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3.15 AVERAGE
3.15 AVERAGE
I was very excited when I learned the author who wrote one of my favorite Alice in Wonderland retellings was taking a stab at the Phantom of the Opera. Phantom is one of my favorite musicals & movies so I was eager to see where the author would go with this story. RoseBlood had a fresh & unique spin on the Phantom story. The story started off a bit slow for me but by the time I hit the halfway point I couldn't wait to see what would happen next. lots of twists & turns in this book. While I did enjoy the story I am still kind of partial to the authors Splintered series.
I received this book in my January Owl Crate box, and I LOVED IT! It is a beautifully, well crafted retelling! A.G. Howard is amazing at creating such a beautiful setting, I actually believed I was in a opera house in Paris at some moments.
I am a big fan of the phantom of the opera, so I am a little biased. This book is a slow burner book, so it takes a little while to get through, but once you do the feeling is amazing! At times toward the end, things felt a little rushed, but that's the only criticism I have. I would defiantly recommend this book!
I am a big fan of the phantom of the opera, so I am a little biased. This book is a slow burner book, so it takes a little while to get through, but once you do the feeling is amazing! At times toward the end, things felt a little rushed, but that's the only criticism I have. I would defiantly recommend this book!
This was such a fun and quick read! Although this book didn't blow me away it did have twist and turns in it that I didn't see coming and I found that I throughly enjoyed this book so much. It's a Phantom of the Opera inspired retelling which The Phantom of the Opera is one of my favorite musicals and books. It was so fun to pick up the threads or the parallels between the Phantom story already known and the story being told in this. I loved all the characters in it, I thought they were very well fleshed out and so interesting. I loved the magical elements of this and how it wove into the story and really developed Thorn and Rune's love. This was a fun book based on one of my favorite books, I loved it quite a bit although it wasn't my favorite and I would highly recommend it if you want a book that is feel good and really fast to read.
So uhh this is a hard pass from me. (DNF after 2 chapters.) I'm really hoping that all that nonsense was bc I was reading an ARC, but I feel like it wasn't. But um, idk, fantasy has to be based in reality?? Like, especially if you're coming at me me with a contemporary fantasy set in the real world with magical qualities?? Is this a world where apparently Stradivarius violins are magically more common or that the French revolution never happened or opera does things that it actually isn't capable of???? Like, sorry, I know you gotta suspend your disbelief in fantasy, but you have to actually get me to believe in the world before you ask me to suspend belief.
I received an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is my 2nd DNF (did not finish) title for 2016, and I really try to limit myself to one/year. No matter how hard I tried, I could not push myself to make it past page 120. I found the writing style to be simultaneously aiming to sound "high" (and failing) while still tossing in phrases that sound colloquial, the plot device (magical need to sing or else go crazy) inconsistent and problematic, and the main character irritating. I can understand why younger teens would be drawn to it, and I liked the Leroux-Phantom retelling aspect, so I'd recommend it to fans of AG Howard's other books, and people who unironically enjoyed Twilight.
a moment to vent nitpickily:
1) Even in hyperbole, I don't think a typical teenager would go to the metaphor "melt diamonds". While it's true everything has a melting point, and diamonds are the most indestructible object, it's not really a logical thought path.
2) No one who lived in France would refer anyone to the "salle de bains" after a long trip, nor would that type of room be in a public area. They would direct someone to the "W.C." or "toilettes".
This is my 2nd DNF (did not finish) title for 2016, and I really try to limit myself to one/year. No matter how hard I tried, I could not push myself to make it past page 120. I found the writing style to be simultaneously aiming to sound "high" (and failing) while still tossing in phrases that sound colloquial, the plot device (magical need to sing or else go crazy) inconsistent and problematic, and the main character irritating. I can understand why younger teens would be drawn to it, and I liked the Leroux-Phantom retelling aspect, so I'd recommend it to fans of AG Howard's other books, and people who unironically enjoyed Twilight.
a moment to vent nitpickily:
1) Even in hyperbole, I don't think a typical teenager would go to the metaphor "melt diamonds". While it's true everything has a melting point, and diamonds are the most indestructible object, it's not really a logical thought path.
2) No one who lived in France would refer anyone to the "salle de bains" after a long trip, nor would that type of room be in a public area. They would direct someone to the "W.C." or "toilettes".
I wanted to like this. I really did. I love Phantom and it's many derivatives but the characterization was weak, the opening writing was confusing and difficult to parse into meaning, and the only chapters worth reading were Thorn's. Round about the point where you get to the Phantom of the Opera, this epic, tragic character being revealed as a psychic vampire?
I gave up. Way to completely mangle one of the classics.
I gave up. Way to completely mangle one of the classics.
Such a beautifully written book! However, I will admit that in the beginning it was a little too slow for me and I was a little bored with it but after the midway point things got better. Thorn was my favorite character and he was such a great love interest! I loved seeing his point of view and learning about his backstory! I'll admit the romance was a little insta love for my liking but I do understand why which I will not spoil.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I am so not disappointed. I needed this book to be perfect, and it was.
Wow. I struggled to finish this. Glad I didn't pay for a copy.