A very light steampunk adventure following Zoya as she is kidnapped by Sky Thieves, but discovers there's more to these pirates than first meets the eA very light steampunk adventure following Zoya as she is kidnapped by Sky Thieves, but discovers there's more to these pirates than first meets the eye.
It is written generally well and I find there was quite a lot happening to keep the plot ticking over nicely, but unfortunately for me personally it was far too childish to enjoy.
The characters were all a little flat, but genuinely I can imagine many children really enjoying this book. A fun, fast story with danger and some nice storytelling elements, if a little cliché at times. Just not the kind of story that I enjoy as an adult, even when it comes to children's books....more
From time to time I enjoy a book written primarily for children. They are usually fun, mostly written with a slight adult leaning that means the authoFrom time to time I enjoy a book written primarily for children. They are usually fun, mostly written with a slight adult leaning that means the author doesn't think the child reading it is an idiot and are quite often written better than a lot of adult books I read.
This, however, wasn't really any of it. I enjoyed that it was mostly based on true people from the Elizabethan period, but other than that I found it absolutely abysmal. There were typos all over the shop, the story itself was rather dire and the characters I found unbelievable and quite flat.
I don't think I am expecting too much from a "children's book", because I have read plenty that are wonderful, magical and sublime. This one is not any of those things....more
A shifting POV first-person narrative of a pointless girl attracted to a ridiculously attractive vampire (who can't talk much to his credit). ThankfulA shifting POV first-person narrative of a pointless girl attracted to a ridiculously attractive vampire (who can't talk much to his credit). Thankfully only a short novella that requires no time and should not be given any....more
I never thought I'd see the day when I would whole-heartedly recommend an audiobook over an actual, real, phsyical book, but here I am.
Though, to be hI never thought I'd see the day when I would whole-heartedly recommend an audiobook over an actual, real, phsyical book, but here I am.
Though, to be honest, this is more of a podcast than an audiobook. There is a little "reading out", but it is so much more. They even go fishing in the audiobook and the noises you hear are so different to what you hear on the television programme: you can hear the reeling, the fight of the fish, the trickling of the water, the blackbirds singing... It's the perfect bridge from the television programme to the book, and it sits in between them so perfectly.
I can't think of many things better than listening to my favourite old white men babbling on about anything and everything, and being genuinely funny and charming. It's such a lovely listen, though I would be wary of calling it a proper audiobook. It is an audiobook full of pure joy....more
I spent a little while after umm-ing and ahh-ing whether to go for 3 or 4 stars for this one. In the end, I went for 4 stars purely because I spent 3 I spent a little while after umm-ing and ahh-ing whether to go for 3 or 4 stars for this one. In the end, I went for 4 stars purely because I spent 3 hours in the bath, topping up the warm water, and read the entire thing. I enjoy the feeling when a book makes you want to keep reading until the very end.
The final book in the Deadlock trilogy and we come to the end of quite a story. The plot itself is a little convoluted-it becomes more so during book two and three-and often it feels like there is too much happening, but the writing itself is nice enough to keep you interested without falling off completely.
I never quite got in to any of the characters: I don't think they were expressly fantastic but neither were they dull. They just seemed to perfome their duties very well, with maybe the exception of Frank, the more-protagonist than any other, who becomes the very centre of the story quite quickly. He develops nicely if not as much as one would hope, but overall the characters are fitting.
Without researching it a little more, the book does feel self-published. There are a lot of typos, so many mistakes and you can definitely tell it needed either an editor, or a better one. There were also times when it took a fair few pages to tell something that should really only take a couple of sentences, which any good editor could do.
Aside from these things, it is a very nicely done trilogy. It needs a bit more editing and probably quite a lot more proof-reading, but otherwise it is definitely enjoyable. The switching of timeline narrations was a little jolting at first, but once you realise what they're telling you, they become much easier to digest.
The plot, whilst it goes a little weird at the end of the first book and during the second for a little, turns in to something quite interesting with the show of those who are after the main antagonist Zed, though the fact they're not mentioned until quite late in makes it feel like it was a slightly rush job.
Honestly, this is a really nice trilogy, written well but with too many mistakes that are very easily rectified. It is fast-paced (at times) but with a really good editor it could be a very good fantasy series....more
The final book in the First Law trilogy, Joe Abercrombie's rather spectacular debut. Last Arguement of Kings sees all the threads of deceit and dastarThe final book in the First Law trilogy, Joe Abercrombie's rather spectacular debut. Last Arguement of Kings sees all the threads of deceit and dastardly plots come together, with twists and turns thrown in, alongside some rather Machiavellian outlooks on life and a more-than-satisfactory dash of that grimdarkness this series is so well-known for.
A lot of trilogys-or duology, or series-have those annoying "here's what happened in the previous couple of books in a nutshell" kind of beginnings, but with Last Arguement of Kings we are thrown in so nicely in to the fray there is little time to think. If you've made it this far, you've developed quite a soft spot for any of the characters: whether that's the formidable mage Bayaz, the despicably lovable Logan Ninefingers or the ridiculously sublime Glokta, all of whom are still as pathetically vile and awful as they have been in the previous books, and yet that makes us love them all the more.
The P.O.V switches wonderfully between all the characters as their threads finally twist together in surprising and not-so surprising ways. Some receive happy endings, some not quite happy ones, some... well, as happy as they probably deserve. Although happy is never the word to use where Abercrombie is concerned, it is a certain grimdark kind of happy.
The striking characters of this book and the series are Logen and Glokta. One is a maniacal killer-a berserker of that high fantasy trope-who believes in his heart of hearts that he isn't actually evil, just possibly misunderstood, and I would agree with him. He's redeemable as we view the world through his eyes and see that everyone else is as evil as he is, just probably not as obvious as he is.
And the other? can I ever express my adoration for Glokta? Unlikely. He is despicable and crippled and hideous: his heart is blacker than his manner, he attacks those just as the Gurkish attacked him, and yet I love him utterly. His demeanour is comendable: he could have given up after what happened to him like so many do. Perhaps his life choices could have been a little better, but I can always see those little sparks of hope and redemption that I'm sure aren't actually there.
Without thrm, these books would just be your average High Fantasy books: standardly political, sometimes clichéd but often nicely twisted, wars, swords, bastards. Abercrombie took all the tropes and shoved them deep in to his writing, but added his own spice to them.
I've never read anyone who can write fighting scenes well, and I can't say I enjoy them immensely. Maybe it's a boy thing, but I tend to skip over them. Afterwards you always find out who died and who didn't and you've missed nothing, but Abercrombie still seems to find a way to make them almost readable that I don't discount them entirely. They feature good action, obvious action, but always that little twist and cliffhanger.
The ending? What ending?
Okay, so there is an ending... of sorts. I suppose this is where "no happy endings" comes along and plops itself firmly in front of you, obstructing your view from the sinking sun on the horizon. The wars are won, the politics sorted out (as much as it ever can be) and the characters all settle in to the rest of their lives. But there are little things that make you think... What will happen next? And still, Abercrombie leaves those little cliffhangers, quite literally.
Perhaps they are a little disappointing, not quite the closure you wanted. But hey, that's life. You gotta be realistic....more
I skived off work to read this. Okay, so I'm my own boss and I can afford a day off since I work every day, ten hours every day, but still. Skived offI skived off work to read this. Okay, so I'm my own boss and I can afford a day off since I work every day, ten hours every day, but still. Skived off, ya hear?
I was a little hesitant to keep this at five stars to begin with, straight after I finished it and was basking in the afterglow but also cursing myself for not having done anything productive that day (except some admin, ugh) but I will keep it at five stars. It gave me a feeling which is my criteria for giving a book five stars. It's not always the same feeling and sometimes it is as simple as being the only book to ever make me cry. In this case, the feeling was I do not want to put this book down all of my deadlines be damned. I love that feeling: that's why I read.
Before They Are Hanged is the second book of the First Law Trilogy, and we are still following the same characters but their threads have weaved together nicely and the plot is beginning to thicken. I must confess I didn't recall half as much as what happened, but there were unusual memories that bubbled to the surface every now and then and I kept on guessing where we were heading.
We are also passed between main characters really nicely: sometimes it is one chapter, sometimes it's two, but I never feel lost. Each character has their own way, their style and that really entices me. I am still in love with Sand dan Glokta and know I shouldn't be. We are starting to see each character discover their redeeming features: Luthar is becoming less of an arsehole, Ferro a little less cold, Quai a little less pathetic, Glokta a little less torturer. I like that last one less than the others, because my darling torturer is perfect the way he is, hobbling and tapping about scaring everyone, but we can't have everything.
The political intrigue and the magical undertones are bubbling away nicely, sometimes in the background, sometimes in full view. There are clues being dropped everywhere and I find that exceptional. That is a mystery murder kind of plot device and yet it fits in perfectly here. I still cannot tell where this is going, despite having read it before. Maybe that says more than I can see, but 9 years is a long time and I could not tell you what I had for breakfast two days ago.
And, I would like to express my gratitude and offer my applause to Joe for removing the superfluous exclaimation marks from some characters dialogue. That was the main reason the first book irked me and he has amended it very well here: still, some characters use them too much, but that fits their personality. Maybe there are still a little too many as well, but it is so much better than before that it appeases me.
About the grimdarkness? I don't really see it. It's grim, yes. People are dying and swearing and I would say it is more realistic in some ways than a lot of battle books, but I thought that was life. To see the hope you do need to look carefully with a magnifying glass maybe, but it's there. I see nothing more than a cleverly constructed, well-written High Fantasy novel; with some clichés but also some nice twists; some darkness and some light relief; some detestable characters yet whom have hearts just as the rest of us. The serial killer brakes for the ducklings crossing the road....more
An illustrated and charming guide to the modern unicorn, featuring beautiful illustrations from Papio Press and Helen Dardik and endearing little guidAn illustrated and charming guide to the modern unicorn, featuring beautiful illustrations from Papio Press and Helen Dardik and endearing little guides to the unicorns of the world and how you can spot them. It is a charming book and probably the most innocent little gem that has ever existed.
I have many things I want to say about this book that I'm not going to, for several reasons, but the main one is that this book is exactly what it wanted to be and whatever it is I wanted it to be won't change that.
The only reason I bought this was that it was illustrated by Zanna and Harry Goldhawk, collectively known as Papio Press, and I shall always prefer owning a book of illustrations by my favourite artists than just purchasing one or two prints or pieces. And it delivered their artwork in it's most pure form and I enjoyed it greatly.
What I hated was every thing else. Actually, that's a lie: I didn't realise it had been illustrated by Helen Dardik as well, and whilst I'm not as big a fan of her work as I am Papio Press, her work was still magical and incredibly easy on the eye to enjoy.
I dislike the modern interpretation of a unicorn and magic in general, like the much misunderstood fairy, but this book is not for me. It is not a look at the myth of the unicorn, it is a modern take on what they are today, which are cute creatures who help people. It isn't a book made for me, a folklore lover with a desire to know the history. Fair enough: I can't say I was expecting it to be that, but that doesn't mean I can't dislike the contents of this book intensely.
I don't want this to become a "why the modern view of unicorns is pathetic" review so I'll leave it there. It is a charming book, wonderfully illustrated with some nice little stories that aren't challenging nor particularly imaginative but offer a glimpse in to a magical world that is, for the most part, excluded to the little pink backpacks of tiny children only. There is only an innocence of calm here, which can be a relief considering not only the state of books but also the world. It just isn't made for someone like me unless they also want to own some lovely Papio Press artwork....more
It never even occurred to me that Beauty and the Beast was an original story in of itself, despite the fact that only about 5% of anything Disney haveIt never even occurred to me that Beauty and the Beast was an original story in of itself, despite the fact that only about 5% of anything Disney have made has been original and without basic inspiration, however tenuous that inspiration may be. The irony of this is not lost on anyone who has received a cease and desist letter from them whilst peddling their wares. But it seems I digress.
I find myself a little torn in the rating of this book. The review will focus on the 1740 fairytale first and then move on to the physical edition, which I think requires it's own review for various reasons.
First of all, the story. Having become disenchanted with Disney since their partnership with Pixar and the giant bug-eyes of their new characters (other reasons exist, but this one appears the most prevalent) I don't have any ties to their Beauty and the Beast as I never considered this a favourite in any case. However, I was, of course, entirely aware of their version and knew instantly how different this story was.
I shall refrain from too many comparisons between Disney film and the original fairytale, but there is little similar except the finding of love between the title characters. I was enamoured from the beginning: I thought the storytelling was beautiful and the atmosphere evocative and I enjoyed following the adventure of the Good Man and his sons and daughters, including Beauty herself.
By the end though, I was bored. It had become tedious and the storytelling was no longer good. Mid-way it became very repetitive as we followed Beauty around her new home and the recurrence of her dreams may have been a delight for her but for me they were abysmal repetitions of nonsense. I missed the splendour of the beginning and, though we had moments of strife, they were few and far between. And then we had a weird addendum at the end that stalled the whole thing as Fairies and Kings stood about telling long stories.
Whilst I loved the beginning, the ending really spoilt it for me. I don't think an abridged version of this tale would be a bad thing, though I will always give the benefit of doubt to any translation, though I also didn't feel this was a particular French tale, either.
The physical book itself I was extremely excited by. I care not that the illustrators had involvement with Harry Potter, but I own their other books and adore the covers and the elements inside. This one, however, was quite the disappointment. I'm marginally annoyed at how the interactive elements are made for right-handed people, but that's besides the point. They were fairly basic: lift a flap here, turn a wheel there. There was a book of Fairies that I thought would contain some wonderfully magical elements, but the inside was exactly the same as the cover. It was, in short, really rather pointless overall.
Interactive Elements aside, the illustrations were lovely, despite the fact that the Beast is the Disney version (the book notes the Beast has scales, not fur) but again, I am probably being picky. The whole experience was rather disappointing and, though it began magical and rather enchanting, both the story and the illustrations became all a little too tedious by the end. I cannot even bring myself to add an extra star for the illustrations or beautiful binding as I don't feel my enjoyment was caused by such.
What more can I say. It was so disappointing, but since I held no flame to this story my soul wasn't crushed. I actually still prefer this story to the Disney version, but maybe that's just my anti-big-company-bullying coming in to play. And how I hate those stupid big bug eyes....more
I listened to this on audiobook, mainly because I've always wanted to try out audiobooks and never really gotten around to it, but also because it is I listened to this on audiobook, mainly because I've always wanted to try out audiobooks and never really gotten around to it, but also because it is freely accesible on spotify. Huzzah for spotify.
However, I believe what I listened to was the abridged version, which is slightly upsetting but excites me also: more Chris Barrie doing Scouse and Cockney and every-other accent ever? Yes please.
My rating is partly for the book and partly for the audiobook. I thoroughly enjoyed Chris Barrie: he is an absolutely spectacular character actor and you don't always see that in Red Dwarf. A few moments spring to mind, however: the mechanoid he gets turned into during Mechocracy and the dress-wearing, Mr. Flibble-weilding, holo-virus Rimmer of Quarentine. Have I mentioned I love Red Dwarf? No. Well, I do. More amazing old men that I love.
My childhood was Red Dwarf, Blackadder, Shooting Stars and Bottom. Poor parenting, maybe, but I can't thank them enough for that. Hence this review is probably a little biased and you can take what I say with a pinch of salt.
The story centres around the beginning of the TV programme, but with more canon added. We get a little more backstory of the main characters whilst we pretty much replay many scenes from the show, which for deepnerds is a really nice touch. You get to go beyond what Lister says on telly and find out that he wasn't stupid. Just rather lazy.
The main thing that sold this for me was Chris Barrie. He was superb and at times I forgot it was Chris and not Norman doing Hollie's voice. Even his Cat was impressive, though I notice he didn't attempt any Kochanski which might have been for the best. I think audiobooks are made by the people who read them, so if I ever pick up another it will be based purely on who is reading it....more
Without going too far in to it, Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse are two of the finest comedians (or comedy actors, whichever term is in vogue right nWithout going too far in to it, Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse are two of the finest comedians (or comedy actors, whichever term is in vogue right now) Great Britain has ever produced. They've graced our screens for about 60 years if you add them both together. Bob Mortimer is probably best know for Shooting Stars and Paul Whitehouse mostly known for The Fast Show. Everything else they've done is also magnificent.
Being white, old and men means they've also had heart troubles, which in both cases was trouble enough to nearly kill them. In fact, Bob was dead for about 37 minutes and Paul was about the same amount away from certain death. This leads to all sorts of philosophical thoughts and zen-like moments of clarity on what life is all about.
Apparently, it's about fishing.
Again, without going too much in to it, Paul has fished all his life, Bob hasn't. But in order to get themselves back in to life-and in to each other's lives again-they start fishing together. Which ends up becoming a TV series on the BBC; and becomes one of the loveliest programmes that has ever existed. It is calm and serene, it is two comedy legends being funny but not scripted, it is the greatest of the Great British countryside and it is a slow look at life away from the busy milennial, city-dwelling, need-to-get-from-Manchester-to-London-in-less-than-two-hours (WHY?) kind of life that apparently everyone lives (except for, you know, people who don't. We exist; hello!)
And now you know the background and we have an already too-long review. Let me tell you right now I am biased beyond belief. I love these two old white men more than you will ever know. Bob is my second favourite comedian ever. Paul is my second favourite actor, first favourite character actor. Totally biased. I love these old men. Love them.
The telly programme was excellent: the book, a little less so. It is a weird mix of autobiography, teaching you how to fish, teaching you the best fishing places, talking about how to be heart healthy and a few other things in between.
My main gripes concerned the actual physical book: there were a few typos that seemed a little too easy, and the black and white photographs were really poorly printed. It still amazes me that they can't print a decent photo straight on the paper. Surely someone has worked out how to do that one a bit better? And maybe I would have liked a little more recent autobiographing. It also didn't contain the splendour of the British countryside (how could it?) like the telly programme did, which whilst seems obvious, was one of the main reasons I loved watching two old men fishing.
There was also a little bit too much about... fishing. Paul went on a bit. I think the composition of the book could have been done better: there was the funny life stuff at the beginning; how they both started fishing, why they started again or kept going, a cheeky look at their heart problems. But then we get a fair chunk that's just Paul going through some different types or fishing, rods, the fish to catch, the lures and bait used to catch said fish... That bit felt heavy. It would have been better served had it been a handbook with anecdotes in between.
Nevertheless, and don't tell anyone this, but I really, really want to go fishing now. Quite badly. I don't really care about what kind of rod I've got or staying up all night making special lures to catch that pike. But just to sit in comfortable silence with (a really old man? probably) someone and be immersed in the countryside for hours and hours without feeling like you're wasting your time because the cool trendy hipsters from London with 50k instagram followers and a SkillShare sponsor on their YouTube channel don't think it's a good idea sounds AMAZING. I need fishing in my life. Honestly, I'd be happy just to sit and watch someone else fish. I reckon I'd get the same amount of enjoyment and would be less wet, which I'm okay with. I could probably just go and sit next to a river-no need to even think about fishing-to get the same kick. But sadly I've got bills to pay and some bread to buy. You know, real life......more
I bought this before I had given up on YA and Romance as genres and swore to never read them again after being recommended it when I asked for Short SI bought this before I had given up on YA and Romance as genres and swore to never read them again after being recommended it when I asked for Short Story Collections.
I have never read any of Leigh Bardugo's other works and after this, it seems highly unlikely I ever will. I appreciate the idea of these stories and I could sense the imagination, but sadly they were repetitive and boring, and most of all, the "lavish" illustrations we were promised and are slightly hinted at on the cover do not deliver at all.
The stories are unique takes on Fairytales. Bardugo is trying hard to say something about how obsessed they always were with the way people look, and that the pretty people live happily ever after and the ugly people are shunned and killed, but really it only made Bardugo look obsessed with making sure we know that this isn't always the case.
The point that Bardugo has missed is that the way people look is almost always a metaphor. In a short story like a fairytale, you can't have 4 pages exploring a person's ugly inside-their bad personality and evil tenancies-because that's 4 pages too long. So you make them ugly on the outside, or you read carefully and follow their actions and you KNOW how they are in the end. It's not always black and white.
I wouldn't have minded so much if it was just one, maybe two of the stories that were so obsessed with looks. But it was all of them and it was all they were about. It was a point being made with a sledgehammer and it was tedious.
Aside from that obsession, the writing wasn't the best. It didn't always flow and often I had to re-read whole pages because I found I'd missed important parts of the story. I obviously also didn't catch on to the references from the Grishaverse books since I've never read them, so that was completely lost on me.
And finally (and I apologise how long this is) but the illustrations were awful. We were promised this book would be "lavishly illustrated" on the back, but they were truly elementary and basic. There was no lavishness and the pages would have been better blank.
Below are reviews of each story.
'Ayama and the Thorn Wood', 1 Star: I've never read any Grishaverse or Leigh Bardugo stories, so can't really comment on how accurate or representative these stories are of that, nor indeed how they stack up.
This modernly-twisted fairytale seemed fairly generic, but I found it unendingly boring. A terrible beast is born of a queen and terrorises the land. An ugly peasant girl is sent to appease him when no other will.
I never felt any atmosphere, nor indeed cared for any character. Short stories are quite difficult at character development purely because of the length, but still there should be some decent characterisation and here I find none. I also thought it was just far too obviously trying to be a modern feminist fairytale.
The illustrations were also awful. Just awful. Crude and, whilst they fit with the story, they didn't evoke anything you'd expect from a fairytale, unless they were intended to reflect the rather abysmal storytelling itself, in which case it worked.
'The Too-Clever Fox', 2 Stars: A runt of a fox must make do with his wits where his looks may fail him. When a hunter comes to the forest and wipes out all of the animals, Koja the fox must test his wits to the limit.
Enjoyed this story much more, and the illustrations were so much better as well, but considering how bad the first ones were this is no great feat. It still felt a little dull, and the obsession with trying to make the ugly people the good guys and the pretty people the bad guys was rather trite.
Koja was a nice protagonist and I enjoyed his voice, but the rest of the characters just seemed like walking clichés. I also didn't feel any atmosphere and the setting of the piece just felt like a flat piece of land.
'The Witch of Duva', 2 Stars: Famine comes to the land and young girls begin to go missing. Some say it's the woods that take them...
I wasn't expecting the twist at the end, which is the reason for the second star given, but the way it had been written there was no way you could have, really.
Like the previous stories I didn't enjoy this one. There is imagination but I find the writing style quite difficult to follow. Some sentences need re-reading several times in order to really grasp the meaning.
Also still quite bored with how obsessed the author is with how people look and how that reflects their personality. I get it, because Fairytales always mention this, but you need to remember that it's used as a metaphor in Fairytales. It's easier to show inside ugliness on the outside in a short story than it is to explain to the reader in a good and short way that they're ugly and evil inside.
As with the previous stories as well, the illustrations are really elementary and don't add anything at all.
'Little Knife', 1 Star: A beautiful girl is born and everyone wants to meet her but her father is greedy blah blah blah.
I stopped reading after this one. I didn't read 'The Soldier Prince' or 'When Water Sang Fire'. Read the beginning of this review to find out why....more
This grimoire brings together all of the glorious little notes of lore that are scattered across the Destiny video games. It is sleek leather, dark anThis grimoire brings together all of the glorious little notes of lore that are scattered across the Destiny video games. It is sleek leather, dark and black like Oryx's heart and begins at the beginning: where else?
In truth, you can find all of this either in the game or probably online somewhere. There have been many Guardians who have sought to collect the lore of the Traveller and the surrounding worlds in one handy place, but sometimes that isn't enough. Sure, you can read all of this as you play the game, or look it up online, but for me that's not an option.
I started playing Destiny quite late in to the first installment after some girl on Subeta said she was playing it. I liked her (platonically), she seemed fun, so I decided to pick it up. That's the second time I've picked up a video game because a girl I like platonically has mentioned it. The first was Dragon Age. Ask me to tell you about my history with Dragon Age one day.
I never read the lore I pick up. Usually because I never pick it up in order, so having to remember each part and relate it to those parts it relates to is fairly annoying. And the lore system in Destiny 1 was pretty much abysmal: it wasn't accessible via the game at first, only online-except in little chunks called Grimoire cards. I also dislike reading more than 5 words off a screen at any giving moment. I'm a paper gel. And the idea of tracking it down online from a reputable Guardian sounded like hard work.
This is truly glorious, however. The binding (if you bought this in anything other than leatherbound you are no true Guardian of the Light) is stunning-though it can be a little cumbersome to hold when reading-and the illustrations are quite something: they add the atosphere and flavour that the game provides but in smaller, digestible chunks. I do wish there were more illustrations and I can not apologise enough for how I need Cayde-6 on every single page on anything Destiny-related.
And I will confess it now to my fellow Guardians: this is the first time I've actually read the lore. Yes, I know. But reading off a screen is not for me and having to find each individual pieces is also not for me. I am a completionist but only if there's a little ping at the end. But it is wonderful. Written really well: not in a novel style-of course not-but written in digestible chunks that give you so much information yet leave you hanging.
I would say, definitely, this book isn't for anyone who doesn't like-perhaps love?-Destiny the video game series. Usually with video game books I will say it appeals to people who enjoy artwork or video games in general, but this is pretty specific and will genuinely only appeal to the Guardians who haven't given up on the Traveller just yet....more
Any book that has that many superlatives on its cover (and back, /AND/ special fold-out page) should be approached with caution, especially if one of Any book that has that many superlatives on its cover (and back, /AND/ special fold-out page) should be approached with caution, especially if one of them is the Daily Mail and another OK! magazine. But I was willing to give it the benefit of the doubt, because I owned it already and was in the mood for something that sounded quite intriguing.
It was recommended to me when I asked for short story collections. It is a novel, but within are lots of little short stories, so it kind of fits. The stories were actually quite nice to begin with, but my, this book was boring on the whole.
I keep trying to like contemporary (or what I prefer to call Modern). My soul is stuck in the past and I cannot change that, but occasionally books can surprise you. This one did not. It is written nicely, but it IS boring. Or, it is modern. Modernly Boring, which is a genre all in its own. Hardly any plot and metaphors as far as the eye can see, and bland characters that "need to be saved" because they have some mental health issues or might have made a mistake in the past. Fair enough, but boring.
A minor caveat: I couldn't finish the book. I stopped at about a third of the way in and then looked up a summary of the plot online. And am I glad I did. Obvious and bland.
Next time, take heed of those superlatives. The more the morose....more
Part of the Classics Unfolded series, this illustrated re-imagining of what is arguably William Shakespeare's most famous play, Romeo and Juliet. ThesPart of the Classics Unfolded series, this illustrated re-imagining of what is arguably William Shakespeare's most famous play, Romeo and Juliet. These little illustrated gems are a really nice way to reacquaint yourself with some books you might have read a long time ago but can't quite bring to mind their storylines.
Each Unfold is in concertina format and includes a nice list of the most important characters. Choice quotes are taken from the book itself and illustrations are used to explore them.
I do enjoy illustrations in books but I didn't think these quite captured the mood of the text completely. There are some that were so beautiful they feel as if they should belong to that quote completely, but there are some that feel a little obvious and unnecessary....more
There are currently four books in this little Classics Unfolded series, all four bring popular children's or adult tales retold mainly through illustrThere are currently four books in this little Classics Unfolded series, all four bring popular children's or adult tales retold mainly through illustration.
Whilst I love this collection as a whole, I thought this re-imagining of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland was a little lack-lustre. The illustrations were a little bland and, although the quotes came from the book itself, I didn't really think they were the best quotes that could have been chosen.
It's a nice way to reacquaint yourself with this classic, but I felt the drawings didn't capture the actual imagination and magic of the source material....more
There are currently four books in this little Classics Unfolded series. I own all four but have only previously read Pride and Prejudice.
Whilst i enjoThere are currently four books in this little Classics Unfolded series. I own all four but have only previously read Pride and Prejudice.
Whilst i enjoy the minimalism of the story and the fact that genuine quotes from the books are used here, unlike in the Classics Unfolded Pride and Prejudice I wasn't captivated as much by the illustrations or indeed the story. I have read The Secret Garden and can attest to it's magic, but this little book didn't seem to have even half as much magic as the full-length story.
Whilst that is to be expected, what I wasn't expecting was for the illustrations to be a little lacklustre, as well. I was expecting the garden to be a little more magnificent-as one feels when reading the story-and for the house to be a little more austere and gothicesque: even a little creepy. But no, it was pretty standard and never quite took my imagination anywhere.
It is an enjoyable little book to remember the story by, and that is primarily how I use it: I also use it to see illustrators take their inspiration from books and how they adapt it to fit their own style and imagination. Sadly, The Secret Garden isn't quite as well protrayed here as it could be....more
Number 23 and I am done. Sadly the final two books in the Peter Rabbit Collection were a little dull: plain rhymes that were often just well-known nurNumber 23 and I am done. Sadly the final two books in the Peter Rabbit Collection were a little dull: plain rhymes that were often just well-known nursery rhymes.
But fortunately, I now consider myself a Beatrix Potter fan. I was always led to believe that Beatrix's tales were twee and somewhat pathetic but I am happy to announce that that is definitely not the case. They are cute, yes, and sometimes a little twee of course (animals on their hindlegs in clothes cannot be anything but twee), but they are so much more.
They are the culmination of a women's life long love with nature and her wonderful imagination. She does not shy from the darker side of nature and believes everyone-including children-should know of this and embrace it, not ignore it. Sometimes this shocked me a little, but only because it came so out of the blue.
The main thing of course are the illustrations and one cannot deny that Beatrix is an accomplished watercolour artist and sketcher. Her tales would be almost nothing without them and that is no bad thing to say. She was an illustrator who wrote little stories to accompany her drawings and, although her longer stories were in my opinion so much better than the shorter ones, it is still the pictures that will forever be ingrained upon my memory. A dog in knickerbockers is no small thing to forget....more
I don't wish to lead you astray, these are quite charming little rhymes, but compared with her other stories and longer tales they're just a little biI don't wish to lead you astray, these are quite charming little rhymes, but compared with her other stories and longer tales they're just a little bit bland and boring. It is nice, however, to see recurring characters from previous tales....more
Unlike the previous story about the naughty little bunny, I wasn't quite feeling this one. Beatrix nails the cruelty of cats quite well, but it doesn'Unlike the previous story about the naughty little bunny, I wasn't quite feeling this one. Beatrix nails the cruelty of cats quite well, but it doesn't have any charm, or much darkness, of any of the cute I've come to expect and love from Beatrix.
Her illustrations remain charming as ever, though....more
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