Holy crap, that was good. And I'm an idiot for not reading these sooner. Holy crap, that was good. And I'm an idiot for not reading these sooner. ...more
If you could buy just one book this year, this one should be at the top of your list. I'm just going to say it: this book could very well be the next If you could buy just one book this year, this one should be at the top of your list. I'm just going to say it: this book could very well be the next The Hunger Games! I've never seen a book more likely to be a crowd-pleaser, nor one with more potential to sweep away a legion of fans. This book was so crazily addictive that I read it in literally half a day, and several months afterwards I am still jazzed over its edge-of-your-seat action.
What makes this story awesome, and what elevates it above many other action-oriented novels, is really the writing--taut plotting, a strong narrative voice, snarky humor, and a masterful feeling of grim tension that can only be relieved if you turn the pages fast enough.
The full text of this review appears in The Midnight Garden. An advance copy was provided by the publisher. ...more
This is the fantastical story of a boy tormented by nightmares that literally--literally!--become real. Set shortly after the events of The Raven BoysThis is the fantastical story of a boy tormented by nightmares that literally--literally!--become real. Set shortly after the events of The Raven Boys, the students of Aglionby Academy are still on the hunt for a legendary sleeping Welsh king. This time, while we continue to get perspectives from multiple POVs, the story primarily focuses on Ronan Lynch, a troubled and angry 17-year-old who pulls dark objects out of his dreams. But when ley lines running through their sleepy town are awakened, incredible power is unleashed, and none of the boys are prepared for the ordeal that awaits them.
I liked The Raven Boys so much that I was nervous going into this one--but I think this book actually surpasses its predecessor, in no small part because of its sharp-eyed character sketches. Adam still worries me. I feel tremendous love and pity for poor Noah. I'm eager to learn more about the entire Lynch clan. And I'm finally starting to feel something for Gansey, as well as to feel the lovely pulse of connection between him and Blue. Add to that a pair of compelling, nuanced antagonists in The Gray Man and one willfully destructive Joseph Kavinsky, and this world is filled with a host of unforgettable players. The author has the ability to create such fierce depth of feeling towards her characters with a single phrase such as "a teddy bear of a boy," in reference to Ronan's younger brother Matthew, whom you immediately want to cuddle and protect all at once.
I haven't been able to stop thinking about this book since I finished it. I have so many crazy theories about where this quest will lead, and I desperately want to know what happens to everyone. Aside from thrilling, nightmarish scenes, gorgeous prose, wild revelations, shocking deaths, and clever humor, there are also delicious layers to this novel that you may not fully appreciate until after you're through, including distinct symbolism (both subtle and powerful), sly hidden jokes, and a deep complexity of thought and plot and emotion. It's such an interesting meditation on the power of dreams and how hidden desire can influence our actions, from Ronan's waking nightmares to his mother and father's unusual relationship to...more yearnings that I won't spoil for you.
I could also write an entire essay about how The Dream Thieves contains one of the most beautiful, heartbreaking kisses in the history of kisses. (Yes. The ENTIRE HISTORY of kisses.) It's a delicate moment that's suffused with the breathless wonder of discovery, and it's all the more poignant because it's entirely unexpected, and because you are well aware of its context for both parties. Tears are literally welling up in my eyes again as I write this, because that type of longing and sadness pulls so deeply at my heart.
There isn't any way for a single review to do justice to this book, but this line from The Dream Thieves sums up its own story rather nicely:
Magic was real, magic was real, magic was real.
And it runs deep and true through Maggie Stiefvater's veins.
This review also appears in The Midnight Garden. An advance copy was provided by the publisher.
P.S There's a huge spoiler-tagged discussion going on down below with theories on what everything MEANS, if you'd care to speculate. But please use spoiler tags!
I also participated in a rather epic chat with several authors about this book, including Sarah Ockler and R.J. Anderson--and let me tell you, there are no better companions to discuss a story like this with than a bunch of smart, passionate authors who are just as excited about the book as you are. One of the mind-blowing takeaways from that discussion: consider the characters as tarot cards.
This is the story of two girls: Helen, a spirit who inhabited a body and regretted the consequences of her actions, and Jenny, the girl who doesn't reThis is the story of two girls: Helen, a spirit who inhabited a body and regretted the consequences of her actions, and Jenny, the girl who doesn't remember what happened during the time that she was gone.
Going into this story, I was pretty anxious. A Certain Slant of Light was one of my favorite reads in recent memory, a slow, sad ghost story with a literary style and questionable ethics. Helen's choices left Jenny in an unimaginably difficult situation, however, and I wasn't sure whether the author could convince me that this wrong could be righted without losing the integrity of the first book.
I'm happy to say that I needn't have worried. This sequel is astonishingly complete and wholly satisfying in how it resolves both Jenny and Helen's journeys, and in the way it gives us a truly transportive experience in Jenny and Billy's tentative relationship. I wasn't sure I would be swayed by a pairing that started under such unusual circumstances, but the yearning, uncertain romance made me thrill with their connection and wish fervently for their happiness.
I don't want to say too much about the specifics of this story, because the less you know about it, the better. But Under the Light is full of love and beauty, as well as a deep and tender spiritualism that outshines even its predecessor. The writing is the kind that I live and breathe for--it takes you out of your body because it's so utterly gorgeous.
The night was deep, the stars had risen, a faint glow defined every blade of grass. Wasn't it strange that the stars sparkled in his eyes even though he would not cast an image in a mirror himself?
This two-book series isn't for everyone, because while the stories are short, they are densely fitted with words and mature themes. But if you're someone who appreciates literary YA, I'd strongly recommend this series. Just know you'll need to keep an open mind...but also know that it may lift your heart and imagination to places that you would never have expected.
5 shining stars. Love love love love love.
This review also appears in The Midnight Garden. An advance copy was provided by the publisher.
Stay tuned for our interview with author Laura Whitcomb, which will appear on the blog later this month! ...more
My poor heart has never felt this way after finishing a series; I had no idea it was possible to feel such tempered happiness as well as such overwhelMy poor heart has never felt this way after finishing a series; I had no idea it was possible to feel such tempered happiness as well as such overwhelming grief for everyone involved. Many of the things I thought might happen, did--and yet it doesn't change my fierce love and admiration for the way everything unfolded.
THIS is how a love triangle should be written, in a way that preserves the honor of everyone involved. There isn't another series out there that has ever managed to handle one with such love and kindness and respect.
Ugh, that epilogue. Still sobbing uncontrollably. I don't know how to stop! My puny human heart wasn't meant to process such epic love stories.
:(
P.S. If you're considering reading the Infernal Devices series, I wrote a real review for Clockwork Prince here, which is book #2. It contains no spoilers, even if you haven't read the first book.
Wendy Darling
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2013-5-star-books
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