Thursday 30 January 2014

Hollow City

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Book Title: Hollow City
Author: Ransom Riggs
Series: Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children #2
Date Started: January 26th 2014
Date Completed: January 30th 2014
Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Horror, Romance
Rating: Three stars
Review:

I'm really conflicted with what to think with this book: on the one hand, there's some great concepts and exciting scenes, but on the other there's a childish feel throughout the book. I found it very hard to choose between three or four stars for this book, but since I'm trying to be stricter with my ratings, I feel I have to opt for the lower rating.

The children of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children have had to flee what's left of their home, and now they set off to England, to save their friend - now trapped in the form of a bird. With wights on their trail and no idea where to look first in London or even how to get there, they must stick together to make sure they actually reach their destination in one piece.

I really love Riggs' style of writing. There's a mature, old-fashioned nature to it, yet it still keeps that modern twist that allows it to be accessible to so many people. I think the writing draws in each character's persona and makes it behave believably in the world of the book.
In addition, the way Riggs has of tying his story around his photographs and making them depend upon each other to work is very skilful and brings a life-like nature to the story. I remember the photos are what first attracted me to the series when it first came out - I used to make up stories around pictures myself, so I find it easy to relate to the ideas if they have visual support.

The storyline was a little lacking for me, just because it didn't develop. We meet the characters already with an agenda left over from the end of the last book, and that goal doesn't waver at all throughout the story. I expected there to be developments which put the children a little behind so they had to adapt, or perhaps change their plans entirely. What actually happened seemed too simple to me - I can't say the characters got off lightly, but whenever attacked with an issue, they seemed to be in the clear a few pages later and back on their journey like nothing had happened.
Furthermore, I was a little confused with the combination of childish, and then actually reasonably adult themes in the story. I have nothing against talking animals, but to take them seriously, they need to be introduced in a way that makes me feel real people are reacting to them existing etc.
And then you have the more serious parts (like Emma and that horrible wight solider in the barn). I, personally, enjoy the darker moments in stories, as I find it easier to be moved by them. This was the same in this book; I loved the parts where the characters were scared or actually feared for their lives. I think this was because it was pretty much only at these times that the characters became real to me.

For me, Hollow City just had too many characters. First of all, the main group of protagonists was too large, and so most of the time I forgot half of the people themselves and was surprised when they turned up in a scene, since they had been mostly quiet. Also, a huge amount of characters are introduced throughout the story and then disappear after a chapter or so. Because of this, it was incredibly hard to keep track of who each extra character was, what they had done, and if they were a threat or not. (Also, the majority of the characters seemed rather dim for their various ages.)
Jacob is a bit of a useless hero, to be honest. I'm aware he's new to the peculiar-world and everything, but he seems to fade into the background a lot of the time, even when he has something to say. In a way, this isn't a bad thing, as it shows a nice diversity in character from what you might usually get from a Young Adult novel - I just thought it seemed a little out of place around all the other headstrong characters.
I do love Emma, though. I remember really liking her in the first book (although that's just about everything I remember), and I think her independent, authoritative nature worked really well in this story. First of all, I think she's a very realistic character and for some reason, I connected with her a lot better than with any other character. Furthermore, she has a huge influence on the group, and she's pretty much the only voice of reason within their ranks. To me, Emma seems to be the hero - I'm just not entirely sure if that was intended or not.

The pace of the book wasn't as consistent as I would have liked, although not really a major issue. I found there were parts of the story where I couldn't bring myself to put the book down. But these were then followed by parts where I didn't want to pick it up again and keep reading.
This did improve a lot towards the end of the book, where the climax started to kick off, and there was a lot of things going on. Up until that point, however, I had a little trouble keeping my interest in the story.

If you've read the first book in the Miss Peregrine series, I think Hollow City is a good sequel - however not as intriguing and mysterious as the first novel, in my opinion. Although my review may seem rather negative, I did enjoy this book; I was just frustrated at some of the elements since I know Riggs can write them so much better. Having said that, however, the next book might resolve some of my issues with this instalment.

Image Source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12396528-hollow-city

Saturday 25 January 2014

The Enemy

8540357

Book Title: The Enemy
Author: Charlie Higson
Series: The Enemy #1
Date Started: January 20th 2014
Date Completed: January 25th 2014
Genres: Dystopian, Action, Adventure, Thriller, Horror
Rating: Three stars
Review:

I've heard a lot about The Enemy for quite a few years, but it never interested me too much until it had an influence on a story I was involved in. I therefore felt like I had to read it, and I was both impressed and disappointed. The book basically became a modern Lord of the Flies, and unfortunately, after a positive start, lost me around halfway. Having said that, I did enjoy it and am curious as to what happens next.

A disease has killed all the adults. The only children who survive are fighting a losing battle of survival; food is running low and more and more grown ups are roaming the streets, waiting to attack. But when a stranger arrives outside the make-shift fortress a group of kids have made, it seems there might be another chance at a new life. But they still have to travel into the heart of London and escape the dangers it presents.

I didn't get on with the writing particularly well, mainly because it's clearly aimed at a younger age group. I do find it a little strange with the amount of violence that it is targeted for younger ages, but I suppose it isn't as rough as it could be. I also found it quite childish that the kids called the zombies 'grown ups' when they clearly had a lot more maturity than that. But perhaps that's just be being pretentious.
Having said all of that, the story is quite character-driven so the writing didn't impact too much on the story.

The story was probably the biggest strength of the book. Higson had a really good attitude towards killing off characters effectively; deaths were quick and not dwelled on too long. This really echoed the atmosphere for the book and the reality of what really would happen.
However, I must say that the 'enemy' didn't scare me much, so I never really felt any threat throughout the story. This really impacted on the story, since the characters were all terrified of something I, as the reader, wasn't.
Although, in the end, the story did end very well. I look forward to what comes next.

There are a lot of characters in this book. A lot. So many, in fact, that half of them were able to be killed off and no one really notices. However, I just couldn't keep up with all the different people, what their stories were, whose side they were on etc. I also didn't get attached to anyone really, since there were just too many people to remember.
Maxie was pretty much the only character I felt for a little, since I really saw some character development through the story. I liked her relationships with everyone else in the story, as it showed different sides of her and how she really dealt with the situation she was in. On the other hand, I didn't like the fact that the girls were being referred to having power, but never really being treated like it - even by their friends. I think that will probably change in later books, but in The Enemy it did get on my nerves a little.
David was a good tyrant, and quite obviously bad from the beginning. I had a little trouble with how amazingly organised he was; I don't think even he would be able to deal with the apocalypse so well.
Finally, Sam and Callum. I, personally, didn't see the point in their stories, however I do understand that they probably have a big part in the later books. I just like having something to get into straight away, and then have things that build on top of that.

The pacing was okay; the beginning starts off very quickly and then dies down a bit. This continues through the whole book, with fast and then slow parts. I think that worked with the overall feel of the book, but didn't really show me an overall climax to the story.

I'm aware my review hasn't been completely positive, but I really did enjoy this book, and the cliffhanger has made me interested in what happens next. I recommend The Enemy to younger readers who feel like starting to get into the Young Adult genre. The writing was a little too simple for me, however the story was still engaging and interesting.

Image Source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8540357-the-enemy

Monday 20 January 2014

The Night Circus


Book Title: The Night Circus
Author: Erin Morgenstern
Date Started: January 15th 2014
Date Completed: January 19th 2014
Genres: Fantasy, Mystery, Romance
Rating: Five stars
Review:

I knew I was going to love The Night Circus when I picked it up, but at first it simply seemed intriguing to me. It ended up becoming one of the most complex and beautiful books I've ever read, with characters that developed an incredible distance from the first page to the last chapter.

Celia has been training since she was very young. But training for what, she doesn't know. But when she auditions for a circus after her father and instructor dies, she knows that it is more than a circus: it is the battlefield on which she must complete this game. But the people that inhabit the circus are far from ordinary, and as she finds herself falling more and more in love with the magical place and its people, she realises the harder it's going to be complete her challenge.

Morgenstern has a beautiful writing style, mainly made of description - so of course I was going to like it. The story was mainly written in 3rd person, however there were little snippets throughout the book where the circus was described through 2nd person. I loved this because it gave you a look at the circus without having to think about what was happening to the characters in a particular scene.
There were also time jumps that, at the beginning of the book, was very confusing, but after I found my feet, it was really interesting thinking about the changes that were apparent in the later times, yet still hadn't happened in the earlier sections.

There isn't really one flowing story in this novel; there's several that all tie in and finally draw together in a very touching conclusion. When a story is split into several parts, I usually find myself skimming through certain chapters to get to another character's story - but I loved every part of this story.
The development of both the characters and the story is amazing throughout the book. Since the time jumps mean that even from the beginning we are aware of what sort of thing is going to happen later in the story, it means that there is a noticeable contrast even from the start of the two parts of the story. This could potentially be risky, since you then actually have to develop the story and characters really well, but Morgenstern was able to do this perfectly.
I'm still not entirely sure I understand the logic and loopholes of the end, but I really loved it and it concluded the story nicely.

The characters in The Night Circus are wonderful, and jumped to life right off the page for me. There was a diversity between their personalities that I haven't really seen in a book before. I didn't became connected with them as I do with most books, but I ended up loving them anyway.
I think Celia was intended to be the main character, however so many characters does lead to less time in the limelight. But if I'm honest, I preferred it like this. I usually like some of the smaller characters more than the larger ones, but Celia was a lovely character and I'm glad she was happy in the end.
I went through a stage of liking Marco, then hating him, and then being content with where he ended up. This, in the end, was a good thing I suppose, since it proved how much the character had changed throughout the duration of the book.
Bailey was another lovely character and I had a feeling he was going to be essential to the plot right from the beginning.
I loved the smaller characters in the circus as well. The way they all had a huge impact on the story, and were still involved in little sections impressed me a lot. Poppet and Widget were especially lovely and Tsukiko grew on me enormously. I have to admit, Isobel was my favourite character. I know she wasn't particularly special, but I loved her the most.

The pace of this book did worry me a little bit at first as it doesn't jump out straight away as amazing. There's a lot of hype around this book as well, which didn't help too much. But my Mum told me that I just had to carry on until they reached the circus. And she was right: I couldn't put it down from then on. The story seemed to happen in real time, and then when I look back, it all happened so fast. I almost wish it hadn't ended.

I recommend The Night Circus to fans of fantasy, mystery and romance. It's also beautifully written, so perfect for anyone who wants to really be moved by words. Even I was unsure at the start, but after the beginning, it really was unforgettable.

Image Source: http://tulipsandtea.com/wp-content/uploads/
2012/11/The-Night-Circus1.jpg

Wednesday 15 January 2014

The Storyteller


Book Title: The Storyteller
Author: Antonia Michaelis
Date Started: January 12th 2014
Date Completed: January 15th 2014
Genres: Mystery, Romance, Contemporary, Fantasy
Rating: Five stars
Review:

I wasn't completely sure about The Storyteller when I first heard about it, but after being given it as a gift, I decided to read it anyway. And I was utterly blown away. Almost immediately I was invested in the characters and I was gripped by the story and where it was going.

Anna lives in her own little soap bubble; things may happen outside of it but it's never real. Not until she realises the boy who sells drugs by the bike sheds is looking after his little sister all by herself. Not until she hears him telling his sister her own little fairytale. And not until murders start to reflect that fairy tale. Anna doesn't know who to trust or what to do; only that she can't stop helping this boy that seems to have the weight of the world on his shoulders.

The Storyteller is translated from German, and yet it still manages to hold that absolutely hauntingly beautiful melancholy about it. There's always a hint of sadness in every page, but sometimes there's light reflecting off it too. I can't accurately describe how it's done but Michaelis can somehow make opposites out of words and recreate feelings and senses perfectly. I loved it.
Furthermore, I found it so easy to connect with the characters, despite the lack of 1st person. I've always preferred 3rd person, however I do appreciate that it's harder to get the reader to relate to the protagonists, since they're not inside their head. But I was able to slip into Anna's mindset without even thinking about it when I began reading, and I found it extremely hard to get out of again.

The story of this novel is dark. And I don't mean dark like there's the evil in a character etc. I mean dark as in it addresses issues in it in a very good way, but uses them to make the plot real and actually scary. I, personally, love this. To me, it means that the author isn't afraid to admit that things like this happen out there, and we shouldn't treat them like nothing, because they are genuinely scary things. And the way she has the characters deal with these issues proves to the reader that even though these terrible things happen, there are ways to get around them.
Don't for one second take that to mean there's happy ending. In fact, the ending was the most beautifully orchestrated finale to a book that I might have ever read. And there was truth in every word that makes me wonder how much fiction is actually included.
Although this is a book with some kind of romance, I have to say that the mystery was brilliantly done. As always, I was trying to work out what was going on and how everything happened. But at the same time, I was so caught up with the people themselves that I missed the blindingly obvious and inevitable truth. It was done very cleverly that I don't think I wanted to see that truth. So I didn't.
I would actually like to just have a storybook with Abel's fairytale in it. Michaelis could certainly make a living writing fairytales (and the proper, twisted kind). Furthermore, the way it was intertwined with the plot was ingenious and the final clue towards the mystery and the character's feelings.
The Storyteller stays with you. It hasn't been long for me, since I read it, but I haven't really been able to stop thinking about it. It is a thought-provoking book, and it makes you question all the things you think are right and wrong with the world. It's the kind of book written for me.

Like I said earlier, it didn't take me long to get emotionally invested with these characters, and I still haven't completely come to terms with the fact that their story is finished.
When I was reading, I felt like I was Anna. I went through her story, and I related to her so well. I'm not sure if that's a personal thing or if Anna is just a generally relatable character. I felt torn when she was; scared when she was etc. I think she was a brilliant protagonist and an amazing example of being human.
Abel, at times, scared me. And I think that was the point. But at the same time, I did love him. The whole point of Abel's character, and why Anna was constantly conflicted, is the fact that he is a danger to the people around him and he really hasn't got things worked out. This isn't the 'confused pretty-boy' that you often find in Young Adult fiction. This is the rough, aggressive, real version. I felt he was beautifully written and he felt like a real person to me.
Micha was adorable, and again, very well written. I don't usually get along with younger characters, because I feel they're portrayed unrealistically, but actually Micha was exactly what I expected a girl of her age to act like. She had a key role in the whole book and it was executed well.

The pace of the book began quite quickly, and what I thought was going to be more of a thoughtful contemporary book became a heart-pounding mystery that found itself right to my heart. I literally couldn't put the book down throughout almost the whole thing.
The balance between the murders and the emotional story itself was incredibly well done, and intertwined with each other so they worked at the same time but also took turns in taking the limelight. I'm not joking when I say I actually couldn't stop reading when it was around eleven at night.

I would recommend The Storyteller to older readers, as there are some more mature themes running through, and I think you have to perceive what's going on in a thoughtful way. But I think it's a must-read for any teenager, no matter what they like. The mystery is especially engaging and the emotional side of the story was one of the best I've read.

Image Source: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bvV3ubdrMWA/UVEaKjxdVDI/
AAAAAAAADoc/G6JOduRi6MM/s1600/michaelis%2Bstoryteller.jpg

Sunday 12 January 2014

The Fellowship of the Ring

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Book Title: The Fellowship of the Ring
Author: J.R.R. Tolkien
Series: The Lord of the Rings #1
Date Started: December 21st 2013
Date Completed: January 12th 2014
Genres: Fantasy, Adventure
Rating: Four stars
Review:

The Lord of the Rings is possibly the most famous fantasy novel of all time, and for a good reason. Out of the fantasy I've read, there's nothing quite like this novel. And to already know the story, and be aware of how much more is to come, is actually quite daunting. It's one of those books that does intimidate me because it is so well-known and loved and actually a really big book anyway. But it was worth the reader and I can't wait to get onto the sequels.

Frodo Baggins is a hobbit; a small, simple and content creature that lives under a hill in his comfy home. But when his guardian suddenly decides to abandon the Shire, leaving behind an old ring, Frodo reveals the terrifying truth of what is happening to Middle Earth. He sets off on a journey with elves, dwarves and wizards to destroy the One Ring and save Middle Earth from the evil of Sauron.

The Lord of the Rings is a hard read, I'll be honest. When I was reading it, I wasn't actually aware how hard it was until I stopped and just looked at how little I had actually read. I suppose that's actually a good thing; it shows I was enjoying the story as I read, no matter how fast I was going.
However, I think a lot of people go into reading the book thinking it's going to be reasonably easy reading - it's just the story that's long-winded. It's hard to remember that the book was actually published in the 1950s.
I think the other reason the book took me so long was the lengthy chapters, but frequent paragraph breaks. I'll always stop at a paragraph break, rather than in the middle of the text, but unfortunately the often appearances of these did make me read in little bursts.
Overall, though, the writing was very good. I loved the description, that really brought the world to life. The dialogue was engaging enough and the action was different to what I'm used to in Young Adult fiction, but in a way better.

Lord of the Rings is basically, hardcore, adventure fantasy in its most glorious form. I have never read anything like it and I don't think I'm ever going to. It's so hard to describe because it is literally what every other fantasy, whether intended or not, is based on. I don't think it's possible to create something completely different, because literature is so heavily influenced by this man that alarmingly few of the younger population are aware of.
The only downsides I can find is that you don't get a bit of a blurred idea of what is happening in Middle Earth that Frodo isn't able to see, and that the time periods are, in my opinion, a little unnecessary. I don't think Frodo had to wait…twenty odd years before leaving the Shire to help Gandalf. But that's more of a personal opinion and doesn't actually impact on the story.

I was a little disappointed to find out that I wasn't as close to the book characters, as I was to the film versions (I know I shouldn't compare them, but I do think it's worth mentioning). For me, this was just because there's so many characters, and even the main group is quite large. There just isn't enough time (believe it or not) to develop each individual character and still get on with the story.
Frodo is a very good protagonist, and he always will be. There's something really relatable about a person not knowing what's going on, but having the determination to keep going with it anyway. Furthermore, as we go through the story, Frodo is the person the reader can relate to the most, as he goes through the most perils, but always seems to come out the other side a different little hobbit.
Gandalf was just as wise as ever, and I even found myself turning to him when the Company was stuck, much like the characters themselves. It does make me wonder why he's always the one who knows everything, and just what he gets up to when he isn't with Frodo and the Company.
Sam, Pippin and Merry were all wonderful. I've always loved the little hobbits, although their individual personalities didn't shine out as much as I'd hoped they would. They did blend together a little, particularly Merry and Pippin, although they still had their key parts in the story.
Aragorn and Boromir are basically the strong men of the book. I'm not sure how much I like that, since Aragorn has such potential. Although, I do have a feeling he will become more and more important, and a larger character, as the story progresses.
Legolas and Gimli have a much closer relationship in the book, and I absolutely loved it. It was probably my favourite part of the book because it brings into the events of The Hobbit (which I have yet to read, but know the story of) where the dwarves and the elves are pretty much arch-enemies. I was brought up on Lord of the Rings, and I never got that idea when I was younger - in a way that's why I love it more, because it's a completely new idea for me. And I love that.

The pacing is probably the one reason why this book took me the longest any book has ever taken me. It is hard reading, but also the story is actually quite slow. If you're aware of the film (which I'm sure a lot of you are) then you're going to be thinking about the story from that perspective as you're reading. And essentially, that isn't what happens.
The book is its own story, and it does have a slower plot line. Furthermore, some parts of the story are told very quickly, and then other parts are a lot slower and described in more detail. I, personally, really loved that. I always think of films and books are separate entities, and this just emphasised that for me.

If you're a fantasy lover, you've got to read The Lord of the Rings. It really is the basis of fantasy and I can't imagine what modern fantasy books would be like without it. Be ready to read it when you start, because it does take a lot of effort and it takes a while, so you've got to be determined and patient. But it's definitely worth it.

Image Source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1246553.The_Fellowship_of_the_Ring