Scan barcode
atelierofbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Reading W.R. Gingell is like a scoop of Diana Wynne Jones with a dollop of Austen on the side. It's clever and lovely with just enough bite to it that you couldn't possibly call it sweet.
Our protagonist, Annabel, first appeared as an adult in the (slightly bloody) Beauty and the Beast-inspired gorgeousness that is [b:Masque|29481285|Masque (Two Monarchies Sequence)|W.R. Gingell|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1457672816s/29481285.jpg|44462966]. In Blackfoot, Annabel is a lazy, gluttonous 14-year-old who has been pretending to be dim for so long that she just might actually believe it.
I fully expected to dislike Annabel at the beginning, or at least be very irritated with her. After all, everything her cat ("cat") says about her is true; she's complacent, she doesn't try, she's wasting her ability. Only, there's something sort of endearing and benign about it all, so I rather liked her anyway. Still, as her character developed and she started thinking things (!) and doing things (!) I couldn't help but cheer her on! Underneath it all she really is clever and attentive.
Also expect: a very charming and snarky not-cat, a smarmy wizard, and a precocious young sidekick (although I'm sure he'd resent being called that). And so many laughs and dry wit. Sure, its confusing at parts but I think that's part of the charm. Just roll with it like you would with Alice in Wonderland.
On to the next!
Our protagonist, Annabel, first appeared as an adult in the (slightly bloody) Beauty and the Beast-inspired gorgeousness that is [b:Masque|29481285|Masque (Two Monarchies Sequence)|W.R. Gingell|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1457672816s/29481285.jpg|44462966]. In Blackfoot, Annabel is a lazy, gluttonous 14-year-old who has been pretending to be dim for so long that she just might actually believe it.
I fully expected to dislike Annabel at the beginning, or at least be very irritated with her. After all, everything her cat ("cat") says about her is true; she's complacent, she doesn't try, she's wasting her ability. Only, there's something sort of endearing and benign about it all, so I rather liked her anyway. Still, as her character developed and she started thinking things (!) and doing things (!) I couldn't help but cheer her on! Underneath it all she really is clever and attentive.
Also expect: a very charming and snarky not-cat, a smarmy wizard, and a precocious young sidekick (although I'm sure he'd resent being called that). And so many laughs and dry wit. Sure, its confusing at parts but I think that's part of the charm. Just roll with it like you would with Alice in Wonderland.
On to the next!
sykes1999's review
adventurous
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
silver_valkyrie_reads's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-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
4.0
A fun story, with very believable character interactions that crossed back and forth between entertaining banter and the feeling you would get from watching two small children who will not be distracted from arguing on the last two hours of a road trip.
Not my favorite of the series, but well worth reading, especially once you meet a certain character who has a proper appreciation for a good pair of socks...
Not my favorite of the series, but well worth reading, especially once you meet a certain character who has a proper appreciation for a good pair of socks...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death of parent and Animal death
Minor: Child abuse and Kidnapping
akmorgan's review against another edition
3.0
Most of the time I really didn't know what was going on, but I was having so much fun, I didn't really care! This is the second in the Two Monarchies series -- a YA fantasy series involving magic and wizards and adventures and sometimes romance and always comedy. Usually they are a retelling of a classic fairy tale (my favorite genre fiction) and this one is Puss in Boots. If you enjoy YA fantasy, start with the first one in the series (or another of W.R. Gingell's, you can't really go wrong).
punandprose's review
4.0
3.5 stars.
I took too long to read this book and so that made it even more confusing than if I had read it quickly. I enjoyed Spindle more than this one mostly due to there being more variation in scene and setting. This one we're stuck in a castle (albeit a magical, shifting castle) with only 2-3 characters (one of those being Peter, who's somewhat annoying.)
Anyway, I suggest reading this in as close to one sitting as possible. The longer you extend your reading time, the more confusing it gets and the harder to keep track of things. And the less you want to try. That said, if I can get my hands on the next book, I will.
I took too long to read this book and so that made it even more confusing than if I had read it quickly. I enjoyed Spindle more than this one mostly due to there being more variation in scene and setting. This one we're stuck in a castle (albeit a magical, shifting castle) with only 2-3 characters (one of those being Peter, who's somewhat annoying.)
Anyway, I suggest reading this in as close to one sitting as possible. The longer you extend your reading time, the more confusing it gets and the harder to keep track of things. And the less you want to try. That said, if I can get my hands on the next book, I will.
alids's review against another edition
4.0
What a fun adventure this was! I enjoyed this much more than Spindle, but I think that might also be because I now how a Gingell book reads.
I was very confused for about the first 20%, and I'm not sure if I just didn't understand or if I was supposed to be confused...
I really liked the concept of the castle starting to rebuild itself from the past, and how different magics affected/didn't have an affect on it. I really don't want to say too much and spoil it, but it was actually pretty cool!
I also think Annabel was a much more fun character than Poly was.
I was very confused for about the first 20%, and I'm not sure if I just didn't understand or if I was supposed to be confused...
I really liked the concept of the castle starting to rebuild itself from the past, and how different magics affected/didn't have an affect on it. I really don't want to say too much and spoil it, but it was actually pretty cool!
I also think Annabel was a much more fun character than Poly was.
jarnbooks's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
As much as I didn’t like the first book, I liked this one a lot less. It reminded me of a video game or Dungeons & Dragons dungeon. The characters just wander around an abandoned castle for 300 pages. There’re small mysteries that are solved but they weren’t the ones that needed answering. Also, these are some of the most passive characters I’ve read about. Annabel needs to be told everything (and it could’ve been great character development for me but alas).
This book carries little over from the previous book but the references were nice. Overall, this is a book where nothing happens until the third act and it’s not that exciting. It’s pretty much a book only to set up the next in the series.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia
Minor: Eating disorder and Death of parent