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3.29 AVERAGE
3.29 AVERAGE
3.5~~ Overall I enjoyed this adaptation of Snow White. The supernatural world St. Crow created was dark & magical. Though I always have a slight problem with writers making up words for things and not giving you any real definition as to what it means. A few things, like the babbage, potential, etc, are easy enough to figure out through context clues. But sometimes, there are a few things that can be a little difficult to discern and you end up knitting your brows and wishing there was a glossary at the back of the book. Her descriptions can be wonderful one moment, then a little over done the next. If I had to read someone being lead, not ungently, one more time......but most of the time is beautifully written and completely entrancing. The characters are pretty easy to fall in love with, but I would've loved more background with the White Queen and how their society works, but I'm hoping it gets a little more exposure in the next 2 books. If you're a fan of dark fantasy, or anything else St. Crow has written, definitely pick up this little gem. She's taken something already pretty dark and made it even darker. It's pretty great.
Camille is part of one of seven the most powerful and wealthy Families that rule over New Haven. It wasn't always that way. She was found when she was 6 years old, cold, mute, abused, scarred, and injured in the snow. The Vultisino, the leader of this particular Family, adopted her as his own daughter. Cami is now sixteen and no longer mute, although she still has a stutter that makes it difficult for her to speak. She goes to school, has two friends: Ruby and Ellie, and grew up a pampered heiress. Her life is enviable, but she knows she doesn't really belong there. She has no idea who she was before age 6, what her real name is, or when her real birthday is. She doesn't really belong with her Family or with her friends. The plot thickens when Tor, a mysterious boy who works in the garden, has the same scars as her. He is the first clue she's had to unlocking the secrets of her past, but maybe some secrets are best left alone.
Nameless is a very unique fairy tale retelling that has its own alternate version of our world. Lili St. Crow just throws us into the deep end of her world, with offhand mentions of bizarre things such as Twists, minotaurs, Family, charmers, and mere-humans. It's quite disorienting and confusing at first, but as the book goes on, things are subtly explained and the picture becomes clear. This world is a magical alternative universe that broke away from our world just after World War I, which is widely known as the Reeve or magic revolution. In 1920, the Deprescence hit. The country and farm land turned into the Waste and money couldn't save people from mutating into jacks or Twists or eaten by some nasty creature. I love the alternative reality and history of the world and how it shares similarities with our own world, but manages to be so different. I also loved the small fairy tale references, like how Ruby lives on Perrault Street, named after Charles Perrault, the French author who wrote his own versions of folk tales. I haven't seen a world that integrated many fairy tales and magic into it work so well since Bill Willingham's Fables.
The characters are just as strong as the world building. Cami, although timid and soft spoken, is a strong, smart character. She has been through a lot in her life and has the scars to prove it. Unlike a lot of other YA protagonists, Cami isn't self pitying or annoying, although the potential to be so was there. She just wants to know where she truly belongs, where she came from, and who her real family is. It's completely understandable to want to know those things and feel like an outsider if these questions aren't answered. She ventures into danger sometimes, but with a real decision to do so instead of stumbling into it obliviously. I think her self awareness and strength to make decisions like that, even if I disagree with it, make Cami one of my favorite YA protagonists. Nico is the other character that really surprised me. For much of the book, he's the stereotypical vampire badboy that are pretty popular in fiction recently. He leaves Cami often to party with his friends and holds a lot of anger at the world. Underneath it all, he truly cares for Cami and uses that anger as a shield. I was relieved to see a real, complex character rather than the abusive, annoying shells that are usually written about.
Nameless is one of the best Snow White retellings I've ever read. It has it all: twists and turns, mystery, alternative reality and history, magic, love, and self discovery. I highly recommend this to fans of fairy tale reimaginings and dark fantasy.
Nameless is a very unique fairy tale retelling that has its own alternate version of our world. Lili St. Crow just throws us into the deep end of her world, with offhand mentions of bizarre things such as Twists, minotaurs, Family, charmers, and mere-humans. It's quite disorienting and confusing at first, but as the book goes on, things are subtly explained and the picture becomes clear. This world is a magical alternative universe that broke away from our world just after World War I, which is widely known as the Reeve or magic revolution. In 1920, the Deprescence hit. The country and farm land turned into the Waste and money couldn't save people from mutating into jacks or Twists or eaten by some nasty creature. I love the alternative reality and history of the world and how it shares similarities with our own world, but manages to be so different. I also loved the small fairy tale references, like how Ruby lives on Perrault Street, named after Charles Perrault, the French author who wrote his own versions of folk tales. I haven't seen a world that integrated many fairy tales and magic into it work so well since Bill Willingham's Fables.
The characters are just as strong as the world building. Cami, although timid and soft spoken, is a strong, smart character. She has been through a lot in her life and has the scars to prove it. Unlike a lot of other YA protagonists, Cami isn't self pitying or annoying, although the potential to be so was there. She just wants to know where she truly belongs, where she came from, and who her real family is. It's completely understandable to want to know those things and feel like an outsider if these questions aren't answered. She ventures into danger sometimes, but with a real decision to do so instead of stumbling into it obliviously. I think her self awareness and strength to make decisions like that, even if I disagree with it, make Cami one of my favorite YA protagonists. Nico is the other character that really surprised me. For much of the book, he's the stereotypical vampire badboy that are pretty popular in fiction recently. He leaves Cami often to party with his friends and holds a lot of anger at the world. Underneath it all, he truly cares for Cami and uses that anger as a shield. I was relieved to see a real, complex character rather than the abusive, annoying shells that are usually written about.
Nameless is one of the best Snow White retellings I've ever read. It has it all: twists and turns, mystery, alternative reality and history, magic, love, and self discovery. I highly recommend this to fans of fairy tale reimaginings and dark fantasy.
What did I think??? I don't know what I thought. The world building (or lack thereof) was somewhat confusing and the story seemed a little disjointed in places. I kept feeling like I was missing something. Also the first part of the story was spent showing us how close Nico & Cami were and building a great relationship and you really wanted them to get their HEA. Then Nico proposes (but weirdly - as though it is only to take care of her than from any emotion)and after than we have very little interaction with Nico & Cami and they act more like acquaintances. It's weird. It is also at this point that Cami becomes really annoying. She suddenly withdraws from everyone - Nico whom she is supposedly devoted too and her two best friends with whom she is close and engages is a lot of high risk and stupid behaviour because "she doesn't belong" wah wah. She has been given a place in the family, lived with and been spoiled by them for 10 yrs, no-one ever treats her as though she doesn't belong yet suddenly she is all worried about not having a place there. It makes no sense. It had the makings of a great YA but just didn't deliver. 2.5 stars.
Soooooooooooooooooooo good. Seems obnoxious to have so many o's, but it's so true! Great book. Great writing. Too fast. Read it in one day...now I need the second if there is one.
Very well written. Love the characters.
Very well written. Love the characters.
Deliciously strange, this book. I really liked it, once I got going, but I can tell you that this world is complicated, and it goes largely unexplained for a good while. The complexities and the pacing here walk a very fine line - I enjoyed it, but it takes a bit of an investment of the reader's time and attention to get to a point where you CAN enjoy it.
Dark(er) little twist on Snow White and the Huntsman. I almost wish that Snow White piece wasn't used as part of the tag line here, because the fact that the readers know who the Snow White figure is from the get-go does make the story seem to drag when it may not actually be.
That said? Interesting ideas, crazy world, and I'll definitely be checking out #2 in this series. I'm bumping up my rating just because It speaks volumes that I was able to push through all of this and basically read this in a single day. Looking forward to being able to compare whether the who's who knowledge helps in making the pacing flow better. I've already got Book 2 from the library. ;)
Dark(er) little twist on Snow White and the Huntsman. I almost wish that Snow White piece wasn't used as part of the tag line here, because the fact that the readers know who the Snow White figure is from the get-go does make the story seem to drag when it may not actually be.
That said? Interesting ideas, crazy world, and I'll definitely be checking out #2 in this series. I'm bumping up my rating just because It speaks volumes that I was able to push through all of this and basically read this in a single day. Looking forward to being able to compare whether the who's who knowledge helps in making the pacing flow better. I've already got Book 2 from the library. ;)
(Actual rating: 4.5 stars)
Imagine if, instead of seven dwarves, Snow White were rescued by the fairy tale equivalent of the Mafia. And imagine if said Mafia, known as the Family, were vampires.
Did I get your attention there? Good. Because I really, really want you to read Nameless. And I really want you to love it as much as I did so I have someone else to talk to about how amazing this book is. In case you need more persuasion than just my assertion that Vampire Mob + Snow White = Awesomeness, though, here are five reasons you should read this book:
1) The unique approach to Snow White: It’s not just the vampire Mafia that sets Nameless apart from traditional Snow White retellings. Camille, the heroine, is no vapid, flawlessly beautiful princess who cheerfully cleans the house and sings to forest animals. Instead, she’s a foundling whose traumatic, abuse-filled childhood has left her with a stuttering tongue, crippling shyness, and scars all over her body. Though lovingly raised by the head of the Family and treated as his own daughter, Cami suffers from self doubt and can’t shake the feeling that she’ll never truly belong. She longs to know who she really is and where she came from, but she doesn’t remember much of her early years beyond a sense of horror and flickering visions of a cold and beautiful queen. When mysterious strangers begin appearing in her life and apple-and-mirror-filled dreams begin haunting her, Cami senses that the answers to her questions could finally be within reach, and she won’t stop until she figures them out.
2) Drool-inducing romance: Nameless wins the award for some of the most swoon-worthy scenes not involving an actual kiss. I’ve always had a thing for literary bad boys, and Nico Vultusino, Cami’s adopted brother, definitely fits the bill. He’s got a fiery temper, chafes against his role as heir to the Family, and has a propensity for staying out late, starting fights, and generally getting into trouble. And yet, Nico is an absolute sweetheart when it comes to Cami. The two have an adorable relationship, one that started as rivals-turned-playmates when they were children and turned into something more as they grew up. The history between them means they know each other inside and out, and it’s so cute watching Cami pull Nico out of one of his moods and seeing Nico soothe Cami when she has nightmares. Their relationship is not just sweet, though – it’s also hot. There’s one scene in particular that left me in a swoon at one point. You’ll know it once you’re there, but here’s a hint: Book. Candle. Nico. *Cue Angela fainting dead away from an overload of desire*
3) Characters with backstories: I hate when characters’ lives seem to occur solely within the timeline of the main events of the book. You know what I mean – characters who don’t have a believable past, whose lives begin when the book begins and end when the book ends. This isn’t the case with Nameless. You can tell that the characters have a history. There’s mention of the games Cami and Nico played as kids, the family photos they posed for that now adorn the fridge, the tales they made up together and the futures they imagined. The comfortable camaraderie Cami shares with her friends is evidence of years of friendship. You know that Cami and the others have childhood memories and inside jokes and family stories, even if the specifics aren’t necessarily shared with you. It makes them feel like real people, not just words on a page.
4) Excellent world building: The number of details St. Crow casually throws out there in Nameless is staggering - it's clear that she spent a great deal of time imagining every facet of her world. That doesn’t mean she intends to hold your hand and patiently outline the rules of her world, though. Nameless is one of those books where the reader is expected to figure out the setting by his or herself without an explanation from the author. St. Crow leaves you to piece together a picture of New Haven using the various details she's provided. She tells you the makes and models of the cars, mentions the names of various months and holidays, alludes to religion (when swearing, characters invoke the name of Mithrus Christ rather than Jesus Christ), and references various magical terms such as Twists, jacks, Potential, the Core, etc. It’s a beguiling world, and I drank up all of the descriptions with the enthusiasm of a woman dying of thirst in the desert.
5) The Family: I love the vampire Godfather vibe that the Family has going. The Vultusinos and the other vampires of New Haven live a life of danger cloaked in luxury. They roll around in limos while sipping fine whiskey mixed with calf blood, attend grand parties, and enjoy enormous power and respect. People who give them trouble mysteriously “disappear,” questionable business is conducted behind closed doors, and much of New Haven’s law enforcement is in the Family’s pocket. Combine all of this with fascinating vampire customs – a complex hierarchy, Borrowing, the Kiss – and you’ve got the makings of a very intriguing book.
There you go, everyone – five reasons why you should read Nameless. Now get out there, track down a copy, and get to reading! And let me know when you’re done so we can gush about it together!
This review can also be found on my blog, Angela's Library.
Imagine if, instead of seven dwarves, Snow White were rescued by the fairy tale equivalent of the Mafia. And imagine if said Mafia, known as the Family, were vampires.
Did I get your attention there? Good. Because I really, really want you to read Nameless. And I really want you to love it as much as I did so I have someone else to talk to about how amazing this book is. In case you need more persuasion than just my assertion that Vampire Mob + Snow White = Awesomeness, though, here are five reasons you should read this book:
1) The unique approach to Snow White: It’s not just the vampire Mafia that sets Nameless apart from traditional Snow White retellings. Camille, the heroine, is no vapid, flawlessly beautiful princess who cheerfully cleans the house and sings to forest animals. Instead, she’s a foundling whose traumatic, abuse-filled childhood has left her with a stuttering tongue, crippling shyness, and scars all over her body. Though lovingly raised by the head of the Family and treated as his own daughter, Cami suffers from self doubt and can’t shake the feeling that she’ll never truly belong. She longs to know who she really is and where she came from, but she doesn’t remember much of her early years beyond a sense of horror and flickering visions of a cold and beautiful queen. When mysterious strangers begin appearing in her life and apple-and-mirror-filled dreams begin haunting her, Cami senses that the answers to her questions could finally be within reach, and she won’t stop until she figures them out.
2) Drool-inducing romance: Nameless wins the award for some of the most swoon-worthy scenes not involving an actual kiss. I’ve always had a thing for literary bad boys, and Nico Vultusino, Cami’s adopted brother, definitely fits the bill. He’s got a fiery temper, chafes against his role as heir to the Family, and has a propensity for staying out late, starting fights, and generally getting into trouble. And yet, Nico is an absolute sweetheart when it comes to Cami. The two have an adorable relationship, one that started as rivals-turned-playmates when they were children and turned into something more as they grew up. The history between them means they know each other inside and out, and it’s so cute watching Cami pull Nico out of one of his moods and seeing Nico soothe Cami when she has nightmares. Their relationship is not just sweet, though – it’s also hot. There’s one scene in particular that left me in a swoon at one point. You’ll know it once you’re there, but here’s a hint: Book. Candle. Nico. *Cue Angela fainting dead away from an overload of desire*
3) Characters with backstories: I hate when characters’ lives seem to occur solely within the timeline of the main events of the book. You know what I mean – characters who don’t have a believable past, whose lives begin when the book begins and end when the book ends. This isn’t the case with Nameless. You can tell that the characters have a history. There’s mention of the games Cami and Nico played as kids, the family photos they posed for that now adorn the fridge, the tales they made up together and the futures they imagined. The comfortable camaraderie Cami shares with her friends is evidence of years of friendship. You know that Cami and the others have childhood memories and inside jokes and family stories, even if the specifics aren’t necessarily shared with you. It makes them feel like real people, not just words on a page.
4) Excellent world building: The number of details St. Crow casually throws out there in Nameless is staggering - it's clear that she spent a great deal of time imagining every facet of her world. That doesn’t mean she intends to hold your hand and patiently outline the rules of her world, though. Nameless is one of those books where the reader is expected to figure out the setting by his or herself without an explanation from the author. St. Crow leaves you to piece together a picture of New Haven using the various details she's provided. She tells you the makes and models of the cars, mentions the names of various months and holidays, alludes to religion (when swearing, characters invoke the name of Mithrus Christ rather than Jesus Christ), and references various magical terms such as Twists, jacks, Potential, the Core, etc. It’s a beguiling world, and I drank up all of the descriptions with the enthusiasm of a woman dying of thirst in the desert.
5) The Family: I love the vampire Godfather vibe that the Family has going. The Vultusinos and the other vampires of New Haven live a life of danger cloaked in luxury. They roll around in limos while sipping fine whiskey mixed with calf blood, attend grand parties, and enjoy enormous power and respect. People who give them trouble mysteriously “disappear,” questionable business is conducted behind closed doors, and much of New Haven’s law enforcement is in the Family’s pocket. Combine all of this with fascinating vampire customs – a complex hierarchy, Borrowing, the Kiss – and you’ve got the makings of a very intriguing book.
There you go, everyone – five reasons why you should read Nameless. Now get out there, track down a copy, and get to reading! And let me know when you’re done so we can gush about it together!
This review can also be found on my blog, Angela's Library.
As I closed this book, I thought to myself, "Well, that was bizarre... But also kind of lovely."
This book is a retelling of Snow White. Kind of. There's an evil queen who eats hearts, and some huntsmen, and apples. There are no dwarves, nor a glass coffin. There are, however, vampires, or at least vampire-like creatures. I don't know that I would have connected the dots and arrived at "this book is a retelling of Snow White" if the blurb hadn't told me so. It is very clearly a fairy tale, though.
From the very first page, we are dumped into the world (land? city?) of New Haven with no explicit explanation of the world-building. This isn't necessarily a bad thing -- too much explanation can get heavy-handed and bog down a story -- but I've now finished the book and I still have a LOT of questions about this world. You do pick up the most relevant and important bits as you go, though. There are two more books set in this world (described as "companion novels" rather than sequels), so maybe more of it will be fleshed out in those.
I feel like this book defies easy classification. It would be a gross oversimplification to call it a romance. There is romance, but I would hardly call it the focus of the novel the way the "romance" genre would imply. I guess I could call it a Bildungsroman. Above all, I suppose it's primarily about Cami learning who she is, in both literal and figurative senses of the phrase.
Nameless is beautifully written, even when it's difficult to follow. In the beginning, I thought it was going to be a lot like [b:Cruel Beauty|15839984|Cruel Beauty (Cruel Beauty Universe #1)|Rosamund Hodge|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1371652590s/15839984.jpg|21580669]. It has a very similar feel, what with the dark take on a fairy tale and beautiful writing. I have to say that I think Cruel Beauty is better, though. It is more cohesive, and at the end you aren't left wondering, "what did I just read?!"
I am giving this three stars, but in this case, it's a strong three stars, not a "meh" three stars. This was just a little too weird, a few too many unanswered questions, and maybe just not enough romance for me to give it a four star rating. I am planning to read [b:Wayfarer|18079680|Wayfarer (Tales of Beauty & Madness, #2)|Lili St. Crow|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1372307826s/18079680.jpg|25386972], though, because I love Cinderella stories, and Nameless was interesting enough that I'm happy to give a shot to another book in the series.
This book is a retelling of Snow White. Kind of. There's an evil queen who eats hearts, and some huntsmen, and apples. There are no dwarves, nor a glass coffin. There are, however, vampires, or at least vampire-like creatures. I don't know that I would have connected the dots and arrived at "this book is a retelling of Snow White" if the blurb hadn't told me so. It is very clearly a fairy tale, though.
From the very first page, we are dumped into the world (land? city?) of New Haven with no explicit explanation of the world-building. This isn't necessarily a bad thing -- too much explanation can get heavy-handed and bog down a story -- but I've now finished the book and I still have a LOT of questions about this world. You do pick up the most relevant and important bits as you go, though. There are two more books set in this world (described as "companion novels" rather than sequels), so maybe more of it will be fleshed out in those.
I feel like this book defies easy classification. It would be a gross oversimplification to call it a romance. There is romance, but I would hardly call it the focus of the novel the way the "romance" genre would imply. I guess I could call it a Bildungsroman. Above all, I suppose it's primarily about Cami learning who she is, in both literal and figurative senses of the phrase.
Nameless is beautifully written, even when it's difficult to follow. In the beginning, I thought it was going to be a lot like [b:Cruel Beauty|15839984|Cruel Beauty (Cruel Beauty Universe #1)|Rosamund Hodge|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1371652590s/15839984.jpg|21580669]. It has a very similar feel, what with the dark take on a fairy tale and beautiful writing. I have to say that I think Cruel Beauty is better, though. It is more cohesive, and at the end you aren't left wondering, "what did I just read?!"
I am giving this three stars, but in this case, it's a strong three stars, not a "meh" three stars. This was just a little too weird, a few too many unanswered questions, and maybe just not enough romance for me to give it a four star rating. I am planning to read [b:Wayfarer|18079680|Wayfarer (Tales of Beauty & Madness, #2)|Lili St. Crow|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1372307826s/18079680.jpg|25386972], though, because I love Cinderella stories, and Nameless was interesting enough that I'm happy to give a shot to another book in the series.
Trigger warnings: childhood trauma, death of a parent, abusive step-parent. The main character has a lot of scars from her childhood and she can't remember how she got them.
Soooo I picked this one up at work on a whim a month or so ago, and was intrigued by the cover and the fact that it's billed as a dark retelling of Snow White. And, like, it IS a dark retelling of Snow White. That's not the problem (one of the problems) that I had with it.
I'm just going to break this down into a list of issues I had, because it's easier. So.
1. The worldbuilding
More accurately, WHAT WORLDBUILDING??? You'r every much thrown in the deep end with this one. I still don't know if it's meant to be set in the US or in a fantasy world. The main character and her two best friends are OBVIOUSLY Snow White, Cinderella and Red Riding Hood, but beyond that? WORK IT OUT YOURSELF, YO. There's never any explanation of this world. Of the paranormal species in it. Of how magic works. Of how its weird blend of magic and technology works. There's really no explanation of ANYTHING.
2. The writing
I...wasn't a fan. I can't even pinpoint what it was that I didn't like about it. I just...yeah. No.
3. The romance
A lot of people have talked in their reviews about how cute the "book, candle, Nico" thing was to help Camille when her stutter was really bad. And, like, yes. It was. It was a tried and true mechanism that she and Nico has worked out over the years.
That doesn't change the fact that a) she's 16 and Nico is 20, b) they've been raised as siblings over the past 10 years, and c) the book ends with them engaged???? SHE'S FUCKING SIXTEEN AND HE'S TWENTY. STOP SHIPPING IT JFC.
4. The retelling
Despite it being obvious that this little trio of friends was meant to be Snow White, Cinderella and Red Riding Hood, the retelling side of things often got...lost...in amongst all the vampire-esque stuff. Like, I felt like Ellie was more obviously a retelling than Cami was, and she was a secondary character. So???
In short: this was a confusing hot mess.
Soooo I picked this one up at work on a whim a month or so ago, and was intrigued by the cover and the fact that it's billed as a dark retelling of Snow White. And, like, it IS a dark retelling of Snow White. That's not the problem (one of the problems) that I had with it.
I'm just going to break this down into a list of issues I had, because it's easier. So.
1. The worldbuilding
More accurately, WHAT WORLDBUILDING??? You'r every much thrown in the deep end with this one. I still don't know if it's meant to be set in the US or in a fantasy world. The main character and her two best friends are OBVIOUSLY Snow White, Cinderella and Red Riding Hood, but beyond that? WORK IT OUT YOURSELF, YO. There's never any explanation of this world. Of the paranormal species in it. Of how magic works. Of how its weird blend of magic and technology works. There's really no explanation of ANYTHING.
2. The writing
I...wasn't a fan. I can't even pinpoint what it was that I didn't like about it. I just...yeah. No.
3. The romance
A lot of people have talked in their reviews about how cute the "book, candle, Nico" thing was to help Camille when her stutter was really bad. And, like, yes. It was. It was a tried and true mechanism that she and Nico has worked out over the years.
That doesn't change the fact that a) she's 16 and Nico is 20, b) they've been raised as siblings over the past 10 years, and c) the book ends with them engaged???? SHE'S FUCKING SIXTEEN AND HE'S TWENTY. STOP SHIPPING IT JFC.
4. The retelling
Despite it being obvious that this little trio of friends was meant to be Snow White, Cinderella and Red Riding Hood, the retelling side of things often got...lost...in amongst all the vampire-esque stuff. Like, I felt like Ellie was more obviously a retelling than Cami was, and she was a secondary character. So???
In short: this was a confusing hot mess.
I feel like I am12 and just walked into a bar not knowing it was a bar but everyone in the bar is looking at me as if I should've known it was a bar.
This book - I know the general premise, I know what the author intended it to be, but the book moved super slowly. There was no world building whatsoever. And events in the book didn't make sense. I like to think I'm a reader who doesn't need everything spelled out, but maybe an explanation or two about things is helpful sometimes.
This book - I know the general premise, I know what the author intended it to be, but the book moved super slowly. There was no world building whatsoever. And events in the book didn't make sense. I like to think I'm a reader who doesn't need everything spelled out, but maybe an explanation or two about things is helpful sometimes.