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4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
Dit boek werd me aangeraden door één van mijn leerlingen, en ik wist niet helemaal waar het over zou gaan. Blijkt nu dat het toch wel een combinatie is van enkele van mijn favoriete dingen: young adult, fantasy, magische elementen in een voor de rest "normaal" verhaal, Keltische/Ierse sprookjeselementen herwerkt in een contemporaine setting. De achtergrond waartegen het verhaal zich afspeelt is bijzonder goed uitgewerkt, met aandacht naar hoe het zou zijn om op een eiland te wonen. Het verhaal zelf maakt gebruik van enkele veelvoorkomende narratieve "tropes", maar het is niet op een storende manier. Het is voor mij 3,5/5, nét niet genoeg om naar de vier sterren om te laten slaan, maar wel zo dat ik van deze schrijfster (met een fantastische naam ook, Maggie Stiefvater) zeker nog andere boeken ga lezen.
“There are moments that you'll remember for the rest of your life and there are moments that you think you'll remember for the rest of your life, and it's not often they turn out to be the same moment.”
Nach anfänglicher riesiger Abneigung gegen ein "Pferde-Buch", habe ich es im März zur Leipziger Buchmesse dann doch endlich gekauft. Allein dadurch, weil Maggie so eine großartige Frau ist und ihre Lesung mich ziemlich neugierig gemacht hat. Und "Shiver" mochte ich ja schließlich auch, dann muss es ja quasi gut sein.
Leider hat es einige Zeit gebraucht bis ich mich in das Buch hineinfinden konnte und dann hat es mich leider auch nicht wirklich gefesselt, so dass ich es einige Male unterbrechen musste, um spannendere Stories zu lesen.
Der Schreibstil ist wunderschön und typisch Maggie, aber die Geschichte ist lange Zeit nur Geplänkel und war für mich einfach nicht das Richtige. Vielleicht hätte es mir zu einem anderen Zeitpunkt unter anderen Umständen besser gefallen, aber so ist es nun einmal nicht und darum bin ich nun etwas enttäuscht vom Gesamteindruck.
Vieles ging mir einfach zu schnell und anderes zog sich wieder zu lange. Es gab viele Situationen die mir irgendwie fehlten oder zu schnell und klanglos abgehandelt wurden...
Irgendwie, bin ich eben einfach nicht zufrieden. Tja.
Nun habe ich ja noch "Ravenboys" rum kullern und kann mich gar nicht richtig dazu motivieren. Sagt doch mal was :D
Leider hat es einige Zeit gebraucht bis ich mich in das Buch hineinfinden konnte und dann hat es mich leider auch nicht wirklich gefesselt, so dass ich es einige Male unterbrechen musste, um spannendere Stories zu lesen.
Der Schreibstil ist wunderschön und typisch Maggie, aber die Geschichte ist lange Zeit nur Geplänkel und war für mich einfach nicht das Richtige. Vielleicht hätte es mir zu einem anderen Zeitpunkt unter anderen Umständen besser gefallen, aber so ist es nun einmal nicht und darum bin ich nun etwas enttäuscht vom Gesamteindruck.
Vieles ging mir einfach zu schnell und anderes zog sich wieder zu lange. Es gab viele Situationen die mir irgendwie fehlten oder zu schnell und klanglos abgehandelt wurden...
Irgendwie, bin ich eben einfach nicht zufrieden. Tja.
Nun habe ich ja noch "Ravenboys" rum kullern und kann mich gar nicht richtig dazu motivieren. Sagt doch mal was :D
I really enjoyed this book. It was somehow exciting and calming at the same time, a nice break from the YA books I've read lately that are very vibrant and kind of in-your-face. The setting was ambiguous which I kind of liked, being able to create the world myself a little bit. The romance was not overwhelming and didn't feel like it took over the book, just helped add interest in a believable way. I would definitely read this book again.
What a strange, lovely book. It wouldn't be for everyone, but if an ounce of you loves horses at all, it might be worth it.
I'm a horse girl, and I have read many horse books. None quite like this. It's got dark, brutal, wild magic - the story of waterhorses twisted into an oddly modern setting. Everything feels like an island you could visit - Stiefvater writes atmospherically, often gorgeously. You won't get a lot of insight into why, I don't think - of the characters, magic, or world. But it feels appropriate.
The pacing is slooow. It takes nearly the whole book to get to the races. Sometimes I wanted it to hurry up. But this is not a plot-driven book. This is meant to explore a modernized fable with fairly relatable, interesting characters.
I wasn't expecting to love it, but I did.
I'm a horse girl, and I have read many horse books. None quite like this. It's got dark, brutal, wild magic - the story of waterhorses twisted into an oddly modern setting. Everything feels like an island you could visit - Stiefvater writes atmospherically, often gorgeously. You won't get a lot of insight into why, I don't think - of the characters, magic, or world. But it feels appropriate.
The pacing is slooow. It takes nearly the whole book to get to the races. Sometimes I wanted it to hurry up. But this is not a plot-driven book. This is meant to explore a modernized fable with fairly relatable, interesting characters.
I wasn't expecting to love it, but I did.
This is my first book by Maggie Stiefvater and I'm sold on her as an author already. The writing is absolutely beautiful in this book. It's honest and plain but in a way that shows you all the delicacies of life, literature, and characters.
The premise of the Scorpio Races with the killer underwater horses might sound a bit ridiculous and it did to me at first. I was hesitant on the book but it was a Kindle daily deal a while back so I picked it up. In addition, someone from my IRL book club raved about it last month so I decided to finally give it a shot. I'm so happy I did.
I love the characters of Puck and Sean. I loved learning about the horses and the town of Thisby. The last 70 pages of this book were so fast paced and I literally could not put the book down.
The premise of the Scorpio Races with the killer underwater horses might sound a bit ridiculous and it did to me at first. I was hesitant on the book but it was a Kindle daily deal a while back so I picked it up. In addition, someone from my IRL book club raved about it last month so I decided to finally give it a shot. I'm so happy I did.
I love the characters of Puck and Sean. I loved learning about the horses and the town of Thisby. The last 70 pages of this book were so fast paced and I literally could not put the book down.
All of the stars to this book! I loved it so very, very much.
It took me ages to get around to picking up this book (probably a year or so after it was released) but it's one of my absolute favorite books now that I've read it! It would probably be my favorite Maggie book too if I hadn't just finished the Raven Boys (I think they're tied for first place).
Puck is one of my favorite female characters ever -- she's a young woman who won't let someone else tell her what to do, she has her own morals and principles, and it's so fantastic to see a girl that strong in a modern setting. The whole racing thing reminded me of reading Misty of Chincoteague when I was in gradeschool -- not a detractor by any means, because the water horses are much more vicious than your typical ponies (however wild said ponies may be). Otherwise, I was reminded of the kelpie mythology, which is something I'd love to see more of in fiction.
Puck is one of my favorite female characters ever -- she's a young woman who won't let someone else tell her what to do, she has her own morals and principles, and it's so fantastic to see a girl that strong in a modern setting. The whole racing thing reminded me of reading Misty of Chincoteague when I was in gradeschool -- not a detractor by any means, because the water horses are much more vicious than your typical ponies (however wild said ponies may be). Otherwise, I was reminded of the kelpie mythology, which is something I'd love to see more of in fiction.
My love of Stiefvater is no secret, but I am still surprised by how quickly I was sucked into this world. I snuck a few pages here and there all day, taking time to write down the name and title on Post-Its for students who caught me. What are you reading, they'd stage whisper. A book about horses that will eat you, I'd reply. By the time I got home, the decision was clear -- sit on the couch and don't move until the final page has been turned.
Each element is flawless -- the superstitions of the island, the ferocity of the beasts, the gravity of each main character's situation, the motley cast of secondary characters, the harsh winds off the sea, the budding romance, the true friendships, the body count. I reached the last page utterly and completely satisfied.
But also completely confused. There was a day? That happened? Did I make it to work? What happened?
Although this book isn't released until the fall, I demand you track down a copy and make it your beach read this summer. Otherwise you'll be waiting till October 18, 2011.
Don't worry -- it's worth it.
Each element is flawless -- the superstitions of the island, the ferocity of the beasts, the gravity of each main character's situation, the motley cast of secondary characters, the harsh winds off the sea, the budding romance, the true friendships, the body count. I reached the last page utterly and completely satisfied.
But also completely confused. There was a day? That happened? Did I make it to work? What happened?
Although this book isn't released until the fall, I demand you track down a copy and make it your beach read this summer. Otherwise you'll be waiting till October 18, 2011.
Don't worry -- it's worth it.