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Book review: Year One by Nora Roberts
Title: Year One
Author: Nora Roberts
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Piatkus
Publication date: 5th December 2017
My rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Summary:
“They call it The Doom – a deadly pandemic that starts on a cold New Year’s Eve in the Scottish countryside. There’s something mysterious about the virus and the way it spreads. As billions fall sick and die, some survivors find themselves invested with strange, unexpected abilities.
Lana, a New York chef, has the power to move things and people with her will. Fred can summon light in the darkness. Jonah, a paramedic, sees snatches of the future in those he touches. Katie gives birth to twins, and suspects that she has brought fresh magic into the world, along with new life.
But The Doom affects people differently. Along with the light, a dark and terrifying magic will also rise. As the remaining authorities round up the immune and the ‘Uncannies’ for testing, Lana, Katie and others flee New York in search of a safe haven. The old world is over, and Year One has begun.“
My review:
Year One had been sitting on my shelf for a while and I finally decided to read it in March to try and distract myself from the surreal situation the world was suddenly thrown in. Unfortunately I had completely forgotten the premise of the book and didn’t recall that it revolves around a deadly pandemic until I was into the first chapter.
Luckily the writing style and atmosphere created in the first few chapters were enough to hold my attention and I realised that despite the stark similarities to the current situation in the world, I needed to know more about The Doom. This mysterious disease sweeps across the world with extraordinary speed and a few months into the New Year the world is in a dreamlike state where half the population has been wiped out and countries are run by tenth in line leaders. The knowledge that the pandemic we are experiencing in real life has lower repercussions and is not as deadly was slightly reassuring and actually made me feel safer so perhaps it wasn’t the worst idea to read this book during lockdown.
My struggles with Year One became apparent at the midpoint where too many characters are introduced and it becomes difficult to focus on each one. This diminished any possibility of character development although there were many opportunities. I struggled to remember the relationships and connections between the characters and none of them stood out. However, there was an ongoing sense of community and generosity as the group attempted to rebuild their life in a secluded area and decide on new laws to abide by.
In terms of the fantasy element, the author did an excellent job of incorporating this into the new post-pandemic reality. At first I enjoyed the mysterious nature of the characters’ powers, known as the Uncanny, but I was hoping that more details would be revealed on how and why they are gifted with these powers. Unfortunately even by the end it still wasn’t clear why some characters have these skills and others don’t and how they work exactly. This provides the perfect opportunity to a sequel but I would have preferred a deeper insight into the Uncanny as it seemed overlooked.
Nora Roberts dips into the Fantasy genre with confidence and I truly enjoyed reading a new and different style of books to her usual. Although certain aspects such as the characters and fantasy element could have been addressed better, Year One paves way to a solid start in the series and poses important questions related to the true meaning of humanity and solidarity. Many will enjoy reading this book and I can highly recommend it to anyone considering exploring the genre.
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Book review: Circe by Madeline Miller
Title: Circe
Author: Madeline Miller
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date: 19th April 2018
My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Summary:
“In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe has neither the look nor the voice of divinity, and is scorned and rejected by her kin. Increasingly isolated, she turns to mortals for companionship, leading her to discover a power forbidden to the gods: witchcraft.
When love drives Circe to cast a dark spell, wrathful Zeus banishes her to the remote island of Aiaia. There she learns to harness her occult craft, drawing strength from nature. But she will not always be alone; many are destined to pass through Circe’s place of exile, entwining their fates with hers. The messenger god, Hermes. The craftsman, Daedalus. A ship bearing a golden fleece. And wily Odysseus, on his epic voyage home.
There is danger for a solitary woman in this world, and Circe’s independence draws the wrath of men and gods alike. To protect what she holds dear, Circe must decide whether she belongs with the deities she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love.
Breathing life into the ancient world, Madeline Miller weaves an intoxicating tale of gods and heroes, magic and monsters, survival and transformation. “My review:
There are no words to truly describe just how wonderful this book is but I will try to pull my thoughts together and explain why this book is so special to me.
Putting aside the Greek mythology aspect, this story is an accurate reflection of the struggles that many of us face even today in the 21st century. I was pleasantly surprised that the author decided to focus on Circe’s attitude towards her family which runs parallel to the disputes with family members we face in our every day life and the need to often justify our actions or even break free from the negative surroundings, just like Circe is forced to do when she is exiled to a deserted island. Right from the first chapter I began to connect with Circe and supported her in her attempt to escape from the abuse she was subject to at home. Despite the battles she faces and the struggles to live in isolation, her desire to strive for the best for her son’s future with few complaints does not go unnoticed and is a reflection and celebration of many independent women’s lives today.
I must admit that I was not too keen on the fantasy or mythology element before I started the book but the storytelling factor is so effortless that it plays little significance to the greatness of this story. If Greek mythology is not your preferred choice of reading, don’t be discouraged after reading the blurb because the author does a brilliant job of introducing all the main characters and linking them to each other so the story is easy to follow without any necessary background knowledge. In fact, I firmly believe that the storytelling is the main reason for the success of this book; the language, eloquent sentences and retelling of all the adventures from Circe’s point of view are the key elements of the magical universe that the author has created, one which I almost didn’t want to leave after finishing the book.
Perhaps my review doesn’t do this book justice and you aren’t yet convinced on Circe. However, I want to assure those of you who have heard about this book and decided to pass on it, whether it’s due to the mythology or the genre, that we can all find an important message linked to our daily lives if we search hard enough. Although the initial story is a retelling of a Greek mythology, the deep-rooted prejudices and thoughts are what make this story so special and simply for this reason, I believe that Circe should be high up on everyone’s list of books to be read.
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Book review: List of 13 by E.A. Comiskey
Title: List of 13
Author: E.A. Comiskey
Genre: Fiction/Fantasy
Publisher: Nuff Said Publishing
Publication date: 16th December 2018
My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Summary:
If Jim C. Hines wrote about Gilmore Girls taking a journey through the underworld, it might be a little something like A LIST OF 13.
Death sucks, but there’s good beer in Purgatory.
Alice and her adult daughter, Claire, created a “bucket list” of thirteen experiences they would seek out before Alice died from cancer. They never expected to die in a plane crash attempting to cross off number three. Now, mother and daughter are stuck in the underworld, unable to move on to their ultimate destiny until they finish the list, but finding an Irish Pub near the Fields of Asphodel, or swimming naked in the ocean while being pursued by bloodthirsty Aztecs and a smitten Egyptian god is as hard as it sounds. When everything they ever thought they knew is challenged, will faith be enough to carry them through?
A LIST OF 13 moves between the time after Alice’s death and the time before, allowing the reader to explore the way her relationships evolve and intertwine throughout her life and beyond.My review:
This was a light and fun book which I read in only a few sittings. I enjoyed following Claire and Alice on their adventures in the Underworld as they completed their list of 13 experiences they would like to pursue. Both characters were likable and unique despite their differences. Their relationship, although often strained, really developed in marvellous ways and I was happy to see that they managed to put aside their differences and past mistakes in order to focus and conquer the challenges they faced in the Underworld. Rory’s involvement was also gratifying, especially during the difficult stages in the Underworld where he supported his wife and daughter from afar.
The small details linked to each part of the Underworld made for a very vivid and striking setting. The mythological elements of the book were well integrated into the story line and the plot developed with a steady pace and without too much focus on the mythology but rather a greater emphasis on Claire and Alice’s journey. However, the story jumped a lot between the past and present and it was sometimes difficult to follow the time jumps and points of view. Despite this small shortcoming, the execution of the writing and character development was still excellent.
Overall, this book offers something for everyone, whether you love the thrill of an adventure, prefer to delve into the challenges of a mother-daughter relationship or even enjoy a mix of fantasy and mythology.
List of 13 is soon to be published on 16th December!
Many thanks to the author, E.A. Comiskey, for providing a free advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.
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Book review: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Title: The Night Circus
Author: Erin Morgenstern
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Vintage
Publication date: 15th September 2011
My rating: ★★★★☆
Synopsis:
The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. The black sign, painted in white letters that hangs upon the gates, reads:
Opens at Nightfall
Closes at Dawn
As the sun disappears beyond the horizon, all over the tents small lights begin to flicker, as though the entirety of the circus is covered in particularly bright fireflies. When the tents are all aglow, sparkling against the night sky, the sign appears.
Le Cirque des Rêves
The Circus of Dreams.
Now the circus is open.
Now you may enter.My Review:
This book is so different from any other that I have recently read that I have struggled to identify my feelings towards it until now. It is one of those books that you reflect on even weeks after reading and as much as I want to love it, there are several exasperatingly slow-moving parts that leave a lot to be desired. Note that this is not a cannot-put-down type of book but rather one to be enjoyed at a leisurely pace.
Written with beautiful imagery and eloquent descriptions, the reader is immediately drawn into the magic of Le Cirque des Rêves where anything and everything is possible. We are introduced to magicians Prospero and Mr. A. H. who appoint their young apprentices with the intention of ending their long rivalry. A particularly frustrating aspect of the “contest” is that there appear to be no rules and no boundaries. As much as I enjoyed the magic tricks, unfortunately it is not until the end of the book where the circumstances of the battle are revealed.
Other important details to mention are the time lapses and change in character POVs which I feel do not allow for character development and can sometimes provoke confusion in case the reader is not paying close attention to the dates or keeping track of the constant round of newly introduced characters. Looking back, it is difficult to pinpoint a main character and I couldn’t invest in any of the interactions, particularly the sometimes forced dialogue between the apprentices Celia and Marco.
By far the best thing about this book is the setting. The circus is enchanting and the scenery so rich and full of life that the lack of substance and solidity in the plot is almost completely erased. I was mesmerised by the descriptions of each room in the circus and the imagery that is so superbly portrayed throughout the book. The atmosphere is dream-like and enchanting and the aesthetic extremely alluring – this in itself is enough to merit a four-star review. I highly recommend this book to any dreamers, romantics and fantasy lovers.
