Scan barcode
noom223's review
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
thistlechaser's review
1.0
Set in viking times, when Peer's father dies, he has to go live with his Evil Evil McEvil uncles. I had enjoyed the early part of the book, the setting and bit of world building around Peer's village, but as soon as the uncles came onto the scene, I had to bail. They were so black-and-white evil, it was unrealistic to the point of being annoying. However, this was a book aimed at younger readers, so... you can't blame a book for kids if it doesn't work for adults. DNF.
bert10's review
5.0
I found this to be a very enjoyable YA read. The mix of fantasy and every day life was perfect as were the different characters. I think the 2nd book was probably my favorite although I really enjoyed reading all three parts. I hope Katherine Langrish writes some more fiction soon as this was one of my favorite YAs that I have read in the past few years. Norse mythology/fantasy normally doesn't interest me but the way she incorporated elements of it really worked with the stories and I was even disappointed when the third book focused less on it.
serendipity_viv's review
5.0
You know when you read a book and you dread reaching the last page, because you instinctively you will miss the characters and the fantasy world they live in, well this is one of those books. I felt emotionally attached to the characters and wanted to know whether they ever returned to their original lives.
As an abridged version of three books,the book is an epic 614 pages, allowing you to have plenty of time to make yourself comfortable in a world where Vikings, Trolls and Yetis all coexist, if not always happily together. The book is split into three parts with follow different events in Peer's life. The first part deals with Peer's relationship with his uncles and his need to escape their evil clutches before being handed to the Troll King as a slave. The second part shows Peer's desperation to appear more grown up in front of Hilde, by trying to bring the mill back to life. The last part follows Peer and Hilde as they travel to the land that is east of the Sun and west of the Moon. Each part, blends beautifully into the next one, leaving me disappointed at the end to find out there was no more.
The first pages of the book lift you up and throw you straight in the horror that is to become Peer Ulfsson's new life. His father has died and his uncles whom he has never met before take him home to use as a slave. It is heart wrenching to read how they treat them. You find yourself gasping with horror with each incident. The darkness envelops you and you become desperate for Peer to escape his miserable life.
Peer's only salvations are his dog, Loki and his new found friend, Hilde. Peer's relationship with Hilde is beautiful to watch as it blossoms from childhood friendship to love. Throughout the book they are constantly thrown into difficult situations to tackle and work together to solve each problem. You are repeatedly urging Peer and Hilde to rebuild their friendship with love,as you can see they are suited to each other.
Kathleen Langrish has created a beautiful landscape through her extensive world building. The attention to detail gives this fantasy land such an air of authenticity. You can easily picture the mill, the farm and Troll Hill as the hill becomes raised for each special occasion.
There is a character within the book called the Nis, who I adored on contact. In my eyes, I viewed him to be a bit like Dobby from the Harry Potter films, only smaller. He helped with the cleaning and looking after the babies. He also becomes a sailor in the last part of the book. He is just a wonderful character to meet and definitely my favourite within the book.
Out of the three parts of the book, I would say that I loved the first part the best. The introduction of the Troll King and his family had me enthralled. In this part, we also see that Peer's uncles get just what they deserve, after such ill treatment of Peer. I hated his uncles as soon as they turned up in the book and couldn't wait to see them suffer.
I have never read anything about Vikings and trolls before, but Katherine has left me with a thirst for more information. I will be seeking out other Viking books to help calm my curiosity.
I am also very curious about Katherine Langrish's future books as she will definitely be an author I will want to read again.
As an abridged version of three books,the book is an epic 614 pages, allowing you to have plenty of time to make yourself comfortable in a world where Vikings, Trolls and Yetis all coexist, if not always happily together. The book is split into three parts with follow different events in Peer's life. The first part deals with Peer's relationship with his uncles and his need to escape their evil clutches before being handed to the Troll King as a slave. The second part shows Peer's desperation to appear more grown up in front of Hilde, by trying to bring the mill back to life. The last part follows Peer and Hilde as they travel to the land that is east of the Sun and west of the Moon. Each part, blends beautifully into the next one, leaving me disappointed at the end to find out there was no more.
The first pages of the book lift you up and throw you straight in the horror that is to become Peer Ulfsson's new life. His father has died and his uncles whom he has never met before take him home to use as a slave. It is heart wrenching to read how they treat them. You find yourself gasping with horror with each incident. The darkness envelops you and you become desperate for Peer to escape his miserable life.
Peer's only salvations are his dog, Loki and his new found friend, Hilde. Peer's relationship with Hilde is beautiful to watch as it blossoms from childhood friendship to love. Throughout the book they are constantly thrown into difficult situations to tackle and work together to solve each problem. You are repeatedly urging Peer and Hilde to rebuild their friendship with love,as you can see they are suited to each other.
Kathleen Langrish has created a beautiful landscape through her extensive world building. The attention to detail gives this fantasy land such an air of authenticity. You can easily picture the mill, the farm and Troll Hill as the hill becomes raised for each special occasion.
There is a character within the book called the Nis, who I adored on contact. In my eyes, I viewed him to be a bit like Dobby from the Harry Potter films, only smaller. He helped with the cleaning and looking after the babies. He also becomes a sailor in the last part of the book. He is just a wonderful character to meet and definitely my favourite within the book.
Out of the three parts of the book, I would say that I loved the first part the best. The introduction of the Troll King and his family had me enthralled. In this part, we also see that Peer's uncles get just what they deserve, after such ill treatment of Peer. I hated his uncles as soon as they turned up in the book and couldn't wait to see them suffer.
I have never read anything about Vikings and trolls before, but Katherine has left me with a thirst for more information. I will be seeking out other Viking books to help calm my curiosity.
I am also very curious about Katherine Langrish's future books as she will definitely be an author I will want to read again.
storyworldofem's review
1.0
I really liked the first 200-300 pages, but after that I got a bit frustrated. Nothing interesting really happened. I wasn't hooked to the story which makes me sad because I love norse mythology and loved the concept. Oh well.
bethkemp's review
4.0
This book is a newly-produced (and rewritten) single-volume version of Langrish's earlier trilogy: Troll Fell, Troll Mill and Troll Blood (which I hadn't read, so can't compare).
The central character of this saga is Peer. When we meet him, his father has just died, which would probably be enough to help us warm to him as a character, together with his clear love and loyalty for his dog, Loki. However, Langrish makes absolutely sure; we are rapidly whisked away from the first scene into a situation that becomes Dahlesque (or fairy tale like) in its cruelty, guaranteeing our affection and admiration for Peer. Most of the novel is told from his perspective, although all is third-person narration.
Hilde's point of view is also presented at regular intervals, and we also build up respect and affection for her, although her vulnerability isn't as great. A hint of romance develops, and I particularly liked how this was handled. It was enough of a thread to enrich the action-focused plotlines and interest older teen readers, but not enough to alienate younger readers, or those more interested in the quest type narratives.
The setting of this book is crucial and adds depth. There are beautifully descriptive touches which evoke the landscape effectively, but never enough to slow the plot. The folklore of the lands evoked is also a key feature of West of the Moon. There are fabulous creatures (none of which are cute and cuddly - even the helpful ones are moody!) and I appreciated learning more about the established folklore Langrish was drawing on from her website. I also follow her blog - there is a wealth of myth, folklore and fairy tale information there. This area is clearly an interest for the author, and it has added a valuable additional layer to the story.
The only less-than-positive comment I have to make is about the blurb on the back cover. It relates largely to Part 3 of the novel (i.e. the third book in the trilogy), which I think is a shame. Obviously, I realise the author has no control over such things, and that blurbs often do contain some 'spoiler' elements, but I think it would have been fairly easy to base the blurb on Part 1. Clearly this is a very minor point, though!
Overall, I would strongly recommend you buy and read this - seriously, what are you waiting for! I will lend it to my 12 yr old (and am sure she will love it), and have promised the 7 yr old I will read it to her in a year or so (I think its length is a bit daunting for her now, and some of the danger sequences may be a bit too exciting at this point).
The central character of this saga is Peer. When we meet him, his father has just died, which would probably be enough to help us warm to him as a character, together with his clear love and loyalty for his dog, Loki. However, Langrish makes absolutely sure; we are rapidly whisked away from the first scene into a situation that becomes Dahlesque (or fairy tale like) in its cruelty, guaranteeing our affection and admiration for Peer. Most of the novel is told from his perspective, although all is third-person narration.
Hilde's point of view is also presented at regular intervals, and we also build up respect and affection for her, although her vulnerability isn't as great. A hint of romance develops, and I particularly liked how this was handled. It was enough of a thread to enrich the action-focused plotlines and interest older teen readers, but not enough to alienate younger readers, or those more interested in the quest type narratives.
The setting of this book is crucial and adds depth. There are beautifully descriptive touches which evoke the landscape effectively, but never enough to slow the plot. The folklore of the lands evoked is also a key feature of West of the Moon. There are fabulous creatures (none of which are cute and cuddly - even the helpful ones are moody!) and I appreciated learning more about the established folklore Langrish was drawing on from her website. I also follow her blog - there is a wealth of myth, folklore and fairy tale information there. This area is clearly an interest for the author, and it has added a valuable additional layer to the story.
The only less-than-positive comment I have to make is about the blurb on the back cover. It relates largely to Part 3 of the novel (i.e. the third book in the trilogy), which I think is a shame. Obviously, I realise the author has no control over such things, and that blurbs often do contain some 'spoiler' elements, but I think it would have been fairly easy to base the blurb on Part 1. Clearly this is a very minor point, though!
Overall, I would strongly recommend you buy and read this - seriously, what are you waiting for! I will lend it to my 12 yr old (and am sure she will love it), and have promised the 7 yr old I will read it to her in a year or so (I think its length is a bit daunting for her now, and some of the danger sequences may be a bit too exciting at this point).
More...