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votesforwomen's review against another edition
5.0
If the theme of Heartless was true love, this one is true beauty.
Still loving it, even on the second time through. <3
On to what may well be my favorite fantasy book ever.
Original Review:
4.5 stars, but I'll round up.
This book was SO GOOD. It took me a little while to get into it, but once I was in, I was hooked and could not escape. It was amazing. I could not stop reading.
Things I liked:
-Rose Red was so wonderful and sweet and the epitome of a strong female character. Her strength was quiet and tranquil, but it was realistic and she was all around amazing. One of my favorite female protagonists :)
-Leonard. I will admit that I didn't like him at all in Heartless, despite knowing that he just made a mistake, because you only saw Una's story in that book and didn't get to know what happened to cause it with Leo. But now that I know.... poor baby. *huggles Leo and covers his ears*
-Daylily. She was so real and amazing.
-The Heartless references. Getting the first half or so of that book from Leo's POV was so great. I loved that part :D
-Beana. I could write an entire review all about her. I jut hope she gets a bigger role in one of the later books :)
-The plot was riveting. And the twist at the end, when we find out why she wears the veil... mind. Blown. I suspected something similar... but it was still a major twist.
Things I didn't Like:
-there wasn't much. I'm shaving off a half star, though, because of the whole allegory thing. In Heartless the allegory was very obvious and made a lot of sense. In Veiled Rose, I was pretty sure it was still allegorical, but I couldn't tell exactly what the allegory meant. But that's my only real complaint!
All in all, a solid 4.5 stars and I'm glad I bought it!
Still loving it, even on the second time through. <3
On to what may well be my favorite fantasy book ever.
Original Review:
4.5 stars, but I'll round up.
This book was SO GOOD. It took me a little while to get into it, but once I was in, I was hooked and could not escape. It was amazing. I could not stop reading.
Things I liked:
-Rose Red was so wonderful and sweet and the epitome of a strong female character. Her strength was quiet and tranquil, but it was realistic and she was all around amazing. One of my favorite female protagonists :)
-Leonard. I will admit that I didn't like him at all in Heartless, despite knowing that he just made a mistake, because you only saw Una's story in that book and didn't get to know what happened to cause it with Leo. But now that I know.... poor baby. *huggles Leo and covers his ears*
-Daylily. She was so real and amazing.
-The Heartless references. Getting the first half or so of that book from Leo's POV was so great. I loved that part :D
-Beana. I could write an entire review all about her. I jut hope she gets a bigger role in one of the later books :)
-The plot was riveting. And the twist at the end, when we find out why she wears the veil... mind. Blown. I suspected something similar... but it was still a major twist.
Things I didn't Like:
-there wasn't much. I'm shaving off a half star, though, because of the whole allegory thing. In Heartless the allegory was very obvious and made a lot of sense. In Veiled Rose, I was pretty sure it was still allegorical, but I couldn't tell exactly what the allegory meant. But that's my only real complaint!
All in all, a solid 4.5 stars and I'm glad I bought it!
ilaurin's review against another edition
4.0
Continuation of the Goldstone Woods serie. This one starts before the previous one but has overlap with it. I enjoyed the story, it was not your typical love story with happy ending so some interesting twists.
helenafaustina's review against another edition
5.0
When I finished it, my first instinct was to take away a star because I was sad and disappointed, but then I thought, why? This completely crushed every expectation that I had, and you rarely find a book like this. Yes, it's painful, but it has a powerful message. I have a feeling it's going to get better in the following books too... but even if it doesn't, it still deserves five stars. In the previous book a common reader would relate to the main character because of all her flaws. In this book, we look up to the main character, Rose Red, because of her steadfastness... and her secret.
toastymaloney's review against another edition
4.0
It took a bit of getting into, but once I did, I couldn't put it away until I was done! My need for sleep was the only thing that kept me from reading. I like the traditional fantasy sense of the story. Dragons and goblins. So fun.
marywatkines's review against another edition
4.0
So, I tried to read the book once and quit because it was boring. I recently tried again, pushing past the slowness, and let me tell you, once you get to part 4, it's all worth it! It became fast-paced, fascinating, and I couldn't put it down! I love this series!
sugarbloom's review against another edition
5.0
The most delightful fantasy I've read in a while, every bit as good as its predecessor. It balances the ethereal, magical elements - the dreams, the Netherworld, the Paths - with the real world - Hill House, the mountain woods, the streets of the Eastern empires - perfectly. I never felt lose as I have with some similar books. I also love the way the themes are unclear until near the end. I wasn't sure what to expect when the climax got over and what I had thought was the main plot didn't really resolve in a satisfying way, but it appears that the sequel may take care of that. My only regret was that I didn't read this book sooner after reading the first one, because there is a part where the main character meets the main character of the first book. I remember the meeting, but not enough about it to be satisfied.
I'm not sure what I think about the five-year span within the middle part of the book. I didn't feel disconnected from the characters during that time after all - which is unusual since Leo was traveling all over God's great green earth at that point - but it didn't feel quite right. Also I had a little bit of doubt about the climax. I loved the way Rose Red finally chose to trust and that she couldn't do it on her own, but then everything just seemed to go back to the way it had before. Again, I'm hoping the sequel will fix that.
I'm not sure what I think about the five-year span within the middle part of the book. I didn't feel disconnected from the characters during that time after all - which is unusual since Leo was traveling all over God's great green earth at that point - but it didn't feel quite right. Also I had a little bit of doubt about the climax. I loved the way Rose Red finally chose to trust and that she couldn't do it on her own, but then everything just seemed to go back to the way it had before. Again, I'm hoping the sequel will fix that.
roseice's review against another edition
3.0
I think I would have enjoyed this book more if I hadn't read it directly after Heartless; the injected idea of this allegorical series is, overall, too much the same. Even still, I very much enjoyed this book. The middle had some dragging, awkward and extremely vague points in the story. (Though they did enhance its fantastic element.) For example, when Rose Red wanders the Netherworld. The beautiful fog of Stengl's writing was too thick; at times, distracting, and a fog deeper than could hold my attention.
Also, I believe one would gain to be informed this is a series that should be read in order. That they don't number the books is frustrating. Who would know to care for Una if they'd not read Heartless? And the whole Parumvir segment near the end would seem a pointless introduction.
All the same, this is an excellent fantasy read, and I will certainly go on to read Moonblood. Stengl is an outstanding author.
Also, I believe one would gain to be informed this is a series that should be read in order. That they don't number the books is frustrating. Who would know to care for Una if they'd not read Heartless? And the whole Parumvir segment near the end would seem a pointless introduction.
All the same, this is an excellent fantasy read, and I will certainly go on to read Moonblood. Stengl is an outstanding author.
marmeelovesbook's review against another edition
4.0
Ah, escaping to a different land, a different time and a different everything- isn’t that a major reason to read a book? In the words of C.S Lewis “Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again”. Well I guess I am there with Anne Elisabeth Stengl’s newest book in her Tales of Goldstone Wood series Veiled Rose. (Or rather in my case, I don’t think I ever stopped reading them). If you are a fantasy fan that loves to read of princes and princesses, dragons and the netherworld then this book is for you.
Our 2 main characters are both intriguing and complex with regards to what they are looking for in this life. Our heroine Rose red has a secret that is hidden behind her special veils- all designed to hide who she really is. She has lived a lonely existence in the forest and hills above Hill House- a mansion housing young Leo who is visiting his relatives for the summer. And Leo is our little boy longing for adventure and looking to defeat the Monster of the hills. He finds adventure all right, but more prominently he finds a fast and true friendship with Rose Red that grows in importance as they do in age throughout the book. As young Leo is the crowned prince of the Southlands or ”Prince Lionheart” as he is known later in the novel, the pressures of his title irk him ,as all he would really like to be is a jester who entertains all those around them with juggling and a song (sung out of tune mind you, but never mind that). Unfortunately both Rose Red and Lionheart have to take separate journeys to try and save the kingdom from the wrath of the Dragon (enter villain), who is absolutely hell-bent on having Rose Red as his very own.
This story is full of adventure, excitement and quite allegorical. The struggles each character goes through in the end show what each is really made of, in how it manifests in their choices. I honestly did not guess Rose Red’s secret until it was revealed to me in the end and I love that when an author can pull that off, it’s pretty rare for me. I will not give that secret away in this review- read it for yourself and find out! The pull of evil in our lives is strong and this book illustrated it beautifully while also showing the great hope and love that the light offers. A great read and one I really recommend. I had not read Heartless before I read this book and did just fine, so now I will have to backtrack and read it.
4 stars.
I was graciously provided a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House publishers in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own.
Our 2 main characters are both intriguing and complex with regards to what they are looking for in this life. Our heroine Rose red has a secret that is hidden behind her special veils- all designed to hide who she really is. She has lived a lonely existence in the forest and hills above Hill House- a mansion housing young Leo who is visiting his relatives for the summer. And Leo is our little boy longing for adventure and looking to defeat the Monster of the hills. He finds adventure all right, but more prominently he finds a fast and true friendship with Rose Red that grows in importance as they do in age throughout the book. As young Leo is the crowned prince of the Southlands or ”Prince Lionheart” as he is known later in the novel, the pressures of his title irk him ,as all he would really like to be is a jester who entertains all those around them with juggling and a song (sung out of tune mind you, but never mind that). Unfortunately both Rose Red and Lionheart have to take separate journeys to try and save the kingdom from the wrath of the Dragon (enter villain), who is absolutely hell-bent on having Rose Red as his very own.
This story is full of adventure, excitement and quite allegorical. The struggles each character goes through in the end show what each is really made of, in how it manifests in their choices. I honestly did not guess Rose Red’s secret until it was revealed to me in the end and I love that when an author can pull that off, it’s pretty rare for me. I will not give that secret away in this review- read it for yourself and find out! The pull of evil in our lives is strong and this book illustrated it beautifully while also showing the great hope and love that the light offers. A great read and one I really recommend. I had not read Heartless before I read this book and did just fine, so now I will have to backtrack and read it.
4 stars.
I was graciously provided a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House publishers in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own.
booklady83's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75