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3.05 AVERAGE
3.05 AVERAGE
This book started out as an amazing read. The plot line was great, as was the writing. However, I found that the authors often switched topics. When writing a book with five characters, jumping around is expected. However, there were parts when there would be a paragraph for each character, going back and forth. The ending was a bit anticlimactic, and the book was all around confusing for me. It was a great idea, but I just didn't follow the story.
Another Faust is a retelling of the Faustian bargain a cultural motif where the main character makes a pact with the devil. Five kids, Bicé , Belle, Christian, Valentin and Victoria, all have been kidnapped from their homes and their pasts erased, coerced to be the adopted children of a mysterious and beautiful governess. The story jumps from small kids to high school where they are enrolled in a prestigious private school, Merlowe, where each of the kids has ambitions aided by certain powers the governess so mysteriously provided.
Though the story is slow and choppy at times, it is filled with intellect and deep rooted naiveté and greediness that give the story the powerful impact at the end. Although the characters are naïve and shallow throughout most the book, the end result will leave you thinking about at what costs we’ll pursue our dreams.
On of my favorite bits is the short paragraphs before each chapter that gave the reader a glimpse into the story, furthering the plot and giving us a look into the governess, the kids and mostly the past.
Over all, although the first 300 pages are hard and at times broken and confusing the story picks up well at times and is intriguing enough to keep reading, especially for the end.
Though the story is slow and choppy at times, it is filled with intellect and deep rooted naiveté and greediness that give the story the powerful impact at the end. Although the characters are naïve and shallow throughout most the book, the end result will leave you thinking about at what costs we’ll pursue our dreams.
On of my favorite bits is the short paragraphs before each chapter that gave the reader a glimpse into the story, furthering the plot and giving us a look into the governess, the kids and mostly the past.
Over all, although the first 300 pages are hard and at times broken and confusing the story picks up well at times and is intriguing enough to keep reading, especially for the end.
A Category of Its Own
Another Faust is definitley something I haven't read before. Based on the old tale of Faust and his deal with the devil, this book puts a spin on it with a variety of characters and in a present setting.
It wasn't a bad book at all, but the pace was consistently slow with minor times that it picked up. Also, for me, there seemed to be one too many subplots that really distracted from the book as a whole and wasn't as cohesive, giving the sense that they were just filler until the very end where everything came out in the open and the major conflict took place.
It was a three out of five for me. I remember thinking that it was a good read, very different from anything I ever picked up, but aside from that it just wasn't memorable the way books should be.
Another Faust is definitley something I haven't read before. Based on the old tale of Faust and his deal with the devil, this book puts a spin on it with a variety of characters and in a present setting.
It wasn't a bad book at all, but the pace was consistently slow with minor times that it picked up. Also, for me, there seemed to be one too many subplots that really distracted from the book as a whole and wasn't as cohesive, giving the sense that they were just filler until the very end where everything came out in the open and the major conflict took place.
It was a three out of five for me. I remember thinking that it was a good read, very different from anything I ever picked up, but aside from that it just wasn't memorable the way books should be.
I met the two authors when this book first came out and they were both extremely nice! This book was interesting and I really didn't know what to expect from this book. It was a little slow for my liking and I felt like the plot wasn't really going anywhere. I wanted to know more about Vileory but the whole concept of this book was really great!
Well, it was certainly a book. Beyond that? I'm really not sure how I feel about it. The villain was just so comically evil from the get go that it made the kids seem embarrassingly stupid for not figuring it out. Like, their last name is literally faust. It did this big poetic thing, and in the end it felt like it hadn't actually done anything. A lot of talking with no actual progress, basically, with half the characters being evil for the sake of evil.
Although Another Faust is a contemporary retelling of the Faustian tale, the reader does not need to have a background to the original story to enjoy this take. It might help to know the background, but I don’t think it’s necessary.
Another Faust felt like a high brow upper class NY gossip novel-and I mean that in a good way!! There’s mystery, intrigue, backstabbing, revenge-it’s a fun read.
Each of the Faust children stand on there own, and while it took me awhile to get used to the jumping around from character to character, the story settles in and I was racing to finish. Bice was the character I enjoyed the most-she had a good heart and was shy, so I think I could relate to her the most. But the other Faust children all had something that I think any reader could relate to-Victoria and her drive to succeed, Christian and his desire to win, Belle with her obsession with beauty, and Valentin’s desire to be loved. Each character was well developed and you get to know about each one and why they would go as far as to sell their souls.
Fans of urban fantasy or dark humor should give this one a try, as well as readers looking for a deeper “gossipy” read.
Another Faust felt like a high brow upper class NY gossip novel-and I mean that in a good way!! There’s mystery, intrigue, backstabbing, revenge-it’s a fun read.
Each of the Faust children stand on there own, and while it took me awhile to get used to the jumping around from character to character, the story settles in and I was racing to finish. Bice was the character I enjoyed the most-she had a good heart and was shy, so I think I could relate to her the most. But the other Faust children all had something that I think any reader could relate to-Victoria and her drive to succeed, Christian and his desire to win, Belle with her obsession with beauty, and Valentin’s desire to be loved. Each character was well developed and you get to know about each one and why they would go as far as to sell their souls.
Fans of urban fantasy or dark humor should give this one a try, as well as readers looking for a deeper “gossipy” read.
This was a pretty good book. I didn't expect what had happened to happen. Though the characters were hard to relate to besides Bice. If thy were to make a sequel I would definitely read it.
I had actually pretty high expectations for this book. I enjoy a re-telling of classics like this one. Checkout Faust on Wikipedia if you're unfamiliar with this one. Selling your soul to the devil for a gift/wish can have great potential, for a storyline. I know Another Faust and it's sequel Another Pan have been pretty popular amongst YA teen books. So naturally I wanted to review them. Well, I wasn't that crazy about this book. I found Another Faust slow and hard to follow. The characters gifts were not really explained in the beginning, so this left me guessing a lot on what each teens specialty was. I liked the idea of the storyline and I felt the authors did an O.K. job in the beginning defining where each character was from. But setting up the plot, was kind of messy. Closer to the middle it started to fizzle for me, the characters and the plot. This book had a sadness about it, I can't explain it.
The teens would attend extravagant parties, theaters and even school where they would use their gifts on others, to manipulate and get what they wanted. This scenario became a little boring. Nothing ever really was climatic for me. Close to the very end was when everything happened, it became very clear which side each character was on and who Madame Vileroy really was. The constant arguing against the five teens became annoying. There always seem to be turmoil and fighting with each other in almost every conversation.
I did like several scenes. I loved the description of their NYC apartment. I liked how you actually felt the coldness and utter depravity of Madam Vileroy. My favorite character was Bicé, she was the quietest one. However, you could tell there was more to her, than meets the eye. Sadly, the authors did not develop her character as they should have. I loved the fact that she came out her shell somewhat and realized her strength closer to the end of the book.
I know that when it I read a paranormal book, I want tons of action, romance and tense moments. I know every book will not have a perfect mix of all those things. I did feel this book could have used a little more of those things. If you like a slow paced paranormal, you will probably enjoy reading Another Faust. As for me it was just O.K., I believe the authors missed a great opportunity this book, it had great potential. Again, just a little slow for me. I will read Another Pan, I am curious to see if that book meets more of my criteria. Hmmm, I wonder what classic tale that one is about?
Amy
http://ReadingTeen.net/
The teens would attend extravagant parties, theaters and even school where they would use their gifts on others, to manipulate and get what they wanted. This scenario became a little boring. Nothing ever really was climatic for me. Close to the very end was when everything happened, it became very clear which side each character was on and who Madame Vileroy really was. The constant arguing against the five teens became annoying. There always seem to be turmoil and fighting with each other in almost every conversation.
I did like several scenes. I loved the description of their NYC apartment. I liked how you actually felt the coldness and utter depravity of Madam Vileroy. My favorite character was Bicé, she was the quietest one. However, you could tell there was more to her, than meets the eye. Sadly, the authors did not develop her character as they should have. I loved the fact that she came out her shell somewhat and realized her strength closer to the end of the book.
I know that when it I read a paranormal book, I want tons of action, romance and tense moments. I know every book will not have a perfect mix of all those things. I did feel this book could have used a little more of those things. If you like a slow paced paranormal, you will probably enjoy reading Another Faust. As for me it was just O.K., I believe the authors missed a great opportunity this book, it had great potential. Again, just a little slow for me. I will read Another Pan, I am curious to see if that book meets more of my criteria. Hmmm, I wonder what classic tale that one is about?
Amy
http://ReadingTeen.net/
I’m not sure about this book. I didn’t really enjoy the plot or characters. It was a slow start. The ending was good but didn’t feel earned. I didn’t know which of the five kids to route for, all or some. I read the end when I got half way and it motivated me to finish. So the second half was strong than the first half. I am not sure if I am going to finish the series or not. We will see.
http://www.thetalewhisperer.com/2010/09/another-faust-by-daniel-and-dina-nayeri.html