What do you think?
Rate this book
Wintercraft #1
Shadowcry
Those who wish to see the dark, be ready to pay your price.
The Night of Souls—when the veil between the living and the dead is thinnest—is only days away. Albion is at war . . . and losing. And fifteen-year-old Kate Winters has just raised a blackbird from the dead.
As her home is torn apart, Kate’s discovery that she is one of the rare people who can cross the veil between life and death makes her the most hunted person in all of Albion. Captured and taken to the graveyard city of Fume—where her parents met their deaths ten years ago—Kate must harness her extraordinary powers to save herself, her country, and the two men she cares for most. And she’ll make a pact with a murderer to do it.
The Night of Souls—when the veil between the living and the dead is thinnest—is only days away. Albion is at war . . . and losing. And fifteen-year-old Kate Winters has just raised a blackbird from the dead.
As her home is torn apart, Kate’s discovery that she is one of the rare people who can cross the veil between life and death makes her the most hunted person in all of Albion. Captured and taken to the graveyard city of Fume—where her parents met their deaths ten years ago—Kate must harness her extraordinary powers to save herself, her country, and the two men she cares for most. And she’ll make a pact with a murderer to do it.
311 pages, Hardcover
First published May 13, 2010
66 people are currently reading
3595 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 327 reviews
April 27, 2017
*4.5 Stars* What an incredibly fascinating and unique world Burtenshaw has created. I honestly can't believe that this is her first book. I was completely enthralled after reading just the first chapter, and the story grabs onto you and doesn't let go until the last page.
Kate Winters lives in Morvane on the island of Albion, where she works in her Uncle's bookstore. When she was five her town was harvested by the wardens; people were collected and rounded up to be sold as slaves or to become soldiers in the never-ending war against the Continent. Kate was spared, but her parents were not. She hid in a secret spot while her parents were dragged away, never to be seen by Kate again.
The wardens descend on the towns to look for the Skilled as well - people that can enter the Veil; the land of the dead. Kate is fifteen now and she doesn't know it yet, but she is destined to be one of the most powerful of the Skilled in ages, and more than one person is looking for her.
A lot of times in fantasy novels the author gets hung up on creating some crazy fantastical world and the story gets lost while you try to make sense of things. Burtenshaw takes something that is unbelievable and makes it easy to understand. There's a sense of tense excitement throughout the whole novel, and you can't help but want to turn the pages faster and faster to find out what will happen to the characters.
Kate doesn't believe in her abilities and the Veil at first, but the rate at which she accepts things is both imaginable and feels real. Kate wants to help what is left of her family and friends, and tries to do what she thinks is right. She isn't so stubborn that she kicks and fights against her fate; she takes hold of it with both hands.
At first, Silas Dane is the supposed villain of the novel, but his role exists in a decidedly grey area. He's a tortured man whose soul has been blackened against his will, but his and Kate's lives become forever enmeshed together.
The imagery that Burtenshaw uses to describe the world she has created is magical. I could imagine everything clearly, which can be a difficult feat when different realms and rituals are involved.
I loved the characters, was fascinated by the world, and drawn into the story completely. I've read that at least two more books are planned in this series, and I wholeheartedly look forward to reading them. This was simply a great first book by a new author, and one I'll watch for years to come.
Kate Winters lives in Morvane on the island of Albion, where she works in her Uncle's bookstore. When she was five her town was harvested by the wardens; people were collected and rounded up to be sold as slaves or to become soldiers in the never-ending war against the Continent. Kate was spared, but her parents were not. She hid in a secret spot while her parents were dragged away, never to be seen by Kate again.
The wardens descend on the towns to look for the Skilled as well - people that can enter the Veil; the land of the dead. Kate is fifteen now and she doesn't know it yet, but she is destined to be one of the most powerful of the Skilled in ages, and more than one person is looking for her.
A lot of times in fantasy novels the author gets hung up on creating some crazy fantastical world and the story gets lost while you try to make sense of things. Burtenshaw takes something that is unbelievable and makes it easy to understand. There's a sense of tense excitement throughout the whole novel, and you can't help but want to turn the pages faster and faster to find out what will happen to the characters.
Kate doesn't believe in her abilities and the Veil at first, but the rate at which she accepts things is both imaginable and feels real. Kate wants to help what is left of her family and friends, and tries to do what she thinks is right. She isn't so stubborn that she kicks and fights against her fate; she takes hold of it with both hands.
At first, Silas Dane is the supposed villain of the novel, but his role exists in a decidedly grey area. He's a tortured man whose soul has been blackened against his will, but his and Kate's lives become forever enmeshed together.
The imagery that Burtenshaw uses to describe the world she has created is magical. I could imagine everything clearly, which can be a difficult feat when different realms and rituals are involved.
I loved the characters, was fascinated by the world, and drawn into the story completely. I've read that at least two more books are planned in this series, and I wholeheartedly look forward to reading them. This was simply a great first book by a new author, and one I'll watch for years to come.
June 14, 2015
Wintercraft is a debut novel, which has had quite a lot of buzz leading up to it's publication date. The cover is awesome and I was very much looking forward to reading this book which is being marketed as an alternative to vampires and angels, and I was definitely up for something refreshing and new.
Although Wintercraft is a solid debut, with good writing and a flowing plot, it didn't blow me away. The landscape in Wintercraft is vibrant and descriptions of places and scenes are well thought out, unfortunately I didn't feel the same about the characters.
Kate is a young girl with a gift. She can see into the 'veil', the boundary between worlds and see through spirits of others. I found Kate's character to be rather flat. I didn't really get a sense of who she was until around a hundred pages from the end, which is when the book kicked into gear for me with regards to excitement and energy. Much of the book we see Kate running, hiding and getting caught, or escaping, running, hiding and getting caught again, which was rather repetitive. Edgar, Kate's best friends' role was that of rescuer and not much else.
The character which stood out by far was that of Silas, the evil element to the story. However, he wasn't evil enough, instead I found myself feeling sympathetic towards him and his plight as a man brought back from death but living with no soul. He wishes for death and thinks that Kate and her gift are the key to getting what he wants. He is the most colourful character of all and his cold, harsh exterior and violent nature, which we really don't see that much of, hides a small part that is still good. For me, the true evil in Wintercraft is found in Da'ru, a member of the High Council.
I also feel that this book would be more suitable for younger teens because although the main protagonist, Kate, is around fifteen, she is quite a young fifteen and didn't have the same maturity I have found when reading other young adults books with the same aged protagonists.
Verdict:
Sadly Wintercraft didn't engage me as much as I hoped it would. I wish the characters were more developed, as I prefer my books to be quite character driven, and didn't really think that the plot alone was substantial enough to carry the book. However, Wintercraft is a fun fantasy and I'm sure many fantasy fans will enjoy it.
Although Wintercraft is a solid debut, with good writing and a flowing plot, it didn't blow me away. The landscape in Wintercraft is vibrant and descriptions of places and scenes are well thought out, unfortunately I didn't feel the same about the characters.
Kate is a young girl with a gift. She can see into the 'veil', the boundary between worlds and see through spirits of others. I found Kate's character to be rather flat. I didn't really get a sense of who she was until around a hundred pages from the end, which is when the book kicked into gear for me with regards to excitement and energy. Much of the book we see Kate running, hiding and getting caught, or escaping, running, hiding and getting caught again, which was rather repetitive. Edgar, Kate's best friends' role was that of rescuer and not much else.
The character which stood out by far was that of Silas, the evil element to the story. However, he wasn't evil enough, instead I found myself feeling sympathetic towards him and his plight as a man brought back from death but living with no soul. He wishes for death and thinks that Kate and her gift are the key to getting what he wants. He is the most colourful character of all and his cold, harsh exterior and violent nature, which we really don't see that much of, hides a small part that is still good. For me, the true evil in Wintercraft is found in Da'ru, a member of the High Council.
I also feel that this book would be more suitable for younger teens because although the main protagonist, Kate, is around fifteen, she is quite a young fifteen and didn't have the same maturity I have found when reading other young adults books with the same aged protagonists.
Verdict:
Sadly Wintercraft didn't engage me as much as I hoped it would. I wish the characters were more developed, as I prefer my books to be quite character driven, and didn't really think that the plot alone was substantial enough to carry the book. However, Wintercraft is a fun fantasy and I'm sure many fantasy fans will enjoy it.
September 23, 2011
You would think that being able to bring a bird back to life would be a good thing. For Kate that life could be the death of her.
Kate Winters has been living a quiet life in her small town with her uncle Artemis, content as the village booksellers. But their sleepy little town is overdue for a visit from the harvesters, wardens from the city of Fume who abduct people and sell them as servants and soldiers for the war front. The most hunted and prized prisoners are the Skilled, humans with the ability to see into the veil, the world between worlds. The Skilled also possess powers to heal and see the future. Unfortunately for Kate she comes from a long and distinguished line of Skilled, and some very dangerous people know it. They will stop at nothing to capture and harness her power for their own agendas.
I found Shadowcry a bit of a drag. It literally had no life to carry you through the plot development and world building. I forced myself to finish it. For me there was nothing really to latch onto. The characters seemed to bumble through the story, Kate was too naive, too stubborn, not at all clever, or interesting to be likeable. Well she might be interesting but the author didn't really elaborate on her character or much of any other. Edgar her not-so romantic lead seemed sweet with his bungled attempts to save Kate, but there were so many gaps in his description I'm not even sure what he looks like or if he's a brave, or a fool, he comes off less as a hero and more of a contradiction. I like Artemis for a moment, but then the author makes a point of casting him as a coward and close-minded, and not worth saving, which makes Kate look dumb for doing the right thing. I get that she wanted to create flawed characters, but those flaws only work if the people are endearing. The bad guys Silas and Da'ru were more fleshed out. Silas most of all, since his situation was more interesting than most being not quite alive yet unable to die. But these are the villains and I don't want to get to know them better than the heroine. The pet crow should not be my favorite character, which (sadly) it is. Overall I found the cast annoying.
Shadowcry made me want to cry. The concept was promising, I thought it was going to be a twist on necromancy, but with an overly imagined world and underly developed characters the book falls flat. It was written well, but becoming immersed in such a dark and dreary world with no romance or interesting personalities to add color and life to the story it turned out bland, especially when a majority of the action happens in the last two chapters. Those Who Still Wish to See the Dark, Be Ready to Pay Your Price. In Boredom.
Kate Winters has been living a quiet life in her small town with her uncle Artemis, content as the village booksellers. But their sleepy little town is overdue for a visit from the harvesters, wardens from the city of Fume who abduct people and sell them as servants and soldiers for the war front. The most hunted and prized prisoners are the Skilled, humans with the ability to see into the veil, the world between worlds. The Skilled also possess powers to heal and see the future. Unfortunately for Kate she comes from a long and distinguished line of Skilled, and some very dangerous people know it. They will stop at nothing to capture and harness her power for their own agendas.
I found Shadowcry a bit of a drag. It literally had no life to carry you through the plot development and world building. I forced myself to finish it. For me there was nothing really to latch onto. The characters seemed to bumble through the story, Kate was too naive, too stubborn, not at all clever, or interesting to be likeable. Well she might be interesting but the author didn't really elaborate on her character or much of any other. Edgar her not-so romantic lead seemed sweet with his bungled attempts to save Kate, but there were so many gaps in his description I'm not even sure what he looks like or if he's a brave, or a fool, he comes off less as a hero and more of a contradiction. I like Artemis for a moment, but then the author makes a point of casting him as a coward and close-minded, and not worth saving, which makes Kate look dumb for doing the right thing. I get that she wanted to create flawed characters, but those flaws only work if the people are endearing. The bad guys Silas and Da'ru were more fleshed out. Silas most of all, since his situation was more interesting than most being not quite alive yet unable to die. But these are the villains and I don't want to get to know them better than the heroine. The pet crow should not be my favorite character, which (sadly) it is. Overall I found the cast annoying.
Shadowcry made me want to cry. The concept was promising, I thought it was going to be a twist on necromancy, but with an overly imagined world and underly developed characters the book falls flat. It was written well, but becoming immersed in such a dark and dreary world with no romance or interesting personalities to add color and life to the story it turned out bland, especially when a majority of the action happens in the last two chapters. Those Who Still Wish to See the Dark, Be Ready to Pay Your Price. In Boredom.
November 21, 2011
I read only 186 pages, but I can say that just LOVED Silas.
He is tall, dark, mysterious, dead (yeah... dead as a doornail... nobody is perfect).... the men of your dreams!!!
But only this character wasn't enough to captivated me.
Maybe was the public to which the books was written (it's a YA book) or the fact that the "walk on the land of the dead" thing was written to much similar to the wonderful book of Garth Nix
... I don't known exactly what make me abandon this book, but certainly if reading this book you like her power try to read Lirael of Garth Nix and tell me after if don't seem that Jenna Burtenshaw was too much similar to his story.
3 stars... all to Silas.
He is tall, dark, mysterious, dead (yeah... dead as a doornail... nobody is perfect).... the men of your dreams!!!
But only this character wasn't enough to captivated me.
Maybe was the public to which the books was written (it's a YA book) or the fact that the "walk on the land of the dead" thing was written to much similar to the wonderful book of Garth Nix
... I don't known exactly what make me abandon this book, but certainly if reading this book you like her power try to read Lirael of Garth Nix and tell me after if don't seem that Jenna Burtenshaw was too much similar to his story.3 stars... all to Silas.
January 9, 2020
3.5 stars
This was an enjoyable YA fantasy; I enjoyed the world-building and found most of the cast of characters intriguing, though the villains were more fleshed-out. It's moves along at quite a pace, and has what I came to think of as some steampunk-esque elements (mainly with the train). Nice, easy, escapist read, which is very good for my tired brain at the moment.
This was an enjoyable YA fantasy; I enjoyed the world-building and found most of the cast of characters intriguing, though the villains were more fleshed-out. It's moves along at quite a pace, and has what I came to think of as some steampunk-esque elements (mainly with the train). Nice, easy, escapist read, which is very good for my tired brain at the moment.
June 22, 2013
Jenna Burtenshaw's Shadowcry has been on my radar for quite some time, ever since a friend read it and loved it. With a review copy of book three in hand, I've embarked on the full series, always a risky venture, yet one that I can't resist. Obviously, I have will power issues. Shadowcry stands unique from the bulk of young adult fiction, but, thus far, isn't the ideal read for me personally.
As I say over and over again, what really makes me interested in a book are the characters. Whether I love them or not, I almost always need to connect to them in some way, to feel that they're in some measure real to really get involved in the book. World building and writing for their own sake get me only so far. Shadowcry definitely focuses more on those aspects than on character, so I had a lot of trouble maintaining interest, even though, objectively, I can appreciate a lot of what Burtenshaw has done here.
Shadowcry starts dramatically with Kate and her uncle Artemis preparing to flee before the Wardens, the men who killed her mother and father, arrive in town. They do not make it out of the bookshop Artemis owns in time however. Blackbirds, the precursors to the Wardens, have arrived, pecking madly and dying on the streets. The scene is eerie and horrifying.
The Wardens are looking for the Skilled, people with the ability to bridge the veil, the space between life and death. If one of these dead birds is touched by someone Skilled, the bird will return to life. In the process of rescuing Ethan, who works for Artemis, from the barrage of dying birds, Kate touches one and it comes back to life in her hands. The blackbird flaps up the chimney, alerting Silas, the head collector of the Skilled to her existence.
Kate and Ethan are on the run, pursued by Silas. They don't know who to trust, and have no idea what they can do. The concept of the Skilled is fascinating, and I like the complex nature of Silas' character. He is not entirely good or evil, and not entirely human either. Kate is a great heroine, too, full of fire and strength. She never crumples in the face of adversity, and constantly tries to rescue Ethan and Artemis. There's a definite sense in the book that the female characters are the strongest ones and that's awesome. Also, I know some folks are really sick of books dominated by romance, so, just fyi, there's absolutely no romance in Shadowcry.
Despite all that good stuff, my main reaction to Shadowcry was boredom. Since there wasn't any focus on character development really, I just wasn't all that engaged. Before I can care much about the world or the dramatic events, I need to care about the characters.
So far, the Wintercraft series has not proved the ideal read for me, but I have hoped for Blackwatch. I do think Shadowcry is a good book, but just not what I was hoping for or what works for me personally.
As I say over and over again, what really makes me interested in a book are the characters. Whether I love them or not, I almost always need to connect to them in some way, to feel that they're in some measure real to really get involved in the book. World building and writing for their own sake get me only so far. Shadowcry definitely focuses more on those aspects than on character, so I had a lot of trouble maintaining interest, even though, objectively, I can appreciate a lot of what Burtenshaw has done here.
Shadowcry starts dramatically with Kate and her uncle Artemis preparing to flee before the Wardens, the men who killed her mother and father, arrive in town. They do not make it out of the bookshop Artemis owns in time however. Blackbirds, the precursors to the Wardens, have arrived, pecking madly and dying on the streets. The scene is eerie and horrifying.
The Wardens are looking for the Skilled, people with the ability to bridge the veil, the space between life and death. If one of these dead birds is touched by someone Skilled, the bird will return to life. In the process of rescuing Ethan, who works for Artemis, from the barrage of dying birds, Kate touches one and it comes back to life in her hands. The blackbird flaps up the chimney, alerting Silas, the head collector of the Skilled to her existence.
Kate and Ethan are on the run, pursued by Silas. They don't know who to trust, and have no idea what they can do. The concept of the Skilled is fascinating, and I like the complex nature of Silas' character. He is not entirely good or evil, and not entirely human either. Kate is a great heroine, too, full of fire and strength. She never crumples in the face of adversity, and constantly tries to rescue Ethan and Artemis. There's a definite sense in the book that the female characters are the strongest ones and that's awesome. Also, I know some folks are really sick of books dominated by romance, so, just fyi, there's absolutely no romance in Shadowcry.
Despite all that good stuff, my main reaction to Shadowcry was boredom. Since there wasn't any focus on character development really, I just wasn't all that engaged. Before I can care much about the world or the dramatic events, I need to care about the characters.
So far, the Wintercraft series has not proved the ideal read for me, but I have hoped for Blackwatch. I do think Shadowcry is a good book, but just not what I was hoping for or what works for me personally.
March 28, 2013
A spellbinding supernatural story that delicately interweaves ancient magic and spinechilling suspense
This gothic creation is utterly breathtaking, with such a colorful mix of interesting characters that are greatly memorable and likeable. Wintercraft is the first installment within a spectacular Young Adult fantasy trilogy, with ‘Blackwatch’ (book 2) and ‘Legacy’ (book 3) continuing Kate’s journey. I did feel that this book contained elements within that would appeal to readers who enjoy books such as Sabriel, as it includes sympathetic villains and characters who express such independent thought. Jenna Burtenshaw’s in-depth world building is impressive, as I totally believed in Albion and those who inhabit this mystical place which is full of sinister secrets and danger.
One follows the story of Kate Winters who is not only torn from family members but is hunted by dangerous enemies, like Silas Dane who is a merciless killer haunted by memories. Kate is skilled with the ability to see through the veil of life and death, and as the Night of Souls approaches she may be the key to the fate of her world…with the clues to her power hidden within the book of Wintercraft.
This is an inspired magical creation of such epic proportions, which many readers both younger and older Young Adults/ teenagers will love. I found it really easy to loose myself within this tale that is highly readable and most enjoyable – to those with a vivid imagination! I also have to mention how much I treasure the beauty of the paranormal cover and embellished pages, which transport one instantly to the author’s world. This is a light, fun and totally fantastical read of sheer sublime storytelling in which dreams really do become reality. Since reading Wintercraft I am now very keen to delve into book 2 of this spectacular saga and so I praise highly this brilliant book.
www.wintercraft.co.uk – Enter the world of Wintercraft…meet the characters, visit the key locations and find out more about the important places in Wintercraft. Find out more about characters such as Da’ru Marr, Edgar Rill and Artemis Winters and locations like Morvane, Fume and the City Below. Visit the high council chambers and the thieves’ way and also, extras – computer desktop wallpaper!*
This gothic creation is utterly breathtaking, with such a colorful mix of interesting characters that are greatly memorable and likeable. Wintercraft is the first installment within a spectacular Young Adult fantasy trilogy, with ‘Blackwatch’ (book 2) and ‘Legacy’ (book 3) continuing Kate’s journey. I did feel that this book contained elements within that would appeal to readers who enjoy books such as Sabriel, as it includes sympathetic villains and characters who express such independent thought. Jenna Burtenshaw’s in-depth world building is impressive, as I totally believed in Albion and those who inhabit this mystical place which is full of sinister secrets and danger.
One follows the story of Kate Winters who is not only torn from family members but is hunted by dangerous enemies, like Silas Dane who is a merciless killer haunted by memories. Kate is skilled with the ability to see through the veil of life and death, and as the Night of Souls approaches she may be the key to the fate of her world…with the clues to her power hidden within the book of Wintercraft.
This is an inspired magical creation of such epic proportions, which many readers both younger and older Young Adults/ teenagers will love. I found it really easy to loose myself within this tale that is highly readable and most enjoyable – to those with a vivid imagination! I also have to mention how much I treasure the beauty of the paranormal cover and embellished pages, which transport one instantly to the author’s world. This is a light, fun and totally fantastical read of sheer sublime storytelling in which dreams really do become reality. Since reading Wintercraft I am now very keen to delve into book 2 of this spectacular saga and so I praise highly this brilliant book.
www.wintercraft.co.uk – Enter the world of Wintercraft…meet the characters, visit the key locations and find out more about the important places in Wintercraft. Find out more about characters such as Da’ru Marr, Edgar Rill and Artemis Winters and locations like Morvane, Fume and the City Below. Visit the high council chambers and the thieves’ way and also, extras – computer desktop wallpaper!*
January 9, 2012
Hmmmmm. I think the best word to sum up how this book felt to me is 'terse'. It's a solid debut, and an interesting take on necromancy, but the plot moved so quickly that it sort of blurred before my eyes. The settings were fascinating and richly described, but shifted too swiftly. I actually think this would work wonderfully in a visual medium - there's a lot of atmosphere in those descriptions that would be lovely to watch on a screen.
As far as characters went, I didn't really connect to most of them. Kate was smart and resourceful and strong, which was fun to read, but I never got worried for her. Silas was interesting, and I look forward to learning more about him in the sequel. I could really care less about Edgar, though I did appreciate the fact that there was no romance betwee him and Kate and the 'two men she cares about most' from the jacket appear to have been him and her uncle.
The magic system was flashy and cool but confusing. I like my magics a little closer to science, all full of rules and limitations and cause and effect, so it didn't work for me as well as others have. Still, I hope that sequels will develop it and the world a bit more. This felt in general like more of a prologue than a fully-fledged story, but it was good enough that I'll keep an eye out for the next one nonetheless and hope it's somewhat more engaging.
As far as characters went, I didn't really connect to most of them. Kate was smart and resourceful and strong, which was fun to read, but I never got worried for her. Silas was interesting, and I look forward to learning more about him in the sequel. I could really care less about Edgar, though I did appreciate the fact that there was no romance betwee him and Kate and the 'two men she cares about most' from the jacket appear to have been him and her uncle.
The magic system was flashy and cool but confusing. I like my magics a little closer to science, all full of rules and limitations and cause and effect, so it didn't work for me as well as others have. Still, I hope that sequels will develop it and the world a bit more. This felt in general like more of a prologue than a fully-fledged story, but it was good enough that I'll keep an eye out for the next one nonetheless and hope it's somewhat more engaging.
September 4, 2018
Was expecting another generic "oooh MC has special powers no one has and must save the world or something" YA novel but I ended up enjoying it far more than expected. Mostly because of Silas' story arc and the weird relationship between Kate and him.
February 27, 2012
What a perfect read for a lazy day. The story was engaging, though not particularly deep. I didn't feel much connection to the characters, but was easily drawn into the world. It reminded me of a very light version of Sabriel. And Burtenshaw is the master of creating the sympathetic villain. Really enjoyed it. Also liked that it didn't end in a cliffhanger, but still has me wanting the next book. If you aren't in the mood for a series, you could definitely read this as a stand-alone.
February 19, 2016
Initial rating: 4 stars.
I remember the first time I bought this book as a trial read back in 2013 that I practically flew through the pages and finished it with an unbearable desire to immediately get the next book. I remember thinking that I loved the world-building, really liked the characters and loved the relationships between them. I remember finishing the second book of this trilogy and waiting eagerly to purchase the final book, which until this day, I still haven't yet begun.
A few years later, I was eager to finish off this trilogy so I began rereading it from the beginning. I realised then that whatever crazed fit that possessed me and made me praise this book wasn't quite the same the second time around. Maybe I blame it from the influence of some of the lower-rated reviews I'd read. Maybe it was because I'd grown as a reader. Maybe it was because I was still in the throes of a reading slump that I was desperate to shake off.
After reflecting on this a bit, I think what made me cling to this book intensely was because of Silas Dane. Silas is, without a doubt, the only interesting character in this book, possibly because he isn't quite the villain nor is he a hero and this is what makes him interesting and worth reading about. His strange link and bond with Kate is what kept me wanting to know more about this world. He and Kate interact a lot together - strange especially since they're supposed to portray the protagonist-antagonist roles yet their exchanges aren't always so hostile. There are times when Silas can be very rough and indifferent towards Kate however ("You will find the book simply because I demand it of you," said Silas. "Your promises mean nothing to me.") yet at other times, he seems capable of showing a gentle and caring side too ("[Kate] fell down... down... and something tugged at her arm. Silas looked down at her, a strong hand clasped around her wrist... 'Climb onto me,' he said."). Every time I start to get a little bored during my reading, something that Silas says or does catches my interest again, urging me to keep going.
Silas is definitely an enigma, but a strange and inconsistent one as he keeps you guessing and it's never confirmed what it is he really, really thinks of Kate or other people. I find him intriguing and likeable because there's just a lot of grey areas in his character. However, this isn't to say that Silas is a perfectly well-written character. I do still find some aspects of the way he is written and portrayed to be problematic at times. Nevertheless, Silas is, as I'd said before - perhaps the only reason I didn't rate this book any lower than 3 stars.
The best words I can describe about Wintercraft after reading it a second time is "almost but never quite there."
The story and premise itself is interesting at best, as is the world it is set in, but somehow, after reading it this second time around, I realise that I couldn't quite grasp or knew what the actual plot was about nor what the conflict actually was. The writing and descriptions were good and written well enough but somehow I find them a little unmemorable - as in for some reason, I couldn't hold the picture of the world or scene in my head long enough after reading the words. The characters - Kate, Edgar, Artemis, the wardens, the cityfolk of Fume - never seem to stand out as characters or as people.
Kate herself is actually not that good of a protagonist. She has motivations, yes - in trying to save her uncle, Artemis from the wardens - but she never does much to reach those goals and instead, lets herself be swept into situations or gets pushed around by others (especially Silas). Even when she doesn't quite reach those goals, she goes around blaming herself for not doing anything even it was obvious that there were external circumstances that were to blame.
Edgar is one of those characters who are a bit of a mystery. I'd been intrigued by him when we first discover some of his past life and his connections and knowledge of the Skilled people and the wardens/council/Da'ru. However, I felt that he shared the same kind of blandness that Kate has. His relationship with Kate was pretty interesting - I found his loyalty to her rather admirable I guess - but at times, I felt that his sudden presence and absence throughout the book got pretty annoying quickly. He would pop up in one scene to 'save' Kate only to get separated from her again and come back to Kate at another scene and is gone again and this happens a lot throughout the story. Perhaps this may be why I preferred Silas, who felt more solid as a character and stays around long enough in the story to leave an impression on me.
The villain, Da'ru, felt unconvincing and not threatening at all, despite the fact that so many of the characters keep warning us constantly about how terrible she is. She felt like a one-dimensional villain and I couldn't quite grasp nor understand what her motivations were or why she was so evil. I felt that there was a lot more telling than there was of showing to us how evil Da'ru is.
This also goes for the book Wintercraft, the central object of this story. We keep hearing about how infamous and terrible it is yet we never exactly find out or understand what Wintercraft really is about. Is it a manual? Is it a spellbook? Is it a 'good' book or a 'bad' one? What can it do? What sorts of things can it do? I felt like I just can't seem to grasp what this book is about and this is kind of worrying especially since the title of this story is 'Wintercraft'.
As for secondary characters? The Skilled were quite forgettable and weren't given that much of attention and don't bother trying to picture the cityfolk of Fume. Despite the trivial role they played in the last scene of the book, they don't feel like secondary characters at all but just a blurred backdrop for the central characters to stand against. You could've swapped these people with stones and it wouldn't have changed anything much. I'm not quite sure why this bothers me a lot. When you are describing a world that you built yourself, as a reader, I want to have a feel of everything - the atmosphere, the setting, the society, the lifestyle, the minor characters, something to help convince me of this world. Wintercraft did try to achieve that but didn't quite make it.
Overall, this isn't a bad read, per se. I genuinely enjoyed this book on my first read but came to realise that it wasn't as phenomenal and amazing the second time around. Despite that, I still am intrigued and interested to know what will happen to all these characters and not just Silas. Perhaps it will get better. Perhaps it may not. Whatever it is, I'm still willing to give this trilogy a go and a place on my bookshelf.
I remember the first time I bought this book as a trial read back in 2013 that I practically flew through the pages and finished it with an unbearable desire to immediately get the next book. I remember thinking that I loved the world-building, really liked the characters and loved the relationships between them. I remember finishing the second book of this trilogy and waiting eagerly to purchase the final book, which until this day, I still haven't yet begun.
A few years later, I was eager to finish off this trilogy so I began rereading it from the beginning. I realised then that whatever crazed fit that possessed me and made me praise this book wasn't quite the same the second time around. Maybe I blame it from the influence of some of the lower-rated reviews I'd read. Maybe it was because I'd grown as a reader. Maybe it was because I was still in the throes of a reading slump that I was desperate to shake off.
After reflecting on this a bit, I think what made me cling to this book intensely was because of Silas Dane. Silas is, without a doubt, the only interesting character in this book, possibly because he isn't quite the villain nor is he a hero and this is what makes him interesting and worth reading about. His strange link and bond with Kate is what kept me wanting to know more about this world. He and Kate interact a lot together - strange especially since they're supposed to portray the protagonist-antagonist roles yet their exchanges aren't always so hostile. There are times when Silas can be very rough and indifferent towards Kate however ("You will find the book simply because I demand it of you," said Silas. "Your promises mean nothing to me.") yet at other times, he seems capable of showing a gentle and caring side too ("[Kate] fell down... down... and something tugged at her arm. Silas looked down at her, a strong hand clasped around her wrist... 'Climb onto me,' he said."). Every time I start to get a little bored during my reading, something that Silas says or does catches my interest again, urging me to keep going.
Silas is definitely an enigma, but a strange and inconsistent one as he keeps you guessing and it's never confirmed what it is he really, really thinks of Kate or other people. I find him intriguing and likeable because there's just a lot of grey areas in his character. However, this isn't to say that Silas is a perfectly well-written character. I do still find some aspects of the way he is written and portrayed to be problematic at times. Nevertheless, Silas is, as I'd said before - perhaps the only reason I didn't rate this book any lower than 3 stars.
The best words I can describe about Wintercraft after reading it a second time is "almost but never quite there."
The story and premise itself is interesting at best, as is the world it is set in, but somehow, after reading it this second time around, I realise that I couldn't quite grasp or knew what the actual plot was about nor what the conflict actually was. The writing and descriptions were good and written well enough but somehow I find them a little unmemorable - as in for some reason, I couldn't hold the picture of the world or scene in my head long enough after reading the words. The characters - Kate, Edgar, Artemis, the wardens, the cityfolk of Fume - never seem to stand out as characters or as people.
Kate herself is actually not that good of a protagonist. She has motivations, yes - in trying to save her uncle, Artemis from the wardens - but she never does much to reach those goals and instead, lets herself be swept into situations or gets pushed around by others (especially Silas). Even when she doesn't quite reach those goals, she goes around blaming herself for not doing anything even it was obvious that there were external circumstances that were to blame.
Edgar is one of those characters who are a bit of a mystery. I'd been intrigued by him when we first discover some of his past life and his connections and knowledge of the Skilled people and the wardens/council/Da'ru. However, I felt that he shared the same kind of blandness that Kate has. His relationship with Kate was pretty interesting - I found his loyalty to her rather admirable I guess - but at times, I felt that his sudden presence and absence throughout the book got pretty annoying quickly. He would pop up in one scene to 'save' Kate only to get separated from her again and come back to Kate at another scene and is gone again and this happens a lot throughout the story. Perhaps this may be why I preferred Silas, who felt more solid as a character and stays around long enough in the story to leave an impression on me.
The villain, Da'ru, felt unconvincing and not threatening at all, despite the fact that so many of the characters keep warning us constantly about how terrible she is. She felt like a one-dimensional villain and I couldn't quite grasp nor understand what her motivations were or why she was so evil. I felt that there was a lot more telling than there was of showing to us how evil Da'ru is.
This also goes for the book Wintercraft, the central object of this story. We keep hearing about how infamous and terrible it is yet we never exactly find out or understand what Wintercraft really is about. Is it a manual? Is it a spellbook? Is it a 'good' book or a 'bad' one? What can it do? What sorts of things can it do? I felt like I just can't seem to grasp what this book is about and this is kind of worrying especially since the title of this story is 'Wintercraft'.
As for secondary characters? The Skilled were quite forgettable and weren't given that much of attention and don't bother trying to picture the cityfolk of Fume. Despite the trivial role they played in the last scene of the book, they don't feel like secondary characters at all but just a blurred backdrop for the central characters to stand against. You could've swapped these people with stones and it wouldn't have changed anything much. I'm not quite sure why this bothers me a lot. When you are describing a world that you built yourself, as a reader, I want to have a feel of everything - the atmosphere, the setting, the society, the lifestyle, the minor characters, something to help convince me of this world. Wintercraft did try to achieve that but didn't quite make it.
Overall, this isn't a bad read, per se. I genuinely enjoyed this book on my first read but came to realise that it wasn't as phenomenal and amazing the second time around. Despite that, I still am intrigued and interested to know what will happen to all these characters and not just Silas. Perhaps it will get better. Perhaps it may not. Whatever it is, I'm still willing to give this trilogy a go and a place on my bookshelf.
March 2, 2018
This book is probably more of a 3.5 stars.
There was just so much exposition for like the first 120 pages... and it's all good and interesting, but god it's hard to read sometimes.
Once Kate gets to Fume and she starts learning about the magic and talking to Silas the book gets a lot better with pacing, and I became more and more interested as I read.
I don't really have a favorite character right now, but I do like Kate and am excited to learn more about her abilities and what will happen to her in the future.
Silas was the most interesting character. He's complicated which is good, but I also don't know how to feel. Like he's all cold and heartless, but not completely. But it also isn't written like the girl heals his ability to love nonsense which I liked.
I'm intrigued and want to learn more. I hope the other books treat me well, lol.
There was just so much exposition for like the first 120 pages... and it's all good and interesting, but god it's hard to read sometimes.
Once Kate gets to Fume and she starts learning about the magic and talking to Silas the book gets a lot better with pacing, and I became more and more interested as I read.
I don't really have a favorite character right now, but I do like Kate and am excited to learn more about her abilities and what will happen to her in the future.
Silas was the most interesting character. He's complicated which is good, but I also don't know how to feel. Like he's all cold and heartless, but not completely. But it also isn't written like the girl heals his ability to love nonsense which I liked.
I'm intrigued and want to learn more. I hope the other books treat me well, lol.
February 3, 2024
So I really liked this book. Namely Silas, who's character arc was impressive. The description in this book is beautiful, the only problem I had was how repetitive the beginning left- capture, excape, capture, escape- but I understand the need for it- I may just be a bit of an impatient reader.
July 8, 2010
In Morvane, while getting ready to open her Uncle Artemis' bookstore on the busiest day of the year, Kate Winters doesn't realise that her whole life is about to change. Wardens from the High Council raid the town, lead by Silas Dane, a notorious killer, in order to find something that they want. One of the Skilled, someone who can see between the veil of life and death. Morvane has been left alone for a long time but now, the Wardens and Silas know exactly who they want. Kate.
When Kate and Artemis realise that she is one of the Skilled, Artemis takes a drastic move in order to save his niece. He's taken away by the Wardens just Kate's parents were 10 years earlier. Kate must try to hide what she is in order to save herself and to help her Uncle but Silas isn't someone who can be fooled. He wants Kate to help him but he isn't the only one with a need for her power.
Kate wants nothing to do with her newfound powers and abilities but she isn't given much of a choice concerning what she must do. There is only one thing standing between her and helping Silas in his mission...the book of Wintercraft.
What I thought
Wintercraft is exactly what a young adult fantasy book should be. Jenna Burtenshaw, in her debut novel, has created a gothic world full of mystery, magic and mayhem. The cover of the book is very well fitting and will give you an idea of the world that you are about to be transported to. The descriptions of the different settings were so vivid that I truly felt like I was a part of the story and it was actually pretty scary. There is no way that I would want to be Kate, having to deal with everything that she does throughout the story. Each setting has a history all of its own and one that made me want to know more. It was very interesting just how different some of the places were. Morvane and Fume couldn't be more different yet they still have some similarities due to what is happening.
Wintercraft is a very well paced story. Although it was quite slow at times, there was also a fair amount of fast paced action scenes. While I like action in the books that I read, I don't want it to happen on every single page. Having the slower parts of the story gave me time to catch my breath and reflect on what had just happened. I felt like the plot picked up exactly where it need to in order to keep readers hooked, which is exactly how I felt. I do think that Wintercraft is very much a 'build up' book and that the second in the series is going to reveal a lot of what I wanted to find out.
Kate was wonderful as the main character. What made me like her so much was that she's a mix of everything that I both love and hate in female characters in this genre. There were times when I thought she was incredibly strong and brave to do some of the things that she does but then it was counterbalanced with a softness and vulnerability. While Kate wants to get away from Silas and save her Uncle, she also understands that she has to make some sacrifices to get what she wants and that means not doing what she thinks is right. Kate's personality is very mixed and because of this, I never really knew what she was going to do, making everything an exciting mystery. It did take me a little while to warm to her though but I think that was mainly down to the story being told in 3rd person. I really like knowing what's going on in a character's head so maybe if it had been written in 1st person, I would have liked her more earlier on in the story.
Silas Dane is the ultimate bad guy but I loved him anyway. As a man who doesn't give a thought to killing people and doing what he has to, I should have hated him because he was horrible and selfish. But I didn't. There's something about Silas that drew me to him and I think that was not knowing his full story. A lot of what has happened to him is explained in Wintercraft but I definitely think that there is more to come. Even though he is the bad guy, I was also able to see and understand his reasons for being the way that he is and I think that is one of the biggest things that made me not hate him.
There is no romance in Wintercraft which was such a welcome change for me. As much as I enjoy the love triangles and usually routing for the other guy, it was nice to read a book that was ALL about the story for a change. I do have a feeling that romance is going to come for Kate in the second book and I have a few guesses already about what might happen. As Wintercraft is so unpredictable in its plot (in a good way), I fear that I am going to be completely wrong and something totally different will happen.
Wintercraft is something different from a lot of YA novels that are being released at the minute and an amazing first release from Jenna Burtenshaw. Book 2 in this series, Wintercraft: Blackwatch is due to be released in April 2011 which is way too far away for my liking.
When Kate and Artemis realise that she is one of the Skilled, Artemis takes a drastic move in order to save his niece. He's taken away by the Wardens just Kate's parents were 10 years earlier. Kate must try to hide what she is in order to save herself and to help her Uncle but Silas isn't someone who can be fooled. He wants Kate to help him but he isn't the only one with a need for her power.
Kate wants nothing to do with her newfound powers and abilities but she isn't given much of a choice concerning what she must do. There is only one thing standing between her and helping Silas in his mission...the book of Wintercraft.
What I thought
Wintercraft is exactly what a young adult fantasy book should be. Jenna Burtenshaw, in her debut novel, has created a gothic world full of mystery, magic and mayhem. The cover of the book is very well fitting and will give you an idea of the world that you are about to be transported to. The descriptions of the different settings were so vivid that I truly felt like I was a part of the story and it was actually pretty scary. There is no way that I would want to be Kate, having to deal with everything that she does throughout the story. Each setting has a history all of its own and one that made me want to know more. It was very interesting just how different some of the places were. Morvane and Fume couldn't be more different yet they still have some similarities due to what is happening.
Wintercraft is a very well paced story. Although it was quite slow at times, there was also a fair amount of fast paced action scenes. While I like action in the books that I read, I don't want it to happen on every single page. Having the slower parts of the story gave me time to catch my breath and reflect on what had just happened. I felt like the plot picked up exactly where it need to in order to keep readers hooked, which is exactly how I felt. I do think that Wintercraft is very much a 'build up' book and that the second in the series is going to reveal a lot of what I wanted to find out.
Kate was wonderful as the main character. What made me like her so much was that she's a mix of everything that I both love and hate in female characters in this genre. There were times when I thought she was incredibly strong and brave to do some of the things that she does but then it was counterbalanced with a softness and vulnerability. While Kate wants to get away from Silas and save her Uncle, she also understands that she has to make some sacrifices to get what she wants and that means not doing what she thinks is right. Kate's personality is very mixed and because of this, I never really knew what she was going to do, making everything an exciting mystery. It did take me a little while to warm to her though but I think that was mainly down to the story being told in 3rd person. I really like knowing what's going on in a character's head so maybe if it had been written in 1st person, I would have liked her more earlier on in the story.
Silas Dane is the ultimate bad guy but I loved him anyway. As a man who doesn't give a thought to killing people and doing what he has to, I should have hated him because he was horrible and selfish. But I didn't. There's something about Silas that drew me to him and I think that was not knowing his full story. A lot of what has happened to him is explained in Wintercraft but I definitely think that there is more to come. Even though he is the bad guy, I was also able to see and understand his reasons for being the way that he is and I think that is one of the biggest things that made me not hate him.
There is no romance in Wintercraft which was such a welcome change for me. As much as I enjoy the love triangles and usually routing for the other guy, it was nice to read a book that was ALL about the story for a change. I do have a feeling that romance is going to come for Kate in the second book and I have a few guesses already about what might happen. As Wintercraft is so unpredictable in its plot (in a good way), I fear that I am going to be completely wrong and something totally different will happen.
Wintercraft is something different from a lot of YA novels that are being released at the minute and an amazing first release from Jenna Burtenshaw. Book 2 in this series, Wintercraft: Blackwatch is due to be released in April 2011 which is way too far away for my liking.
November 23, 2016
Originally reviewed here
In Wintercraft, we meet Kate Winter’s, a young girl living with her uncle tending to a small bookstore not realizing that she is one of the Skilled and that she is wanted by many. One day, Kate and her uncle notice hundreds of birds flying over their small town; suddenly, the birds all plummet to their death and Artemis warns Kate to hide because he knows that the birds are a sign that the wardens have come. Kate has been given little to no information on the wardens, save that they took her parents for the war so she doesn’t immediately heed his warning. Instead, the picks up one of the poor birds and finds that the bird is brought back to life with her touch. Thus begins a whirlwind adventure for Kate and her friend Edgar in which Silas Dane, the most feared man in Albion, hunts them. Silas works for the High Council but he has an agenda of his own. Silas has been given a half-life, his soul has been separated from his body and he is forever trapped in the land of the living while still keeping half of himself in the veil between the living and dead. Silas is convinced that Kate has the power to find him the peace he has been longing for and therefore does what is in his power to keep her safe while still acting as if he is loyal to the council.
I found this book while perusing on Goodreads one day and fell in love with the cover. It seemed like such a different type of story from the blurb and I am always intrigued by the “dark” young adult novels so I decided to pick it up from my local library and I am so happy that I did! I flew threw this book in an afternoon and immediately started book two.
The characters in this book are fascinating to me. Kate Winters is a strong female character but she isn’t without fault. Jenna Burtenshaw gives all of her characters many layers (okay, maybe not Da’ru) and the reader is able to appreciate the conflict Kate faces as she comes into her “power” and determines the morally “right” decision in the face of danger. Though she seems stubborn, it is in an educated way so that she doesn’t look like a child. Though the reader can still understand that Kate really is just growing into a young woman and is facing dangers that she has never fathomed. Edgar is Kate’s best friend and though he provides some comedic relief he is far from a silly character. Edgar is faithful and caring yet there are many things about him that Burtenshaw has only alluded to. Many other characters make allusions that there is more to Edgar than meets the eye and I am really intrigued to see who his character turns into. Finally, it is no surprise that Silas Dane is by far my favorite character in the novel. Though he is a foreboding and one can argue, evil, character he is still a loyal soldier who doesn’t make promises he doesn’t intend to keep and he always fulfills his debts. Like Kate and Edgar he is also extremely layered and grows into someone the reader can empathize with come the end of the book. I should probably add that he is extremely swoonworthy. He is intelligent and brooding (my favorite!) and he has a pet crow! Who wouldn’t love that in a guy? I have to add that as of right now there is no romantic plot in the story and though I may have yearned a little I really loved and appreciated the story in a different way. I hadn’t noticed how much more depth a story can have when the “I do everything for love” plotline is taken out of a novel.
The world Jenna Burtenshaw creates is richly imaginative and in a word, magical. It completely drew me in as a reader and I found myself savoring every part of the novel in a wonderful way. I recommend this book to lovers of fantasy and darker young adult fiction.
In Wintercraft, we meet Kate Winter’s, a young girl living with her uncle tending to a small bookstore not realizing that she is one of the Skilled and that she is wanted by many. One day, Kate and her uncle notice hundreds of birds flying over their small town; suddenly, the birds all plummet to their death and Artemis warns Kate to hide because he knows that the birds are a sign that the wardens have come. Kate has been given little to no information on the wardens, save that they took her parents for the war so she doesn’t immediately heed his warning. Instead, the picks up one of the poor birds and finds that the bird is brought back to life with her touch. Thus begins a whirlwind adventure for Kate and her friend Edgar in which Silas Dane, the most feared man in Albion, hunts them. Silas works for the High Council but he has an agenda of his own. Silas has been given a half-life, his soul has been separated from his body and he is forever trapped in the land of the living while still keeping half of himself in the veil between the living and dead. Silas is convinced that Kate has the power to find him the peace he has been longing for and therefore does what is in his power to keep her safe while still acting as if he is loyal to the council.
I found this book while perusing on Goodreads one day and fell in love with the cover. It seemed like such a different type of story from the blurb and I am always intrigued by the “dark” young adult novels so I decided to pick it up from my local library and I am so happy that I did! I flew threw this book in an afternoon and immediately started book two.
The characters in this book are fascinating to me. Kate Winters is a strong female character but she isn’t without fault. Jenna Burtenshaw gives all of her characters many layers (okay, maybe not Da’ru) and the reader is able to appreciate the conflict Kate faces as she comes into her “power” and determines the morally “right” decision in the face of danger. Though she seems stubborn, it is in an educated way so that she doesn’t look like a child. Though the reader can still understand that Kate really is just growing into a young woman and is facing dangers that she has never fathomed. Edgar is Kate’s best friend and though he provides some comedic relief he is far from a silly character. Edgar is faithful and caring yet there are many things about him that Burtenshaw has only alluded to. Many other characters make allusions that there is more to Edgar than meets the eye and I am really intrigued to see who his character turns into. Finally, it is no surprise that Silas Dane is by far my favorite character in the novel. Though he is a foreboding and one can argue, evil, character he is still a loyal soldier who doesn’t make promises he doesn’t intend to keep and he always fulfills his debts. Like Kate and Edgar he is also extremely layered and grows into someone the reader can empathize with come the end of the book. I should probably add that he is extremely swoonworthy. He is intelligent and brooding (my favorite!) and he has a pet crow! Who wouldn’t love that in a guy? I have to add that as of right now there is no romantic plot in the story and though I may have yearned a little I really loved and appreciated the story in a different way. I hadn’t noticed how much more depth a story can have when the “I do everything for love” plotline is taken out of a novel.
The world Jenna Burtenshaw creates is richly imaginative and in a word, magical. It completely drew me in as a reader and I found myself savoring every part of the novel in a wonderful way. I recommend this book to lovers of fantasy and darker young adult fiction.
August 29, 2012
I went into Shadowcry with no expectations whatsoever. Sure I’d seen a handful of reviews but I still didn’t really know what to expect from the author, the characters, or the setting. I was pleasantly surprised by Shadowcry and while I didn’t end up loving it, I will definitely be checking out the sequels.
The setting is what really made Shadowcry so awesome and gripping. The cities of Morvane and Fume (especially the underground city in Fume) are unlike any I have read about. They are not fantastical places full of castles and wonders but they are memorable places. Morvane is a small city with some awesome creepy underground tunnels. A lot of time isn’t spent in Morvane so a lot of details aren’t given but it’s any place to imagine. Fume is the real wonder. The magic of Fume starts with the Night Train and it doesn’t end there. The Night Train is one dark and scary train with a pretty awesome history. It’s where things in the story start to get really interesting and things only get more fascinating as the Night Train delivers it’s prisoners to Fume. Fume is a city built on thousands of graves but that’s not all it’s built upon. Underneath the towers of Fume is a whole other city. Instead of tearing down the city that was originally there, the council decided to build upon it, not thinking that anyone would continue to live underneath. Every part of the setting was wonderful and the writing was so descriptive that I was easily able to picture every last scene in my head.
Jenna Burtenshaw’s writing also makes the book so fun to read. Her writing is lush and descriptive and it was definitely one of the things that hooked me. Also, while it is descriptive, it is never weighty and there is never too much description. Even the bleakest of places were made beautiful by Jenna Burtenshaw’s writing.
The characters are where I found the book to be a bit lacking. Kate Winters is the heroine of this story. She seemed like the might be a strong character in the beginning but as the book went on I found her to be a bit whiny. She was definitely thrust into a crazy situation but I felt that she could have handled it a lot better. She was just a bit too immature for my tastes. As for the other characters, Silas, Edgar, and Da’ru were once again found to be a little lacking. Silas was supposed to be this villain but I felt sorry for him more than anything. Edgar is a good friend to Kate (maybe hoping for more?) but he was kind of a doof. He always managed to get both of them into tons of trouble and he was not good at getting them out of that trouble. Da’ru was the real villain in the story and I just wasn’t scared of her. I don’t think there was enough background on her to really make her the villain that I would have liked. I’m hoping for some development of all the characters in the next book.
As for the plot, it was a little weak but definitely gripping. I think the worst part about it was that Kate and Edgar kept getting into the same situations over and over again. One of them would be captured, the other would run away, the one not locked up would return to save the other, and they would then be captured while the other one got away. It was so freaking repetitive. I mean, really, how many times can you get captured without wising up? However the magic of Wintercraft and the search for the book as well as Kate’s burgeoning powers managed to keep things interesting enough for me to finish the book in a day. It’s definitely a fast read.
Overall, Shadowcry could have been a lot better, that’s for sure, but I still greatly enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it for a rainy day. The sequels are both high on my to-read list!
The setting is what really made Shadowcry so awesome and gripping. The cities of Morvane and Fume (especially the underground city in Fume) are unlike any I have read about. They are not fantastical places full of castles and wonders but they are memorable places. Morvane is a small city with some awesome creepy underground tunnels. A lot of time isn’t spent in Morvane so a lot of details aren’t given but it’s any place to imagine. Fume is the real wonder. The magic of Fume starts with the Night Train and it doesn’t end there. The Night Train is one dark and scary train with a pretty awesome history. It’s where things in the story start to get really interesting and things only get more fascinating as the Night Train delivers it’s prisoners to Fume. Fume is a city built on thousands of graves but that’s not all it’s built upon. Underneath the towers of Fume is a whole other city. Instead of tearing down the city that was originally there, the council decided to build upon it, not thinking that anyone would continue to live underneath. Every part of the setting was wonderful and the writing was so descriptive that I was easily able to picture every last scene in my head.
Jenna Burtenshaw’s writing also makes the book so fun to read. Her writing is lush and descriptive and it was definitely one of the things that hooked me. Also, while it is descriptive, it is never weighty and there is never too much description. Even the bleakest of places were made beautiful by Jenna Burtenshaw’s writing.
The characters are where I found the book to be a bit lacking. Kate Winters is the heroine of this story. She seemed like the might be a strong character in the beginning but as the book went on I found her to be a bit whiny. She was definitely thrust into a crazy situation but I felt that she could have handled it a lot better. She was just a bit too immature for my tastes. As for the other characters, Silas, Edgar, and Da’ru were once again found to be a little lacking. Silas was supposed to be this villain but I felt sorry for him more than anything. Edgar is a good friend to Kate (maybe hoping for more?) but he was kind of a doof. He always managed to get both of them into tons of trouble and he was not good at getting them out of that trouble. Da’ru was the real villain in the story and I just wasn’t scared of her. I don’t think there was enough background on her to really make her the villain that I would have liked. I’m hoping for some development of all the characters in the next book.
As for the plot, it was a little weak but definitely gripping. I think the worst part about it was that Kate and Edgar kept getting into the same situations over and over again. One of them would be captured, the other would run away, the one not locked up would return to save the other, and they would then be captured while the other one got away. It was so freaking repetitive. I mean, really, how many times can you get captured without wising up? However the magic of Wintercraft and the search for the book as well as Kate’s burgeoning powers managed to keep things interesting enough for me to finish the book in a day. It’s definitely a fast read.
Overall, Shadowcry could have been a lot better, that’s for sure, but I still greatly enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it for a rainy day. The sequels are both high on my to-read list!
February 9, 2011
From the first paragraph, you are aware that you are about to embark on a dark and dangerous journey into a Gothic world where the dead and the living are only separated by a thin 'veil'. Kate Winters has the ability to bring life and death together and everyone wants to use her ability, stopping at nothing to get to her. Kate is thrust into a terrifying ordeal from the first few pages of the book and there is no time for her to catch a breath as she sets out to save her uncle Artemis, who has been kidnapped. She plays a constant cat and mouse game with her evil pursuers.
Jenna Burtenshaw has beautifully crafted her characters to make them not only believable but very real. Kate is a feisty lead character, who takes on her newly acquired powers with ease, as though she had unknowingly been waiting all her life to take that role. She is caring and thoughtful, yet brave and forthright. I absolutely loved Kate for her braveness, she stood up to some rather frightening characters that would have found me trembling with fear.
Daru is one of those frightening characters. Imagine a cross between Cruella De Vil from 101 Dalmations and Mrs Marisa Coulter from Northern Lights,only scarier and you would have a perfect description of Daru. She will stop at nothing to get what she wants. She has the aroma of pure evil.
Silas is a fascinating character, who I loathed on page one and loved by the last page. He is dark, brooding and dangerous and I look forward to making his acquaintance again in future books within the trilogy. He is neither alive nor dead and fulfills such a complicated role beautifully.
The world created for this book is original in style. Even though it is a dark fantasy there are none of the usual characters found in that genre. You won't find a fairy or a vampire lurking amongst the scenes.
Jenna Burtenshaw has created a dark and creepy setting which is brought to life by her excellent use of imagery. In the following scene, I actually felt like I could see everything that Kate viewed before her. She attacked my senses with gusto. I could feel the pain and the fear seeping off the pages.
The Night Train stretched back endlessly down the track, no longer the grand funerary train of Albion's last age, created to carry the dead to their place of rest, but a twisted ruin of what it had once been: a symbol of terror instead of hope. Its carriage doors opened one by one, filling the air with the shriek of sliding metal, then the first cages were rolled forward and the throbbing sound of machinery echoed inside, sending many of the prisoners into a panic.
The station was in uproar. No one wanted to be put on that train and their shouts were deafening. People fought at their locks, tried to squeeze through the bars, and two cages crashed on to their sides as their occupants tried desperately to escape. The wardens ignored them and stood in silence along the platform, their daggers glinting in the lantern light . They did not care if people shouted or fought or begged or screamed. To them, Morvane was just another town and they had already won.
Jenna Burtenshaw has made a promising start to what I believe will be a wonderful trilogy. I can't wait until April 14th, when the second book is published.
Jenna Burtenshaw has beautifully crafted her characters to make them not only believable but very real. Kate is a feisty lead character, who takes on her newly acquired powers with ease, as though she had unknowingly been waiting all her life to take that role. She is caring and thoughtful, yet brave and forthright. I absolutely loved Kate for her braveness, she stood up to some rather frightening characters that would have found me trembling with fear.
Daru is one of those frightening characters. Imagine a cross between Cruella De Vil from 101 Dalmations and Mrs Marisa Coulter from Northern Lights,only scarier and you would have a perfect description of Daru. She will stop at nothing to get what she wants. She has the aroma of pure evil.
Silas is a fascinating character, who I loathed on page one and loved by the last page. He is dark, brooding and dangerous and I look forward to making his acquaintance again in future books within the trilogy. He is neither alive nor dead and fulfills such a complicated role beautifully.
The world created for this book is original in style. Even though it is a dark fantasy there are none of the usual characters found in that genre. You won't find a fairy or a vampire lurking amongst the scenes.
Jenna Burtenshaw has created a dark and creepy setting which is brought to life by her excellent use of imagery. In the following scene, I actually felt like I could see everything that Kate viewed before her. She attacked my senses with gusto. I could feel the pain and the fear seeping off the pages.
The Night Train stretched back endlessly down the track, no longer the grand funerary train of Albion's last age, created to carry the dead to their place of rest, but a twisted ruin of what it had once been: a symbol of terror instead of hope. Its carriage doors opened one by one, filling the air with the shriek of sliding metal, then the first cages were rolled forward and the throbbing sound of machinery echoed inside, sending many of the prisoners into a panic.
The station was in uproar. No one wanted to be put on that train and their shouts were deafening. People fought at their locks, tried to squeeze through the bars, and two cages crashed on to their sides as their occupants tried desperately to escape. The wardens ignored them and stood in silence along the platform, their daggers glinting in the lantern light . They did not care if people shouted or fought or begged or screamed. To them, Morvane was just another town and they had already won.
Jenna Burtenshaw has made a promising start to what I believe will be a wonderful trilogy. I can't wait until April 14th, when the second book is published.
August 16, 2014
When I read the book description, "graveyard city of Fume" was the point where I decided to buy it. I have a thing for graveyards - they're quiet, they can tell a lot of stories, and they can be serene and dangerous at the same time. I always visit a graveyard when I come to a new city. So I was hoping for a lot of descriptions.
And I got them. This book focuses on its setting - on the wintry streets, the tunnels below the graveyards, the magic. There are characters too, and one or two interesting plotlines, but the setting is the main focus. Which is just what I wanted. (It may not be right for you, you'll have to know yourself to decide that.)
Then there's Kate's uncle, who is cool but not in this a lot. And there's her best friend who is obviously supposed to be really interesting to Kate. He is interesting, but I couldn't vouch for the chemistry.
And then there's our bad guy, and here's where I ran into a small problem. This small problem being called "having the wrong pairing". I don't know if it's just Kate's lack of chemistry with Edgar, or that her and the other one genuinely are a better fit, but I knew from the meeting onward that I would be in for an unsatisfying ending.
Still, there's a lot of room left for the sequel, which is great. And apparently there's more Silas in the sequel, which is, you know, ... FANTASTIC!
---
Review can also be found at 238 books in 238 days
And I got them. This book focuses on its setting - on the wintry streets, the tunnels below the graveyards, the magic. There are characters too, and one or two interesting plotlines, but the setting is the main focus. Which is just what I wanted. (It may not be right for you, you'll have to know yourself to decide that.)
"[...] Fume had clusters of tall towers huddled together like whispering old men and streets of grand homes with black slate roofs all shimmering at once, built upon the bones of Albion's ancestors."Our main character is Kate. She's sympathetic, compassionate and she loves books, which is great, but she also stays a bit generic. She's thinking things through, which feels a bit too much as though the author is explaining the scene through Kate's thoughts rather than playing it out.
Then there's Kate's uncle, who is cool but not in this a lot. And there's her best friend who is obviously supposed to be really interesting to Kate. He is interesting, but I couldn't vouch for the chemistry.
And then there's our bad guy, and here's where I ran into a small problem. This small problem being called "having the wrong pairing". I don't know if it's just Kate's lack of chemistry with Edgar, or that her and the other one genuinely are a better fit, but I knew from the meeting onward that I would be in for an unsatisfying ending.
"Silas had the presence of ten men. Power and threat exuded from him as clearly as fear leaked from the people down below, and his eyes shone with faint light, their irises bleached gray [...]"Plot-wise there's not all that much - or rather, not all that much that is surprising once you've met all the main players. Maybe it's because of the multiple viewpoints; you get too much information to be surprised.
Still, there's a lot of room left for the sequel, which is great. And apparently there's more Silas in the sequel, which is, you know, ... FANTASTIC!
---
Review can also be found at 238 books in 238 days
December 19, 2010
This has also been posted on my blog, Clover Hill Book Reviews.
The cover on this drew me in, and had me more curious than ever after I'd read the book synopsis. What you can't see clearly from the Amazon cover above, is that there's also symbols around the outside of the dome.
I couldn't wait to read this, so it didn't. There's not many books that I've jumped up my reading list yet...but this one did :) From the start, the pages grabbed me, urging me to read more....I couldn't put it down. It's unlike any book I'd read to date...mingling those not really dead, with other who have special, sought after powers....
Kate lives with her Uncle, Artemis, in their bookshop, after her parents were taken away when she was younger. Kate's life as she knows it is about to be turned upside down. Everything she thought she knew comes into question, her friendships, her family, and even more than that - herself.
The characters in Wintercraft are so vivid. Silas is a chillingly evil character. I'm surprised I've got any hair left on the back of my neck after Silas' menacing theatrics put the fear of god into the whole village, including Kate. The evil characters in this book are simply outstanding. From the moment Silas stepped into the book, I could feel the palpable, heavy air in his words. With it, Siras gives the story a sense of death and foreboding, although he's mostly doing his master's bidding (and he's not dead)....he's downright scary...and oh, so good at it! Kalen is also scary, in a nails-down-the-chalkboard way.
There was an Alfred Hitchcock moment with black birds that had me squirming in my seat, trying to read all hunched up and with half my eyes closed...I can't stand birds flying low!!!! Wintercraft would make a fantastic film, I would *love* to have this on dvd or even better, see it on the cinema. (The book trailer will have to suffice for now!)
I could babble about this most of the afternoon, but it would come out as gushing, and then you'd know all the book's secrets! So...this one is awarded a rating of 5/5 with merits. If you haven't read it, you really should. I can't wait for the next in the series, Wintercraft: Blackwatch to come out. US readers - Wintercraft is titled Shadowcry,and due out Summer 2011 in the US - one for your diary!
The cover on this drew me in, and had me more curious than ever after I'd read the book synopsis. What you can't see clearly from the Amazon cover above, is that there's also symbols around the outside of the dome.
I couldn't wait to read this, so it didn't. There's not many books that I've jumped up my reading list yet...but this one did :) From the start, the pages grabbed me, urging me to read more....I couldn't put it down. It's unlike any book I'd read to date...mingling those not really dead, with other who have special, sought after powers....
Kate lives with her Uncle, Artemis, in their bookshop, after her parents were taken away when she was younger. Kate's life as she knows it is about to be turned upside down. Everything she thought she knew comes into question, her friendships, her family, and even more than that - herself.
The characters in Wintercraft are so vivid. Silas is a chillingly evil character. I'm surprised I've got any hair left on the back of my neck after Silas' menacing theatrics put the fear of god into the whole village, including Kate. The evil characters in this book are simply outstanding. From the moment Silas stepped into the book, I could feel the palpable, heavy air in his words. With it, Siras gives the story a sense of death and foreboding, although he's mostly doing his master's bidding (and he's not dead)....he's downright scary...and oh, so good at it! Kalen is also scary, in a nails-down-the-chalkboard way.
There was an Alfred Hitchcock moment with black birds that had me squirming in my seat, trying to read all hunched up and with half my eyes closed...I can't stand birds flying low!!!! Wintercraft would make a fantastic film, I would *love* to have this on dvd or even better, see it on the cinema. (The book trailer will have to suffice for now!)
I could babble about this most of the afternoon, but it would come out as gushing, and then you'd know all the book's secrets! So...this one is awarded a rating of 5/5 with merits. If you haven't read it, you really should. I can't wait for the next in the series, Wintercraft: Blackwatch to come out. US readers - Wintercraft is titled Shadowcry,and due out Summer 2011 in the US - one for your diary!
January 17, 2022
The three stars for this book is mostly based on the story and the characters - especially Silas and Kate. Kate, our heroine, is fairly strong and brave, with believable moments of weakness considering her situation. Silas, our villain turned pseudo-ally, made me think of a weird crossing of Kai from Lexx and Snape from Harry Potter.
The secondary characters were a bit more meh, but Edgar certainly had his moments. Artemis was annoying and, as a side point, when I was first introduced to his character all I could think was "What is it with author's naming male characters after a Greek goddess?"
But, anyway, as I was saying, I liked the overall world that was portrayed and I did like the 2 1/2 main characters.
The writing, on the other hand, was kind of dreadful. It was really clunky. Big chunks of random exposition, sometimes very oddly placed in the story - but the dialogue was even worse. We're talking a major case of the tin ear here.
And I didn't like that so much of the story was exposition. Lots of telling versus showing. Lots of pausing the story for descriptions of the city instead of expanding on it as we're exploring it. The writing made the story hard to get into, and hard to follow in places. Scenes jumped awkwardly and even the characters would have weird mood changes almost mid-paragraph sometimes, with no real rhyme or reason.
It wasn't enough to kill the story for me, as evidenced by my rating, but I could see how it could be for others.
Luckily for me, I was intrigued enough by the world and the story as a whole - which made me think a little bit of Nix's Old Kingdom series and the Chronicles of the Necromancer by Gail Z. Martin - that I was able to get past the clunky writing, for the most part and enjoy the story.
It could've been a lot better with some decent writing, though.
But this is a first book from the author, I believe, and I'm definitely willing to give it another go. I liked it well enough, despite it's flaws, that I've already put the next book of the series on hold at the library.
***
Subsequent reading, and I was wondering why I thought this was reread material for the first 1/3 of the book, but then the ending reminded me of why I liked this world and the story. I do recall the writing getting better in the following books, so there's that.
The secondary characters were a bit more meh, but Edgar certainly had his moments. Artemis was annoying and, as a side point, when I was first introduced to his character all I could think was "What is it with author's naming male characters after a Greek goddess?"
But, anyway, as I was saying, I liked the overall world that was portrayed and I did like the 2 1/2 main characters.
The writing, on the other hand, was kind of dreadful. It was really clunky. Big chunks of random exposition, sometimes very oddly placed in the story - but the dialogue was even worse. We're talking a major case of the tin ear here.
And I didn't like that so much of the story was exposition. Lots of telling versus showing. Lots of pausing the story for descriptions of the city instead of expanding on it as we're exploring it. The writing made the story hard to get into, and hard to follow in places. Scenes jumped awkwardly and even the characters would have weird mood changes almost mid-paragraph sometimes, with no real rhyme or reason.
It wasn't enough to kill the story for me, as evidenced by my rating, but I could see how it could be for others.
Luckily for me, I was intrigued enough by the world and the story as a whole - which made me think a little bit of Nix's Old Kingdom series and the Chronicles of the Necromancer by Gail Z. Martin - that I was able to get past the clunky writing, for the most part and enjoy the story.
It could've been a lot better with some decent writing, though.
But this is a first book from the author, I believe, and I'm definitely willing to give it another go. I liked it well enough, despite it's flaws, that I've already put the next book of the series on hold at the library.
***
Subsequent reading, and I was wondering why I thought this was reread material for the first 1/3 of the book, but then the ending reminded me of why I liked this world and the story. I do recall the writing getting better in the following books, so there's that.
May 18, 2010
Anticipation for this UK debut novel has been building steadily all year and, while Wintercraft didn't quite live up to my high expectations, I did enjoy it. There doesn't seem to be a lot of YA fantasy around these days, so to find something new and as well written as this was a big plus for me. I've always been into fantasy and magic, and it was Wintercraft's premise that initially caught my eye.
Burtenshaw's writing was, in a word, brilliant. When reading, I could really tell she has a talent, and a fantastic way with words. Her descriptions of of Fume made the city come alive, and her everyday observations made me wish I could see these wonderful places for myself. I particularly liked the sound of Albion, though Fume was equally as fascinating.
Character-wise, Wintercraft had some gems. Silas Dane and his bird were my favourites, and I can't wait to see more of him in the next book. I have it on good authority that there's much more to look forward to from him, which is great news. He's still somewhat of a mystery to me, but I'm looking forward to peeling back his many layers and discovering what he's all about. Main character Kate didn't really do much for me, though I think that's partly because of the third person narrative. She didn't get under my skin or into my head, which is what I look for in a lead protagonist. I thought other characters outshone her, though I did admire her bravery and resilience.
Wintercraft's overall pace was a bit too slow for me, though when it did pick up, it was an exciting adventure that I couldn't put down. I'm really intrigued to find out what's in store for Fume and the High Council, and I think the next book in the series could end up being the best. Now that the characters and settings have been established, Burtenshaw can do whatever she wants, and after that ending, I'm itching to read more.
Wintercraft is a compelling fantasy story brimming with mystery, danger and kick-ass characters. It's unusual and inventive and, as I mentioned earlier, the writing is top notch. Although it isn't one of my all-time favourites, I think it's an excellent addition to UK teen fiction, as well as the high fantasy genre, and I really would recommend it.
3.5/5
Burtenshaw's writing was, in a word, brilliant. When reading, I could really tell she has a talent, and a fantastic way with words. Her descriptions of of Fume made the city come alive, and her everyday observations made me wish I could see these wonderful places for myself. I particularly liked the sound of Albion, though Fume was equally as fascinating.
Character-wise, Wintercraft had some gems. Silas Dane and his bird were my favourites, and I can't wait to see more of him in the next book. I have it on good authority that there's much more to look forward to from him, which is great news. He's still somewhat of a mystery to me, but I'm looking forward to peeling back his many layers and discovering what he's all about. Main character Kate didn't really do much for me, though I think that's partly because of the third person narrative. She didn't get under my skin or into my head, which is what I look for in a lead protagonist. I thought other characters outshone her, though I did admire her bravery and resilience.
Wintercraft's overall pace was a bit too slow for me, though when it did pick up, it was an exciting adventure that I couldn't put down. I'm really intrigued to find out what's in store for Fume and the High Council, and I think the next book in the series could end up being the best. Now that the characters and settings have been established, Burtenshaw can do whatever she wants, and after that ending, I'm itching to read more.
Wintercraft is a compelling fantasy story brimming with mystery, danger and kick-ass characters. It's unusual and inventive and, as I mentioned earlier, the writing is top notch. Although it isn't one of my all-time favourites, I think it's an excellent addition to UK teen fiction, as well as the high fantasy genre, and I really would recommend it.
3.5/5
January 2, 2011
Kate Winters lives in Morvane with her uncle. They have a small bookstore that does okay, and are left alone to do their business. Kate has a best friend called Edgar. He's shy, loyal, and helps out at the bookstore. Everything in her life is peaceful, even if she did lose her parents the last time wardens stormed the town.
And now, the wardens have returned. The day they storm into Morvane, Kate's peaceful life gets thrown into chaos. While hiding in the basement with her uncle and Edgar, she revives a dead bird by holding it in her hands. This gets the attention of Silas Dane. A man who isn't exactly alive, but wants one of the most powerful Skilled to help him out of his undead existence. And when he eventually gets his hands on Kate, the game of cat and mouse begins. Every time she gets away from him, Silas seems to be one step behind her. Until he gets her on the Night Train, and takes her to the graveyard city of Fume. Which is now being used by the High Council.
In Fume, Kate starts to realise that her life isn't as simple as she thought it was. She also comes to terms with the fact that her uncle has lied to her for years, in order to keep her safe. Although she doesn't know it, she's one of the Skilled and becomes a sought-after weapon. Because when the cunning Da'ru gets her hands on her, she wants Kate to find Wintercraft--a book that will give Da'ru the power she craves. But not if Silas gets to it first.
I really enjoyed this story. There seemed to be a new discovery at the turn of every chapter. The mythology, customs, and way of life was intriguing. I couldn't wait to find out what Silas wanted from Kate. I also thought that the interaction between Silas and Kate was unexpected. Her friendship with Edgar is only strengthened, even though he's got his own secrets and a past he wanted to escape. And she never gives up on her uncle, Artemis. Also, the scenes featuring the Veil are amazing.
Wintercraft is a refreshing, exciting, and very well written fantasy tale that takes the reader to a very unique place. The imagery was vivid, the characters interesting, and the story so intoxicating that even though Fume was so dangerous, I couldn't wait to return.
Yeah, I loved this book. It's packed with a whole lot of dangerous fun.
And now, the wardens have returned. The day they storm into Morvane, Kate's peaceful life gets thrown into chaos. While hiding in the basement with her uncle and Edgar, she revives a dead bird by holding it in her hands. This gets the attention of Silas Dane. A man who isn't exactly alive, but wants one of the most powerful Skilled to help him out of his undead existence. And when he eventually gets his hands on Kate, the game of cat and mouse begins. Every time she gets away from him, Silas seems to be one step behind her. Until he gets her on the Night Train, and takes her to the graveyard city of Fume. Which is now being used by the High Council.
In Fume, Kate starts to realise that her life isn't as simple as she thought it was. She also comes to terms with the fact that her uncle has lied to her for years, in order to keep her safe. Although she doesn't know it, she's one of the Skilled and becomes a sought-after weapon. Because when the cunning Da'ru gets her hands on her, she wants Kate to find Wintercraft--a book that will give Da'ru the power she craves. But not if Silas gets to it first.
I really enjoyed this story. There seemed to be a new discovery at the turn of every chapter. The mythology, customs, and way of life was intriguing. I couldn't wait to find out what Silas wanted from Kate. I also thought that the interaction between Silas and Kate was unexpected. Her friendship with Edgar is only strengthened, even though he's got his own secrets and a past he wanted to escape. And she never gives up on her uncle, Artemis. Also, the scenes featuring the Veil are amazing.
Wintercraft is a refreshing, exciting, and very well written fantasy tale that takes the reader to a very unique place. The imagery was vivid, the characters interesting, and the story so intoxicating that even though Fume was so dangerous, I couldn't wait to return.
Yeah, I loved this book. It's packed with a whole lot of dangerous fun.
July 2, 2016
4,5 stars
Este livro é simplesmente
Este primeiro livro centra-se em dois personagens - Kate Winters e Silas.
Um livro que é literalmente uma receita com muitos ingredientes que no fim formam algo delicioso:
*Kate é uma menina que cedo ficou sem os pais, que foram presos e levados pelos guardas de Albion, tendo sido educada pelo tio- Artemis Winters.
Kate não sabe que é um dos Dotados, até que Silas, um perigoso assassino que todos conhecem e temem, vem à cidade e lança uma armadilha para capturar potenciais Dotados que esteja escondidos.
*Os Dotados são seres com a rara aptidão de ver através do véu que separa a vida da morte. Por causa desta rara capacidade, estão literalmente a ser caçados e torturados numa série de experiências.
*Silas é conhecido por ser um assassino bastante experiente e difícil de matar. Mas o que ninguém sabe é o quanto Silas deseja vingar-se de uma mulher misteriosa que em tempos o enganou e lhe destroçou a vida e a alma.
*Mas o que Silas não espera é que Edgar esteja a viver com Kate e o seu tio.
*Edgar, um jovem rapaz que há 3 anos atrás apareceu sem nada, sem família ou amigos, e que Artemis Winters acolheu, sem no entanto desconfiar da missão que Edgar possui.
Porque Edgar tem um passado obscuro. Um passado que Kate nem desconfia. Mas que Silas conhece. Um passado que poderá trazer a morte ao próprio Edgar e a quem o rodeia.
---------------------------------*****--------------------------------
Este livro foi FABULOSO.
Não sei se deveria estar na secção infantil (que foi onde eu o descobri).
Penso que deveria estar ao lado da já famosa trilogia dos Jogos Da Fome. Mas esta é a minha opinião!
Publicado pela Editora Civilização já desde Fevereiro de 2011, só me resta admitir - ANDO A DORMIR!!!
Quantos mais livros espetaculares, como este, estão à vista e eu sem os ler?
Este livro é simplesmente
Este primeiro livro centra-se em dois personagens - Kate Winters e Silas.
Um livro que é literalmente uma receita com muitos ingredientes que no fim formam algo delicioso:
*Kate é uma menina que cedo ficou sem os pais, que foram presos e levados pelos guardas de Albion, tendo sido educada pelo tio- Artemis Winters.
Kate não sabe que é um dos Dotados, até que Silas, um perigoso assassino que todos conhecem e temem, vem à cidade e lança uma armadilha para capturar potenciais Dotados que esteja escondidos.
*Os Dotados são seres com a rara aptidão de ver através do véu que separa a vida da morte. Por causa desta rara capacidade, estão literalmente a ser caçados e torturados numa série de experiências.
*Silas é conhecido por ser um assassino bastante experiente e difícil de matar. Mas o que ninguém sabe é o quanto Silas deseja vingar-se de uma mulher misteriosa que em tempos o enganou e lhe destroçou a vida e a alma.
*Mas o que Silas não espera é que Edgar esteja a viver com Kate e o seu tio.
*Edgar, um jovem rapaz que há 3 anos atrás apareceu sem nada, sem família ou amigos, e que Artemis Winters acolheu, sem no entanto desconfiar da missão que Edgar possui.
Porque Edgar tem um passado obscuro. Um passado que Kate nem desconfia. Mas que Silas conhece. Um passado que poderá trazer a morte ao próprio Edgar e a quem o rodeia.
---------------------------------*****--------------------------------
Este livro foi FABULOSO.
Não sei se deveria estar na secção infantil (que foi onde eu o descobri).
Penso que deveria estar ao lado da já famosa trilogia dos Jogos Da Fome. Mas esta é a minha opinião!
Publicado pela Editora Civilização já desde Fevereiro de 2011, só me resta admitir - ANDO A DORMIR!!!
Quantos mais livros espetaculares, como este, estão à vista e eu sem os ler?
March 31, 2013
The premise of this book is really unique and attention-grabbing- The idea of 'skilled' individuals that can reach through the 'veil' into the afterlife. The story follows one skilled individual in particular, Kate Winters. Kate is an orphan being raised by her all-too-normal Uncle Artemis, a book keeper in small town outside the graveyard city of Fume. As part of the Winters' family, Kate's parents were privvy to the workings of WinterCraft - a text written by the most gifted of skilled which outlines the intimate workings of the veil. Da'Ru is one of the skilled, but she's also a member of the power circle, the order, in the city of Fume - controlling the workings of the city and the efforts of the Wardens (the 'peacekeepers' and hunters of the skilled ones).
Kate is an unusually powerful skilled and Da'Ru wants her power - to harness the veil and perform unthinkable, unnatural acts. She is captured by the Warden Silas, a Warden of the highest order. Silas has an ulterior motive for capturing Kate however... a motive that is secret even from Da'Ru.
All in all, as said before - a very interesting concept. The writing is clean and stylized in a way that many may find appealing. Unfortunately, for me, there was never that moment of true connectivity with the story. Because of this, I found myself skim-reading instead of consuming every word. For me personally, I would have found the story more engaging had it been written in first person. There were quite a few instances that found the MC, Kate, in a precarious position - halfway between success and death - and I should have been able to 'feel' her unease or fear and I could not. On a good note, the ending was interesting enough to warrant a read of the second installment of this series.
Kate is an unusually powerful skilled and Da'Ru wants her power - to harness the veil and perform unthinkable, unnatural acts. She is captured by the Warden Silas, a Warden of the highest order. Silas has an ulterior motive for capturing Kate however... a motive that is secret even from Da'Ru.
All in all, as said before - a very interesting concept. The writing is clean and stylized in a way that many may find appealing. Unfortunately, for me, there was never that moment of true connectivity with the story. Because of this, I found myself skim-reading instead of consuming every word. For me personally, I would have found the story more engaging had it been written in first person. There were quite a few instances that found the MC, Kate, in a precarious position - halfway between success and death - and I should have been able to 'feel' her unease or fear and I could not. On a good note, the ending was interesting enough to warrant a read of the second installment of this series.
September 4, 2010
Albion was a country at war. It was a war that had been going for so long that no one knew why it had started and few alive could remember a life without it. But war wasn't the only threat. Kate had always been taught to be prepared for the wardens, but it had been ten years since they had come to her town of Morvane and too many had become complacent. So no one was prepared when the wardens returned.
But with the wardens came another threat, Silas Dane, a deadly killer and a man determined to hunt down Kate for her Skill. Silas has been sent to capture Kate for the Albion council and retrieve the book Wintercraft, a powerful tool that is deadly in the wrong hands. However, Silas has his own plans for Kate and Wintercraft.
Silas destroyed Kate's home, sold her uncle into slavery and kidnapped her. But he also saved her life several times over, never once broke his word to her and from the beginning was always truthful with her. Unlike Edgar, her best friend who along with her uncle she considered her only family. Kate soon learns that Edgar has been keeping secrets from her, BIG secrets, and not just about his past. Is she really any safer with her best friend Edgar then she is with the deadly killer Silas?
Wintercraft is a powerful object and deadly in the wrong hands. Kate was just an ordinary girl with a quiet life until the day her Skill showed itself, and her magical heritage was revealed. A dark twist onto the magical girl genre where a unique and ancient world is created full of dangers and the dead with a mystery to unfold. A fast-paced adventure across country into a deadly city and across the veil into death.
But with the wardens came another threat, Silas Dane, a deadly killer and a man determined to hunt down Kate for her Skill. Silas has been sent to capture Kate for the Albion council and retrieve the book Wintercraft, a powerful tool that is deadly in the wrong hands. However, Silas has his own plans for Kate and Wintercraft.
Silas destroyed Kate's home, sold her uncle into slavery and kidnapped her. But he also saved her life several times over, never once broke his word to her and from the beginning was always truthful with her. Unlike Edgar, her best friend who along with her uncle she considered her only family. Kate soon learns that Edgar has been keeping secrets from her, BIG secrets, and not just about his past. Is she really any safer with her best friend Edgar then she is with the deadly killer Silas?
Wintercraft is a powerful object and deadly in the wrong hands. Kate was just an ordinary girl with a quiet life until the day her Skill showed itself, and her magical heritage was revealed. A dark twist onto the magical girl genre where a unique and ancient world is created full of dangers and the dead with a mystery to unfold. A fast-paced adventure across country into a deadly city and across the veil into death.
May 3, 2011
I raced through this novel! It was so good that I could not put it down. It was very fresh for me as it was more fantasy and I haven't read from this genre since reading Garth Nix's Abhorsen series.
Kate is living with her uncle and helping him run his little bookshop. They know about the Wardens but having seen them in a long time. However, Kate's uncle gets some information and is getting ready to take Kate and hide when the Wardens invade the town and Kate, her friend Edgar and her uncle must hide in the cellar. There, Kate brings a dead bird back to life, discovers she is one of the skilled and that is where her trouble begins.
I loved Silas Dane! He was the perfect evil character. A man brought back from the dead and living with no soul, Silas thinks Kate can help him die. He is completely mysterious and dark and I loved that! He gave me chills every time he entered the scene.
Kate, the main character, was okay. She was your typical heroine who was both brave and strong and gullible and naive all at the same time. She didn't really annoy me but didn't have me cheering for her either.
The descriptions of the Night Train, the Station and the city under attack by blackbirds was so detailed and alive! I felt like I was right in the middle of all of it! The book is very dark and full of magic and mystery and worth every minute! I found myself saying "just one more chapter" and then after that chapter thinking "well, I can't stop now"! It reminded my of Garth Nix's Abhorsen series (Sabriel, Lirael and Abhorsen) so if you liked those books, pick this one up!
Kate is living with her uncle and helping him run his little bookshop. They know about the Wardens but having seen them in a long time. However, Kate's uncle gets some information and is getting ready to take Kate and hide when the Wardens invade the town and Kate, her friend Edgar and her uncle must hide in the cellar. There, Kate brings a dead bird back to life, discovers she is one of the skilled and that is where her trouble begins.
I loved Silas Dane! He was the perfect evil character. A man brought back from the dead and living with no soul, Silas thinks Kate can help him die. He is completely mysterious and dark and I loved that! He gave me chills every time he entered the scene.
Kate, the main character, was okay. She was your typical heroine who was both brave and strong and gullible and naive all at the same time. She didn't really annoy me but didn't have me cheering for her either.
The descriptions of the Night Train, the Station and the city under attack by blackbirds was so detailed and alive! I felt like I was right in the middle of all of it! The book is very dark and full of magic and mystery and worth every minute! I found myself saying "just one more chapter" and then after that chapter thinking "well, I can't stop now"! It reminded my of Garth Nix's Abhorsen series (Sabriel, Lirael and Abhorsen) so if you liked those books, pick this one up!
December 31, 2011
There really is something special about Kate. What exactly is so special and what will she do with it? Kate meets next to no one who has any good intentions in this book. It is full of bad decisions and wrong turns. Though you can't really blame her. She is trying to do the best with what is given her. And as the book unfolds it seems she has only one dead end after another.
Oh my goodness! Please, let me take this train ride all over again. Seriously a masterful book. The book was just as spectacularly breathtaking as the cover.
Kate is a great character. She starts of completely ignorant of the world she is thrust into. But she quickly learns to take responsibility and always attempt to improve her situation. She doesn't back down or give up like so many other females litter across fiction these days. Edgar isn't all he is cracked up to be. Or at least I saw very little of what was hinted about him coming to pass. Perhaps, future books will delve into that possibility. Silas was surprisingly my favorite character in this book. I loathed him with every fiber of my being when he was introduced. And he didn't change my mind with each successively horrible thing he did. He was selfish and was willing to destroy everything in his path. No life is precious to him only death. But there in the end of the book there was such a depth to his character it was hard not to like him. He didn't do anything that would really earn a good opinion. But I want to see what will happen to him.
Oh my goodness! Please, let me take this train ride all over again. Seriously a masterful book. The book was just as spectacularly breathtaking as the cover.
Kate is a great character. She starts of completely ignorant of the world she is thrust into. But she quickly learns to take responsibility and always attempt to improve her situation. She doesn't back down or give up like so many other females litter across fiction these days. Edgar isn't all he is cracked up to be. Or at least I saw very little of what was hinted about him coming to pass. Perhaps, future books will delve into that possibility. Silas was surprisingly my favorite character in this book. I loathed him with every fiber of my being when he was introduced. And he didn't change my mind with each successively horrible thing he did. He was selfish and was willing to destroy everything in his path. No life is precious to him only death. But there in the end of the book there was such a depth to his character it was hard not to like him. He didn't do anything that would really earn a good opinion. But I want to see what will happen to him.
July 31, 2012
Real score: 3.5 stars
I want to give this one four stars. I really do. But, aside from the fact that this was a very original and interesting read that had many high-points, particularly the character of Silas, the fact still remains that its villain is maddeningly one-dimensional, the protagonist was selfish and did very little for herself during the whole book, and the writing was very uninspiring and occasionally boring, not to mention that every other character in the story had no development or complexity and was merely a plot device. So, points for a complex and morally ambiguous character in Silas and overall originality, because those are the two reasons why I want to read the sequel.
I want to give this one four stars. I really do. But, aside from the fact that this was a very original and interesting read that had many high-points, particularly the character of Silas, the fact still remains that its villain is maddeningly one-dimensional, the protagonist was selfish and did very little for herself during the whole book, and the writing was very uninspiring and occasionally boring, not to mention that every other character in the story had no development or complexity and was merely a plot device. So, points for a complex and morally ambiguous character in Silas and overall originality, because those are the two reasons why I want to read the sequel.
September 30, 2016
This book was a massive disappointment. The premise had a lot of potential but no follow through. Parts of the story that were supposed to be frightening, thrilling, upsetting, or any realm of heightened emotion were bland. Most of the characters were very static, and honestly I didn't care whether they lived or died. In fact I found most of them annoying; their actions didn't make sense half of the time. The one exception to the rule was Silas. Conversations between the characters seemed unnatural, like a horribly scripted movie.
I guess overall, I was generally unimpressed with it. I think the author does have room to grow though, so hopefully her talent is more honed in the other books in the series.
I guess overall, I was generally unimpressed with it. I think the author does have room to grow though, so hopefully her talent is more honed in the other books in the series.
December 4, 2015
Okay it's actually 4.5✨
This book had so many (typical but) greatly executed elements.
I've never done a book review before so I'm just going to list things I liked that were present in the book. (THIS MIGHT HAVE SPOILERS?idk)
An immortal.
A best friend hiding something, protecting Kate, the main protagonist.
A bookstore.
A crow.
A secret city.
On point descriptions of said city.
Bone men.
Magic.
Ghosts (technically shades).
Murder.
Betrayal.
Psycho lady that's power hungry.
Brother protecting brother (adorable).
Ancient war.
Talking stones. (Well they communicate in a way)
Silas (the 'immortal')
There is probably wayyy more but I'm just writing this quick.
This book had so many (typical but) greatly executed elements.
I've never done a book review before so I'm just going to list things I liked that were present in the book. (THIS MIGHT HAVE SPOILERS?idk)
An immortal.
A best friend hiding something, protecting Kate, the main protagonist.
A bookstore.
A crow.
A secret city.
On point descriptions of said city.
Bone men.
Magic.
Ghosts (technically shades).
Murder.
Betrayal.
Psycho lady that's power hungry.
Brother protecting brother (adorable).
Ancient war.
Talking stones. (Well they communicate in a way)
Silas (the 'immortal')
There is probably wayyy more but I'm just writing this quick.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 327 reviews