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slc333's review against another edition
JDG books are always aimed at kids and normally I love them despite being intended for a much younger demographic but this time it fell a little flat for me. I am not sure why. However, I think it will be a major hit with its intended audience.
arian_dragonelf's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.25
fairytale42's review against another edition
2.0
Jessica Day George, I love you, but not this book, sadly. It DOES, however (whatever my opinion), accurately capture a girl and her love of horses. (I should know, my sister is one of those crazy, amazing people.) The story was actually great, but I never got to like Anthea. She seemed to be too prissy and annoying. She also changed her mind A LOT. The sad thing is, though, I can see myself doing the same thing if I were in her shoes. Everything changing, going to a new place where all the rules are different...I could totally be as mad and stubborn as Anthea was. But I wanted Anthea to be better. And then, I like I said, she changed moods a lot. She'd be okay, something new would be revealed, and she would get mad again, until she actually really learned about that thing, and then she'd be okay with it, even happy. (I'm looking at you, Florian.) Also, why, in a world with "magic" (The Way is pretty magical, in a way...*ha ha, pun*) would they have cars and trains?! I'm so thrown by it, and I was given no context. So, I'm just confused. Also, why does that-one-boy-I-won't-mention-cause-spoilers like Anthea? She's a confused, preppy, annoying jerk and he's an angel. Anyway, I won't read the next one.
maidmarianlib's review against another edition
3.0
Love the context and characters, looking forward to what might happen next.
mstaker's review against another edition
4.0
A great start to a new series by Jessica Day George. Anthea, an orphan, has been passed around by relatives for as long as she can remember. One day she learns she is to be passed off again, but this time she will be going to live beyond the wall, to the land of the exiles. Who she meets there and what she learns changes everything she's ever known. An exciting read with a spunky new character and a great supportive cast. You don't have to be a "horse girl" to appreciate the bond between the horses and their riders.
kta's review against another edition
5.0
Sooooooooooo good! Once again Jessica Day George does not disappoint. This book was excellent, and I would whole heartedly recommend it to any horse lover. Actually I would recommend it to any young girl.
lindsayc's review against another edition
4.0
Cute story, and a great intro to fantasy for younger readers. An excellent recommendation for horse lovers who want a little more than the average horse series.
bethmitcham's review
3.0
On the one hand, this book is a perfect horse book -- girl who grew up afraid of horses discovers she has a mystical super-bond with one! Florian is practically a Lackey Companion. But I was was unhappy with some unfairness -- her new family spends chapters not telling her things and then blaming her for not knowing them. This ranges from small details (at her first riding lesson, the instructor doesn't bother to tell her how to control the horse until after her first fall) to the mistake that triggers the exciting events of the climax. And it kept bothering that the whole household blamed her for being raised in miserable foster situations instead of being home with their side of the extended family. I mean, it didn't bother *her* but it bothered me.