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dianafdez's review against another edition
5.0
Taken from my blog.
I absolutely loved this story. It starts off with Sydelle in the mountains playing a game with others. Then she feels what she hasn't felt for years, water. She meets a person who wants to talk with her dad. After this, the story takes off in an adventure that you won't want to stop reading about.
I loved how Sydelle was a female character that didn't give up and didn't depend much on the help of North and I also loved how she always tried to find how exactly why it was that the wizard had chosen her. I liked the way how she took decisions that maybe weren't easy but that she thought were necessary. Books that have a strong heroine and not one that depends on others for help are the kinds that I will most likely end up loving.
Wayland North was simply. . . Wayland North. The reader knows that something is wrong when they start meeting other wizards that keep saying their ranks while North avoids it. He seemed to be having some real conflicts that made me love him even more as I kept reading.
For me this was one of those stories that you just have to read. From the beginning of the book to the end there was something that was happening. There were characters that I liked and others that I didn't. It had some of the elements that I most like to see, which I think influenced me a lot to really enjoy it! Overall, this will be one of the favorites of mine!
I absolutely loved this story. It starts off with Sydelle in the mountains playing a game with others. Then she feels what she hasn't felt for years, water. She meets a person who wants to talk with her dad. After this, the story takes off in an adventure that you won't want to stop reading about.
I loved how Sydelle was a female character that didn't give up and didn't depend much on the help of North and I also loved how she always tried to find how exactly why it was that the wizard had chosen her. I liked the way how she took decisions that maybe weren't easy but that she thought were necessary. Books that have a strong heroine and not one that depends on others for help are the kinds that I will most likely end up loving.
Wayland North was simply. . . Wayland North. The reader knows that something is wrong when they start meeting other wizards that keep saying their ranks while North avoids it. He seemed to be having some real conflicts that made me love him even more as I kept reading.
For me this was one of those stories that you just have to read. From the beginning of the book to the end there was something that was happening. There were characters that I liked and others that I didn't. It had some of the elements that I most like to see, which I think influenced me a lot to really enjoy it! Overall, this will be one of the favorites of mine!
anniemariek's review against another edition
4.0
First Look: I can't say for sure what prompted me to pick this up. Maybe it was the gorgeous cover art. I love that girl's hair.
Setting: In the end, the setting wasn't memorable. I got no sense of what made this setting unique from any other. I didn't really get a good feel for who the people were, or why I should care about the place. I wasn't given much detail to go by, either. In the end, it was simply unmemorable.
Characters: For the longest time, I had trouble caring about our main character, Sydelle. I just couldn't connect to her. I finally got to the point where I could care, but it was too close to the end of the book. I should've been able to like her almost immediately.
But then there was North. Wayland North. Not only did he have a cool name, but he was a fascinating character. He had so much backstory, so much depth. He was beautifully characterized. The whole book might have been cooler if it had been written about him instead, especially since he was basically the one who did everything.
Plot: It was okay. For most of the book, there wasn't much at all, in the way of a plot. There was excitement at the beginning, but then the conflict dropped off. It didn't pick back up again until far too late in the book.
I'm having this same problem with many books this summer, it seems. The plots finally pick up, but it takes them waaaaay too long to get there. Whatever happened to dropping your reader directly into conflict and keeping them there?
And then, when the plot finally started to move again, it seemed rushed. It happened too fast, and there were a few "Wait...wait?" moments, which are never a good thing.
Uniqueness:It was fairly unique, although if I had liked it better as a whole it might have seemed even more different.
Writing: Most of the time I had no problem with the writing. When it came to action sequences, though, I felt like I was missing something. I never quite felt like I had the full picture of what was going on. I think more detail would have solved this problem.
Likes:North.
Not-so-great: I would have liked to learn more about the magic system. Also, it was a bit too romance-focused for my tastes.
Overall: If you ignore North, this was an okay book. It took me too long to connect to Sydelle, and the plot took too long to get interesting. The writing was alright, and the setting didn't stand out. This would have been an okay, unmemorable book if it didn't have North in it. He was funny and interesting and I could connect to him, unlike Sydelle. He bumps this book up into the 3.5 star range, which means I round up. Four stars it is.
Setting: In the end, the setting wasn't memorable. I got no sense of what made this setting unique from any other. I didn't really get a good feel for who the people were, or why I should care about the place. I wasn't given much detail to go by, either. In the end, it was simply unmemorable.
Characters: For the longest time, I had trouble caring about our main character, Sydelle. I just couldn't connect to her. I finally got to the point where I could care, but it was too close to the end of the book. I should've been able to like her almost immediately.
But then there was North. Wayland North. Not only did he have a cool name, but he was a fascinating character. He had so much backstory, so much depth. He was beautifully characterized. The whole book might have been cooler if it had been written about him instead, especially since he was basically the one who did everything.
Plot: It was okay. For most of the book, there wasn't much at all, in the way of a plot. There was excitement at the beginning, but then the conflict dropped off. It didn't pick back up again until far too late in the book.
I'm having this same problem with many books this summer, it seems. The plots finally pick up, but it takes them waaaaay too long to get there. Whatever happened to dropping your reader directly into conflict and keeping them there?
And then, when the plot finally started to move again, it seemed rushed. It happened too fast, and there were a few "Wait...wait?" moments, which are never a good thing.
Uniqueness:It was fairly unique, although if I had liked it better as a whole it might have seemed even more different.
Writing: Most of the time I had no problem with the writing. When it came to action sequences, though, I felt like I was missing something. I never quite felt like I had the full picture of what was going on. I think more detail would have solved this problem.
Likes:North.
Not-so-great: I would have liked to learn more about the magic system. Also, it was a bit too romance-focused for my tastes.
Overall: If you ignore North, this was an okay book. It took me too long to connect to Sydelle, and the plot took too long to get interesting. The writing was alright, and the setting didn't stand out. This would have been an okay, unmemorable book if it didn't have North in it. He was funny and interesting and I could connect to him, unlike Sydelle. He bumps this book up into the 3.5 star range, which means I round up. Four stars it is.
kittarlin's review against another edition
2.0
I find I have a hard time with books where the female character falls in love with the male character for no reasons whatsoever. That's not love; that's stockholm syndrome.
iamnotamerryman's review against another edition
2.0
I wanted to like this book, but it just didn't come together for me. The writing was too disjointed and jumpy. It could have been so much more.
writetoexpress's review against another edition
5.0
Seemingly forever stuck in her small desert village, Sydelle Mirabil, never expected the end of a ten-year drought to bring so much hardship and sorrow. Startled awake in the middle of the night, a brewing storm threatens the safety of the quaint village. Forced to flee with a mysterious, young wizard and equipped with her loom, Sydelle more or less accepts the deadly challenges that may lay ahead. Literally swept off her feet, Sydelle and Wayland North trek across the country, wary of the dangers that lurk in their paths. Murderous wizards and painful pasts attempt to detail their month long journey in seek of help, raising tensions and their worth of each other’s company. The ahead journey is long and tiresome, requiring every ounce of strength, courage, and bravery they can muster. Sydelle must see past the lies that obstruct her from reaching a future without war. A beautiful tale of adventure filled with friendship, magic, and love.
Over the course of the book, secrets run wild, jerking the story from one direction to another. Don’t get too comfortable, because your heart will be racing within minutes after picking this book up. I’m not normally one to like the added romance in the mists of epic fantasy, but I don’t think I would’ve liked it as much without it. Sydelle and Wayland have their struggles from time to time, making the story even more believable and interesting. Their relationship may have a few strained threads, but overall they weave together in an adorable way. Throughout the book, Sydelle proves that she doesn’t need someone continuously protecting her. Her determination and stubbornness are something I think many people can relate with.
Oh my goodness, the world building in this book is phenomenal. I lost myself immediately! I’m very drawn to these particular stories. The unique adventure, the overwhelming sense of danger, and a thrilling climax keep your eyes glued to each page, thirsty for more. I’m a huge fan of the unexpected twists and turns, although they did jackknife my heart a few times.
I bought this book at my local library’s book sale only because of the author! I was completely taken aback when I discovered that Brightly Woven was Alexandra Bracken’s debut novel. I felt as if I had discovered a hidden gem beneath the tattered, yellow-paged paperbacks. Bracken’s writing is truly breathtaking and extremely entertaining to be enveloped in for long periods of time. I greatly admire her as a writer and all of her works. Her characters are thoroughly developed, exhibiting weaknesses and strengths in numerous categories. This book is definitely one of my all time favorites!
Over the course of the book, secrets run wild, jerking the story from one direction to another. Don’t get too comfortable, because your heart will be racing within minutes after picking this book up. I’m not normally one to like the added romance in the mists of epic fantasy, but I don’t think I would’ve liked it as much without it. Sydelle and Wayland have their struggles from time to time, making the story even more believable and interesting. Their relationship may have a few strained threads, but overall they weave together in an adorable way. Throughout the book, Sydelle proves that she doesn’t need someone continuously protecting her. Her determination and stubbornness are something I think many people can relate with.
Oh my goodness, the world building in this book is phenomenal. I lost myself immediately! I’m very drawn to these particular stories. The unique adventure, the overwhelming sense of danger, and a thrilling climax keep your eyes glued to each page, thirsty for more. I’m a huge fan of the unexpected twists and turns, although they did jackknife my heart a few times.
I bought this book at my local library’s book sale only because of the author! I was completely taken aback when I discovered that Brightly Woven was Alexandra Bracken’s debut novel. I felt as if I had discovered a hidden gem beneath the tattered, yellow-paged paperbacks. Bracken’s writing is truly breathtaking and extremely entertaining to be enveloped in for long periods of time. I greatly admire her as a writer and all of her works. Her characters are thoroughly developed, exhibiting weaknesses and strengths in numerous categories. This book is definitely one of my all time favorites!
chelsea_not_chels's review against another edition
4.0
Reading this again in prep for getting it signed by Bracken at the National Book Festival. It is not, upon re-read, a 5-star book. It's not the tightest, it hies from place to place, and the characterization is, yes, somewhat lacking. Perhaps these are reasons why it doesn't appear to be in print anymore. HOWEVER, there is a whimsy and charm and beauty about it that is lacking in so many more inferior books that are still published by the thousands, so this one passing out of print seems like a crime.
ofpagesandink's review against another edition
5.0
This book isn't perfect but I love it for all its flaws. I love the writing of Alexandra Bracken and even though this was (I believe) her first, that fact still holds true. It's an absolutely gorgeous story of advenure, magic, and the darker side of things.
While Syd is a bit irritating at the beginning I learned to love her and enjoyed watching her grow into a bad ass heroine. North is charming and mischievous and also kind of irritating, but he had my full support from the beginning. Dorwan is a great villain who is probably more than a little creepy in his obsession with Sydelle.
We see more of the world than I was expecting and I was glad to see how the different kingdoms contrasted. I think my favorite place was Fairwall. A gorgeous city of glass and people with more artistic ability in their hand than I have in my whole body. (I said hand and not pinky like the expression actually goes because I do have some artistic ability thank you very much).
I saw a few interesting parallels between BW and TDM which probably weren't in anyway related but almost act as a stamp or a signature for Alex's works. Though I'm sure we won't see them in Passenger but thats ok. Color plays a big part in both stories and the different powers they are associated with. Black seems to be the color in both as well. We also have the charming male lead and the independent female lead. but that's a troupe we see in quite a few places.
While Syd is a bit irritating at the beginning I learned to love her and enjoyed watching her grow into a bad ass heroine. North is charming and mischievous and also kind of irritating, but he had my full support from the beginning. Dorwan is a great villain who is probably more than a little creepy in his obsession with Sydelle.
We see more of the world than I was expecting and I was glad to see how the different kingdoms contrasted. I think my favorite place was Fairwall. A gorgeous city of glass and people with more artistic ability in their hand than I have in my whole body. (I said hand and not pinky like the expression actually goes because I do have some artistic ability thank you very much).
I saw a few interesting parallels between BW and TDM which probably weren't in anyway related but almost act as a stamp or a signature for Alex's works. Though I'm sure we won't see them in Passenger but thats ok. Color plays a big part in both stories and the different powers they are associated with. Black seems to be the color in both as well. We also have the charming male lead and the independent female lead. but that's a troupe we see in quite a few places.