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3.24 AVERAGE
3.24 AVERAGE
In the heart of London is a hundreds years old coven whose members can speak to the dead. They've kept their secret for a very long time. But it's 1913 when Paula Brackston's The Midnight Witch begins and things will soon change, whether the witches will it or no.
Read my full review of this book on my blog at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review consideration.
Read my full review of this book on my blog at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review consideration.
I think the book was well written - I just couldn't get into it. I really didn't care about any of the characters enough but I forced myself to finish. Wasn't what I expected.
I couldn't even finish this book. I got half way through and wanted to throw it against the wall.
2.5 stars. Don't get me wrong, the writing in this was decent and the story had a lot of potential.
What made me dislike this book to the extent that I did was the characters. The main character, Lilith Montgomery, was without common sense and seemed to forget the bigger problem of the story in lieu of worrying about how she and her artist boyfriend can be together, since she's a rich Lady and engaged already. Then big events would happen regarding the main protagonist and you'd think, hey, maybe this time she'll DO something about this whole situation instead of just ignoring it. Nope, no such luck. It was a strange, out-of-sight-out-of-mind sort of thing that didn't mesh the two sides of the story together well.
Also, I'm kind of still puzzled about how she and her artist boyfriend fell in love, because all I got from him was, "she's hot and whoa, she's a witch, wow" and all I got from her was, "oh he's an artist and not a witch but he likes me anyway?".
Needless to say, there was a lot of yelling (on my part) at these characters because they just didn't do anything right.
What made me dislike this book to the extent that I did was the characters. The main character, Lilith Montgomery, was without common sense and seemed to forget the bigger problem of the story in lieu of worrying about how she and her artist boyfriend can be together, since she's a rich Lady and engaged already. Then big events would happen regarding the main protagonist and you'd think, hey, maybe this time she'll DO something about this whole situation instead of just ignoring it. Nope, no such luck. It was a strange, out-of-sight-out-of-mind sort of thing that didn't mesh the two sides of the story together well.
Also, I'm kind of still puzzled about how she and her artist boyfriend fell in love, because all I got from him was, "she's hot and whoa, she's a witch, wow" and all I got from her was, "oh he's an artist and not a witch but he likes me anyway?".
Needless to say, there was a lot of yelling (on my part) at these characters because they just didn't do anything right.
I really wanted to like this. It had some very good aspects, but overall they were not enough for me to finish this.
The best thing about this book is the writing. It is beautiful, lyrical and almost musical. It hit my ear like magic, and I loved the way the author put words and sentences together. That was increased by the wonderful voice of the narrator, who really brought both the characters and the writing beautifully to life.
Unfortunately, the characters themselves did not come across positively for me. Particularly Lilith. As other reviewers have noted, given the storyline, and the world the author has created, the choices Lilith makes simply cannot be easily accepted by readers. I don't want to spoil, so I won't give details, but the actions she takes are antithetical to who we are led to believe she is, and are in major opposition to the responsibilities she has accepted and the things and people she has vowed to protect.
It conflicts hugely for me to believe that Lilith would do some of the things she does, and after multiple instances of that, the story was broken for me. I couldn't keep going when everything about the story had been -- in my opinion - tossed out based on the things Lilith does.
It's too bad, because the writing really is sublime and gorgeous, and hearing it was a delight. Unfortunately, the specifics of the story just didn't live up to the wonderful prose the author writes and it was too much of a dichotomy for this reader.
The best thing about this book is the writing. It is beautiful, lyrical and almost musical. It hit my ear like magic, and I loved the way the author put words and sentences together. That was increased by the wonderful voice of the narrator, who really brought both the characters and the writing beautifully to life.
Unfortunately, the characters themselves did not come across positively for me. Particularly Lilith. As other reviewers have noted, given the storyline, and the world the author has created, the choices Lilith makes simply cannot be easily accepted by readers. I don't want to spoil, so I won't give details, but the actions she takes are antithetical to who we are led to believe she is, and are in major opposition to the responsibilities she has accepted and the things and people she has vowed to protect.
It conflicts hugely for me to believe that Lilith would do some of the things she does, and after multiple instances of that, the story was broken for me. I couldn't keep going when everything about the story had been -- in my opinion - tossed out based on the things Lilith does.
It's too bad, because the writing really is sublime and gorgeous, and hearing it was a delight. Unfortunately, the specifics of the story just didn't live up to the wonderful prose the author writes and it was too much of a dichotomy for this reader.
Poorly thought out book, it didn't seem like the author knew how to finish the book and kept trying out new plot lines. I would not recommend people read this book.
Oh where do I begin to express my disappointment in this book... it was so promising... but failed in the end. First off... Bram and Lilith... I didn't feel it... couldn't feel their love for one another... and if love between a witch and non-witch was such taboo (coven rules blah blah blah), why did it seem so easy for them to accept Bram... and if there is no magic greater than that of a risen witch, why don't they bring back all dead ones? So many restrictions, impossibilities... but yet, for Bram and Lilith, it just happens to work out so well... and the tying in between the gaps in the years was done poorly... it felt as though I was missing chapters... I really enjoyed Winter Witch, and had such high hopes for this one.
It just would not end!!! This has to be one of the most boring and drawn out books I have read in a long time!!! I now wish I stopped reading the first or the second time I wanted to, but I hate not finishing a book. Sure the plot was good and the book could have been so much better IF there wasn't so much blah, blah, blah.
I might be falling out of love with Paula Brackston books.
Though, to be fair, this is one of her earlier works.
The beginning of the novel - the first couple of chapters - were WONDERFUL: introducing characters, setting up Lilith's world, wrapping us up in the story. However, I found that the bulk of the remainder of the story was very slow-moving and dragged on for me. I almost threw in the towel a couple of times.
I didn't quite get Lily. She didn't seem like "Queen of the Night" material. She seemed to struggle to do some spells, and then blabbed her witchy secrets to the first human she fell in love with.
I did like the scenes about art - Bram and Mangan - and I love how withcraft was blended with early 1900s London, two sort of "worlds" existing at the same time. And of course Iago the cat stole every scene he was in!
I also liked the necromancy, talking to spirits, talking to people who have died, Lilith and her father, that storyline. I liked how she had spiritual "cavaliers."
Paula Brackston covers are all gorgeous and intriguing. I want these shoes.
Overall, I liked this one better than "The Winter Witch" but "The Silver Witch" still remains one of my favorites.
Though, to be fair, this is one of her earlier works.
The beginning of the novel - the first couple of chapters - were WONDERFUL: introducing characters, setting up Lilith's world, wrapping us up in the story. However, I found that the bulk of the remainder of the story was very slow-moving and dragged on for me. I almost threw in the towel a couple of times.
I didn't quite get Lily. She didn't seem like "Queen of the Night" material. She seemed to struggle to do some spells, and then blabbed her witchy secrets to the first human she fell in love with.
I did like the scenes about art - Bram and Mangan - and I love how withcraft was blended with early 1900s London, two sort of "worlds" existing at the same time. And of course Iago the cat stole every scene he was in!
I also liked the necromancy, talking to spirits, talking to people who have died, Lilith and her father, that storyline. I liked how she had spiritual "cavaliers."
Paula Brackston covers are all gorgeous and intriguing. I want these shoes.
Overall, I liked this one better than "The Winter Witch" but "The Silver Witch" still remains one of my favorites.