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3.63 AVERAGE
3.63 AVERAGE
I have not been this enthralled in a while
Heilig creates such a rich world through her writing, boththe fantastical and immensely real. I was captivated by the unique fantasy world and am in love with her characters!
Heilig creates such a rich world through her writing, boththe fantastical and immensely real. I was captivated by the unique fantasy world and am in love with her characters!
I received a copy of this for free through NetGalley
Shut up with that synopsis. I wasn't sure if I was going to love this when I first started it but I'm happy to say I did. SO MUCH ADVENTURE! I really love the characters in this book and everyone had their own spark that added to the story beautifully. Speaking of beautiful things, the writing in this is fabulous and while I will say that there were some scenes that dragged on a little, as a whole it was so poetic to me. This book definitely feels like it has a little something for everyone.
Shut up with that synopsis. I wasn't sure if I was going to love this when I first started it but I'm happy to say I did. SO MUCH ADVENTURE! I really love the characters in this book and everyone had their own spark that added to the story beautifully. Speaking of beautiful things, the writing in this is fabulous and while I will say that there were some scenes that dragged on a little, as a whole it was so poetic to me. This book definitely feels like it has a little something for everyone.
Sixteen-year-old Nix is more traveled than most. For years, she has sailed with her father, a Navigator who can travel through time. Nix has seen both history and myth in action, and someday, she hopes to Navigate on her own. When a deal for a map puts everyone at risk, Nix will have to chart surprisingly familiar waters to find the answers she desperately needs.
What I Loved:
Though Nix’s story takes readers through a variety of times and places, Hawaii is a center point of the book, particularly the time of the Kingdom of Hawaii. Heilig gives lush descriptions of the land and the people, both native and foreign, who inhabit the islands. The explanations of history and the fictional elements in the author’s note is especially helpful for readers who want to know more.
Nix and her father’s relationship is a fascinating and complex element. Nix is determined and fierce, and she faces many difficult decisions when it comes to her father who is often distant with thoughts of Nix’s dead mother. Heilig skillfully shows Nix’s battle of her own wills as she struggles to understand her father and find her own place in the world.
What Left Me Wanting More:
The premise of a time-traveling Navigation skill is exciting and intriguing, but some may have a difficult time understanding the logistics of it, as only a little is fully explained. However, those who are as caught in the myth as well as the plot may enjoy the added mystery. With the confusion behind the Navigation and certain building blocks of the plot, I personally had a difficult time connecting to the story and being invested in the characters. However, the puzzle behind Nix’s family history and Hawaii kept me reading, as well as the beautiful writing.
Final Verdict:
Though I had difficulty connecting with the story, the lush descriptions and almost lyrical writing are sure to keep readers turning the pages for more to discover just where Nix’s journey will take her.
Originally posted at YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yafiction/18299-the-girl-from-everywhere
What I Loved:
Though Nix’s story takes readers through a variety of times and places, Hawaii is a center point of the book, particularly the time of the Kingdom of Hawaii. Heilig gives lush descriptions of the land and the people, both native and foreign, who inhabit the islands. The explanations of history and the fictional elements in the author’s note is especially helpful for readers who want to know more.
Nix and her father’s relationship is a fascinating and complex element. Nix is determined and fierce, and she faces many difficult decisions when it comes to her father who is often distant with thoughts of Nix’s dead mother. Heilig skillfully shows Nix’s battle of her own wills as she struggles to understand her father and find her own place in the world.
What Left Me Wanting More:
The premise of a time-traveling Navigation skill is exciting and intriguing, but some may have a difficult time understanding the logistics of it, as only a little is fully explained. However, those who are as caught in the myth as well as the plot may enjoy the added mystery. With the confusion behind the Navigation and certain building blocks of the plot, I personally had a difficult time connecting to the story and being invested in the characters. However, the puzzle behind Nix’s family history and Hawaii kept me reading, as well as the beautiful writing.
Final Verdict:
Though I had difficulty connecting with the story, the lush descriptions and almost lyrical writing are sure to keep readers turning the pages for more to discover just where Nix’s journey will take her.
Originally posted at YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yafiction/18299-the-girl-from-everywhere
I really appreciated the genuine feeling of this book, although it was not without flaw. It seemed like the story could have been told in fewer words, and I was dissatisfied by Overall, however, it was an enjoyable book with a lot of unique and creative elements with enjoyable and unique characters.
Spoiler
how the love triangle went ultimately unresolved after being such a competitive issue earlier in the novel.
Actual rating: 3.75
In The Girl from Everywhere, Nix travels the world with her father and their crew, sailing not only from shore to shore, but through time. Using maps as their guide, they travel to 1884 Hawaii in hopes of finding something that's been lost. But Nix seems to be the only one in this 5 man crew who realizes the danger of their quest. In a sweeping fantasy that combines fairy tales with historical fiction, The Girl from Everywhere leaves little to be desired.
What I Loved:
1. Pirates: I find pirate stories fascinating. One reason is because of the wealth of historical info that usually comes with it, but also because pirates appeal to my anti-authoritarian side. Pirates are story gold. All of that open sea, the world at your fingertips. I definitely got a great sense of that from Nix and her crew-family's journeys.
2. Kashmir: He's the male counterpart to Nix's character. There's some great tension between the two of them (I was hoping for a little more here, but I'm glad the story wasn't one big romance), and his realistic nature is extremely refreshing. Kash, technically, shouldn't even exist. Nix and her father, Slate, found him when they used a fictitious map from the One Hundred and One Nights tale and took him with them. To me, he was one of the most well-rounded characters in the novel and I love that kept Nix grounded and on track with his straight-forward philosophy on life; take care of now because tomorrow is never guaranteed.
3. Chinese mythology: One of the best portions of the novel is when the crew "navigates" to Emperor Qin's tomb. Emperor Qin was China's first emperor. He was successful in uniting several warrior states into one unified body, thus creating the country of China. China's name is even his namesake (Q in Chinese is pronounced as "ch"). So when Nix happens upon a map of his expansive tomb, they find themselves hundreds of feet underground, sailing through his mausoleum. According to Sima Qian, one of China's ancient historians, Emperor Qin built himself an underground tomb that could easily rival that of the Egyptian pharaohs. Complete with a terra-cotta army to protect him in the afterlife, he also buried clay animals, concubines, government officials, and real fruit trees. Qin prepared for death with the ancient Chinese proverb in mind: treat death like birth. Not only did he bring everything believed he needed, but he created rivers of mercury around his tomb because of its belief to make you immortal. This novel takes you straight inside his tomb and it was such a marvelous section of the novel. Nix also encounters Chinese numerology which helps guide her through some tough decisions. It was all extremely interesting and added authenticity to a time-traveling novel.
4. Hawaiian history: Again, I'm a huge fan of historical fiction and love being able to stop and research a little bit behind what I'm reading. Hawaii has such a vast history and The Girl from Everywhere really treats it with respect.
5. Diverse characters: This novel is a broad look into various cultures from across the globe. Nix, the protagonist, is half Chinese and the rest of the pirate crew is equally diverse (which makes absolute sense for a ship that travels through time and space). And again, I loved the revealing of other cultures that took place in this novel.
7. A twist on a teen dealing with a parents' addiction: While this is a predominately fantastical novel, Heidi Heilig has a compelling subplot; Nix has to battle daily with her father's addiction to finding this particular map, which leads him to engage in dangerous behaviors, make rash decisions, and put their lives on the line. He also has dabbled in the use of opium. We realize almost right off the bat that her father, Slate, is mostly driven by his addictions, whether they relate to his search for Nix's mother (via the map) or to drug use. Nix has a difficult time trusting her father and I found this to be an interesting twist on a realistic phenomenon.
What I Didn't Love:
1. The writing: While I thought Heilig's world building was fantastic, I struggled to comprehend the way she phrased sentences and moved the plot along. I found myself having to reread entire paragraphs because I was getting lost in the dissonance of her pacing. She'll end a scene and be on to the next without bring the reader along and I found myself getting confused at times.
2. Lack of maps in the ARC: This is no one's fault, as I am reading an advanced reader's copy, but it would have been VERY helpful to have had the maps that are supposed to be at the beginning of each chapter. I absolutely love maps and used to stare at them and study them all the time when I was a kid. So I would have benefitted from seeing those while reading the novel.
3. Secondary characters: I didn't feel like some of the secondary characters were as vibrant as they should have been. The crew on the ship, The Temptation, are a group of people hailing from all over the world. Their back stories were explained, but not enough to where I really got a sense of them as a whole. Also, a lot of the action takes place off ship, which removed the ability to work them into the larger story.
4. Border-line love triangle: I won't say too much about this because it could be considered a spoiler, but I was not convinced of the need for Blake Hart's character... At least in the way that the author presented him. Yes, he instills in Nix a love for Hawaii's beauty and history, but many of those things could have come elsewhere. I didn't dig him...
Overall, this is a great read. You'll walk away with an interest in ancient China, Hawaii's recent modern history, and so much more. If you like time-travel and pirates, and spunky heroines then this novel is for you.
In The Girl from Everywhere, Nix travels the world with her father and their crew, sailing not only from shore to shore, but through time. Using maps as their guide, they travel to 1884 Hawaii in hopes of finding something that's been lost. But Nix seems to be the only one in this 5 man crew who realizes the danger of their quest. In a sweeping fantasy that combines fairy tales with historical fiction, The Girl from Everywhere leaves little to be desired.
What I Loved:
1. Pirates: I find pirate stories fascinating. One reason is because of the wealth of historical info that usually comes with it, but also because pirates appeal to my anti-authoritarian side. Pirates are story gold. All of that open sea, the world at your fingertips. I definitely got a great sense of that from Nix and her crew-family's journeys.
2. Kashmir: He's the male counterpart to Nix's character. There's some great tension between the two of them (I was hoping for a little more here, but I'm glad the story wasn't one big romance), and his realistic nature is extremely refreshing. Kash, technically, shouldn't even exist. Nix and her father, Slate, found him when they used a fictitious map from the One Hundred and One Nights tale and took him with them. To me, he was one of the most well-rounded characters in the novel and I love that kept Nix grounded and on track with his straight-forward philosophy on life; take care of now because tomorrow is never guaranteed.
3. Chinese mythology: One of the best portions of the novel is when the crew "navigates" to Emperor Qin's tomb. Emperor Qin was China's first emperor. He was successful in uniting several warrior states into one unified body, thus creating the country of China. China's name is even his namesake (Q in Chinese is pronounced as "ch"). So when Nix happens upon a map of his expansive tomb, they find themselves hundreds of feet underground, sailing through his mausoleum. According to Sima Qian, one of China's ancient historians, Emperor Qin built himself an underground tomb that could easily rival that of the Egyptian pharaohs. Complete with a terra-cotta army to protect him in the afterlife, he also buried clay animals, concubines, government officials, and real fruit trees. Qin prepared for death with the ancient Chinese proverb in mind: treat death like birth. Not only did he bring everything believed he needed, but he created rivers of mercury around his tomb because of its belief to make you immortal. This novel takes you straight inside his tomb and it was such a marvelous section of the novel. Nix also encounters Chinese numerology which helps guide her through some tough decisions. It was all extremely interesting and added authenticity to a time-traveling novel.
4. Hawaiian history: Again, I'm a huge fan of historical fiction and love being able to stop and research a little bit behind what I'm reading. Hawaii has such a vast history and The Girl from Everywhere really treats it with respect.
5. Diverse characters: This novel is a broad look into various cultures from across the globe. Nix, the protagonist, is half Chinese and the rest of the pirate crew is equally diverse (which makes absolute sense for a ship that travels through time and space). And again, I loved the revealing of other cultures that took place in this novel.
7. A twist on a teen dealing with a parents' addiction: While this is a predominately fantastical novel, Heidi Heilig has a compelling subplot; Nix has to battle daily with her father's addiction to finding this particular map, which leads him to engage in dangerous behaviors, make rash decisions, and put their lives on the line. He also has dabbled in the use of opium. We realize almost right off the bat that her father, Slate, is mostly driven by his addictions, whether they relate to his search for Nix's mother (via the map) or to drug use. Nix has a difficult time trusting her father and I found this to be an interesting twist on a realistic phenomenon.
What I Didn't Love:
1. The writing: While I thought Heilig's world building was fantastic, I struggled to comprehend the way she phrased sentences and moved the plot along. I found myself having to reread entire paragraphs because I was getting lost in the dissonance of her pacing. She'll end a scene and be on to the next without bring the reader along and I found myself getting confused at times.
2. Lack of maps in the ARC: This is no one's fault, as I am reading an advanced reader's copy, but it would have been VERY helpful to have had the maps that are supposed to be at the beginning of each chapter. I absolutely love maps and used to stare at them and study them all the time when I was a kid. So I would have benefitted from seeing those while reading the novel.
3. Secondary characters: I didn't feel like some of the secondary characters were as vibrant as they should have been. The crew on the ship, The Temptation, are a group of people hailing from all over the world. Their back stories were explained, but not enough to where I really got a sense of them as a whole. Also, a lot of the action takes place off ship, which removed the ability to work them into the larger story.
4. Border-line love triangle: I won't say too much about this because it could be considered a spoiler, but I was not convinced of the need for Blake Hart's character... At least in the way that the author presented him. Yes, he instills in Nix a love for Hawaii's beauty and history, but many of those things could have come elsewhere. I didn't dig him...
Overall, this is a great read. You'll walk away with an interest in ancient China, Hawaii's recent modern history, and so much more. If you like time-travel and pirates, and spunky heroines then this novel is for you.
it was so… disappointing
i think the concept with the ship and time travel had SO MUCH potential and it was all wasted. they were in essentially one spot throughout the entire book.
YOU HAVE A MAGICAL SHIP THAT CAN TIME TRAVEL.
why are you sitting in one place for 90% of the book!?
the characters were very shallow, there was little depth to them and that made it so much harder to enjoy
i wont be reading the sequel
i think the concept with the ship and time travel had SO MUCH potential and it was all wasted. they were in essentially one spot throughout the entire book.
YOU HAVE A MAGICAL SHIP THAT CAN TIME TRAVEL.
why are you sitting in one place for 90% of the book!?
the characters were very shallow, there was little depth to them and that made it so much harder to enjoy
i wont be reading the sequel
3.25 *shrug* haha. I listened to the audiobook, so I might be slightly biased due to my unending love for Kim Mai guest (can she read everything ever though?! Damn. Her and Tennant and Elizabeth Acevedo and the dude who does Robin Hobb books. They're all I need in audio lol). Anyway.
I enjoyed the characters and their dynamic as parts of a whole, and I liked seeing how they were slightly different depending on who else was around. Does that make sense? It's 2am.
This has become somewhat of a thing for me, but hooray author's note!! I loved the inclusion of what was myth and legend, truth and speculation. Since they can travel anywhere as long as there's a map, fictional lands are fair game and I really loved that about this book. It felt like even though it was grounded in the real world, anything was possible.
I'll admit I listen to most books on 1.75x or 2x so that might be (although it probably isn't) why sometimes I was confused as hell. Pretty much everything about Joss(?) had me wondering if I'd missed some hint or reveal. It's also kind of tricky with different timelines and lots of dates in/about Hawaii when they arrived/would arrive/had previously arrived/wtf...and even though a lot of the story hinges on Nix's existence, they're all very cavalier about potentially changing history as long as it suits their needs. I can only think of one instance when Nix thought, well shit did we make this happen by being here or would it have happened the same either way? And also that time she felt strongly about killing someone who was already dead and how if she hadn't shown up he'd still be alive(?!). Like Schrodinger's damn cat. Wtf Nix. I'm not here for your philosophical musings at 2am lol
Of course, romance happened. A bit. There was even a bit of a love triangle? Of sorts? It sort of tied into the story but meh. There was a lot of running into the dude constantly and I rolled my eyes like girl you didn't drop your bag he def stole it so he could return it (said the cynic). Probably. He's shady in my head, okay?! Also, why does Kashmir seem like 35? We're constantly reminded that he's young but he acts much older, I think. Or, at least too old to be a viable love interest for a 16 year old.
I have the second book as well (no audio at the library though, sad face), so I'm planning to finish the duology! Really fun! I think what I wrote in my planner thing was something like, "original but not exceptional" which made sense to me half an hour ago but seems contradictory now. Look, I'm just here for the maps. *builds fort out of books* *hangs up old, antique-y maps* *is never seen again*
I enjoyed the characters and their dynamic as parts of a whole, and I liked seeing how they were slightly different depending on who else was around. Does that make sense? It's 2am.
This has become somewhat of a thing for me, but hooray author's note!! I loved the inclusion of what was myth and legend, truth and speculation. Since they can travel anywhere as long as there's a map, fictional lands are fair game and I really loved that about this book. It felt like even though it was grounded in the real world, anything was possible.
I'll admit I listen to most books on 1.75x or 2x so that might be (although it probably isn't) why sometimes I was confused as hell. Pretty much everything about Joss(?) had me wondering if I'd missed some hint or reveal. It's also kind of tricky with different timelines and lots of dates in/about Hawaii when they arrived/would arrive/had previously arrived/wtf...and even though a lot of the story hinges on Nix's existence, they're all very cavalier about potentially changing history as long as it suits their needs. I can only think of one instance when Nix thought, well shit did we make this happen by being here or would it have happened the same either way? And also that time she felt strongly about killing someone who was already dead and how if she hadn't shown up he'd still be alive(?!). Like Schrodinger's damn cat. Wtf Nix. I'm not here for your philosophical musings at 2am lol
Of course, romance happened. A bit. There was even a bit of a love triangle? Of sorts? It sort of tied into the story but meh. There was a lot of running into the dude constantly and I rolled my eyes like girl you didn't drop your bag he def stole it so he could return it (said the cynic). Probably. He's shady in my head, okay?! Also, why does Kashmir seem like 35? We're constantly reminded that he's young but he acts much older, I think. Or, at least too old to be a viable love interest for a 16 year old.
I have the second book as well (no audio at the library though, sad face), so I'm planning to finish the duology! Really fun! I think what I wrote in my planner thing was something like, "original but not exceptional" which made sense to me half an hour ago but seems contradictory now. Look, I'm just here for the maps. *builds fort out of books* *hangs up old, antique-y maps* *is never seen again*
DNF at 31% (p 146)
Not my taste. The story was dragged out and got really boring, and the main character Nix was not well developed and didn't know what the heck she wanted, and it was annoyyyyiinnnggg. She was moody and I just started to not care at all how her problem turned out. I realized that I could be reading something that I could be enjoying more. So meh.
2/5 stars- good magic-system idea, so I'll give it some credit. And the writing was good.
Not my taste. The story was dragged out and got really boring, and the main character Nix was not well developed and didn't know what the heck she wanted, and it was annoyyyyiinnnggg. She was moody and I just started to not care at all how her problem turned out. I realized that I could be reading something that I could be enjoying more. So meh.
2/5 stars- good magic-system idea, so I'll give it some credit. And the writing was good.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes