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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
This was a huge disappointment to me. It as such a great concept, and so well written. But the plot went just about nowhere, with so many throw away tangents. The ending was completely unsatisfying.
The disjointed, non-linear nature is a little confusing and there is some repetition but since it was originally published as a serial it makes more sense. Still a very enjoyable read.
This book is written in installments, so it has an episodic feel to it.
Sixteen-year-old Rose Marshall is dead. She's been sixteen for sixty years. She was run off the road by a man who sold his soul for immortal youth--Bobby Cross, who uses souls to keep going. Rose ran from him, and is still running, so he can't claim her soul.
She's a legend, in some cases a dark one, accused of leading souls to death, though she tries to save who she can. She's trapped hitchhiking across the country, outrunning her death, but one day she'll have to face Bobby Cross. Because he'll never stop.
The episodic nature of the stories works with the drifting nature of the ghost girl's life, moving in and out of the world of the dead and the world of the living, hitching rides and borrowing life like a coat. She's pretty grown up for a teenager, probably because of how long she's been dead, and it's fascinating the way her history unwinds alongside an explanation for how certain kinds of ghosts are made, and what they do.
Sixteen-year-old Rose Marshall is dead. She's been sixteen for sixty years. She was run off the road by a man who sold his soul for immortal youth--Bobby Cross, who uses souls to keep going. Rose ran from him, and is still running, so he can't claim her soul.
She's a legend, in some cases a dark one, accused of leading souls to death, though she tries to save who she can. She's trapped hitchhiking across the country, outrunning her death, but one day she'll have to face Bobby Cross. Because he'll never stop.
The episodic nature of the stories works with the drifting nature of the ghost girl's life, moving in and out of the world of the dead and the world of the living, hitching rides and borrowing life like a coat. She's pretty grown up for a teenager, probably because of how long she's been dead, and it's fascinating the way her history unwinds alongside an explanation for how certain kinds of ghosts are made, and what they do.
I really wanted to like this book, but it was too fragmented for me. I feel a good short story should tell you more about a characters nature, or the series lore. The first half of the book felt almost more like writing exercises than short stories. With how short they were, and how little info they imparted, it was just hard to really get a grip on Rose until real far in. If I wasn’t so into InCryptoid universe I probably would have discarded it after a few of the short stories.
I think if some of the longer, more in depth ones had been placed earlier to help hook the reader it would have helped the pacing.
I think if some of the longer, more in depth ones had been placed earlier to help hook the reader it would have helped the pacing.
Update: 07. 10. 2020
Many years ago when i read this book, i was captivated with the story. Felt so refreshing and new. I never read a ghost book before. I still remember this one dearly and would love to return to the world one day.
Many years ago when i read this book, i was captivated with the story. Felt so refreshing and new. I never read a ghost book before. I still remember this one dearly and would love to return to the world one day.
This was a fun read, taking urban myth in an unexpected direction. Since the novelty is half the fun, it may be difficult to sustain as a series.
I'm not a fan of typical ghost stories, but something about taking the traditional story and flipping it so we see the perspective of the ghost made this interesting. The characters were compelling and it was a fun read.
That said, the story could have been improved with some editing to make it more cohesive. A large portion of the book felt less like a novel and more like a collection of related standalone short stories. I almost gave up on it partway through. I'm glad I stuck with it, and am ready for the second installment!
A solid 3.5 (wish I could give half stars)!
That said, the story could have been improved with some editing to make it more cohesive. A large portion of the book felt less like a novel and more like a collection of related standalone short stories. I almost gave up on it partway through. I'm glad I stuck with it, and am ready for the second installment!
A solid 3.5 (wish I could give half stars)!
An avid fan of Seanan McGuire, I was surprised that I wasn't aware of this trilogy until just now.
My apologies.
Sparrow Hill Road dives into the life and history of Rose Marshall - the girl in the green silk gown. We've met her throughout the Incryptid series as Aunt Rose, but I was never quite sure how she fit into the family. In fact, for a very long time, I got her and Aunt Mary confused. (Yeah... not anymore after the last Incryptid book.)
I absolutely loved Sparrow Hill Road. It took the unparalleled brilliance of McGuire's short story form and brought it to a longer form. Her decision to publish the series of short stories in novel form was brilliant. And I loved every single minute of it.
My apologies.
Sparrow Hill Road dives into the life and history of Rose Marshall - the girl in the green silk gown. We've met her throughout the Incryptid series as Aunt Rose, but I was never quite sure how she fit into the family. In fact, for a very long time, I got her and Aunt Mary confused. (Yeah... not anymore after the last Incryptid book.)
I absolutely loved Sparrow Hill Road. It took the unparalleled brilliance of McGuire's short story form and brought it to a longer form. Her decision to publish the series of short stories in novel form was brilliant. And I loved every single minute of it.
I was underwhelmed by this book. I am a huge fan of [a:Seanan McGuire|2860219|Seanan McGuire|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1245623198p2/2860219.jpg]'s October Daye series and the Newsflesh series she writes under the [a:Mira Grant|3153776|Mira Grant|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1380320279p2/3153776.jpg] pseudonym, so I had high expectations. However, true to any good author, this book is stylistically very different from her other works. Unfortunately, it was not what I was hoping to find.
Don't get me wrong, the book is not a bad book at all. I am just really a fan of her action and intrigue based writing. This is definitely not that type of story. It is a bittersweet ghost stories that meanders and floats in a manner that is eerily evocative of a haunting.
I suspect some readers might have issue with the nonlinear narrative. I actually thought this was very clever and appropriate for a tale about ghost girl. I just wish there had been more action. A nice ghost tale here and there would have been nice, but it felt like the snippets got a tad old as I waited for the story to circle back to the point. Instead, things slowly swirled into a standstill with tendrils showing where things could go in another book.
As always with Ms. McGuire, the world was richly built, with a lot of thought and detail. Seriously, this woman is gifted in her fantasy imagination and the results always seem so vivid and real. This, more than anything else will probably see my return for the next book in the series.
Don't get me wrong, the book is not a bad book at all. I am just really a fan of her action and intrigue based writing. This is definitely not that type of story. It is a bittersweet ghost stories that meanders and floats in a manner that is eerily evocative of a haunting.
I suspect some readers might have issue with the nonlinear narrative. I actually thought this was very clever and appropriate for a tale about ghost girl. I just wish there had been more action. A nice ghost tale here and there would have been nice, but it felt like the snippets got a tad old as I waited for the story to circle back to the point. Instead, things slowly swirled into a standstill with tendrils showing where things could go in another book.
As always with Ms. McGuire, the world was richly built, with a lot of thought and detail. Seriously, this woman is gifted in her fantasy imagination and the results always seem so vivid and real. This, more than anything else will probably see my return for the next book in the series.