Scan barcode
marobbins's review
4.0
I have a more detailed review forthcoming in School Library Journal, as I obtained an ARC. This book was basically Serenity/Firefly for middle grades students. I loved the fantasy elements and the world building. Nadya is a really neat and creative female fantasy character, and readers of all ages will love her. I found myself wanting to know more about some of the minor characters, but this book definitely lends itself to a sequel and/or series. I would definitely read the next installment. I would recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys middle grades fantasy.
deebert's review
4.0
3.5 rounded up
The premise of this book is SO fun! I've never read anything with a setting and world like this and that part was fantastic. What I didn't like (and I recognize it's a middle grade novel) was that the main character spent the first 2/3 of the book angry at another character and within a matter of a couple pages they were able to clear up the misunderstanding and become best friends. Nadya was so whiny and angry all of the time, but I think her character could have benefitted from having some more positive thoughts in the first half of the book.
Anyway, it was a quick read and I enjoyed it for the most part but now I'd like to go find a similar setting with better writing...
The premise of this book is SO fun! I've never read anything with a setting and world like this and that part was fantastic. What I didn't like (and I recognize it's a middle grade novel) was that the main character spent the first 2/3 of the book angry at another character and within a matter of a couple pages they were able to clear up the misunderstanding and become best friends. Nadya was so whiny and angry all of the time, but I think her character could have benefitted from having some more positive thoughts in the first half of the book.
Anyway, it was a quick read and I enjoyed it for the most part but now I'd like to go find a similar setting with better writing...
the_fabric_of_words's review
5.0
New arrivals at the library means a whole new crop of great reading!
Got my hands on these new series starters, and they're fantastic.
It features Nadya Skylung, a young girl with gills, who tends to plants in a dirigible-type ship to keep it afloat. When pirates raid the ship, she learns they are collecting skylungs like herself -- for some mysterious, unrevealed reason.
I've got the sequel on my TBR pile already!
Visit my blog for more book reviews, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
Got my hands on these new series starters, and they're fantastic.
It features Nadya Skylung, a young girl with gills, who tends to plants in a dirigible-type ship to keep it afloat. When pirates raid the ship, she learns they are collecting skylungs like herself -- for some mysterious, unrevealed reason.
I've got the sequel on my TBR pile already!
Visit my blog for more book reviews, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
mbladams's review
4.0
This is a fun, exciting read for kids, and kids at heart! Nadya is an orphan who works aboard a cloudship. Her fellow crewmates are her family, and each bring a unique skill for piloting the ship. When pirates appear, the three adults on board hide the kids and are taken hostage. Can the kids save their friends? What are the pirates really after? This book is the first in a series, so while some questions are answered, others remain. I look forward to learning more about Nadya in the next book!
sanctuarylover's review
3.0
It’s cute. Found it at the dollar store so great deal there. I’ll probably pass it onto my niece since she’s 10. But I would read the sequel.
recorderkfk's review
3.0
The strength of this book is its characters: quickly sketched, but with enough nuance to hint at backstory. Great research on ship anatomy and using a garden to power a balloon are just a few of the creative elements in the book.
My reservations come from the dialogue, presentation of the protagonist and ending. The dialogue is sparse, but leaves a lot of uncertainty in the conversations. . . Adding an air of mystery and tension that feels forced. The protagonist Nadya, is a classic orphan protagonist whose backstory is kept from her + she can't remember. It is eventually revealed, but leaves an odd motive of frustration when her decisions pan out wrong, end justifies means, or she can't take full responsibility.
The ending is a solid cliffhanger. It's off to a good start so I look forward to seeing how the series develops.
My reservations come from the dialogue, presentation of the protagonist and ending. The dialogue is sparse, but leaves a lot of uncertainty in the conversations. . . Adding an air of mystery and tension that feels forced. The protagonist Nadya, is a classic orphan protagonist whose backstory is kept from her + she can't remember. It is eventually revealed, but leaves an odd motive of frustration when her decisions pan out wrong, end justifies means, or she can't take full responsibility.
The ending is a solid cliffhanger. It's off to a good start so I look forward to seeing how the series develops.
jaelikes's review
3.0
The prose was often overly descriptive--enough to take me out of the story a little--but the plot was gripping and the world is fascinating. I hope he intends it to be a series.
nostalgia's review
Read the second book in this series as a sensitivity read, but since that's not on Goodreads yet, I'm adding this one for my Goodreads challenge.
ssshira's review
3.0
this audiobook review was written for and appears in AudioFile Magazine.
Hannah Jay narrates this skyborne adventure with a steampunk twist. The titular character has a fascination with creative writing; she employs poetic language to describe her life aboard the ORION, a cloudship populated by orphaned youth who round out the crew with their variety of magical powers. Jay's honeyed voice is well suited to Nadya's first-person storytelling, particularly her bouts of lyricism. When pirates attack the ship and kidnap the adult crewmembers, the story becomes increasingly tense, and Jay follows suit, narrating with near panic in her voice. The story does not end cleanly. Instead, the listener is left wondering what will happen next, keeping the potential open for a sequel.
Hannah Jay narrates this skyborne adventure with a steampunk twist. The titular character has a fascination with creative writing; she employs poetic language to describe her life aboard the ORION, a cloudship populated by orphaned youth who round out the crew with their variety of magical powers. Jay's honeyed voice is well suited to Nadya's first-person storytelling, particularly her bouts of lyricism. When pirates attack the ship and kidnap the adult crewmembers, the story becomes increasingly tense, and Jay follows suit, narrating with near panic in her voice. The story does not end cleanly. Instead, the listener is left wondering what will happen next, keeping the potential open for a sequel.
runlaurarun's review
5.0
Nadya is bright, adventurous, and also a bit stubborn, which I loved. This book was filled with danger and adventure (at an appropriate level). Nadya and her friends experience fear, confusion, and loss when they're attacked by pirates but work together to save themselves. I would gladly take another ride on the Cloudship with these kids.