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ellelainey's review against another edition
5.0
** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
Reviewed for Divine Magazine
~
Foreign to You, by Jeremy Martin
★★★★★
342 Pages
POV: 1st person, present tense; dual POV
Content Warning: contains scenes of bloody violence and character death
Foreign to You is an incredible debut novel. Impressive, engaging, and full of creative talents that seep through characterisation, world building, and clever plotting, this is one book that I'll happily re-read in the future. A story of friendship, faith, and self-discovery, it's a story fit for any age group, and that will be taking up precious space on my paperback shelf just as soon as I can get my hands on it. I haven't been this impressed by a debut novel in quite some time.
Let me start with the basics. The POV, the tense, the characterisation, and the writing style were everything I could have wanted in this book. The writing style was right up my alley, and beautiful enough to be evocative while giving us all the detail, attention, and information we could want. The world building was solid and smart, giving background information not in info dumps but only as and when they were relevant or necessary.
I'm not normally a fan of 1st person, present tense POV's, but I was able to realise, pretty quickly, just why it was written this way and can honestly say that it wouldn't have worked in any other way. Everything we saw had to be shown in present time, due to the situations the characters experienced. In particular, due to Adelaide beginning her existence without any knowledge of the world. Trying to show this in a past or 3rd POV would have been impossible. I also really loved and appreciated the equal-share between Adelaide and Finn, when it came to the dual POV. Neither was cast aside for huge chunks of the story, nor ignored in a way that meant we were kept out of the loop. Each character got the alternative chapter to explore their actions, even when they were both in the same scenes, which meant that we were always aware of their experiences and their personal challenges.
When it comes to the story, I was instantly intrigued. I've been on a huge YA kick for the last few months and this story perfectly fitted everything I want and need in a YA novel. It had a hint of romance, a sprinkle of intrigue, a pinch of action and a whole lot of adventure. All wrapped up in characters who were clever, original, and well fleshed out. Even minor and secondary characters were unique and intriguing. (And, I won't lie – I'm still hoping for a miracle that will make the twins die a very slow, very painful death in book 2) I found the atmosphere created in the first few chapters engaging and captivating, while the characters really drove the story, for me. I was immediately sucked into their trials and experiences, always wondering what would happen next.
I also have to give a shout out to the 'bad guy' of the story – Garth. For a villain, he was a great force of motion for the story. Sometimes bad guys fail to be truly evil or corrupt, but Garth had that unassuming quality of appearing stupid and 'all brawn, no brain', yet he was constantly clever enough to be a few steps ahead of Finn, and to stop and appreciate an opportunity when it came to him. I really liked that. The added dynamic of having Garth control – for want of a better word – the twins, who were also pretty evil, was genius. There was a constant wonder of which – between Garth and Hazel – was the true power and who would emerge victorious over the other.
I don't want to say too much about the plot itself, because I truly think this is one book you need to read, to experience and understand it for yourself. However, I can admit that by 60% I was already looking forward to re-reading it when book two releases, and wondering over how the plot would continue into a second novel. Then that ending hit me – so clever and so unexpected – and I knew that this would be an entire series worth re-reading, time and again.
I fell in love with Finn. Then I lost my heart to Jay. And, in the end, there was nothing to save me from being wholly and completely destroyed by this beautiful story.
~
Let me also just add my appreciation for the underlying issues that mirror life in today's world. They weren't in my face, like they can be when trying to make a point. Instead, the story managed to convey themes of gender, race, religion, faith, trust, loyalty, sexuality and stereotypes, all challenged and explored unobtrusively throughout the novel's underlying themes. I never felt bogged down by the implications of those things, because they were so cleverly woven into the world building and characterisation. The fact that I noticed them but didn't feel oppressed by them is just another sign of the author's craft. They managed to accomplish all of this, while delivering a truly original story, creating an entire world, and weaving a tale that is both complex yet easily understood and engaging.
I found the world to be wholly unique, yet sprinkled with little details that reminded me of some brilliant books I've read before. There was a hint of the pagan-religious aspects of The Wode trilogy, by J. Tullos Henning; and there were signs of an apocalyptic, simplified world similar to that of the wilds in T.J Klune's amazing Immemorial Year duology.
~
Favourite Quotes
“If I was brave, or had a fraction of courage, I would stop him. Tell him to come back. Tell him everything I keep bottled up.
But I don't. And this is how I know I am a coward.”
“When they take me in, gun on my back, boots still crusted in blood, it's easy for them to ignore me. I'm simply a demon they are accustomed to.”
Reviewed for Divine Magazine
~
Foreign to You, by Jeremy Martin
★★★★★
342 Pages
POV: 1st person, present tense; dual POV
Content Warning: contains scenes of bloody violence and character death
Foreign to You is an incredible debut novel. Impressive, engaging, and full of creative talents that seep through characterisation, world building, and clever plotting, this is one book that I'll happily re-read in the future. A story of friendship, faith, and self-discovery, it's a story fit for any age group, and that will be taking up precious space on my paperback shelf just as soon as I can get my hands on it. I haven't been this impressed by a debut novel in quite some time.
Let me start with the basics. The POV, the tense, the characterisation, and the writing style were everything I could have wanted in this book. The writing style was right up my alley, and beautiful enough to be evocative while giving us all the detail, attention, and information we could want. The world building was solid and smart, giving background information not in info dumps but only as and when they were relevant or necessary.
I'm not normally a fan of 1st person, present tense POV's, but I was able to realise, pretty quickly, just why it was written this way and can honestly say that it wouldn't have worked in any other way. Everything we saw had to be shown in present time, due to the situations the characters experienced. In particular, due to Adelaide beginning her existence without any knowledge of the world. Trying to show this in a past or 3rd POV would have been impossible. I also really loved and appreciated the equal-share between Adelaide and Finn, when it came to the dual POV. Neither was cast aside for huge chunks of the story, nor ignored in a way that meant we were kept out of the loop. Each character got the alternative chapter to explore their actions, even when they were both in the same scenes, which meant that we were always aware of their experiences and their personal challenges.
When it comes to the story, I was instantly intrigued. I've been on a huge YA kick for the last few months and this story perfectly fitted everything I want and need in a YA novel. It had a hint of romance, a sprinkle of intrigue, a pinch of action and a whole lot of adventure. All wrapped up in characters who were clever, original, and well fleshed out. Even minor and secondary characters were unique and intriguing. (And, I won't lie – I'm still hoping for a miracle that will make the twins die a very slow, very painful death in book 2) I found the atmosphere created in the first few chapters engaging and captivating, while the characters really drove the story, for me. I was immediately sucked into their trials and experiences, always wondering what would happen next.
I also have to give a shout out to the 'bad guy' of the story – Garth. For a villain, he was a great force of motion for the story. Sometimes bad guys fail to be truly evil or corrupt, but Garth had that unassuming quality of appearing stupid and 'all brawn, no brain', yet he was constantly clever enough to be a few steps ahead of Finn, and to stop and appreciate an opportunity when it came to him. I really liked that. The added dynamic of having Garth control – for want of a better word – the twins, who were also pretty evil, was genius. There was a constant wonder of which – between Garth and Hazel – was the true power and who would emerge victorious over the other.
I don't want to say too much about the plot itself, because I truly think this is one book you need to read, to experience and understand it for yourself. However, I can admit that by 60% I was already looking forward to re-reading it when book two releases, and wondering over how the plot would continue into a second novel. Then that ending hit me – so clever and so unexpected – and I knew that this would be an entire series worth re-reading, time and again.
I fell in love with Finn. Then I lost my heart to Jay. And, in the end, there was nothing to save me from being wholly and completely destroyed by this beautiful story.
~
Let me also just add my appreciation for the underlying issues that mirror life in today's world. They weren't in my face, like they can be when trying to make a point. Instead, the story managed to convey themes of gender, race, religion, faith, trust, loyalty, sexuality and stereotypes, all challenged and explored unobtrusively throughout the novel's underlying themes. I never felt bogged down by the implications of those things, because they were so cleverly woven into the world building and characterisation. The fact that I noticed them but didn't feel oppressed by them is just another sign of the author's craft. They managed to accomplish all of this, while delivering a truly original story, creating an entire world, and weaving a tale that is both complex yet easily understood and engaging.
I found the world to be wholly unique, yet sprinkled with little details that reminded me of some brilliant books I've read before. There was a hint of the pagan-religious aspects of The Wode trilogy, by J. Tullos Henning; and there were signs of an apocalyptic, simplified world similar to that of the wilds in T.J Klune's amazing Immemorial Year duology.
~
Favourite Quotes
“If I was brave, or had a fraction of courage, I would stop him. Tell him to come back. Tell him everything I keep bottled up.
But I don't. And this is how I know I am a coward.”
“When they take me in, gun on my back, boots still crusted in blood, it's easy for them to ignore me. I'm simply a demon they are accustomed to.”
womanon's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars. Bear with my while I write a short review at 2 in the morning. I really liked the writing style. It made going through this so much easier! However, I couldn't identify myself with the characters, and that was the biggest disappointment for me. The storyline was good, though a bit hazy at times, and the world-building was good as well.
heresthepencil's review against another edition
2.0
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
They tell you not to judge a book by its cover and they’re right. It’s just that they probably don’t mean “don’t assume a book with a pretty cover is good”... Which is exactly what I did and exactly why I’m disappointed right now. Honestly, this one’s on me.
So we got that out the way, now we all know Foreign to You isn’t a good book and we can focus on details. Why isn’t it a good book? Well, let’s start with the most obvious contributor:
THE WRITING STYLE OR JUST PURPLE PROSE
Frankly, I find it hard to call the purple prose a writing style since “style” has positive connotations for me. I know that’s not technically true but here we are anyway. I just kind of feel like people who write badly don’t have a style. And (almost!) anyone who uses purple prose, writes badly. Hence my conclusion.
The purple prose in this particular book is overwhelming, even more so than this thing is by definition. It’s not just sprinkled here and there, no. It’s in literally every sentence. I got tired after one chapter. And it’s not even enjoyable, either. I didn’t find any inspiring metaphors that shifted the way I see the world; any pretty quotes I might want to put on a wall of my new flat. Nothing. Nothing apart from overly long paragraphs that should have been trimmed in the editing process.
THE LABYRINTH OF THE PLOT
This has a lot to do with my previous point, unfortunately. Because it’s kind of hard to take control over your plot, when instead you put all your attention into producing the most convoluted descriptions of everything known to men. It’s hard for the author, but it’s also hard for the reader, when they have to look for the plot under all those useless words. So in the end, what is Foreign to You about? I have no idea.
I can list some events, very bloody ones since this book seems to thrive on that. But can I connect the dots? Do I have enough information to do that? Sorry, no. It’s just one big mess of forest descriptions and too long sentences about mundane stuff, disrupted here and there by murder.
THE TREES AND THE TREES AND THE SPACE BETWEEN THE TREES
(Quoting Siken in a vain hope of putting myself in the mood to talk about this book more? Why not.)
It would help if the characters were interesting. It always does. You can usually overlook most shortcomings of a book, if the characters are amazing and you love them, right? It’s not the case here… The characters kind of feel like all the parts of this novel: pretty & shiny on the outside, with absolutely nothing to offer on the inside. They are being described as great, interesting figures, but it all falls flat in the course of the actual story. The reader feels no connection to any of them, can’t understand (or even name) the things that are supposed to drive them, can’t root for any of them.
And I quoted Siken also because he’s a gay poet and I was promised gay rep in this book. But? I would need a microscope to find it. There are hints of a developing Feeling between the main character and his best friend, and because I’m a gay reader myself, I got excited. Only those hints don’t amount to anything. We not only never get an actual confirmation that either of the guys has a romantic inclination towards men, we also never get to see a relationship or even a start of one.
I’m hesitant to say that this book has the Bury Your Gays trope, not because a gay (I assume) character doesn’t die, but because there’s so little representation, it doesn’t even register. And okay, to be perfectly candid, a lot of characters die. I told you, it’s a bloody book. It’s just that, you’re not affected by any of those deaths.
THE DISAPPOINTMENT
All in all, Foreign to You is just that: a disappointment. It’s a highly forgettable book that doesn’t grab your attention even in the middle of what’s supposed to be a thrilling event. There’s some worldbuilding that looks cool as bullet points but can’t hold its own once the actual story is wrapped around it. There’s the purple prose that makes you wish you could be finished with the book the moment you start it. There’s just so much to complain about… The best part of this book truly is its cover.
They tell you not to judge a book by its cover and they’re right. It’s just that they probably don’t mean “don’t assume a book with a pretty cover is good”... Which is exactly what I did and exactly why I’m disappointed right now. Honestly, this one’s on me.
So we got that out the way, now we all know Foreign to You isn’t a good book and we can focus on details. Why isn’t it a good book? Well, let’s start with the most obvious contributor:
THE WRITING STYLE OR JUST PURPLE PROSE
Frankly, I find it hard to call the purple prose a writing style since “style” has positive connotations for me. I know that’s not technically true but here we are anyway. I just kind of feel like people who write badly don’t have a style. And (almost!) anyone who uses purple prose, writes badly. Hence my conclusion.
The purple prose in this particular book is overwhelming, even more so than this thing is by definition. It’s not just sprinkled here and there, no. It’s in literally every sentence. I got tired after one chapter. And it’s not even enjoyable, either. I didn’t find any inspiring metaphors that shifted the way I see the world; any pretty quotes I might want to put on a wall of my new flat. Nothing. Nothing apart from overly long paragraphs that should have been trimmed in the editing process.
THE LABYRINTH OF THE PLOT
This has a lot to do with my previous point, unfortunately. Because it’s kind of hard to take control over your plot, when instead you put all your attention into producing the most convoluted descriptions of everything known to men. It’s hard for the author, but it’s also hard for the reader, when they have to look for the plot under all those useless words. So in the end, what is Foreign to You about? I have no idea.
I can list some events, very bloody ones since this book seems to thrive on that. But can I connect the dots? Do I have enough information to do that? Sorry, no. It’s just one big mess of forest descriptions and too long sentences about mundane stuff, disrupted here and there by murder.
THE TREES AND THE TREES AND THE SPACE BETWEEN THE TREES
(Quoting Siken in a vain hope of putting myself in the mood to talk about this book more? Why not.)
It would help if the characters were interesting. It always does. You can usually overlook most shortcomings of a book, if the characters are amazing and you love them, right? It’s not the case here… The characters kind of feel like all the parts of this novel: pretty & shiny on the outside, with absolutely nothing to offer on the inside. They are being described as great, interesting figures, but it all falls flat in the course of the actual story. The reader feels no connection to any of them, can’t understand (or even name) the things that are supposed to drive them, can’t root for any of them.
And I quoted Siken also because he’s a gay poet and I was promised gay rep in this book. But? I would need a microscope to find it. There are hints of a developing Feeling between the main character and his best friend, and because I’m a gay reader myself, I got excited. Only those hints don’t amount to anything. We not only never get an actual confirmation that either of the guys has a romantic inclination towards men, we also never get to see a relationship or even a start of one.
I’m hesitant to say that this book has the Bury Your Gays trope, not because a gay (I assume) character doesn’t die, but because there’s so little representation, it doesn’t even register. And okay, to be perfectly candid, a lot of characters die. I told you, it’s a bloody book. It’s just that, you’re not affected by any of those deaths.
THE DISAPPOINTMENT
All in all, Foreign to You is just that: a disappointment. It’s a highly forgettable book that doesn’t grab your attention even in the middle of what’s supposed to be a thrilling event. There’s some worldbuilding that looks cool as bullet points but can’t hold its own once the actual story is wrapped around it. There’s the purple prose that makes you wish you could be finished with the book the moment you start it. There’s just so much to complain about… The best part of this book truly is its cover.
mkcradd's review against another edition
5.0
Wow! This book is not just beautiful and thought provoking its incredibly written as well. I fell in love with the story from page one and couldn’t read through it fast enough. An awe inspiring debut novel! Can’t wait to read more by this talented author!
thewoollygeek's review against another edition
2.0
Interesting premise but let me down, wanted to like this a lot more than I did. I couldn’t connect with the main character of Adelaide and things didn’t seem to be explained clearly, it was easy to get lost. I just couldn’t care too much about the characters, so sorry not for me.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
jennamonaco's review against another edition
5.0
I should start by saying I love prose, so it's natural to me that I would love this book. There were so many instances where I'd read a line over again just to hear how it sounded. If you're a lover of poetry, this book will be for you.
That being said, I also think the plot and mythology are original and refreshing. I particularly like gruesome descriptions, especially when the occasion calls for it. Martin has no qualms with "going there". I was captivated from beginning to end. I want more!
That being said, I also think the plot and mythology are original and refreshing. I particularly like gruesome descriptions, especially when the occasion calls for it. Martin has no qualms with "going there". I was captivated from beginning to end. I want more!
kparrbooks's review against another edition
3.0
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This book had a unique premise that I really enjoyed, plus gorgeous and vivid imagery that brought the world and its characters to life. I also appreciated how much it reminded me of Princess Mononoke with its style and storytelling.
While I hoped for more romance, and the plot was difficult to follow, I ultimately found it be a decent read with a powerful ending.
This book had a unique premise that I really enjoyed, plus gorgeous and vivid imagery that brought the world and its characters to life. I also appreciated how much it reminded me of Princess Mononoke with its style and storytelling.
While I hoped for more romance, and the plot was difficult to follow, I ultimately found it be a decent read with a powerful ending.
jonesandthebooks's review
4.0
First I have to say that I received a copy of ‘Foreign to You’ from the very kind author the moment he knew I was interested on reading his book. And poor thing, he’s been dealing with all my comments, questions and even some insults… Stuff happens in this book, people! I was upset!
Second, and more interesting, DEER PEOPLE! Boy oh boy I love shape shifters!
We follow Finn and Adelaide, a hunter and a member of the fianna (the deer people), every chapter from their POV. Both races live in “peace”, but some of the shifters turn into feral when something in their transformation goes wrong and they attack human and fianna indistinctly.
There are some heavy scenes in this book and the imagery is kind of gore but amazing. I was really in there from the beginning, the first chapter of Adelaide is mind-blowing good.
And third, the not so good parts. (I was asked for an honest opinion, and maybe I went overboard) Sadly I couldn’t connect with either of the main characters. I was so much more invested on the Finn’s side, but mostly because all of the secondary characters are so good (I usually got obsessed with secondary characters nobody else gives a damn). The descriptions in the book are top notch, as I said earlier, but they can be also a bit overwhelming at times and I confess I’m guilty of zone out and miss some of the action that was happening later… Oops, my bad.
In conclusion, is a good read, is a different take on some the fantasy topics we’ve already seen and you won’t be disappointed if you’re a fan of blood. But I couldn’t really connect with the narrators of the story. Either way I’m gonna pick up the second book because there are too many questions I need answers for!
Second, and more interesting, DEER PEOPLE! Boy oh boy I love shape shifters!
We follow Finn and Adelaide, a hunter and a member of the fianna (the deer people), every chapter from their POV. Both races live in “peace”, but some of the shifters turn into feral when something in their transformation goes wrong and they attack human and fianna indistinctly.
There are some heavy scenes in this book and the imagery is kind of gore but amazing. I was really in there from the beginning, the first chapter of Adelaide is mind-blowing good.
And third, the not so good parts. (I was asked for an honest opinion, and maybe I went overboard) Sadly I couldn’t connect with either of the main characters. I was so much more invested on the Finn’s side, but mostly because all of the secondary characters are so good (I usually got obsessed with secondary characters nobody else gives a damn). The descriptions in the book are top notch, as I said earlier, but they can be also a bit overwhelming at times and I confess I’m guilty of zone out and miss some of the action that was happening later… Oops, my bad.
In conclusion, is a good read, is a different take on some the fantasy topics we’ve already seen and you won’t be disappointed if you’re a fan of blood. But I couldn’t really connect with the narrators of the story. Either way I’m gonna pick up the second book because there are too many questions I need answers for!
taylor_lauren7's review against another edition
1.0
This is categorized as a fantasy, however, I would describe it more as a whimsical fairy tale. The idea of rebirth, the cycle of life and the creation of life are reoccurring themes throughout this story. Fianna, the deer like creatures in this story, shed their fur during the warmer months similar to how trees shed their leaves as it starts to get cold; creating this notion of the cycle of nature. This story is very descriptive, becoming a bit gory at times as we read about the transformation of this shedding of bodies. There are also ferals, Fianna who can’t correctly make the transition, becoming beast like and killing anything in their path. The fabled Maiden, a pure white Fianna, is foretold to lead these ferals to the God of the forest in order to cure them.
Overall the world building, character development and plot fell flat for me. I didn't feel any connection to the characters unfortunately and I didn't really care what happened to them. The "plot twist" at the end somewhat confused me and ended with a cliffhanger. I don't think that I will continue with this story.
Overall the world building, character development and plot fell flat for me. I didn't feel any connection to the characters unfortunately and I didn't really care what happened to them. The "plot twist" at the end somewhat confused me and ended with a cliffhanger. I don't think that I will continue with this story.
connorjdaley's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The author of this one very graciously sent me a copy in OCTOBER (I just checked) so sorry for the delay here. I loved this book. I loved it. An absolutely wonderful idea and it read as not only fresh and revitalizing, but enjoyable on every page. I picked it up right from the beginning and was immediately absorbed. Honestly, I was sold on this novel in like the first five pages. Actually, the author and I had previously talked about how much I loved the watercolor-style cover art, so I was kind of sold on it before even starting it.
The story may follow fairytales or mythology, but if it does, I was not familiar with it, so this was wholly original and new for me to read. It doesn’t follow a typical fantasy format, nor does it just hand you the “chosen one” and not reward you for buying in. Twists, turns, betrayals, yearning. You name it. This story has it. And I want more. It made me laugh, it made me tear up, it made me think twice about what I was reading because of the body-horror level description, and the action was well placed and well described as well.
The fianna (shapeshifting deer) and the humans and hunters are at an uneasy peace. Will it last? Will there be a giant stag god? I don’t know, read for yourself…
Absolutely worth your time, money, or energy to read.
The story may follow fairytales or mythology, but if it does, I was not familiar with it, so this was wholly original and new for me to read. It doesn’t follow a typical fantasy format, nor does it just hand you the “chosen one” and not reward you for buying in. Twists, turns, betrayals, yearning. You name it. This story has it. And I want more. It made me laugh, it made me tear up, it made me think twice about what I was reading because of the body-horror level description, and the action was well placed and well described as well.
The fianna (shapeshifting deer) and the humans and hunters are at an uneasy peace. Will it last? Will there be a giant stag god? I don’t know, read for yourself…
Absolutely worth your time, money, or energy to read.