Scan barcode
batkat31's review against another edition
5.0
Loved the writing style of this. It felt very surreal but the characters felt deep. If that makes sense.
katykelly's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars
Translated from the Swedish original. First in a series of three.
This was a very short read, which may be why I persisted, but I did finish thinking “What was the point of it?”
I like dystopia, I like powerful female characters, I like Old World / otherworld stories. This sat uneasily with me.
I did like it more at the start – a young girl is telling us her story of when a new girl comes to her island sanctuary and trouble follows her.
The trouble (in the form of men) comes in a rather violent denouement. Women in this world are second class citizens, a few have (the history of their settlement is described) founded a safe and peaceful haven for girls and women - the Red Abbey - known all over the land - where they can be educated and raised to do good in the world as adults. Maresi, an adolescent, has not yet found her place among them.
She of course must come into her own and ‘face her destiny’ when danger threatens her home and her female family.
The elements of the story I liked were those where we see Maresi as the once-awkward and now settled-in island girl, showing newcomer, the troubled Jai around, showing her the fantastic books the island possesses, and she and Jai telling us about the history of her world – the famines and what life is like for a typical female there. Jai tells us why she has come to the Red Abbey, what her family and father were... Men are the bad guys in this story. Sorry guys, you may not enjoy this one. I didn't like this theme either.
This I could stomach. I just really wasn’t keen on all the fantastical side of the story - the pagan-sounding earth goddesses and the powers the women call on in times of trouble and for guidance. What message is this sending to readers – you need a higher power to help you out? Women together can overcome men? We don’t need them or can live and love together with them?
While there is no graphic sexual description, I would offer a warning that their is rape and violence towards women in this, and so parents of preteens should take note.
The writing itself is good, especially in translation from the original Swedish. It feels at times like a European folk tale, the elements of the earth goddesses, human and natural cruelty and overcoming of foes very traditional. Maresi's voice is vivid and honest, I liked her, I just wasn't keen on the fantasy around her.
I don’t think I’ll be reading any more of the Red Abbey Chronicles, it’s a world I don’t really want to return to. Others may love it, but too much about it put me off.
Translated from the Swedish original. First in a series of three.
This was a very short read, which may be why I persisted, but I did finish thinking “What was the point of it?”
I like dystopia, I like powerful female characters, I like Old World / otherworld stories. This sat uneasily with me.
I did like it more at the start – a young girl is telling us her story of when a new girl comes to her island sanctuary and trouble follows her.
The trouble (in the form of men) comes in a rather violent denouement. Women in this world are second class citizens, a few have (the history of their settlement is described) founded a safe and peaceful haven for girls and women - the Red Abbey - known all over the land - where they can be educated and raised to do good in the world as adults. Maresi, an adolescent, has not yet found her place among them.
She of course must come into her own and ‘face her destiny’ when danger threatens her home and her female family.
The elements of the story I liked were those where we see Maresi as the once-awkward and now settled-in island girl, showing newcomer, the troubled Jai around, showing her the fantastic books the island possesses, and she and Jai telling us about the history of her world – the famines and what life is like for a typical female there. Jai tells us why she has come to the Red Abbey, what her family and father were... Men are the bad guys in this story. Sorry guys, you may not enjoy this one. I didn't like this theme either.
This I could stomach. I just really wasn’t keen on all the fantastical side of the story - the pagan-sounding earth goddesses and the powers the women call on in times of trouble and for guidance. What message is this sending to readers – you need a higher power to help you out? Women together can overcome men? We don’t need them or can live and love together with them?
While there is no graphic sexual description, I would offer a warning that their is rape and violence towards women in this, and so parents of preteens should take note.
The writing itself is good, especially in translation from the original Swedish. It feels at times like a European folk tale, the elements of the earth goddesses, human and natural cruelty and overcoming of foes very traditional. Maresi's voice is vivid and honest, I liked her, I just wasn't keen on the fantasy around her.
I don’t think I’ll be reading any more of the Red Abbey Chronicles, it’s a world I don’t really want to return to. Others may love it, but too much about it put me off.
capnlinnius's review against another edition
4.0
3.5/5 bumped to a 4.
Förvånansvärt engagerande och mörk historia om mäns våld mot kvinnor, och hur det kan både lyfta och förstöra flickor, allt berättat från en trettonårig flickas perspektiv. Tydlig feminism och kritik mot hur ett samhälle med potential att skydda alla dess medborgare kan välja att istället stötta våld och förtryck, samtidigt som det finns en kärna av hopp om något bättre. Hade jag varit tretton hade jag slukat den här! Någon gång i år vill jag läsa resten av serien.
Förvånansvärt engagerande och mörk historia om mäns våld mot kvinnor, och hur det kan både lyfta och förstöra flickor, allt berättat från en trettonårig flickas perspektiv. Tydlig feminism och kritik mot hur ett samhälle med potential att skydda alla dess medborgare kan välja att istället stötta våld och förtryck, samtidigt som det finns en kärna av hopp om något bättre. Hade jag varit tretton hade jag slukat den här! Någon gång i år vill jag läsa resten av serien.
betharanova's review
3.0
A fun little adventure with a fairy tale / mythological feel. The writing is young but often absorbing. The many references to sexual assault are delicate but not oblique. I enjoyed the slow build of the first half, establishing the feel and mysterious magic of the abbey. Description and scene setting are consistently well done. Short and simple but worth a read.
It would have been a four-star read, but. Less a star because I am soooooooo tired of 'all men are evil forever' stories. There is one man in this book who is halfway decent, and it's only because he's gay. Women are victims who have built a perfectly peaceful, scholarly paradise, and men are cruel animals who want to destroy what they have for funsies. These stories aren't feminist.
It would have been a four-star read, but. Less a star because I am soooooooo tired of 'all men are evil forever' stories. There is one man in this book who is halfway decent, and it's only because he's gay. Women are victims who have built a perfectly peaceful, scholarly paradise, and men are cruel animals who want to destroy what they have for funsies. These stories aren't feminist.
katrinkirjat's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Maresi on kymmenen vuotta sitten (2014) julkaistu teos, joka on aika lailla yhtä kauan seissyt lukemattomana hyllyssäni. #Hushyllynlämmittäjät2024 -haasteeseen piti kuitenkin lukea kirja, joka on sarjan osa. Maresi on Punaisen luostarin kronikoita -sarjan ensimmäinen osa, joten valitsin sen tähän. Luin kirjan kahdessa illassa. Kannatti hillota kymmenen vuotta...
Maresi on nuori tyttö, joka asuu pienellä saarella Punaisessa luostarissa. Saarella asuu vain naisia, miehiltä saareen tulo on kiellettyä. Saari on naisille turvapaikka ja samalla paikka oppia. Kun saarelle saapuu pelokas, puhumaton ja huonossa kunnossa oleva Jai, alkaa siitä yksi saaren tarinoista. Jai pakenee jotain hirmuista ja hirveää, ja Jai on varma, ettei se anna periksi, ennen kuin löytää hänet. Saaren pitäisi olla suojapaikka, mutta pystyykö edes saari suojelemaan Jaita?
Ihastuin kirjassa sen alkuasetelmaan, kirjan maisemiin, tiiviiseen kerrontaan, joka onnistuu kuitenkin luomaan kirjaan vahvan tunnelman. Kevyt kesätuuli vaihtuu välillä tyrskyävään myrskyyn, ja sen kaiken voi melkein aistia. Kirjassa on hieno fantasiamaailma, jota ei liiaksi selitetä auki, mutta josta saa kuitenkin helposti käsityksen. Tarina on hieno, koskettava ja uniikki. Kirja on ylistyslaulu naisille.
Kirja käsittelee patriarkaatin musertavia rakenteita, naisten kokemaa sortoa, hyväksikäyttöä ja väkivaltaa. Kirjassa onkin aika rajuja kohtauksia muutama. Minua hieman häiritsi se tapa, jolla näistä kerrottiin ja tavallaan sellainen narratiivi, joka toistuu, ja jota mielellään näkisin muutettavan. Tässä olikin ehkä se kohta, jossa huomasi, että kirja on jo kymmenen vuotta vanha.
Kirja on suunnattu nuorille, mutta koska kirjassa on raakaa väkivaltaa ja julmuutta, en suosittele sitä kovin herkille lukijoille. Aikuiselle minulle upposi tämä, mutta kymmenen vuotta sitten olisi ehkä uponnut vielä paremmin!
Maresi on nuori tyttö, joka asuu pienellä saarella Punaisessa luostarissa. Saarella asuu vain naisia, miehiltä saareen tulo on kiellettyä. Saari on naisille turvapaikka ja samalla paikka oppia. Kun saarelle saapuu pelokas, puhumaton ja huonossa kunnossa oleva Jai, alkaa siitä yksi saaren tarinoista. Jai pakenee jotain hirmuista ja hirveää, ja Jai on varma, ettei se anna periksi, ennen kuin löytää hänet. Saaren pitäisi olla suojapaikka, mutta pystyykö edes saari suojelemaan Jaita?
Ihastuin kirjassa sen alkuasetelmaan, kirjan maisemiin, tiiviiseen kerrontaan, joka onnistuu kuitenkin luomaan kirjaan vahvan tunnelman. Kevyt kesätuuli vaihtuu välillä tyrskyävään myrskyyn, ja sen kaiken voi melkein aistia. Kirjassa on hieno fantasiamaailma, jota ei liiaksi selitetä auki, mutta josta saa kuitenkin helposti käsityksen. Tarina on hieno, koskettava ja uniikki. Kirja on ylistyslaulu naisille.
Kirja käsittelee patriarkaatin musertavia rakenteita, naisten kokemaa sortoa, hyväksikäyttöä ja väkivaltaa. Kirjassa onkin aika rajuja kohtauksia muutama. Minua hieman häiritsi se tapa, jolla näistä kerrottiin ja tavallaan sellainen narratiivi, joka toistuu, ja jota mielellään näkisin muutettavan. Tässä olikin ehkä se kohta, jossa huomasi, että kirja on jo kymmenen vuotta vanha.
Kirja on suunnattu nuorille, mutta koska kirjassa on raakaa väkivaltaa ja julmuutta, en suosittele sitä kovin herkille lukijoille. Aikuiselle minulle upposi tämä, mutta kymmenen vuotta sitten olisi ehkä uponnut vielä paremmin!
malvaljun's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
lostinagoodbook's review
5.0
Disclaimer: I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
The last book I read and reviewed brought me sorrow, but this new book brought me so much joy! I am so glad I chose this little YA book from a Finnish author. It is quite wonderful.
We bandy about this descriptor of a “strong female character” and frequently that means a girl with a gun, or maybe a bow and arrow. Someone strong, who can kick butt and take names. But I’ve had trouble wrapping my mind around this narrow idea of what a strong girl means. Susan Van Metre, Editor-in-chief of Amulet Books addresses this in her forward to Maresi:
“These invincible girls are so fun to read about and watch, yet with their reliance on physical prowess and their video-game-like skills, it seems sometimes as if they’ve been set down in a boy’s game. One they are winning, sure but a game made by men nonetheless. So I was thrilled to encounter this book … It’s a world rich with different possibilities of womanhood, one in which strength has distinctly feminine qualities.“
I chose to quote her here because she expressed perfectly what has been bothering me about the “strong female character”, but that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Why does this butt-kicking female have to be so masculine in order to be considered strong? Maresi does much to show a world of women who are strong in their own right, and by their own definition. It is a little, feminist gem of a book. The women and girls of the Red Abbey are pillars of strength, not as seen through the male lens, but instead strong in their support of one another, strong in mind, in spirit, in resilience, cleverness and character. I loved them wholeheartedly.
The book starts strong, the Red Abbey is a little haven for girls and women who have no place in the world. Some have endured hardships in their life, poverty, misogyny, lack of education, but here at the Abbey they receive an education. They live in safety, with fulfilling work, and life in a matriarchal society. I really enjoyed the first act of this book, where you are introduced to the daily life and the way their world is structured. Of course, they can’t stay insulated from the world forever. The second act sees their way of life and future imperiled. How they protect themselves sets up what promises to be a great fantasy series.
I really hope you will all read this book. I so want to read the rest of the series! I am hoping that the publishers has plans to publish them in English. I will continue hopeful.
Song for this book: Kind by Eisley
The last book I read and reviewed brought me sorrow, but this new book brought me so much joy! I am so glad I chose this little YA book from a Finnish author. It is quite wonderful.
We bandy about this descriptor of a “strong female character” and frequently that means a girl with a gun, or maybe a bow and arrow. Someone strong, who can kick butt and take names. But I’ve had trouble wrapping my mind around this narrow idea of what a strong girl means. Susan Van Metre, Editor-in-chief of Amulet Books addresses this in her forward to Maresi:
“These invincible girls are so fun to read about and watch, yet with their reliance on physical prowess and their video-game-like skills, it seems sometimes as if they’ve been set down in a boy’s game. One they are winning, sure but a game made by men nonetheless. So I was thrilled to encounter this book … It’s a world rich with different possibilities of womanhood, one in which strength has distinctly feminine qualities.“
I chose to quote her here because she expressed perfectly what has been bothering me about the “strong female character”, but that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Why does this butt-kicking female have to be so masculine in order to be considered strong? Maresi does much to show a world of women who are strong in their own right, and by their own definition. It is a little, feminist gem of a book. The women and girls of the Red Abbey are pillars of strength, not as seen through the male lens, but instead strong in their support of one another, strong in mind, in spirit, in resilience, cleverness and character. I loved them wholeheartedly.
The book starts strong, the Red Abbey is a little haven for girls and women who have no place in the world. Some have endured hardships in their life, poverty, misogyny, lack of education, but here at the Abbey they receive an education. They live in safety, with fulfilling work, and life in a matriarchal society. I really enjoyed the first act of this book, where you are introduced to the daily life and the way their world is structured. Of course, they can’t stay insulated from the world forever. The second act sees their way of life and future imperiled. How they protect themselves sets up what promises to be a great fantasy series.
I really hope you will all read this book. I so want to read the rest of the series! I am hoping that the publishers has plans to publish them in English. I will continue hopeful.
Song for this book: Kind by Eisley