Scan barcode
kintha's review
4.0
This is a pretty good book overall. Just a few complaints: the bulk of the book is kind of slow moving, so when the plot thickens and the pace quickens but the writing style remains the same, it feels a bit like going from a lazy creek to rapids but still being on a wooden raft. Also, Clent ends up too good, it seems kind of nonsensical.
brandypainter's review
3.0
Review originally posted here.
Fly by Night has a very Dickensian feel to it. Mosca Mye is a clever orphan with an instinct for survival and she has to survive in a world of shady adults and dangers. Adults with names like Eponymous Clent, Linden Kohlrabi, Lady Tamarind and Captain Blythe. This book is a word lovers delight. Hardinge plays with names and is a master of figurative language. The descriptions in the book bring the world of The Fractured Realm to life. The realm is a fully realized one with a detailed history that is revealed in clever turns of phrase and dropped hints. The artistry of this is important because it is, essentially, a book about the power of words.
"Words were dangerous when loosed. They were more powerful than cannon and more unpredictable than storms. They could turn men's heads inside out and warp their destinies. They could pick up kingdoms and shake them until they rattled. And this was a good thing, a wonderful thing."
Hardinge has such a way with words it is easy to forgive her for the sometimes ridiculous twists the plot takes. It all fits in with the quirky world and characters she has created. One small quibble I had with Mosca was that she sounded like a street urchin. I find it hard to believe with everything you discover about Quillam Mye that he would have allowed his daughter to talk in such ways. She was educated by him and lived with him until she was 8, her speech patterns would have already been set and they certainly wouldn't have devolved so greatly over four years working as a bookkeeper in her uncle's mill. That being said, Mosca does think like a genuine 12 year old. She makes impulsive decisions and jumps to conclusions that are very natural for a 12 year old mind.
The book says for ages 10 and up and I think that is a good suggestion to go by. There is a very sinister feel to the book and it explores many themes most younger readers simply lack the maturity and critical thinking skills to understand. It tackles the dark side of politics, economics, crime war and social unrest. The religion of the Realm is also explored in detail as is Mosca's response to it. There is a very definite condescending atheism that develops in Mosca by the end that would make for an interesting discussion.
I really thought the book wrapped up well in the end. I was surprised because I knew going in there was a sequel, but you could read just this one volume and have a complete story. Depending on where you live the sequel is called Twilight Robbery (UK) or Fly Trap (US). Guess which version has the better cover?
Fly by Night has a very Dickensian feel to it. Mosca Mye is a clever orphan with an instinct for survival and she has to survive in a world of shady adults and dangers. Adults with names like Eponymous Clent, Linden Kohlrabi, Lady Tamarind and Captain Blythe. This book is a word lovers delight. Hardinge plays with names and is a master of figurative language. The descriptions in the book bring the world of The Fractured Realm to life. The realm is a fully realized one with a detailed history that is revealed in clever turns of phrase and dropped hints. The artistry of this is important because it is, essentially, a book about the power of words.
"Words were dangerous when loosed. They were more powerful than cannon and more unpredictable than storms. They could turn men's heads inside out and warp their destinies. They could pick up kingdoms and shake them until they rattled. And this was a good thing, a wonderful thing."
Hardinge has such a way with words it is easy to forgive her for the sometimes ridiculous twists the plot takes. It all fits in with the quirky world and characters she has created. One small quibble I had with Mosca was that she sounded like a street urchin. I find it hard to believe with everything you discover about Quillam Mye that he would have allowed his daughter to talk in such ways. She was educated by him and lived with him until she was 8, her speech patterns would have already been set and they certainly wouldn't have devolved so greatly over four years working as a bookkeeper in her uncle's mill. That being said, Mosca does think like a genuine 12 year old. She makes impulsive decisions and jumps to conclusions that are very natural for a 12 year old mind.
The book says for ages 10 and up and I think that is a good suggestion to go by. There is a very sinister feel to the book and it explores many themes most younger readers simply lack the maturity and critical thinking skills to understand. It tackles the dark side of politics, economics, crime war and social unrest. The religion of the Realm is also explored in detail as is Mosca's response to it. There is a very definite condescending atheism that develops in Mosca by the end that would make for an interesting discussion.
I really thought the book wrapped up well in the end. I was surprised because I knew going in there was a sequel, but you could read just this one volume and have a complete story. Depending on where you live the sequel is called Twilight Robbery (UK) or Fly Trap (US). Guess which version has the better cover?
earlgreysoul's review
4.0
A very interesting read; Hardinge crafts the world quickly and you can soon pick up the lingo and history.
I'd make an educated guess that Hardinge is a Discworld fan - Eponymous Clent could be easily mistaken for an alias of Moist von Lipwig before he crossed paths with Vetinari. I certainly don't mean that as a criticism and Clent is different enough a character from Moist that he was still a refreshing character.
I dropped a star - well, two half stars - for a couple of reasons; for me personally, there were bits of the world building that were too quick. For instance, I didn't really feel the terror Hardinge was trying to convey with the Birdcatchers because, while their reign was explored in a concise way, it wasn't really shown through the fear of the people. The most palpable way to have built the Birdcatchers up would have been through the whispers and laments of the people Mosca met, but for me that wasn't fully accomplished.
The other half-star is for the ending; it felt quite abrupt, so abrupt that I had to go back and reread it to make sure I understood where it had gone.
Overall it was a refreshing book full of twists and turns, with characters that may seem familiar but will end up surprising you.
I'd make an educated guess that Hardinge is a Discworld fan - Eponymous Clent could be easily mistaken for an alias of Moist von Lipwig before he crossed paths with Vetinari. I certainly don't mean that as a criticism and Clent is different enough a character from Moist that he was still a refreshing character.
I dropped a star - well, two half stars - for a couple of reasons; for me personally, there were bits of the world building that were too quick. For instance, I didn't really feel the terror Hardinge was trying to convey with the Birdcatchers because, while their reign was explored in a concise way, it wasn't really shown through the fear of the people. The most palpable way to have built the Birdcatchers up would have been through the whispers and laments of the people Mosca met, but for me that wasn't fully accomplished.
The other half-star is for the ending; it felt quite abrupt, so abrupt that I had to go back and reread it to make sure I understood where it had gone.
Overall it was a refreshing book full of twists and turns, with characters that may seem familiar but will end up surprising you.
colorfulleo92's review
4.0
This was just the middle grade adventure I needed this very moment. It was so entertaining and absolutely flew through this. Wasn't sure of it in the beginning but then I was hooked. I need to try to find the next book somewhere
bookgirl4ever's review
3.0
This book has such a complicated plot that I'll post the summary from Goodreads here: "Twelve-year-old Mosca Mye hasn't got much. Her cruel uncle keeps her locked up in his mill, and her only friend is her pet goose, Saracen, who'll bite anything that crosses his path. But she does have one small, rare thing: the ability to read. She doesn't know it yet, but in a world where books are dangerous things, this gift will change her life.
Enter Eponymous Clent, a smooth-talking con man who seems to love words nearly as much as Mosca herself. Soon Mosca and Clent are living a life of deceit and danger -- discovering secret societies, following shady characters onto floating coffeehouses, and entangling themselves with crazed dukes and double-crossing racketeers. It would be exactly the kind of tale Mosca has always longed to take part in, until she learns that her one true love -- words -- may be the death of her."
This book is for the avid reader with strong skills in reading comprehension. The story started off slow, but caught this adult reader's interest as the political intrigue and mystery progressed.
Upper elementary/middle school
Enter Eponymous Clent, a smooth-talking con man who seems to love words nearly as much as Mosca herself. Soon Mosca and Clent are living a life of deceit and danger -- discovering secret societies, following shady characters onto floating coffeehouses, and entangling themselves with crazed dukes and double-crossing racketeers. It would be exactly the kind of tale Mosca has always longed to take part in, until she learns that her one true love -- words -- may be the death of her."
This book is for the avid reader with strong skills in reading comprehension. The story started off slow, but caught this adult reader's interest as the political intrigue and mystery progressed.
Upper elementary/middle school
k8s's review
3.0
I should have liked this more than I did, but I also read part of it through a migraine, so perhaps that was part of the problem.
seshat59's review
4.0
I'm won over, and I have to mildly recant my earlier complaint in my status update.
Fly by Night is a book that embraces and celebrates the power of words, and our heroine, fiery Mosca Mye (who really reminded me of Lyra in the His Dark Materials series), has an addiction and craving for novel words that her small town cannot provide. So she ends up running away with a loquacious con-artist poet, and she becomes involved in the complex politics of a world of fighting guilds and religious upheaval. You can see why the plot might begin a little on the dry side...
I do stand by my complaint that the world building is filled with info dumping from the very beginning. This makes the first 39% of the novel rather tedious to labor through, but once you trudge through the prologue, you're immediately rewarded with a glimmer of hope because the novel does celebrate words, and Hardinge's word choice is just lovely (though, I admit, at times that loveliness edges toward mildly awkward). And witty -- don't forget witty. There's a lot of humor here, and Saracen is definitely one of the best parts of this story. (Saracen is Mosca's aggressive goose, and having been chased by geese as a child, I would not want to get into Saracen's way. Ever -- but his exploits are fantastic to read about from a safe distance. ;))
The themes of the novel are very adult and complex -- free speech, thought, religion. I love the battle between the radical Birdcatchers and the recognizably placid and comfortingly traditional Beloved (and I love Mosca's resolution and evaluation of it all at the end).
And while this is young adult, I do think think that kids would have a hard time muddling through the complex themes and the world building/info dumping beginning. But I could be wrong. :)
Overall, if you can labor your way through the political and social histories that bog down the beginning of the novel, it is worth it in the end. This a complex and well thought out novel. I'm glad I made the effort of making myself sit and read it. It was definitely worth it in the end, and I'm definitely going to continue the series.
Fly by Night is a book that embraces and celebrates the power of words, and our heroine, fiery Mosca Mye (who really reminded me of Lyra in the His Dark Materials series), has an addiction and craving for novel words that her small town cannot provide. So she ends up running away with a loquacious con-artist poet, and she becomes involved in the complex politics of a world of fighting guilds and religious upheaval. You can see why the plot might begin a little on the dry side...
I do stand by my complaint that the world building is filled with info dumping from the very beginning. This makes the first 39% of the novel rather tedious to labor through, but once you trudge through the prologue, you're immediately rewarded with a glimmer of hope because the novel does celebrate words, and Hardinge's word choice is just lovely (though, I admit, at times that loveliness edges toward mildly awkward). And witty -- don't forget witty. There's a lot of humor here, and Saracen is definitely one of the best parts of this story. (Saracen is Mosca's aggressive goose, and having been chased by geese as a child, I would not want to get into Saracen's way. Ever -- but his exploits are fantastic to read about from a safe distance. ;))
The themes of the novel are very adult and complex -- free speech, thought, religion. I love the battle between the radical Birdcatchers and the recognizably placid and comfortingly traditional Beloved (and I love Mosca's resolution and evaluation of it all at the end).
And while this is young adult, I do think think that kids would have a hard time muddling through the complex themes and the world building/info dumping beginning. But I could be wrong. :)
Overall, if you can labor your way through the political and social histories that bog down the beginning of the novel, it is worth it in the end. This a complex and well thought out novel. I'm glad I made the effort of making myself sit and read it. It was definitely worth it in the end, and I'm definitely going to continue the series.
jayelle949290's review against another edition
4.0
this lovely fantasy about books, knowledge, ideas and independent thought was a surprising find at a book sale. frances hardinge is a writer to watch.