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colossal's review against another edition
4.0
A young girl with a rare talent is raised in a bizarre scarcity-society in a city of towering bone spires where flight is one of the few freedoms and giant invisible flying squids with glass teeth lurk in the sky.
Kirit is a strong-minded young girl who craves the freedom of flight as a trader between towers, but revelation that she has the type of voice that can control skymouths make her valuable to a secretive ruling class of the city. Her struggle to make her way in this world where it all seems stacked against her makes for a tense and engaging story.
The world-building is the star here, with a bewildering array of bizarre cultural, biological and physical features in this world. However, I don't think it quite stands up to scrutiny. This is clearly a scarcity society, where many starve and there's no arable land. The only plants are vines and potted trees and the staple food stuff seems to be different sorts of bird meat. Life on the towers is hard, and the way that this culture treats law-breaking and challenges almost guarantees a steady death toll. Too much of one to be even vaguely sustainable.
I could also talk to the Singers, but not without spoiling the book. Ultimately, fun, but unconvincing.
Kirit is a strong-minded young girl who craves the freedom of flight as a trader between towers, but revelation that she has the type of voice that can control skymouths make her valuable to a secretive ruling class of the city. Her struggle to make her way in this world where it all seems stacked against her makes for a tense and engaging story.
The world-building is the star here, with a bewildering array of bizarre cultural, biological and physical features in this world. However, I don't think it quite stands up to scrutiny. This is clearly a scarcity society, where many starve and there's no arable land. The only plants are vines and potted trees and the staple food stuff seems to be different sorts of bird meat. Life on the towers is hard, and the way that this culture treats law-breaking and challenges almost guarantees a steady death toll. Too much of one to be even vaguely sustainable.
I could also talk to the Singers, but not without spoiling the book. Ultimately, fun, but unconvincing.
g8girl's review against another edition
3.0
Updraft by Fran Wilde
***3.5***
I liked this book, but I didn't love it. It had a lot of potential but fell slightly flat for me. I've got to say though, the world building was one of a kind. I have not experienced a world like this in any other fantasy novels that I have read. Everyone lives on different bone towers and The Spire (the main governing body of the city) decides when a tower gets to grow another tier. Everyone in the novel is involved in flying of some sort and whether or not your tower has a bridge connecting it to another tower says a lot about your tower's status. Likewise, how high in the tower you live also says much about your social status. Throw in some sky monsters and a secret order of monks called Singers that protect the city but hold more secrets than answers and you have a really interesting world.
As many readers will know, there was just that feeling that you can't really explain as to why you didn't quite bond with a book. There was nothing inherently wrong with the story, characters or writing but it just didn't grab me the way I had hoped it would. Still a good book and if you want to read about a truly unique world with unique customs, etc you should give Updraft a try.
I will admit there were some aspects of predictability but they didn't take away too much from the overall story line. There were also a few times where I wasn't 100% sure what the great secrets being revealed were. I felt a little bit like in Harry Potter when they tell him every book why he has the scar and what it was the protected him from Voldemort in the first place. They retell it every book like it's a brand new revelation each time. I felt that occasionally here, where they would reveal something and I thought....didn't we already discover that, am I missing something?
Either way, interesting book and I'll consider picking up the sequels.
***3.5***
I liked this book, but I didn't love it. It had a lot of potential but fell slightly flat for me. I've got to say though, the world building was one of a kind. I have not experienced a world like this in any other fantasy novels that I have read. Everyone lives on different bone towers and The Spire (the main governing body of the city) decides when a tower gets to grow another tier. Everyone in the novel is involved in flying of some sort and whether or not your tower has a bridge connecting it to another tower says a lot about your tower's status. Likewise, how high in the tower you live also says much about your social status. Throw in some sky monsters and a secret order of monks called Singers that protect the city but hold more secrets than answers and you have a really interesting world.
As many readers will know, there was just that feeling that you can't really explain as to why you didn't quite bond with a book. There was nothing inherently wrong with the story, characters or writing but it just didn't grab me the way I had hoped it would. Still a good book and if you want to read about a truly unique world with unique customs, etc you should give Updraft a try.
I will admit there were some aspects of predictability but they didn't take away too much from the overall story line. There were also a few times where I wasn't 100% sure what the great secrets being revealed were. I felt a little bit like in Harry Potter when they tell him every book why he has the scar and what it was the protected him from Voldemort in the first place
Spoiler
ie. His mother's loveEither way, interesting book and I'll consider picking up the sequels.
katiespina's review against another edition
3.0
This book came highly recommended from a friend who is an avid sci-fi reader. I was not as impressed as she was.
It took me about 100 pages to really get into the story. It hardly ever takes me two weeks to read a book so short. But I wasn't getting drawn into the bone towers and world of fliers.
Usually, I try to figure out what the big mystery is as I read along, but I wasn't that deep into this story. I enjoyed it as an overall read, but I would only recommend it if you are a serious lover of sci-fi.
It took me about 100 pages to really get into the story. It hardly ever takes me two weeks to read a book so short. But I wasn't getting drawn into the bone towers and world of fliers.
Usually, I try to figure out what the big mystery is as I read along, but I wasn't that deep into this story. I enjoyed it as an overall read, but I would only recommend it if you are a serious lover of sci-fi.
jelin's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Read the german translation and it was terrible.
tjoliverbooks's review against another edition
4.0
It's rare to find something truly unique in Fantasy so I was happily surprised to find Updraft. Fran Wilde did a good job world-building.
sleeping_while_awake's review against another edition
2.0
Unfortunately, I did not realize that Updraft was a young adult book, and that affected my rating, as I have a hard time enjoying ya characters.
Updraft is the story of Kirit. She lives in a city of sky-reaching towers made of bone. Over time, the bone fills in, as it grows upwards, and the people move higher and higher.
The people travel by flying with wings, which are very maneuverable, but there is inherent danger of falling to one's death. The Singers are a group of people that live in a central tower, and help protect the people from dangerous skymouths, and generally keep the peace.
Kirit is ready to pass her wing test, and finally be allowed to fly on her own. What she doesn't realize is that a Singer has an interest in her that is going to affect her path.
The world is very interesting and I liked the author really attempted to do something different. There's no mention of the ground, but also, they couldn't be so high it would be difficult to breathe, but then that is going off of reality not fantasy.
I wanted more background on the world. Are these bones living off some huge creature? IS it magic? It's completely unknown.
There are so many ya trope and it's a dystopian novel in disguise. The heroine has a very special skill, and is able to learn things very quickly. The peace of the city is fragile, and the Singers exert a lot of control and have strict laws. Dad is gone, mom travels a lot - the list goes on.
There isn't any romance, which was surprising. On the one hand I'm glad there were any stupid love triangles/squares, but the main character seemed a lot younger than 17 to me, so a little romance may have matured her some. I also think the writing skewed to a younger ya audience as well.
Overall, cool world but the story is riddled with tropes. I didn't connect with the main character, and this really was not a book for me. I am surprised by all the high reviews, but I guess it's all about the audience that is reading.
Updraft is the story of Kirit. She lives in a city of sky-reaching towers made of bone. Over time, the bone fills in, as it grows upwards, and the people move higher and higher.
The people travel by flying with wings, which are very maneuverable, but there is inherent danger of falling to one's death. The Singers are a group of people that live in a central tower, and help protect the people from dangerous skymouths, and generally keep the peace.
Kirit is ready to pass her wing test, and finally be allowed to fly on her own. What she doesn't realize is that a Singer has an interest in her that is going to affect her path.
The world is very interesting and I liked the author really attempted to do something different. There's no mention of the ground, but also, they couldn't be so high it would be difficult to breathe, but then that is going off of reality not fantasy.
I wanted more background on the world. Are these bones living off some huge creature? IS it magic? It's completely unknown.
There are so many ya trope and it's a dystopian novel in disguise. The heroine has a very special skill, and is able to learn things very quickly. The peace of the city is fragile, and the Singers exert a lot of control and have strict laws. Dad is gone, mom travels a lot - the list goes on.
There isn't any romance, which was surprising. On the one hand I'm glad there were any stupid love triangles/squares, but the main character seemed a lot younger than 17 to me, so a little romance may have matured her some. I also think the writing skewed to a younger ya audience as well.
Overall, cool world but the story is riddled with tropes. I didn't connect with the main character, and this really was not a book for me. I am surprised by all the high reviews, but I guess it's all about the audience that is reading.
actsofcarla's review against another edition
3.0
Solid debut novel. I think I was a little disappointed because I came in with high expectations, but it's a really cool world. So not one of my all-time favorites, but engaging enough that I would pick up the sequel. If you've left me wanting to read more, I think you've done your job as an author.
badmc's review against another edition
3.0
First, I abandoned this after 10 or so pages - the use of first person narrative somehow bothered me.
Then, I decided to try again. The second time around I read it in a flash: action scenes are well done, the worldbuilding is intriguing, and I like flying in stories.
The worldbuipding is really subtle, and we don't get the answers about the origin of this post-apocalyptic world. It's a glimmer here, a snippet there. I'll continue with the series just to find out more about this world where bone is a living organism, people are terrified of clouds, and flying is used as a tool of oppression.
I don't like the main character. I think I'm not supposed to - everything Kirit does is selfish, poorly thought out, and unpredictable. It made it hard to follow through with the story, though. Other characters don't get much 'screen time' and are almost interchangable. Overall, the relationships and dialogue are not the strong point of this book.
Also, there are plot holes. Be warned.
bingo: one word title, happens within 1 city
Then, I decided to try again. The second time around I read it in a flash: action scenes are well done, the worldbuilding is intriguing, and I like flying in stories.
The worldbuipding is really subtle, and we don't get the answers about the origin of this post-apocalyptic world. It's a glimmer here, a snippet there. I'll continue with the series just to find out more about this world where bone is a living organism, people are terrified of clouds, and flying is used as a tool of oppression.
I don't like the main character. I think I'm not supposed to - everything Kirit does is selfish, poorly thought out, and unpredictable. It made it hard to follow through with the story, though. Other characters don't get much 'screen time' and are almost interchangable. Overall, the relationships and dialogue are not the strong point of this book.
Also, there are plot holes. Be warned.
bingo: one word title, happens within 1 city