Curtas: O romance está no ar!

Ora bem, aqui vão mais algumas mini-opiniões. Muitos blogues (o Este meu Cantinho, o Bookeater/Booklover e o Cuidado com o Dálmata) chamam a este formato "Curtas" em vez de "mini-reviews" e depois de alguma consideração decidi adoptar também esta designação, que me parece mais adequada e chamativa. Espero que as donas destes blogues não se importem! :)

Esta edição das "Curtas" foca-se em alguns romances históricos que li mas sobre os quais não tenho muito a dizer.

What I did for a Duke
Autor: Julie Anne Long

Série: Pennyroyal Green, #5

Editor: Avon - 2011

Páginas: 371

Mini-Review: Um romance histórico passado no período da Regência Inglesa (1811-1820). Foi uma leitura rápida e envolvente, que não me surpreendeu minimamente pois tem todos os ingredientes típicos deste tipo de livros: uma heroína, um herói e um romance. O desenvolvimento das personagens é incipiente e o desenvolvimento do romance é previsível, mas achei que os protagonistas tinham química, o que para mim, é fundamental neste tipo de livro.

Uma boa leitura para relaxar, para quem gosta do género.

Wicked Intentions

Autor: Elizabeth Hoyt

Série: Maiden Lane, #1

Editor: Grand Central Publishing - 2010

Páginas: 382

Mini-Review: A maioria dos romances históricos passam-se durante a Regência ou durante a época Victoriana (1837-1901). Esta autora vai mais longe e situa os seus romances no século XVIII. Isto pode não parecer significativo, mas na verdade requer muito mais pesquisa, uma vez que a época Georgina é mais rica em termos de mudanças sociais. Neste livro Hoyt explora diversos temas desde a doutrina Puritana até às instituições de caridade da época, passando pelas condições de vida das classes mais baixas (algo que raramente se vê neste género de obras, que se focam na aristocracia inglesa).

Achei que a autora tentou desenvolver demasiadas linhas de acção (o enredo romântico, o passado dos protagonistas, os problemas da irmã da heroína e assassinatos misteriosos) o que fez com que, por vezes, o foco do livro se tornasse pouco claro. 

Ainda assim, foi uma leitura intrigante pelas descrições da época e pelos temas abordados, apesar de o romance me ter parecido um pouco brando e irrealista. O facto da autora ter investido noutras linhas de acção, enriqueceu o livro. Interessante.

Peripécias do Coração

Autor: Julia Quinn

Série: Bridgertons, #2

Editor: Asa - 2012

Páginas: 384

Mini-Review: Julia Quinn foi uma das primeiras autoras que li dentro deste género e terá sempre um lugar especial nas minhas estantes. Apesar de ter encontrado autoras de que gosto bastante, Quinn é... Quinn.

Este é o segundo livro da série Bridgerton e foi publicado recentemente em Portugal (de notar que li a versão inglesa).

Como sempre, gostei. Quinn tem um humor espectacular e as lutas e debates acesos das personagens principais são sempre um prazer de ler. 

Em Peripécias do Coração temos um visconde decidido a não casar por amor e uma jovem cheia de génio. Quando os dois colidem, saltam faíscas e não é só de atracção.

Em suma, não posso deixar de recomendar estes livros a quem gosta de romance histórico. Quinn é realmente uma espécie de Jane Austen moderna!

Opinião: Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, vol. 3 (Naoko Takeuchi)

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Vol. 3 by Naoko Takeuchi
Editora: Kodansha Comics (2012)
Formato: Capa mole | 248 páginas
Géneros: Fantasia, Romance, Manga

Descrição (GR): "Tuxedo Mask gone bad?! As more of her closest allies fall under the power of the evil Queen Beryl, Usagi comes closer to discovering the truth behind her past. The stage is set for an all-out battle for the fate of Earth between the Sailor Guardians and the forces of evil. But when the dust settles, a little girl calling herself “Usagi” falls from the sky and right into the arms of Mamoru. What is her connection to Sailor Moon and why does she want the Legendary Silver Crystal?"

Quem cresceu na década de 90 (ou mesmo mais tarde, com as repetições dos desenhos animados no canal Panda) não terá, certamente, deixado de ouvir falar das Navegantes da Lua. Esta série de 200 episódios conta a história de cinco guerreiras mágicas que protegem a Terra de ameaças exteriores, nomeadamente extraterrestres malignos que querem conquistar o planeta (e são certamente a inspiração de séries como as Winx e outras que tais).

Navegantes da Lua (fonte: The Oracle)

Estas guerreiras são originárias da Lua, onde há muito tempo atrás (relativamente aos anos 90 do século XX) existiu um reino chamado Milénio Prateado. Este reino era governado por uma rainha, a Rainha Serenidade, que tinha uma filha, a Princesa Serenidade. Os habitantes da Lua eram quase imortais e possuíam grandes poderes (a Rainha Serenidade foi provavelmente venerada na Terra como a deusa da lua, Selena), mas o seu Reino foi destruído por forças obscuras. A princesa Serenidade e as suas companheiras renasceram como raparigas humanas na Terra.

Esta é a história base de uma das séries animadas mais populares entre as crianças na década de 90. Quem não conhecia as navegantes da lua, o Luna, a Artemisa e o Mascarado?

Rainha Beryl (fonte: The Oracle)

O que muita gente provavelmente desconhece é que esta série é de origem japonesa (anime) e é baseada numa banda desenhada (manga) com o mesmo título, da autoria de Naoko Takeuchi.

Uma vez que As Navegantes da Lua eram um dos meus desenhos animados favoritos quando era mais nova, fiquei muito interessada quando soube que o manga ia ser re-editado nos EUA, com uma nova tradução e um novo visual. Tenho vindo a coleccionar estas novas versões e li recentemente o terceiro volume.

É delicioso ver as diferenças entre o anime e o manga. No manga as coisas acontecem mais depressa e não se arrastam como acontece com o anime. As Navegantes têm diversas armas ao seu dispor, que incluem mais do que apenas os seus poderes místicos. Neste volume a Navegante de Vénus utiliza uma espada sagrada para derrotar a Rainha Beryl, coisa que não acontece no anime. O Mascarado, pelo contrário, tem poderes místicos para complementar as suas armas (o que, novamente, não acontece no anime).

A espada da Navegante de Vénus

Foi um volume bastante interessante; é neste livro que se dá o clímax da primeira série ou história e as Navegantes derrotam finalmente a Rainha Beryl e o terrível monstro Metalia.

A segunda parte do volume contém os primeiros capítulos de uma nova história que os fans do anime não deixarão de reconhecer: aparece a misteriosa Chibi-usa e os poderosos habitantes da Lua Negra.

Achei que as vinhetas pareciam um bocado confusas e com demasiada informação nesta segunda metade do livro, mas de resto gostei. A história é interessante (embora não seja exactamente uma surpresa), as personagens são cativantes e fortes (bons modelos femininos) e a arte é bastante boa para um título shoujo.

Resumindo, uma boa adição à série. Agora é só ler o resto e esperar pelo remake do anime, previsto para 2013.

View all my reviews

Waiting on Wednesday (13)

Costuma sair um livro todos os anos no Verão, mas este ano a publicação do novo dos Dresden Files foi adiada alguns meses. Depois da leitura explosiva que foi Ghost Story, estou bastante curiosa em relação a esta nova entrega da série que, 14 livros depois, ainda continua a ser uma boa leitura! 

Cold Days (Dresden Files, #14) - Jim Butcher
Editora: Penguin Group USA
Data de Publicação: 27 de Novembro 2012
Páginas: 528
Idioma: Inglês

Descrição (GR): "After being murdered by a mystery assailant, navigating his way through the realm between life and death, and being brought back to the mortal world, Harry realizes that maybe death wasn’t all that bad. Because he is no longer Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard.

He is now Harry Dresden, Winter Knight to Mab, the Queen of Air and Darkness. After Harry had no choice but to swear his fealty, Mab wasn’t about to let something as petty as death steal away the prize she had sought for so long. And now, her word is his command, no matter what she wants him to do, no matter where she wants him to go, and no matter who she wants him to kill. 

Guess which Mab wants first?

Of course, it won’t be an ordinary, everyday assassination. Mab wants her newest minion to pull off the impossible: kill an immortal. No problem there, right? And to make matters worse, there exists a growing threat to an unfathomable source of magic that could land Harry in the sort of trouble that will make death look like a holiday. 

Beset by enemies new and old, Harry must gather his friends and allies, prevent the annihilation of countless innocents, and find a way out of his eternal subservience before his newfound powers claim the only thing he has left to call his own…

His soul."

E vocês? De que livros é que estão à espera? (What books are you anxiously waiting for?)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine.

Aquisições da Semana (21)

Esta semana recebi o sétimo volume da manga Sailor Moon. Na capa está a Haruka, uma das minhas personagens preferidas. :)

Sailor Moon, volume 7 - Naoko Takeuchi 

Baseado na rubrica In my Mailbox.

Review: Stormdancer (Jay Kristoff)

Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff

Publisher: Tor UK (2012)

Format: Hardcover | 352 pages

Genre(s): Fantasy, Steampunk, Young Adult

Description (GR): "A DYING LAND 

The Shima Imperium verges on the brink of environmental collapse; an island nation once rich in tradition and myth, now decimated by clockwork industrialization and the machine-worshipers of the Lotus Guild. The skies are red as blood, the land is choked with toxic pollution, and the great spirit animals that once roamed its wilds have departed forever. 

AN IMPOSSIBLE QUEST

The hunters of Shima’s imperial court are charged by their Shōgun to capture a thunder tiger—a legendary creature, half-eagle, half-tiger. But any fool knows the beasts have been extinct for more than a century, and the price of failing the Shōgun is death.

A SIXTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL

Yukiko is a child of the Fox clan, possessed of a talent that if discovered, would see her executed by the Lotus Guild. Accompanying her father on the Shōgun’s hunt, she finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in Shima’s last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled thunder tiger for company. Even though she can hear his thoughts, even though she saved his life, all she knows for certain is he’d rather see her dead than help her. 

But together, the pair will form an indomitable friendship, and rise to challenge the might of an empire."

WARNING: Contains SPOILERS!

I liked the overall concept and most of the world building, but some things just didn't work for me. I even made a list, which I will present later, but first, some context.

I've read a few reviews that mentioned the fact that Stormdancer gets a lot of things wrong when it comes to Japanese culture, myth and even language. I admit that while I do like anime and manga and have read a few books set in Japan, I don't know enough about their culture (especially historically) to judge if most things described in this book are right or not. But even so I've noticed some things that bothered me (or at least I think I did. I might be wrong, it may be all a matter of perception).

1. Setting - so Stormdancer takes place in an alternate version of Japan called "Shima". The author could have gotten away with the frequent incorrections if this "fantasy" land wasn't so obviously Japan. You have Daimios (feudal lords), Japanese supernatural creatures, Japanese deities, the same creation myth, the same society structure and hierarchy and even the same language. Shima is Japan which makes all the factual errors this book might or not contain very bad.

The ones I detected (very easy to spot, really) were the erroneous use of "sama" (any anime addict knows this is a suffix, it can't be used by itself) the use of the word "aiya" (which I've heard in Taiwanese dramas, I think, but never in Japanese dramas) and the bow Yukiko was always doing (with the fist in the palm) that seemed right out of "Mulan" (and Mulan, as we all know is Chinese).

2. Cultural Values - here's the part that bothered me. While this alternate Japan seems to have most of the values of Feudal Japan samurais that follow the Code of Bushido, rigid social hierarchy, rigid social rituals, respect for honor and servitude, these same values are considered... well, bad. The main character thinks they are the reason why people are oppressed and boasts the qualities of "revolution" and "rebellion" which are typically more western ways of thought.

The heroine despises her own culture, as seen when she is invited by the Shogun's sister to tea and says she doesn't have time for such silliness and all the rituals. This disregard for the culture the author is trying to portray bothered me.

3. Characters - to me they were another weak point of the book. They were two-dimensional and lacked development. They seemed to be there to further the plot more than anything else. For example, Hideo the minister was complacent, but why was he complacent we never know. He was complacent simply to be an obstacle to our heroine. The Guild people and the Shogun were simply evil without explanation. They were evil so that the heroine could fight them. The rebels were rebels so they could "open the heroine's eyes". Even Yukiko had little substance.

I had a hard time connecting to any of the characters.

4. Romance - two of my "pet peeves" made an appearance: insta-love (well, insta-lust, but still... the love interest was pretty hollow, no personality whatsoever) and a love triangle. The author didn't handle the romance part well at all. I'd have preferred no romance at all. Enough said.

5. Writing Style - too verbose, which made the reading difficult. Some things were just overly described and it served no purpose.

So why the three stars? For the potential. The world building is interesting and the story could be good if it was more layered and deep. As it was, the "message" (industrialization is bad, yadda, yadda, we're literally paying for it with our blood, etc) was about as subtle as a freight train. This book could have been great, but I think a little more research and character development were needed before it was 'released'. The concept is pretty good and the whole "steampunk" part of the story was well-constructed and imaginative; I wasn't too fond of the rest, though.

A disappointing read, mainly because I had such high expectations.

View all my reviews

Versatile Blogger

Olha, ganhei um selo!

A Jen (Cuidado com o Dálmata) e a p7 (Bookeater/Booklover) acham que eu sou uma "Blogger versátil", eheh. Eu também acho que vocês são versáteis, meninas. Obrigada! :)

Regras:

• Postar o selo e dizer quem me presenteou;
• Dizer 7 coisas sobre mim;
• Presentear 15 blogs com o mesmo.

Ora bem, sete coisas sobre mim? Têm mesmo que ser sete? Bem, here goes nothing. xD

1. Sou provavelmente a única mulher no mundo que não é versada na nobre arte do multi-tasking (este talento só aparece quando estou sob pressão, eh);

2. Nomeei quase todos os meus animais de estimação tendo em conta referências ao Japão (Mistye - como a personagem do Pokemon; Kitty - da Hello Kitty; Toshi - de Toshiba... I kid you not);

3. Sou fan de anime e do Star Trek;

4. Quase três quartos da minha casa estão cobertos por livros (mais ou menos);

5. Sou um desastre na cozinha (mas faço bem doces);

6. Não gosto particularmente de música;

7. Tenho pelo menos 532 tiques nervosos.

Ora bem, agora passando às próximas vítimas (só cinco que sou boazinha). Alors...

1. Este meu Cantinho

2. Floresta de Livros

3. Labirinto dos Livros 

4. As Leituras do Corvo

5. Estante de Livros

Discussão: Nunca me Esqueças (Lesley Pearse)

Apesar da primeira leitura conjunta não ter sido um sucesso (não gostámos muito do livro), eu e a Whitelady (Este meu Cantinho) insistimos com uma segunda edição; desta vez escolhemos o livro Nunca me Esqueças de Lesley Pearse. Cliquem aqui para verem as nossas conclusões sobre o livro. 

Detalhes da edição lida:

Título Original: "Remember Me"

Autor: Lesley Pearse

Série: N/A

Editora: Asa

Data de Publicação: Novembro 2008

Encadernação: Capa Mole

N.º de Páginas: 432

Idioma: Português

Géneros: Ficção Histórica, Romance

Aquisições da Semana (20)

Nesta vigésima edição do "Aquisições da Semana" apresento-vos um dos livros mais esperados (por mim, claro) este ano: Stormdancer de Jay Kristoff. Quer dizer, steampunk japonês e criaturas mitológicas, tudo no mesmo livro? Contem comigo! :)

Stormdancer - Jay Kristoff

Embers & Echoes - Karsten Knight

Baseado na rubrica In my Mailbox.

Opinião: Long Lankin (Lindsey Barraclough)

Long Lankin by Lindsey Barraclough

Editora: Corgi Children's (2012)

Formato: Capa mole | 464 páginas

Géneros: Lit. Juvenil, Mistério, Terror, Fantasia Urbana

Descrição (GR): "In an exquisitely chilling debut novel, four children unravel the mystery of a family curse - and a ghostly creature known in folklore as Long Lankin. 

When Cora and her younger sister, Mimi, are sent to stay with their elderly aunt in the isolated village of Byers Guerdon, they receive a less-than-warm welcome. Auntie Ida is eccentric and rigid, and the girls are desperate to go back to London. But what they don't know is that their aunt's life was devastated the last time two young sisters were at Guerdon Hall, and she is determined to protect her nieces from an evil that has lain hidden for years. Along with Roger and Peter, two village boys, Cora must uncover the horrifying truth that has held Bryers Guerdon in its dark grip for centuries - before it's too late for little Mimi. Riveting and intensely atmospheric, this stunning debut will hold readers in its spell long after the last page is turned."

AVISO: Alguns SPOILERS.

Geralmente não costumo escrever opiniões em português de livros que não estão publicados por cá, mas Long Lankin foi uma leitura tão surpreendente que decidi que valia a pena dar a conhecer este livro aos leitores que gostam deste género.

Quando comecei esta leitura não esperava muito da obra. Este livro é geralmente classificado como "juvenil" (ou YA - jovem adulto) pelo que depreendi que se tratava de mais uma obra na veia de Sangue Ruim. Com fantasmas e casas assombradas e uma heroína metida no meio de um imbróglio sobrenatural. Provavelmente com um romance adolescente lá pelo meio.

Devia ter lido melhor a sinopse.

Primeiro, Long Lankin não se passa na actualidade, mas sim nos finais dos anos 50, em Inglaterra. A autora pinta um retrato assustadoramente real da vida numa pequena aldeia pouco mais de dez anos após a Segunda Guerra. Não há qualquer tentativa de sanitizar a realidade: Barraclough descreve a situação de miséria em que tantos ingleses se encontravam; as diferenças entre classes e entre o campo e a cidade; a dor sentida pelas famílias ao perderem os seus filhos. Os protagonistas desta história - um grupo de crianças de idade indeterminada - comem mal (por vezes comem mesmo pão bolorento), brincam em abrigos contra bombas e têm muitas vezes de se desenvencilhar sozinhos. São crianças muito auto-suficientes, com preocupações diferentes das actuais.

Tudo isto nos é descrito em pormenor pela autora, nas primeiras 200 páginas. Este é outro aspecto a reter em relação a este livro: o ritmo é lento, quase demasiado lento a princípio. Barraclough leva o seu tempo a descrever os locais de interesse na aldeia onde se passa a trama, a vida quotidiana das pessoas, os passatempos das crianças protagonistas, entre outras coisas. A parte sobrenatural do enredo vai-se insinuando lentamente em conversas e suspeitas vagas, mas nada de significativo acontece durante quase metade do livro.

Este ritmo e esta demora em chegar ao ponto central da história tornaram a leitura aborrecida. Mas quando Cora (a heroína) e Roger (o herói) começam a investigar a lenda de Long Lankin, o livro torna-se tão interessante (apesar de igualmente descritivo) que é quase impossível largá-lo. Queremos sempre saber mais.

Long Lankin é, de certo modo, a personagem central deste livro. Trata-se de um espírito maléfico baseado numa personagem de uma balada inglesa ('Long Lamkin'), que é também várias vezes apresentada ao longo do livro (na sua versão de 1968, cantada por Martin Carthy). Os nossos heróis vão ter vários encontros com esta personagem e terão de tentar descobrir as suas origens.

No geral, gostei deste livro. Custou-me um bocado entrar na leitura porque muito pouco acontece de início, mas assim que o Long Lankin aparece, o livro torna-se mais interessante. Algumas partes são perturbadoras, quer devido ao realismo que influi por esta obra quer devido à mestria da autora em criar uma personagem maléfica e repulsiva. Apesar do seu começo lento, Long Lankin é um livro que fica connosco muito depois de terminarmos a leitura. 

Penso no entanto que dificilmente agradará aos leitores de YA mais tradicional não só pelo nível de exposição, mas também porque as personagens são mais realistas e consequentemente mais 'infantis' do que é normal dentro do género. A inexistência de um romance poderá também desencorajar alguns leitores.

Here is my "review" of this book in English. 

Review: Imaginary Girls (Nova Ren Suma)

Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile (2011)
Format: Hardcover | 348 pages
Genre(s): Urban Fantasy, Young Adult

Description (GR): "Chloe's older sister, Ruby, is the girl everyone looks to and longs for, who can't be captured or caged. When a night with Ruby's friends goes horribly wrong and Chloe discovers the dead body of her classmate London Hayes left floating in the reservoir, Chloe is sent away from town and away from Ruby.

But Ruby will do anything to get her sister back, and when Chloe returns to town two years later, deadly surprises await. As Chloe flirts with the truth that Ruby has hidden deeply away, the fragile line between life and death is redrawn by the complex bonds of sisterhood.

With palpable drama and delicious craft, Nova Ren Suma bursts onto the YA scene with the story that everyone will be talking about."

This book is beautiful. And it's ugly, sometimes, even. And it's definitely weird.

I was in a reading slump. I didn't feel like reading anything at all and that is a very scary feeling for a book lover as all book lovers know. I started reading Imaginary Girls in this mindset, and at first I wasn't interested. Not much really.

But then the pace of the book picked up and I wanted to know more and more and I just had to read. And I also had to stop because I wanted this book to last, if that makes sense.

Ruby and Chloe are sisters. They might as well be orphans because they have different fathers and their mother loves her bottles more than she loves them. But it's all right, because Ruby takes care of Chloe. Ruby can get anything she wants, from anyone.

And so Ruby raises Chloe and tells her stories about the town that was there before their town but was destroyed by water when New York City decided to make a reservoir. And that the townsfolk didn't leave and now live in the underwater city.

One day an accident happens. Chloe is swimming and she finds a dead girl. She is sent to live with her father but after two years, Ruby wants her back. And Ruby always gets what she wants.

Imaginary Girls was... well, I can't even say. I really liked it because it is just so... strange (but good strange). There's a main character who isn't the main character, there is love that is more obsession than love but in the end it is love and the emotions portrayed in this novel turn everything around and make us doubt our assumptions about the characters.

I can't even describe this book properly. It has that ethereal quality of otherness that so many paranormal books try to achieve but can't. It is truly compelling and beautiful, not because of the writing being poetic or anything. It's just the story, the overall subtleness of the plot and of the characters that make it so. And Chloe's unique and flawed perspective is what makes this book so magical.

Imaginary Girls is the story of two sisters that had a hard time growing up. It's about love so strong it ends up destroying instead of nurturing. The characters were spellbinding and interesting. The story was haunting and the paranormal elements were subtle and so well placed you never really know if there is something supernatural.

The plot is well constructed and keeps you guessing. But what really makes this book shine are the characters. They seem so real and at the same time so... other, so different. I must say I didn't much care for Chloe's "love interest", though.

Overall, a great read. It is a mysterious book that will keep you reading just to find out what is real and what is not. Recommended.

View all my reviews

Aquisições da Semana (19)

Esta semana foi bastante boa, em termos de livros. Recebi a sequela de "Fury", uma livro de que gostei bastante.

What I did for a Duke - Julie Anne Long 

The Queen of Attolia - Megan Whalen Turner

The Thief - Megan Whalen Turner 

The Iron Knight - Julie Kagawa 

Long Lankin - Lindsey Barraclough 

Cold Kiss - Amy Garvey

Envy - Elizabeth Miles 

Baseado na rubrica In my Mailbox.

Waiting on Wednesday (12)

Esta semana voltamos aos livros YA. Este é de uma autora bem conhecida no género do romance paranormal, que, como tantas outras, decidiu lançar um livro direccionado para o público "young adult". "Poison Princess" é o primeiro livro de uma nova série pós-apocalíptica, e parece-me bastante interessante (se bem que confesso ter algum medo que acabe por resvalar para os clichés habituais do romance instantâneo e o foco na relação adolescente).

Poison Princess - Kresley Cole
Editora: Simon & Schuster
Data de Publicação: 2 de Outubro 2012
Páginas: 384
Idioma: Inglês

Descrição (GR): "Sixteen year old Evangeline “Evie” Greene leads a charmed life, until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future—and they’re still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.

But she can’t do either alone.

With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can’t totally depend on Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?

Who can Evie trust?

As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of twenty-two teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it’s not always clear who is on which side…" 

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine.

Review: The Lost Prince (Julie Kagawa)

The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa
Publisher: Harlequin Teen (2012)
Format: E-book / ARC | 379 pages
Genre(s): Urban Fantasy, Young Adult

Description (GR): "Don't look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.That is Ethan Chase's unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he'd dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister's world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myth and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten."

WARNING: SPOILERS for the Iron Fey series

The Lost Prince is book 1 of a new series set in the world of the Iron Fey.

Ethan Chase could always see Them. The Good Neighbors, The Gentry, more commonly known as faeries. He considers it a horrible curse, one that destroyed his family and threatens anyone and anything he loves. So he keeps people away with his attitude. That way, he's the only one that gets hurt by Them.

When Ethan transfers to yet another school, everything changes. He meets MacKenzie, a persistent girl that isn't intimidated by his bad-boy facade. And Todd, who is half-human and half-faerie. Todd wants Ethan's help... because something terrible is chasing him. Ethan doesn't want anything to do with faeries of any kind, but when unknown ghostly faeries start following him, he realizes he is already too involved in whatever is happening. And that he will have to finally confront his past and his nightmares.

Ethan Chase's first appearance was in The Iron Fey series. He was a little boy then, a boy who could see faeries. He was kidnapped by the strange and deadly Iron Fey and taken to the NeverNever so that his sister, Meghan would rescue him.

In The Lost Prince 13 years have passed and Ethan is now seventeen. He has been haunted and hunted by mischievous fey all his life, because when They know you can see them, that's what happens. Plus, his older sister, Meghan is now one of Them, a queen of Faerie and she stopped visiting. His family watches him like a hawk, afraid they'll lose him like they lost Meghan. So no, everything did not end fine. Meghan's sacrifice didn't ensure a great life for those left behind.

I found it very interesting that the author decided to write a book about Ethan. Generally is it implicit by the end of a book, or series, that "all is well" or at least as well as could be expected. At the end of The Iron Queen, Meghan Chase left the real world to rule the Iron Kingdom and save the whole of NeverNever from annihilation. But that had a price and not only for her. That's what it's shown to us in the The Lost Prince. Ethan wasn't automatically fine. He was traumatized by the whole thing and grew up to be a lonely, paranoid (young) man. Because faeries still pursue him, try to trick him and play pranks on him.

Ethan was an interesting character for the reasons mentioned above. He was rude and contrary, one of those male characters one would usually be 'booing' at for being an ass to the heroine. Knowing his motives made it a bit easier to forgive his "jackassery", as he calls it (although he was still an idiot). But at least he was consistent with his bad attitude, meaning he didn't send mixed signals to his love interest (yes, there is one).

I also liked the fact that he could defend himself. The introduction of Kali, the martial art, was intriguing (I'd never heard of it before). I loved how Ethan was scared but also prepared and didn't run into everything blindly (as happens frequently in YA books). It emphasized the fact that he is in fact, only human and his enemies are deadly and supernatural. I always liked heroes that fight against all odds.

The plot is pretty much structured in a similar way to the other books of the Iron Fey series. The hero encounters weird faeries; the hero ends up in the NeverNever with Grimalkin (yes, there is Grimalkin!!) as his guide; Leanansidhe makes an appearance. Puck makes an appearance. Ash and Meghan too (again, yay).

Still, even if the plot was mostly predictable (Keirran's identity was clear as water from the first moment he 'appeared'), the engaging writing style and the charismatic characters made me want to continue reading almost compulsively. The imagery and descriptions are beautiful and "cinematic" as always and who can resist the talking cat and the famous Puck?

Kenzie was sweet, but lacked development almost until the end. I hope we see more of her, but I must admit she didn't add much to the story (maybe she will, in the future) and that it would have been as good without her. Keirran was also interesting, but as several characters remarked in the book, his love story was too similar to that of Meghan and Ash.

Another thing I thought could have been different: the POV. Somehow, I think a narrative in third person would have worked better in this book. Not that Ethan was a terrible narrator (he wasn't even girlish, which is great and something that could happen easily, since the author is female), but I felt it would have been a bit more intense in third person, because there are perspectives that I thought ought to have been taken into consideration as well (Keirran's for example, he was a very important character).

Overall, The Lost Prince was a nice, entertaining read that will certainly appeal to fans of the Iron Fey series (or even just faeries). I'd have liked a bit more originality plot wise, but I was still surprised once or twice and I am looking forward for more on the Forgotten. Who are they? And who is their mysterious queen? Will they have strange powers other faeries don't have? Will we recognize them from ancient legends? I can't wait for the next book!

I received a digital copy of The Lost Prince from Harlequin Teen through Netgalley. Thank you.

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Aquisições da Semana (18)

Mais alguns livrinhos para as estantes. Esta semana recebi finalmente o "Angelfall" da Susan Ee. Estou com expectativas elevadas em relação a este livro!

Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy 

Angelfall - Susan Ee 

False Memory - Dan Krokos 

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