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ymberlenis's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
booksnorkel's review
5.0
Absolutely gorgeous, and wonderful. This book goes past the fairy tales and into the old mythologies. Favoring Greek and Roman, but still dabbles in others. We have a labyrinth, and an underworld, and all sorts of wonders. But this book has surprises. What September does in fairyland is starting to affect the real world. We knew that she lost her shadow in the first book, and when she got home it was still missing. But who is to notice a shadow missing? And what happens with other things in our world go missing, bigger things, very important things? Can September clean up her mess?
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This is one of those books that gets better everytime you read it, and the more you know about the end game of the series the more your heart sings and sighs with all the little hints that you are given. See the end for one of the most perfect quotes and read this book for wonderful quotes about books, quests, hearts, love -- just everything that makes my heart sing and sigh
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Round 2--I like this book more the second time around, and I think that is going to be the theme of the rest of the series. I really loved the library, and the bold Saturday, and the story that is being told with the Marques. I love that just because we defeated the villain in the first book doesn't mean that she is going away. I hope that she does keep coming back.
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This book has some of the best paragraphs involving books, secrets, hearts, tea, coffee, love, first kisses. Absolutely everything, like seriously just the sweetest, heart swelling paragraphs.
I honestly fell in love with this book, the whole idea of a Theseus type quest, just made me laugh and smile and make sure I got a hold of someone who could love it as much as I did.
Also I found it interesting how much was taken from the little mini story -Girl who ruled fairyland- and think that people will need to read it to fully enjoy this book.
BUT something that I didn't really like about this book was the sheer amount of crazy everything that it had in it. There were shadow creatures, kangaroos who can't remember anything, going into a tunnel into a book, into a tunnel in the book, a dancing onion, glass forest, deer women, AHHHHHHHH too much absurdity for the sake of being absurd.
But it came together in a book that will make you sigh and demanding giant chunks of the book to be in your heart forever.
---like this little love read it and sigh ----- This quote is one of the most perfect quotes ever written-- it's just perfect.
And when you speak of tea or coffee or wine or any of our liquid spells, the drink must be matched perfectly with the drinker to get the best effect. If the match is a good one, the coffee will get to know you a little while you drink it, to know you and love you and cheer for your victories, lend you bravery and daring. The tea will want you to do well, will stand guard before your fear and sorrow. Afternoon tea is really a kind of séance. And at the end of it all, the grounds—or leaves!—left in the bottom of your little cup are not really prophecies but your teatime trying to talk to you, to tell you something secret and dear, just between the two of you.
____________________________________________________
This is one of those books that gets better everytime you read it, and the more you know about the end game of the series the more your heart sings and sighs with all the little hints that you are given. See the end for one of the most perfect quotes and read this book for wonderful quotes about books, quests, hearts, love -- just everything that makes my heart sing and sigh
--------------------------------------------
Round 2--I like this book more the second time around, and I think that is going to be the theme of the rest of the series. I really loved the library, and the bold Saturday, and the story that is being told with the Marques. I love that just because we defeated the villain in the first book doesn't mean that she is going away. I hope that she does keep coming back.
---------------------------------------------------------
This book has some of the best paragraphs involving books, secrets, hearts, tea, coffee, love, first kisses. Absolutely everything, like seriously just the sweetest, heart swelling paragraphs.
I honestly fell in love with this book, the whole idea of a Theseus type quest, just made me laugh and smile and make sure I got a hold of someone who could love it as much as I did.
Also I found it interesting how much was taken from the little mini story -Girl who ruled fairyland- and think that people will need to read it to fully enjoy this book.
BUT something that I didn't really like about this book was the sheer amount of crazy everything that it had in it. There were shadow creatures, kangaroos who can't remember anything, going into a tunnel into a book, into a tunnel in the book, a dancing onion, glass forest, deer women, AHHHHHHHH too much absurdity for the sake of being absurd.
But it came together in a book that will make you sigh and demanding giant chunks of the book to be in your heart forever.
---like this little love read it and sigh ----- This quote is one of the most perfect quotes ever written-- it's just perfect.
And when you speak of tea or coffee or wine or any of our liquid spells, the drink must be matched perfectly with the drinker to get the best effect. If the match is a good one, the coffee will get to know you a little while you drink it, to know you and love you and cheer for your victories, lend you bravery and daring. The tea will want you to do well, will stand guard before your fear and sorrow. Afternoon tea is really a kind of séance. And at the end of it all, the grounds—or leaves!—left in the bottom of your little cup are not really prophecies but your teatime trying to talk to you, to tell you something secret and dear, just between the two of you.
sueodd's review
4.0
Fun middle grade fairy tale about a girl named September, who in the first book, bargains away her shadow to save a child. She has been back in the real world for over a year, long enough to turn 13, and has grown a heart.
"For though, as we have said, children are heartless, this is not precisely true of teenagers. Teenage hearts are raw and new, fast and fierce and they do not know their own strength. Neither do they know reason or restraint, and if you want to know the truth, a goodly number of grown-up hearts never learn it. And so we may say now, as we could not before, that September's heart squeezed, for it had begun to grow in her like a flower in the dark. We may also take a moment to feel a little sorry for her, for having a heart leads to the particular grief of the grown."
She wishes for the Green Wind to return and lead her back to Fairyland, but instead, trips into it by accident. But things are not what they were when she liberated it from the Marquess. Shadows are disappearing, and taking magic with them. So she sets out to Make it Right. She meets the shadows of her dear friends A through L and Saturday, who are and aren't the same. The shadows, which are now in Fairyland Below, are quite happy to be liberated. She also befriends a Night Dodo named Aubergine, who practices Quiet Magick. And she must face her own shadow, and battle a Minotaur, and rescue a sleeping Prince.
She knew very well what became of Princesses, as Princesses often get books written about them. Either terrible things happened to them, such as kidnapping and curses and pricking fingers, and getting poisoned and locked up in towers, or else they just waited around till the Prince finished with the story and got around her marrying her. Either way, September wanted nothing to do with Princessing.
The book is full of fantastical creatures and settings along with wry observations. It's beautiful to read. This is the kind of book I would have loved and read many times as a child, but that I can still appreciate as an adult.
"For though, as we have said, children are heartless, this is not precisely true of teenagers. Teenage hearts are raw and new, fast and fierce and they do not know their own strength. Neither do they know reason or restraint, and if you want to know the truth, a goodly number of grown-up hearts never learn it. And so we may say now, as we could not before, that September's heart squeezed, for it had begun to grow in her like a flower in the dark. We may also take a moment to feel a little sorry for her, for having a heart leads to the particular grief of the grown."
She wishes for the Green Wind to return and lead her back to Fairyland, but instead, trips into it by accident. But things are not what they were when she liberated it from the Marquess. Shadows are disappearing, and taking magic with them. So she sets out to Make it Right. She meets the shadows of her dear friends A through L and Saturday, who are and aren't the same. The shadows, which are now in Fairyland Below, are quite happy to be liberated. She also befriends a Night Dodo named Aubergine, who practices Quiet Magick. And she must face her own shadow, and battle a Minotaur, and rescue a sleeping Prince.
She knew very well what became of Princesses, as Princesses often get books written about them. Either terrible things happened to them, such as kidnapping and curses and pricking fingers, and getting poisoned and locked up in towers, or else they just waited around till the Prince finished with the story and got around her marrying her. Either way, September wanted nothing to do with Princessing.
The book is full of fantastical creatures and settings along with wry observations. It's beautiful to read. This is the kind of book I would have loved and read many times as a child, but that I can still appreciate as an adult.
mrsdragon's review
5.0
If possible, I loved this book even more than the first. Valente writes beautiful pose. Expressive, descriptive, playful, gorgeous prose. And her heroine is a strong female. Not a Strong Female where the whole point of it is to show that females can be strong, but a female character that simply lives and breathes equality, courage, and agency. So many sage lessons are tucked into the narrative, so much sly playfulness and so many wonderful vocabulary enhancing word choices.
The story itself is fanciful, engaging, and just plain fun. You really can't ask for much more. : )
The story itself is fanciful, engaging, and just plain fun. You really can't ask for much more. : )
rainbowpizzastars's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
solaana's review
4.0
Even though this is part of a series, they're getting ratings bc they can stand on their own and also they're just so lovely. I cannot wait to read these tony nieces and nephew.
rainmisoa's review
5.0
If you guys, haven't read this series yet, then what are you waiting for!? Go! Read it now!
To see my full review, click here.
To see my full review, click here.
mebius's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
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
4.5