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bookwormyami's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a fun, adventurous, middle grade school book. I can't wait to read the others in this series to see what happens to these characters.
enchanten's review
5.0
May Bird and the Ever After is a trilogy about a ten year old girl who one night gets dragged into an enchanted lake and wakes up in Ever After, a place of the dead and a place of danger. A place she ought not to be with the ever present bogeyman hunting for 'Live Ones.'
Befriending a spirit named Pumpkin who had saved her from becoming really dead, she sets off to find the book of the dead, a book that can give her the answer to getting home.
May stats out as a low self esteemed child who has only one friend, her melancholy Sphinx and with her mother pressuring her to go boarding school to help her change she really doesn't see anything good in who she is until she makes friends in Ever After and confronts all fearful things before her.
This story has a great character development and a fantastic unique story, admittedly I found characters such as Pumpkin to be described to match spot on that of the Nightmare Before Christmas character Jack, and May to be like Coraline (which after checking the publishing date found was coincidence as this book was made first.) However with characters like Somber Kitty the Sphinx and Bogey, the author really does show this was a book of its own creation.
While May does seemingly glide through Ever After without much distress some of the characters are quite grotesque and the few parts she has problems are great nail biting moments.
I really enjoyed this book, its a refreshing read to say the least. However my main annoyance was Pumpkin with his lack of fighting spirit, I found his whining and fear to be a downfall to the story and the few parts he does show courage doesn't really make me think better of him.
Also before reading this book, I have been pestering my partner for a Sphinx as i find them rather adorable, reading this book just makes me want one so much more and when I discovered Somber Kitty was a Sphinx I couldn't help but use it as an excuse to say its a sign that I should get one ;]
Already ordered book 2!
Befriending a spirit named Pumpkin who had saved her from becoming really dead, she sets off to find the book of the dead, a book that can give her the answer to getting home.
May stats out as a low self esteemed child who has only one friend, her melancholy Sphinx and with her mother pressuring her to go boarding school to help her change she really doesn't see anything good in who she is until she makes friends in Ever After and confronts all fearful things before her.
This story has a great character development and a fantastic unique story, admittedly I found characters such as Pumpkin to be described to match spot on that of the Nightmare Before Christmas character Jack, and May to be like Coraline (which after checking the publishing date found was coincidence as this book was made first.) However with characters like Somber Kitty the Sphinx and Bogey, the author really does show this was a book of its own creation.
While May does seemingly glide through Ever After without much distress some of the characters are quite grotesque and the few parts she has problems are great nail biting moments.
I really enjoyed this book, its a refreshing read to say the least. However my main annoyance was Pumpkin with his lack of fighting spirit, I found his whining and fear to be a downfall to the story and the few parts he does show courage doesn't really make me think better of him.
Also before reading this book, I have been pestering my partner for a Sphinx as i find them rather adorable, reading this book just makes me want one so much more and when I discovered Somber Kitty was a Sphinx I couldn't help but use it as an excuse to say its a sign that I should get one ;]
Already ordered book 2!
etothem's review
5.0
I read this together with my almost 9 year old girl and we both really enjoyed it. Parts were fairly scary and last year I don't think she would have been ready to hear it. I found the story engaging, very sweet at times and fast paced enough to keep both of our interests. We read this without realizing it was the first of three books and immediately ordered the next two when we finished the first.
gracecleo's review
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Probably my favorite middle-grade book ever.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death and Death
Minor: Terminal illness
bibliomak's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
marisamoo's review
5.0
Seriously why do I love these books so much.
Good stuffs: The hero and the cat and oh my gosh the monsters. This entire story world how is it this perfect. All the depth and...realness. I felt like i was right there. ANd I loved May. A lot.
Bad stuffs: Um....i actually don't know.
Villain: Ok so some would say the bogeyman is cheesy....but he isn't he isn't.... He's creepy oh my goodness.
Hero: May is amazing and just....she's so quirky and fun to follow along.
And i can't really say anything else but seriously I read these a long time ago and now I want to reread them. The last one will hurt you.
Good stuffs: The hero and the cat and oh my gosh the monsters. This entire story world how is it this perfect. All the depth and...realness. I felt like i was right there. ANd I loved May. A lot.
Bad stuffs: Um....i actually don't know.
Villain: Ok so some would say the bogeyman is cheesy....but he isn't he isn't.... He's creepy oh my goodness.
Hero: May is amazing and just....she's so quirky and fun to follow along.
And i can't really say anything else but seriously I read these a long time ago and now I want to reread them. The last one will hurt you.
kalira's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I felt some empathy for May Bird, and her life, but what really drew me into this book was curiosity about the Ever After and ghosts and everything that goes along with it, which was fascinating.
I also have to admit, I dearly loved Somber Kitty (even if not especially in those moments early in the book when he seems to merely frustrate and exasperate May herself with his loyalty and affection) and I loved that we got to follow pieces of his adventure along with May's. The narrow escape and high drama at the end of the book captured my attention and emotion more when it focused on poor, alone Somber Kitty than on the other group, to be honest.
I was only mildly frustrated when I reached the end of the book and found that I evidently should have made sure to have book two on hand to begin immediately. I knew it was part of a series, but I didn't know it was going to be one of those that ends on not-quite-a-cliffhanger!
I also have to admit, I dearly loved Somber Kitty (even if not especially in those moments early in the book when he seems to merely frustrate and exasperate May herself with his loyalty and affection) and I loved that we got to follow pieces of his adventure along with May's. The narrow escape and high drama at the end of the book captured my attention and emotion more when it focused on poor, alone Somber Kitty than on the other group, to be honest.
I was only mildly frustrated when I reached the end of the book and found that I evidently should have made sure to have book two on hand to begin immediately. I knew it was part of a series, but I didn't know it was going to be one of those that ends on not-quite-a-cliffhanger!
cindyc3689's review
2.0
petualangan alice may di wonderland negeri ever after.
ceritanya nanggung bingit, gak dapet horornya, gak dapet adventurenya, berasa may kesana kesini gak ketahuan juntrungannya. tokoh yg manggil may ke negeri ini jg smp akhir gak muncul dan gak jelas siapa atau motivasinya apa....
ceritanya nanggung bingit, gak dapet horornya, gak dapet adventurenya, berasa may kesana kesini gak ketahuan juntrungannya. tokoh yg manggil may ke negeri ini jg smp akhir gak muncul dan gak jelas siapa atau motivasinya apa....