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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
I did like this book. But at the same time, it was just OK. It's a good light read with many of the things I enjoy (female protag trying to save the world, romance, magic, court douchery, spies...) but thinking about it weeks later I can barely remember what happened. I also found some of the villainy & violence too creepy - I nearly quit the book after the harrowing prologue. I'm not sorry I read it, it was an entertaining adventure, but it didn't have much impact.
This is an interesting story, in large part because it builds an unusual world. I read a lot of fantasy and am all-too-familiar with the tropes of the genre, this one doesn't exactly break them, but it did take me somewhere unexpected. That could also be because of my own ideas and expectations of what "Great Forest" is.
In this story, there are several types of ... beings, I guess is the best word. There are regular humans, woodwives -- humans who weave charms, deal with herbs, dabble in sort of little magic -- bloodbound -- humans who have been marked by forestborn, and who must kill a human within three days of being marked and are therefore all murderers -- and the forestborn themselves -- bloodbound who have allowed the Great Forest to fully take them over and who have lost their human hearts and who are near-immortal.
The main character is Rachelle, a bloodbound who murdered her Aunt Leonie and is in service to the king. Rahelle's story is intertwined with a myth from her world, the story of Tyr and Zisa, a brother an sister who defeated the force of evil (called the Devourer) a thousand years before Rachelle lives.
The story has faults: I absolutely detested Armand, who is a central character and I didn't particularly enjoy the myth part of the book -- not to mention the amount of "blood seeping" that occurs. There is blood seeping from the bark of trees, blood seeping from between the walls of a cabin, etc. However, it's still well-written and original and I give it credit for those two things. I couldn't really predict what was happening because the whole setting was so odd and unexpected.
If you like stories that blur the lines between fantasy and horror (it's not at all scary, though) you might like this one. If you like stories that are just a bit different, you will probably like this one. If you like stories that have strong but extremely conflicted female main characters, you will probably like this one.
In this story, there are several types of ... beings, I guess is the best word. There are regular humans, woodwives -- humans who weave charms, deal with herbs, dabble in sort of little magic -- bloodbound -- humans who have been marked by forestborn, and who must kill a human within three days of being marked and are therefore all murderers -- and the forestborn themselves -- bloodbound who have allowed the Great Forest to fully take them over and who have lost their human hearts and who are near-immortal.
The main character is Rachelle, a bloodbound who murdered her Aunt Leonie and is in service to the king. Rahelle's story is intertwined with a myth from her world, the story of Tyr and Zisa, a brother an sister who defeated the force of evil (called the Devourer) a thousand years before Rachelle lives.
The story has faults: I absolutely detested Armand, who is a central character and I didn't particularly enjoy the myth part of the book -- not to mention the amount of "blood seeping" that occurs. There is blood seeping from the bark of trees, blood seeping from between the walls of a cabin, etc. However, it's still well-written and original and I give it credit for those two things. I couldn't really predict what was happening because the whole setting was so odd and unexpected.
If you like stories that blur the lines between fantasy and horror (it's not at all scary, though) you might like this one. If you like stories that are just a bit different, you will probably like this one. If you like stories that have strong but extremely conflicted female main characters, you will probably like this one.
This book by Rosamond Hodge was so much better! The plot was clear and there was an ending that was complicated but left me feeling satisfied! It was a book filled with action and there wasn't a ridiculous love story, it actually made sense this time. Definitely a better novel than Cruel Beauty and one I would recommend for others.
Wow, this book was... not good. I guess it must be said that I'm not usually a reader of much fantasy, which may skew my perception of this book. But to me, this was a mess. Really poor world and myth building. The author jumps into the middle of a mythology without really explaining it at all. There was a girl who studied charms to keep the bad things in the forest away? Then she becomes "blood bound" by a bad thing in the forest and becomes a super-ninja fighter girl with a truckload full of self-loathing. She uses her super senses to fight the "forest born" (which are the next step in her eventual evolution to super bad thing) and protect the humans, all while trying to work out how to plot against the BIGGEST BAD THING that no one believes in anymore to save the world from eternal darkness all by herself. Throw in a love triangle, a greedy king, and flashbacks to an origin story that makes little sense, plus some clunky writing, and you have Crimson Bound.
And for all the "badass girl ninja saves the world" there's a weird amount of "does the boy still like me? He must not like me anymore, I'm so unlikable" going on here, which irked me.
And for all the "badass girl ninja saves the world" there's a weird amount of "does the boy still like me? He must not like me anymore, I'm so unlikable" going on here, which irked me.
When editor Kelsey Murphy read the opening line of this book at the Middle of the Map SCBWI writing conference I recently attended in Kansas, I had to get my hands on it. This dark, lush, layered retelling of Little Red Riding Hood feels like magic from page one. Author Rosamund Hodge's writing doesn't pull you into her world, it causes that world to spring from the pages, plant itself at your feet, and rise around you to more fully grasp all of your senses. I felt the branches scrape my cheek and the traitors hold my hands. My fingers ached with weaving under pressure and my heart shuddered with hope. I was entranced to the end, as promised.
Pick this one up, my friends. It's beautiful.
(YA fantasy, fairy tale adaptation, historical, family, romance)
Pick this one up, my friends. It's beautiful.
(YA fantasy, fairy tale adaptation, historical, family, romance)
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
I really liked the book, it’s more a fantasy than a romantic book. The book is well written, though it took me some time to catch up with it. The story has some unexpected turns and I enjoyed them!
I would recommend it!
I would recommend it!
Check out my review on abookishlifeforme.blogspot.com
http://abookishlifeforme.blogspot.com/2015/05/crimson-bound.html
http://abookishlifeforme.blogspot.com/2015/05/crimson-bound.html