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3.15 AVERAGE
3.15 AVERAGE
Was this a GOOD book? Uhh maybe not, but it was a lot of fun
Al principio se me hizo un poco pesado, lento y aburrido pero en el último tramo le tomé cariño. No he leído el fantasma de la ópera así que no tengo idea si todo lo que leí es repetitivo, pero me agradó.
No sé que comentar respecto a Rune, por momentos me agrada y empatizo con ella pero no llegamos a entendernos del todo, nop.
Adore al grupito de amigos y me quedé con más ganas de ellos y de Kat y Roxxie.
No sé que comentar respecto a Rune, por momentos me agrada y empatizo con ella pero no llegamos a entendernos del todo, nop.
Adore al grupito de amigos y me quedé con más ganas de ellos y de Kat y Roxxie.
For People Who Liked: [b:Twilight|41865|Twilight (Twilight, #1)|Stephenie Meyer|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1361039443s/41865.jpg|3212258], [b:City of Bones|256683|City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments, #1)|Cassandra Clare|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1432730315s/256683.jpg|2267189], [b:Dracula|17245|Dracula|Bram Stoker|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1387151694s/17245.jpg|3165724], [b:The Phantom of the Opera|480204|The Phantom of the Opera|Gaston Leroux|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327867727s/480204.jpg|2259720], [b:The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Other Tales of Terror|51497|The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Other Tales of Terror|Robert Louis Stevenson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327927453s/51497.jpg|17441791]
Wow… This author sure is doing… a lot. I wish I could say it’s in a way I enjoy, but it’s not. I first stumbled upon RoseBlood at YALC back in July. I can’t tell you why this book of all upcoming releases promoted at the YA convention was the one I was going to spend months watching out for, but it was. It was the retelling of Phantom of the Opera that got me. I love a good retelling, and gothics only clinch it for me.
I guess the one thing I can say about A.G. Howard is that she knows her shtick. Not that it’s a very good shtick. Just that she knows what she likes and she does it her way. It just so happens that she does it badly. In terms of retellings, there’s nothing remotely original about this story. The way I would define a retelling is taking an old classic and spinning it into a new adventure.
That’s not what Howard’s doing here.
Instead, what we get is a bizarre information dump of every single piece of research the author’s done on Phantom of the Opera (which, according to her website and author’s notes doesn’t actually culminate to a lot). Not only do some of the original characters show up in this story, but so does the book itself. So I have to ask: is it a retelling if the characters are canonically aware of the original text? If the protagonist is obsessed with Phantom of the Opera
As a standalone completely separate from the original text, I would say maybe it’s a little more interesting? That’s being far too generous to the terrible writing though. There are aspects I would say in a far better written story, I’d really like. The story is set in this gothic abandoned opera house in France... There are graveyards… It could’ve been so good…
Instead, what we get is this terribly cringe-worthy narration with one dimensional characters and weird quirks that are just there… to be weird. Every single character gets a painstakingly detailed physical description from the colour of their hair to their clothes. Which isn’t that unusual as far as description goes. But Howard pairs that with their so totally weird hobbies they do in their spare time and… that’s it. That’s her character development, done. It’s as if she’s interpreted modern day gothic literature to be the golden age of emo from 2007. All the characters sound like they shop at Hot Topic and do all the things they do just to be extra. In an opera school, which presumably teaches opera, we get a handful of weird teachers who do weird things in their spare time. This would be really cool, if it meant anything to the plot whatsoever. And guess what?
It doesn’t.
I kept waiting for there to be a big reveal at the end where they all come together to reveal “ha HA! We were in on it all along!” and they pulled together their weird expertise to culminate to something insane.
That’s not what happened.
...and I haven’t even gotten to the main plot. The premise of the story is that Rune is being shipped off to this prestigious opera school outside of Paris, which apparently only accepts American students, because she did something horrible in her hometown. But her big, quirky thing is that she has some sort of musical Tourettes. In that she sings… uncontrollably. ...and apparently this is so severe, it could kill people. Oh, but it’s only ever triggered by opera. So her mother… sends her off to a school, where there is nothing but opera singers? Everywhere? All the time? Seemingly the logic here is so she can learn to control her musical struggles. This would make more sense, if there was a single hint that this school actually bothers to teach any form of music. Instead, all there is is an opera performance, which needs to find its leading lady. You would think in any other variation of this story, the protagonist would be going for that role and fight for it.
Nope.
She avoids it like the plague, even though she’s clearly the best singer there, Again, this would be a nice twist, if Howard bothered to even have this friend of hers show up for longer than one or two scenes. None of these characters matter, and in extension, nothing Rune does matters. She spends an exorbitant amount of time trying to figure out what causes her uncontrollable singing and has zero self-preservation skills. She’s got no agency, and even less of a clue.
Which brings me to the love interest. Thorn (yes, his name is Thorn,) casually stalks Rune her entire life. Now, I get this is taking a page out of Phantom of the Opera itself. Christine Daae grew up with the Angel of Music watching over her, which turns out to be the Phantom, terrorizing her for his own ends. That’s dark and creepy and he gets his just desserts at the end. Cool. He pulls together this convoluted plan to bring her to the Phantom by giving her this bleeding rose. Bleeding. Rose. RoseBlood. See what she did there? This is a motif that shows up again and again and again as if bleeding roses are a thing that actually exist and show up on a regular basis in gothic literature? Do they? I’ve read a pretty fair amount of gothic literature and I don’t… I don’t think that’s a thing.
It’s not a thing.
After a drawn out series of creepy steps to get her to meet him for the first time, Rune shows up and is instantly enamoured with him. ...even though he’s literally stalking her and intruding on her thoughts. Um…?
When is that ever okay?
Not even if you are aIf this were a real, legit vampire story, I want some good, old fashioned consequences to their actions. The thing with vampires is, they know what they’re doing is messed up, as does the author. That’s what makes them so horrifying. They’re predators. This is precisely why vampires shouldn’t be glamorised or romanticised! If there was a single ounce of “my god, they’re drugging the whole club and draining their souls, we should stop them!” I’d be into it.
But this is not. How you write vampires!
One final thing that just puts the nail in the coffin for me (heh) is this subplot (if you can even call it that), which finally comes full circle by the end of the novel. It’s like that weird b-movie trope that if you swap someone’s brain or heart with a serial killer’s you’ll get a Jekyll and Hyde situation. That’s not a scientifically accurate thing… Maybe that’s what Howard was going for, but if she was, throw some supernatural potion in or something to make it a little more believable.
This is a cult classic d-movie in the making if ever there was one. It's the kind of thing little emo 16 year old me and her friends would've read or watched and laughed at hysterically during a sleepover or something. Except there’s not a chance this would ever get filmed by anyone in their right mind. So if you’re interested in reading it, maybe… don’t. And read Dracula, Frankenstein, Jekyll and Hyde instead… Even the original Phantom of the Opera itself. Literally any other gothic classic but this one. And if you want some campy, gothic crack, go watch Rocky Horror. (No, seriously. Watching The Rocky Horror Picture Show would be a far better use of your time, by far.) Hell. You could read the infamous worst Harry Potter fanfiction ever written, My Immortal and have a richer reading experience.
There are so many way better gothic stories out there. Go read or watch them instead.
Wow… This author sure is doing… a lot. I wish I could say it’s in a way I enjoy, but it’s not. I first stumbled upon RoseBlood at YALC back in July. I can’t tell you why this book of all upcoming releases promoted at the YA convention was the one I was going to spend months watching out for, but it was. It was the retelling of Phantom of the Opera that got me. I love a good retelling, and gothics only clinch it for me.
I guess the one thing I can say about A.G. Howard is that she knows her shtick. Not that it’s a very good shtick. Just that she knows what she likes and she does it her way. It just so happens that she does it badly. In terms of retellings, there’s nothing remotely original about this story. The way I would define a retelling is taking an old classic and spinning it into a new adventure.
That’s not what Howard’s doing here.
Instead, what we get is a bizarre information dump of every single piece of research the author’s done on Phantom of the Opera (which, according to her website and author’s notes doesn’t actually culminate to a lot). Not only do some of the original characters show up in this story, but so does the book itself. So I have to ask: is it a retelling if the characters are canonically aware of the original text? If the protagonist is obsessed with Phantom of the Opera
Spoiler
and then happens to find herself ensnared by the phantom himself?As a standalone completely separate from the original text, I would say maybe it’s a little more interesting? That’s being far too generous to the terrible writing though. There are aspects I would say in a far better written story, I’d really like. The story is set in this gothic abandoned opera house in France...
Spoiler
Vampires are (sort of???) involved…Spoiler
Mad scientist things keep happening…Instead, what we get is this terribly cringe-worthy narration with one dimensional characters and weird quirks that are just there… to be weird. Every single character gets a painstakingly detailed physical description from the colour of their hair to their clothes. Which isn’t that unusual as far as description goes. But Howard pairs that with their so totally weird hobbies they do in their spare time and… that’s it. That’s her character development, done. It’s as if she’s interpreted modern day gothic literature to be the golden age of emo from 2007. All the characters sound like they shop at Hot Topic and do all the things they do just to be extra. In an opera school, which presumably teaches opera, we get a handful of weird teachers who do weird things in their spare time
Spoiler
including: mad science experiments, having tea parties with mannequins, taxidermy, and graveyard fanaticismIt doesn’t.
I kept waiting for there to be a big reveal at the end where they all come together to reveal “ha HA! We were in on it all along!” and they pulled together their weird expertise to culminate to something insane.
That’s not what happened.
...and I haven’t even gotten to the main plot. The premise of the story is that Rune is being shipped off to this prestigious opera school outside of Paris, which apparently only accepts American students, because she did something horrible in her hometown. But her big, quirky thing is that she has some sort of musical Tourettes. In that she sings… uncontrollably. ...and apparently this is so severe, it could kill people. Oh, but it’s only ever triggered by opera. So her mother… sends her off to a school, where there is nothing but opera singers? Everywhere? All the time? Seemingly the logic here is so she can learn to control her musical struggles. This would make more sense, if there was a single hint that this school actually bothers to teach any form of music. Instead, all there is is an opera performance, which needs to find its leading lady. You would think in any other variation of this story, the protagonist would be going for that role and fight for it.
Nope.
She avoids it like the plague, even though she’s clearly the best singer there,
Spoiler
and when she gets the part, makes an excuse and gives it to her friend.Which brings me to the love interest. Thorn (yes, his name is Thorn,
Spoiler
because that was the name the Phantom gave him…Spoiler
Except here, Thorn and Rune have this psychic connection they’ve had all their lives, so by the time he physically stalks her and watches her in her bedroom, she’s apparently fine with it?It’s not a thing.
After a drawn out series of creepy steps to get her to meet him for the first time, Rune shows up and is instantly enamoured with him. ...even though he’s literally stalking her and intruding on her thoughts.
Spoiler
She later sneaks out to a rave club to see him again, where he and the Phantom psychologically gang rape the entire club. As in they lure people into the club, sap them of their energies and then drug them to conveniently forget? And apparently because they’ve drugged everyone, it makes it okay? There is far too much talk of “oh, but it’s okay, because they’ve just been drugged.”When is that ever okay?
Not even if you are a
Spoiler
“psychic” vampire is it okay. Not just vampires. Psychic. Vampires.But this is not. How you write vampires!
One final thing that just puts the nail in the coffin for me (heh) is this
Spoiler
mad scientistSpoiler
One of the other totally super weird things that happens in this novel is there are animals in the woods surrounding the opera house that make noises other animals would make. Crows meowing, swans, croaking… it’s a cacophony of weird! It turns out that Thorn’s totally super weird quirk is that he surgically experiments on animals who are hurt. Which apparently involves swapping their vocal cords. Now, I’m not an expert in anatomy, but I’m pretty sure that’s not how vocals work. Especially when it later comes to swapping other people’s vocal cords?This is a cult classic d-movie in the making if ever there was one. It's the kind of thing little emo 16 year old me and her friends would've read or watched and laughed at hysterically during a sleepover or something. Except there’s not a chance this would ever get filmed by anyone in their right mind. So if you’re interested in reading it, maybe… don’t. And read Dracula, Frankenstein, Jekyll and Hyde instead… Even the original Phantom of the Opera itself. Literally any other gothic classic but this one. And if you want some campy, gothic crack, go watch Rocky Horror. (No, seriously. Watching The Rocky Horror Picture Show would be a far better use of your time, by far.) Hell. You could read the infamous worst Harry Potter fanfiction ever written, My Immortal and have a richer reading experience.
There are so many way better gothic stories out there. Go read or watch them instead.
As an true Phan, this was something I had to give a try. While there were times when I thought the description and details slowed the story, I love a good book that has detailed layers to a complex story.
I received this book for free from NetGalley, courtesy of ABRAMS Kids in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. This review was first published at Paging Serenity.
RoseBlood is a modern spin-off of The Phantom of the Opera. The story is centered around Rune, a teenage girl with an extraordinary talent for opera. Rune is uprooted from her Texas home and sent to school in France, more specifically, a school that is housed in an old opera house that has ties to the Phantom of the Opera.
I thought RoseBlood was a pretty good read. It starts off a bit slow and Rune a little getting used to in the beginning, but overall I enjoyed reading her story. That being said, I feel like something is missing from it. It was a well-crafted novel, but there’s just this element that could have made it even better.
I really like the twist to the original story of The Phantom of the Opera. It was a really different and fresh take on an old story that incorporated its history as an explanation. But I felt like the plot was kind of unbalanced. In the beginning, it was a slow build and then things started to get more interesting in the middle of the novel. After that it was a really exciting read, only to end in a tacked on conclusion. The rest of the novel was full of descriptions and focused on Rune discovering things but at the end, the last chapter especially, it was just bam bam bam. It was like, okay no time left, just tell everyone instead of showing them.
The characters themselves were fun to read about. Their psychology and reasons for their actions is quite interesting once you solve the mystery of their backgrounds. The romance was interesting for another reason. You had your typical high school romances and then you had the concept of soul mates. I’m just going to stop there before I spoil anything.
In conclusion, I enjoyed reading RoseBlood. It was a refreshing take on The Phantom of the Opera and well written action with a shroud of mystery. But it was missing a spark that could have made it even better. For the most part I liked Rune and the romance, but felt like the plot was unbalanced and a little let down by the conclusion.
RoseBlood is a modern spin-off of The Phantom of the Opera. The story is centered around Rune, a teenage girl with an extraordinary talent for opera. Rune is uprooted from her Texas home and sent to school in France, more specifically, a school that is housed in an old opera house that has ties to the Phantom of the Opera.
I thought RoseBlood was a pretty good read. It starts off a bit slow and Rune a little getting used to in the beginning, but overall I enjoyed reading her story. That being said, I feel like something is missing from it. It was a well-crafted novel, but there’s just this element that could have made it even better.
I really like the twist to the original story of The Phantom of the Opera. It was a really different and fresh take on an old story that incorporated its history as an explanation. But I felt like the plot was kind of unbalanced. In the beginning, it was a slow build and then things started to get more interesting in the middle of the novel. After that it was a really exciting read, only to end in a tacked on conclusion. The rest of the novel was full of descriptions and focused on Rune discovering things but at the end, the last chapter especially, it was just bam bam bam. It was like, okay no time left, just tell everyone instead of showing them.
The characters themselves were fun to read about. Their psychology and reasons for their actions is quite interesting once you solve the mystery of their backgrounds. The romance was interesting for another reason. You had your typical high school romances and then you had the concept of soul mates. I’m just going to stop there before I spoil anything.
In conclusion, I enjoyed reading RoseBlood. It was a refreshing take on The Phantom of the Opera and well written action with a shroud of mystery. But it was missing a spark that could have made it even better. For the most part I liked Rune and the romance, but felt like the plot was unbalanced and a little let down by the conclusion.
What a book! That's all I'm thinking right now! It was amazing, with rich details and a lot of unexpected twists and turns!
The first 3 chapters was slow, and had too much explaining and backstory in it, but once I began chapter 4 I was hooked!! If you're still reading the beginning and doubt this book, then read at least till you reach chapter 5 or 6 before you make up your mind! The story doesn't fully begin until then in my opinion! But now I that I have read this book, I can't even remember the boring parts in the beginning, it really was that good!
Highly recommend!!!
The first 3 chapters was slow, and had too much explaining and backstory in it, but once I began chapter 4 I was hooked!! If you're still reading the beginning and doubt this book, then read at least till you reach chapter 5 or 6 before you make up your mind! The story doesn't fully begin until then in my opinion! But now I that I have read this book, I can't even remember the boring parts in the beginning, it really was that good!
Highly recommend!!!
Me when I realize this book doesn't come out until 2017...
Read more of my reviews at Cornerfolds.com!
Two things drew me to RoseBlood. First, it's written by A.G. Howard who has literally never disappointed me. I adored her Splintered series and am already in love with the Haunted Hearts Legacy. Second, I am HUGE Phantom fan. I've read the book and its unofficial sequel and I've seen the broadway show and its official sequel. When I saw that one of my favorite authors was writing a retelling of one of my favorite stories, I knew I would have to read it as soon as possible!
The very first thing I realized about RoseBlood was that it wasn't actually a retelling, but more of a modern day continuation of the original story. Of course, the Phantom is still a key figure in this story. If you're asking yourself how that's possible in a modern-day continuation of his story from the 1800s, just trust me when I say it all works out. Apart from Erik, there are two main players - Rune, a gifted singer and RoseBlood's newest student, and Thorn, who regards the Phantom as his father.
Both Rune and Thorn were fantastic characters and this really was their story. On their own, each of them are strong, talented characters with their own tragic pasts to contend with. I loved Rune and found her to be extremely easy to sympathize with, more so as the story went on. I liked that she was independent while still reacting believably to danger, unlike some of the "strong women" that often show up in fantasy. Thorn was an amazing love interest who made Rune's safety his priority while always acknowledging that she was fully capable of taking care of herself. Their romance was entirely swoon-worthy! The unusual, soul-deep connection they shared gave me all the feels and honestly I would love to have seen even more of them together! (Maybe we can get novellas like we did with the Splintered trilogy?)
While the Phantom was a part of this story, he certainly wasn't the center of attention and I feel as if he was less developed than the other characters because of it. I think this was mostly okay though, since Erik is such a well-known character already. We already know his backstory and this just builds on it, often in very unexpected ways. I'll admit the additions to his story threw me off a bit, but I can definitely appreciate the originality. This Erik has a bit more to him than the one you already know.
As always, A.G. Howard has crafted a totally unique and immersive world. I felt like I could perfectly picture the gorgeous, gothic surroundings she painted from the opera house to the Phantom's lair to the chapel and the graveyard. I loved trying to work out exactly what the secret passageways would look like and how they'd work. My absolute favorite was the aviary, which you definitely want to know more about (trust me).
I did have a bit of a hard time getting going with RoseBlood. The story was extremely interesting, but it starts off very slow. A good chunk of the story is just Rune settling into her new school, meeting new friends, and facing off with the resident mean girls. Once things finally picked up after Rune and Thorn met, I couldn't put it down! I loved that I never quite knew what the big picture was and new things were constantly being revealed. While it ended up being much different than what I expected, I really did love it!
My biggest gripe about RoseBlood is that it started so slow. The elements that surprised and confused me were also the bits that made this such a unique continuation of the Phantom's story. If you go into RoseBlood without too many preconceived ideas about what you're going to read, chances are you're going to love it! A.G. Howard has created a gorgeous world with amazing new characters to integrate with the old and the romance is to die for! If you're a fan of retellings or Phantom of the Opera, this is one you definitely shouldn't miss.
Actual rating: 4.5 stars
//I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review//
Read more of my reviews at Cornerfolds.com!
Two things drew me to RoseBlood. First, it's written by A.G. Howard who has literally never disappointed me. I adored her Splintered series and am already in love with the Haunted Hearts Legacy. Second, I am HUGE Phantom fan. I've read the book and its unofficial sequel and I've seen the broadway show and its official sequel. When I saw that one of my favorite authors was writing a retelling of one of my favorite stories, I knew I would have to read it as soon as possible!
The very first thing I realized about RoseBlood was that it wasn't actually a retelling, but more of a modern day continuation of the original story. Of course, the Phantom is still a key figure in this story. If you're asking yourself how that's possible in a modern-day continuation of his story from the 1800s, just trust me when I say it all works out. Apart from Erik, there are two main players - Rune, a gifted singer and RoseBlood's newest student, and Thorn, who regards the Phantom as his father.
Both Rune and Thorn were fantastic characters and this really was their story. On their own, each of them are strong, talented characters with their own tragic pasts to contend with. I loved Rune and found her to be extremely easy to sympathize with, more so as the story went on. I liked that she was independent while still reacting believably to danger, unlike some of the "strong women" that often show up in fantasy. Thorn was an amazing love interest who made Rune's safety his priority while always acknowledging that she was fully capable of taking care of herself. Their romance was entirely swoon-worthy! The unusual, soul-deep connection they shared gave me all the feels and honestly I would love to have seen even more of them together! (Maybe we can get novellas like we did with the Splintered trilogy?)
While the Phantom was a part of this story, he certainly wasn't the center of attention and I feel as if he was less developed than the other characters because of it. I think this was mostly okay though, since Erik is such a well-known character already. We already know his backstory and this just builds on it, often in very unexpected ways. I'll admit the additions to his story threw me off a bit, but I can definitely appreciate the originality. This Erik has a bit more to him than the one you already know.
As always, A.G. Howard has crafted a totally unique and immersive world. I felt like I could perfectly picture the gorgeous, gothic surroundings she painted from the opera house to the Phantom's lair to the chapel and the graveyard. I loved trying to work out exactly what the secret passageways would look like and how they'd work. My absolute favorite was the aviary, which you definitely want to know more about (trust me).
I did have a bit of a hard time getting going with RoseBlood. The story was extremely interesting, but it starts off very slow. A good chunk of the story is just Rune settling into her new school, meeting new friends, and facing off with the resident mean girls. Once things finally picked up after Rune and Thorn met, I couldn't put it down! I loved that I never quite knew what the big picture was and new things were constantly being revealed. While it ended up being much different than what I expected, I really did love it!
My biggest gripe about RoseBlood is that it started so slow. The elements that surprised and confused me were also the bits that made this such a unique continuation of the Phantom's story. If you go into RoseBlood without too many preconceived ideas about what you're going to read, chances are you're going to love it! A.G. Howard has created a gorgeous world with amazing new characters to integrate with the old and the romance is to die for! If you're a fan of retellings or Phantom of the Opera, this is one you definitely shouldn't miss.
Actual rating: 4.5 stars
//I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review//
This book was dumb and yet I read the whole thing. There were parts that I enjoyed and then other parts that made it ridiculous.