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3.16 AVERAGE
3.16 AVERAGE
Hot mess. These two words sum up this novel. There were major gaps in time-line, even after re-reading passages it was not clear as to how or why certain characters appeared (most especially annoying in part three).
The writing was choppy at best, and the love/lust story lackluster and anti-climactic. The ending made me want to chuck the book into the trash.
The story line had potential to be something better, but the writing failed to live up to my expectations.
The writing was choppy at best, and the love/lust story lackluster and anti-climactic. The ending made me want to chuck the book into the trash.
The story line had potential to be something better, but the writing failed to live up to my expectations.
3.5stars
Love how this ties in with the movie. I hope I can find the ending to this book so I can know what happens.
Love how this ties in with the movie. I hope I can find the ending to this book so I can know what happens.
adventurous
dark
sad
fast-paced
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Its wasn't bad, but there is no end to the book. It's just over. I don't know how I feel about that.
A quick, easy read. Kept my interest, although the ending was a bit cheap.
First and foremost I'm really happy to see a book/ movie combo develop in the OPPOSITE direction. This was originally introduced as a screenplay and somewhere along the line people thought it would be cool to have a book-tie in. I'm on board! In fact, Cartwright has written a decent novel to accompany the movie. The two are similar enough to be able to see where the creative process went and different enough where you could see the movie and read more about the setting, background of the characters -- basically get the complete story that movies can't fully present in 1.5 hours. Why only three stars? Well, it's a couple of things:
1) It was insanely confusing for me to follow who was doing the narration. Red Riding Hood isn't from Valerie's perspective or 3 main characters... oh no, it jumps around like a spazmatic monkey who's had too much sugar. I could see where Cartwright was going, but this reader had to focus fully on the book to follow what was going on, who was thinking/ talking, and where the heck I was in the story. Needless to say it was a difficult endeavor in my usually multi=task reading setting.
2) The most common complaint, one that has confused other reviewers and readers has also struck me with it's promotional slip-up. I'm reading the book two-three years AFTER the movie has come out (I don't know when it was printed, but I purchased it new). I've seen the movie, I know the ending SO WHY ARE THEY STILL PRINTING THE OPEN ENDED BOOK? From a cutesy promotional ARC standpoint ooo that sounds fun, but as a printed in time for release and subsequent printings... Not the brightest idea in the whole dang world. Coming from an entertainment background I'm thoroughly aware why the producers left the book open-ended. If the original ending didn't screen well, they usually have a back-up and probably anticipated this. However, it doesn't make sense to leave the book as it is, teasing and directing readers to a website with a "bonus chapter." I can only hope they plan to include this chapter in the next printing of the book.
Despite these two glaring flaws I did enjoy Red Riding Hood. Cartwright is one of those talented authors to describe things as if you could touch or taste them, the words sometimes leaping from the pages. Valerie and the rest of village are exciting and exceedingly more realistic of the time/ vague Scandinavian-esque setting than the movie, which I appreciated. So if you enjoy reinventions of fairytales, a heavy hand of teen romance, mystery, and a splash of suspense I offer Red Riding Hood for the taking. Endure the eye rolling of having to finish the book online and you'll be just fine.
1) It was insanely confusing for me to follow who was doing the narration. Red Riding Hood isn't from Valerie's perspective or 3 main characters... oh no, it jumps around like a spazmatic monkey who's had too much sugar. I could see where Cartwright was going, but this reader had to focus fully on the book to follow what was going on, who was thinking/ talking, and where the heck I was in the story. Needless to say it was a difficult endeavor in my usually multi=task reading setting.
2) The most common complaint, one that has confused other reviewers and readers has also struck me with it's promotional slip-up. I'm reading the book two-three years AFTER the movie has come out (I don't know when it was printed, but I purchased it new). I've seen the movie, I know the ending SO WHY ARE THEY STILL PRINTING THE OPEN ENDED BOOK? From a cutesy promotional ARC standpoint ooo that sounds fun, but as a printed in time for release and subsequent printings... Not the brightest idea in the whole dang world. Coming from an entertainment background I'm thoroughly aware why the producers left the book open-ended. If the original ending didn't screen well, they usually have a back-up and probably anticipated this. However, it doesn't make sense to leave the book as it is, teasing and directing readers to a website with a "bonus chapter." I can only hope they plan to include this chapter in the next printing of the book.
Despite these two glaring flaws I did enjoy Red Riding Hood. Cartwright is one of those talented authors to describe things as if you could touch or taste them, the words sometimes leaping from the pages. Valerie and the rest of village are exciting and exceedingly more realistic of the time/ vague Scandinavian-esque setting than the movie, which I appreciated. So if you enjoy reinventions of fairytales, a heavy hand of teen romance, mystery, and a splash of suspense I offer Red Riding Hood for the taking. Endure the eye rolling of having to finish the book online and you'll be just fine.
I'll start by saying that this book was mediocre all over and flawed in a multitude of ways.
1. Do we really need another retelling of red riding hood?
2. The film was clearly attempting to cash in on the huge following of twilight
3. Sarah Blakely-Cartwright didn't even write this story. She just adapted and fleshed out a screenplay by David Leslie Johnson.
4. The writing was bland and uninspiring as were the characters.
BUT I could have forgiven all of that and enjoyed the book as a light "fluff" read if I hadn't been so incensed by the ending. Or rather the fact that there was no ending.
There is NO justification for selling people a book that ends with a half baked fizzle out followed by "Is this truly the end of Valerie's story? Visit www.redridinghoodbook.com to find out."
Before that I would have considered this book to be about 2 and a half stars but that really isn't, in my opinion, an acceptable way to end a book.
1. Do we really need another retelling of red riding hood?
2. The film was clearly attempting to cash in on the huge following of twilight
3. Sarah Blakely-Cartwright didn't even write this story. She just adapted and fleshed out a screenplay by David Leslie Johnson.
4. The writing was bland and uninspiring as were the characters.
BUT I could have forgiven all of that and enjoyed the book as a light "fluff" read if I hadn't been so incensed by the ending. Or rather the fact that there was no ending.
There is NO justification for selling people a book that ends with a half baked fizzle out followed by "Is this truly the end of Valerie's story? Visit www.redridinghoodbook.com to find out."
Before that I would have considered this book to be about 2 and a half stars but that really isn't, in my opinion, an acceptable way to end a book.
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Valerie is used to the monthly sacrifices the townspeople have to leave out for the Wolf that haunts them. Nobody questions the price they pay for relative peace. But sometimes the price people are expected to pay is too much.
From start to finish this was a hoot - and definitely not to be taken seriously. Overwritten and melodramatic. I can see why the director of Twilight lapped it up!
When Valerie’s sister is killed the whole town seem to lose their heads. The men head out to kill the wolf, and the women are left to throw accusations around.
Before we know it, Valerie doubts everyone she’s ever come into contact with. The Wolf could be her long lost love Peter, who returned just before the trouble started, or it could be Henry, the wealthy man to whom she has been betrothed. Or it could be her grandmother. Or even her mother. You get the gist…
Valerie herself is accused of being a witch and is used by the Wolf hunter as bait. Naturally, there’s a daring rescue that casts further doubt on the identity of the Wolf. By this time I couldn’t have cared who the Wolf was, but at least there was a nod to Grimms’ fairy tales with the suitably dark ending.
From start to finish this was a hoot - and definitely not to be taken seriously. Overwritten and melodramatic. I can see why the director of Twilight lapped it up!
When Valerie’s sister is killed the whole town seem to lose their heads. The men head out to kill the wolf, and the women are left to throw accusations around.
Before we know it, Valerie doubts everyone she’s ever come into contact with. The Wolf could be her long lost love Peter, who returned just before the trouble started, or it could be Henry, the wealthy man to whom she has been betrothed. Or it could be her grandmother. Or even her mother. You get the gist…
Valerie herself is accused of being a witch and is used by the Wolf hunter as bait. Naturally, there’s a daring rescue that casts further doubt on the identity of the Wolf. By this time I couldn’t have cared who the Wolf was, but at least there was a nod to Grimms’ fairy tales with the suitably dark ending.