Ruin and Rising

Book Title: Ruin and Rising

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Series: The Grisha Trilogy #3

Date Started: June 19th 2014

Date Completed: June 24th 2014

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Adventure

Rating: Five stars

Review:

Ruin and Rising was a very good conclusion to the Grisha Trilogy. The biggest problem for me was that the book itself wasn't big enough, but what was written was amazing and everything finished in a way that I wasn't expecting.

Stuck underground and struggling with her powers, Alina still has yet to face The Darkling and liberate Ravka from his rule. But with only a rough idea of where the third amplifier is, and few allies at her back, her chances of escaping the White Cathedral, finding the Fire Bird and defeating her enemy are slim. But the fate of the world lies in The Sun Summoner's hands, and she's ready to use it.

I really love Bardugo's writing style: the description and flow of the narrative especially. I can fall so easily into Alina's world and its vivid collection of magic and mystery. My only criticism would be that I wish the narrative held some sort of implication to Alina's feelings and emotions without having to say it straightforwardly.

The overall atmosphere is also amazing in these books. The build-up to climaxes or action scenes particularly - there's definitely a feel of 'calm before the storm' - but even the more subdued scenes hold a certain weight to them that really help the threat become real.

Ruin and Rising had even more twists than the first two books, and a few of them I didn't see coming at all. Each these made me pause and consider the greater impact it had on the overall story; they weren't little details, they were game-changers.

I was also impressed by the mature reactions the characters had to these situations. Namely the relationship issues: I'm used to Young Adult fiction having stroppy teenagers that overreact when they're circumstances change away from their preference. However, I felt Bardugo maturely handled what Alina and the others felt like when they were pushed towards people they didn't necessarily want to be with.

The conclusion to the book was definitely bittersweet, and not for obvious reasons. I do wish there had been more to read, and possibly more peril during the final showdown, but I still think it concluded in a way that ticked all the boxes.

Although I really enjoy reading about the main characters, the secondary ones blur into each other for me, and generally aren't very likeable characters anyway (barring Toyla, Misha and Harshaw). I kept getting confused between who was who and which person I thought was the most vain etc.

Alina was a very strong protagonist. I loved the balance Bardugo got between her vulnerable side and times when she rightly didn't know what to do, and the times when she was independent and took control and led the others. This could quite easily have fallen to one side, but instead was perfectly equal the whole way through.

Mal grew on me through the course of the book, as he did in the previous novels. I always find it hard to get on with him at the start of the stories, but then I like him more and more as it goes on.

I forgot how much I adore Nikolai, but I was really disappointed that he wasn't in it as much as I'd have liked.

Finally, The Darkling had a very good ending, in my opinion. Like Nikolai, he wasn't featured as much as I'd expected, yet his inclusions were well orchestrated. His send-off was particularly good, as I was worried Alina wouldn't react realistically. But she did.

The pacing was very good in this novel. The plot progression is steady throughout the whole book, even though I felt everything was over too quickly. I do, however, understand that if the book had been longer, the pacing may not have been quite as solid.

I think Ruin and Rising was a very good ending to the Grisha trilogy, and the series is definitely in my favourites. If you like fantasy, adventure and romance in a completely unique and intriguing world, then try this trilogy.

Image Source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22535408-ruin-and-rising

Fangirl

Book Title: Fangirl

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Date Started: June 11th 2014

Date Completed: June 18th 2014

Genres: Contemporary, Romance

Rating: Four stars

Review:

Fangirl is a heartwarming, light and fluffy read with that relatable side for teenagers, but specifically writers. Unfortunately I'm not a huge fan of light and fluffy, which became evident when I read this book, but I still think Fangirl is a nice new contemporary worth reading.

Cath has always had her twin sister Wren with her. But when they move into college, it seems that Wren wants her own space to become her own person, leaving Cath, and her stacks of fanfiction, to fend for themselves in this new situation. But with a seemingly moody roommate and her quirky boyfriend, Cath will find her feet again and possibly even fall in love.

The writing was good, though I can't say anything jumped out at me as amazing. The sentences had a nice flow and the dialogue fitted it well. The narrative also communicated the atmospheres of the scenes very well.

Like I've said, I wasn't thrilled by Fangirl, just because it's wasn't my type of story or genre. So, for me I was pretty neutral the whole way through. However, the one parts that did get me interested were the short excerpts from the Simon Snow books or fanfiction (probably because it was fantasy). I thought they tied in really well with the story and helped tell it, even though the two weren't directly related. It was also nice see in the very subtle style differences between Cath and the actual author's writing.

Another thing I feel Rowell did very well was the balance between the fanfiction culture and the day-to-day life of a teenage college student. Though I can't say I know in detail what either of these are like, I felt they were portrayed in a way people could relate to. I also think it was really important to keep the two balanced in order to make sure the story remained realistic. However, I did think this started to crumble towards the end of the book, and things started to get a little fantastical.

The characters in Fangirl all fitted into their places in the story, so I feel some developed more than others.

Cath is a very nice person, and she has a way of making the reader want things to work out for her, even if she can get a little irritating at times.

I didn't like Wren very much from the start, and I felt her behaviour wasn't really explained as well as it could have been, but she still turned out okay.

Again, Levi seems like a really nice guy, and he definitely fitted into the adorable, geeky but cool boyfriend. I did have a bit of trouble feeling a different chemistry between him and Cath to the chemistry that everyone had around him, but the story allowed other things to be more important than this.

Reagan is probably the best character since she does the typical comic relief, but in a quirky, funny yet kind of scary way.

Finally, I really liked Nick, and I thought his change of heart was a little out of character if I'm honest.

I can't say there were any pace issues because the novel itself didn't have a pace as such. Like in a lot of contemporary novels, it's more a string of consciousness than of events.

Even though I wasn't too thrilled with Fangirl, that's just because it wasn't really my thing. It's a nice, enjoyable read that is extremely relatable for the teenage generation right now, and it incorporates a variety of issues into the story, as well as making sure there's plenty of funny and adorable bits.

Image Source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19174917-fangirl

Fire & Flood

Book Title: Fire & Flood

Author: Victoria Scott

Series: Fire & Flood #1

Date Started: June 7th 2014

Date Completed: June 11th 2014

Genres: Dystopian, Romance, Adventure, Action

Rating: Two stars

Review:

I really didn't like Fire & Flood. Maybe that's just me, but there were just too many faults that hit the story too hard too many times. It was a clumsy version of too-well-known story.

Tella's brother is sick. So when a mysterious package appears on her bed with the promise of a cure, she doesn't stop to think until she's run away from home and become a Contender in the game. But before she knows it, Tella's in the middle of something she never could have imagined as she fights to win the game and leave with her life.

The writing, for me, was far too simplistic to catch my interest and didn't have any sort of depth in it. I feel like Scott just wrote down her first thoughts and never decided to develop it. This also carries on, since the continuity in the book is quite frankly ridiculous. At one point it feels like we're in a modern world, and next it's a dystopian apocalypse; sometimes Tella's aware she's fighting for her life, and the next second she can't understand why people are trying to beat her to the finish.

Furthermore, the writing just seemed three steps ahead of itself in a rather basic plot line. Tella started making assumptions with no evidence whatsoever, just so the story could keep going. It's fair enough to want a fast pace, but you can't just keep running forward when you haven't even taken the first steps.

I could rant about how Fire & Flood is a bad copy of a story we all know, but that wouldn't be constructive. Instead I'll complain about almost the same thing.

In dystopian novels (which I assume this is, though I'm not entirely sure as you'll find out) it's quite important to explain the situation the world is in. The main premise of dystopia is that it's a world that perhaps used to be our own, but is now twisted and wrecked. In this novel, there is virtually no world-building at all. We're never told what condition society is in or anything. In fact, it's implied that Tella's world is very similar to ours: she speaks in stereotypical slang a lot of the time, and has a phone; dresses the way a popular queen-bee might; and seems to have no qualms about what's happening outside of her little bubble. We even get to go out into the world and nothing is described at all. That then raises the question as to why it's being advertised to all ages that theres a race that you might die in to get a cure only lasts a few years.

The other vital flaw in the story was that there was no threat. It's important to make the reader feel tense in an action adventure like this, but the biggest danger to the characters felt like their pets having a disagreement. And, of course, the genetically engineered 'Pandoras' weren't really used for anything but being commanded around by their owners.

The characters were the lowest point of the book for me, which is a shame. Firstly, I couldn't even tell them apart - barring Tella and Guy. This is a really annoying aspect, but was actually extremely damaging to the story since this death game - where everyone seems awfully friendly and helpful - is fought by a mix of ages. Firstly, I'm convinced we weren't even told the ages of the characters to start with, so when people start talking about having older children it's a bit of a shock. But the biggest issue with this was that the characters were all written so immaturely, I couldn't tell some of them were adults. And this is very, very bad.

Generally, I find irritating protagonists bearable since they are the driving force of the story; and because of this you see the story through their eyes and somehow feel a little sorry for them when, even though they're annoying, bad things happen to them. This is not the case with Tella Holloway. From the very start I found her vain, stupid, bratty, arrogant and ignorant. She honestly shouldn't have lasted five minutes in the game, but then she did, and I was willing to let that slide - until she couldn't look after herself later and had to have her boyfriend step in and save her every three pages.

Guy a character that - whilst overused in Young Adult fiction - could've been good and had room for development. Instead he makes no progress as a person for the whole book, is only seen as the good-looking leader, and have absolutely no chemistry with Tella whatsoever.

Harper, I feel, was supposed to be important to the story. I literally didn't notice her existence out of the mush of secondary characters until the last few chapters.

This was obviously intended to be a fast paced book, but ended up tripping over itself after a short time, because it wasn't thought-through enough to start with. I did try and read the whole thing fairly, but I started to skim read half way through because I just wanted it to be over.

I honestly wouldn't recommend Fire & Flood to anyone. Usually, I'd say that my personal opinion was low, but some people might enjoy it. However, due to the overwhelming amount of YA dystopians out there with similar stories, I don't feel any particular need to sugarcoat the fact I felt it just wasn't worth reading.

Image Source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18667210-fire-flood

City of Heavenly Fire

Book Title: City of Heavenly Fire

Author: Cassandra Clare

Series: The Mortal Instruments #6

Date Started: May 29th 2014

Date Completed: May 31st 2014

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Comedy

Rating: Five stars

Review:

City of Heavenly Fire was an awesome end to the Mortal Instruments series, and even though it wasn't exactly what I was expecting, it impressed me, entertained me and made me genuinely feel upset or scared or angry more than once. It's sad that the series is over, but I'm excited for the next Shadowhunter Chronicles.

'I am coming', Sebastian had said. And now, with tensions between Shadowhunters and Downworlders at its height, Clary and the others must find a way to put a stop to the slaughter of their kind and defeat the new enemy born of an old one. But he hides in a place no mortal has ever returned from, and Clary must put the lives of her friends and family at risk if they are to succeed. But it's too late: Sebastian has come.

Clare has a wonderful flow to her writing, and a humorous twist in the dialogue and narration that makes her style unique. I've always been impressed with her skill to entwine various characters and stories together in one neat bundle, and she didn't disappoint this time. With even more new faces than before, City of Heavenly Fire might seem confusing at times, when considering each character and their journey, but on a technical level it can only really be admired.

In addition, the action in this book was awesome yet again, and I was glad to see some more capability from previously quiet characters, and less arrogance from those more skilled. The trust and maturity built between the characters through the six books is clear and realistic, and I really enjoyed that. It also had me literally laughing out loud several times.

I have to say, the first part of this book didn't have me jumping for joy: it was too full of unnecessary romance for me. I might ship Malec, Heline and Sizzy, but I'm not too huge on Clace, and even so I like stories that aren't centered around love.

Having said that, once everything kicked off, I was hooked and literally couldn't put the book down. The middle part of this book was definitely the best; so much happens. I was on the edge of my seat for the action scenes; really getting into the political side of the story; and puzzling over the family ties and parabatai relationships. I think this world has so many unique elements to it, and that's what really gives Clare something to stand away from the majority of Young Adult Urban Fantasy.

On the other hand, I believe there were some genuinely good twists in the story that weren't really elaborated on enough in my opinion. Though these were little things that I suppose wouldn't have impacted on the story, I am still curious as to why they weren't answered, or if they were simply forgotten.

Moving on to the end of the book, the climax came far too early for me. Although it felt like a big deal, I thought there was going to be more events afterwards since it seemed so early, and then when it was over I was a bit surprised. Because of this I don't think I appreciated it as much as I could have, which is a shame. I was also let down by the (slight spoiler) lack of death and destruction to come from a seemingly unstoppable adversary.

Then, with a good sixty-or-so pages left for the wind down, the story started to drag a little. It didn't get boring to read, it simply just felt strange to have such a long, quiet ending to the story. I'm not entirely sure I liked it, though I can't say I dislike it either. However, despite the annoying fact that the characters really need to learn to move on, I did enjoy Jem and Tessa's appearance and everything drew together nicely at the end. It really does feel like goodbye.

Unique characters have always been Clare's strong point in her stories: her way of showing their development and the relationships built between them mirrors that of real life and gives something relatable for the audience to understand as they go into a truly fantastical world.

Clary and Jace, though sometimes annoying, do make a good pair. I have to say I did get slightly bored of them quite early on, and they didn't really develop through the story as much as I would have liked - but at least they got the ending everyone wanted them to have.

Simon was my favourite character at the start of the series, and I partly remember why now. He's the least selfish of the group and is probably the best person out of them. Character-wise there isn't much room for growing opinions, however we all love him anyway.

Alec is undeniable my favourite character of the whole series, and his sister Isabelle has joined him. The relationships they have with the other characters are by far the most interesting, and each develop as people so much every book. The main reason I love these two characters so much is because they're complicated, and they have lots of different sides: they sometimes make the wrong choices, and sometimes they feel neglected. They're the most human of the cast, in my opinion, and I will never tire of their banter and their loveable personalities and their darker moments.

Magnus was, as ever, fabulous. It was nice to see him around some of the older characters for a change - though Magnus is always moving around different people, seeing how he reacted around a reasonably tight group of people was interesting. And then, everyone loves sarcastic Magnus, but I love and admire wise and old Magnus too.

I've grown to absolutely love Aline Penhallow and Helen Blackthorn during this book, and I really hope they're included in another Shadowhunter series, because I think they're really good characters and have a great story to tell. I also loved the new inclusion of Emma Carstairs and Julian Blackthorn. I think they're both adorable characters in themselves, but they also had a very different impact on the story and have a long way to go in a future series.

Clare's books are always reasonably fast paced with a engaging action scene here and there to keep the reader's attention, but this book impressed me in the way that even the slower, explanation scenes weren't rushed and took their time to allow the reader to understand what was happening. I think this was especially important in this novel since so many strings are tied up to conclude the series.

For fans of Clare's writing, I think this book was a perfect conclusion to the series, and demonstrated just how far the author has come since the first book. The Mortal Instruments is the kind of series where it's important to read the story in order, and I would even recommend getting through the Infernal Devices trilogy before you dive into City of Heavenly Fire, so if you're interested, try the earlier novels, but hold in mind they get far more in-depth and complex.

Image Source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18137193-city-of-heavenly-fire

Half a King

Book Title: Half a King

Author: Joe Abercrombie

Series: Shattered Sea #1

Date Started: May 26th 2014

Date Completed: May 29th 2014

Genres: Fantasy, Adventure, Action

Rating: Four stars

Review:

Thanks to HarperVoyager for the Advanced Reader's Copy for review.

I really enjoyed Half a King; being a lover of fantasy, it wasn't hard for me to become fascinated by the history of this new world, and I quickly slipped into the story and was lost pretty early on. Though this book is potentially awesome, for me it lacked that magical spark that sets each fantasy apart from each other and makes them special - however near the end of the book it started to peek through. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series to see that spark really ignite.

Yarvi is the King's son, but he will never been seen as worthy by those around him. But when his father and brother are murdered, and Yarvi forced to take the throne and avenge his family's deaths, he's thrown into the deep depths of war, betrayal and the nature of men.

It’s clear Abercrombie is a fantasy writer right from the start: the old-fashioned phrases and poetic dialogue immediately sets the tone for the world and characters in the novel, and adds to the tense atmosphere.

Something that particularly stuck out to me was the action. It’s common to have the odd battle or two in an epic fantasy book, but rarely are they written in such detail. Abercrombie portrays the movement itself very well, but also the affect that has on the protagonist. Despite the third-person narrative, it was still clear how Yarvi reacted, which consequently made the battle scenes more intense.

The introduction into this world was really good, and little details were being dropped into the story gradually. My favourite part of the book was the world building, because nothing was obvious at the start, but as you went along, you started to understand the history more and more. I hope that the events making Yavri’s world as it is are elaborated on in later books.

Although I was interested in this book very early on, I was completely sold at the first twist. You know a book is good when you have to put it down for a second and just absorb what happened. This occurred about three or four times throughout the whole book, which is really impressive.

The ending to this book was perfect. I mentioned earlier how I only really felt a spark in the story towards the conclusion. What I found so good about the last section of the book was the way it was fast paced at times, but then slowed down to let the reader really understand how everything was being solved. It wasn’t a short-lived ending: while it neatly tied off the necessary strings, it left quite a few more left to be picked up in later books.

Each character in this story was different and grew through the story. Though some were only featured fleetingly, the bonds they made and impressions they left impacted on the story well and keep it driving on.

I didn’t know what to make of Yarvi at first. It was clear he had accepted a life he was happy with, and so when he was forced into one he had been denied and no longer wanted, I did feel sorry for him. The following events enforced that, so by the time it became clear that Yarvi was a good leader and strived for what was honourable, I was on his side. And then Yarvi started making bad choices, and acting like the King he never wanted to be. And now, once again, I’m not quite sure what to make of him. And that makes it very exciting for the next book.

I fell into Yarvi’s world very quickly from the beginning, and found when I started reading, I couldn’t really stop for quite a while. This did, however, wear off a little throughout the novel. The pacing itself was gradual, and while this built up tension for the climax, wasn’t all that interesting during the actual reading process. But, having said that, sometimes still kept me gripped to keep reading numerous chapters at a time.

Half a King is a great in-depth fantasy for Young Adults, but also for older ages as well. Whether you're a fantasy-fan or are just starting off, this epic adventure is brilliantly written and crafted for the reader, and there's so much further the story is going to go.

Image Source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20726853-half-a-king

Howl's Moving Castle

Book Title: Howl's Moving Castle

Author: Diana Wynne Jones

Series: Howl's Moving Castle #1

Date Started: May 23rd 2014

Date Completed: May 26th 2014

Genres: Fantasy, Adventure, Mystery, Romance

Rating: Four stars

Review:

Howl's Moving Castle is a stunning tale of magic, adventure and friendship and, although it wasn't how I remembered it, the story still gripped me and surprised me through its twists and turns. I'm excited to continue the story in the sequels and see where the moving castle moves to next.

Sophie is the eldest of three, so she'll never amount to much. Instead, she'll spend the rest of her days working in her family's hat shop. At least, that's what Sophie thought, until the Witch of the Waste walked into her shop and cursed her with a creaking back, aching bones and a fierce temper. Accepting her fate as an old woman, Sophie ventures out into the world and finds herself in the Howl's moving castle. But Howl eating up her heart isn't the only thing she has to worry about: there's a fire demon waiting for her to break his contract, and a dangerous battle between the two magicians Sophie is caught between looming close overhead.

The writing was really humorous, which was something I really enjoyed, as I isn't often I find an author who can make me smile both through narrative and dialogue. What made it so effective was the fact that everything was just so ridiculous, and Sophie was the only one who could really see that, and expressed it in such an exaggerated way, yet still seemed real.
Another clever element in the book was the opinions given through the text to influence the story. Though the novel is told in third-person, it follows Sophie closely, and lets the reader know her mood and reactions quite clearly through descriptions, as well as her behaviour.

There's so many genres mixed together in Howl's Moving Castle: fantasy, mystery, adventure. Though the fantasy and adventure sides are clearly more enforced, the subtlety of the mystery really impressed me. Though it might not be noticeable at first glance, there's hints being dropped on the story and the connections between characters throughout the entire book. Consequently, the story seems like a collection of little events happening separately from each other, when really they're all tied very closely together.
The little nods to the real world were perfectly done, in my opinion. I think it's risky blending the real world, and a high fantasy one together, because there's the chance that the realism could crash and burn. However, Wynne Jones managed to present the modern world we know sneakily. It was also very interesting to see how the characters from the fantasy world reacted, since they live in a world where magic is constantly around them, and yet our strange objects still puzzle them.
Finally, the ending to the book was a perfect way to finish. Whilst being exciting, fast-paced and heart-warming, the conclusions wrapped up all the loose ends presented through the book and explained other theories I had concocted while reading. It was the ending I was waiting for, yet it still surprised me.

I had a real affection for the characters in this book; though they were wicked, and irritating, and at times very cruel, they all had their loveable sides - as is common in children's books. I think they were perfectly constructed, as were the relationships between them.
Sophie was an amazing protagonist. It was great to have a very different character leading the story, and the fact that she was always trying to do the good thing, but often made matters much worse, was relatable and realistic. Furthermore, the development she went through, from her timid and accepting little self, to the strong-willed, stubborn heroine grew slowly but definitely and brought out the characters of everyone around her, as well as her own.
I love Howl, because he really is a stupid coward who doesn't know how to handle his life. Before we meet him, we're given all these opinions and rumours, and the fact that quite a lot of them are true when Sophie meets him was a great twist to the story. Also, the journey Howl himself goes on is extremely subtle, but actually makes a huge impact on the plot.
Calcifer and Michael were both lovely characters that, again, added to the story. It was important that Sophie had something keeping her with Howl and the castle, and their friendships gave her the conflicts she needed to get riled up and teach Howl a lesson or two.

Though the pace of this novel might be lacking in some places, it does have purpose: the slow development adds to the atmosphere and really emphasises just how far the story has come from beginning to end.

I would recommend Howl's Moving Castle to anyone who enjoys old-fashioned fantasy and fairytales. There's a classic feel to Wynne Jones' story, and a solid plot to enthral any age. It's easy to get lost in Howl's world, and likely to make the reader want their own little door that could open onto anywhere.

Image Source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15863391-howl-s-moving-castle

The Spiderwick Chronicles

Book Title: The Spiderwick Chronicles

Author: Tony Diterlizzi & Holly Black

Series: The Spiderwick Chronicles #1-5

Date Started: May 19th 2014

Date Completed: May 22nd 2014

Genres: Fantasy, Adventure

Rating: Five stars

Review:

The first proper fantasy (except fairytales) I ever read was The Spiderwick Chronicles, and it introduced me to my favourite genre, so revisiting the series a few years later was a bit daunting, in case it wasn't quite as magical through more experienced eyes. But I didn't have anything to worry about, and the Grace children's adventure continues to be one of the most influential stories I've ever read.

The creepy new house in the middle of nowhere was not what Jared, his twin Simon and big-sister Mallory were expecting when their great aunt offered to house them and their mother after their father walked out. But scratching inside the walls and a mysterious hidden library is not all that's odd about their new home: possessions are disappearing and strange rhyming notes are being left for the children; and when Jared finds an old book written by his great aunt's father containing details on faeries and other magical creatures, bad things start to happen around him, and he starts to regret ever turning the first page.

The writing is great, especially for a dually-written novel: in my experience, when two people are creating a story, it sometimes becomes hard to combine the writing styles into a good-flowing narrative. However, Black and Diterlizzi do so amazingly.
Furthermore, the descriptions are wonderful - something that's especially important in such a fantasy novel where the reader is constantly introduced to creatures and objects that they would never even have dreamed of before. The words really bring everything in the story to life, and creates an atmosphere that reflects the story perfectly.
Another thing I should mention are the illustrations: Diterlizzi is not only a talented artist, but also presents an amazing array of creations to the reader through his pictures, that develop the story even further and help emphasise the imagery to really make the magical creatures real.

The Spiderwick world is unlike any other: it introduces the reader to a completely different, curious, vivid fantasy world that I wouldn't mind existing in my back garden. The way everything was woven into the modern world made everything more believable and let me really understand what the Grace children were going through.
The plot itself is beautifully original and different, though it may come from the typical origins of a character moving to a new house and discovering something amazing. Though the first two books are fairly reserved in explaining the world and situation to the reader, the third and fourth start to explore the greater reaches of this fantasy, and the fifth just tears down everything you thought was real and replaces it with a new, beautifully terrifying idea of the world.
The main thing that I don't think I noticed when I was younger, was the mix of genres used in the book. Though the fantasy element clearly sticks out, there were a lot of contemporary issues that balanced out to make the story relatable for readers. Though the biggest of these was the separation of the children's parents, the relationships between the siblings themselves and how they developed was also really important for the story because it created another conflict for Jared and his brother and sister between the real world and the one they had discovered.

I don't think I've ever read such believable and developed characters in a children's book before. The children really do start off not trusting or believing each other, and even when they're shown the truth, they deny it, or look for other explanations, because that's probably what anyone would do in that situation.
Jared is one of the best protagonists I've ever read: he's not a 'bad' kid, but he does things that might put him in that category. The way we're introduced to Jared makes us feel sorry for him, and believe him straight away, yet we can still see all the attitudes other people have towards him despite the fact that he's rarely to blame. This depth isn't really written about much, and even less often from a character of a younger age, so this by itself was enough to make me love the book. But then there's the courage and stubbornness Jared has to do what's right and protect his family that continues through the whole book, that was also just amazing.
Mallory probably developed the most through the story, because she doesn't get on with her little brother at the start. You can still tell that she cares about him, but she blames him for things that have happened, maybe because she's the older sister of two twin brothers, so she feels a little isolated. But as the story goes on, she starts to realise what she has to do to look after her brothers, and herself. Plus, Mallory has a sword - and who doesn't love a kick-ass sword-wielding heroine?
Simon is the sweet, demure one of the Grace kids. He looks after the animals, he always wants to do what's right and sometimes doesn't know how - again a very realistic portrayal of a young kid. I partly love Simon because he's almost the opposite of Jared, yet they still have a really close relationship.

The pace was perfect in this series. Since each book is very short (and I happen to have a bind-up for all five), I read the whole series in one go, and I think it let me get into the story a lot more. Although the pacing is good in the context that there's always something important happening, it becomes a bit hard to get into the world as each book is only around a hundred pages long and the pauses in between each story lets you forget some details. However, marathoning the whole lot let me get into the story as if it was one big book, which made the development from the plot and characters even more obvious.

I would recommend The Spiderwick Chronicles to everyone, because this series can enchant anyone, no matter what age you are, or if you've read a lot of fantasy before. It's a beautifully diverse, fantastical, exciting adventure for anyone and it takes the reader on an amazing journey that doesn't quite leave you the same afterwards.

Image Source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6352688-the-spiderwick-chronicles