[I received a copy of this book through NetGalley.]
I've had this comic book on my shelf to read and review for quite some time, I just didn't get to i[I received a copy of this book through NetGalley.]
I've had this comic book on my shelf to read and review for quite some time, I just didn't get to it until now. (I've known about it for quite, quite some time, back when the author posted on deviantART, and when I saw it on NetGalley, well, it reminded me that at some point, many years ago, I used to check on the related art from time to time.) It gathers the first chapters of the Bizenghast series, and I'd say it's more an introduction for now, but still giving the reader to see enough.
A strange girl who isn't getting over her parents' death and whose health seems to suffer in consequence; a boy who seems to be her only friend, in the small remote town where she lives with her aunt who doesn't know what to do with her; and a contract signed in a mysterious castle with a strange arachnoid-slash-humanoid being, with the goal of freeing spirits who couldn't find solace in death, following a trail of riddles. I am not sure yet where this is leading, but in themselves, the first 'tasks' involved sufficiently creepy elements to keep me hooked.
The art is sometimes confusing and inconsistent, though, potentially because it's a work that started years ago, and one can see the author's style changed over the years. Still, it's worth a read....more
[I received a copy of this book through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.]
I did like the narrative weaving back and forth between past and [I received a copy of this book through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.]
I did like the narrative weaving back and forth between past and present, shedding more light on characters that came before Iris and Tom, as well as the atmosphere of Rawblood, both stifling and inviting to nostalgia. I had more trouble keeping interested in the story itself, though: the characters weren’t particularly engaging, so I never cared much about them. I never really felt the connection between Iris and Tom, and therefore its role in the ‘immediate and terrifying’ consequences mentioned in the blurb didn’t have much of an impact
The present tense narration tended to throw me out of the story from time to time, which didn’t help; I’m not sure why, I’m not too keen on that tense when it comes to historical fiction (and/or when several narrators are involved, as it’s often difficult to tell who’s telling the story, and it was the case here at times).
The reveal towards the end made sense in a way, yet seemed to me like it fell a little abruptly, and wasn’t completely… justified. Revenge? But why, considering ‘her’ identity, why would she inflict that on the Villarcas? Accident, couldn’t help it? Hm, not really convinced here. Quite a few things were unclear, and not in a way that contributed to a mysterious / gothic atmosphere.
Conclusion: I may have liked it more, if not for the style and the characters....more
[I received a copy of this novel through Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.]
Sort of a retelling of the “Frankenstein” story, based on the id[I received a copy of this novel through Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.]
Sort of a retelling of the “Frankenstein” story, based on the idea of “what if the latter had been inspired by real-life events”. In a world where clockwork (allowing to replace missing limbs in people, among other things) is considered in some places, due to its proponents' reputation of not being fully human, Alasdair Finch and his family have been on the run for years, ending in Geneva where they secretly practice their craft as “Shadow Boys”. Since the elder brother, Oliver, died two years ago, though, nothing has been the same. It is, obviously, no spoiler to say that Alasdair brought him back through clockwork, and now has to deal with a different Oliver, back from the dead... and no brother quite know what to do with himself or each other anymore.
The characters themselves were interesting enough, with merits and flaws, doubts and questions regarding what they had done, what they should do... Oliver: convinced he was a monster, and having to learn who he was through Alasdair, since he first had no memory of his previous life. Alasdair, torn between his loyalty towards his brother and family and his desire to study with their former mentor, Dr. Geisler. Clémence, so hardened and savvy in many ways, yet also unsure of what her place in the world was. Mary, conflicted about the choices she made and the façade she presented to the world. Even some minor characters, whose own perception of clockwork isn't always what you'd think.
I regretted however not seeing more of their inner questioning: we get a lot from Alasdair, since he's the first person narrator, but the others seemed to have such torment to contend with, and it was “only” seen through Ally's eyes, therefore tinged by his own view of the world. It mirrored the original work by Shelley, but didn't have the same impact on me. Perhaps a third person narration, with a couple of other points of view, may have worked well here, if only to also let the reader witness other happenings—the plot remained slow in terms of events/action, yet not as devoted as it could have been to fully develop the whole philosophy and conundrums behind the Shadow Boys, clockwork, people having undergone such surgery after having lost a foot or an arm, the Frankenstein society, Mary Shelley's actions and her somewhat questionable reasons... And although the ending was left open, it was also a little flat compared to what had been at stake.
I still deem this book pleasant to read, for the atmosphere it evoked and the themes it dealt with. I only wish it would've delved deeper into its, all in all, fascinating ideas....more
(I got an ARC courtesy of NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.)
A book that started well in my opinion, yet lost momentum along the way.
I liked(I got an ARC courtesy of NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.)
A book that started well in my opinion, yet lost momentum along the way.
I liked its stifling setting, how the characters were isolated in that huge, derelict house, the feeling of entrapment (mostly through Serena, who had stayed there for her whole life and never travelled or did the things she wanted to do). Riddell House was permeated with a strong atmosphere of oppressive memories, between ghosts that may or may not exist and memories weighing heavily on everyone. Secret rooms and passages, hints at family secrets, letters and trinkets appearing in unexpected places... Basically, the setting was really what fascinated me here.
The writing style was beautiful, too, befitting the poetic aspects of the nature outside the house (I'm positive the Thoreau-like vibes I got from it were totally on purpose).
On the other hand, what worked in descriptions didn't work in dialogue, and unfortunately, this left a stain on my enjoyment of the novel. The characters in general had a tendency to talk "like in a book"—meaning I constantly felt that they had rehearsed their speech beforehand. Of course, the narrator not being the 14-year-old Trevor, but an older Trevor, might account for that; however, the effect it caused still remained a problem for me. Perhaps filtering the story through the older Trevor's voice wasn't the best choice here; perhaps I would have liked it more if it had been unadultered. It's hard to tell. Serena especially had a weird way of talking, going into soliloquies at times, as if performing for an audience, and her speech patterns definitely sounded unnatural.
In general, I found the mystery lacking in depth. The ghost aspect of the novel was nothing exceptional (if you're looking for something spooky, you won't find it here), although I must say I liked Harry's and Benjamin's story, and the way it ended. The family secrets were somewhat to be expected, as well as the characters' motivations. I also thought the novel crammed a lot of elements together (ghosts, lost loves, illness, madness...), yet went on tangents that made it drag, resulting in a paradoxical narrative that was both too short and too long.
Not uninteresting, but I expected much more out of it, and didn't get it in the end....more
Not sure if I should give it 3 or 4 stars. I may go back and change that later on.
I've got mixed feelings about this book. The theme and story itself Not sure if I should give it 3 or 4 stars. I may go back and change that later on.
I've got mixed feelings about this book. The theme and story itself were deeply intriguing, and exactly the kind of thing that tends to fascinate me in a book. I liked how it started with the end, then went back through time to give use more information each time.
However, I felt a little let down by the very ending itself. Above all, I think "Midwinterblood" has nothing to do in the YA genre. It's like the author felt compelled to dumb down something that would have been truly striking, had it been written for adults from the start. In a way, it's commendable, in that it's a definite and welcome change from cliché YA novels. Alas, it's also kind of hovering in between audiences, making the book enjoyable for older readers... but not completely. At least, that's the impression I got out of it....more
2.5 stars. I'd deem this story "okay". It wasn't bad, but I expected more of it, and it didn't leave me with a sense of completion, although I wish it2.5 stars. I'd deem this story "okay". It wasn't bad, but I expected more of it, and it didn't leave me with a sense of completion, although I wish it had. There are lots of good ideas in this book, that didn't work for me, the way they were exploited, and it's really too bad.
Lots of potential, indeed. For instance, the beginning that hints at a darker side in the two brothers' relationships. Or the love triangle that could've become something really interesting, something that could have seriously thwarted Victor's motivations. Unfortunately, I think the author didn't go deep enough with those—perhaps because really going through with them to the end would've been too dark for a YA audience? I don't know. Things felt a little weird in that regard, as if in style and themes, the book was aiming at the older part of the intended audience, yet didn't dare to go there in the end, and remained a little too "light", for the sake of the younger ones.
The love triangle also fell flat in general, in my opinion, and more childish than the dark and tragic affair it could've been (or than what I expected from the blurb on the back cover). Victor's love would've had more impact for me if it had been there from the beginning, and not apparently triggered at the moment he learnt Konrad loved the girl too. Elizabeth was a character I enjoyed, showing a lot of pluck and decision-making. This may be the reason why I also disliked the way Konrad treated her, as if he was only looking at her, and not "seeing" her for who she was. In itself, this could've added to the tragedy of that relationship, but felt a little wobbly instead. This said, to be fair, I'm not too attracted by love triangles in general, so I'm pretty picky about those anyway.
Finally, I would've liked the ending to be just a tad less abrupt. It was a necessary ending—it couldn't have been otherwise—but it came a little too quickly. I guess I would've liked some kind of explanation, even a non-scientific one, as to how exactly the tables turned so fast.
What I appreciated, though, was how "This Dark Endeavour" paved the way for Shelley's story, and could likely bring more people to read that one—which really deserves to be read no matter what. Maybe this is the reason why I couldn't be so enthralled with the book: because I already know the original masterpiece, and because for me, the stories don't play on the same level. Nevertheless, this novel could be a good introduction to its predecessor for younger readers....more
Pour être honnête, j'ai lu ce livre plus pour les illustrations que pour le contenu. Non pas que le contenu soit mauvais, bien au contraire: la traducPour être honnête, j'ai lu ce livre plus pour les illustrations que pour le contenu. Non pas que le contenu soit mauvais, bien au contraire: la traduction de Poe par Baudelaire reste magnifique. C'est juste que par principe, je lis en anglais ce qui a été écrit en anglais à la base. Ce petit détail tout à fait personnel mis à part, il s'agit là d'un superbe ouvrage qui en vaut la peine....more
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