Scan barcode
raes's review
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
betharanova's review
5.0
I was immediately drawn to this book because the cover offered me something I am always hungry for: fairy tale style stories that are full of monsters. This book was both everything I expected from it and a complete surprise.
It is about monsters. It is deeply about monsters: what makes them, how they change, who they are. What they want. Why some people give in to them. Its descriptions and magic system (for lack of a better term; this was not fantasy-book spellery) were definitely the stuff of dark fairy tales, but different enough to stand out. Monsters were more essence than image; magic was a deeper connection to the world, almost something spiritual.
But the reason I blazed through this book in three evenings was the characters. Alys is a strong protagonist who stole my heart and ran through the whole story with it. And the supporting characters tried the same trick. They feel real. I especially enjoyed that the author wasn't afraid for characters to change, and that Alys could be wrong in her first impressions of them. Everyone was complicated, and no one who was developed stuck to a single role.
I have only two complaints. First, the romance felt a little pushed upon me when I would have rather stumbled on it naturally. Second, though the conclusion was great, the way we arrived at it was different than I expected. Time and reflection will tell whether I'm actually disappointed about it.
Overall, I enjoyed the heck out of this and can't wait to see what this author does next!
It is about monsters. It is deeply about monsters: what makes them, how they change, who they are. What they want. Why some people give in to them. Its descriptions and magic system (for lack of a better term; this was not fantasy-book spellery) were definitely the stuff of dark fairy tales, but different enough to stand out. Monsters were more essence than image; magic was a deeper connection to the world, almost something spiritual.
But the reason I blazed through this book in three evenings was the characters. Alys is a strong protagonist who stole my heart and ran through the whole story with it. And the supporting characters tried the same trick. They feel real. I especially enjoyed that the author wasn't afraid for characters to change, and that Alys could be wrong in her first impressions of them. Everyone was complicated, and no one who was developed stuck to a single role.
I have only two complaints. First, the romance felt a little pushed upon me when I would have rather stumbled on it naturally. Second, though the conclusion was great, the way we arrived at it was different than I expected. Time and reflection will tell whether I'm actually disappointed about it.
Overall, I enjoyed the heck out of this and can't wait to see what this author does next!
lunaballz's review against another edition
2.0
In THE BEAST IS AN ANIMAL, soul eaters devour the souls of all the adults in a village before disappearing, and young Alys feels a connection to the soul eaters and must discover why
What intrigued me: The vague title and beautiful cover
Wasted Potential
This book had great potential but it just didn't quite reach far enough, and I see from other reviews that I'm not the only one who thought this. It had a great fairy tail setting, original monsters, and a great plot. It just…never went anywhere with the plot. The whole time I read I felt like I was waiting for something to happen, and then when there was some excitement, the plot never progressed.
Blank Characters
I didn't feel much for Alys. She felt empty of personality, a doll used to explain the plot. She rarely acted on her own, but rather because other people or events forced her hand and just kind of…existed. The only personality I felt like was ever really shown from her was her fear of becoming a soul eater. None of the other characters had much personality either, only small glimpses of it are ever shown.
Overall: Do I Recommend?
I wouldn't recommend against it, but no I don't think I would recommend it. While the writing flows nicely and is pleasant to read, THE BEAST IS AN ANIMAL has a lackluster ending combined with bland characters and an interesting storyline that just fails to deliver
What intrigued me: The vague title and beautiful cover
Wasted Potential
This book had great potential but it just didn't quite reach far enough, and I see from other reviews that I'm not the only one who thought this. It had a great fairy tail setting, original monsters, and a great plot. It just…never went anywhere with the plot. The whole time I read I felt like I was waiting for something to happen, and then when there was some excitement, the plot never progressed.
Blank Characters
I didn't feel much for Alys. She felt empty of personality, a doll used to explain the plot. She rarely acted on her own, but rather because other people or events forced her hand and just kind of…existed. The only personality I felt like was ever really shown from her was her fear of becoming a soul eater. None of the other characters had much personality either, only small glimpses of it are ever shown.
Overall: Do I Recommend?
I wouldn't recommend against it, but no I don't think I would recommend it. While the writing flows nicely and is pleasant to read, THE BEAST IS AN ANIMAL has a lackluster ending combined with bland characters and an interesting storyline that just fails to deliver
luciearan's review against another edition
4.0
I když jsem očekávala naprosto jiný příběh, nakonec jsem byla skutečně mile překvapená.
V každém případě bych však knihu spíš než jako horor viděla víc do dark fantasy.
To ale nic nemění na tom, že příběh je čtivý, odsýpá a jediné, co bych asi vytkla je prazvláštní pokus o romantickou linku na konci. Tak jako tak se jedná o zajímavý a ne zrovna řadový počin.
V každém případě bych však knihu spíš než jako horor viděla víc do dark fantasy.
To ale nic nemění na tom, že příběh je čtivý, odsýpá a jediné, co bych asi vytkla je prazvláštní pokus o romantickou linku na konci. Tak jako tak se jedná o zajímavý a ne zrovna řadový počin.
sturmykins's review
3.0
Wasn't bad, but wasn't great. I kept waiting for it to get more interesting.
makaylareads's review
Had to DNF this one, unfortunately. The plot of the story seemed interesting, but the writing style just wasn't for me. I have other books to get to, so I'm not going to waste any more time with this one since it's not as appealing as I had hoped.