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whatsshwereading's Reviews (740)
What makes Uprooted a remarkably brilliant read is that Novik takes the man vs. nature to a whole, new, unimaginable level.
First off, the description is quite misleading. One would expect to read a new-age beauty and the beast retelling with some candy-fluff sorcery (the sort that appeals to teenagers) happening. What you get instead is so much better and scary. In fact, the book gave me some nightmares.
Secondly, there isn't a thing about this book that I didn't love. Agneiszka makes for an interesting protagonist, blundering and coming into her own much like Harry and Katniss. Then there's Dragon (I suppose my only disappointment is that Dragon is not a real dragon. Just a wizard named Dragon :/), a powerfully competent wizard and a grudging master. Kasia - the warrior. In fact the best thing about the book is how Kasia's character shaped up. Hands down best character development ever! And the Woods - unlike Frost's woods which are lovely, dark, and deep, Novik's are unapologetically caliginous and malevolent. Until the big reveal in the climax and then everything seems justified.
And finally, the language. Novik's prose is the stuff lilting lyrics are made of. The world she builds, fantastic yet imaginable. There's a sense of urgency and the suspense never dies down what with a lot happening in the book. It doesn't let you stop and take a breath.
One of the major complaints people had regarding this book was it was too long and should have been a trilogy. But I didn't think so. I am glad Novik wrote a stand-alone fantasy. Frankly, at this point I don't think I could survive another trilogy.
Fianl word - if you love all things chimerical, read this book!
First off, the description is quite misleading. One would expect to read a new-age beauty and the beast retelling with some candy-fluff sorcery (the sort that appeals to teenagers) happening. What you get instead is so much better and scary. In fact, the book gave me some nightmares.
Secondly, there isn't a thing about this book that I didn't love. Agneiszka makes for an interesting protagonist, blundering and coming into her own much like Harry and Katniss. Then there's Dragon (I suppose my only disappointment is that Dragon is not a real dragon. Just a wizard named Dragon :/), a powerfully competent wizard and a grudging master. Kasia - the warrior. In fact the best thing about the book is how Kasia's character shaped up. Hands down best character development ever! And the Woods - unlike Frost's woods which are lovely, dark, and deep, Novik's are unapologetically caliginous and malevolent. Until the big reveal in the climax and then everything seems justified.
And finally, the language. Novik's prose is the stuff lilting lyrics are made of. The world she builds, fantastic yet imaginable. There's a sense of urgency and the suspense never dies down what with a lot happening in the book. It doesn't let you stop and take a breath.
One of the major complaints people had regarding this book was it was too long and should have been a trilogy. But I didn't think so. I am glad Novik wrote a stand-alone fantasy. Frankly, at this point I don't think I could survive another trilogy.
Fianl word - if you love all things chimerical, read this book!
Tried and tested plot, dumbest serial killer ever, and cheesy narrative - that is crime fiction suicide. But only JK Rowling (writing as Robert Galbraith - c'mon you know this!) could've taken those elements and written a compelling novel. And that's what Career of Evil is - a captivating read (with such an intriguing title)
What I loved the most about the book was that it focused more on the investigation than murders. For once, it was about two not-so-bumbling detectives going about trying to catch the sociopath rather than the said sociopath committing some horrific murders (there are murders, but they are not gruesome) increasing the body count along with some focus on issues such as pedophilia, abuse, and misogyny. And because there's so much to write about, the pace of book is excruciatingly slow. It simply meanders with no sense of urgency whatsoever. Robin is in great danger, but you don't feel time ticking like a bomb. You just wait for the inevitable to happen and when it does its a lot less exciting that it ought have been.
These minor complaints aside, the book was "bloody brilliant". You get to know a lot more about Strike and Robin . And, Robin! After Hermoine Granger, Rowling gives us another kick-ass heroine to root for.
Career of Evil is grisly but not the kind that'll make you want to throw up and sleep with the lights on. The book is a perfect balance between Gillian Flynn dark and Higashino simplicity. It is the most un-JK Rowling like book yet its a hardcore Rowling book in the sense that there's a pattern here - each book gets progressively darker and it will be interesting to see what forms of nastiness and evil the author will immerse us in in her next book.
What I loved the most about the book was that it focused more on the investigation than murders. For once, it was about two not-so-bumbling detectives going about trying to catch the sociopath rather than the said sociopath committing some horrific murders (there are murders, but they are not gruesome) increasing the body count along with some focus on issues such as pedophilia, abuse, and misogyny. And because there's so much to write about, the pace of book is excruciatingly slow. It simply meanders with no sense of urgency whatsoever. Robin is in great danger, but you don't feel time ticking like a bomb. You just wait for the inevitable to happen and when it does its a lot less exciting that it ought have been.
These minor complaints aside, the book was "bloody brilliant". You get to know a lot more about Strike and Robin . And, Robin! After Hermoine Granger, Rowling gives us another kick-ass heroine to root for.
Career of Evil is grisly but not the kind that'll make you want to throw up and sleep with the lights on. The book is a perfect balance between Gillian Flynn dark and Higashino simplicity. It is the most un-JK Rowling like book yet its a hardcore Rowling book in the sense that there's a pattern here - each book gets progressively darker and it will be interesting to see what forms of nastiness and evil the author will immerse us in in her next book.
