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Prophecy of the Sisters #1
La profecía de las hermanas
Las siniestras circunstancias que rodean la muerte de su padre enturbian las vidas de las gemelas Lia y Alice Milthorpe. El misterio se instala entre las sombrías paredes de Birchwood, y el recelo que siempre habían sentido la una hacia la otra se acrecienta tanto que acaban convirtiéndose en enemigas. Una habitación oscura que invoca más que ninguna otra el recuerdo de la trágica muerte de su madre, ocurrida años atrás; un espeluznante ritual; la inexplicable aparición de una extraña marca en la muñeca de Lia; su ardiente pasión por James; el hallazgo de un libro muy antiguo de origen desconocido... El lector averiguará la relación que guardan estos sucesos y su significado de la mano de las jóvenes protagonistas, quienes, por fin, desvelarán el enigma de la profecía que durante generaciones ha enfrentado a unas hermanas con otras...
352 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2009
351 people are currently reading
21474 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Zink
29 books1,470 followersMichelle Zink is author of the Prophecy of the Sisters trilogy, A Temptation of Angels, and This Wicked Game. Her next book, Lies I Told, releases Spring 2015.
Learn more on Michelle's blog at www.michellezink.com.
Learn more on Michelle's blog at www.michellezink.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,578 reviews
December 3, 2008
It's my book! I can't NOT give it five stars!!! :D
November 29, 2010
I really do not like to give books bad ratings. I feel like an author puts a lot of energy into writing a book, and I should respect them for that. But, there comes a time when I am forced to do what I don't care to do, rate a book poorly. Such was the case with Prophecy of the Sisters. I went into this book with an open mind, and I was curious to see what Ms. Zink could do with the concept of sisters who are on the opposite side of an ancient battle between Heaven and Hell, if you will.
What were my issues with this story?
First of all, I don't feel that much was actually accomplished here. Mainly the situation was discussed, again and again with various people, and it was done in a rather vague fashion. The writing didn't come to life for me. The world-building was too pallid, and I never felt engaged into this story. The Victorian setting was not as vividly fleshed out as I would have liked--there was a generic historical feel to the story, instead of getting a distinct sense of time and place. I think that Ms. Zink did establish a gothic tone, but not to the degree that the sense of unease that should have been evoked was a sustained one. Honestly, for the serious nature of what these two sisters faced, it was very hard for me to actually care. There were only a couple of moments where I felt a sense of urgency and dread.
I didn't feel that the characters were very well-drawn either. Lia seemed a little bit wishy-washy to me. I felt that she had made her choice and was committed, but I didn't see a real sense of urgency or purpose in her. Alice, her sister, had chosen the opposite of Lia, she too seemed detached from the entire situation. I feel that the author wanted the reader to get a sinister vibe from Alice, but she seemed more petulant and skulking than frightening.
It's never a good sign when a reader has to force herself to keep reading, and constantly checks the page count. That's exactly what happened to me here. I was determined to finish this book because I needed it for my A to Z challenge, and not because I was compelled to find out what happened. Sadly, one of the few parts that engaged me filled me with such a sense of rage, I had to restrain my intense desire to fling this book against the wall with all my might. I don't think I could possibly have been more angry at something that occurs in this book, and Lia's lackluster reaction to it. Certainly, I understand the value of picking one's battles, but the manner in which she dealt with her sister's highly heinous actions was inappropriately subdued. I wanted to hate Lia for showing such passiveness and I certainly despised Alice for her cruel, selfish act that she tries to write off as not having had a choice in committing. You always have a choice. Certainly, one of the few redeeming parts of this book is that Lia didn't give in to what was suppposedly her fate, but made a choice to break the cycle, although I wish I saw more action from her from that standpoint.
To sum up, I was highly disappointed in this book. I don't like to say that a book is bad. But, this was certainly not a book I enjoyed or was happy with the reading experience. Instead, I am glad that I got it over with, and I am able to move onto other books which will engage me and enthrall me in the way that such an interesting concept like the one presented in Prophecy of the Sisters should have done, although it failed in the end in doing so. It is my hope that the forthcoming books are able to compensate for this book's shortcomings for other readers. As for myself, I have no desire to continue this series.
What were my issues with this story?
First of all, I don't feel that much was actually accomplished here. Mainly the situation was discussed, again and again with various people, and it was done in a rather vague fashion. The writing didn't come to life for me. The world-building was too pallid, and I never felt engaged into this story. The Victorian setting was not as vividly fleshed out as I would have liked--there was a generic historical feel to the story, instead of getting a distinct sense of time and place. I think that Ms. Zink did establish a gothic tone, but not to the degree that the sense of unease that should have been evoked was a sustained one. Honestly, for the serious nature of what these two sisters faced, it was very hard for me to actually care. There were only a couple of moments where I felt a sense of urgency and dread.
I didn't feel that the characters were very well-drawn either. Lia seemed a little bit wishy-washy to me. I felt that she had made her choice and was committed, but I didn't see a real sense of urgency or purpose in her. Alice, her sister, had chosen the opposite of Lia, she too seemed detached from the entire situation. I feel that the author wanted the reader to get a sinister vibe from Alice, but she seemed more petulant and skulking than frightening.
It's never a good sign when a reader has to force herself to keep reading, and constantly checks the page count. That's exactly what happened to me here. I was determined to finish this book because I needed it for my A to Z challenge, and not because I was compelled to find out what happened. Sadly, one of the few parts that engaged me filled me with such a sense of rage, I had to restrain my intense desire to fling this book against the wall with all my might. I don't think I could possibly have been more angry at something that occurs in this book, and Lia's lackluster reaction to it. Certainly, I understand the value of picking one's battles, but the manner in which she dealt with her sister's highly heinous actions was inappropriately subdued. I wanted to hate Lia for showing such passiveness and I certainly despised Alice for her cruel, selfish act that she tries to write off as not having had a choice in committing. You always have a choice. Certainly, one of the few redeeming parts of this book is that Lia didn't give in to what was suppposedly her fate, but made a choice to break the cycle, although I wish I saw more action from her from that standpoint.
To sum up, I was highly disappointed in this book. I don't like to say that a book is bad. But, this was certainly not a book I enjoyed or was happy with the reading experience. Instead, I am glad that I got it over with, and I am able to move onto other books which will engage me and enthrall me in the way that such an interesting concept like the one presented in Prophecy of the Sisters should have done, although it failed in the end in doing so. It is my hope that the forthcoming books are able to compensate for this book's shortcomings for other readers. As for myself, I have no desire to continue this series.
January 19, 2009
Nothing happens in this book! People take walks and talk. Then they ride horses and talk. Then they go into town and talk. All the girls are dumb. The only interesting one is Alice. She was only interesting because she's evil. This book is a rip off of A Great and Terrible Beauty. Gemma Doyle is way better than this. Definitely skip.
September 28, 2011
A review in book covers.
EXHIBIT A: First published in hardback with this cover:
It's a mirror image of a statue symbolising the identical twins on opposing sides in the book. It screams dark, gothic and mysterious.
EXHIBIT B: Now available in paperback with this cover:
Now this is an image of two very different girls with an airy fairy silver leaf design which is also present on every page.
I wanted to read EXHIBIT A but when it came to reading the story I got EXHIBIT B. I'll explain further. When I read the description and saw the cover for A I was intrigued, believing it would be an edgy Victorian story. Instead I got a deeply dull fluff piece where all the protagonist, 16-year-old Lia, does is walk, talk and worry. Step, blah, frown lines. Step, blah, frown lines.
I didn't finish. 160/352 pages read. Frustration won. I was defeated when I flipped through the rest and found more of the same. Oh wait, one character dies but I felt nothing even though the author attempts to elicit sympathy for their plight. It didn't work on me.
I don't have any guilt at not finishing this. There was nothing to keep me entertained. No wit, no romance -not really anyway except for an all ready established relationship with 19-year-old James from whom Lia distances herself. Alice, her twin becomes more and more...well, evil. It would've been interesting to have seen things from her perspective. Overall, a stupendous waste of time.
EXHIBIT A: First published in hardback with this cover:
It's a mirror image of a statue symbolising the identical twins on opposing sides in the book. It screams dark, gothic and mysterious.
EXHIBIT B: Now available in paperback with this cover:
Now this is an image of two very different girls with an airy fairy silver leaf design which is also present on every page.
I wanted to read EXHIBIT A but when it came to reading the story I got EXHIBIT B. I'll explain further. When I read the description and saw the cover for A I was intrigued, believing it would be an edgy Victorian story. Instead I got a deeply dull fluff piece where all the protagonist, 16-year-old Lia, does is walk, talk and worry. Step, blah, frown lines. Step, blah, frown lines.
I didn't finish. 160/352 pages read. Frustration won. I was defeated when I flipped through the rest and found more of the same. Oh wait, one character dies but I felt nothing even though the author attempts to elicit sympathy for their plight. It didn't work on me.
I don't have any guilt at not finishing this. There was nothing to keep me entertained. No wit, no romance -not really anyway except for an all ready established relationship with 19-year-old James from whom Lia distances herself. Alice, her twin becomes more and more...well, evil. It would've been interesting to have seen things from her perspective. Overall, a stupendous waste of time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2015
Was an interesting read.....
But don't think it was what I wanted to read at the time!
Loved how my town was mentioned in it though!
But don't think it was what I wanted to read at the time!
Loved how my town was mentioned in it though!
October 3, 2009
What a letdown :( After all of the awesome reviews on here, I expected Prophecy of the Sisters to be better. The idea is interesting, as is the twist in the story. Zink does a great job setting the scenes.... but that is the best I can say about this one.
Prophecy of the Sisters is a badly written mystery. You know, the sort where each discovery is a person/place/thing which only provides a certain amount of information... but always points the protagonist ~ in this case, Lia ~ in the right direction so she will easily find the next clue. While Lia professes frustration at the seeming impossibility of accomplishing her task, the reader is fully aware that more answers will be provided in the next chapter.
I also found Lia to be an unlikeable character. Granted, this novel takes place in 1890, so it is not unexpected that Lia is presented as somewhat stoic. But even her inner monolouge seems very proper and reserved.
Finally, the Spirits, Souls, Prophecies, etc. are given very specific rules, histories and boundaries. I'm not sure how to articulate my exact meaning... but when I read stories with paranormal aspects, there is always some mystery involved. But In Zink's world, the right book, spritualist, note and clue always hold the correct ~ and very exact ~ information about the secret of the Prophecy. Not a big deal on it's own.... but with Lia being very proper, the clues being in proper order and the secrets themselves being somewhat proper... all of the fun has been taken out of what could have been a creepy and haunting story.
Prophecy of the Sisters is a badly written mystery. You know, the sort where each discovery is a person/place/thing which only provides a certain amount of information... but always points the protagonist ~ in this case, Lia ~ in the right direction so she will easily find the next clue. While Lia professes frustration at the seeming impossibility of accomplishing her task, the reader is fully aware that more answers will be provided in the next chapter.
I also found Lia to be an unlikeable character. Granted, this novel takes place in 1890, so it is not unexpected that Lia is presented as somewhat stoic. But even her inner monolouge seems very proper and reserved.
Finally, the Spirits, Souls, Prophecies, etc. are given very specific rules, histories and boundaries. I'm not sure how to articulate my exact meaning... but when I read stories with paranormal aspects, there is always some mystery involved. But In Zink's world, the right book, spritualist, note and clue always hold the correct ~ and very exact ~ information about the secret of the Prophecy. Not a big deal on it's own.... but with Lia being very proper, the clues being in proper order and the secrets themselves being somewhat proper... all of the fun has been taken out of what could have been a creepy and haunting story.
shall-never-read-ever
August 3, 2011MOTHERFUCKER, I GOT TROLLED! TROLLED, I FUCKING TELL YOU! I was about to read it because the one of the two protagonists shares my namesake of a different variation (Lia/Leah), plus her twin sister is called Alice (see f-list). Until I fucking found out her love interest is called Dimitri, DIMITRI Y'ALL! (don't even ask me why). AWW HELL FUCKING NAW, I'M AVOIDING THIS SHIT LIKE A PLAGUE OF RUSSIAN STDs. Bitch, what the fuck? I'm sorry, if your name is Dimitri— DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT COMING NEAR ME, EVEN IN PAPER FORM, BECAUSE IT'S A TURN OFF.DO NOT TALK TO ME, I DON'T WANT TO TALK TO YOUR LONG HAIRED ASS. (I'll be lead to think you have long hair, a socially inept twat who likes to dress up in a cowboy costume and most likely to ride a white van)
This shit ain't fucking funny *clutches my pearls* I had a fucking heart attack and a hemorrhage this fucking morning.
This shit ain't fucking funny *clutches my pearls* I had a fucking heart attack and a hemorrhage this fucking morning.
January 20, 2009
A combination of depth, personality, and fun, Prophecy of the Sisters brings back all the joys of reading. It is a story one can fully immerse themselves in, due to a detailed plot and in-depth character analysis. The combination of 19th century lifestyle, mythical creatures, and biblical background makes this one of the most interesting books I've read. Michelle Zink develops her characters early, propelling the plot forward into a story full of twists and turns. One of the best written books I've read.
July 24, 2010
I'm not sure why I waited so long to read this book. But for some reason I was apprehensive to do so... I mean this book has been sitting on my bookshelf for ever! Probably a year... oops. And I am kicking myself for not picking it up earlier!
It was a little slow for me at first... there wasn't much happening, I was trying to figure out exactly what was going on. But the beautiful writing and the richly descriptive details of the era kept me engaged. Lia's story was so passionately told in the first person narrative, I couldn't help but contemplate and solve this mystery along with her. Just wow.... characterization was just awesome. Lia is what really drew me to the story, the mystery is probably what kept me reading, but Lia was the catalyst.
The premise of the story was something completely unique... to me at least. I haven't read anything quite like it. I've read novels about prophecies before but nothing that tied two sisters together in this sort of situation. It seems as though we still have a lot to learn about the Prophecy.... but the things we did discover are enough to hold the reader over until the next installment.
This novel is just gorgeous! The writing, the setting... the characters. It just works to well. The plot might have been a little slow, but the other elements of the story far outweigh that. I can't wait to read the next installment of this series! (And I won't have to wait long... Guardian of the Gate hits shelves Aug. 1!!!)
It was a little slow for me at first... there wasn't much happening, I was trying to figure out exactly what was going on. But the beautiful writing and the richly descriptive details of the era kept me engaged. Lia's story was so passionately told in the first person narrative, I couldn't help but contemplate and solve this mystery along with her. Just wow.... characterization was just awesome. Lia is what really drew me to the story, the mystery is probably what kept me reading, but Lia was the catalyst.
The premise of the story was something completely unique... to me at least. I haven't read anything quite like it. I've read novels about prophecies before but nothing that tied two sisters together in this sort of situation. It seems as though we still have a lot to learn about the Prophecy.... but the things we did discover are enough to hold the reader over until the next installment.
This novel is just gorgeous! The writing, the setting... the characters. It just works to well. The plot might have been a little slow, but the other elements of the story far outweigh that. I can't wait to read the next installment of this series! (And I won't have to wait long... Guardian of the Gate hits shelves Aug. 1!!!)
July 29, 2010
Lia and Alice Milthorpe are twin sisters that just became orphans. Their father has died a mysterious death, just as their mother did many years earlier. Following this tragic incident, Lia finds a tattoo-like mark on her wrist, her first clue that she is entangled in a mysterious prophecy that has a history of turning sisters against each other. Lia finds herself doubting whom to trust and what her role in the events shall be.
You know that quote "the opposite of love is not hate; it's indifference"? Well, that's how I feel about this book. I just didn't care about it at all. The book wasn't bad. When a book is bad, it works up negative feelings for me, and I end up with a ranting review of several pages. This book, however, was "meh" to the extreme.
Everything was dry, lifeless as a limp noodle. I could tell it wanted to be a gothic, A Great and Terrible Beauty-like tale, but it wasn't. Not in the least. There was no drama or tone or action. Lia had no personality and her narrtive consisted of telling rather than showing. All the characters did was sit and talk, walk and talk, ride horses and talk.
Alice was supposed to be a big bad sister that Lia was once close to, but I didn't get that impression. Alice and Lia were already distant by the beginning of the book, and perhaps if Zink had started out with them close, that would have created more tension.
There is also a love interest that doesn't even deserve mentioning.
And the Prophecy was all too easy to figure out. I was ages ahead of the characters and felt like a girlfriend tapping her foot, waiting for her boyfriend to catch up with her at the mall. There were several "surprises", but I wasn't particularly surprised.
I rarely don't finish a book. I believe in giving a book a chance. Well, I got to page 250 of this novel, and I couldn't care less about the ending. Huh. You know a book is flat when I say "couldn't care less". I hate that expression. There was this girl in middle school who said that about everything and I just wanted to punch her in the face. Anyway......
This book is a definite miss for me, which is kind of disappointing. The premise seemed intriguing, but as I didn't even finish the book, I doubt I will be reading the sequel. I am still astounded as to how people gave this book such good reviews. How did I miss that spark? Alas, my favorite thing about this book remains the cover.
You know that quote "the opposite of love is not hate; it's indifference"? Well, that's how I feel about this book. I just didn't care about it at all. The book wasn't bad. When a book is bad, it works up negative feelings for me, and I end up with a ranting review of several pages. This book, however, was "meh" to the extreme.
Everything was dry, lifeless as a limp noodle. I could tell it wanted to be a gothic, A Great and Terrible Beauty-like tale, but it wasn't. Not in the least. There was no drama or tone or action. Lia had no personality and her narrtive consisted of telling rather than showing. All the characters did was sit and talk, walk and talk, ride horses and talk.
Alice was supposed to be a big bad sister that Lia was once close to, but I didn't get that impression. Alice and Lia were already distant by the beginning of the book, and perhaps if Zink had started out with them close, that would have created more tension.
There is also a love interest that doesn't even deserve mentioning.
And the Prophecy was all too easy to figure out. I was ages ahead of the characters and felt like a girlfriend tapping her foot, waiting for her boyfriend to catch up with her at the mall. There were several "surprises", but I wasn't particularly surprised.
I rarely don't finish a book. I believe in giving a book a chance. Well, I got to page 250 of this novel, and I couldn't care less about the ending. Huh. You know a book is flat when I say "couldn't care less". I hate that expression. There was this girl in middle school who said that about everything and I just wanted to punch her in the face. Anyway......
This book is a definite miss for me, which is kind of disappointing. The premise seemed intriguing, but as I didn't even finish the book, I doubt I will be reading the sequel. I am still astounded as to how people gave this book such good reviews. How did I miss that spark? Alas, my favorite thing about this book remains the cover.
January 29, 2025
The vibe is all that matter here.
↠ 4 stars
↠ 4 stars
August 27, 2011
I love a story with a bit of a mystery that we get to solve along with the characters!
Prophecy of the Sisters has been a favourite of mine since I first read it in 2010. I then read the second one, but had to wait impatiently for the final book in the trilogy, Circle of fire. So imagine my excitment when I found it in my local book shop! It wasnt a difficult decision to re-read the first two books again.
I thought every one loved this book as much as I did, so imagine my surprise when I read some enlightening reviews on Goodreads. Some of the things mentioned were no sense of urgency, no real fear for the main characters, no real evil on the part of Alice (the evil twin!) and no real romance between Lia and her beau, James. And the fact that the final scenes were something that some people couldnt get past, claiming it didnt fit, or wasnt necessary...
I dunno, all valid points if you didnt like the book and want to pick at the small details, but heres why I love this book:
1. Yes, Lia and James' relationship may already be well established (they were childhood friends and now sweethearts) so we are thrown into the stoyr with an already well developed love story. However, I thought this was a nice change, we bypassed all the silly little school girl tangents that usually ensues. I wont give too much away, but Im glad we got to see this relationship travel its course, because the love story really picks up in the next book, Guardian of the Gate, but is got a little twist :-P
2. I thought this book was well paced. We weren't thrown into the story at some random place, it began at a very logical place, which sent into motion a whole lot of different events, that gained momentum as the characters and the readers find out more about the prophecy. It can be a little slow at times, but I see that as world building, character development, and establishing the relationships which will play and important part in the story to come.
3. As to the last scene It was a heartbreaker and a serious tear jerker. I dont think it was without purpose, even though it may not seem like it in this book (I cant remember exactly how it makes sense in the next book, but it does)
4. And that brings us to Alice: She doesnt start as the outright villan. She mopes, and sulks and glares and all that stuff. But what she does that is more evil than being obviously sinister, is the way she works in the background. Breaking protective spells left by their mother, luring Lia into danger, attempting to seduce James, working with the lost Souls and Samuel, and finally being instrumental in the tear jerker ending.
The writing was smooth and easy to fall into, the way the characters speak seems a little off, considering its supposed to be set in Victorian New York (it seems just a little to modern), but thats not too much of an issue. The characters all grow and develop, as do the relationships. I loved the relationship between Edmund, the coachman and the siblings, particularly Edmund and Henry. He becomes a big brother/father figure for him, as well as Lia, and its heartbreaking for him at the end.
The plot moves along nicely, and there is no sudden info dump randomly in the middle. The mystery unfurls itself as the characters solve clues.
This is definatley a book I reccommend to everyone :-)
Prophecy of the Sisters has been a favourite of mine since I first read it in 2010. I then read the second one, but had to wait impatiently for the final book in the trilogy, Circle of fire. So imagine my excitment when I found it in my local book shop! It wasnt a difficult decision to re-read the first two books again.
I thought every one loved this book as much as I did, so imagine my surprise when I read some enlightening reviews on Goodreads. Some of the things mentioned were no sense of urgency, no real fear for the main characters, no real evil on the part of Alice (the evil twin!) and no real romance between Lia and her beau, James. And the fact that the final scenes were something that some people couldnt get past, claiming it didnt fit, or wasnt necessary...
I dunno, all valid points if you didnt like the book and want to pick at the small details, but heres why I love this book:
1. Yes, Lia and James' relationship may already be well established (they were childhood friends and now sweethearts) so we are thrown into the stoyr with an already well developed love story. However, I thought this was a nice change, we bypassed all the silly little school girl tangents that usually ensues. I wont give too much away, but Im glad we got to see this relationship travel its course, because the love story really picks up in the next book, Guardian of the Gate, but is got a little twist :-P
2. I thought this book was well paced. We weren't thrown into the story at some random place, it began at a very logical place, which sent into motion a whole lot of different events, that gained momentum as the characters and the readers find out more about the prophecy. It can be a little slow at times, but I see that as world building, character development, and establishing the relationships which will play and important part in the story to come.
3. As to the last scene It was a heartbreaker and a serious tear jerker. I dont think it was without purpose, even though it may not seem like it in this book (I cant remember exactly how it makes sense in the next book, but it does)
4. And that brings us to Alice: She doesnt start as the outright villan. She mopes, and sulks and glares and all that stuff. But what she does that is more evil than being obviously sinister, is the way she works in the background. Breaking protective spells left by their mother, luring Lia into danger, attempting to seduce James, working with the lost Souls and Samuel, and finally being instrumental in the tear jerker ending.
The writing was smooth and easy to fall into, the way the characters speak seems a little off, considering its supposed to be set in Victorian New York (it seems just a little to modern), but thats not too much of an issue. The characters all grow and develop, as do the relationships. I loved the relationship between Edmund, the coachman and the siblings, particularly Edmund and Henry. He becomes a big brother/father figure for him, as well as Lia, and its heartbreaking for him at the end.
The plot moves along nicely, and there is no sudden info dump randomly in the middle. The mystery unfurls itself as the characters solve clues.
This is definatley a book I reccommend to everyone :-)
April 17, 2013
La Profecía de las Hermanas, libro primero de la trilogía del mismo nombre, de la autora Michelle Zink.
En esta primera entrega, Zink nos muestra cómo es posible conducir al público joven al (buen) gusto por la Literatura Gótica Contemporánea.
Teniendo en cuenta primero, que es una obra dirigida a un público teen, es fácil comprender la escasa profundidad a la hora de abordar ciertos temas (temas técnicos, que exigen un amplio bagaje, producto de extensas investigaciones), en los cuales la autora se podría haber hecho galas. Si, podría.
Bien, la historia trata sobre dos hermanas que se encuentran "condenadas" bajo una profecía (Eh!).
Tras la extraña muerte de sus padres, Alice y Lía se encuentran ligadas mucho más a allá del propio lazo de sangre que las une, a través de una marca con simbolismo legendario que las hace recorrer campos astrales y encontrarse con seres sobrenaturales.
La obra en general, es bastante buena, (personalmente me pareció muy entretenida) aunque tuve la misma sensación que al terminar de leer el libro "El Ocho" de Neville.
- Me explico: El argumento, los personajes, el tiempo y el lugar en donde se desarrollan las escenas fueron sumamente interesantes, pero llegado un cierto punto, la novela se queda anclada por falta de información.
La autora "cita" temas que deberían haber sido los desencadenantes de la historia, en otras palabras, "cita el quid" (no sé si me explico).
En La Profecía de las Hermanas, cuando se habla de (valga la redundancia) "La Profecía" existen en demasía cuestionamientos que quedan flotando en el aire, cómo: ¿De dónde viene La Profecía?, ¿Qué papel tuvieron los Druidas en la confección de la profecía?, ¿Por qué/Cómo murieron los padres de las hermanas?.
Se tocaron tan a la ligera temas cómo viajes astrales, dimensiones paralelas y posibles conecciones con Celtas que casi me sentí ofendida! :P
En fin, sin olvidar el hecho de que es un libro dirigido a un público teen, la superficialidad informativa no lo separa de un verdadero "Gótico Contemporáneo"
Me gustó, me gustó mucho.
Pero cuando leo gótico quiero hacerlo sin escatimar datos.
En esta primera entrega, Zink nos muestra cómo es posible conducir al público joven al (buen) gusto por la Literatura Gótica Contemporánea.
Teniendo en cuenta primero, que es una obra dirigida a un público teen, es fácil comprender la escasa profundidad a la hora de abordar ciertos temas (temas técnicos, que exigen un amplio bagaje, producto de extensas investigaciones), en los cuales la autora se podría haber hecho galas. Si, podría.
Bien, la historia trata sobre dos hermanas que se encuentran "condenadas" bajo una profecía (Eh!).
Tras la extraña muerte de sus padres, Alice y Lía se encuentran ligadas mucho más a allá del propio lazo de sangre que las une, a través de una marca con simbolismo legendario que las hace recorrer campos astrales y encontrarse con seres sobrenaturales.
La obra en general, es bastante buena, (personalmente me pareció muy entretenida) aunque tuve la misma sensación que al terminar de leer el libro "El Ocho" de Neville.
- Me explico: El argumento, los personajes, el tiempo y el lugar en donde se desarrollan las escenas fueron sumamente interesantes, pero llegado un cierto punto, la novela se queda anclada por falta de información.
La autora "cita" temas que deberían haber sido los desencadenantes de la historia, en otras palabras, "cita el quid" (no sé si me explico).
En La Profecía de las Hermanas, cuando se habla de (valga la redundancia) "La Profecía" existen en demasía cuestionamientos que quedan flotando en el aire, cómo: ¿De dónde viene La Profecía?, ¿Qué papel tuvieron los Druidas en la confección de la profecía?, ¿Por qué/Cómo murieron los padres de las hermanas?.
Se tocaron tan a la ligera temas cómo viajes astrales, dimensiones paralelas y posibles conecciones con Celtas que casi me sentí ofendida! :P
En fin, sin olvidar el hecho de que es un libro dirigido a un público teen, la superficialidad informativa no lo separa de un verdadero "Gótico Contemporáneo"
Me gustó, me gustó mucho.
Pero cuando leo gótico quiero hacerlo sin escatimar datos.
October 30, 2015
Στο σύνολο του είναι ένα αρκετά ωραίο βιβλίο, με γρήγορη πλοκή και αναπάντεχα γυρίσματα. Διαβάζεται πολύ ευχάριστα και εύκολα. Η ιστορία είναι αρκετά πρωτότυπη και η ηρωίδα γίνεται συμπαθής από την αρχή. Βέβαια δεν θα μπορούσα να το προτείνω ως εξαιρετικό. Είχε κάποια μικρά θεματάκια, γενικώς ,μου έβγαζε την αίσθηση ότι η ιστορία ήταν λίγο… άτακτη, λιγάκι... άτσαλη. Ήθελα να δουλευτεί ένα τσακ παραπάνω, τότε θα γινόταν καταπληκτικό. Δηλαδή οι διάλογοι και η αφήγηση ήταν λίγο πιο απλοϊκοί από όσο θα έπρεπε για να διατηρήσει την γκόθικ ατμόσφαιρα, η οποία ερχόταν και έφευγε σαν αίσθηση. Οι χαρακτήρες ήθελαν λίγο παραπάνω δουλίτσα για να τους βρεις ενδιαφέροντες και η ιστορία στο σύνολο της ήθελε παραπάνω χρόνο για να χωνευτεί (διότι γινόντουσαν πολλά) από αυτόν που τους έδωσε τελικά η συγγραφέας. Βέβαια αυτά είναι λεπτομερειούλες που πιστεύω στα επόμενα δυο βιβλία θα διορθωθούν. Η πρώτη συγγραφική προσπάθεια της Zink, είναι αρκετά καλή, θα συνεχίσω πολύ σύντομα με τα επόμενα.
October 6, 2017
3.5 Sterne :)
July 30, 2015
Smashingly average.
The novels opens as Lia's father is buried. The next day Lia learns that she & her twin Alice are the next in line of a prophecy that marks one twin as the "Gate" between Otherworlds & Earth, but marks the other twin as "Guardian" -- the person who keeps The Gate from allowing Satan's army to trample mortals underfoot. Lia is distressed to learn she's not just any Gate, but The Awesome Gate That Everyone Has Waited For because she's the one who can seal the worlds for good. Anyway, Lia needs four Keys to close the bridge, so there's a lot of looking. And discussion of looking. And sisterly angst. And missing of obvious clues. And looking again. There's some vaguely described metaphysical stuff. We watch as Lia buys into the Prophecy & lost souls warble within two days, then spends a week or two being confused & trying to contact her dead father. Eventually she travels to England to continue searching for the Keys. And...end scene.
I do think this had some intriguing ideas, & the writing itself was decent (though, once again, what's the point of first-person-present?). There's a nice aura of gothic gloom. I liked that Lia & her love interest were an item before the book begins, so they had a nicely grounded relationship. That said, it's clear that there will be a love triangle in future books, & I'm sure James will be tested by Alice & her jealousy. (Yawn. I don't mind these devices in theory -- but they're so bloody obvious.)
Quite simply, I felt no sense of urgency from anyone but Evil Twin Alice. The good guys kept repeating how important it was to save the world from Satan's minions, but their words rang hollow. The nature of the Keys was ho-hum, & the girls did a crappy job of searching for for one particularly vital clue...not to mention the hiding place was equally blatant, what with Lia's description making note of it. (C'mon, guys. Under the bed & behind the dresser aren't places where you'd stash a slip of paper that could deflect the Apocalypse.)
The book does have a handful of good scenes & some interesting tidbits...but the lackluster urgency, predictable plotting, & poorly executed Scooby Doo mystery are keeping my enthusiasm at a low ebb. Eventually I'll pick up Book 2, since I already own it, but if I hadn't bought them together I wouldn't be bothering.
The novels opens as Lia's father is buried. The next day Lia learns that she & her twin Alice are the next in line of a prophecy that marks one twin as the "Gate" between Otherworlds & Earth, but marks the other twin as "Guardian" -- the person who keeps The Gate from allowing Satan's army to trample mortals underfoot. Lia is distressed to learn she's not just any Gate, but The Awesome Gate That Everyone Has Waited For because she's the one who can seal the worlds for good. Anyway, Lia needs four Keys to close the bridge, so there's a lot of looking. And discussion of looking. And sisterly angst. And missing of obvious clues. And looking again. There's some vaguely described metaphysical stuff. We watch as Lia buys into the Prophecy & lost souls warble within two days, then spends a week or two being confused & trying to contact her dead father. Eventually she travels to England to continue searching for the Keys. And...end scene.
I do think this had some intriguing ideas, & the writing itself was decent (though, once again, what's the point of first-person-present?). There's a nice aura of gothic gloom. I liked that Lia & her love interest were an item before the book begins, so they had a nicely grounded relationship. That said, it's clear that there will be a love triangle in future books, & I'm sure James will be tested by Alice & her jealousy. (Yawn. I don't mind these devices in theory -- but they're so bloody obvious.)
Quite simply, I felt no sense of urgency from anyone but Evil Twin Alice. The good guys kept repeating how important it was to save the world from Satan's minions, but their words rang hollow. The nature of the Keys was ho-hum, & the girls did a crappy job of searching for for one particularly vital clue...not to mention the hiding place was equally blatant, what with Lia's description making note of it. (C'mon, guys. Under the bed & behind the dresser aren't places where you'd stash a slip of paper that could deflect the Apocalypse.)
The book does have a handful of good scenes & some interesting tidbits...but the lackluster urgency, predictable plotting, & poorly executed Scooby Doo mystery are keeping my enthusiasm at a low ebb. Eventually I'll pick up Book 2, since I already own it, but if I hadn't bought them together I wouldn't be bothering.
April 2, 2009
Gosh, I cannot finish this book! I put the book down, oh, two weeks ago and have been staring at it ever since. But I have no desire to pick it back up.
The characters are thin as rice paper and I have absolutely no sense of them as people. They sit, they talk, they walk....but they don't do anything. Lia is the main character, but we don't learn anything about her. Her twin sister, Alice, is a mere presence, despite the fact that she is our antagonist. It is also strange that supposedly the twins were once extremely close, but by the time the story opens, they are so far apart and so awkward that it's hard to believe that was ever true; and it also makes the prophecy less dramatic. How tragic would it be if the twins were inseparable?
What really got me was the writing. The idea behind the novel is good, but it doesn't feel fully fleshed out. Lia is the narrator, and while first person can be brilliant, she tells rather that shows. Because of this, there is no sense of time or place...or of the people that inhabit this place, including Lia. Everything seems very superficial and it becomes boring very quickly. It might just be me, but I couldn't stand that way the characters spoke! I could tell the author was going for a sort of antique formality, but it just sounded silly. It was overdone and felt very unnatural, and that irritated me.
And finally, I have to throw out that once again, we have a central love story that falls completely flat. Obviously, the problem is rooted in the superficial narrative--I don't care about Lia or James and so I can't care about their relationship. I don't even know what they see in one another!
The novel had a good idea and lots of potential, but this did nothing for me. I'm so disappointed!
The characters are thin as rice paper and I have absolutely no sense of them as people. They sit, they talk, they walk....but they don't do anything. Lia is the main character, but we don't learn anything about her. Her twin sister, Alice, is a mere presence, despite the fact that she is our antagonist. It is also strange that supposedly the twins were once extremely close, but by the time the story opens, they are so far apart and so awkward that it's hard to believe that was ever true; and it also makes the prophecy less dramatic. How tragic would it be if the twins were inseparable?
What really got me was the writing. The idea behind the novel is good, but it doesn't feel fully fleshed out. Lia is the narrator, and while first person can be brilliant, she tells rather that shows. Because of this, there is no sense of time or place...or of the people that inhabit this place, including Lia. Everything seems very superficial and it becomes boring very quickly. It might just be me, but I couldn't stand that way the characters spoke! I could tell the author was going for a sort of antique formality, but it just sounded silly. It was overdone and felt very unnatural, and that irritated me.
And finally, I have to throw out that once again, we have a central love story that falls completely flat. Obviously, the problem is rooted in the superficial narrative--I don't care about Lia or James and so I can't care about their relationship. I don't even know what they see in one another!
The novel had a good idea and lots of potential, but this did nothing for me. I'm so disappointed!
June 5, 2018
Want to see more bookish things from me? Check out my Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfer...
3.5/5 Stars
After the sudden and mysterious death of her father, Lia discovers a strange book in his library. It speaks of an ancient prophecy surrounding twin sisters and a demon Samuel. As Lia becomes worried about the role her sister Alice will play in the fulfillment of the prophecy, she must also come to terms with the role she will play.
I thought the concept behind this book was intriguing and the idea behind the Gate and the Guardian was interesting, but I am a bit confused between the two. I'm assuming it will be explained more in the second and third book in the trilogy. I did find the book to be a bit predictable and was able to call many of the plot lines. I thought the pacing was very well done and the story line progressed well. It didn't feel as though it was info dumpy, everything was revealed at the perfect time. I liked Lia as a character and her friendship with Sonia and Luisa. Alice fell a bit short for me and I didn't care much about what happened to her.
Overall, it was a quick and easy read. I am interested in the next book in the trilogy, but its not something I NEED to pick up.
3.5/5 Stars
After the sudden and mysterious death of her father, Lia discovers a strange book in his library. It speaks of an ancient prophecy surrounding twin sisters and a demon Samuel. As Lia becomes worried about the role her sister Alice will play in the fulfillment of the prophecy, she must also come to terms with the role she will play.
I thought the concept behind this book was intriguing and the idea behind the Gate and the Guardian was interesting, but I am a bit confused between the two. I'm assuming it will be explained more in the second and third book in the trilogy. I did find the book to be a bit predictable and was able to call many of the plot lines. I thought the pacing was very well done and the story line progressed well. It didn't feel as though it was info dumpy, everything was revealed at the perfect time. I liked Lia as a character and her friendship with Sonia and Luisa. Alice fell a bit short for me and I didn't care much about what happened to her.
Overall, it was a quick and easy read. I am interested in the next book in the trilogy, but its not something I NEED to pick up.
January 11, 2010
Prophecy of the Sisters is a Gothic novel set in Victorian New York. The story focuses on twin sisters, Lia and Alice, who are a part of this centuries old prophecy that pits them against one another. Lia is the main character and we only see Alice through Lia’s eyes, but you get a feel for each girl’s distinctive personality. The story starts off with death of the girl’s father and the appearance of a strange tattoo-like mark on Lia’s wrist. From there we get a view into their family, friends, and the paranormal that now surrounds their lives.
After a strange encounter spurs Lia into investigative mode, she becomes determined to discover the reason for the mark on her wrist, and for her sister’s increasingly strange behavior. What she discovers is that her family has some deep, dark secrets that she was never privy to, but that she would soon become the center of.
The thing about this book is that it is so different from any other YA book that I’ve ever read and it was a little harder to get into the swing of it at first. Michelle uses the most beautiful language and has developed these incredible characters, so once I started reading it more, I quickly found myself thoroughly involved in the story. Lia is such an emotional character that the reader can’t help but want to know where the story is taking her. Alice, on the other hand, is only seen through Lia’s eyes. She is portrayed as the ‘bad twin,’ but it’s hard to actually hate her because Lia never hates her. The reader feels everything that Lia feels, so the strongest part of the story is the relationship between the twins. The prophecy and the mystery surrounding it gives the story a great moody feel, but Lia and Alice’s confusing relationship is what had me hooked.
Every little aspect of this book had me reeling for more. The prophecy is interesting, the characters are rich, the settings are vivid, and the mini love story is delectable. From the moment Lia discovers the prophecy I needed to know more. The mythology behind the prophecy kept me interested and the possible outcome kept me reading from beginning to end. The twins are on opposite ends of the prophecy and are undoubtedly against one another, but they can’t help but love each other anyway. Their relationship changes so much over the course and of the novel and I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book.
I loved the language in the novel and Michelle did such an incredible job with her descriptions that I found myself needing more once I finished. The characters are so engaging and the premise just draws the reader in so much that it would be impossible for me to give this book a bad rating. I am definitely looking forward to the next two books in the series.
After a strange encounter spurs Lia into investigative mode, she becomes determined to discover the reason for the mark on her wrist, and for her sister’s increasingly strange behavior. What she discovers is that her family has some deep, dark secrets that she was never privy to, but that she would soon become the center of.
The thing about this book is that it is so different from any other YA book that I’ve ever read and it was a little harder to get into the swing of it at first. Michelle uses the most beautiful language and has developed these incredible characters, so once I started reading it more, I quickly found myself thoroughly involved in the story. Lia is such an emotional character that the reader can’t help but want to know where the story is taking her. Alice, on the other hand, is only seen through Lia’s eyes. She is portrayed as the ‘bad twin,’ but it’s hard to actually hate her because Lia never hates her. The reader feels everything that Lia feels, so the strongest part of the story is the relationship between the twins. The prophecy and the mystery surrounding it gives the story a great moody feel, but Lia and Alice’s confusing relationship is what had me hooked.
Every little aspect of this book had me reeling for more. The prophecy is interesting, the characters are rich, the settings are vivid, and the mini love story is delectable. From the moment Lia discovers the prophecy I needed to know more. The mythology behind the prophecy kept me interested and the possible outcome kept me reading from beginning to end. The twins are on opposite ends of the prophecy and are undoubtedly against one another, but they can’t help but love each other anyway. Their relationship changes so much over the course and of the novel and I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book.
I loved the language in the novel and Michelle did such an incredible job with her descriptions that I found myself needing more once I finished. The characters are so engaging and the premise just draws the reader in so much that it would be impossible for me to give this book a bad rating. I am definitely looking forward to the next two books in the series.
August 10, 2009
Lia Milthorpe is grieving for her father's mysterious and untimely death when she notices a strange mark that suddenly appears on her wrist. It is only the first of many strange occurances, because as Lia is soon to realize, she is the latest in a long line of twin sisters who play a part in an ancient prophecy. It is a prophecy that can bring about the end of days--the apocalypse--or prevent it. And the more Lia learns about it, the more she understands that the prophecy has pitted her against her twin sister, Alice.
Now, Lia and Alice race against each other to unlock the secrets of the prophecy.
There was a lot of interesting potential in this book, but most of it was wasted. My first major problem is with Alice. The setup of the book has Alice as the traditionally dominant sister, and suggests that Lia and Alice were at some point close. But we never see that. We only see Alice as distant and ominous. She's a chilling character from the beginning, but it's hard to understand what hold she has over Lia, because we never see them as friends or caring about each other at all.
The second problem is the pacing. The book moves veeeeeery slowly, and nothing much happens. One of my major quibbles with books in general is when the reader figures something out light years before the characters--and this was the case here. It was obvious almost instantly to me what the Keys were, and it annoyed me to no end that it took Lia and her friends so long to catch on as well.
Even the big confrontation and action at the end feels rushed. It's not a bad book. It's very atmospheric, and has potential. But more than feeling like it dragged, it felt like it wasn't going anywhere.
Now, Lia and Alice race against each other to unlock the secrets of the prophecy.
There was a lot of interesting potential in this book, but most of it was wasted. My first major problem is with Alice. The setup of the book has Alice as the traditionally dominant sister, and suggests that Lia and Alice were at some point close. But we never see that. We only see Alice as distant and ominous. She's a chilling character from the beginning, but it's hard to understand what hold she has over Lia, because we never see them as friends or caring about each other at all.
The second problem is the pacing. The book moves veeeeeery slowly, and nothing much happens. One of my major quibbles with books in general is when the reader figures something out light years before the characters--and this was the case here. It was obvious almost instantly to me what the Keys were, and it annoyed me to no end that it took Lia and her friends so long to catch on as well.
Even the big confrontation and action at the end feels rushed. It's not a bad book. It's very atmospheric, and has potential. But more than feeling like it dragged, it felt like it wasn't going anywhere.
August 30, 2009
I found Prophecy of the Sisters to be a highly original novel, I don't think I've read anything like it. I often shy away from historical novels but this one I knew I had to pick up and I wasn't disappointed. The way the characters carry themselves and behave was really exciting for me, I wanted to be sitting in the parlor playing cards with Lia and Henry and going up to my room where a fire was burning.
For some reason I had decided this book was going to be really really scary, don't ask me why, because I have no idea! I was pleasantly surprised the way the paranormal elements in the book handled. Personally I wouldn't even begin to imagine how paranormal elements would look 100 years ago but I think the author created something that really works and seems authentic to this time period.
I loved how the story unraveled itself, secret markings, letters, keys, all sorts of things that we still don't yet know all the answers to because this is a series. I totally called one of the earlier twists but one closer to the end of the book sure blew my mind, I never ever saw that coming and it makes me wonder what the author has in store for us next, I for one can't wait! I do wonder if we will ever see things from Lia's sister, Alice's perspective, I think that could be rather interesting!
For some reason I had decided this book was going to be really really scary, don't ask me why, because I have no idea! I was pleasantly surprised the way the paranormal elements in the book handled. Personally I wouldn't even begin to imagine how paranormal elements would look 100 years ago but I think the author created something that really works and seems authentic to this time period.
I loved how the story unraveled itself, secret markings, letters, keys, all sorts of things that we still don't yet know all the answers to because this is a series. I totally called one of the earlier twists but one closer to the end of the book sure blew my mind, I never ever saw that coming and it makes me wonder what the author has in store for us next, I for one can't wait! I do wonder if we will ever see things from Lia's sister, Alice's perspective, I think that could be rather interesting!
January 29, 2009
I just finished Prophecy of the Sisters, and I really enjoyed it. It was a little dark, but gripping at the same time, and I was impressed by the character development and plot intricacies. Many YA books that I read tend to have more simplistic plots and characters--but I think older kids want more development. The author has a great writing style--the older fashioned language flows so effortlessly. The ending left much to be desired however--so I hope there is a sequel planned! I didn't see any mention of it being a series on the ARC.
August 26, 2016
This review refers mostly to slovak edition and to poor translations. It still is partially true, but as I discovered the translator had made the book even worse. (my original english review is at the bottom of the page)
Videli ste niekedy takto spackaný preklad? Ja som doteraz skoro nikdy originálne texty s našimi slovenskými prekladmi neporovnávala, a to z dvoch dôvodov. Nikdy som sa nad tým poriadne nezamyslela a teda mi ani nenapadlo, že niekto to predsa musí preložiť a že sa mu to nie vždy musí podariť a tiež som nevedela po anglicky, takže porovnávanie ani nebolo v mojich silách. Neskôr som si prečítala pár článkov a sťažností na úroveň slovenských prekladov, ale nikdy som tomu nevenovala nejakú veľkú pozornosť.
Ale teraz, keďže som písala anglickú recenziu, som sa rozhodla si tú knihu stiahnuť po anglicky z netu a pripojiť k mojej recenzii zopár ukážok. A tak sa začalo moje prvé porovnávanie.. A viete čo som zistila? V originále by sa mi kniha rozhodne páčila viac. Však sa len pozrite na toto:
Anglická verzia: "Yes, well, now we shall be stuck inside for an interminable time, and it is so very dull here. Do you suppose Aunt Virginia will allow us to attend classes next week?" She continues without waiting for an answer. "Of course, you don't even care! You would be perfectly happy to never see Wycliffe again."
A takto je to preložené: (pripomínam, že dej knihy sa odohráva v 19. storočí!): "No jasné, teraz budeme trčať v dome bohvie ako dlho, a pritom je tu taká nuda. Myslíš, že teta Virginia nám dovolí ísť na budúci týždeň do školy?" Alica vôbec nečaká na moju odpoveď, nadýchne sa a pokračuje: "Pochopiteľne, tebe je to fuk! Tebe by vyhovovalo, keby si už v živote do Wycliffe nevkročila."
Ak chcete viac príkladov, stačí povedať. Takže, radím vám, že ak si chcete kúpiť túto knihu, kúpte si ju buď po česky (český preklad je skoro vždy na vyššej úrovni než ten náš - to som len počula, nemám to overené) alebo sa spoľahnite na originál. (aj keď priznajme si, že aj v originále sa kniha dá len ťažko považovať za "historický román" ;)
My original review
Do you know how many readers labeled this as historical fiction? 44. And now, let's think a bit. It could be said that when a book takes place in 19th century, it has to be historical fiction. But in my opinion it isn't that simple. I expect at least a bit of real history in it, but to accomplish it you need a research and this takes time, so what the author did? She reasoned: "I will have a prophecy and two sisters. There will be a battle between good and evil. But I feel something is missing. How could I make it more interesting? Hmmm.... I know! It will be so much better in 19th century with carriages, gloves and forbidden kisses. Horses, gowns, old manors... It sounds romantic. Well, that's it. Let's write."
And where does that leave us? We have girls who speak like today's teens, behave like today's teens, only instead of going somewhere in their own car, they hop on a carriage.
The present tense bothered me, the characters were dull and they always talked about doing something instead of just doing it. It was boring and it's unnecessary to say that I didn't like it. Some parts were okay and I didn't skim, that's why 2 stars.
Videli ste niekedy takto spackaný preklad? Ja som doteraz skoro nikdy originálne texty s našimi slovenskými prekladmi neporovnávala, a to z dvoch dôvodov. Nikdy som sa nad tým poriadne nezamyslela a teda mi ani nenapadlo, že niekto to predsa musí preložiť a že sa mu to nie vždy musí podariť a tiež som nevedela po anglicky, takže porovnávanie ani nebolo v mojich silách. Neskôr som si prečítala pár článkov a sťažností na úroveň slovenských prekladov, ale nikdy som tomu nevenovala nejakú veľkú pozornosť.
Ale teraz, keďže som písala anglickú recenziu, som sa rozhodla si tú knihu stiahnuť po anglicky z netu a pripojiť k mojej recenzii zopár ukážok. A tak sa začalo moje prvé porovnávanie.. A viete čo som zistila? V originále by sa mi kniha rozhodne páčila viac. Však sa len pozrite na toto:
Anglická verzia: "Yes, well, now we shall be stuck inside for an interminable time, and it is so very dull here. Do you suppose Aunt Virginia will allow us to attend classes next week?" She continues without waiting for an answer. "Of course, you don't even care! You would be perfectly happy to never see Wycliffe again."
A takto je to preložené: (pripomínam, že dej knihy sa odohráva v 19. storočí!): "No jasné, teraz budeme trčať v dome bohvie ako dlho, a pritom je tu taká nuda. Myslíš, že teta Virginia nám dovolí ísť na budúci týždeň do školy?" Alica vôbec nečaká na moju odpoveď, nadýchne sa a pokračuje: "Pochopiteľne, tebe je to fuk! Tebe by vyhovovalo, keby si už v živote do Wycliffe nevkročila."
Ak chcete viac príkladov, stačí povedať. Takže, radím vám, že ak si chcete kúpiť túto knihu, kúpte si ju buď po česky (český preklad je skoro vždy na vyššej úrovni než ten náš - to som len počula, nemám to overené) alebo sa spoľahnite na originál. (aj keď priznajme si, že aj v originále sa kniha dá len ťažko považovať za "historický román" ;)
My original review
Do you know how many readers labeled this as historical fiction? 44. And now, let's think a bit. It could be said that when a book takes place in 19th century, it has to be historical fiction. But in my opinion it isn't that simple. I expect at least a bit of real history in it, but to accomplish it you need a research and this takes time, so what the author did? She reasoned: "I will have a prophecy and two sisters. There will be a battle between good and evil. But I feel something is missing. How could I make it more interesting? Hmmm.... I know! It will be so much better in 19th century with carriages, gloves and forbidden kisses. Horses, gowns, old manors... It sounds romantic. Well, that's it. Let's write."
And where does that leave us? We have girls who speak like today's teens, behave like today's teens, only instead of going somewhere in their own car, they hop on a carriage.
The present tense bothered me, the characters were dull and they always talked about doing something instead of just doing it. It was boring and it's unnecessary to say that I didn't like it. Some parts were okay and I didn't skim, that's why 2 stars.
May 2, 2011
The year is 1890. Lia and her twin sister Alice have just been orphaned by the death of their father, and in the aftermath, Lia discovers that she and Alice have roles to play in an ominous prophecy. The prophecy pits the two against each other: one is the Gate, who has the potential to open the doors between the underworld and Earth; and the other is the Guardian, who is supposed to make sure that doesn’t happen. But while Lia just learned about the prophecy, Alice has a head start…
There have been a number of books recently that have been based on the legend of the fallen angels and the “daughters of men.” Prophecy of the Sisters is now several years old, yet feels fresher than most of its kind. Michelle Zink adds some interesting twists to the legend, including some allusions to Celtic myth that I can’t wait to see explored further.
Zink’s writing is beautiful, perfectly evoking a Gothic mood. The rainy gray skies and the sisters’ rambling, lonely house make for terrific dark-and-stormy-night reading. If you read Prophecy of the Sisters on a bright sunny day, it’ll probably surprise you when you look up from the book and realize it’s not actually raining in real life. The leaky carriage house full of forbidden books is a great touch too – and makes my bibliophilic heart ache! (I’d gladly give those books a good home!)
Lia tackles the prophecy with the help of two new friends, Sonia and Luisa. She has a sweetheart, too, but refuses to lean on James in any way. As a character decision, this is a little frustrating, because he’s willing to help and Lia’s stubbornness can be annoying. As an authorial decision, though, I like it. The YA field is filled, at the moment, with spineless heroines whose lives revolve around their love interest. It’s gratifying to see a heroine who teams up with her girl friends to solve her problems.
Alice, and Lia’s relationship with her, could use some fleshing out. Alice seems almost sociopathic at times, while at other times she seems heartbroken by the role laid out for her, and I’m not sure how much her behavior is being influenced by supernatural forces and how much of it is “just her.” I’d also like to have seen the overarching plot move a little further in this installment, but in general I enjoyed sinking into Lia’s deliciously Gothic world and will definitely be picking up Guardian of the Gate.
Prophecy of the Sisters is for you if you like Libba Bray’s GEMMA DOYLE series, Leanna Renee Hieber’s STRANGELY BEAUTIFUL series, or Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.
There have been a number of books recently that have been based on the legend of the fallen angels and the “daughters of men.” Prophecy of the Sisters is now several years old, yet feels fresher than most of its kind. Michelle Zink adds some interesting twists to the legend, including some allusions to Celtic myth that I can’t wait to see explored further.
Zink’s writing is beautiful, perfectly evoking a Gothic mood. The rainy gray skies and the sisters’ rambling, lonely house make for terrific dark-and-stormy-night reading. If you read Prophecy of the Sisters on a bright sunny day, it’ll probably surprise you when you look up from the book and realize it’s not actually raining in real life. The leaky carriage house full of forbidden books is a great touch too – and makes my bibliophilic heart ache! (I’d gladly give those books a good home!)
Lia tackles the prophecy with the help of two new friends, Sonia and Luisa. She has a sweetheart, too, but refuses to lean on James in any way. As a character decision, this is a little frustrating, because he’s willing to help and Lia’s stubbornness can be annoying. As an authorial decision, though, I like it. The YA field is filled, at the moment, with spineless heroines whose lives revolve around their love interest. It’s gratifying to see a heroine who teams up with her girl friends to solve her problems.
Alice, and Lia’s relationship with her, could use some fleshing out. Alice seems almost sociopathic at times, while at other times she seems heartbroken by the role laid out for her, and I’m not sure how much her behavior is being influenced by supernatural forces and how much of it is “just her.” I’d also like to have seen the overarching plot move a little further in this installment, but in general I enjoyed sinking into Lia’s deliciously Gothic world and will definitely be picking up Guardian of the Gate.
Prophecy of the Sisters is for you if you like Libba Bray’s GEMMA DOYLE series, Leanna Renee Hieber’s STRANGELY BEAUTIFUL series, or Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.
December 1, 2010
This is a story about two sisters who play opposing roles in fulfilling an ancient prophecy that determines the obliteration of mankind and apocalypse. One of the twins will be the Guardian, the other the Gate. One of them is good, and the other evil. At first, the story goes as I expect it to be, but soon the author inserts a twist which changes everything.
Amalia 'Lia' Milthorpe discovers a mark emerging on her wrist a few days after the strange death of her beloved father. She starts to encounter strange things which led her to unearth the mystery of the prophecy which is kept a secret by her parents when they were alive. The only person in her family who probably knows about this is her Aunt Virginia, who acts as an in loco parentis to the orphans. As she seeks her aunt's help, she also realizes that Alice is not what she seems.
Prophecy of the Sisters is very well-written, and I love Michelle Zink's literary prose. Not many authors can describe something that concerns the parallel universe with such ease and proficiency. The plot is one of the highlights of this novel. It is absolutely spellbinding. The author presents us with the prophecy, and then lets us know how Lia tries to find more information about it with the help of her aunt and two close friends who also bear the same mark as her. Each time she unravels a piece of information, I'm both surprised and excited to see what happens next.
Did I mention the twins also have a younger brother, Henry? Henry, a clever and cute ten-year-old boy, is a lovable character, but unfortunately he is ill-fated. I never thought he would end up that way. I really admire his spirit and determination to protect his sister, even if his own life is at stake. I wish I have the chance to know more about him.
As for Alice, I dislike her from the moment she abuses her cat. I somehow think that this girl is mentally twisted. I hate her even more when she does something evil to Henry, without any regrets. I wonder why Lia doesn't tell her aunt about it. Poor Henry...
Prophecy of the Sisters is an entertaining novel which is full of suspense, mysteries and shocking revelations. I recommend this book to teenagers and YA novel lovers.
Amalia 'Lia' Milthorpe discovers a mark emerging on her wrist a few days after the strange death of her beloved father. She starts to encounter strange things which led her to unearth the mystery of the prophecy which is kept a secret by her parents when they were alive. The only person in her family who probably knows about this is her Aunt Virginia, who acts as an in loco parentis to the orphans. As she seeks her aunt's help, she also realizes that Alice is not what she seems.
Prophecy of the Sisters is very well-written, and I love Michelle Zink's literary prose. Not many authors can describe something that concerns the parallel universe with such ease and proficiency. The plot is one of the highlights of this novel. It is absolutely spellbinding. The author presents us with the prophecy, and then lets us know how Lia tries to find more information about it with the help of her aunt and two close friends who also bear the same mark as her. Each time she unravels a piece of information, I'm both surprised and excited to see what happens next.
Did I mention the twins also have a younger brother, Henry? Henry, a clever and cute ten-year-old boy, is a lovable character, but unfortunately he is ill-fated. I never thought he would end up that way. I really admire his spirit and determination to protect his sister, even if his own life is at stake. I wish I have the chance to know more about him.
As for Alice, I dislike her from the moment she abuses her cat. I somehow think that this girl is mentally twisted. I hate her even more when she does something evil to Henry, without any regrets. I wonder why Lia doesn't tell her aunt about it. Poor Henry...
Prophecy of the Sisters is an entertaining novel which is full of suspense, mysteries and shocking revelations. I recommend this book to teenagers and YA novel lovers.
April 16, 2014
Lia und Alice trauern nach dem mysteriösen Tod ihres Vaters um das Familienoberhaupt. Nach dessen Tod erfahren die beiden Mädchen, dass sie Teil einer uralten Prophezeiung sind. Einer Prophezeiung, die das Ende der Welt bedeuten könnte.
Lia selbst ist das Tor zur Anderswelt, während ihre Schwester Alice als der Wächter dieses Tores gilt. Beiden fällt es schwer, sich in diese Rolle hineinzuversetzen und gerade Alice fällt es schwer, ihre Rolle als Wächter zu akzeptieren. Sie legt Lia Steine in den Weg, wo sie nur kann und tut alles dafür, damit Samael - der Dämon, welcher durch das Tor in diese Welt gelangen könnte - von ihrer Schwester besitzt ergreift.
Der Schreibstil war für die entsprechende Altergruppe, die laut Amazon vorgegeben ist, wirklich nachvollziehbar und einfach geschrieben. Er ist aus der Sicht von Lia geschrieben und dennoch hat es mich persönlich etwas gestört, dass sich das Buch tatsächlich hauptsächlich um Lia dreht. Mag sein, dass sie das Tor zu allem ist, dass sie bestimmte Hindernisse überwinden und Aufgaben erfüllen muss, aber ich habe in diesem Buch wirklich ein wenig die Spannung vermisst.
Okay, es ist lediglich der erste Band der Reihe, aber dennoch dreht sich in diesem hauptsächlich alles um die Trauer der Mädchen, wobei gerade Alice oftmals in den Hintergrund gerät.
Lia kam mir auch oftmals ziemlich naiv vor und ich hatte das Gefühl, sie einfach nur schütteln zu wollen, damit sie endlich einmal aufwacht.
Während der gesamten Storys "stolziert" sie lediglich durch die Gegend, um irgendwelchen Informanten aufzusuchen, welche sie doch nur an den nächsten verweisen.. und an den nächsten.. und an den nächsten..
Zudem fand ich teilweise etwas unglaubwürdig, als Lia und zwei ihrer Kameradinnen - welche reinzufällig mit der Prophezeiung in Verbundung stehen - versucht haben, mit den Toten zu reden. Bei mir persönlich hat das zumindest keinen bleibenden Eindruck hinterlassen und für mich hat das Buch folgendes Fazit hinterlassen: Kann man lesen, muss man aber nicht und obwohl mri bewusst ist, dass es lediglich der Auftakt einer Trilogie ist, werde ich sie nicht weiter verfolgen, da mich der erste Band einfach nicht fesseln konnte.
Lia selbst ist das Tor zur Anderswelt, während ihre Schwester Alice als der Wächter dieses Tores gilt. Beiden fällt es schwer, sich in diese Rolle hineinzuversetzen und gerade Alice fällt es schwer, ihre Rolle als Wächter zu akzeptieren. Sie legt Lia Steine in den Weg, wo sie nur kann und tut alles dafür, damit Samael - der Dämon, welcher durch das Tor in diese Welt gelangen könnte - von ihrer Schwester besitzt ergreift.
Der Schreibstil war für die entsprechende Altergruppe, die laut Amazon vorgegeben ist, wirklich nachvollziehbar und einfach geschrieben. Er ist aus der Sicht von Lia geschrieben und dennoch hat es mich persönlich etwas gestört, dass sich das Buch tatsächlich hauptsächlich um Lia dreht. Mag sein, dass sie das Tor zu allem ist, dass sie bestimmte Hindernisse überwinden und Aufgaben erfüllen muss, aber ich habe in diesem Buch wirklich ein wenig die Spannung vermisst.
Okay, es ist lediglich der erste Band der Reihe, aber dennoch dreht sich in diesem hauptsächlich alles um die Trauer der Mädchen, wobei gerade Alice oftmals in den Hintergrund gerät.
Lia kam mir auch oftmals ziemlich naiv vor und ich hatte das Gefühl, sie einfach nur schütteln zu wollen, damit sie endlich einmal aufwacht.
Während der gesamten Storys "stolziert" sie lediglich durch die Gegend, um irgendwelchen Informanten aufzusuchen, welche sie doch nur an den nächsten verweisen.. und an den nächsten.. und an den nächsten..
Zudem fand ich teilweise etwas unglaubwürdig, als Lia und zwei ihrer Kameradinnen - welche reinzufällig mit der Prophezeiung in Verbundung stehen - versucht haben, mit den Toten zu reden. Bei mir persönlich hat das zumindest keinen bleibenden Eindruck hinterlassen und für mich hat das Buch folgendes Fazit hinterlassen: Kann man lesen, muss man aber nicht und obwohl mri bewusst ist, dass es lediglich der Auftakt einer Trilogie ist, werde ich sie nicht weiter verfolgen, da mich der erste Band einfach nicht fesseln konnte.
July 6, 2009
PROPHECY OF THE SISTERS begins a trilogy that speaks of olden times, musty secrets, and shadowy danger everywhere you turn. Michelle Zink sets the mood extremely well: the threat of darkness lurks on every page, and I kept on picturing the story running through my head in black and white and sepia. This insistence on a lurking danger makes the story all the more suspenseful and will keep you reading, frantically flipping the pages as if that will release some of the tension.
This book is mostly exposition for the promise of more action, more peril in future books. Because of that, readers who crave nonstop action will have difficulty getting into this book. The reading is worth it, however, as the prophecy is intricately created and fascinatingly complex. I have no idea how Michelle made the ominous prophecy so captivating, but she does.
I would like to see more character development in the future novels. Because the story is told from Lia’s first-person point of view, I sometimes had trouble understanding how all the characters came to be who they are, and how their stories and personalities are interconnected. In particular, I’m curious to see Alice develop into more than just a suggestion of the “wicked sister;” she seems like such a fascinatingly evil character that I would’ve loved to see how she thinks, how she became that way!
Perhaps the most striking part of PROPHECY OF THE SISTERS, though, is its unpredictability. Michelle defies conventional storytelling and adds surprising twists and events that, in retrospect, seem as if they belonged there all along. This book is no happily-ever-after tale; Lia’s losses are truly tragic and thus poignant. Michelle understands that triumph hardly ever occurs without losses, some of which are heartbreaking.
All in all, PROPHECY OF THE SISTERS is a promising start to a trilogy that will appeal to fans of gothic literature or dark historical fiction with a hint of the occult. I look forward to reading more about where the prophecy takes Lia and the rest of the characters.
This book is mostly exposition for the promise of more action, more peril in future books. Because of that, readers who crave nonstop action will have difficulty getting into this book. The reading is worth it, however, as the prophecy is intricately created and fascinatingly complex. I have no idea how Michelle made the ominous prophecy so captivating, but she does.
I would like to see more character development in the future novels. Because the story is told from Lia’s first-person point of view, I sometimes had trouble understanding how all the characters came to be who they are, and how their stories and personalities are interconnected. In particular, I’m curious to see Alice develop into more than just a suggestion of the “wicked sister;” she seems like such a fascinatingly evil character that I would’ve loved to see how she thinks, how she became that way!
Perhaps the most striking part of PROPHECY OF THE SISTERS, though, is its unpredictability. Michelle defies conventional storytelling and adds surprising twists and events that, in retrospect, seem as if they belonged there all along. This book is no happily-ever-after tale; Lia’s losses are truly tragic and thus poignant. Michelle understands that triumph hardly ever occurs without losses, some of which are heartbreaking.
All in all, PROPHECY OF THE SISTERS is a promising start to a trilogy that will appeal to fans of gothic literature or dark historical fiction with a hint of the occult. I look forward to reading more about where the prophecy takes Lia and the rest of the characters.
November 8, 2008
I just finished reading PROPHECY OF THE SISTERS this morning and totally loved it.
PROPHECY follows Amalia and her twin, Alice. Shortly after their father's mysterious death, Lia discovers that a strange mark is appearing on her wrist, darkening with each passing day. And as she digs into the reasons behind such an odd occurance, she begins to battle with her sister. It seems these two play a role in a prophecy which has lasted centuries. A prophecy that must end with Lia and her sister.
But will Lia be able to keep an army of lost souls from entering earth and thus beginning the end of days, or will her twin sister and rival win out?
PROPHECY OF THE SISTERS is a dark, gripping, haunting tale. You'll love Amalia's vulnerabilities, you'll yearn to know what the keys are--and where they are hidden--and you'll flip the pages ever faster as you near the end.
All I can say is-- when does book 2 come out?
PROPHECY follows Amalia and her twin, Alice. Shortly after their father's mysterious death, Lia discovers that a strange mark is appearing on her wrist, darkening with each passing day. And as she digs into the reasons behind such an odd occurance, she begins to battle with her sister. It seems these two play a role in a prophecy which has lasted centuries. A prophecy that must end with Lia and her sister.
But will Lia be able to keep an army of lost souls from entering earth and thus beginning the end of days, or will her twin sister and rival win out?
PROPHECY OF THE SISTERS is a dark, gripping, haunting tale. You'll love Amalia's vulnerabilities, you'll yearn to know what the keys are--and where they are hidden--and you'll flip the pages ever faster as you near the end.
All I can say is-- when does book 2 come out?
February 14, 2009
A beautiful and mysterious fairytale that I could not put down. With a beautiful biblical reference and a wonderful good overcomes evil tale this book is sure to keep you reading into all hours of the night. This dark Gothic story has a delightfully hopeful side that you can't help but love. The main character Lia takes you on a journey of discovery, love, loss, and what it means to grow up. She left me with wanting more and dieing for a sequel.
March 26, 2013
1.5 stars
Note: I read the translated version of the book only, therefore some of the texts I used in the review might not be the same in the original English version.
Prophecy of the Sisters, like many other best sellers out there, has an attractive cover, but past experience had already taught me the importance of don't judge a book by its cover. Therefore I waited till the public library put book 1 and book 2 of the series up before getting my hands on them......
The opening of the story is catching: the mysterious death of a beloved father, the hint of a forbidden Dark Room in the family's mansion and a mother who died in it years ago. Both serve to be a good setup of a Gothic tale about ancient family curse, a strange prophecy and the twisted fate of a pair of twin sisters who were destined to battle one another.
What follows after such a strong opening isn't bad neither: Lia discovered her younger sister Alice's strange and frightening behaviors, also there's the discovery of a mysterious book and the prophecy which foretold a Guardian and a Gatekeeper, and the return of ancient evil. The Guardian's duty is to protect Earth from the evil force, while her twin, the Gatekeeper might end up becoming the gateway to let evil in.
All of the setup mentioned above have lot and lot of potential, but I soon found myself having problem with how the story is exercised, also I found it difficult to stomach the characters, their emotions and how convenient, made-believe everything in the book seems to be.
First, the main character Lia Milthorp sounds like a worn out woman in her middle-age than a 16 years old girl. She lacks curiosity and liveliness that would suit her age. Her evil twin Alice is the poster child of selfishness and mean-spirit, to a point that Alice's character comes off pretty much stereotyped.
As to Lia's love interest James (a male lead he is not), is too vague and insignificant a character to a point that he's barely there in the book. (Poor James!) Furthermore, his romance with Lia is so paper-thinned that I felt awkward just by reading about them together. Supporting characters like Sonia and Luisa, have a lot of promise in the beginning but soon their existence become very much like a plot device than anything else.
It also looks to me that Lia, as a young woman who lived a privileged, wealthy life, had absolutely no interest or awareness of what was going on outside the walls of her family's mansion and her private school. Why would I say such thing!? Simply because we got zero background information about the 1890 Victorian era society which the sisters were supposed to live in. I can't help thinking as a 'heroine', Lia is shockingly small-minded, seemingly unwilling to leave her comfort-zone and look at what's going on outside. (To think of it, many of Jane Austen's characters are more worldly and aware than Lia...who's supposed to be well learnt book lover.)
Plus, as the narrator of the story, Lia gives us not even a mention or a simple reference on any historical detail (e.g. the mourning custom, dress, social events, the customs of the upper class society, etc). It took me at least a good 50 pages before I figured out the sisters weren't living in the modern era. I really wish the author would bother herself to pen down a few historical details now and then, it won't hurt anyone.
*plot spoiler warning*
After discovering the strange book and the prophecy in it, Lia went seeking for some answer, and her quest leaded her to a young psychic called Sonia. Sonia told Lia the tale of fallen angels, the twins who seduced them, and the eternal battle of good and evil revolving around the twins' descendants......in no time at all Lia was buying this strange tale, without much of a second thought. Just...what the---? Am I the only one who thinks Lia's reaction is quite unbelievable?
As the story progresses, the tale of a pair of twin sisters, one evil and one good, who might serve to be the end of humankind or the end of the evil spirits who lurk in the dark spiritual worlds out there, is being reveled to us. So what's the origin of those evil spirits? Oh well, they actually are the Watchers, who fallen from God's good grace by their act of lust with mortal women.
In other words, the villains of the book are fallen angels who bedded the daughters of men, once upon a time. The Arch Evil of the story, the leader of the fallen angels is the guy who's supposed to be Satan. Oh well, a very original idea isn't it? (Thinks: Angelology, Hush, Hush and Fallen)
Wait! Since when Satan is supposed to be God's most beloved angel and one of the fallen Watchers who bedded mortal women? Did Miss Zink ever check Wiki to figure out who the hell is Lucifer, who the hell are the Watchers and who the hell is Satan?
In the first half of the book, Miss Zink wanted to lead us to a merry-go-round of 'Who Lia is supposed to be? The Guardian or The Gatekeeper?' From the way the story is progressed, I guess Miss Zink really, really did try very hard in order to give us the surprise. But the problem is, she tried too hard, and the 'surprise' becomes---well, not much a surprise after all. Nice try, Miss Zink; but next time please don't think your readers are all that stupid, okay?
And then in the middle of all these, the other characters figured out Lia is an angel.......yes, an angel......OMG WHERE DID THIS COME FROM DAMNIT? Sadly even to the end of the book, I still can't figure out whether she literally was an angel, or was 'angel' just a metaphor.
In the latter part of the book, Lia and her friends start to travel from the material world to the spiritual ones, but the description of those spiritual worlds is very weak and unremarkable. The Gothic aura we once recognized in the beginning of the book, is by now all stripped away. When there's a supposedly scary scene, I don't find it scary; when there's a supposed ominous scene, it isn't dark enough to me, when there's a supposed magical scene of wonder, it's plain and lacking in description. If Miss Zink aimed to create a dark gloomy Gothic tale, then I'd have to say she had failed.
To make things worse, many of the plots and setting look forced and made-believe as well, again and again I was told something was important but by the way people handle said issues--simply sitting down and talking the issues over, then decided to do this or that thing, without much planning or cautious. And we're supposed to believe the future of humankind rests on those people's shoulders?!? I want to weep.
The ending part of the book, to tell the truth it's really frustrating, nothing is solved and nothing is achieved, more still barely a thing of any importance ever happens! Such ending really doesn't deserve much of a mention. Okay, to tell you the truth one character died in the end, but what his death had served? Nothing, just nothing. If his death is supposed to show us how cold-blooded Alice is, then Alice with all her cold-bloodiness and dark fearsome power, had done way too little to achieve her evil plan. Through out the book we can only see Alice hiding somewhere practicing dark magic, but what she had ever done with her fearsome power? Nothing of importance.
The Final Words:
Well, it's not a bad book but it isn't good neither. Read it when you can find it in the library. Also I'd suggest you to read Beautiful Creatures--it's a YA but it has better-built characters, more convincing romance and a lot more historical reference already; or Anne Rice's The Witching Hour.
Note: I read the translated version of the book only, therefore some of the texts I used in the review might not be the same in the original English version.
Prophecy of the Sisters, like many other best sellers out there, has an attractive cover, but past experience had already taught me the importance of don't judge a book by its cover. Therefore I waited till the public library put book 1 and book 2 of the series up before getting my hands on them......
The opening of the story is catching: the mysterious death of a beloved father, the hint of a forbidden Dark Room in the family's mansion and a mother who died in it years ago. Both serve to be a good setup of a Gothic tale about ancient family curse, a strange prophecy and the twisted fate of a pair of twin sisters who were destined to battle one another.
What follows after such a strong opening isn't bad neither: Lia discovered her younger sister Alice's strange and frightening behaviors, also there's the discovery of a mysterious book and the prophecy which foretold a Guardian and a Gatekeeper, and the return of ancient evil. The Guardian's duty is to protect Earth from the evil force, while her twin, the Gatekeeper might end up becoming the gateway to let evil in.
All of the setup mentioned above have lot and lot of potential, but I soon found myself having problem with how the story is exercised, also I found it difficult to stomach the characters, their emotions and how convenient, made-believe everything in the book seems to be.
First, the main character Lia Milthorp sounds like a worn out woman in her middle-age than a 16 years old girl. She lacks curiosity and liveliness that would suit her age. Her evil twin Alice is the poster child of selfishness and mean-spirit, to a point that Alice's character comes off pretty much stereotyped.
As to Lia's love interest James (a male lead he is not), is too vague and insignificant a character to a point that he's barely there in the book. (Poor James!) Furthermore, his romance with Lia is so paper-thinned that I felt awkward just by reading about them together. Supporting characters like Sonia and Luisa, have a lot of promise in the beginning but soon their existence become very much like a plot device than anything else.
It also looks to me that Lia, as a young woman who lived a privileged, wealthy life, had absolutely no interest or awareness of what was going on outside the walls of her family's mansion and her private school. Why would I say such thing!? Simply because we got zero background information about the 1890 Victorian era society which the sisters were supposed to live in. I can't help thinking as a 'heroine', Lia is shockingly small-minded, seemingly unwilling to leave her comfort-zone and look at what's going on outside. (To think of it, many of Jane Austen's characters are more worldly and aware than Lia...who's supposed to be well learnt book lover.)
Plus, as the narrator of the story, Lia gives us not even a mention or a simple reference on any historical detail (e.g. the mourning custom, dress, social events, the customs of the upper class society, etc). It took me at least a good 50 pages before I figured out the sisters weren't living in the modern era. I really wish the author would bother herself to pen down a few historical details now and then, it won't hurt anyone.
*plot spoiler warning*
After discovering the strange book and the prophecy in it, Lia went seeking for some answer, and her quest leaded her to a young psychic called Sonia. Sonia told Lia the tale of fallen angels, the twins who seduced them, and the eternal battle of good and evil revolving around the twins' descendants......in no time at all Lia was buying this strange tale, without much of a second thought. Just...what the---? Am I the only one who thinks Lia's reaction is quite unbelievable?
As the story progresses, the tale of a pair of twin sisters, one evil and one good, who might serve to be the end of humankind or the end of the evil spirits who lurk in the dark spiritual worlds out there, is being reveled to us. So what's the origin of those evil spirits? Oh well, they actually are the Watchers, who fallen from God's good grace by their act of lust with mortal women.
In other words, the villains of the book are fallen angels who bedded the daughters of men, once upon a time. The Arch Evil of the story, the leader of the fallen angels is the guy who's supposed to be Satan. Oh well, a very original idea isn't it? (Thinks: Angelology, Hush, Hush and Fallen)
Wait! Since when Satan is supposed to be God's most beloved angel and one of the fallen Watchers who bedded mortal women? Did Miss Zink ever check Wiki to figure out who the hell is Lucifer, who the hell are the Watchers and who the hell is Satan?
In the first half of the book, Miss Zink wanted to lead us to a merry-go-round of 'Who Lia is supposed to be? The Guardian or The Gatekeeper?' From the way the story is progressed, I guess Miss Zink really, really did try very hard in order to give us the surprise. But the problem is, she tried too hard, and the 'surprise' becomes---well, not much a surprise after all. Nice try, Miss Zink; but next time please don't think your readers are all that stupid, okay?
And then in the middle of all these, the other characters figured out Lia is an angel.......yes, an angel......OMG WHERE DID THIS COME FROM DAMNIT? Sadly even to the end of the book, I still can't figure out whether she literally was an angel, or was 'angel' just a metaphor.
In the latter part of the book, Lia and her friends start to travel from the material world to the spiritual ones, but the description of those spiritual worlds is very weak and unremarkable. The Gothic aura we once recognized in the beginning of the book, is by now all stripped away. When there's a supposedly scary scene, I don't find it scary; when there's a supposed ominous scene, it isn't dark enough to me, when there's a supposed magical scene of wonder, it's plain and lacking in description. If Miss Zink aimed to create a dark gloomy Gothic tale, then I'd have to say she had failed.
To make things worse, many of the plots and setting look forced and made-believe as well, again and again I was told something was important but by the way people handle said issues--simply sitting down and talking the issues over, then decided to do this or that thing, without much planning or cautious. And we're supposed to believe the future of humankind rests on those people's shoulders?!? I want to weep.
The ending part of the book, to tell the truth it's really frustrating, nothing is solved and nothing is achieved, more still barely a thing of any importance ever happens! Such ending really doesn't deserve much of a mention. Okay, to tell you the truth one character died in the end, but what his death had served? Nothing, just nothing. If his death is supposed to show us how cold-blooded Alice is, then Alice with all her cold-bloodiness and dark fearsome power, had done way too little to achieve her evil plan. Through out the book we can only see Alice hiding somewhere practicing dark magic, but what she had ever done with her fearsome power? Nothing of importance.
The Final Words:
Well, it's not a bad book but it isn't good neither. Read it when you can find it in the library. Also I'd suggest you to read Beautiful Creatures--it's a YA but it has better-built characters, more convincing romance and a lot more historical reference already; or Anne Rice's The Witching Hour.
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