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3.44 AVERAGE
3.44 AVERAGE
I wrote my own novel about goblins ([b:The Goblins of Bellwater|33973968|The Goblins of Bellwater|Molly Ringle|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1487692398l/33973968._SX50_.jpg|54960132]) shortly before this one was released, and I resisted reading Wintersong for a long time, fearing the nemesis of comparison. But as always turns out to be the case in such situations, I needn't have feared. Though we both took inspiration from Goblin Market, we ended up with completely different books. JJ went the full Labyrinth direction in some aspects--the physical description of the Goblin King is total Bowie, down to mismatched eyes and tight trousers and androgynous beauty--which I didn't (my goblins are mainly unlovely; the love story is between humans). But this book also suggested Persephone/Hades to me (which is funny, because I've also written about that) and Phantom of the Opera, given the underground lake and musical themes. And given I basically love all of the above things, I enjoyed this book to the hilt.
Mainly what I liked, aside from all those Gothic delicious details, was the ways in which this book dares to diverge from your average insipid YA paranormal romance. And these also seem to be the details that make people give it low ratings, which infuriates me, because do we want authors to write something different and creative, or do we just want them to make every book fit the same mold over and over? Those daring touches included: the way Christianity matter-of-factly existed alongside this pagan goblin world, with both being important to the characters, which felt accurate for the historic setting; a female protagonist choosing the wise option at the end, even though it hurts, rather than the "let the world die; I'm keeping my paranormal love" option; and the sensuality, the passion, even though it was twisted and weird. Actually I liked it BECAUSE it was twisted and weird. As stated, I believe in twisted and weird and think books need more of it rather than following the rule of "let's be sure not to make anyone uncomfortable anywhere ever." Also, given we're using Bowie as a model, how can there NOT be steamy kinky scenes? His tight pants in Labyrinth taught a whole generation of us more than sex ed classes ever did.
JJ, my weirdo opinion is that you wrote an awesome story here.
Mainly what I liked, aside from all those Gothic delicious details, was the ways in which this book dares to diverge from your average insipid YA paranormal romance. And these also seem to be the details that make people give it low ratings, which infuriates me, because do we want authors to write something different and creative, or do we just want them to make every book fit the same mold over and over? Those daring touches included: the way Christianity matter-of-factly existed alongside this pagan goblin world, with both being important to the characters, which felt accurate for the historic setting; a female protagonist choosing the wise option at the end, even though it hurts, rather than the "let the world die; I'm keeping my paranormal love" option; and the sensuality, the passion, even though it was twisted and weird. Actually I liked it BECAUSE it was twisted and weird. As stated, I believe in twisted and weird and think books need more of it rather than following the rule of "let's be sure not to make anyone uncomfortable anywhere ever." Also, given we're using Bowie as a model, how can there NOT be steamy kinky scenes? His tight pants in Labyrinth taught a whole generation of us more than sex ed classes ever did.
JJ, my weirdo opinion is that you wrote an awesome story here.
More detailed review to come...but let's just say if this hadn't been a NetGalley copy I received I wouldn't have bothered finishing it.
Beautiful story and I loved the music aspects.
adventurous
dark
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book was beyond elegant, austere, lush, gorgeous, and romantic. Initially, it was the overture (the folk story) and composer aspect that caught my eye. But I continued to read because I was enraptured by the ravishing prose S Jae Jones continued to deliver line after line. Highly recommend, take your time and just soak up this beautiful world.
see oli nagu slow-burning angsty fanfic
kirjutamisstiil oli lahe ja muinasjutuline ja läks looga hästi kokku ka
kirjutamisstiil oli lahe ja muinasjutuline ja läks looga hästi kokku ka
This is going to be a really tricky review to write because I don't know how I feel about the book. It was an enjoyable read and there were certainly elements which I liked but there were also some parts which I just can't overlook.
I am a fan of Labyrinth but I went into this book without a high expectation of it being a direct retelling which seems like a good call as the links are vague and I think you could perhaps only say that the story is loosely based around Labyrinth.
I liked the writing style and thought that for a debut, the author wrote beautifully. It was rich and descriptive and very lyrical and I enjoyed the musical references which had been placed throughout the book. I also liked that our main character Liesl/Elisabeth doesn't fit with the 'norm' in a YA book and that she emerges from the other end, a stronger character than when she began. I also like that you SAW this change being revealed which I feel like doesn't often happen in YA books.
Things I didn't like include the fact that the book was described using words like 'dark' and 'sexy' and 'mysterious' and I did not get any of those vibes from it AT ALL. I had imagined the Goblin King to be sort of like the Darkling in Leigh Bardugo's Grisha Trilogy but with a more human edge to him and to be honest, he fell way flat for me. I thought his character was one dimensional and although S.Jae-Jones told us that he was mysterious I just didn't get those vibes from him and I found I didn't actually care about his back story because of that. I felt like there could have been so much more to his character and I'm a little disappointed by what we were given.
Also...I felt like the author was a little bit lazy when it came to the descriptions. The Goblin King was either austere or soft-eyed...ALL the way through the book apart from (weirdly...) the last few pages when she suddenly had all of these other descriptive words bubbling over for him. It's personal preference but I feel like authors should vary their descriptions of characters and whenever Liesl spoke about the Goblin King it was so frustrating that she only chose from those two words. This also happened with the concept of giving yourself over, 'entire'...how many times did she want to use that phrasing...argh?!
I know it seems like I disliked a lot more than I liked but it was a fair YA read. I'm definitely interested in reading the sequel and I think if you don't go in with high expectations then you will probably get more enjoyment from reading it.
I am a fan of Labyrinth but I went into this book without a high expectation of it being a direct retelling which seems like a good call as the links are vague and I think you could perhaps only say that the story is loosely based around Labyrinth.
I liked the writing style and thought that for a debut, the author wrote beautifully. It was rich and descriptive and very lyrical and I enjoyed the musical references which had been placed throughout the book. I also liked that our main character Liesl/Elisabeth doesn't fit with the 'norm' in a YA book and that she emerges from the other end, a stronger character than when she began. I also like that you SAW this change being revealed which I feel like doesn't often happen in YA books.
Things I didn't like include the fact that the book was described using words like 'dark' and 'sexy' and 'mysterious' and I did not get any of those vibes from it AT ALL. I had imagined the Goblin King to be sort of like the Darkling in Leigh Bardugo's Grisha Trilogy but with a more human edge to him and to be honest, he fell way flat for me. I thought his character was one dimensional and although S.Jae-Jones told us that he was mysterious I just didn't get those vibes from him and I found I didn't actually care about his back story because of that. I felt like there could have been so much more to his character and I'm a little disappointed by what we were given.
Also...I felt like the author was a little bit lazy when it came to the descriptions. The Goblin King was either austere or soft-eyed...ALL the way through the book apart from (weirdly...) the last few pages when she suddenly had all of these other descriptive words bubbling over for him. It's personal preference but I feel like authors should vary their descriptions of characters and whenever Liesl spoke about the Goblin King it was so frustrating that she only chose from those two words. This also happened with the concept of giving yourself over, 'entire'...how many times did she want to use that phrasing...argh?!
I know it seems like I disliked a lot more than I liked but it was a fair YA read. I'm definitely interested in reading the sequel and I think if you don't go in with high expectations then you will probably get more enjoyment from reading it.
This book was painful to read. The characters were flat. The plot had no depth. There was no real developments. It was painfully predictable. The only thing the main character cared about was music and sleeping with the King. I would compared it to a Sara J Mass book but at least with those if you took away the more descriptive parts you still had a story but with this you wouldn't.
Too much too soon. This book practically gives it all away in the Prologue. I kept wanting the author to take her time, let the plot, the world, develop. I can wait, I'm invested, I'm a smart reader, give me a chance. But the pacing was too fast, then too disjointed. It's all tell, tell, tell. The characters never quite develop, there are secrets for secrets' sake - there's little tension in the things that are left untold. And the whiplash with characters is distracting - he's "austere," he's wicked, no he's austere, oops, wicked again. And then by turns she wants him, hates him, wants him, hates him. I get that complexity of character can build depth and tension, but it was so shallow as to be melodramatic here. Disappointed in this one, and won't be reading the 2nd.
3.5 Stars
First - look at this cover. Is this not a stunningly beautiful cover? Wow. I want to frame it and hang it on the wall. I love this cover so much. This cover is the reason I wanted to read this book, well, that and the fact that it’s also about the Goblin King.
Now let’s talk for a moment about the 1986 movie Labyrinth staring the fabulous David Bowie and a young Jennifer Connelly. This book is not at all like the movie, aside from the connection with the Goblin King, the taken sibling, the midnight balls, the oubliette, and those weird hand things. You remember that scene, right? “Up or down?” Anyway, that sounds like a lot in common, but it’s really not. It’s the ideas, but the way they’re weaved in the book is very different from the film.
So, back to the book. First, I believe this is billed as a YA. There is a LOT of sex in a book for teens! I would actually classify this more as a new adult novel, or a YA/NA crossover at best. I would not let my kids read this book until they were 17 at the earliest, and even then if they were mature enough to handle it. As an avid adult YA reader, it was fine for me.
This story takes place in 18th century Bavaria and follows Elisabeth aka Liesl, the 19 year old daughter of an inn keeper. She is the oldest, but unlike her younger sister Kath, she is not beautiful, but plain. She is as talented as her little brother Joseph, if not more, but she is a girl, and therefor her talents have largely gone ignored.
S. Jae-Jones has proven that she has a voice to be heard with this book. The prose is hauntingly beautiful. I felt like I was taking this journey with Liesl/Elisabeth. I felt what she felt, I saw/heard what she did. I fell into this world of music and folklore and got lost. This book made me feel like I knew something about playing the violin, when in actuality I have nothing more than a couple of months piano lessons under my belt.
Despite the beautiful prose, this book dragged for me. At times there were pages and pages of nothing happening. Repetition of Liesl/Elisabeth’s feelings and thoughts. This book is actually broken into sections and within Part I I wondered if anything would actually happen. And then it did. And it was fabulous. Part II was strange. Part III is where things got really weird and Liesl/Elisabeth began to act very out of character. I get that she’s changing on this journey, but it was odd. I didn’t like her much here. By the end, I mostly liked her again. Ultimately, this is the story of Elisabeth finding herself, and I think she succeeds.
I did love how vivid the characters were, even the Goblin King who is so shrouded in mystery, became real. I loved how protective Liesl/Elisabeth was of her siblings, especially her close relationship with Joseph.
I didn’t care much for how Liesl/Elisabeth and the Goblin King treated each other. It was obvious they each had strong feelings for the other, but neither expressed those feelings in a healthy way. It was very uncomfortable.
The end of this book is bittersweet. This is a very dark romance. There is no chance of a truly happy ending, no matter the outcome. I won’t tell you what happens, but I feel like the author ended this with the best possible outcome. And with a sequel due out in 2018, I wonder where that will lead us. And I wonder if it will be as many pages!
So, would I recommend this book? Eh…. It depends. This book is very long-winded, but the prose is utterly beautiful. If you like quick paced books, skip this one. If you don’t mind a book to take its sweet time getting from point A to point B, then you may enjoy this one.
Walking away from this book I really am conflicted. I’m still thinking about it two weeks later, which is something all authors want for their book! And if not for the extremely slow pacing at times, I think I would have rated this book much higher. I’m curious to see what my friends think of this book, if any of them read it.
First - look at this cover. Is this not a stunningly beautiful cover? Wow. I want to frame it and hang it on the wall. I love this cover so much. This cover is the reason I wanted to read this book, well, that and the fact that it’s also about the Goblin King.
Now let’s talk for a moment about the 1986 movie Labyrinth staring the fabulous David Bowie and a young Jennifer Connelly. This book is not at all like the movie, aside from the connection with the Goblin King, the taken sibling, the midnight balls, the oubliette, and those weird hand things. You remember that scene, right? “Up or down?” Anyway, that sounds like a lot in common, but it’s really not. It’s the ideas, but the way they’re weaved in the book is very different from the film.
So, back to the book. First, I believe this is billed as a YA. There is a LOT of sex in a book for teens! I would actually classify this more as a new adult novel, or a YA/NA crossover at best. I would not let my kids read this book until they were 17 at the earliest, and even then if they were mature enough to handle it. As an avid adult YA reader, it was fine for me.
This story takes place in 18th century Bavaria and follows Elisabeth aka Liesl, the 19 year old daughter of an inn keeper. She is the oldest, but unlike her younger sister Kath, she is not beautiful, but plain. She is as talented as her little brother Joseph, if not more, but she is a girl, and therefor her talents have largely gone ignored.
S. Jae-Jones has proven that she has a voice to be heard with this book. The prose is hauntingly beautiful. I felt like I was taking this journey with Liesl/Elisabeth. I felt what she felt, I saw/heard what she did. I fell into this world of music and folklore and got lost. This book made me feel like I knew something about playing the violin, when in actuality I have nothing more than a couple of months piano lessons under my belt.
Despite the beautiful prose, this book dragged for me. At times there were pages and pages of nothing happening. Repetition of Liesl/Elisabeth’s feelings and thoughts. This book is actually broken into sections and within Part I I wondered if anything would actually happen. And then it did. And it was fabulous. Part II was strange. Part III is where things got really weird and Liesl/Elisabeth began to act very out of character. I get that she’s changing on this journey, but it was odd. I didn’t like her much here. By the end, I mostly liked her again. Ultimately, this is the story of Elisabeth finding herself, and I think she succeeds.
I did love how vivid the characters were, even the Goblin King who is so shrouded in mystery, became real. I loved how protective Liesl/Elisabeth was of her siblings, especially her close relationship with Joseph.
I didn’t care much for how Liesl/Elisabeth and the Goblin King treated each other. It was obvious they each had strong feelings for the other, but neither expressed those feelings in a healthy way. It was very uncomfortable.
The end of this book is bittersweet. This is a very dark romance. There is no chance of a truly happy ending, no matter the outcome. I won’t tell you what happens, but I feel like the author ended this with the best possible outcome. And with a sequel due out in 2018, I wonder where that will lead us. And I wonder if it will be as many pages!
So, would I recommend this book? Eh…. It depends. This book is very long-winded, but the prose is utterly beautiful. If you like quick paced books, skip this one. If you don’t mind a book to take its sweet time getting from point A to point B, then you may enjoy this one.
Walking away from this book I really am conflicted. I’m still thinking about it two weeks later, which is something all authors want for their book! And if not for the extremely slow pacing at times, I think I would have rated this book much higher. I’m curious to see what my friends think of this book, if any of them read it.