Scan barcode
mellhay's review
4.0
Will Forest goes to interview Astrid where she is held in an underground apartment, vaulted in with surveillance cameras that have taped her and he has watched to learn of her condition mentally. Will has several questions the damaged Astrid could answer, for his boss to save others from destruction, and of his own personal thoughts for his family. All revolves around one magically powerful woman Astrid created, Sahara. How she got the collection of magical items Astrid has, and how her friend used those items to create an eco-terrorist cult.
Astrid tells her story, starting with Sahara Knax leaving her cheating boyfriend and agreeing to stay with her. Astrid told her she could stay forever, Sahara said she'd have to make life pretty interesting to keep her around. And Astrid does, without expecting to. Astrid also has her step-brother living with her in the home she inherited from her father, a house she never knew he owned. Astrid just wanted to help her 'family' - two friends in need, and keep them with her as they were her only two friends, and receive the love from them as well. Astrid quickly finds magical toys, chantments, of her fathers and tells her two best friends of them. This all leads to learning of the vitagua through any memory she can find of being with her father. The three of them take care of the business of creating and sending chantments (magiced nick knacks) to needy people. Each has their own part, but there are those her dad had mentioned that look for the magical items and will do anything for them, even kill. Which leaves Astrid wondering...was Astrids dad murdered like her mystery-solving-mailman (from the books she reads) mom believes? Why?
As we read, we view the story from two time views. This is interesting as we know what's happening, and what the result is by the different views. We get Astrids story of finding magic, using it, and how things happen and grow. We then get a current view of the world in which there is chaos everywhere with the release of potent magic into the world. Quickly I became increasingly curious as to what really was going on in the current world, and how did it get that way. I wanted both stories, and both I got as the raced together by the end of the book.
I start off with so many questions at the introduction to Astrid and ever present magic and all the tidbits of hints and clues as to what the world is like, making us wonder on the world we are getting into.
Chapter one we are in the present with an interview by Will of Astrid, which raises lots of questions by the quick reminders to Astrid and hints to the past. Then the next chapter we are in the past, the memory of the days to Astrid, which feels like we are there with her. With the help of a paintbrush and a deck of cards; playing and tarot, Astrid uses the ink on each to draw pictures of the past to go with her story, showing it to Will as well as telling it.
I felt like I was witnessing a magically induced apocalypse, gushing like a geyser back into the world. The magic! Oh, I'm a magic lover. Magic of any kind, that is well played out. Here, I loved the description of the magics existence and how or why it went into hiding. The history we know of with witches and fear of magic is all brought into play here, so we are not completely out of our element with what has happened. The Fey are mentioned as part of this history as well, but they no longer exist from the people that believe magic should not exist, and maybe those people are still present in the world, ready to hunt and burn it away.
In the end I was left amazed with the tale told. I loved the magical creation, and the way the world was left leaving us ready for the next book, Blue Magic. I liked the way the two times come together in the end, giving us a close, yet leaving the story to what will happen in the here-and-now. I will be reading Blue Magic to see how Astrid corrects the contaminated world, or how magic takes it's place again.
Astrid tells her story, starting with Sahara Knax leaving her cheating boyfriend and agreeing to stay with her. Astrid told her she could stay forever, Sahara said she'd have to make life pretty interesting to keep her around. And Astrid does, without expecting to. Astrid also has her step-brother living with her in the home she inherited from her father, a house she never knew he owned. Astrid just wanted to help her 'family' - two friends in need, and keep them with her as they were her only two friends, and receive the love from them as well. Astrid quickly finds magical toys, chantments, of her fathers and tells her two best friends of them. This all leads to learning of the vitagua through any memory she can find of being with her father. The three of them take care of the business of creating and sending chantments (magiced nick knacks) to needy people. Each has their own part, but there are those her dad had mentioned that look for the magical items and will do anything for them, even kill. Which leaves Astrid wondering...was Astrids dad murdered like her mystery-solving-mailman (from the books she reads) mom believes? Why?
As we read, we view the story from two time views. This is interesting as we know what's happening, and what the result is by the different views. We get Astrids story of finding magic, using it, and how things happen and grow. We then get a current view of the world in which there is chaos everywhere with the release of potent magic into the world. Quickly I became increasingly curious as to what really was going on in the current world, and how did it get that way. I wanted both stories, and both I got as the raced together by the end of the book.
I start off with so many questions at the introduction to Astrid and ever present magic and all the tidbits of hints and clues as to what the world is like, making us wonder on the world we are getting into.
Chapter one we are in the present with an interview by Will of Astrid, which raises lots of questions by the quick reminders to Astrid and hints to the past. Then the next chapter we are in the past, the memory of the days to Astrid, which feels like we are there with her. With the help of a paintbrush and a deck of cards; playing and tarot, Astrid uses the ink on each to draw pictures of the past to go with her story, showing it to Will as well as telling it.
I felt like I was witnessing a magically induced apocalypse, gushing like a geyser back into the world. The magic! Oh, I'm a magic lover. Magic of any kind, that is well played out. Here, I loved the description of the magics existence and how or why it went into hiding. The history we know of with witches and fear of magic is all brought into play here, so we are not completely out of our element with what has happened. The Fey are mentioned as part of this history as well, but they no longer exist from the people that believe magic should not exist, and maybe those people are still present in the world, ready to hunt and burn it away.
In the end I was left amazed with the tale told. I loved the magical creation, and the way the world was left leaving us ready for the next book, Blue Magic. I liked the way the two times come together in the end, giving us a close, yet leaving the story to what will happen in the here-and-now. I will be reading Blue Magic to see how Astrid corrects the contaminated world, or how magic takes it's place again.
waclements7's review
5.0
Really fascinating. I love the characters and how complicated they are. Astrid has a monumental task as a chanter and keeper of the magic liquid in her home. Her friend Sahara is charismatic and self-serving. The people surrounding Astrid--her mother, Jacks--are wonderful, interesting characters. I love how surreal the story gets, yet I think everyone can relate to the idea of just wanting to be loved back by the one you love. Even when responsibility dictates that what it takes to get that love isn't the wisest thing, and sometimes true love is right in front of us. The story is complicated but all comes together--it leads up to the sequel (which I am going to start next!). I really like the insights into human nature through exposure to the extraordinary. Highly recommend.
saoki's review
3.0
This is one of those love-it-or-hate-it novels, with as much impressive writing as flaws. I loved the setting, magic system and apocalyptic tone enough to accept the slightly confusing changes in point of view and the infodumps. Other people didn't.
It is, in all, a good first novel. It's fresh, interesting and makes you want to know more about the characters and setting. However, I can't help but wonder how much better it would be if only the author had give the story more time to develop. It felt like a prologue, like the story she really wanted to tell happens in the second book, and this one is just a way to explain how things got the way they did.
PS: I started reading this book years ago, but thought it too dark at the time. I resumed reading it this year and it didn't felt dark at all. I guess reading Robin Hobb makes a significant difference in your concept of darkness.
It is, in all, a good first novel. It's fresh, interesting and makes you want to know more about the characters and setting. However, I can't help but wonder how much better it would be if only the author had give the story more time to develop. It felt like a prologue, like the story she really wanted to tell happens in the second book, and this one is just a way to explain how things got the way they did.
PS: I started reading this book years ago, but thought it too dark at the time. I resumed reading it this year and it didn't felt dark at all. I guess reading Robin Hobb makes a significant difference in your concept of darkness.
epersonae's review
3.0
It took me a while to get into this one, because the initial narrative is so jumbled -- and on purpose. But the writing is gorgeous and the concept of the world is complex and consistent, so it won me over. Of the two narrators, the male voice is less distinctive, maybe less realistic, but not jarringly so. If I could've gotten my bearings a little quicker, I'd give it 4 stars. (Looking forward to the sequel.)
nicoleh3's review
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
nannahnannah's review
3.5
This is a hard book to review, mostly because I'm so conflicted. Do I like the book? I like parts of it. Very much! And then there are aspects of the book I'm just very . . . confused on, so much so that it brings my rating (and enjoyment of the novel) from 5 to 3.5.
When it comes to fantasy apocalyptic novels, Indigo Springs is the most original book I've ever read, by far. It begins with our protag, Astrid, already in police custody and being questioned by our 1st-person PoV character. Through him--and Astrid--we learn how the world fell into (magical) chaos.
Besides that, the book has bi representation! Astrid is bisexual and actually says the word. :O I know, right? Thought it's upsetting that both her women love interests turn out to be villains (:////) and only her male love interest turns out to be the 100% amazingly pure good character (make that really upsetting, because the main villain is the evil, manipulative, sex-crazy bisexual stereotype).
And then we come to why I'm very, very confused about this book: Astrid's mom and whether this book is transphobic or contains trans rep. Honestly? It's probably neither, and that's what makes me so frustrated. I wish this whole issue was left out entirely.
Astrid's mom is introduced as a very unstable character who lives within a delusion, which is the actual book the word uses. This delusion includes calling Astrid a boy, thinking of themself as the character of a book they love (a detective), and . . . thinking they're male. They also peculiarly grow bristly hair that keeps on growing despite how they pluck them every night (I'm using "they" pronouns for this character because nothing was ever, ever clear about this character or their actual preferred pronouns until the very end, and even then, I was left confused).
It became clear that this delusion was the cause of magical contamination. Contamination that is generally understood to be bad, and harmful, and could turn people insane.
After learning this . . . it's hard not to go back to Astrid's mom and think--especially after learning Astrid's mom discovered the concept of gender dysphoria and wanted to start taking testosterone--trans people = insanity according to this book ?? ESPECIALLY after Astrid siphoned the magical contamination out of her mother and all this dysphoria was gone! Her mother was even wearing a bra again, and how happy Astrid was at that!!
But then at the very end, Astrid's mother was truly healed, and they became . . . male. Thinking of the book's viewpoint on this issue previously, this doesn't make sense? And it confuses me. I mean, of course I'm . . . glad? But it just confuses me more, and I'm just not sure where this book stands. It leaves me feeling uneasy.
Anyway, besides those issues, this book is so original and well written. The climax falls a little flat and is over too soon, but I've never read something so creative. I'll probably read on.
When it comes to fantasy apocalyptic novels, Indigo Springs is the most original book I've ever read, by far. It begins with our protag, Astrid, already in police custody and being questioned by our 1st-person PoV character. Through him--and Astrid--we learn how the world fell into (magical) chaos.
Besides that, the book has bi representation! Astrid is bisexual and actually says the word. :O I know, right? Thought it's upsetting that both her women love interests turn out to be villains (:////) and only her male love interest turns out to be the 100% amazingly pure good character (make that really upsetting, because the main villain is the evil, manipulative, sex-crazy bisexual stereotype).
And then we come to why I'm very, very confused about this book: Astrid's mom and whether this book is transphobic or contains trans rep. Honestly? It's probably neither, and that's what makes me so frustrated. I wish this whole issue was left out entirely.
Astrid's mom is introduced as a very unstable character who lives within a delusion, which is the actual book the word uses. This delusion includes calling Astrid a boy, thinking of themself as the character of a book they love (a detective), and . . . thinking they're male. They also peculiarly grow bristly hair that keeps on growing despite how they pluck them every night (I'm using "they" pronouns for this character because nothing was ever, ever clear about this character or their actual preferred pronouns until the very end, and even then, I was left confused).
It became clear that this delusion was the cause of magical contamination. Contamination that is generally understood to be bad, and harmful, and could turn people insane.
After learning this . . . it's hard not to go back to Astrid's mom and think--especially after learning Astrid's mom discovered the concept of gender dysphoria and wanted to start taking testosterone--trans people = insanity according to this book ?? ESPECIALLY after Astrid siphoned the magical contamination out of her mother and all this dysphoria was gone! Her mother was even wearing a bra again, and how happy Astrid was at that!!
But then at the very end,
Anyway, besides those issues, this book is so original and well written. The climax falls a little flat and is over too soon, but I've never read something so creative. I'll probably read on.
Content Warnings
Minor: Transphobia
anachronistique's review
2.0
This book was super frustrating for me, because I felt like there was so much potential within it but it never quite came together. Some parts are good, I like the magic system - but having a timeline that jumps around and an unreliable narrator and an entire other secret history and a bunch of other things that don't actually click until way too late was just frustrating.
ken_bookhermit's review against another edition
4.0
My enjoyment of this book has a lot to do with the magical system that is closely tied in with the natural world, and Astrid's usage of it. Her fears and desires also make her into this real person that is sympathetic (or maybe because I'm just really empathic, who knows). Her conflict with Sahara is one of the more authentic and devastating conflicts I've seen in a while, and Astrid's triumph in that regard is what kept me reading until the very end. The ending had me curious for what could happen next, and hooray, there is a sequel!!