Review: Such Wicked Intent by Kenneth Oppel

NOTE: This book is a sequel to This Dark Endeavor. Therefore, it will contain spoilers for the first book in the series. You’ve been warned!

Summary:  When does obsession become madness? Tragedy has forced sixteen-year-old Victor Frankenstein to swear off alchemy forever. He burns the Dark Library. He vows he will never dabble in the dark sciences again—just as he vows he will no longer covet Elizabeth, his brother’s betrothed.

If only these things were not so tempting.

When he and Elizabeth discover a portal into the spirit world, they cannot resist. Together with Victor’s twin, Konrad, and their friend Henry, the four venture into a place of infinite possibilities where power and passion reign. But as they search for the knowledge to raise the dead, they unknowingly unlock a darkness from which they may never return.

(Source: Goodreads)

Review: I don’t always read horror fiction, but when I do, it’s based on classic novels and written by Kenneth Oppel.

Will Victor Frankenstein ever learn? Well, we already know the answer to that question is “no,” so it’s a credit to Oppel’s storytelling skills that we still find his adventures as a young man so compelling. After Victor discovers that one of his ancestors found a way to visit “the other side,” Victor starts plotting a way to bring his dead twin back to life.

As usual…things don’t go according to plan. General weirdness ensures, like finding clues in a painting Arnolfini Wedding-style, strange undead butterflies, making mudpeople, and discovering an ancient tomb right under the Frankenstein Chateau. Sometimes I would wonder “Where is Oppel going with this?” but the last half of  the book comes together with the kind of horrifying twists that literally made me go, “Oh no!”

As in the previous books, Victor’s not an especially likeable main character, yet there is still some altruism in him. What “romance” there is still ties directly into the creepy, unsettling tone of the book. It did annoy me that all the young men pursued Elizabeth, but that’s just the way things go.

Victor’s jealousy and selfishness in particular were frustrating to read about, but they’re necessary. There is a line spoken by Elizabeth where she declares that she never quite knows which forces motivate Victor’s actions. This is an integral part of Victor’s character that is so important to who he will later become. Speaking of which, overall this novel seemed to have more in common with Shelley’s original novel. Victor’s frequent use of the phrase “the creature” certainly brings back memories of the way he will regard his eventual monstrous creation.

In short: Oppel doesn’t disappoint in his second super-creepy installment about the world of young Victor Frankenstein.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Cover & Title: The title works, but I kept waiting for a character to say it in the book. Not a fan of the “photo shoot” cover picture, but I will say Victor’s black armband to mourn his brother is a good touch.

Where I got the book: Shelves of the local library.

Review: Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Summary: Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty’s anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.

Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen’s Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.

(Summary Source: Goodreads)

Review:  It’s hard to find a book that balances good world-building, well-developed characters, and  an interesting plot. Seraphina is one of them.

To start off, it’s not much of a spoiler to talk about Seraphina’s “secret,” which is revealed to the reader fairly quickly. She is half-dragon, which leaves her with a number of abilities and traits that she struggles to conceal, considering that her society considers the idea of dragon-human hybrids an abomination. In this universe, dragons have the ability to take on human form, and even after years of peace and interaction with dragons, the humans are still very wary of them.

Seraphina tries to keep a low profile in her job managing the court musicians, but the prince’s mysterious death draws her into a web of intrigue as she helps Captain Lucian Kiggs investigate the murder. What makes Seraphina stand out is that it’s not a typical swords-and-dragons high fantasy book. It’s a good old court intrigue drama in a setting that feels vaguely like 16th-17th century Western Europe. All of the many characters (don’t worry – there is a glossary in the back) are fascinating, from the goofy musicians to the royal family to  a group of exiled knights. Seraphina’s agony over acceptance and her dual heritage also rings very true.

In particular, Hartman creates a really interesting mentality and culture for the dragons. To make a Star Trek comparison, their logical, brilliant minds and rejection of emotions reminded me of Vulcans. Besides Seraphina, my favorite character in the novel definitely has to be her Spock-like dragon uncle, Orma. Early on, my brain decided to picture Benedict Cumberbatch portraying him, and that stuck with me the whole book. Weird and unintentionally funny as he is, he’s Seraphina’s only friend and confidant and therefore plays a very important role in her life.

Two final things I loved about Seraphina? It’s clearly the first of a series, yet the first book wraps things up enough that I was reasonably satisfied while still wanting to know what happened next. Finally a first book that is not just setup for the rest of the series. Sweet relief!

Second, there is romance, and it is appropriately agonizing, yet Hartman avoids the hair-pulling-in-frustration pitfalls common to so many other young adult series. The characters are flawed humans* yet they are also smart humans who do not do stupid contrived things to stretch out the plot.

Final note: This is the kind of YA book that adults would also very much enjoy. On that note, I will add that some of the content (references, though. Nothing too racy.) does mean that the target age for this book is older teens.

In short: Seraphina is a unique, excellently-crafted novel that is sure to entertain anyone looking for something a little different than your average dragon book.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.

Something similar: I’m not going to bring up Paolini’s work because I still haven’t gotten over how disappointing the last book was. Honestly, if you were anything like me in middle school, you’ve probably already read a ton of those dragon-centered fantasy books. At times Seraphina did remind me of Robin McKinley’s Pegasus. However, Seraphina is much more interesting in my opinion (though I still do love Robin McKinley).

Cover & Title: The name “Seraphina” means “fiery.” And the wood-cut-engraving-style cover couldn’t be more perfect. (However, I did just realize that the smudgy red ink/blood is actually part of the cover, and not from some previous library patron carelessly staining the cover of the copy I checked out. Wow.)

Where I got the book: Shelves of the local library.

*humans, dragons, human-dragon hybrids. To bring up Trek again, “Everybody’s human.”

Can you tell I’m behind on reviews? Two in one day, and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey review coming soon (hopefully).

Review: Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

Summary: Will Scarlet is on the run from her past. That’s why she disguises herself as a boy and wound up becoming a part of Robin of Locksley’s little band of outlaws. Scarlet’s guilt and inner sense of justice leads her to help keep the local villagers alive under the brutal rule of the sheriff of Nottingham, even if she does have to steal and fight to do it. As the stakes rise and the ruthless Guy of Gisbourne gets involved, blood will be spilled and loyalty will be tested.

Review: What can I say? I’m a sucker for all things Robin Hood. And Will Scarlet reimagined as a girl? Count me in.

This novel felt unique in a number of ways. It clipped along at a fast past that went hand-in-hand with Scarlet’s no-nonsense tone of voice, and though it does built to somewhat of a climax, the format felt more cyclical than linear. It’s like a chess game where the Nottingham authorities and the forest outlaws take turns trading blows and setting traps. The pace felt pretty breathless, with the heroes unable to go five minutes without getting into some sort of scrape.

As for the “heroes” themselves, I have mixed feelings about them. There’s a larger cast of villagers, but the novel focuses pretty narrowly on the small band of outlaws: Robin, Scarlet, John Little, and Much (although he sometimes feels a bit like the “Ringo” of the group and gets the short end of the stick in terms of characterization). All four have altruistic motives, but their past experiences have left them pretty damaged and tortured (this is medieval England so that means physically as well as emotionally). This means the relationships they form to each other aren’t always the healthiest, which is realistic but also becomes frustrating to the reader when they fight with and yell at each other frequently.

Scarlet’s a really fascinating narrator. In many ways, she reminded me of Eponine from Les Miserables in that she’s very tough and stubbornly self-reliant to a fault, yet incredibly vulnerable as well. (In fact, her voice sounded exactly like Frances Ruffelle‘s in my head. Or it would if Scarlet didn’t have to pass as a convincing boy for the bulk of the novel). She was definitely a heroine I could root for, but her low self -worth, tendency to run off and sulk, and inability to go five minutes without fighting with one of the boys were starting to drive me nuts by the end of the book. I appreciated her ferocity in combat, but I thought her ability to endure pain bordered on superhuman.

As for the boys: Robin is likeable enough and a good leader, though haunted by his time fighting in King Richard’s Crusade. He seems to understand Scarlet better than anyone, but she thinks she doesn’t deserve him. John is quite a womanizer, yet has started to pursue Scarlet. Unfortunately, this is the making for a love triangle that inspired a bit of hair-pulling on my part. I didn’t doubt for an instant that I knew how it would all turn out; however, the interactions of the three got repetitious without really going anywhere. It’s enough to make the reader almost want Scarlet to end up with sweet little Much.  In addition, though the novel makes a point about how badly women were treated in this time and place, it bothered me to see these attitudes surface to a small extent in the behavior of both John and Robin towards Scarlet, which was a turn-off.

In spite of all this, I really did enjoy Scarlet. It was hard to put down, and the characters and scenarios felt familiar yet original at the same time. Showing just a “slice of life” in the outlaws’ experiences, the book doesn’t so much end as just stop, so I would definitely be up for a sequel.

In short: Though the character relationships are slightly problematic at times, Scarlet is still an exciting read that anyone who is a fan of Robin Hood will want to try.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Something similar: My all-time favorite Robin Hood book is still Robin McKinley’s Outlaws of Sherwood. It has a much slower, more leisurely pace than Scarlet, with a slightly neurotic Robin who isn’t even all that great of an archer. It still has a lot of tension and it’s loaded with subtly, dry humor that I appreciate anew everytime I re-read it. For another book about a clever thief who is also an unreliable narrator, try Megan Whalen Turner’s The Thief, which is set in a sort of fantasy version of Greece.

Cover & Title: I can’t think of a better title, and the cover is gorgeous. The artist captured Scarlet’s “moonstone” eyes and the scar on her cheek, even if she looks far too pretty to pass for a boy.

Where I got the book: Shelves of the local library.

Review: Glamorous Illusions by Lisa T. Bergren

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
-Proverbs 4:23

Summary: In 1913, Montana farmgirl Cora Diehl returns home from a year of school in time for two shocking events: first, her Papa is suffering from a stroke, and second, her Papa isn’t really her biological father at all. When her mother was a maid in the house of copper king and politician Wallace Kensington, the two had a liaison that resulted in Cora’s birth. Now, in exchange for his help with her Papa’s medical issues and failing farm, Kensington wants Cora to be an acknowledged part of his family. Shipped off on a Grand Tour of Europe with a pack catty half-siblings and their friends, trunks full of gorgeous dresses, and a handsome young tour guide, Cora is about to enter a brave new world.

Review: If you’re a fan of Downton Abbey* like me, then the mention of any book, show, or movie set between 1912-1920 makes your period-drama-loving heart begin to palpitate. Since I also loved the author’s addictive River of Time series, this book was a must-read.

So how does Glamorous Illusions hold up? Well, it’s a mixed bag. With her sensitive yet headstrong nature, Cora is a bit like Margaret from North and South, but other than that, she didn’t really break out of the standard heroine mold. In addition, while I applaud that Bergren’s books always have an underlying theme about trusting in God, there were many times I wanted to skim Cora’s too-frequent inner monologues in which she pondered her life and future. It’s perfectly clear that her world had been overturned, and I didn’t need to read endless musings on it.

The identity of her love interest is also perfectly clear as soon as he shows up. Will and his uncle are the “bears” for the trip, which basically means they give rich young people tours of Europe for a living. Will is the sort of handsome, polite, agreeable young man we all would love to date but can never seem to find in real life. To keep his job and hold to his convictions, it’s important for Will to be the “responsible one” of the group, but many times he did seem a bit of a wet blanket. Still, I did enjoy his scenes with Cora (there is a particularly lovely one where they both attend a Paris church service), and look forward to more of them in future books.

“Future books” is part of the problem, however. The whole book feels like set-up. Beside Will, the rest of Cora’s party still felt rather one-note at the end of the book. There are several subplots that are hinted at but do not come to fruition. I felt the beginning of the book was rather slow (at the halfway point, I believe the group was just making the crossing to England) and what dramatic action does occur is not until the very end of the book. I have high hopes for the rest of the series, which I plan to finish, but the first book did feel rather run-of-the-mill on the whole.

In short: While it’s an enjoyable read that promises payoff in the upcoming sequels, Glamorous Illusions is just average on its own.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

Something similar: Fateful by Claudia Grey is a book about the Titanic and werewolves. While it’s a fun read and gives insight into the time period, it does lack the moral backbone of Glamorous Illusions. The Grand Tour by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer is the sequel to the exquisite Sorcery and Cecelia. In the early 19th century, cousins Kate and Cecelia write diary entries about their Grand Tour of Europe with their respective husbands and the magical mishaps that ensue.

Cover & Title: The cover is absolutely gorgeous. Quite possibly my favorite of the year. From the font to the artwork, I adore it.

Where I got the book: Shelves of the local library.

*If any of you happened to read through the comments on my post about North and South, you may have noticed way back then I was a bit down on Downton Abbey. For the sake of clarification, I had only seen one episode at that point and was left a bit cold. I’ve since watched the entire series to date, and would highly recommend it!

Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Summary: In the distant future, sixteen-year-old Cinder is a mechanic in the city of New Beijing. Like Cinderella of the old tales, she’s got a pretty nasty stepmother, but that’s not the worst of her problems. She’s also a cyborg in a society that deems anyone with robotic parts less than human. With no friends but one of her stepsisters and a sassy android, she’s surprised when No. 1 bachelor Prince Kai takes an interest in her after she agrees to take on a repair job for him. However, Cinder knows that he would hate her if he found out about her artificial limbs, and besides, with a deadly disease ravaging the city and a moon queen threatening war, both prince and cyborg have got bigger things to worry about.

Review: When I read the sample chapter months ago, I was enthralled with the concept of Cinder. I’m a sucker for retellings of Cinderella, and one that took place in futuristic China seemed too good to pass up. I really, really wanted to love this book, but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations in a number of places that I’ll touch upon.

First of all, I have to say that I really did love the main character. Here we have a snarky, tech-savvy chick who is just as tough as her metal parts. She reminded me of a futuristic Rosie the Riveter, and I loved her for it.

I wish I could have loved her prince just as much. Kai is apparently supposed to have the sort of charm and good looks that turns girls to mush on the spot, but I never felt that his supposed charisma translated to the page. Some guys can be endearingly adorkable, but despite Kai’s well-meaning nature, he just came across as oblivious, awkward, and unrealistically naive.

As for world-building, Meyer creates an interesting “lived-in” technological world complete with rust, wires, and concrete. Cinder’s cyborg implements in particular are fascinating, among them a retina projector that sounded similar to the inside of the Iron Man helmet and a literal “hollow leg” where Cinder stores her tools and other important items.  The Chinese setting felt very Western, however – but I suppose centuries in the future, who knows what the cultures of the world will be like. There is also a fascinating race of moon colonists who create some problems for the Earthlings.

The plot definitely had potential, but I often had a nagging feeling that I was “missing something.” Just like Cinder’s own too-small metal foot, some things just didn’t seem to fit as far as the society’s reaction to the plague and the cyborgs went. Furthermore, the way information was continuously hidden from characters was frustrating. The number of times that Kai almost discovers that Cinder is a cyborg is agonizing. In addition, a key character knows much of the “spoilers” for the book, but only seems to impart them to Cinder in a way that keeps pace with the plot. Also irritating is the fact that not much is resolved by the end of the book. Apparently this story will be spread over several sequels.

In short: Cinder is a creative and entertaining read that I finished within a summer day. While the plot, prince, and unresolved ending  did frustrate me, I’d still recommend it – but perhaps you should wait until the three planned sequels have also been released.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Something similar: Extras by Scott Westerfeld has a very similar feel. For an evocative fantasy story inspired by Cinderella, try The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry.

Cover & Title: Cinder, of course, is a fitting title. Though the cover is not accurate to the book, the classic high heel plus a mechanical leg does capture the feel of the story. But I would have dearly loved an illustration of a tough-looking Cinder in mechanic’s garb. Calling all fan artists…

Where I got the book: Shelves of the local library.

Review: The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

Summary: High school senior Kate Winters is leaving New York City to move to her mom’s childhood home in Michigan. With her mother dying of terminal cancer, Kate knows her life is about to change forever. The way it actually does, however, will surprise her.  She encounters an attractive young man named Henry, who in reality is Hades, god of the underworld. Kate strikes a deal with him to extend her mother’s life. She’s required to spend six months in his magical mansion facing several tests that will also determine whether she’ll become his bride, like Persephone did millennia ago. Soon, however, Kate may not be able to discern friend from foe.

Review: Caution: Snark and Nit-Picking Ahead. Now that you’ve been warned…Truth be told, I wasn’t expecting anything life-changing when I picked up this book. Really, I was just looking for some “brain candy” to fill a summer day. Seriously, though, this book was pretty disappointing all the same. I thought it had the potential of a beauty-and-the-beast-type story. Who doesn’t love a little Stockholm Syndrome? (Only joking!) Nevertheless, the characters and set-up really fell flat.

First, there’s Kate. As a central character, she’s fairly boring. It’s not that I have a problem with shy, introverted, somewhat quiet characters. (These are all adjectives that have been used to describe me). Read Jane Austen’s Persuasion and check out my review of Rebecca to see a working example of a book with a more under-the-radar protagonist. It’s just that Kate lacks substance and realism. At times, she feels like more of an empty shell than Bella Swan. It’s one thing to be selfless, but the way Kate’s “altruism” is portrayed is slightly ridiculous. I can understand her making a deal to save her mother. It’s when she ignores her own wants and needs to try to save a girl she barely knows who just tried to abandon her in the middle of a dark forest, or preserve the soul of aloof man who is risking her life to save his own in the first place that it really gets far-fetched. Come to think of it, we don’t even really know what Kate’s wants and needs are. She doesn’t seem to possess any ambitions or interests.

I also don’t get the appeal of Henry. Yes, lots of female readers like hot, enigmatic, tortured men, but throwing all these qualities into a mixing bowl does not a fleshed-out character make. The point of the tests for Kate are that he gets a wife in order to maintain his place as god of the underworld. However, he seems sort of apathetic about whether or not he survives, despite the fact that he’s risking Kate’s life, since his other candidates have ended up assassinated. He also seemed pretty cold to Kate for much of the book. I didn’t feel the chemistry.

Finally, some “plot twists” at the end of the novel make you rethink the entire book. I would have gotten angry on Kate’s behalf…but she did not become dear enough to me for me to really care.

I know others have made a big deal about how the mythology in this book isn’t accurate to the legends. I don’t claim to be an expert so I won’t tackle these issues, and frankly, I think I’ve already raised enough problems with this book.

In short: Very weak characters and a poorly-executed premise result in this book being unfit for even a brain candy read.

Rating: 1 out of 5 stars (Note: Because I give a 1 star doesn’t necessary mean it’s a book I absolutely loathed – that type of book I don’t even finish. And if I didn’t finish it, I don’t feel qualified in writing a full review about it.)

Something similar: Though it’s for a younger audience, try East by Edith Pattou. For a story about a young girl who marries a man with a big house who has skeletons in the closet, try the previously-mentioned Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier.

Cover & Title: The title is self-explanatory. Again, the cover is generic, but the color scheme is attractive.

Review: Destined (Wings, Book Four) by Aprilynne Pike

Summary: The final battle begins as Klea prepares to strike with trolls, Yuki the Winter faerie, and her  own twisted brand of dark magic. Laurel, Tamani, David, and Chelsea must keep their wits about them if they even have a chance of defending the faerie world.

Review: You’ll notice the summary is pretty short. This is because the epic battle takes up the bulk of the last book, just like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part Two. I’ve always thought of the Wings  books as a sort of “Twilight with faeries,” except much more intelligent and with better world building. Concluding books in young adults series generally do follow a certain formula, but I appreciated that this series has a fairly thoughtful resolution. It’s dark, but doesn’t contain an excess of despair; nor does it go for the typical “fairy tale” ending (haha). Pike actually offers a sort of “optional” epilogue – before you flip the page, she leaves an author’s note describing whose fate it details (though it involves several characters) and leaving it up to you whether or not you choose to read it. I wish she’d had just included it at the end without explanation – I think it’s bittersweet and realistic.

In short: It fits well with the rest of the series and provides a satisfying ending that isn’t likely to disappoint fans of the first three books.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Something similar: Lament: The Faerie Queen’s Deception by Maggie Stiefvater is an edgier take on human-faerie relations in the modern world.

Cover & Title: What’s up with one word young adult titles these days? Anyway, the white flower makes sense with the story, and it’s very pretty.

Where I got the book: Shelves of the local library.