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3.25 AVERAGE
3.25 AVERAGE
slow-paced
Not for me. I felt the pacing was to slow, and there were to many “unknown/unexplained” things happening at once. And after a certain point in the book it felt like God was the only thing talked about, and it came off kinda preachy.
I'm surprised at the number of enthusiastic reviews that this book has received. It's not bad, per say, especially for something that's available for free, but the language, character development and themes are clumsy, heavy-handed and sometimes reminiscent of the writing of a middle-grader. I know that that sounds harsh, but, give me the benefit of the doubt; I'm not trying to flame the book. For the most part, the writing is fine as long as the reader takes into account that the intended audience is 4th to 8th grade readers (even though the main character is in high school). However, every once in a while, there are silly and/or cliched parts, for example how the author writes "For ever action, there is an equal and opposite reaction," to describe how there must be good in the world in Newtonian proportion response to evil??? Also, the way that G.P. Ching portrays (although it would be more accurate to say "describes," since she suffers from telling instead of showing as an author) racism and sexism in small-town USA is cartoonish (sophomoric if I'm I want to get snarky about it). I suppose that it's commendable be that the main character is mixed race and his girlfriend is Indian American (born in India, not to be confused with American Indian), but Ching fails to capture any of the complexity or subtlety of bi-/multiculturalism.
Another thing that readers might want to know before picking up The Soulkeepers is that is a fantasy based very loosely on Christian mythology. People who feel squeamish about religion might not appreciate the book because of its references to The Bible, angels, fallen angels, and its emphasis on individual responsibility to spread good in the world by drawing on the power of God. On the other hand, devout Christians might not appreciate the stretching of Bible stories to create a fantasy setting or the fact that Ching acknowledges the divine in multiple world relgions as well as the validity of worshiping "God" in whatever form/with whatever rituals resonate with the individual.
The Soulkeepers also felt like it incorporated too many story tropes and didn't follow through on any of them very well. To name just a few, you have the angsty orphaned (in a sense teenager), big(ger) town kid versus small town misconceptions, Good vs Evil, Romeo & Juliet forbidden love, and the list goes on...
I honestly thought think that the book is too long and not particularly interesting. After around seventy pages, I was waiting for the action to pick up, and it didn't until less than a third of the book was left. I kept waiting for plot twists that never occurred, and the only reason I made it through this book was because I feel badly not finishing books, and I would feel worse deleting it from my iPad without finishing it. I suppose that The Soulkeepers is an entertaining enough book for kids if they can make it through, and it has some creative ideas and some talking points for "teachable moments," but I found it only "okay," hence the two stars.
Another thing that readers might want to know before picking up The Soulkeepers is that is a fantasy based very loosely on Christian mythology. People who feel squeamish about religion might not appreciate the book because of its references to The Bible, angels, fallen angels, and its emphasis on individual responsibility to spread good in the world by drawing on the power of God. On the other hand, devout Christians might not appreciate the stretching of Bible stories to create a fantasy setting or the fact that Ching acknowledges the divine in multiple world relgions as well as the validity of worshiping "God" in whatever form/with whatever rituals resonate with the individual.
The Soulkeepers also felt like it incorporated too many story tropes and didn't follow through on any of them very well. To name just a few, you have the angsty orphaned (in a sense teenager), big(ger) town kid versus small town misconceptions, Good vs Evil, Romeo & Juliet forbidden love, and the list goes on...
I honestly thought think that the book is too long and not particularly interesting. After around seventy pages, I was waiting for the action to pick up, and it didn't until less than a third of the book was left. I kept waiting for plot twists that never occurred, and the only reason I made it through this book was because I feel badly not finishing books, and I would feel worse deleting it from my iPad without finishing it. I suppose that The Soulkeepers is an entertaining enough book for kids if they can make it through, and it has some creative ideas and some talking points for "teachable moments," but I found it only "okay," hence the two stars.
So this book. Yeah. It pretends it is a dystopian YA, but it really became more of a religious Christian faith book. Which is all well and good, but it really should be one of the main page genres, Goodreads. While I will read anything, there wasn't much indication from the genre list or book blurb.
Anyway, it was an ok story. Some romance, a little danger, and teen angst. 2.5 stars, but I won't round up to 3 because it might mislead readers.
Anyway, it was an ok story. Some romance, a little danger, and teen angst. 2.5 stars, but I won't round up to 3 because it might mislead readers.
This book was just ok. I'd picked it up a while back, and started reading without really even knowing what it was about. As I checked out some of the other reviews, it seems many didn't care for it because of the religious aspect. That CAN really affect me too, but didn't in this case. I'd recently finished the "Fallen" series, and it too was about fallen angels and the war between good and evil. This just felt like more of the same in that. Except here, I never really connected with the characters or felt they were believable. A lot of it was just weird. I sped through the book pretty quick, but that was more just to be done and start something else, than wanting to know what would happen.
There are additional books in the series, and they are available from the Kindle Lending Library for free, but I don't think I'm going to continue ...
There are additional books in the series, and they are available from the Kindle Lending Library for free, but I don't think I'm going to continue ...
Interesting book, especially considering it was a random pick up because it was free (at the time) on Amazon. There were parts that felt young or simple but I believe it's categorized as a young adult novel so I'm not the target audience. Regardless, it had enough mystery over time, followed by some interesting sci-fi/fantasy. An enjoyable and easy read.
Great read. Great character development. Can't wait to read the rest of the series.
I'm giving this one 4 stars only because 3.5 isn't an option, but I think it's way better than a 3. I've long enjoyed religious novels, and a recent reader of YA fiction, so this combining of the two was a difference experience for me, but not a completely foreign one. It's a good tale, Angels vs. Demons, good vs. evil and how a teenage boy learns his place in that battle. There were parts that I thought the story was too forced, to glossed over and not well developed, but there were also parts that pulled me and made me want the characters to prevail and triumph. Until chapter 43, I wasn't sure I'd invest the time or money to read the next book much less the entire series, but then I was pulled in and want to know what happens to Milani, Dr. Silva and Gideon. I'm anxious to see if the story becomes more developed and if the writing becomes more engrossing early on in the next book.
I'd definitely recommend to those who enjoy reading religious based fiction, or to those who aren't intently opposed to the concepts.
I'd definitely recommend to those who enjoy reading religious based fiction, or to those who aren't intently opposed to the concepts.
More gym reading. Okay, so it's rare that I give a book one star that I actually managed to finish. Hello exception. This book was just horrible. You can do god-type supernatural in a way that doesn't alienate your non-believing audience. This is not it. This should be categorized as Christian Fiction. It was not. You can tell pretty early on which way this is going to go when you've got a non-believing protagonist. If the non-believer hasn't read the bible, then this is most likely Christian fiction. Most real life non-believers have read most, if not all the bible and are generally way more knowledgeable about it than believers.
Looking over all that, this book was boring and drawn out. I just didn't care. Jacob was annoying and one dimensional. He ignores things that he should pay attention to and he makes appalling decisions, even for a 15-16yo. Ug. Just ug.
Looking over all that, this book was boring and drawn out. I just didn't care. Jacob was annoying and one dimensional. He ignores things that he should pay attention to and he makes appalling decisions, even for a 15-16yo. Ug. Just ug.
After the disappearance of his Mother; Jacob Lau is sent to stay with an Uncle he never knew existed in the small all-American town of Paris. Quickly, Jacob meets Malini another outsider to the town and they strike up a friendship. Then, strange things start to happen; Jacob manages to fight off the town bully using water!
Dr Silva lives in a gothic style house over the road from Jacob, but she has a very unusual garden containing a magic tree that grew out of the soul of her dead husband.
It all sounds very farfetched, but the different aspects of the plot knitted together nicely to create, what I feel is a well written, well thought out YA fantasy novel. The religious aspect was a surprise, but served the plot well as a backstory to the origins of the Soulkeepers.
Overall a fantastic novel!
Dr Silva lives in a gothic style house over the road from Jacob, but she has a very unusual garden containing a magic tree that grew out of the soul of her dead husband.
It all sounds very farfetched, but the different aspects of the plot knitted together nicely to create, what I feel is a well written, well thought out YA fantasy novel. The religious aspect was a surprise, but served the plot well as a backstory to the origins of the Soulkeepers.
Overall a fantastic novel!
Maybe a 2 1/2 but not really.
The story starts out good but starts becoming flat really fast with the main character being sullen to the point of being obnoxious. He complains and woe is me about bigotry yet he doesn't try either. What is there to like? The only reason he a Malini are together is because they are both ostracized. I liked Malini but thought her pushy on the preachy stuff. Really Jacob does some mean, but not irremediable things, but the author really about halfway through makes this into a good and evil and importance in believing in God but not religion, just the right and wrong. Hmm... well single deity God so it is religion but I don't think a devout Christian would take well to this either. I did feel preached to in the end and that Prayer and belief in God was the savior.
Still it could have been a good book, not great, if she just made it a book on the fallen angels and less of belief in God, Prayer, and good, evil, and "sin". I could have dealt with right and wrong and even a God but this was centralized. Trying to be Judo-Christian but missing the point, and I really would've taken a pass on the point.
So the story starts out in 3rd person limited with only Jacob and one scene with the antagonist's POV, then 2/3s through, it goes to Malini's point of view, and back and forth again, feeling disjointed. The story starts as a getting to know oneself, and hiding things from a friend, wondering when this will change. Then it changes a "is this person helping or hurting" him, to a Jacob hurting those he cares about. Then getting forgiving, then the whole underworld and evil fallen angels thing. It was disjointed for me with it being much too fast in the end with a tidy conclusion that was too easy.
So the 1/2 star is because in the end the characters became more rounded and the story more interesting even through the preaching. All the same, I'll take a pass at anything else by the author.
The story starts out good but starts becoming flat really fast with the main character being sullen to the point of being obnoxious. He complains and woe is me about bigotry yet he doesn't try either. What is there to like? The only reason he a Malini are together is because they are both ostracized. I liked Malini but thought her pushy on the preachy stuff.
Spoiler
especially in the end.Still it could have been a good book, not great, if she just made it a book on the fallen angels and less of belief in God, Prayer, and good, evil, and "sin". I could have dealt with right and wrong and even a God but this was centralized. Trying to be Judo-Christian but missing the point, and I really would've taken a pass on the point.
So the story starts out in 3rd person limited with only Jacob and one scene with the antagonist's POV, then 2/3s through, it goes to Malini's point of view, and back and forth again, feeling disjointed. The story starts as a getting to know oneself, and hiding things from a friend, wondering when this will change. Then it changes a "is this person helping or hurting" him, to a Jacob hurting those he cares about. Then getting forgiving, then the whole underworld and evil fallen angels thing. It was disjointed for me with it being much too fast in the end with a tidy conclusion that was too easy.
So the 1/2 star is because in the end the characters became more rounded and the story more interesting even through the preaching. All the same, I'll take a pass at anything else by the author.