Book Review

Leave a comment Posted on by Mata Book Reviews, Book Talk, Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Dreams of Gods and Monsters - Book Review

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Title: Dreams of Gods and Monsters

Series: Daughter of Smoke and Bone Trilogy

Author: Laini Taylor

Publisher: Little, Brown & Company

What an end! And a beginning? Dreams of Gods and Monsters does what all good closers do, leave room for the imagination. With 600+ pages to work with Taylor weaves an, at times dizzying, conclusion to a rather elaborately constructed narrative. There’s a satisfactory end, I suppose, even though we’re left with the sense that the story is far from over.

We were left in a lurch, following the events of the Days of Blood and Starlight and it seemed like Taylor wanted to extend that suspense, setting us up for some grade A plot-twists. Taylor has a flair for ornate prose which, while undeniably gorgeous, can at times become slightly finicky.

Chimaera and the Seraphs face an even bigger danger than themselves, human weapons- Jael is trying to acquire weapons of mass destruction all the while there’s an even bigger danger on the grandest of scales.

We’re going to be honest with you, this has been sitting here in drafts for a long time- so it’s time for a super-fast-rundown of my feels and a super-fast-post because I’m sure you’re dying to know what I thought about the conclusion to DoSaB Trilogy.

- The beginning was confusing, like who introduces a finale with a completely new character that seemingly has nothing to do with the story so far? Of course all is revealed in a way that makes you go ‘oooooh deus ex machina’ much?

- There were enough moments where you wanted to punch both Karou and Akiva in the face.

- The villains were sufficiently villainous. Well done.

- Ziri was the best.

All in all this book did what it was supposed to do, the ending was left open to show that everything wasn’t neatly tied up but things were mending- or on the mend. However I can’t say I loved it as much as the first or second book.

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Spoiler Corner:

- I sorta saw Ziri and Liraz coming, it made complete sense tbh.

Leave a comment Posted on by Mata Book Reviews, Book Talk

Book Review: Thief’s Magic

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From Trudi Canavan, the bestselling author of The Black Magician trilogy, comes Thief’s Magic. The first in an entirely new trilogy, Millenium’s Rule. A friend of mine told me about The Black Magician which she found too ambitious and limited on its delivery, and while not the only factor in my decision to give it a miss- it was a main one. So once again I went into a bestselling author’s new series without having read their previous work.

Better blind than not at all, I always say.

Initial thoughts? I found it rather so-so. It took me a while to get into it- I do apologise- because the book’s a slow-starter. Sure there are some great sequences of adventure, but it isn’t as engaging as you’d like it to be. You’re introduced to one of the main characters, Tyen, an archeology and magic student at a magic academy in an industrial world powered by magic (sounds steam-punk with magic but not really) when he discovers a sentient book, Vella, who used to be a woman. No, really, she made some bad life choices, got in with the wrong guy, and got turned into a book- made from her flesh and bone no less. Not the best way to end a relationship.

The 15 Most Awkward Things That Happen When You're Binge Dating

Then you’re introduced to Rielle, who’s the other protagonist, stuck in an oppressive universe where you can’t use magic if you’re not a Priest. If you do, you’re technically stealing from the Angels and that’s a huge no-no. The society’s a lot more stuffy, and there’s a lot of ‘your reputation this, your reputation that’ to be had. Which would have been cool had there been a point to it other than reinforcing the ‘this is a primative world’ but both Tyen and Rielle’s worlds are rather primative in regards to social equality of men and women in all classes. Tyen’s school won’t teach girls magic, Rielle’s society don’t recognise women as artists and none of this is changed by the end of the book.

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I can say that Canavan’s worldbuilding is top notch, you can almost feel the paint textures described by Rielle, or want to cough from imaginary dust in the tomb Tyen initially finds Vella. The problem is that it feels like you’re only really scratching the surface of both Tyen and Rielle’s worlds. And as far as characters in a ‘coming-of-age’ story go? I can’t say that either Tyen or Rielle were at all relateable or sympathetic.

You want to root for Tyen, but then he gets hung up on that book and you think- dude just put the book down for a moment and really assess your situation here. Or use the knowledge Vella can get from other people intelligently. And Rielle? Honey, no. As someone who loves strong heroines who take their destinies into their own hands, I felt that Rielle lacked that element of self-possession. She was ruled by her situation, tugged along by the plot, and any decision she made a reaction to her surroundings.

The plot itself had all the makings of a great fantasy, but while the story itself was verbose, you didn’t feel much of anything save for frustration at some poor decision-making on both characters’ parts. If you’re looking for something to keep you occupied I believe this is your kind of book, but don’t expect satisfaction. The anti-climax is strong in this one.

Beyond this point SPOILERS lie in wait for you, so if you haven’t yet read it maybe steer clear.

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Right, so the fact that Tyen and Rielle never meet really annoyed me. You keep expecting them to but they don’t. There are a heck of a lot of pages to this book, and I understand that this is the first in the trilogy so there should be a lot of setting up in order to really allow the author to develop characters and plot in the next book, however it sort of feels like you’re left abruptly at the end there. There’s no payoff to some of the events that ocurr come that abrupt ending. The anti-climax is strong in this one.

And because of this I NEED to know what’s going to happen next, does Tyen ever get Vella changed back into a woman? Do he and Rielle actually ever cross paths? It felt as though you were reading two different novels, with no real connection between the two save for the protagonists getting betrayed by people they trusted. So if you’re to take away one thing from this novel it’s that you’re better off trusting no one.

Honourable Mentions:

- The romance factor had me shaking my head quite a bit. From Tyen’s lack of game to Rielle’s ‘straight out of an afterschool special’ romance arcs. I shipped the two antagonists in Tyen’s storyline more than I did Rielle and her lover. And Tyen’s in love with a book- a true bibliophile. So I’ll patiently wait for the next book.

- I bet the ‘angel’ at the end there in Rielle’s story is but a sorcerer from Tyen’s world, or another.

Look out for our next fantasy book review: Oversight by Charlie Fletcher.

Leave a comment Posted on by Motu Book Reviews, Book Talk

Storm Chaser by Sheila Rance | Book Review

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Title: Storm Chaser
Series: Sun Catcher Trilogy
Author: Sheila Rance
Publisher: Orion Children’s Books

SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT.

DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU HAVE FINISHED READING STORM CHASER.

SPOILERS.

SPOILERS!! STOP READING. GO AWAY.

Here are some of my thoughts on Storm Chaser, the exciting second novel of the Sun Catcher Trilogy by Sheila Rance.

Throw back to when I started reading Storm Chaser, I was slightly confused because I hadn’t (and still haven’t) read Sun Catcher, but the Storm Chaser was already hooking me in.

The character profiles in the beginning gave you a little insight on what happened in association with them in Sun Catcher, so it was easy to know who the antagonist was, even without having read the first novel.

Set in the Bronze Age, with places such as the Sun Palace and people like the Cliff Dwellers, your mind conjures up many different images and scenes, clearly depicted and expressed by Sheila Rance which is great!

Maia, the protagonist and seemingly most important character in the trilogy tries to run from her “destiny” and it’s odd seeing everyone else try and force this huge role upon her. Becoming whatever it is that she’s meant to be is hard when her aunt is trying to kill her and hires an assassin, whose best friend is a rat. A rodent. A sickly, gross and annoying ass rat who ruins everything.

Then the assassin unsurprisingly falls in love with the one girl who hates Maia for an entirely different reason from everyone else. That reason is because she was afraid Maia was tryna be all up on her man who isn’t hers in any way to begin with!

Seriously though, this book is pretty messed up. I was reading this one part where Elin (the aunt) was at some kind of lake and that scene seriously freaked me out. The silk whispering things and screaming had me picturing some horrifying stuff and I knew in a way that Elin deserved everything she was getting, but reading about how she submerged herself and some of the silk in water and tried to remain there just so she couldn’t hear the silks’ whispers honestly scared me.

AND THEN WHEN ELIN SAW THE GIRL WHO’D BEEN WITH MAIA GRABBING THE SILKS AND BEAT HER ‘TIL SHE BLED WITH A STONE. I couldn’t read this without a horrified expression, because it was so outrageous and disturbing that I just couldn’t comprehend how damaged a person would have to be to beat an innocent person to unconsciousness with just ONE stone, and then abandon their bruised and bloody body in a pool of more stones and blood.

Sheila Rance, you have an amazing way of creating/writing such detailed brutal scenes.

I love it.

Then, there was that Kodo character who was just hating on Razek because he was jealous and wanted Maia all to himself. Seriously peeved me off so much. Bloody ‘ell, Kodo. Either tell her how you feel, or pisssssss off with your lizards.

Oh, and before when he meets Caspia, Elin’s daughter, in the woods and just lets the Thought-Stealer influence him and such really annoyed me. The way he compared her with Maia also further enraged me. Like dude, just because Maia isn’t interested, doesn’t mean you should “get all up and personal” with the enemy. Y’all are friends and that’s a HUGE breach of the Friend Code.

Although the ending of the novel disappointed me slightly, I’m looking forward to reading the third and final novel of the trilogy and then maybe getting around to the first book.

The characters were very realistic and they all had their faults, even the amazing and brave Maia is slightly selfish. But is it selfish to put everyone and her own life in danger because she wants to fly a bird? The answer is yes and I purposefully set the question up that way so Maia looks bad, but she’s actually alright.

And in Sheila Rance’s fictional world, her descriptions made me want to be a part of her world, but also made me afraid to ever live in a world like it. Like ever.

I say NO to the silk whispers and the psychotic family members.

I REJECT the thought of possibly losing my pet cheetah. Yes, an actual cheetah… Or was it a leopard? Nevermind.

And I SHUN the annoying jealous boys just because they’re worse than never being able to fly an eagle.

Overall, I really enjoyed Storm Catcher and thought it was an excellent story with an interesting plot and odd characters with even stranger pets. I give it an 4/5 JawkwardLOL’s.

Leave a comment Posted on by Mata Book Reviews, Book Talk, Fire and Thorns

The Girl of Fire and Thorns Review

Title: The Girl of Fire and Thorns

Series: Fire and Thorns Trilogy

Author: Rae Carson

Publisher: Green Willow Books

Took me a while, but I feel like we should talk about this book, nay this trilogy, by Rae Carson. The Girl of Fire and Thorns is the first book in the Fire and Thorns series about a girl with a precious stone in her bellybutton and if you’re going to read any further I should probably warn you that this review will be riddled with spoilers. So continue reading at your own peril. Also, it’s been out since 2011, I’d be more worried about being spoiled by YOU. I know that doesn’t make sense, don’t look at me like that. Can we just get back to the task at hand? Thank you.

Lucero-Elisa’s a 16-year-old princess of Orovalle who’s been told all her life that she’s this chosen one who bears the Godstone, that stone lodged in her bellybutton I mentioned earlier. As far as protagonists go she’s pretty well-rounded, both physically (at first) and characteristically. She’s got quite an inferiority complex despite being constantly told she’s the ‘chosen one’, and eats her feelings- making her this doughy, rather unlikely, heroine upon first impression. Told in the first person narrative we’re sucked right into Elisa’s world and inner musings, right on her wedding day where she’s having trouble trying to fit into her wedding dress. Her, yes arranged, marriage to a widowed king, Alejandro (Alexander) de Vega, from a neighbouring kingdom- Joya D’Arena, is just the beginning of Elisa’s problems. Carson does a good job of conveying Elisa’s frustration with feeling like a second-rate citizen in her own royal family, especially when she describes her older (much better composed and beautiful) sister. After her wedding to Alejandro, Elisa is shipped off to Joya D’Arena with her new, rather pretty, husband and everything just goes so so wrong- and remains so for quite some time.

The book is first and foremost a bildungsroman, Elisa grows into her own over the course of the novel and it’s quite an interesting transformation from this nearly useless podgy character to a semi-useful sturdy heroine. As a character I see no Mary Sue-ish tendancies, Elisa’s far from perfect even towards the end of the novel. However she has her shining moments, when their company is attacked on their way to Joya D’Arena Elisa manages to save Alejandro’s life, who it seems was frozen in fear at the time, not even the handsome Alejandro is perfect. While she’s physically unfit at the start she’s well-versed in her world’s version of The Art of War.

When she’s kidnapped by a rebellion- which includes a maid who seemingly hates her, Cosmé and her dear sweet brother, Humberto- Elisa is dragged through the desert with them and comes out a better person for it. She loses a lot of the weight, I don’t recommend the Jesus-diet, and with her wit and the help of her trusty prayer stone lodged in her belly she becomes a powerful rebel leader as she experiences firsthand what war against the Inviernos is doing to the people of Joya D’Arena. Side note, as far as foes go, Inviernos are scary but have the most ridiculously long names.

I’ve heard the words ‘Christian-Lit’ thrown about in reference to this series and there are obvious parallels with Christianity- to the point where you think, am I reading Christian Lit? I’m talking, Judeo-Christians, our father who art in heaven, Christian. But it’s all very easy to overlook, for anyone who might be put off by the idea, especially when you factor in the jewels for belly-button magic business.

It’s an engrossing read, don’t just take it from me Tamora Pierce says so on the cover. Carson doesn’t just write a good main character, her secondary characters are all rather complex and fleshed out, with their own motives and stories. From the beautiful Condessa Ariña who’s got something going on with the King to Elisa’s crazy ninja nursemaid Ximena and the noble commander of the Kingsguard, Lord Hector who populate the world she’s created, to the beautifully crafted lands, all with their own characteristics, there’s something truly absorbing about Carson’s writing.

We’re left with the suitable amount of questions that’ll take us into the next installment of the trilogy, Crown of Embers. What with Alejandro dead, it’s now down to Elisa to watch things until Alejandro’s son is of age to take the throne. His death, in the end, was noble I think. The king was sort of a coward to begin with, wasn’t he? As charming as he was, a leader he was not.

Honourable [?] Mentions:

- Was it necessary for Humberto to die? Poor kid, but I suppose in the long run it’s for the best. It never would have worked out between them, unless Elisa was willing to abdicate for him. Extreme, maybe she could have kept a mancubine? (No, I am not struggling to hold in my laughter right now.) Is that the male version of a concubine? This is crass, I apologise.

- Let’s have a look at these covers shall we? It bears mentioning because who’s the girl on the cover here supposed to be? Certainly not the plump, dark-skinned Elisa. Apparently the publishers realised their mistake and changed the cover to that sparkly one up there where you can just make out someone’s face in a huge stone. Wouldn’t want to be accused of white-washing, would we?

Well done on the UK for getting Elisa’s colouring right, however.

- In the Fire and Thorns trilogy, the next Crown of Embers is next. Tune in?