it did have a good ending. I must say, because of the exordinary detail, I would try another Nayari book, but one that is not a gothic novel.
Overall, I wouldn't waste eye strain unless you're a gothic novel fan-but even then, I don't think I would recommend because mainly, you're more than likely to get bored with it.
Pages: 387 Year Published: August 2009 Publisher: Candlewick
Age Group: YA, ages 13+ Content: Dark, gothic style/mild sexual references
Recommend? No
Courtesy of BLT reviews: booksandliteratureforteens.blogspot.com
I understood that the characters were robotic on purpose since they "sold their soul" to the devil, but they were still human and I was expecting them to be a little more personable. They weren't though, they felt too unrealistic.
Many confusing things happened throughout the book which made the storyline feel even more foggy. Some things I understood about how greed and hatred can consume people (I think that was what one of the main points), but I don't enjoy books that are dark and mysterious like that.
Though it took Brice the entire book just to figure out what was going on, it did have a good ending. I must say, because of the exordinary detail, I would try another Nayari book, but one that is not a gothic novel.
Overall, I wouldn't waste eye strain unless you're a gothic novel fan-but even then, I don't think I would recommend because mainly, you're more than likely to get bored with it.
Pages: 387 Year Published: August 2009 Publisher: Candlewick
Age Group: YA, ages 13+ Content: Dark, gothic style/mild sexual references
Recommend? No
Courtesy of BLT reviews: booksandliteratureforteens.blogspot.com
August 5, 2016
There are some really great ideas in this book, but my objection to it comes from what I think is a pretty deep flaw in psychology. The authors present 4 children who were ready to make a deal with the devil in their youth -- around the age of 10 or 12. They disappear for a couple of years being trained in their new gifts and come back to the real world to start exercising them in their teen years. What bothers me is that, while they are supposedly quite ambitious, their ambitions are so easily channeled into the mundane activities of high school life. Sure, even precocious teens ARE interested in being pretty, popular, best on the team, best in debate, etc -- but I really think children who had a conception of making a deal with a devil and had life circumstances and emotional traumas large enough to make a Faustian bargain at age 10 would already be looking beyond high school at age 16.
That said, I was impressed with the conclusion of the book -- both how the one(s) who beat the devil did it and the fact that not everyone decided to walk away. Just as a side note I also think it's pretty freakin awesome that a brother and sister write together and write so well. Makes me a little jealous :)
That said, I was impressed with the conclusion of the book -- both how the one(s) who beat the devil did it and the fact that not everyone decided to walk away. Just as a side note I also think it's pretty freakin awesome that a brother and sister write together and write so well. Makes me a little jealous :)
July 28, 2009
I really enjoyed this book. It was dark and dangerous, just how I like it. These five "Faust" teenagers were quite intriguing, I connected with all their personalities since the book was beautifully written. However, their were times where it was just a tad bit wordy for me. I also didn't understand why most of the teenagers were blonde, but they all seem brunette on the cover? But, I did love how each teenager had a different "gift" that was given to them by the wicked governess. The concept of the novel pretty much sums up how each person embodies strength and weakness. Some people are more tempted to go to the dark side due to their greed or vanity. The book obviously was inspired by the play 'Doctor Faustus' which is a man who sold his soul to the devil, guess who the "devil" is in this book? Don't worry I haven't spoiled anything, it's evident once you read the book. My favorite part of the book was the ending! The last 100 pages were pure excitement. It brought everything together and it just all made sense. Overall, I liked it, and thought it was very different from the YA books out now.
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