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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
So I started out REALLY liking this book... and then the second half kind of killed a lot of what I liked and it all became a bit more messy and choppy than I would have liked. I really did want to see this having a splendid ending, becuase the beginning really filled me with hope, but ultimately I just didn't enjoy the second half of this and it was a let down.
In this story we meet two young children, the first is Patricia, a young girl who is told by a Tree that she's a witch...but she doesn't know how to BE one. We also meet Laurence, a young boy who is a computer whizz-kid, he knows all there is to know and has even made a mini time machine... Together, they are the misfits of the school, both bullied and avoided by the other children. They become friends more through necessity than through shared interest, but both are so unsual that they get along at first.
Then things start to get a bit weird, we see more characters and plots starting up and the story of each of our main characters skips in time. We get a few time shifts in this book, and sadly I felt that these were poorly handled, leaving a naive young character not to grow into an adult, but to suddenly be one. I felt as though we are really not seeing a good representation of the character growth of two such unique people, for me, it was a really big missed opportunity. They just didn't convince me as characters.
In terms of plot the second half of this book really lost me. When I say lost me I don't mean I didn't 'get' it, I mean that I just felt that there was a lot introduced which was unnecessary and the story didn't go in a direction I liked or expected. I felt that by the end of this I was really quite frustrated with the characters, their choices, and the book as a whole.
In terms of the writing, this book tries some interesting playing around with both SF and F troupes. We see magic and technology clashing together which I liked, and we see some quirky characters at first, however the actual writing itself I felt was fairly naive and did not feel as sophisticated as I wanted by the end of the story (becuase of how it develops).
Overall, I am sadly left feeling disappointed becuase I expected to like this and I thought that the start section was really good, but I just didn't leave the book with those same feelings. I will certainly try other work by Anders as I have a feeling her short work may be more to my taste and she did start with some good ideas, but for now this one gets a 2.5*s from me.
In this story we meet two young children, the first is Patricia, a young girl who is told by a Tree that she's a witch...but she doesn't know how to BE one. We also meet Laurence, a young boy who is a computer whizz-kid, he knows all there is to know and has even made a mini time machine... Together, they are the misfits of the school, both bullied and avoided by the other children. They become friends more through necessity than through shared interest, but both are so unsual that they get along at first.
Then things start to get a bit weird, we see more characters and plots starting up and the story of each of our main characters skips in time. We get a few time shifts in this book, and sadly I felt that these were poorly handled, leaving a naive young character not to grow into an adult, but to suddenly be one. I felt as though we are really not seeing a good representation of the character growth of two such unique people, for me, it was a really big missed opportunity. They just didn't convince me as characters.
In terms of plot the second half of this book really lost me. When I say lost me I don't mean I didn't 'get' it, I mean that I just felt that there was a lot introduced which was unnecessary and the story didn't go in a direction I liked or expected. I felt that by the end of this I was really quite frustrated with the characters, their choices, and the book as a whole.
In terms of the writing, this book tries some interesting playing around with both SF and F troupes. We see magic and technology clashing together which I liked, and we see some quirky characters at first, however the actual writing itself I felt was fairly naive and did not feel as sophisticated as I wanted by the end of the story (becuase of how it develops).
Overall, I am sadly left feeling disappointed becuase I expected to like this and I thought that the start section was really good, but I just didn't leave the book with those same feelings. I will certainly try other work by Anders as I have a feeling her short work may be more to my taste and she did start with some good ideas, but for now this one gets a 2.5*s from me.
I really loved All the Birds in the Sky. It is a fun fantasy/science fiction book that I didn't want to put down.
Something about this book didn't quite do it for me. The sense of humor was a bit different than I'm used to, at times. The plot with the assassin seemed...pointless? There were some interesting ideas, and the whole premise of "magic vs. science" was fairly interesting, but there was just something off about the story and execution.
I wanted more from this book - the author presents an interesting idea of magic vs. science, based around two childhood friends who were outsiders. However, this concept never really feels fully-formed, and is therefore hard to invest in either idea. He skips high school and college age (I wonder if it was edited out? To keep the book short?) - this is when people's worldviews are solidified, and I think seeing the characters develop in their respective worlds would have helped lend credibility to the central theme of which practice will save the world.
And then there was the weird, pointless sex scene, which felt completely unnecessary (and not sexy). Its whole purpose was to make this more adult-Harry Potter/The Magicians, but I think it should've been taken out or pared down, and this could've been a good YA novel about two different worldviews and what it takes to make a difference.
And then there was the weird, pointless sex scene, which felt completely unnecessary (and not sexy). Its whole purpose was to make this more adult-Harry Potter/The Magicians, but I think it should've been taken out or pared down, and this could've been a good YA novel about two different worldviews and what it takes to make a difference.
Fascinating book filled with fantastic ideas and possibilities.
Loved the first half when the young characters were being introduced. Somewhere about a half way in, you start wondering if you need to know all this and then a meandering path with abrupt jumps takes you to a very magical but underwhelming end (not because of the idea, but the writing).
Loveable characters, great magic-technology relationship and a fascinating idea at the core/conclusion. I'm looking forward to more by the author.
Loved the first half when the young characters were being introduced. Somewhere about a half way in, you start wondering if you need to know all this and then a meandering path with abrupt jumps takes you to a very magical but underwhelming end (not because of the idea, but the writing).
Loveable characters, great magic-technology relationship and a fascinating idea at the core/conclusion. I'm looking forward to more by the author.
Ahoy there mateys! I tried to read this multiple times. I loved the first half but then the tone of the novel shifted. I could never get through the second half. So I finally give up. Abandon Ship! Arrrr!
Half Murakami, half Doctorow, all weird. Deeply, deeply weird. I enjoyed it, but I get why you might not - if you're a person who needs to know why things happened, this would be a frustrating read - and there are just enough seductive details that you might get drawn in to thinking you could understand it.
But if you can appreciate the shiny nerd texture while still keeping a healthy "well, of course"/"sure, why not" attitude to the plot - no mean feat of mental gymnastics - then you are in for a surreal, fascinating ride.
But if you can appreciate the shiny nerd texture while still keeping a healthy "well, of course"/"sure, why not" attitude to the plot - no mean feat of mental gymnastics - then you are in for a surreal, fascinating ride.
Really warm, fun fantasy/sci fi/magic realism sort of a caper. The characters are really well realised and written, perhaps though at the expense of the plot. It's not slow or anything, but it does feel like everything rushes to happen at the end and more middle would benefit the story.
All in all, 3.78 stars really, but they're well earned and again, it's a book that engages and warms your cockles, and other parts probably - You can see why Michael Chabon liked it, which is dashed good praise in my book. :)
All in all, 3.78 stars really, but they're well earned and again, it's a book that engages and warms your cockles, and other parts probably - You can see why Michael Chabon liked it, which is dashed good praise in my book. :)
I have no idea how to review this book. There were moments where I wasn't sure I even liked it, but then it would do something really cool and redeem itself.
This book was a wild ride! Love how seamlessly the author intermingles magic and science, set in the backdrop of a potential global Apocalypse. Highly recommend!