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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
A seriously fun read, and quite different from the other Wells material I've read to date. Really liking the diversity of subjects (and characters) Wells comes up with.
I liked this story, but there was something about the writing that rubbed me the wrong way. Too complicated? Played down all the action? Not quite sure...
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I adored this book and ate it in one sitting. Emilie is the sort of resourceful protagonist that you wish you had as a friend. She gets scared when it's appropriate, then pulls herself together and does what needs doing anyway.
In addition to that, Martha Wells has created a wonderful secondary world with strong steampunk elements that should appeal to anyone who likes adventure fantasy. This is a swashbuckling tale that would sit nicely alongside Jules Verne, but with all the boring bits cut out. It's so refreshing to see characters making intelligent choices in difficult situations.
Buy this book.
In addition to that, Martha Wells has created a wonderful secondary world with strong steampunk elements that should appeal to anyone who likes adventure fantasy. This is a swashbuckling tale that would sit nicely alongside Jules Verne, but with all the boring bits cut out. It's so refreshing to see characters making intelligent choices in difficult situations.
Buy this book.
As far as hollow world stories go, this one was really lame. Not a single dinosaur in sight, but we get airships and a plucky girl hero. Made me want to reread Pellucidar by Edgar Rice Burroughs though.
This review and others can be found on Cozy Up With A Good Read
I was really surprised when this book arrived, it seemed so small for such an adventurous story, but what Martha Wells was able to fit into 287 pages was full of intrigue and I had so much fun reading this book. The cover is what first drew me in to the story, it's so colourful and different from many books out there, it really stands out on a bookshelf. And honestly, the story stands out as well (in my opinion), Martha Wells really engages her readers in The Hollow World.
This book was an adventure of a lifetime for me, I fell in love with Emilie very early on in the story. She is an adorable character in a crappy family situation, so she decides to run away and do something for herself. One little issue for me was that you don't really get to know Emilie and her situation until a little while into the book, she doesn't want to look bad so tries to keep it a secret why she has left. I wanted a little more from Emilie's past, but for this story it really worked. Her character is absolutely adorable, first I will talk about how she is an avid reader of adventure novels, this continually comes up in the book when things start happening. Everytime Emilie dealt with something new she would go back to thinking about things in the books she had read, this also helps her at times when she is in danger (I wonder if I can use some of the tactics I've read about in a dangerous situation...)
Another great aspect of this book was the steampunkiness of it. There was a great amount of explanation about how the contraptions run and the world was definitely interesting, though I was hoping for a little more explanation to it and the creatures from there. I think that some of the secondary characters needed a little bit more of a background, and that this story was just a little to short to get everything in. But I do think I overlooked that for such an action packed story. Right from the beginning Emilie is thrown into a war between two Lord's and from there we are just brought into more battle, I really loved everything that happened because there were so many twists that I did not see coming.
I did feel like a little more could have been added to the book to explain a few more things, but this action filled book was so much fun that you get taken with the world and everything that is happening. I also really liked that there wasn't a romance featured in this book, it was all about the characters. I do hope that Martha plans to write a sequel, I would love to see more of these characters!
I was really surprised when this book arrived, it seemed so small for such an adventurous story, but what Martha Wells was able to fit into 287 pages was full of intrigue and I had so much fun reading this book. The cover is what first drew me in to the story, it's so colourful and different from many books out there, it really stands out on a bookshelf. And honestly, the story stands out as well (in my opinion), Martha Wells really engages her readers in The Hollow World.
This book was an adventure of a lifetime for me, I fell in love with Emilie very early on in the story. She is an adorable character in a crappy family situation, so she decides to run away and do something for herself. One little issue for me was that you don't really get to know Emilie and her situation until a little while into the book, she doesn't want to look bad so tries to keep it a secret why she has left. I wanted a little more from Emilie's past, but for this story it really worked. Her character is absolutely adorable, first I will talk about how she is an avid reader of adventure novels, this continually comes up in the book when things start happening. Everytime Emilie dealt with something new she would go back to thinking about things in the books she had read, this also helps her at times when she is in danger (I wonder if I can use some of the tactics I've read about in a dangerous situation...)
Another great aspect of this book was the steampunkiness of it. There was a great amount of explanation about how the contraptions run and the world was definitely interesting, though I was hoping for a little more explanation to it and the creatures from there. I think that some of the secondary characters needed a little bit more of a background, and that this story was just a little to short to get everything in. But I do think I overlooked that for such an action packed story. Right from the beginning Emilie is thrown into a war between two Lord's and from there we are just brought into more battle, I really loved everything that happened because there were so many twists that I did not see coming.
I did feel like a little more could have been added to the book to explain a few more things, but this action filled book was so much fun that you get taken with the world and everything that is happening. I also really liked that there wasn't a romance featured in this book, it was all about the characters. I do hope that Martha plans to write a sequel, I would love to see more of these characters!
Emilie has run away from home - or at least from her aunt and uncle. Emilie’s mother had run away and become an actress - then married and had 3 boys and 1 girl. Emilie’s older brother had run away to join the navy against the relatives’ wishes. Their uncle had been planning on him joining his business. Her 2 younger brothers had fallen in line with the idea. Emilie was curious about things and wanted to explore and find things out. But her aunt was convinced that she was just wayward and would only get in trouble (translated as “become a prostitute”). She wished to go to her cousin and help her with her school, but aunt & uncle decided this was a ruse to marry the elderly father of the friend with whom she would be traveling. So she ran away. She planned to stow away on the ship to take her to the port where her cousin lived. Instead she ended up on a ship that was sailing to the center of the earth. But things weren’t going right in that ship. There were problems and their rescue efforts were hindered. But at least Emilie was getting her taste of adventure.
Rather a fun read.
Rather a fun read.
Emilie and the Hollow World starts straight into the action, with Emilie trying to sneak aboard a ship, being accused of pirating, and saving a man's life in a fight. And after that dramatic, action-packed start, the book doesn't really slow down. The ship Emilie ends up sneaking on takes off for a journey to the center of the world -- or, more specifically, to the world that exists at the center of our world.
Emilie is smart, curious and adventurous. She asks the question you as a reader want answered and noses her way into situations where she really has no business. She's really fun to follow along, and she's just one of an interesting cast of characters, including many non-human inhabitants of the Hollow World. You end up caring quite a bit about the characters and rooting for them, which is always a mark of a good book.
Speaking of the Hollow World -- so cool. The descriptions of the people/creatures Emilie meets there are wonderful and creepy and spot on. The book gives us a vague understanding of how it exists, but it's also a book where magic is very real, so it's not too specific or realistic -- just enough to satisfy your desire for details and to give a sense of mystery and magic to the whole story.
I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway, so it maybe wasn't one I'd normally pick up. But I ended up liking it a whole lot, so I'm glad I won it! It was a little bit younger than I would typically read, which sometimes ruins the enjoyment of a story, but I thought this one was charming and fun.
Emilie is smart, curious and adventurous. She asks the question you as a reader want answered and noses her way into situations where she really has no business. She's really fun to follow along, and she's just one of an interesting cast of characters, including many non-human inhabitants of the Hollow World. You end up caring quite a bit about the characters and rooting for them, which is always a mark of a good book.
Speaking of the Hollow World -- so cool. The descriptions of the people/creatures Emilie meets there are wonderful and creepy and spot on. The book gives us a vague understanding of how it exists, but it's also a book where magic is very real, so it's not too specific or realistic -- just enough to satisfy your desire for details and to give a sense of mystery and magic to the whole story.
I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway, so it maybe wasn't one I'd normally pick up. But I ended up liking it a whole lot, so I'm glad I won it! It was a little bit younger than I would typically read, which sometimes ruins the enjoyment of a story, but I thought this one was charming and fun.
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes