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dusk's review against another edition
4.0
ND Wilson is a master storyteller. Each word is poised and calculated and flowing. Every scene, every person, is wonderfully easy to visualize. Every character is the sort that seems to live and breathe beneath the lines, if only you knew where to look. I would gladly have tea with any of his characters - except Nimiane, though that is also a high compliment. The book is too short (my same complaint with his other recent book, the Last of the Lost Boys) but that’s also a compliment. My mother used to tell me that it was better to leave someplace sad and wishing you could stay longer than to leave someplace frustrated and glad you’re leaving. She was referring to birthday parties and play dates but her wisdom applies equally well here. ND Wilson is a fantastic host and it is always sad to leave his birthday parties, no matter how long they go. I really need to stop beginning my reviews of his books with a paragraph singing his praises but, wow, he’s really that good.
The suspense and mystery pulls you in from the beginning. It didn’t quite leave me satisfied, but I suppose that’s because it’s only a taste of what can be found in the Ashtown Burials. It certainly piques your interest for both series. Hyacinth Smith joins the ranks of Glory Hallelujah in the realm of wonderful female protagonists. Though clearly tweenage-ish boy protagonists are more in Nate’s comfort zone to write, he’s very good at his female ones too and I hope to see more in the future. Hyacinth is just as compelling a protagonist as she was a background character, and I’m sad that she doesn’t have her own spin-off series. Her gifting and abilities are fascinating, and she’s all-around great. Caleb and Mordecai are equally fantastic boys as they are middle-aged men. They’re cut out of the same mold as Faramir and I love it. I might slap these books in the faces of a few guys I know and hope the role models might shape them up (if only!). Books are powerful things, you know! And, I have to say it, it’s always good to see boys and girls in a book together that don’t fall in love (well, Mordecai and Hy do get married, but there isn’t even an inkling of that in this book). Just, great male-female world-saving partnerships. Good stuff.
I am sad to say goodbye to the characters I love, but glad to spend one last adventure with them until I’ve sufficiently forgotten the other Cupboards books enough to reread them and start the whole thing over. Until then, I’ll be reading the Ashtown Burials. My curiosity refuses to abate.
The suspense and mystery pulls you in from the beginning. It didn’t quite leave me satisfied, but I suppose that’s because it’s only a taste of what can be found in the Ashtown Burials. It certainly piques your interest for both series. Hyacinth Smith joins the ranks of Glory Hallelujah in the realm of wonderful female protagonists. Though clearly tweenage-ish boy protagonists are more in Nate’s comfort zone to write, he’s very good at his female ones too and I hope to see more in the future. Hyacinth is just as compelling a protagonist as she was a background character, and I’m sad that she doesn’t have her own spin-off series. Her gifting and abilities are fascinating, and she’s all-around great. Caleb and Mordecai are equally fantastic boys as they are middle-aged men. They’re cut out of the same mold as Faramir and I love it. I might slap these books in the faces of a few guys I know and hope the role models might shape them up (if only!). Books are powerful things, you know! And, I have to say it, it’s always good to see boys and girls in a book together that don’t fall in love (well, Mordecai and Hy do get married, but there isn’t even an inkling of that in this book). Just, great male-female world-saving partnerships. Good stuff.
I am sad to say goodbye to the characters I love, but glad to spend one last adventure with them until I’ve sufficiently forgotten the other Cupboards books enough to reread them and start the whole thing over. Until then, I’ll be reading the Ashtown Burials. My curiosity refuses to abate.
skittles0313's review
4.0
This book did not disappoint even though it's rather shorter than the original Cupboards/ Ashtown books and more slow-paced. It's kinda interesting hearing about Rupert Greeves and Robert Boone as younger people, too........
2.15.19 - I think what I appreciate most about this is the fact that I can pretend it's the multiverse lol - and that Wilson found a loophole and took the the beautiful opportunity... also it really does clear up some from the actual trilogy... also YOUNG LAWRENCE AND RUPE AND CIRCE AND HARRIET AND DANIEL AHAHHH -screams-
also the younger twins I can't even XD Caleb is so... Caleb though
1/26/20 - I'm realizing that I actually really love the Cupboard books. And the characters. (Honestly, Hy & the twins are my favorites through the entire series hhmmm)
2/13/21 - I cannot believe I've only read this three times through it feels more like five or six *stares blankly at Goodreads*
Everytime I reread this I suddenly remember why I like these books and Wilson's writing and I have a lot to say this time around about the world of 100C + Ashtown but I'm gonna hold off on that until I finished rereading both series because I wanna make sure my theories/speculations have some basis behind them this time (MULTIVERSE LET'S GOOOO)
Although I can say that Hyacinth was WAY underused in general and I know it's bc Wilson didn't originally plan to write her as an actual character but holy heck the things she can do-
Also I take back what I said in 2017 about it being slow paced it's way faster paced than the original 100C books because of its length.
(Also don't read this unless you've read the original books. It hurts a lot more if you've read Ashtown, too - especially ch1 of Silent Bells. Which is the only chapter I've been able to read.)
2.15.19 - I think what I appreciate most about this is the fact that I can pretend it's the multiverse lol - and that Wilson found a loophole and took the the beautiful opportunity... also it really does clear up some from the actual trilogy... also YOUNG LAWRENCE AND RUPE AND CIRCE AND HARRIET AND DANIEL AHAHHH -screams-
also the younger twins I can't even XD Caleb is so... Caleb though
1/26/20 - I'm realizing that I actually really love the Cupboard books. And the characters. (Honestly, Hy & the twins are my favorites through the entire series hhmmm)
2/13/21 - I cannot believe I've only read this three times through it feels more like five or six *stares blankly at Goodreads*
Everytime I reread this I suddenly remember why I like these books and Wilson's writing and I have a lot to say this time around about the world of 100C + Ashtown but I'm gonna hold off on that until I finished rereading both series because I wanna make sure my theories/speculations have some basis behind them this time (MULTIVERSE LET'S GOOOO)
Although I can say that Hyacinth was WAY underused in general and I know it's bc Wilson didn't originally plan to write her as an actual character but holy heck the things she can do-
Also I take back what I said in 2017 about it being slow paced it's way faster paced than the original 100C books because of its length.
(Also don't read this unless you've read the original books. It hurts a lot more if you've read Ashtown, too - especially ch1 of Silent Bells. Which is the only chapter I've been able to read.)
sydneymjacques's review against another edition
4.0
Um this was 221 pages of happiness. I wish it was closer to 400 pages but I guess I can get over that.
ladymab's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
It has been AGES since I read the 100 Cupboard series, and then when I found out there was a prequel book I was absolutely SO EXCITED!!! I loved going back to see how it all started and the hints of things that got referenced in the series, even if I barely remembered most of it -- little bits and pieces floating back to the top to make me go "hold on a tick!"
Wilson's tone when writing is always so light and airy and magical that it was so easy to slip back into that world and feel at place within it.
Wilson's tone when writing is always so light and airy and magical that it was so easy to slip back into that world and feel at place within it.
oliviacornwell's review against another edition
5.0
Can I give this more than five stars? It needs more than five.
I was incredibly satisfied by this book. I'd been looking forward to it for /months,/ and had been excited to see all the connections between the 100 Cupboards trilogy and the Ashtown Burials series.
It did not disappoint.
The storyline/worldbuilding tends to lean more toward the 100 Cupboards vibe, but you can find plenty of Ashtown references (Rupert as a KID!!!).
I loved Hyacinth, too. She's more of a reluctant hero, but when she has to, she can be determined and a "take-charge" kind of girl. She's not afraid to rebuke Mordecai or Caleb when they need it, and while she's afraid of the enemy and not very confident in her abilities, she doesn't back down.
Mordecai and Caleb were precious little beans. Caleb was sporting some funny humor, which I didn't expect but loved (kind of reminded me of his brother (Frank ;)). Hyacinth's family are also precious. Lawrence was adorable and funny (not even guns will stop him from finding the bathroom!). And Hyacinth's parents were strong individuals, even if they were scared for their children.
Nimiane was terrifying, as usual. Her mushroom men were disgusting and creepy and eww, and I liked it that way?? XD I pictured them clearly, which made heightened those impressions (and those fungal teeth in Morecai's shoulder were nasty and made me squirm XD). But Nimiane herself was evil and wicked and an enemy overconfident in herself, yet also knows when to be cautious. I liked her. B)
At first near the end I wasn't sure if there would be enough pages to satisfy my need for this story. There just didn't seem to be a lot of room left! But it ended so satisfyingly well, and while I can *always* go for more of this world and these characters, this storyline satisfied me. It was just enough to satisfy and "set up" for Henry's and Cyrus' stories (Also, how cool is it that Henry and Cyrus and Antigone are cousins???? X3)
It was really cool to recognize the worldbuilding from both series, and recognize characters or the names of other characters. It felt like coming home.
I was incredibly satisfied by this book. I'd been looking forward to it for /months,/ and had been excited to see all the connections between the 100 Cupboards trilogy and the Ashtown Burials series.
It did not disappoint.
The storyline/worldbuilding tends to lean more toward the 100 Cupboards vibe, but you can find plenty of Ashtown references (Rupert as a KID!!!).
I loved Hyacinth, too. She's more of a reluctant hero, but when she has to, she can be determined and a "take-charge" kind of girl. She's not afraid to rebuke Mordecai or Caleb when they need it, and while she's afraid of the enemy and not very confident in her abilities, she doesn't back down.
Mordecai and Caleb were precious little beans. Caleb was sporting some funny humor, which I didn't expect but loved (kind of reminded me of his brother (Frank ;)). Hyacinth's family are also precious. Lawrence was adorable and funny (not even guns will stop him from finding the bathroom!). And Hyacinth's parents were strong individuals, even if they were scared for their children.
Nimiane was terrifying, as usual. Her mushroom men were disgusting and creepy and eww, and I liked it that way?? XD I pictured them clearly, which made heightened those impressions (and those fungal teeth in Morecai's shoulder were nasty and made me squirm XD). But Nimiane herself was evil and wicked and an enemy overconfident in herself, yet also knows when to be cautious. I liked her. B)
At first near the end I wasn't sure if there would be enough pages to satisfy my need for this story. There just didn't seem to be a lot of room left! But it ended so satisfyingly well, and while I can *always* go for more of this world and these characters, this storyline satisfied me. It was just enough to satisfy and "set up" for Henry's and Cyrus' stories (Also, how cool is it that Henry and Cyrus and Antigone are cousins???? X3)
It was really cool to recognize the worldbuilding from both series, and recognize characters or the names of other characters. It felt like coming home.
scottso's review against another edition
5.0
"Trees keep time the way time is meant to be kept. They wrap the years around themselves in ringed layers, expanding as the ages do. And when time forks, so do the trees, stretching branches into cousin futures, plunging roots into sister pasts, binging every leaf into one story, the only story. The story that began. The story that cannot end, because it can never stop growing."
What a beautiful story and what an adventure. Highly recommend!
What a beautiful story and what an adventure. Highly recommend!
simsbrarian's review against another edition
3.0
This story mostly follows Hyacinth Smith, a young girl who can see things others cannot (like the life within a tree) and has an uncanny way with animals. When her always-moving family arrives at what is supposed to be their Lifelong Home at last, it looks like their great-aunt is still in the house and she has been trying to use her lightening-tree forest to open doors into other worlds. But while their great-aunt has had no luck finding what she's looking for; something else has found this world... This was eerie and well-paced to keep the reader on the edge of their seat with the mystery and action. It is a good prequel to the 100 Cupboards story and seems to have a few spots where the action is even a bit more grim and gory than in the first book. Fans of the series should enjoy this one.
Anything you didn’t like about it? The pace is frantic and keeps you reading but we lose a bit of time to develop the characters in this quick-action style so side-characters especially are often flat or one-dimensional.
FTC Disclosure: The Publisher provided me with a copy of this book to provide an honest review. No goody bags, sponsorship, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Anything you didn’t like about it? The pace is frantic and keeps you reading but we lose a bit of time to develop the characters in this quick-action style so side-characters especially are often flat or one-dimensional.
FTC Disclosure: The Publisher provided me with a copy of this book to provide an honest review. No goody bags, sponsorship, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
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