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3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i couldn't read the book and so i just read the parts with the main character and the main guy she was going to be with
The idea and story behind Wake Unto Me was very good but the execution was very bad, I 'm afraid.
Wake Unto Me intrigued me for the very first moment I read its summary: ghosts wondering around castles in Paris. Awesome, right? And it was, at the beginning. Actually the first 20-30% of it was quite good. But then things started to get really complicated for no apparent reason.
I understand why a writer would want pay so much attention to detail and I appreciate it. Cach payed A LOT attention to historical facts, which resulted in the book basically losing its "soul", its pace and its vibe. After a while it felt like I was watching a documentary on History Channel. Tons of information which were not necessary to push the story forward. It wasn't needed at all and inevitably I got bored by the end, waiting for the story to actually happen. Which it turns out was nothing special and a bit predictable. The ending was OK I guess but the book was long and by the time I got there, I felt exhausted. Also the ominous prologue was completely unnecessary, it plays no part whatsoever in the rest of the story.
And just because the story was drained dry due to the endless overflow of information, characters fell flat too. I failed to see the chemistry between Caitlyn and Rafael, a guy Caitlyn falls in love with from the very first time she sees him in her dreams. Yes, in her dreams. Her friends and her professors were all secondary characters. They could have easily been backspaced to oblivion and leave only Caitlyn and Rafael to take the stage.
I am so angry at Wake Unto Me because I really thought-and still think-that there was such an interesting idea behind it, and ghost stories,we don't get a lot of them in YA. So I really wanted this to work out. Unfortunately, it didn't.
Wake Unto Me intrigued me for the very first moment I read its summary: ghosts wondering around castles in Paris. Awesome, right? And it was, at the beginning. Actually the first 20-30% of it was quite good. But then things started to get really complicated for no apparent reason.
I understand why a writer would want pay so much attention to detail and I appreciate it. Cach payed A LOT attention to historical facts, which resulted in the book basically losing its "soul", its pace and its vibe. After a while it felt like I was watching a documentary on History Channel. Tons of information which were not necessary to push the story forward. It wasn't needed at all and inevitably I got bored by the end, waiting for the story to actually happen. Which it turns out was nothing special and a bit predictable. The ending was OK I guess but the book was long and by the time I got there, I felt exhausted. Also the ominous prologue was completely unnecessary, it plays no part whatsoever in the rest of the story.
And just because the story was drained dry due to the endless overflow of information, characters fell flat too. I failed to see the chemistry between Caitlyn and Rafael, a guy Caitlyn falls in love with from the very first time she sees him in her dreams. Yes, in her dreams. Her friends and her professors were all secondary characters. They could have easily been backspaced to oblivion and leave only Caitlyn and Rafael to take the stage.
I am so angry at Wake Unto Me because I really thought-and still think-that there was such an interesting idea behind it, and ghost stories,we don't get a lot of them in YA. So I really wanted this to work out. Unfortunately, it didn't.
Let's try to sum this book up in one word:
Inspiring.
This book totally blew me away. It is without a doubt one of the top books I've read this year. It was brilliant.
Lisa Cach just knows how to write. The language and tone of her writing flows so well. And it was just so unique! I mean I have never heard of a single instance where ghosts have been taken into that context. She has broken many barriers with the idea that one can be dead and yet undead at the same time.
My only problem? The characters were just a bit too believing. To think that telling somebody you have dreams that are real and them believing you is a tad ridiculous.
But other than that? No complaints.
Without a doubt this book deserves 4.5 / 5 stars.
A quote that really made me think? Caitlyn's:
"She was a ghost, but not dead. It was an idea that made no sense until she remembered what Amalia had said: no one knew what ghosts were truly like. Who was to say that a ghost could not be of a living person?"
Inspiring.
This book totally blew me away. It is without a doubt one of the top books I've read this year. It was brilliant.
Lisa Cach just knows how to write. The language and tone of her writing flows so well. And it was just so unique! I mean I have never heard of a single instance where ghosts have been taken into that context. She has broken many barriers with the idea that one can be dead and yet undead at the same time.
My only problem? The characters were just a bit too believing. To think that telling somebody you have dreams that are real and them believing you is a tad ridiculous.
But other than that? No complaints.
Without a doubt this book deserves 4.5 / 5 stars.
A quote that really made me think? Caitlyn's:
"She was a ghost, but not dead. It was an idea that made no sense until she remembered what Amalia had said: no one knew what ghosts were truly like. Who was to say that a ghost could not be of a living person?"
I had mixed feelings about this book. It was very slow paced for me. The first third of the book was good, but then it dragged until the last third of the story. [return][return]Additionally, the history was not my cup of tea. If you are a big history buff, you would like this book a lot. [return][return]My biggest problem with the book, however, was the author fell into the trap of what I call the "info dump." Catlin's discoveries of all major plot points occur through various info dumping methods. She'll read something in a book or Raphael says, "Come sit by the fire and I'll tell you what happened." Or some other non-interactive means of discovery. The first lesson of writing is to show, not tell. But this entire story is told instead of shown. Even the ending is a bunch of characters standing around explaining (info dumping). [return][return]If I were to write the timeline of the plot on paper, it would seem pretty interesting upon review, but the experience of reading it left much to be desired.[return][return]I'd say read it if you are hugely into history, but I wouldn't recommend it otherwise.
I tremendously enjoyed this book not only for its plot and characters, but also for Cach's beautiful and at the same time easy-to-read language. What is more, Wake Unto Me made me think about several concepts and real-life issues.
Wake Unto Me is an amazing YA love story, combining the past and the present; mystery, thrill, and adventure; reality and supernatural.
Read full review on my blog, Beyond Strange New Words.
RECOMMENDATION: This is a heart-warming must-read for its lovable main characters, compelling plot, and good writing.
Wake Unto Me is an amazing YA love story, combining the past and the present; mystery, thrill, and adventure; reality and supernatural.
Read full review on my blog, Beyond Strange New Words.
RECOMMENDATION: This is a heart-warming must-read for its lovable main characters, compelling plot, and good writing.