3 Stars
R-0
A really good story/concept, but just not as polished as it should be.
I had a hard time following the story, especially the dialogue. Part of this was definitely a linguistic issue-- an English-speaking (first language) editor really should have polished it up. Or maybe it's just because I'm American. Maybe the British wouldn't find anything strange at all.
Part of it, though... I think the story just needed more development before being finished and published. A lot of it (especially the dialogue) felt like it was written by a very very young writer. For example, there are exclamation points everywhere! (Like that one, hehehe.) Sylvia Weber did write the original story at age 12, which is fabulous, but it probably needed more polishing now that she's a more mature writer.
I liked Seanns and Maise, but I didn't feel like there was as much depth to them as I'd like.
And I'm still really confused on a few things-- the "papyrus pearls" concept totally went over my head. Could just be me, but I didn't get it. And the feathers Seanns was supposed to give his parents-- did he? We never hear about those again.
The descriptive prose is beautiful, though. Really lyrical.
For example--
"In those unique moments, everything stopped. Even the agitated ocean seemed immobilized in ravishment. The whole universe was dominated by an expectant silence; a mixture of fear of the unknown, magic and respect."
"And these rocky slopes, declivitous and abrupt, were hanging dangerously over the stormy ocean's waves. The sea's colour permanently oscillated between opal green and grey-blue; a gigantic wild animal, threatening to devour everything and everybody."
Lovely.
The world-building gets better as the book goes on, too. The journey they go on is great.
And, just in case anyone was wondering, "invigilate" is indeed a word. I'd never heard it before. Do you have any idea how long it's been since I had to look up a word in a book? (Actually, I can tell you how long it's been. It's been since late summer/early fall of 2005 when I read Connie Willis' Bellwether.) And so is "declivitous", even if spellcheck doesn't believe it is.
I would definitely say this is for teenagers-- YA. Though I wouldn't call it a paranormal, even if there is a werewolf (sort of).
This is, as you know, a Virtual Book Tour book. You can also learn more at The Wolves' Keeper Legend.
Dear Britt, thank you for your critic. It was very detailed and very helpful. I didn't get it... Did you like it? Without concerns to the technical aspects and to the dialogue (of course I will improve it), my question is... Was the reading enjoyable?
ReplyDeleteI hope you did. As to the feathers, they will be back; they have a different part in a different story. Later...
Thank you once more.
All the best to you.
I'll be back!
I did enjoy it. The descriptions especially were just beautifully done-- wonderful to read.
ReplyDeleteI'm planning to take my copy to my book group next time we get together and pass it around!