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carlaabra's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
quoth_chloe's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely loved this book, it was so poetic and descriptive and incredibly well written. It was definitely a page turner and I just didn't want to put it down. All of the characters being their own elements to the story and bring it life. I loved Juliet and her complicated relationships throughout this and the way she handled everything. She is such a curious and devoted character and was really fun to read. I loved Hawk and Lord Thornton and the history behind them was so interesting and very unexpected! The ending made me really happy and I cannot wait to read the rest of the series and find out what is going to happen next in the Thornton family! Highly recommend!
badwolfbooks's review against another edition
4.0
This book is a 4.5. If it wasn't for that bath tub scene midway through... It would have been a full 5.
All in all,this book is beautiful. It took me so long to finish it due to work, but I'm so glad I got my hands on it again and finished it. I was able to go through the emotions of the characters this way. I was able to go through the story with an open mind, as I had no reviews sitting at the forefront of my mind. And it was gorgeous.
I have always loved the writing style of A.G Howard, as she has this innate ability to really describe a scene, a character, an object, and make it stand out in the minds of her readers. For instance, when she describes the flower; one can practically smell the petals and see their glittery pattern.
The book is not without its faults. The possessiveness of Hawk, the fact that he staked claim over Juliet's body like she was his to view as a trophy on a shelf; for him to gawk at like she belonged to him.... It bothered me. If anyone has read Splintered... Jeb. Hawk is worse than Jeb when it comes to the possessiveness over the female protagonist. It's uncomfortable, it's demeaning, and I personally don't believe it belonged in this kind of story. It's my opinion, but that was the one HUGE flaw in the book.
I can't wait to read Hummingbird Heart (it's on its way from the Library). I feel like I've stumbled upon a new obsession.
All in all,this book is beautiful. It took me so long to finish it due to work, but I'm so glad I got my hands on it again and finished it. I was able to go through the emotions of the characters this way. I was able to go through the story with an open mind, as I had no reviews sitting at the forefront of my mind. And it was gorgeous.
I have always loved the writing style of A.G Howard, as she has this innate ability to really describe a scene, a character, an object, and make it stand out in the minds of her readers. For instance, when she describes the flower; one can practically smell the petals and see their glittery pattern.
The book is not without its faults. The possessiveness of Hawk, the fact that he staked claim over Juliet's body like she was his to view as a trophy on a shelf; for him to gawk at like she belonged to him.... It bothered me. If anyone has read Splintered... Jeb. Hawk is worse than Jeb when it comes to the possessiveness over the female protagonist. It's uncomfortable, it's demeaning, and I personally don't believe it belonged in this kind of story. It's my opinion, but that was the one HUGE flaw in the book.
I can't wait to read Hummingbird Heart (it's on its way from the Library). I feel like I've stumbled upon a new obsession.
lisaluvsliterature's review against another edition
5.0
I don't know exactly where to begin, I just loved this book so much! Once again Howard has created a vivid, wonderfully complex world that I lost myself in right away. The characters were intriguing, and even with the seriousness of the story and mystery, you still get some humorous dialogue, something that is a big plus in a story for me! Juliet is a strong female character for the time period the story takes place in. She is able to get by even with being deaf, although she does need the help of her uncle. And soon, once she meets Hawke, her ghost, he also becomes her ears, and what is special about him being her ears is that she can actually hear him. He can hear her when she thinks, so she is able to talk to him and listen to him without drawing unwanted attention from the world around her. But who Hawke is and how he is connected to Juliet, as well as the things happening in her world, is a mystery with twists and turns that will keep you turning pages and unable to put the book down. Every time it seems that maybe there is an answer to what is behind all the intrigue and tragedies in the past, something else comes to light that either throws that all out the window or puts another piece into the puzzle's final image. I fell in love with Hawke, but knowing he is a ghost, and how much the author made sure we knew that there was probably not any way to bring him back, there was always that heartache as the romance developed. And then Lord Thornton. His character goes from one you don't like, to one who might be there in a manner that could only be helpful to Juliet, to even a possible romantic interest, one of true love, then back to being suspicious. In the end all of it tied up perfectly, and I was extremely satisfied with the outcome. When I went to mark the book read on Goodreads, I was extremely pleased to also note that this is a series, and that we will get to return to this world in some other aspect, even if not with this exact couple's story. (Full Review originally published on Lisa Loves Literature)
cindeereads's review against another edition
4.0
This book took a little while to win me over and really enjoy it like I have the other books the author has written. I really did like the characters especially Juliet a deaf girl that is caught between two people she falls for who loves with everything she is I loved the romance and I especially loved how happily everything ended. I loved her strength of character and how wary she is that people will just take advantage of her deafness and that she could never be with someone since she is deaf I am glad she overcame that but it was quite the journey to getting to that. I really enjoyed the plot even if it dragged a little I loved the mystery the ghost romance and the eventual happily ever after that all of the characters richly deserved. So overall this was a great book I will read more of this series for sure.
kylielovesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
This book was very different than AG Howard's YA books. It was very nice to see a story that wasn't a retelling (not that I don't like her or anyone's retellings, because I LOVE them). It was such a unique story. I haven't read many books about ghosts and this was just such an enchanting story to add to my list.
I absolutely loved Juliet. Despite her deafness, she found a way to communicate and live with her disability. When she found Hawk and could hear him, I shared in her joy of being able to hear something for the first time in years. I loved how compassionate she was about her family, including her uncle and Enya. I (for the most part) loved her relationship with both Hawk and the viscount, Hawk was a little bit over the top, losing his temper about her falling for an actual human instead of him who was a ghost.
I'm really not fond of love triangles. This one was tolerable. I really did love how the romance ended up playing out. And I loved the on the side romance of some other certain characters as well.
The pacing of this book was pretty slow, it was very character driven. However, I was almost never bored. I was really trying to finish this book before the end of the month, so I had to read about 50 pages a day, and I never found it difficult to get through those pages. The plotline was really interesting and I was so invested in Hawk's death and figuring out his past life, who killed him and how he died.
I was just going to comment on how well this book wrapped up and I wasn't sure what the sequel could be about, but I just peeked at the synopsis and it says it's set 19 years after this one. So, I can safely say it was nicely wrapped up, I didn't feel like anything was missing. I cannot wait to see where this series goes next.
I absolutely loved Juliet. Despite her deafness, she found a way to communicate and live with her disability. When she found Hawk and could hear him, I shared in her joy of being able to hear something for the first time in years. I loved how compassionate she was about her family, including her uncle and Enya. I (for the most part) loved her relationship with both Hawk and the viscount, Hawk was a little bit over the top, losing his temper about her falling for an actual human instead of him who was a ghost.
I'm really not fond of love triangles. This one was tolerable. I really did love how the romance ended up playing out. And I loved the on the side romance of some other certain characters as well.
The pacing of this book was pretty slow, it was very character driven. However, I was almost never bored. I was really trying to finish this book before the end of the month, so I had to read about 50 pages a day, and I never found it difficult to get through those pages. The plotline was really interesting and I was so invested in Hawk's death and figuring out his past life, who killed him and how he died.
I was just going to comment on how well this book wrapped up and I wasn't sure what the sequel could be about, but I just peeked at the synopsis and it says it's set 19 years after this one. So, I can safely say it was nicely wrapped up, I didn't feel like anything was missing. I cannot wait to see where this series goes next.
momwithareadingproblem's review against another edition
5.0
The Architect of Song by A.G. Howard is a heart-breaking read about a young girl and the ghost she falls in love with. I was a little skeptical about if I’d enjoy this book, but I’m glad to find that I was wrong. I enjoyed every word, and even days after finishing, I am still thinking about the characters. I have a soft spot for historical fiction and I loved that this was set during the Victorian period. It made for a wonderful gothic romance!
Juliet is 19 and burying her mother when the book begins. (Dark beginning, yeah?!) I have to respect this character. She is deaf from an illness as a child, but she doesn’t let her disability hinder her. If anything it strengthens her. She notices things that others with hearing miss, like how someone’s eye twitches when they lie or how two characters like each other but are oblivious to the other, that sort of thing. But Juliet is lonely and grieving the death of her mother. This makes her vulnerable, something she isn’t usually.
There are two men in this book that create a love triangle of sorts: a ghost and a Lord. The ghost is known only as “Hawk” after Juliet stumbles across his grave and takes a flower that is growing there. The petals of the flower allow her to see Hawk. Hawk is roguish, has a temper, and has spent many years alone in his purgatory. He has no memories and it’s up to him and Juliet to find out what happened to him. Juliet is drawn to him because for the first time since she lost her hearing she can hear him. I think this makes her ghostly companion a big temptation.
Then there’s Lord Nicolas Thornton. Like Juliet, he has his own disability, a bum foot, and his earnest appraisal of Juliet endears him to me. However despite Juliet’s instant attraction to the Lord, she wants to despise him. Why? Because he plans to buy her estate AND wants to marry her. She thinks he has ulterior motives, yet his every action towards her she reads as truth. She doesn’t see any outward signs of deception which leaves her questioning her own judgment. Thornton is my favorite of the two love interests. Hawk is just too much of a gamble as he doesn’t have his memories and Thornton’s every action toward Juliet is one of a smitten, love-struck fool.
So how are these two tied together? Well for starters they look an awfully lot alike. So much so that when Juliet sees Thornton for the first time she believes her wish to make Hawk alive again has come true. The beauty of this tale is that I can’t answer this question wholly without spoilers. The author has woven a story filled with intrigue, deception, love, and despair. I loved the magical realism of Hawk’s ghost, the interweaving of paranormal and real life, and the slow-build romance between the main characters. I liked how the author slowly revealed the mysteries surrounding Hawk’s death, how he is tied to Thornton, and how Juliet plays a role in their lives. It kept me guessing right to the very end.
I wound up listening to this book and I have to say I loved the narrator. Gemma Dawson is brilliant. Her inflections and her subtle changes in voice kept me intrigued. I even dreamed about Juliet’s voice after listening the first night. It was well-paced and for once I didn’t listen on 3x speed.
Overall I really enjoyed this book! A.G. Howard is a master story-teller, creating beautifully flawed characters and twisting plots that are unpredictable. If you enjoy gothic romance, Victorian-era fiction, and a little ghostly-love, I highly recommend you grab a copy and read asap!
Juliet is 19 and burying her mother when the book begins. (Dark beginning, yeah?!) I have to respect this character. She is deaf from an illness as a child, but she doesn’t let her disability hinder her. If anything it strengthens her. She notices things that others with hearing miss, like how someone’s eye twitches when they lie or how two characters like each other but are oblivious to the other, that sort of thing. But Juliet is lonely and grieving the death of her mother. This makes her vulnerable, something she isn’t usually.
There are two men in this book that create a love triangle of sorts: a ghost and a Lord. The ghost is known only as “Hawk” after Juliet stumbles across his grave and takes a flower that is growing there. The petals of the flower allow her to see Hawk. Hawk is roguish, has a temper, and has spent many years alone in his purgatory. He has no memories and it’s up to him and Juliet to find out what happened to him. Juliet is drawn to him because for the first time since she lost her hearing she can hear him. I think this makes her ghostly companion a big temptation.
Then there’s Lord Nicolas Thornton. Like Juliet, he has his own disability, a bum foot, and his earnest appraisal of Juliet endears him to me. However despite Juliet’s instant attraction to the Lord, she wants to despise him. Why? Because he plans to buy her estate AND wants to marry her. She thinks he has ulterior motives, yet his every action towards her she reads as truth. She doesn’t see any outward signs of deception which leaves her questioning her own judgment. Thornton is my favorite of the two love interests. Hawk is just too much of a gamble as he doesn’t have his memories and Thornton’s every action toward Juliet is one of a smitten, love-struck fool.
So how are these two tied together? Well for starters they look an awfully lot alike. So much so that when Juliet sees Thornton for the first time she believes her wish to make Hawk alive again has come true. The beauty of this tale is that I can’t answer this question wholly without spoilers. The author has woven a story filled with intrigue, deception, love, and despair. I loved the magical realism of Hawk’s ghost, the interweaving of paranormal and real life, and the slow-build romance between the main characters. I liked how the author slowly revealed the mysteries surrounding Hawk’s death, how he is tied to Thornton, and how Juliet plays a role in their lives. It kept me guessing right to the very end.
I wound up listening to this book and I have to say I loved the narrator. Gemma Dawson is brilliant. Her inflections and her subtle changes in voice kept me intrigued. I even dreamed about Juliet’s voice after listening the first night. It was well-paced and for once I didn’t listen on 3x speed.
Overall I really enjoyed this book! A.G. Howard is a master story-teller, creating beautifully flawed characters and twisting plots that are unpredictable. If you enjoy gothic romance, Victorian-era fiction, and a little ghostly-love, I highly recommend you grab a copy and read asap!
carmens_library's review against another edition
4.0
I absolutely loved this book and cannot wait to see where the series is headed next. The story wraps up so nicely that I have no idea what could be coming next.
The characters were interesting and I loved the overall gothic vibe of the story. The writing is also so beautiful. I love the way AG Howard paints a picture with her words.
Great book and a joy to read.
The characters were interesting and I loved the overall gothic vibe of the story. The writing is also so beautiful. I love the way AG Howard paints a picture with her words.
Great book and a joy to read.
sprainedbrain's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0