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capnnebs's review against another edition
5.0
This was sooo good. I hadn’t gotten through the whole thing and hadn’t even realized it. I enjoyed getting to learn more about Nicola Pallas and her Chupacabra’s.
book_realm_revisions's review against another edition
5.0
I read this later after the tragedy which makes me even more sad!
drtlovesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
What it's about: Young Nicolla helps out around her father's veterinarian clinic. One night, a strange creature is brought in, and Nicolla is captivated. When things with this creature go wrong, Nicolla uses the powers she's supposed to be hiding. But as things go further and further awry, Nicolla finds that she is not the only one with powers. She must figure out how to use her abilities on the fly, or everything she cares about may be taken from her.
What I thought: This was a very nicely done piece of backstory that helps illustrate an interesting side character from the series. And it's just about perfect in its scope and ambition. It provides a clear glimpse into how Nicolla Pallas's past, and just enough backstory to help readers see how she has risen to her position within the world of Isaac Vannio without getting bogged down in unnecessary recaps or paint-by-numbers storytelling that tries to get from an early origin to where we see her in her later life.
Why I rated it like I did: Throughout the Magic Ex Libris series, Nicolla Pallas has been an important and powerful figure. This story brings the reader into her world, showing a formative event in her life and helping to show just how powerful this magician is.
What I thought: This was a very nicely done piece of backstory that helps illustrate an interesting side character from the series. And it's just about perfect in its scope and ambition. It provides a clear glimpse into how Nicolla Pallas's past, and just enough backstory to help readers see how she has risen to her position within the world of Isaac Vannio without getting bogged down in unnecessary recaps or paint-by-numbers storytelling that tries to get from an early origin to where we see her in her later life.
Why I rated it like I did: Throughout the Magic Ex Libris series, Nicolla Pallas has been an important and powerful figure. This story brings the reader into her world, showing a formative event in her life and helping to show just how powerful this magician is.
kikiandarrowsfishshelf's review against another edition
4.0
This is a story of Nicola and how she got a interest in her pets - Chupacabras. Its a rather interesting story about magic and gives more detail about Nicola.
errantdreams's review against another edition
5.0
Nicola is autistic and has a special relationship with both music and animals. In this story she helps her father, who’s a capable veterinarian, with his work. Then one day a woman brings in an injured animal that looks sort of like a dog, only not. When someone comes to fetch the animal and uses magic to do it, Nicola finds out that the animal is a chupacabra, something believed to be a myth. She’ll have to figure out how to use the talent for magic that she harbors in order to save the animal.
I’ve always enjoyed Nicola as a character, and it’s wonderful to get to see where she came from and how she found the world of magic (not to mention how she first encountered her beloved chupacabras). I can’t say more about the plot without spoiling too much of the story, but I will say that it’s very well-written. The characters are interesting, the story is engrossing, and I shed tears twice while reading it! If you’ve read any of the Magic Ex Libris books then I think you’ll enjoy this.
Original review posted on my site: http://www.errantdreams.com/2015/12/short-take-chupacabras-song-jim-c-hines/
I’ve always enjoyed Nicola as a character, and it’s wonderful to get to see where she came from and how she found the world of magic (not to mention how she first encountered her beloved chupacabras). I can’t say more about the plot without spoiling too much of the story, but I will say that it’s very well-written. The characters are interesting, the story is engrossing, and I shed tears twice while reading it! If you’ve read any of the Magic Ex Libris books then I think you’ll enjoy this.
Original review posted on my site: http://www.errantdreams.com/2015/12/short-take-chupacabras-song-jim-c-hines/
ptrhansen's review against another edition
5.0
Beautiful snack
Wish it was more of a story than the quick literary snack that it is. I hope the author gives us more glimpses into the universe.
Wish it was more of a story than the quick literary snack that it is. I hope the author gives us more glimpses into the universe.
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