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msseviereads's review against another edition
4.0
Imagine the DaVinci code with teenagers...
Nora is a talented high school student who along with her friends, Adrianne, Max and Chris are helping a professor translate some old books and letters. Nora is drawn to the letters written by a teenager in the 16th century, named Elizabeth. What no one realizes is they are about to be enveloped in a international drama that they won't be able to escape.
I liked the story, I loved the historical drama aspect of it and want to know more about this part of the country. My aunt traveled to Prague when I was in eighth grade, and now I want to know more about her experiences and the religious aspects of this city.
I didn't enjoy how slow the story was. Yes, it was building, but when I LOVE a book, I will drop everything to read it and finish it in a very short period of time. So although, I loved the story, and would recommend it to other readers, it didn't keep me from sleep, or dishes, or laundry. The last third was the best part and I wish that pace happened at the beginning of the book as well.
Nora is a talented high school student who along with her friends, Adrianne, Max and Chris are helping a professor translate some old books and letters. Nora is drawn to the letters written by a teenager in the 16th century, named Elizabeth. What no one realizes is they are about to be enveloped in a international drama that they won't be able to escape.
I liked the story, I loved the historical drama aspect of it and want to know more about this part of the country. My aunt traveled to Prague when I was in eighth grade, and now I want to know more about her experiences and the religious aspects of this city.
I didn't enjoy how slow the story was. Yes, it was building, but when I LOVE a book, I will drop everything to read it and finish it in a very short period of time. So although, I loved the story, and would recommend it to other readers, it didn't keep me from sleep, or dishes, or laundry. The last third was the best part and I wish that pace happened at the beginning of the book as well.
tatexeira's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked this book. It was different than I thought it would be. When I hear blood in a title I automatically think vampires, however this book wasn't really supernatural at all. It was definitely fiction but on a strictly human basis. I really liked the first half a lot more than the second. I found the parts where Nora was translating the text really interesting. I like how connected she felt to Elizabeth and how similar the two were. I also loved how she and Chris interacted. I spent the whole book wishing that Chris would somehow come back, even as a bad guy, because I liked him so much. Once the characters got to Prague I started to not be as interested. I did like the part where they were looking for Elizabeth's clues but the whole secret society things weren't that interesting to me. I figured out the stuff about Max and Eli before it happened but it was still a good twist to the story. I didn't see the Adriane and Max thing coming. After that I thought Adriane was a scumbag friend and I'm glad Nora saved her but didn't let things go back to normal. I would have liked a chapter or two on what happened when they got back to the states and what happened to the Hoff but overall a good stand alone read.
missprint_'s review against another edition
4.0
"I should probably start with the blood. . . .
"But beginning with that night, with the blood, means that Chris will never be anything more than a corpse, bleeding out all over his mother's travertine marble, Adriane nothing but a dead-eyed head case, rocking and moaning, her clothes soaked in his blood, her face paper white with that slash of red razored into her cheek. If I started there Max would be nothing but a void."
Nora Kane never expected her independent study as a research assistant would lead to romance or murder much less a centuries-old conspiracy that started in 16th Century Prague.
And yet, after just a few months translating the letters of Elizabeth Weston, Nora finds herself in the middle of a nightmare tied to a mysteriously indecipherable book called the Voynich Manuscript and the forces who want to unravel its secrets in The Book of Blood and Shadow (2012) by Robin Wasserman.
The Book of Blood and Shadow is a thoroughly-researched blend of thriller and mystery that imagines what secrets the real Voynich Manuscript might hold. This story is dense with details of Prague's history as well as morsels of truth about the real historical figures who feature in this work of fiction.
Although often long-winded with its extensive detail, this book is always extremely clever. The plotting is surprising and aptly executed even when it veers into the very, very unlikely.
Wasserman also does interesting things with characterization. Readers know early on exactly how bloody this story will be even though the inciting incident from the first page is not fully addressed until about one hundred pages into the story. Throughout the novel there is a push and pull dynamic between what is presented as fact and what is left to the imagination. (Is Max guilty? Is he unhinged or is it just being told that Max is unhinged that makes the difference?)
Sadly, not all books are for every reader either. The Book of Blood and Shadow brought up some particularly specific and personal bad memories that made it very difficult to finish. I also discovered, in reading page after page about it, that I have almost zero interest in Prague or its history. These were obstacles.
The bigger obstable, however, was Nora herself. Despite all of the things Wasserman does extremely well, Nora remains a very one-dimensional character. We see her through a few specific lenses (friend, girlfriend, researcher, daughter) but none of those pieces coalesce into a larger picture. Even as the narrator of the book, Nora's story often felt more like a frame for the smaller story found in Elizabeth Weston's letters.
While this book has a good story and raises a lot of interesting questions, it is very thin on closure. The treatment of Adriane is also problematic not just as the only other (not-centuries-dead) female character but also as Nora's friend. No level of cleverness can distract from the problems surrounding Adriane's character arc.
Recommended for readers who enjoy a surprising mystery and want to watch all of the puzzle pieces come together. Less recommended for readers with only a minimal interest in Prague.
Not at all recommended for readers who might ask themselves what it means when the minority characters in a book are either murdered or complicit by the end of the story.
You can find more information about The Book of Blood and Shadows and the real stuff featured therein on Robin Wasserman's website: http://www.robinwasserman.com/bloodshadow.html
Possible Pairings: What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell, The Diviners by Libba Bray, Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly, I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga, Tamar by Mal Peet, The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan, The Archived by Victoria Schwab, All These Things I’ve Done by Gabrielle Zevin
"But beginning with that night, with the blood, means that Chris will never be anything more than a corpse, bleeding out all over his mother's travertine marble, Adriane nothing but a dead-eyed head case, rocking and moaning, her clothes soaked in his blood, her face paper white with that slash of red razored into her cheek. If I started there Max would be nothing but a void."
Nora Kane never expected her independent study as a research assistant would lead to romance or murder much less a centuries-old conspiracy that started in 16th Century Prague.
And yet, after just a few months translating the letters of Elizabeth Weston, Nora finds herself in the middle of a nightmare tied to a mysteriously indecipherable book called the Voynich Manuscript and the forces who want to unravel its secrets in The Book of Blood and Shadow (2012) by Robin Wasserman.
The Book of Blood and Shadow is a thoroughly-researched blend of thriller and mystery that imagines what secrets the real Voynich Manuscript might hold. This story is dense with details of Prague's history as well as morsels of truth about the real historical figures who feature in this work of fiction.
Although often long-winded with its extensive detail, this book is always extremely clever. The plotting is surprising and aptly executed even when it veers into the very, very unlikely.
Wasserman also does interesting things with characterization. Readers know early on exactly how bloody this story will be even though the inciting incident from the first page is not fully addressed until about one hundred pages into the story. Throughout the novel there is a push and pull dynamic between what is presented as fact and what is left to the imagination. (Is Max guilty? Is he unhinged or is it just being told that Max is unhinged that makes the difference?)
Sadly, not all books are for every reader either. The Book of Blood and Shadow brought up some particularly specific and personal bad memories that made it very difficult to finish. I also discovered, in reading page after page about it, that I have almost zero interest in Prague or its history. These were obstacles.
The bigger obstable, however, was Nora herself. Despite all of the things Wasserman does extremely well, Nora remains a very one-dimensional character. We see her through a few specific lenses (friend, girlfriend, researcher, daughter) but none of those pieces coalesce into a larger picture. Even as the narrator of the book, Nora's story often felt more like a frame for the smaller story found in Elizabeth Weston's letters.
While this book has a good story and raises a lot of interesting questions, it is very thin on closure. The treatment of Adriane is also problematic not just as the only other (not-centuries-dead) female character but also as Nora's friend. No level of cleverness can distract from the problems surrounding Adriane's character arc.
Recommended for readers who enjoy a surprising mystery and want to watch all of the puzzle pieces come together. Less recommended for readers with only a minimal interest in Prague.
Not at all recommended for readers who might ask themselves what it means when the minority characters in a book are either murdered or complicit by the end of the story.
You can find more information about The Book of Blood and Shadows and the real stuff featured therein on Robin Wasserman's website: http://www.robinwasserman.com/bloodshadow.html
Possible Pairings: What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell, The Diviners by Libba Bray, Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly, I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga, Tamar by Mal Peet, The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan, The Archived by Victoria Schwab, All These Things I’ve Done by Gabrielle Zevin
erinicorn's review against another edition
5.0
This book was so good! Absolutely amazing! I can't believe it was the first Wasserman book I've read. I loved how I didn't find out who everyone really was until the very end, and I LOVED the ending. It wrapped up nicely, and it felt like an end, there wasn't anything left unfinished. I loved the writing style, too. It was a little different from what I'm used to, in wording and such, but I loved it nonetheless. This is definitely a book you should pick up, and soon.
fountain_of_book's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
ne0the0ne's review against another edition
3.0
If this book wasn't so long, it would have gotten 4 stars from me. Seriously, how many times can the good guys find themselves captured, then escape, then hand themselves over to the enemies, then escape again? I think 100 pages could have been edited out, but other than that, the story kept me guessing enough to listen to all 12 or so hrs of it.
lferneau's review against another edition
4.0
This review is for the ARC.
As has been said, this is like a teenage Dan Brown book, but so much better. I liked the premise and was happy to read something not paranormal or dystopian for a change even though I enjoy those genre. It is well written and satisfying throughout, with just enough revealed and just enough surprise to keep the reader engaged. Not all will like this one though, for older teens.
As has been said, this is like a teenage Dan Brown book, but so much better. I liked the premise and was happy to read something not paranormal or dystopian for a change even though I enjoy those genre. It is well written and satisfying throughout, with just enough revealed and just enough surprise to keep the reader engaged. Not all will like this one though, for older teens.
gcullman's review against another edition
2.0
Unfortunately I didn't love this. It was too breathless and over the top. The mystery was fun initially but then got tiresome. The tone was too gloomy throughout.
danicapage's review against another edition
3.0
This is a condensed review. My extended review can be found here.
My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: First off, I'd like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the e-galley to review in exchange for my honest opinion.
I had heard a lot of really good things about this book and so I was really excited to read this one. However besides knowing that people seemed to love it, I went in not really knowing all too much about this novel.
Although I might not have enjoyed this novel quite as much as other people I know, I will say that I really enjoyed this novel and am glad I read it. Robin's writing was incredible and she created a story that drew me in from the very beginning. Fans of suspense will love this novel.
I found the premise of this novel very original and very intriguing and I will give it points for that. I also loved the character Eli, which is weird since I don't think you were supposed to. I also never like Max and I think you were supposed to...so I must conclude I'm just weird.
Anyway, I loved how Robin created her characters. They were all three dimensional and I loved reading about them. However, despite how well-written this book was, there was something missing to really make this one stand out to me. If you want to read an enjoyable book in one sitting, I wouldn't recommend this one. This one requires more of an investment, but one I think is worth it. In short, if you see this at the library, check this out you won't regret it.
In Summary: An enjoyable novel, but one that I didn't absolutely love. Well-written, but it lacked something to make this really stand out.
My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: First off, I'd like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the e-galley to review in exchange for my honest opinion.
I had heard a lot of really good things about this book and so I was really excited to read this one. However besides knowing that people seemed to love it, I went in not really knowing all too much about this novel.
Although I might not have enjoyed this novel quite as much as other people I know, I will say that I really enjoyed this novel and am glad I read it. Robin's writing was incredible and she created a story that drew me in from the very beginning. Fans of suspense will love this novel.
I found the premise of this novel very original and very intriguing and I will give it points for that. I also loved the character Eli, which is weird since I don't think you were supposed to. I also never like Max and I think you were supposed to...so I must conclude I'm just weird.
Anyway, I loved how Robin created her characters. They were all three dimensional and I loved reading about them. However, despite how well-written this book was, there was something missing to really make this one stand out to me. If you want to read an enjoyable book in one sitting, I wouldn't recommend this one. This one requires more of an investment, but one I think is worth it. In short, if you see this at the library, check this out you won't regret it.
In Summary: An enjoyable novel, but one that I didn't absolutely love. Well-written, but it lacked something to make this really stand out.
sarahe21's review against another edition
5.0
I felt like I saw the end coming, but then I changed my mind and thought it was going to end differently. then it ended kinda the way I first thought it would. in my opinion the way it was written was outstanding, it kept my interest and I just couldn't stop until I finished it. And when it got to the end, I didn't want it to be over. I would recommend this book to a majority of my friends.