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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
Review Taken From The Pewter Wolf
Midwinterblood. Where to start on explain this strange book...? Do you ever get the feeling you've lived a life once before? Or the feeling you've met someone before but never have? With Eric, he has that feeling. It's 2073 and Eric has arrived at Blessed Island where he meets, and falls in love with, Melee. But he has the feeling that they have meet before in a previous life... Through seven parts from seven different times, we see that it might be possible. But why is the past so important? Why is the past effecting Eric and Melee's future?
Now, I have to tell you something. Something that most book bloggers out there will be shocked over. I have never read a Marcus Sedgwick book. I know of him and I've always been intrigued but I always thought of him as Horror. And seeing as I'm not a horror person, I usually stay away...
So, when I got this from the UK publisher, I got quite excited but held this at a distance. And now I can say am a bit miffed with myself for not reading him sooner. It was dark, creepy, unafraid to be "grown-up" at times and, at several points, a completely mindf***. It was almost like a crime novel. You got the beginning but, as you go through the book (and through time), you began to figure things out. You saw the layers and that was interesting to suddenly go "No way!" and figure out the clues.
This novel was inspired by the painting "Midvinterblod" by Carl Larsson and after finishing the story and then going online to see it, I can see why. I like how Marcus got from this painting to the story and all it's parts (I very much like parts 2, 5 and 6. Not going to tell you what they are called - don't want to spoil it for you!).
But this is a dark, creepy novel with layers. I wish I discovered Marcus Sedgwick sooner...
Midwinterblood. Where to start on explain this strange book...? Do you ever get the feeling you've lived a life once before? Or the feeling you've met someone before but never have? With Eric, he has that feeling. It's 2073 and Eric has arrived at Blessed Island where he meets, and falls in love with, Melee. But he has the feeling that they have meet before in a previous life... Through seven parts from seven different times, we see that it might be possible. But why is the past so important? Why is the past effecting Eric and Melee's future?
Now, I have to tell you something. Something that most book bloggers out there will be shocked over. I have never read a Marcus Sedgwick book. I know of him and I've always been intrigued but I always thought of him as Horror. And seeing as I'm not a horror person, I usually stay away...
So, when I got this from the UK publisher, I got quite excited but held this at a distance. And now I can say am a bit miffed with myself for not reading him sooner. It was dark, creepy, unafraid to be "grown-up" at times and, at several points, a completely mindf***. It was almost like a crime novel. You got the beginning but, as you go through the book (and through time), you began to figure things out. You saw the layers and that was interesting to suddenly go "No way!" and figure out the clues.
This novel was inspired by the painting "Midvinterblod" by Carl Larsson and after finishing the story and then going online to see it, I can see why. I like how Marcus got from this painting to the story and all it's parts (I very much like parts 2, 5 and 6. Not going to tell you what they are called - don't want to spoil it for you!).
But this is a dark, creepy novel with layers. I wish I discovered Marcus Sedgwick sooner...
Beginning this book, you realize that you are in the future. Not too much seems different, so so far, so good. And then you get to Blessed Island. And it's weird. You don't know why, or how. It's just...weird. And you wait and wait to discover why it's strange, and the second you may have an inkling, you get sent back in time. And then again. And then again. Until you realize just what's happening with Eric and Melle, and how they know each other, and how their souls have been intertwined for so long.
It's a strange, beautiful book--definitely recommended for its artistry and world building as opposed to a character-motivated plotline.
I had the opportunity to read this book for the horror week in my sci-fi/fantasy class, and at first I was a little confused. But now, I think I get it. If we seek out horror, we typically seek out a sort of feeling, a reaction to tropes, a plot twist. Focusing on the 'plot twist' aspect is rather important here, because the plot twist is that there isn't any. There's not a satisfying ending. And that weirdness mentioned before never subsides. And because we're stringing along, waiting for the tropes, waiting for the plot twist, waiting for the feeling that never comes, this book falls into the horror genre solely because of how it subverts itself. And as a horror fan, I personally think it's pretty cool. Of course, a lot of my class members didn't necessarily agree with me on this front, but hey, to each their own, right?
I enjoyed this book, I thought it was well done. I definitely recommend it if you're looking for something a little weird.
Review cross-listed here!
It's a strange, beautiful book--definitely recommended for its artistry and world building as opposed to a character-motivated plotline.
I had the opportunity to read this book for the horror week in my sci-fi/fantasy class, and at first I was a little confused. But now, I think I get it. If we seek out horror, we typically seek out a sort of feeling, a reaction to tropes, a plot twist. Focusing on the 'plot twist' aspect is rather important here, because the plot twist is that there isn't any. There's not a satisfying ending. And that weirdness mentioned before never subsides. And because we're stringing along, waiting for the tropes, waiting for the plot twist, waiting for the feeling that never comes, this book falls into the horror genre solely because of how it subverts itself. And as a horror fan, I personally think it's pretty cool. Of course, a lot of my class members didn't necessarily agree with me on this front, but hey, to each their own, right?
I enjoyed this book, I thought it was well done. I definitely recommend it if you're looking for something a little weird.
Review cross-listed here!
Much better than I was expecting it to be. YA fiction can be pretty hit or miss, in my experience, but this collection of seven interwoven vignettes caught my interest early on with its Twilight-Zone-esque ominousness, and I enjoyed speculating on the eventual form the entire would take as I worked my way through the remaining stories. I appreciated that, although some parallels and motifs seemed overplayed (which is a common complaint of YA fiction in general), there were also details here in each layer that simply added richness. The eventual unraveling of mysteries was a bit underwhelming, but the book on the whole would bear a repeat read simply to review the evidence in light of new discoveries. It's clever and evocative and a solid piece of work.
A couple of additional points: I loved that the painting Midvinterblot is a real painting. I'm also glad I didn't know that until I read the author's note in the end, because it was more fun to peruse it in detail after having read it described in detail, first. Secondly, I want to kick whomever designed the cover for the copy I received from the library (edit: a totally different cover than the one linked here on Goodreads), because it has basically nothing to do with anything in the book, particularly, and I think this book deserved a more compelling cover (edit: like this one, which is heavily influenced by the aforementioned painting! Why would you ever change that. Ugh.).
A couple of additional points: I loved that the painting Midvinterblot is a real painting. I'm also glad I didn't know that until I read the author's note in the end, because it was more fun to peruse it in detail after having read it described in detail, first. Secondly, I want to kick whomever designed the cover for the copy I received from the library (edit: a totally different cover than the one linked here on Goodreads), because it has basically nothing to do with anything in the book, particularly, and I think this book deserved a more compelling cover (edit: like this one, which is heavily influenced by the aforementioned painting! Why would you ever change that. Ugh.).
Eric Seven is a journalist. He is traveling to Blessed Island. He has heard stories about the island and the people there that do not age. Eric meets Merle. He feels an instant connection with her. Eric has a feeling that he has met her before. Eric realizes that he has met Merle before in a past life. Not just a past life but six other lives.
I have never read anything by this author. To be honest this is not the type of book that I would typically purchase for myself but always willing to try new authors. While, this book did sound good I still had my reservations about it going into the book. Well those were quickly put aside once I started reading this book. I was spellbound. I could not read this book fast enough. This was both a good thing and a bad thing. Good because it was that great and bad because this book already was a fast read with short chapters.
The seven stories just flowed from one to the next. Each one added to the whole tale as a whole piece of the pie. I am not usually a fan of time travel but loved it for this book. The refreshing thing I loved about this book was that the stories were told from future to past or the beginning. So I knew how the story ended but it was cool to get to go backwards and see how it all started. I want to go back and comment and say that this book was in a sense time travel but more reincarnation. This book will have both young and adult readers enjoying it. Midwinter Blood is like finding a piece of valuable treasure!
I have never read anything by this author. To be honest this is not the type of book that I would typically purchase for myself but always willing to try new authors. While, this book did sound good I still had my reservations about it going into the book. Well those were quickly put aside once I started reading this book. I was spellbound. I could not read this book fast enough. This was both a good thing and a bad thing. Good because it was that great and bad because this book already was a fast read with short chapters.
The seven stories just flowed from one to the next. Each one added to the whole tale as a whole piece of the pie. I am not usually a fan of time travel but loved it for this book. The refreshing thing I loved about this book was that the stories were told from future to past or the beginning. So I knew how the story ended but it was cool to get to go backwards and see how it all started. I want to go back and comment and say that this book was in a sense time travel but more reincarnation. This book will have both young and adult readers enjoying it. Midwinter Blood is like finding a piece of valuable treasure!
This book seemingly defies categories. It's mythical, it's romantic, it's historical, it's fantasy, etc. It has a little bit of everything! Boys will like it, so will girls. It's intended for teens but it will appeal to adults as well. It gives you chills and goosebumps and compels you to keep turning pages! The seven stories all take place on a mysterious island. Starting in the future and then going in reverse the tales become more and more interconnected. Characters seem to be repeat themselves, as do the themes. It seems like it would be a really gorgeous episode (or season) of the Twilight Zone. It's written beautifully and the symbols and themes connect to each other and blossom into deeper meanings until it climaxes at the end. A quick, delicious read.
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Interesting. I liked the short chapters, the clipped sentences. An interesting way of telling this story.
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Reincarnation makes character development feel weird
I see this book as a marvelously stunning exploration of the strength of different kinds of love. I don't know if other people see it that way, but that's how I viewed it. So beautiful, gripping, and near-flawless. It most definitely deserved the Printz Award that it just won.