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flutteringbutterflies's review
4.0
This review was originally published at Fluttering Butterflies
I had heard very little about Skylark by Meagan Spooner before it landed on my doorstep, but I loved the cover and that my review copy came with instructions on how to make the origami bird that's on the front cover! And while I found myself slightly confused as the story starts and we're thrown head-first into this new and slightly disturbing world, I was also really intrigued and had to keep reading to find out more.
This story is about Lark, this teenage girl who is living in a world surrounded by walls and powered by it's citizens. It's meant to be a great honour to be harvested and once it happens, you're deemed an adult and given a job and responsibility. Lark has been passed over much longer than most young people are but once she's called in for her harvest, everything changes. Because Lark then realises what harvesting entails and also that there's something a bit different about her.
I think the harvesting of children's magic is the part in the book that I stumbled over a bit. I couldn't really picture it in my head so I was left feeling a bit confused. What didn't confuse me was Lark's fear and revulsion towards her future prospects and what she does find lurking behind the people in charge of her town. And so Lark leaves everything she's ever known behind in order to 'follow the birds' whatever that means.
Skylark was a really different book to anything I've read recently and I really loved that about it. I love the combination of fantasy and dystopia that plays a part in the book. I felt like there was plenty to keep me excited and surprised with the different twists in the story. I liked Lark's character and those that she meets outside of the wall, especially Nix the robot creature powered by magic and Oren, the wild boy who rescues Lark and manages to keep her alive out in this dark land filled with monsters.
Skylark was a lot of fun. I loved the fast paced, the characters and definitely the shocking plot twists. I'm excited for more in this series!
I had heard very little about Skylark by Meagan Spooner before it landed on my doorstep, but I loved the cover and that my review copy came with instructions on how to make the origami bird that's on the front cover! And while I found myself slightly confused as the story starts and we're thrown head-first into this new and slightly disturbing world, I was also really intrigued and had to keep reading to find out more.
This story is about Lark, this teenage girl who is living in a world surrounded by walls and powered by it's citizens. It's meant to be a great honour to be harvested and once it happens, you're deemed an adult and given a job and responsibility. Lark has been passed over much longer than most young people are but once she's called in for her harvest, everything changes. Because Lark then realises what harvesting entails and also that there's something a bit different about her.
I think the harvesting of children's magic is the part in the book that I stumbled over a bit. I couldn't really picture it in my head so I was left feeling a bit confused. What didn't confuse me was Lark's fear and revulsion towards her future prospects and what she does find lurking behind the people in charge of her town. And so Lark leaves everything she's ever known behind in order to 'follow the birds' whatever that means.
Skylark was a really different book to anything I've read recently and I really loved that about it. I love the combination of fantasy and dystopia that plays a part in the book. I felt like there was plenty to keep me excited and surprised with the different twists in the story. I liked Lark's character and those that she meets outside of the wall, especially Nix the robot creature powered by magic and Oren, the wild boy who rescues Lark and manages to keep her alive out in this dark land filled with monsters.
Skylark was a lot of fun. I loved the fast paced, the characters and definitely the shocking plot twists. I'm excited for more in this series!
laceanddaggerbooks's review
3.0
Really 2 1/2 stars.
The problem with this book is there's nothing inherently wrong about it, nothing that made me want to give up on it but it still wasn't good. I struggled to get through this book and mostly found it boring. Even though it wasn't really cliche it wasn't anything special either. It was just average.
The problem with this book is there's nothing inherently wrong about it, nothing that made me want to give up on it but it still wasn't good. I struggled to get through this book and mostly found it boring. Even though it wasn't really cliche it wasn't anything special either. It was just average.
sydnei8487's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely loved this book!! At first, I didn't know what the hell was going on and I had to wait a little while to find out, but once understanding came it was worth the short wait. I loved the characters! They made me grab onto them and hold on for the ride. I enjoyed the world building. I really liked it and am super glad to say that it wasn't at all what I was expecting and didn't remind me of a hundred other books.
The author was able to describe emotions really well and I was able to put myself in the characters shoes. At one point, I really almost tasted blood in my mouth. She described things in such detail! I think Lark was not so kick ass (I mean anyone who is afraid of the sky isn't really badass material), but I loved her. There was almost no self-pity, which is a plus in any book for me and her relationship with Oren was real! They don't fall instantly in love and go off together. Lastly, THANK YOU MEAGAN SPOONER for not putting in any sappy, pathetic 3 way love story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Awesome characters, awesome world building, so many twists and unexpected turns!! I can't wait to read the 2nd book of this trilogy!!!
The author was able to describe emotions really well and I was able to put myself in the characters shoes. At one point, I really almost tasted blood in my mouth. She described things in such detail! I think Lark was not so kick ass (I mean anyone who is afraid of the sky isn't really badass material), but I loved her. There was almost no self-pity, which is a plus in any book for me and her relationship with Oren was real! They don't fall instantly in love and go off together. Lastly, THANK YOU MEAGAN SPOONER for not putting in any sappy, pathetic 3 way love story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Awesome characters, awesome world building, so many twists and unexpected turns!! I can't wait to read the 2nd book of this trilogy!!!
nibellarin's review against another edition
5.0
I do believe I'm seeing an energy vampire in the making...I love, LOVE the potential directions this story could take. I didn't mind that the main character was a little slow on the uptake about a few things, given the extremely sheltered life she starts off living. She rises to the challenge but also needs help along the way and feels like an average teenage girl waking up to one hell of a cruel world and getting help in unexpected places that were well thought out. Also while there are similarities between this and other fantasy, post-apocalyptical novels, I really like the authors take and I'm enjoying the mix of technology and magic which I normally don't. Also, Nix has got to be the author's answer to that annoying faerie in Legend of Zelda because Nix is way cooler.
kristyisalibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
I will start by saying I will definitely recommend this books to students who enjoy dystopian and/or fantasy and/or paranormal books. This book touches on all three. I enjoyed the book immensely.
However, I felt like something was missing. I don’t know exactly what was missing, but some sort or prologue that introduced a bit more of why that society is like it is would probably fill in that hole. Lark’s knowledge of her society is certainly lacking, but I realize that’s partly because no one is really told what is going on behind the magic. But as a reader, I expect to know a little more than the characters do.
As far as plot, I enjoyed the unique twist about Oren. The magic Lark has reminds me of a couple of other characters in YA books I have read, but her type is just different enough to make her stand out among magic-users. The fact that she really doesn’t have much to keep her in the City is the biggest driving force to her journey and while a bit sad to think about, I am excited for what will happen in her future journeys. I only hope that she does find Basil and there is a happy reunion for her.
Skylark is a standout when it comes to a strong female heroine and her innate desire to do right, even though doing right means she must fight the system, both literally and metaphorically. Meagan Spooner has certainly crafted a tale that morphs past, present, and future societies into one beautiful, horrible time. It is all three rolled into one, with glimpses of all three tenses in every scene. The attention to detail is amazing and Spooner leaves nothing lacking in her description of each scene, down to the shimmer of magic.
I give this book 4.25 stars out of 5 and like I said before, I will definitely recommend this to my students.
However, I felt like something was missing. I don’t know exactly what was missing, but some sort or prologue that introduced a bit more of why that society is like it is would probably fill in that hole. Lark’s knowledge of her society is certainly lacking, but I realize that’s partly because no one is really told what is going on behind the magic. But as a reader, I expect to know a little more than the characters do.
As far as plot, I enjoyed the unique twist about Oren. The magic Lark has reminds me of a couple of other characters in YA books I have read, but her type is just different enough to make her stand out among magic-users. The fact that she really doesn’t have much to keep her in the City is the biggest driving force to her journey and while a bit sad to think about, I am excited for what will happen in her future journeys. I only hope that she does find Basil and there is a happy reunion for her.
Skylark is a standout when it comes to a strong female heroine and her innate desire to do right, even though doing right means she must fight the system, both literally and metaphorically. Meagan Spooner has certainly crafted a tale that morphs past, present, and future societies into one beautiful, horrible time. It is all three rolled into one, with glimpses of all three tenses in every scene. The attention to detail is amazing and Spooner leaves nothing lacking in her description of each scene, down to the shimmer of magic.
I give this book 4.25 stars out of 5 and like I said before, I will definitely recommend this to my students.
hdungey's review against another edition
3.0
A good series opener for fans of The Hunger Games or Scott Westerfeld's Uglies series.
tamcait's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
witchyechos's review against another edition
2.0
Lower quality than I'm used to. I feel like a lot of teen fiction is rushed and doesn't take time to fully develop their ideas and plotholes.
Good ideas, magic being tamed for non-magicians. People stripped of magic. Mechanics being worked with magic. Everyone being born with a small amount of magic but only a few people who produce it constantly. No romance. Nice plot twists.
Negatives: don't really explain how society has managed to restrict so much freedom/knowledge in light of "the war." Or how "the war" managed to mess up outside life so much that people who don't have magic regrowth turn into monsters/die without magic in the air. I'm sick of dystopian societies that use a 100 years ago "war" to justify why their people are all sheep. Also, why is her brother so mean, and why does she have rooms both at her brothers and her parents houses.
Good ideas, magic being tamed for non-magicians. People stripped of magic. Mechanics being worked with magic. Everyone being born with a small amount of magic but only a few people who produce it constantly. No romance. Nice plot twists.
Negatives: don't really explain how society has managed to restrict so much freedom/knowledge in light of "the war." Or how "the war" managed to mess up outside life so much that people who don't have magic regrowth turn into monsters/die without magic in the air. I'm sick of dystopian societies that use a 100 years ago "war" to justify why their people are all sheep. Also, why is her brother so mean, and why does she have rooms both at her brothers and her parents houses.