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dinibharadwaj's review
5.0
Note: I received a free e-copy of the book via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review
The voice of the protagonist and the wonderfully described setting swept me away since page one. Nora, our Cinderella, was much more realistic and flawed than the Disney version of Cinderella (which is the only version I’m familiar with and don’t like all that much). The constant mention of food made my mouth water as I absorbed the story. It started off slowly but by the end I was a huge fan of the plot. Although predictable, it ended the way I had hoped it to and that really warmed my heart. All of the characters were superbly developed. I really enjoyed the fact that it deviated from the original a bit in the characterization of some of them. The motivations of the villains as well were portrayed really well even though it had first person narration, which is a feat that needs to be lauded. The setting was wonderfully detailed and revealed to the reader in bite-sized chunks, which made it come to life. There was also a healthy dose of political intrigue. I also loved the magic system and wish it made more of an impact on the plot just so it would be explored more. I also wish the ending was less abrupt because I really wanted more from the characters.
If you’re a fan of retellings, this one should definitely be on your radar. It is a far cry from the fluffy Disney version, but that’s what made it a unique and satisfying read for me. It is also great for someone looking to move up from middle grade to young adult fantasy. I really wish there was more hype around this book because it is one of the best debut novels I’ve ever had an opportunity to review.
The voice of the protagonist and the wonderfully described setting swept me away since page one. Nora, our Cinderella, was much more realistic and flawed than the Disney version of Cinderella (which is the only version I’m familiar with and don’t like all that much). The constant mention of food made my mouth water as I absorbed the story. It started off slowly but by the end I was a huge fan of the plot. Although predictable, it ended the way I had hoped it to and that really warmed my heart. All of the characters were superbly developed. I really enjoyed the fact that it deviated from the original a bit in the characterization of some of them. The motivations of the villains as well were portrayed really well even though it had first person narration, which is a feat that needs to be lauded. The setting was wonderfully detailed and revealed to the reader in bite-sized chunks, which made it come to life. There was also a healthy dose of political intrigue. I also loved the magic system and wish it made more of an impact on the plot just so it would be explored more. I also wish the ending was less abrupt because I really wanted more from the characters.
If you’re a fan of retellings, this one should definitely be on your radar. It is a far cry from the fluffy Disney version, but that’s what made it a unique and satisfying read for me. It is also great for someone looking to move up from middle grade to young adult fantasy. I really wish there was more hype around this book because it is one of the best debut novels I’ve ever had an opportunity to review.
alyson7's review
3.0
I was very surprised by how Owl Eyes: a Fairy Tale diverged from the original Cinderella tale. The first part of the novel is devoted to Nora's quest to find who her parents were. Nora has spent her life as a kitchen servant under the harsh brutality of Lady Portia and Lord Alcander. When Nora discovers that she is of noble birth, Nora tries to redefined herself and take back her birthright that was stolen away from her.
In many Cinderella retellings, there is a huge focus on romance. Owl Eyes has very little romance, which I found slightly dissatisfying. What I did enjoy about the novel was the world building. Nora's world is a world of magic and spells with strange plants and a rich history. I really liked the descriptions of the odd food Nora would have to serve to Lord Alcander and Lady Portia's guests.
Nora herself is an unremarkable character. Although she narrates the story, I never had a good sense of what she is like as a person. Her desire to find out who her parents were and to get revenge on those who wronged her, seemed to be her only motivation. Nora's relationships with the other characters were quite shallow. The secondary characters seemed to have more personality and to be more of interest than Nora herself. If the story would have been through Jack's point of view (Nora's friend), I probably would have enjoyed the story more.
There were moments of great potential, and some interesting changes to the original Cinderella fairy tale. This one certainly breaks the mold of the original beloved tale. My disinterest in Nora and the overall slow pacing of the story made this novel largely forgettable and not as enjoyable as I would have liked.
I would recommend this book to those who enjoy Cinderella retellings and are looking for a novel with very little romance, and a bit of magic.
* I received an advanced copy of Owl Eyes: A Fairy Tale from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
In many Cinderella retellings, there is a huge focus on romance. Owl Eyes has very little romance, which I found slightly dissatisfying. What I did enjoy about the novel was the world building. Nora's world is a world of magic and spells with strange plants and a rich history. I really liked the descriptions of the odd food Nora would have to serve to Lord Alcander and Lady Portia's guests.
Nora herself is an unremarkable character. Although she narrates the story, I never had a good sense of what she is like as a person. Her desire to find out who her parents were and to get revenge on those who wronged her, seemed to be her only motivation. Nora's relationships with the other characters were quite shallow. The secondary characters seemed to have more personality and to be more of interest than Nora herself. If the story would have been through Jack's point of view (Nora's friend), I probably would have enjoyed the story more.
There were moments of great potential, and some interesting changes to the original Cinderella fairy tale. This one certainly breaks the mold of the original beloved tale. My disinterest in Nora and the overall slow pacing of the story made this novel largely forgettable and not as enjoyable as I would have liked.
I would recommend this book to those who enjoy Cinderella retellings and are looking for a novel with very little romance, and a bit of magic.
* I received an advanced copy of Owl Eyes: A Fairy Tale from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
marie_thereadingotter's review
4.0
Review:
3.5
https://pagestoexplore.blogspot.com/2018/03/review-owl-eyes-by-molly-lazer.html
3.5
https://pagestoexplore.blogspot.com/2018/03/review-owl-eyes-by-molly-lazer.html
sarabook's review
3.0
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
On the surface this is a Cinderella retelling, if Cinderella was grittier and a bit gothic and depressing. I have mixed feelings about retellings. On the one hand I love the idea of taking something well known and turning it into something fresh and interesting, but I can be extremely critical if this fails. This falls somewhere in the middle. I admire the author for having he guts to take on such an infamous tale as Cinderella and try and reinvent it, but I'm sure it worked.
The story is decent enough. It's well written and entertaining but I found it lacking any real depth and a lot of the story feels rushed and unstructured. We never properly explore the world, the magical elements or the characters to any great detail. Everything seems superficial, and I think the story suffered as a result because I found I just wasn't invested in it.
I also wasn't keen on the characters. Eleanor, Nora, had a very flat personality, lacking in any real emotion or a strong backstory. Nobody is really explored fully, and I often found myself wishing Jack in particular had more of an opportunity to shine and develop as he could have been a really interesting character. I did like the fact that there's no real 'romance' aspect to the novel though. It was refreshing.
Interesting read, but it just didn't make me feel anything.
On the surface this is a Cinderella retelling, if Cinderella was grittier and a bit gothic and depressing. I have mixed feelings about retellings. On the one hand I love the idea of taking something well known and turning it into something fresh and interesting, but I can be extremely critical if this fails. This falls somewhere in the middle. I admire the author for having he guts to take on such an infamous tale as Cinderella and try and reinvent it, but I'm sure it worked.
The story is decent enough. It's well written and entertaining but I found it lacking any real depth and a lot of the story feels rushed and unstructured. We never properly explore the world, the magical elements or the characters to any great detail. Everything seems superficial, and I think the story suffered as a result because I found I just wasn't invested in it.
I also wasn't keen on the characters. Eleanor, Nora, had a very flat personality, lacking in any real emotion or a strong backstory. Nobody is really explored fully, and I often found myself wishing Jack in particular had more of an opportunity to shine and develop as he could have been a really interesting character. I did like the fact that there's no real 'romance' aspect to the novel though. It was refreshing.
Interesting read, but it just didn't make me feel anything.
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