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elevetha's review against another edition
3.0
A companion book to [b:Mistwood|6768411|Mistwood (Mistwood, #1)|Leah Cypess|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1334259048s/6768411.jpg|6967609].
Ghosts and living; intermingling till neither can tell which the other is. Two sisters torn apart years ago; reunited. A dangerous spell.
Twisty and kept me guessing.
Clarisse: she was not what I thought she would be..at all. She was mean and controlling and ruthless and emotionally stunted and yet....I felt a little tiny bit sorry for her. The only person she ever cared for was her brother.... But then she's all like,
" Hell yeah, suckers! I'm off to rule Ghostland!! See ya!"
Only it was more like,
"*stab* I'm dead. Off to rule Ghostland. See you all....later. *evil laughter*"
So I didn't like her. I wanted a awesome redeemed kick butt Clarisse but I was disappointed.
I never really connected with Darri but she wasn't half-bad. I loved her relationship with Callie.
Darri: Let me love you!!
Callie: ...
Darri: Let me love you!!
Callie: I'm dead.
Darri: Oh, you're dead. Hmmmm. Well, that ruins my plan and I am slightly annoyed with you and a little bit creeped out but you are the only reason why I came here and why I spent the last however many years of my life thinking I was a horrible sister and planning ways to get you back so.... we can fix this!
Callie: You must hate me! *runs away*
Darri: Don't you walk away from me! Get over here!
Callie: No. I'll just sit in my corner and sulk.
Darri: Fine. I'll do it myself and then you'll be alive and happy and love me again.
Ghostlanders: .... What idiots. More sherry?
Callie: *sulk*
Darri: See if I care if you don't care. Just see if I don't.
Varis: I have done nothing this entire book and am an entirely worthless character. Haha! Ooooh, pretty lady. *trails pretty (ghost) lady and drinks sherry*
Callie: ...
Darri: Dammit.
So you know...it all turns out.
Mostly.
Bwah hah hah.
So about these:
Varis: Boring and...weak.
Ghostland: I say. What an imaginative name.
Overall, interesting and enjoyable but not a favorite for me.
Ghosts and living; intermingling till neither can tell which the other is. Two sisters torn apart years ago; reunited. A dangerous spell.
Twisty and kept me guessing.
Clarisse: she was not what I thought she would be..at all. She was mean and controlling and ruthless and emotionally stunted and yet....I felt a little tiny bit sorry for her. The only person she ever cared for was her brother.... But then she's all like,
" Hell yeah, suckers! I'm off to rule Ghostland!! See ya!"
Only it was more like,
"*stab* I'm dead. Off to rule Ghostland. See you all....later. *evil laughter*"
So I didn't like her. I wanted a awesome redeemed kick butt Clarisse but I was disappointed.
I never really connected with Darri but she wasn't half-bad. I loved her relationship with Callie.
Darri: Let me love you!!
Callie: ...
Darri: Let me love you!!
Callie: I'm dead.
Darri: Oh, you're dead. Hmmmm. Well, that ruins my plan and I am slightly annoyed with you and a little bit creeped out but you are the only reason why I came here and why I spent the last however many years of my life thinking I was a horrible sister and planning ways to get you back so.... we can fix this!
Callie: You must hate me! *runs away*
Darri: Don't you walk away from me! Get over here!
Callie: No. I'll just sit in my corner and sulk.
Darri: Fine. I'll do it myself and then you'll be alive and happy and love me again.
Ghostlanders: .... What idiots. More sherry?
Callie: *sulk*
Darri: See if I care if you don't care. Just see if I don't.
Varis: I have done nothing this entire book and am an entirely worthless character. Haha! Ooooh, pretty lady. *trails pretty (ghost) lady and drinks sherry*
Callie: ...
Darri: Dammit.
So you know...it all turns out.
Mostly.
Bwah hah hah.
So about these:
Varis: Boring and...weak.
Ghostland: I say. What an imaginative name.
Overall, interesting and enjoyable but not a favorite for me.
ayden's review against another edition
I think I would give this 4 stars but I read it too long ago to truly know
The read date is made up though it's very possible that it's accurate
The read date is made up though it's very possible that it's accurate
book_grinch's review against another edition
2.0
This is not going to be a review, because I read this years ago, and I can't remember anything besides the pointless last part.
julie_kcwbc's review against another edition
3.0
I think I was less impressed with this book than Mistwood. There wasn't much improvement from that book to this one. Instead this one felt even more disorganized and confusing. There didn't seem to be a lot of direction in this story and I don't know how the two books were connected. Overall I'm just disappointed this was at the same level as Mistwood.
nicolethiv's review against another edition
1.0
The plot was boring, I didn't care for any of the characters besides Prince Kestin, and the ghosts were not scary at all. The little "feud" or whatever was wrong with Darri and Varis was never explained. Important plot points were revealed with no evidence to back them up. They were pretty much introduced by a main character making a guess based off of nothing revealed within the text and then that character just happened to be right.
I enjoyed Mistwood (the companion to this novel), but Nightspell was just completely flat and boring for me.
I enjoyed Mistwood (the companion to this novel), but Nightspell was just completely flat and boring for me.
lorny's review
3.0
Summary: Years ago, Callie was sent to Ghostland to marry a prince and form a political alliance. Darri never forgave herself for letting her little sister be forced to live in a community where half its residents are actually dead. Now she has the opportunity to go take her sister’s place. Unfortunately, Darri finds herself in the middle of a war between the dead and the living—and she only makes things worse.
My thoughts: Mistwood was one of my favorite books of 2010, so I was thrilled upon hearing that its companion novel, Nightspell, would be released in May. While I don’t feel that Nightspell was as excellent as Mistwood, it still was a fun fantasy read.
The most memorable aspect of Nightspell is the setting. Leah Cypess has a knack for creating worlds that sweep you away, and Ghostland is no exception. The mysteries and moral dilemmas that lie in its sprawling castle are thought-provoking, and it’s near impossible to guess what awaits Darri as she begins to unravel them.
In terms of characters, Nightspell fell a bit flat for me. Darri was a strong, loyal protagonist, however for some reason I couldn’t connect with her at all. Though we are exposed to some of Darri’s thoughts, she is rarely vulnerable enough for us to find an aspect of her personality we can relate to (other than her devotion to her sister, which is relatable if you, y’know, have siblings).
Fans of Mistwood will recall Clarisse, Prince Rokan’s sister. She plays a very interesting role in Nightspell, and I’d say that she was the most interesting character in the story. She’s as duplicitous as ever in Nightspell, and trying to figure out her allegiances was fun.
Nightspell, like Mistwood, is a book that’s easy to get into and quick to finish. I’d recommend it to fans of fantasy YA—it’s certainly a solid contribution to the genre. Though Nightspell contains next to no romance, the secrets of Ghostland will enchant readers who delight in reading of a new world.
My thoughts: Mistwood was one of my favorite books of 2010, so I was thrilled upon hearing that its companion novel, Nightspell, would be released in May. While I don’t feel that Nightspell was as excellent as Mistwood, it still was a fun fantasy read.
The most memorable aspect of Nightspell is the setting. Leah Cypess has a knack for creating worlds that sweep you away, and Ghostland is no exception. The mysteries and moral dilemmas that lie in its sprawling castle are thought-provoking, and it’s near impossible to guess what awaits Darri as she begins to unravel them.
In terms of characters, Nightspell fell a bit flat for me. Darri was a strong, loyal protagonist, however for some reason I couldn’t connect with her at all. Though we are exposed to some of Darri’s thoughts, she is rarely vulnerable enough for us to find an aspect of her personality we can relate to (other than her devotion to her sister, which is relatable if you, y’know, have siblings).
Fans of Mistwood will recall Clarisse, Prince Rokan’s sister. She plays a very interesting role in Nightspell, and I’d say that she was the most interesting character in the story. She’s as duplicitous as ever in Nightspell, and trying to figure out her allegiances was fun.
Nightspell, like Mistwood, is a book that’s easy to get into and quick to finish. I’d recommend it to fans of fantasy YA—it’s certainly a solid contribution to the genre. Though Nightspell contains next to no romance, the secrets of Ghostland will enchant readers who delight in reading of a new world.
bbgood's review
3.0
This book took me eight days to finish. Which for someone who reads most books in 1-3 days, says a few things:
1) It wasn't a book that enthralled me, one that I couldn't put down. I didn't have to know what was going to happen next.
2) It was interesting enough to finish. If I'm bored with a book, I don't finish it.
I enjoyed Cyress' first book, Mistwood, more than Nightspell. She is an amazing world builder, as apparent in both books. I also find her very original. There are a lot of ghost books out right now where the main character falls in love with a ghost. I don't think I'm giving anything away when I say, that isn't this book. Cypress creates original worlds and characters and problems. I like that.
However, I thought the plot was a little slow. That it took along time for things to happen. A lot of that has to do with the lack of romance in this novel. I like romance in my books. It doesn't have to be a large part of the plot or even have to do with the main character. But in most cases, it has to be somewhere. It was nowhere in Ghostland. I missed it. Lovelessness made it not so enjoyable for me.
The ending was very exciting. I was wanting to know what was going to happen. Then...the last ten pages. ARG! I was disappointed. I wanted it to end differently.
Here's the spoiler:
At the end of the book Darri has a decision to make. Break the spell that keeps the dead living, or don't. She's about to break it, then doesn't because of her sister Callie's insistence that it would be murder. The dead wouldn't get to choose it, Callie says, and Darri didn't have the right to make that decision for them. So Darri doesnt' do it. Which bothered me. Since when do people get to choose when to die? Why should the dead get to choose? They'd had two lives lived, that was plenty. Time to let them go. Especially the ones who were just shadow because they'd been around for so long. So I was disappointed in Darri. Not only that, but the Guardian had said he didn't know what would happen to the dead when the spell was broken. And now we don't either. I would've liked to find.
End of spoiler
Anyway, solid world building and interesting characters. Great for fantasy lovers who don't care if there are actual lovers in the novel.
1) It wasn't a book that enthralled me, one that I couldn't put down. I didn't have to know what was going to happen next.
2) It was interesting enough to finish. If I'm bored with a book, I don't finish it.
I enjoyed Cyress' first book, Mistwood, more than Nightspell. She is an amazing world builder, as apparent in both books. I also find her very original. There are a lot of ghost books out right now where the main character falls in love with a ghost. I don't think I'm giving anything away when I say, that isn't this book. Cypress creates original worlds and characters and problems. I like that.
However, I thought the plot was a little slow. That it took along time for things to happen. A lot of that has to do with the lack of romance in this novel. I like romance in my books. It doesn't have to be a large part of the plot or even have to do with the main character. But in most cases, it has to be somewhere. It was nowhere in Ghostland. I missed it. Lovelessness made it not so enjoyable for me.
The ending was very exciting. I was wanting to know what was going to happen. Then...the last ten pages. ARG! I was disappointed. I wanted it to end differently.
Here's the spoiler:
At the end of the book Darri has a decision to make. Break the spell that keeps the dead living, or don't. She's about to break it, then doesn't because of her sister Callie's insistence that it would be murder. The dead wouldn't get to choose it, Callie says, and Darri didn't have the right to make that decision for them. So Darri doesnt' do it. Which bothered me. Since when do people get to choose when to die? Why should the dead get to choose? They'd had two lives lived, that was plenty. Time to let them go. Especially the ones who were just shadow because they'd been around for so long. So I was disappointed in Darri. Not only that, but the Guardian had said he didn't know what would happen to the dead when the spell was broken. And now we don't either. I would've liked to find.
End of spoiler
Anyway, solid world building and interesting characters. Great for fantasy lovers who don't care if there are actual lovers in the novel.
singinglight's review
4.0
A companion book to Mistwood, which I loved. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out exactly how the two connected. In fact, I’m not sure how I feel about that connection. It’s hard to imagine a particular pivotal scene without it, and yet I was also somewhat distracted by the whole thing for a part of the book. HOWEVER! This is another beautifully imagined world, both wonderful and eerie. I loved the interaction between Darri, Callie, and Varis, who I unexpectedly loved. I was kind of sad about part of the ending, but it was a good sort of sad (the I wish it wasn’t like this, but I can’t see what other way it could have happened kind). [June 2011]
leahclaire's review
2.0
I was really deeply disappointed with the ending. The entire book is about how deeply wrong it is for the dead to still be around. All the characters seem to agree on this, except for the bad guys. The only ghosts that doesn't seem evil in some way are Callie and the Prince. Even the ones who are iffy are not loveable or even very interesting. They're certainly not characters I want to revisit or to have stick around and yet ruthless Darri decides to spare them all at the last second so they can still be condemned to walk the earth for hundreds of horrible years never getting vengeance? And the flimsy bit at the end of "not choosing for them" was so paper thin and dumb, I don't even accept it for a second.
It's really sad, because I think the first half of this book, maybe even the first 3/4, were so strong and engaging. I loved that I didn't hate any of the female characters. I loved the world building.
And then the ending is like "Oh, never mind, this whole book was pointless. We're just gonna leave the dead and the living playing court politics just like the main characters had never come here. Lol, the end!"
I don't know if she was trying to set it up for a sequel or what, but I am SO UNSATISFIED.
It's really sad, because I think the first half of this book, maybe even the first 3/4, were so strong and engaging. I loved that I didn't hate any of the female characters. I loved the world building.
And then the ending is like "Oh, never mind, this whole book was pointless. We're just gonna leave the dead and the living playing court politics just like the main characters had never come here. Lol, the end!"
I don't know if she was trying to set it up for a sequel or what, but I am SO UNSATISFIED.
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