An imaginative retelling
588410
Golden is an imaginative retelling that rips apart what you'd expect from a fairly tale and tosses you into a brilliant dystopia. This is a fantastic spy story with its characters at the forefront - characters you thought you knew, until now.
1388145
I enjoyed this fairy tale re-imagining of Sleeping Beauty and the unique new setting involved. This isn't a historical novel exactly, but has a historical flavor to it, involving cotton spinning mills, womens voting rights, the safety bicycle, and labor rights in the late 1800s. The main character isn't just waiting around for a Prince to rescue her; shes nicely proactive even though theres some romance going on. Some good female friendships are portrayed, with some developing bonds and loyalties. I really liked the fairy charactersthose scenes were interesting. It has a satisfying ending and thank goodness, it wasn't left up in the air waiting for a sequel.
157375
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Little Worlds of Magic is an imaginative tale about about a boy, Mason, who has to move. Much like other protagonists, and real people, he doesnt like this. But when he meets the Punwees near his new home, things start to change for him. The story has a lot of potention, and is very imaginatively created. I also thought the illustrations were very well done, and a good addition to the story. The writing, though, could use some work. There were some typos, and also the pacing seemed off. I felt things could have been explained a bit more. For example, at the very beginning, we go from the boy surfing, to him immediately sitting at the dinner table with the Commander, my father, and my mother. In addition, it needed some better explanation of who the Commander was. The way it was written, made it sound like the commander, and his father are two different people. If the Commander is his father, then that needs to be clarified. I think if the story were to be passed by a professional editor, and rewritten, the story would be spectacular. It is already a wonderfully thought out story. The execution,  however, could be done a little better.
3655570
This retelling of Hans Christian Andersens Snow Queen eschews Andersens trademark melancholy, though it certainly keeps his sense of the cold that affects everything in northern climes. As in the original, Gerta sets out to rescue her friend Kay from the beautiful but evil Snow Queen who has taken him away to her North Pole palace, despite the facts (obvious to the reader but clearly not to Gerta) that (a) Kay isn't worth Gertas little finger and (b) Kay, a sort of Snow Prince from the beginning, doesnt really want to be rescued.

Gerta and the other main female character, Janna, the robber girl, who befriends herand then someare both delightful, and its excellent fun to watch their developing relationship, which certainly has a lot more going for it than anything Gerta ever had with Kay. Still, I liked even better the assortment of Wise Crones who appear at various points in the story, starting with Gertas grandmother (I was so unlike other girls that I wasn't even like myself, except on Sundays). Best of all were the animals, especially Mousebones, the talking raven (at least he talks to Gerta), who has all the Attitude one would expect a talking raven to have, and the white otters who pull the Snow Queens sled, a cheerful gang who prove quite helpful to Greta in the later part of the story. The elderly reindeer, who nobly asks the girls to kill him so they can make use of his skin to travel the reindeer road to the Snow Queens palace, since he knows he will die soon anyway, was also nice.

I liked everything about this book, and Ill certainly check out Kingfishers author page to see what else she has written. This is a young adult book, but I would recommend it to anyone who likes good fairy tale retellings.
1957517
This tale is in the tradition of "the fractured fairy tale"--it has echoes of traditional stories (for example, "Bluebeard" and maybe "Rumpelstiltskin")  However, the reader does not have the "once-upon-a-time", magical distance from the characters in the story as in a traditional tale, because the protagonists--especially the "seventh bride" and the previous brides too--are more real and fully developed individuals than in the classical tales.  There is, moreover, an interesting mix of genres:  a certain "realism"; fantasy; sci-fi (the clock and theories of time).  Altogether a good read and an interesting experiment in combining many kinds of entertaining fiction!
1910234
"A favorite son" is a retelling of a well-known Biblical tale of Jacob and Esau, their mother Rebecca, and Isaac, son of Abraham.

Esav and Yankle, in this version, are twins who are born after their mother, Becky, has prayed to God for twenty years to have children. Esav is the first-born by just a "split second" and Yankle, no matter how close he feels to his brother, is always envious of his brother. Yankle tricks his brother into selling his birthright for a pot a stew; Becky tricks her blind and bedridden husband, Isaac, into giving his blessings to Yankle with a "goatskin coat"; deception is discovered and Esav tries to kill Yankle. The storyline is as close to the Bible text as can be but this is not what makes THIS book shine.

This story is like a kaleidoscope - with every turn of the page the focus changes and we shift our concentration on a different aspect of the tale. A few of the pictures stand out and make us question the original story - not that it did not have enough ambiguity on its own, mind you - the last talk of disguised Yankle and his dying father, for example. When you read it, you get a feeling that Isaac, while old and blind, might not have been fooled by the goatskin as much as we are led to believe.

The tale is told from Yankle's point of view, as he tells it to his own "favorite" son. The author, by a masterful use of shifting tenses and a couple of unobtrusive references, creates an illusion that the story has happened both long time ago and in the present at the same time; which gives this story a new definition of "Timeless." Good read.
3907361
A fairy tale retelling with diverse heroines and great clothes. What more could you want?
3896456
There is a truly beautiful depth to this retelling. Sweet, good character development, a good story. One of my favorite FanFictions
3402042
This is a very clever re-working of the old tale of the twelve princesses who wore out their shoes at night, dancing in a mysterious underground pavilion in the middle of a forest of trees whose leaves were of precious stones. But instead of the generic Northern European kingdom, the author has translated it to a tiny fictitious kingdom in medieval Romania, drawn deeply on classical mythology to make that underground realm a fully-realized place  . . .  and folded in lashings of local folklore.

The heroine of the tale is Reveka, a clever and determined teenaged girl; not one of the princesses, but the junior apprentice herbalist - and the occasionally rebellious daughter of the ruler's chief gardener/castle defense expert. She is also loyal, intelligent and impetuous, old enough to know what she wants in life, and the main thing Reveka wants is her own herbarium; which she may very well manage to get, if she can somehow put together the money to dower herself into a nice convent, where she can grow and prepare the herbal concoctions that are at one medicinal, cosmetic, household necessities  . . .  and now and again magical.

The princesses are the daughters, legitimate and otherwise, of Prince Vasile of Castle Sylvian - and they are supposed to be married advantageously, but someone or something is interfering with that plan. Reveka is drawn into solving the riddle and breaking the curse through her own curiosity - and her loyalty to her father and her various friends at Castle Sylvian, for the curse has affected more than just the twelve marriageable daughters of the Prince. This is a lively and readable book, and the character of Reveka is quite endearing.
947451
The magical-mystical world created by S.K. Wee is woven with silk and gold. There's even a map of her world in the beginning of the book. It's a bit sketchy, but it gets the idea across. Maybe someday someone will draw a better one for her in exchange for an honorable mention (hint hint). The characters are well designed. You can easily love them or hate them. Although not worthy of a pure 5-star rating, it is definately greater than a 4-star. I rarely give a 5-star rating to a series-type book with so many lose ends, but there is some closure at the end of this first book.

It's not perfect (what novel is), however I found myself looking forward to picking up where I left off. It starts off slow with difficult names, but it didn't take long to capture my interest. The conversations are a bit awkward. Maybe that's how they speak in this world - a world of flibbertigibbets that don't stop talking till they cover many topics - and people who wait till all thoughts are expressed before they reply. Although not normal for the world we live in, it sort of works in S.K. Wee's world once you get used to it.

I really enjoyed it. Be warned, this is not a fairy-tale world. Atrocities and death surround the characters. More than I would wish upon anyone. The characters work well together due to some sort of cosmic interweaving of their lives. It seems to be much more than coincidental. It is a magical world, after all.
3622242
Wonderful imaginative illustrations and moving story
244227
This story is set in a very imaginative world. The main character is memorable, and the plot moves along nicely. I'm looking forward to reading more stories set in this universe.
1217877
Although substantially long, this book is extremely imaginative and rich in detail, in both lore and fact. As in "Veronica," there are so many little connections throughout the story, it almost makes you want to plot a map or worksheet of people and places the story touches.
The book is virtually two stories in one, bouncing between its two main characters. It exploits the writing concept of "suspension of disbelief," where the reader is left to either challenge the likelihood of story events, or go along for the ride.
Magic realism aside, the story ultimately is a traditional one, but the creativity Christopher exhibits and the many fine details in this book make it a very worthwhile investment.
4214889
Describing exactly what it was that drew me into this story is going to be difficult, but in this instance, that is a good thing. I haven't read anything that was truly this imaginative and well crafted in quite some time. The story centers around the life of Ed, a thirty something with an overactive imagination, but cuts away to characters of Ed's creation who have developed lives of their own. Each character and reality has its own unique voice and tone, and there are enough cultural references to give even the biggest pop culture geeks  an aha moment or two. The style and absurdity are very reminiscent of the works of Douglas Adams.
I do hope that the author plans to continue with Ed and company's adventures. One book is definitely not enough!
624382
Rafer Thorne is an amazing work of creative imagination expressed through captivating storytelling and richly detailed artwork. It borrows liberally from traditional fantasy but also brings a truly original story and a fresh set of characters from another world and weaves them into our own.

The rich universe of Thyllahndor, which includes both Earth and Kynmahnduu, has been meticulously crafted with a fully developed backstory and filled with an astounding assortment of creatures. Some you will find familiar (humans, elves, faeries, goblins) while others are so uniquely imagined that they defy description by words alone. The only way to tell such a story is with detailed imagery, especially of the characters. Fortunately, the book is lavishly illustrated and, in my opinion, the exquisite but quirky artwork is by itself worth the price of the book.

A big part of what makes this book so enchanting is the way the authors deftly interweave the starkly contrasting characters and layers of reality. There is a strong theme of contrast in how each character sees their world. Some, like Mrs. Grey, are trapped in their own self-made stiflingly small worlds while others, like Granny Pearl or young Grace ODonaghue seem trapped by earthly circumstances but are actually visionary souls with other-worldly wisdom. The main characters are also a study in contrast, with the ethereal beauty and delicate sensitivities of Kiyah versus the volcanic emotions and nitty-gritty street smarts of Rafer. And, of course, there is the contrast between Earth and Kynmahnduu and the many contrasting layers of good and evil that weave their way through both worlds.

That brings me to the one thing I like most about this book, which is the strong undercurrent of spiritual insight that quietly gives it a special kind of depth. As the story unfolds, you will be tempted at times to take it lightly, as if it were just another entertaining bit of fantasy with which to pass the time. And, indeed, it is very entertaining and downright fun to read when you are looking for an escape. But after awhile you will sense something more  something much deeper  and that feeling will continue to grow as the characters become more complex and continue to struggle on their spiritual journey to find both themselves and their way home.

My only disappointment with the story is with some of the loose threads that are not completely tied up in the climatic ending. I know this book is only Volume 1 of a multi-part series and so some loose ends are to be expected but its still disappointing to not be able to immediately pick up the second book to see how the larger story plays out.

It's been a long time since I indulged in a fantasy novel. Ive tried a few that I never finished because they seemed to be just too shallow or predictable. I suppose I was spoiled early on by authors like J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and George McDonald, who seemed to paint such vivid pictures of other worlds and yet found a way to make them somehow reflect our own in the most meaningful ways. I won't go so far as to say that Rafer Thorne is in the same league as those classic works. What I will say is that anyone who enjoys the breadth of imagination and depth of spiritual meaning in those kinds of stories will surely enjoy this book.
3476393
Most young kids, and older ones with a young imagination (even grandpas like me) will be taken into the dreamworld in this book. It is nicely illustrated with original artwork, although I'd wish for a little more bright colors, especially for the two heroes and the Sugar Dragon. The plot has very littel tension or danger. Any challenges our heroes face are too easily solved.

But it is an imaginative and gentle journey into a different world for young readers/listeners. The reader/storyteller can make it even more intriguing by involving the young listeners. Have them look for objects in the drawing and try to predict what will happen next. "What would you do if you were Juliette or Ryo? Are there some clues to help you out"

The construction trucks coming to the rescue could've been more developed. So ask your listener, "What do you think the construction trucks did? Show me how they did that."

Although subdued, the artwork really helps this story. The illustrator--Johanna Dy--is not given enough credit or name visibility; should be on the cover page as well as the Amazon "by" page, along with the author.
3405102
I was pleased by the fluid writing (it reminds me of Maggie Stiefvater), but the book could use a little editing. The story switches between past and present tense, sometimes within the same sentence.

There are quite a few typos, too, but none of this hurt my enjoyment of this imaginative story.