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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
I really loved Goblin Secrets, and I really wanted to love Ghoulish Song. But I didn't. I'm not sure if I just kept comparing it to the other book, or if it really didn't work as well. There are some very good, very interesting things in this book, and it added a lot of great things to the world, but the plot didn't quite come together until the very, very end.
adventurous
dark
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Read to Felix (age 5). He really liked it and he wanted me to tell you, "People should really not read this, might be too scary. But it was not too scary for me." As for me, I'm pretty sure you should read it.
One Sentence Review: Alexander's internal logic is so perfectly presented here, even as his world building sucks you into a whirlwind of original, peculiar, odd little ideas.
This quick read is set in the magical world first introduced in Goblin Secrets and is a worthy successor. Reminds me of Diana Wynne JOnes's Dalemark Quartet, which is high praise indeed.
This author is so imaginative and does excellent worldbuilding with not many pages to work with. Kaile accidentally plays a bone flute which severs her from her shadow. She is now considered dead. She leaves to find a way to reattach it. Fantasy, but creepy.
I read this book aloud to my 9-year-old daughter because she loved Goblin Secrets. I enjoyed this book very much. William Alexander weaves quite an interesting world and we did find tie-ins to the other book, even though this one stood well enough on its own. Ironically, while I think I enjoyed this book more than Goblin Secrets, my daughter had the opposite feelings.
Ghoulish Song is a companion novel that exceeds the quality of its predecessor though admittedly that’s not too difficult considering the middling quality of Goblin Secrets. I liked it more solely because of Kaile being a superior protagonist to Rownie, but make no mistake the issues I had with the first book are present here as well.
This book takes a look at what a girl who is a less than minor character in Goblin Secrets is doing on the day of the great flood Rownie and the goblins are seeking to prevent. Unbeknownst to them she has her own part to play in the events of the day. Due to her shadow being removed Kaile is pronounced dead - that is, everyone around her is going to ignore her as if she is as a means of protecting themselves from vengeful spirits. Through her attempt to join her shadow back to her she becomes wrapped up in the flood plotline.
However, interestingly enough the two do not converge in the way you’d expect. In fact, the two stories do not make direct contact at all outside of a small interaction somewhere in the middle. It’s very much two completely independent sides of the same story about one big event. I found this kind of fun because it provided further insight into the world which I believe is the strongest part of this entire series.
I liked learning more about the traditions, superstitions and overall culture of Zombay. Admittedly, I did not remember a lot of details about Goblin Secrets, but Alexander makes it easy to slide right in. He excels at creating a diverting, immersive atmosphere. I was a little confused yet entertained; kind of like Kaile, herself.
In contrast to Rownie, Kaile is a much more supportable character. She knows what she wants, and she is the one to strike out to make her own way. She relies on her own intrepid spirit to keep her going. I also think the ‘chosen one’ trope not being projected onto her helped immensely.
Her secondary cast, consisting of a secret musicians guild her late grandfather belonged to, is unfortunately as similarly underdeveloped as the goblin theatre troupe - I’d almost go so far as to call them knockoffs - but thankfully, she’s a strong enough character to combat that.
Most books can fit into a three act construct and I have no problem with it because it’s not even noticeable unless you’re looking for it or particularly attuned to it. I definitely could feel the transition in this case. The trek to unite her and her shadow is milquetoast. It involves a murky magical system that doesn’t get explained too well. This causes the ending to be underwhelming as it relies heavily on the aforementioned magical system. The mystery regarding the flute is not well interwoven into the rest of the story as the puzzle of it doesn’t require much effort to figure out. It’s basically known from the beginning so most of the book is simply biding time until it’s confirmed later.
Also there’s the question of how much Kaile really is impacting given what we know of Rownie’s influence. Conversely, there’s the same question of Rownie’s impact in relation to what Kaile does.
All in all, an average read, though slightly more enjoyable than the previous installment.
Goblin Secrets Review
This book takes a look at what a girl who is a less than minor character in Goblin Secrets is doing on the day of the great flood Rownie and the goblins are seeking to prevent. Unbeknownst to them she has her own part to play in the events of the day. Due to her shadow being removed Kaile is pronounced dead - that is, everyone around her is going to ignore her as if she is as a means of protecting themselves from vengeful spirits. Through her attempt to join her shadow back to her she becomes wrapped up in the flood plotline.
However, interestingly enough the two do not converge in the way you’d expect. In fact, the two stories do not make direct contact at all outside of a small interaction somewhere in the middle. It’s very much two completely independent sides of the same story about one big event. I found this kind of fun because it provided further insight into the world which I believe is the strongest part of this entire series.
I liked learning more about the traditions, superstitions and overall culture of Zombay. Admittedly, I did not remember a lot of details about Goblin Secrets, but Alexander makes it easy to slide right in. He excels at creating a diverting, immersive atmosphere. I was a little confused yet entertained; kind of like Kaile, herself.
In contrast to Rownie, Kaile is a much more supportable character. She knows what she wants, and she is the one to strike out to make her own way. She relies on her own intrepid spirit to keep her going. I also think the ‘chosen one’ trope not being projected onto her helped immensely.
Her secondary cast, consisting of a secret musicians guild her late grandfather belonged to, is unfortunately as similarly underdeveloped as the goblin theatre troupe - I’d almost go so far as to call them knockoffs - but thankfully, she’s a strong enough character to combat that.
Most books can fit into a three act construct and I have no problem with it because it’s not even noticeable unless you’re looking for it or particularly attuned to it. I definitely could feel the transition in this case. The trek to unite her and her shadow is milquetoast. It involves a murky magical system that doesn’t get explained too well. This causes the ending to be underwhelming as it relies heavily on the aforementioned magical system. The mystery regarding the flute is not well interwoven into the rest of the story as the puzzle of it doesn’t require much effort to figure out. It’s basically known from the beginning so most of the book is simply biding time until it’s confirmed later.
Also there’s the question of how much Kaile really is impacting given what we know of Rownie’s influence. Conversely, there’s the same question of Rownie’s impact in relation to what Kaile does.
All in all, an average read, though slightly more enjoyable than the previous installment.
Goblin Secrets Review
I was afraid that, like so many other sequels, this book would lose some of the drive and vision from the first book. That this book would disappoint where the other excelled.
I have never been so happy to be wrong.
There were some elements and particular phrases that repeated, tying the two books more closely together than just being in the same setting, but the overlap with the first book is relatively minimal. Two meetings with the goblins, one conversation with a witchworker in training, and a single glimpse of the main character from Goblin Secrets. The rest of the book, magnificent and well paced, is an entirely separate story that just happens to be occuring at the same time as the events in Goblin Secrets.
6 out of 5 stars for exceeding expectations and executing a beautiful story to boot.
Will definitely reread.
I'd recommend this book to lovers of fantasy, found family, and goblins that aren't evil by default.
I have never been so happy to be wrong.
There were some elements and particular phrases that repeated, tying the two books more closely together than just being in the same setting, but the overlap with the first book is relatively minimal. Two meetings with the goblins, one conversation with a witchworker in training, and a single glimpse of the main character from Goblin Secrets. The rest of the book, magnificent and well paced, is an entirely separate story that just happens to be occuring at the same time as the events in Goblin Secrets.
6 out of 5 stars for exceeding expectations and executing a beautiful story to boot.
Will definitely reread.
I'd recommend this book to lovers of fantasy, found family, and goblins that aren't evil by default.
Beautifully written. I had the pleasure of listening to the author speak. His love for fantasy, music and theater flows through this story. Ghoulish Song is a companion book to Goblin Secrets. This story is that of the baker's daughter introduced in Goblin Secrets. Her story continues down a different path but parallels events in Goblin Secrets. Beautifully done. This story left me with hope whereas Goblin Secrets felt darker to me.