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jenmangler's review against another edition
3.0
I do not know how I feel about this book. Part of me really liked it. A lot. And part of me got to the end and screamed, “What? Are you kidding me? That's it? Nooooooo!” Hours later I’m still torn and having a difficult time settling on a rating. I think I like the idea of the book more than the actual book.
The stories are told in reverse chronological order, and that worked for me. I really liked each of the stories, but as I got to the end of each one I wanted more. I felt like many of them just left off, rather than ended. I needed to know the rest of that story, but instead it moved onto the next. Then I started liking the next story and it, too, would end. I’m left with SO many questions. Why always the hare? What is it with the Dragon Orchid? What is up with Tor? What is going on on that island? I like that these elements show up in each story, but I don’t get why they do.
Also, I don’t get this as a YA book. At all.
The stories are told in reverse chronological order, and that worked for me. I really liked each of the stories, but as I got to the end of each one I wanted more. I felt like many of them just left off, rather than ended. I needed to know the rest of that story, but instead it moved onto the next. Then I started liking the next story and it, too, would end. I’m left with SO many questions. Why always the hare? What is it with the Dragon Orchid? What is up with Tor? What is going on on that island? I like that these elements show up in each story, but I don’t get why they do.
Also, I don’t get this as a YA book. At all.
groundpepper's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
reader4evr's review
2.0
Interesting story, not really what I expected at all. The one thing that I liked about this story is even thought there were so many different stories within the book I liked how each of them came back and were introduced in a different way.
After finishing I thought this was definitely geared towards adults than teens. Not really sure a teen would really enjoy this.
After finishing I thought this was definitely geared towards adults than teens. Not really sure a teen would really enjoy this.
betty_netch's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.0
nathaliamakal's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
rach88's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
timna_wyckoff's review against another edition
4.0
New Printz winner - read with my 7th grader. I would have liked a little more in each short story, but the overall effect was as chilling as promised!
shareen17's review against another edition
4.0
It's hard to know what to say about this book or how to rate it. It was so strange that I wasn't sure what I thought about it most of the time. I'd say it's a combination of myth, fantasy, fairy tale, horror and I guess romance, all with a kind of Scandinavian flair. I'll give it four stars for creativity, being unique and lovely writing.
badseedgirl's review against another edition
5.0
Why had I only just heard about this book? I was looking for an easy read between books and this popped up over on Libby and I thought, What the heck? Mostly because I found the title and the cover intriguing. I know that is not a good reason, and I have been burned many's the time by gorgeous cover art around meh books. Not this time.
There is nothing in this book that reads Young Adult. This book probably should rightfully fall under "New Adult" Category, but even that might not be accurate because I am 50 years old and could not stop reading this story. For reference, Amazon lists this book for 12-18 year olds, whatever that tells ya!
It is seven interconnected stories set throughout time. All the stories take place on a small scandinavian island. There adult themes, but nothing overtly sexual in nature. There is violence, but nothing I would call extreme horror. There are many aspects of love portrayed in these stories. Young love, true love, the love of children, and the love of siblings all have there place in these stories. I can not begin to tell you how engrossed I was in this book. All these stories are interconnected, but the reader has to get tot he end of the book to see the ultimate interconnectedness that goes beyond the surface. When I finished this book, I just wanted to sit down and think about what I had just read, and that to me marks the sign of an amazing book.
There is nothing in this book that reads Young Adult. This book probably should rightfully fall under "New Adult" Category, but even that might not be accurate because I am 50 years old and could not stop reading this story. For reference, Amazon lists this book for 12-18 year olds, whatever that tells ya!
It is seven interconnected stories set throughout time. All the stories take place on a small scandinavian island. There adult themes, but nothing overtly sexual in nature. There is violence, but nothing I would call extreme horror. There are many aspects of love portrayed in these stories. Young love, true love, the love of children, and the love of siblings all have there place in these stories. I can not begin to tell you how engrossed I was in this book. All these stories are interconnected, but the reader has to get tot he end of the book to see the ultimate interconnectedness that goes beyond the surface. When I finished this book, I just wanted to sit down and think about what I had just read, and that to me marks the sign of an amazing book.
roseleaf24's review against another edition
5.0
Eric Seven arrives on Blessed Island on a journalistic assignment in 2073. There are rumors that its inhabitants have find a way to live forever, but there are no children on the island. Things continue, leading me to believe that this would be a slightly mysterious work of post-apocalyptic fiction. Instead, the first section narrows its focus to a young woman, Merle, and Eric's feeling that he's been here before. From there, we are treated to six more stories, each going further back in time, and each involving Eric and Merle in some way. And the dragon flowers. And the hare. This was entirely unexpected and beautifully woven, and our will hasn't me for some time.