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mxacp96's review against another edition
challenging
medium-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? Yes
3.0
wasnt my jam. I liked listening to the book but i couldnt get into it. This is my 2nd try with this book.
lberestecki's review against another edition
2.0
I was really disappointed by this book. I loved Croggon's "Pellinor" series (great world building, interesting plot, awesome characters), so I had high hopes for this book, and it paled in comparison to her previous works. I felt that the world building in this book was rather weak, and the addition of magic seemed half-hearted and unnecessary. There was no real explanation of the magic, and the story could have been essentially the same without it. As written, the magical aspect felt like it was just thrown in without much planning or development.
It was also difficult not to unfavorably compare the book to Wuthering Heights. The story is clearly heavily based one Bronte's novel, which the author makes no secret of. Interpretations of famous works can often be interesting and good, but Croggon didn't make the story different enough for the reader to not come away feeling like it was basically Wuthering Heights fan fiction. I'll definitely still read whatever Croggon publishes next based on the merits of the Pellinor books, but I was extremely disappointed with this book.
It was also difficult not to unfavorably compare the book to Wuthering Heights. The story is clearly heavily based one Bronte's novel, which the author makes no secret of. Interpretations of famous works can often be interesting and good, but Croggon didn't make the story different enough for the reader to not come away feeling like it was basically Wuthering Heights fan fiction. I'll definitely still read whatever Croggon publishes next based on the merits of the Pellinor books, but I was extremely disappointed with this book.
robinkit's review against another edition
2.0
Black spring by Alison Croggon is like my shelves say, not that great.
We follow a brat witch by the name Linda as she grows from a stubborn child to a woman who faced the gender inequality of her home with a straight spine and a raised chin. However…. building up to that is a loooong and not really intressting story of her growing up. Over 200 pages of it. Let's just say I didn't find it that exciting. But in this books defense, the climax, when Linda does finally free herself from the expectations placed on her. The woman she becomes is the one worth admiring. Which is the reason I gave this book 2 stars instead of 1.
Overal I wouldn't recommend this and I will likely never read it again.
We follow a brat witch by the name Linda as she grows from a stubborn child to a woman who faced the gender inequality of her home with a straight spine and a raised chin. However…. building up to that is a loooong and not really intressting story of her growing up. Over 200 pages of it. Let's just say I didn't find it that exciting. But in this books defense, the climax, when Linda does finally free herself from the expectations placed on her. The woman she becomes is the one worth admiring. Which is the reason I gave this book 2 stars instead of 1.
Overal I wouldn't recommend this and I will likely never read it again.
lindalou's review against another edition
3.0
A retelling of Wuthering Heights set in Eastern Europe where witches exist. Not enough difference from Bronte to make it worth reading for me. Disappointed since the original portions of the story were very good. Nice world building.
cupiscent's review
3.0
This is a tricky one. I cannot say I enjoyed reading it; as a fantasy retelling of [b:Wuthering Heights|6185|Wuthering Heights|Emily Brontë|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388212715s/6185.jpg|1565818], it's rife with the bleak melodramatic tragedy of the original, with lashings of "this is the North; we do what we want", and a distanced formality in the storytelling that's easier to read than the original, but still not facile or sparkling. On the other hand, the world is fabulous, the Vendetta enthralling (though, apparently and sadly, kind of pointless to the actual story) and the addition of witchery really puts the sexual politics of the plot into starker relief. There are so many of those elements that I loved, it was just sometimes a chore to pick them out of the grey windswept scenery.
In the end, I am left with some of the same feeling that Wuthering Heights inspired: oh God, these people all deserve each other and I cannot be bothered with their strangely stoic hysteria. But it's ameliorated somewhat by the Big Question of this book, wound through its bones and tied into endless iterations of self-perpetuated circumstance, which is: why do these people let themselves live like this?
And in that aspect, it's a profoundly thought-provoking book that will stay with me for a while.
In the end, I am left with some of the same feeling that Wuthering Heights inspired: oh God, these people all deserve each other and I cannot be bothered with their strangely stoic hysteria. But it's ameliorated somewhat by the Big Question of this book, wound through its bones and tied into endless iterations of self-perpetuated circumstance, which is: why do these people let themselves live like this?
And in that aspect, it's a profoundly thought-provoking book that will stay with me for a while.
audraelizabeth's review against another edition
1.0
The description made this sound so good. I just couldnt get into it, the main character seemed so judgemental. Premise was great, excecution was flawed.
serendipity_viv's review
4.0
Originally posted at www.serendipityreviews.co.uk.
It's no big secret that I loathed Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights. I don't think a classic has ever seriously depressed me more. So with trepidation I began reading Black Spring, keeping my fingers crossed it would greatly improve on the original, otherwise I knew I wouldn't be reading very much of it. Thankfully, this book was soooo much better. With the inclusion of witches and wizards, giving it a fantasy appeal, this book made a much disliked novel really exciting to read. The plot doesn't really deviate that much from the original but the characters are just so much more interesting and likable. It still has that strong Gothic richness to it, yet it loses the terrible depressive nature of the original, giving it much more vibrancy.
The book has two narrators. The first narrator Hammel, comes across as a pompous twit. I struggled to read the chapters in his voice, because he was just so annoying and droll. Surprisingly I felt the same anger that Damek felt towards him. However when Anna took over the narrative the story really improved. I really liked her voice - she was vibrant yet wise; obviously affected by everything she had suffered. Her voice was clear and concise, which made it a pleasure to read her tale. From her words, you could tell how much she loved Lina and Damek, even though they continued to disobey the rules of society.
Lina came across as a spoilt, selfish yet highly spirited child who had a wicked wild side just brimming beneath her surface. and perhaps she was, bearing in mind she was the only child of a rich land owner. She would eventually get her own way even after punishment - she knew how to control a situation. The fact that she was believed to be a witch frightened a lot of people and they would give in to her requests. It is interesting to note how valued and honoured the wizards of the land are, yet all witches would be burned at the stake. In the end it appears that Anna is stronger than the wizard, which surprises many. I much preferred Damek in this book to Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights, although his mistreatment of Lina's daughter was disgraceful.
I can't review this book without discussing the vendetta that plagued the country. It was truly horrible - that one person would be killed and a chain of murders would then continually occur to avenge each previous death. Towns would lose every male relative as the murders continued until only the women were left. They all knew they would die and I found it so sad and heart wrenching to read about.
Once I moved past Hammel's part in the book, I really began to enjoy the story. Anyone who can turn my most hated read into an excellent enjoyable book is definitely an author to be explored further. I have never read any of Alison Croggon's fantasy novels but after reading this and really enjoying her style I will definitely look into her other books.
It's no big secret that I loathed Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights. I don't think a classic has ever seriously depressed me more. So with trepidation I began reading Black Spring, keeping my fingers crossed it would greatly improve on the original, otherwise I knew I wouldn't be reading very much of it. Thankfully, this book was soooo much better. With the inclusion of witches and wizards, giving it a fantasy appeal, this book made a much disliked novel really exciting to read. The plot doesn't really deviate that much from the original but the characters are just so much more interesting and likable. It still has that strong Gothic richness to it, yet it loses the terrible depressive nature of the original, giving it much more vibrancy.
The book has two narrators. The first narrator Hammel, comes across as a pompous twit. I struggled to read the chapters in his voice, because he was just so annoying and droll. Surprisingly I felt the same anger that Damek felt towards him. However when Anna took over the narrative the story really improved. I really liked her voice - she was vibrant yet wise; obviously affected by everything she had suffered. Her voice was clear and concise, which made it a pleasure to read her tale. From her words, you could tell how much she loved Lina and Damek, even though they continued to disobey the rules of society.
Lina came across as a spoilt, selfish yet highly spirited child who had a wicked wild side just brimming beneath her surface. and perhaps she was, bearing in mind she was the only child of a rich land owner. She would eventually get her own way even after punishment - she knew how to control a situation. The fact that she was believed to be a witch frightened a lot of people and they would give in to her requests. It is interesting to note how valued and honoured the wizards of the land are, yet all witches would be burned at the stake. In the end it appears that Anna is stronger than the wizard, which surprises many. I much preferred Damek in this book to Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights, although his mistreatment of Lina's daughter was disgraceful.
I can't review this book without discussing the vendetta that plagued the country. It was truly horrible - that one person would be killed and a chain of murders would then continually occur to avenge each previous death. Towns would lose every male relative as the murders continued until only the women were left. They all knew they would die and I found it so sad and heart wrenching to read about.
Once I moved past Hammel's part in the book, I really began to enjoy the story. Anyone who can turn my most hated read into an excellent enjoyable book is definitely an author to be explored further. I have never read any of Alison Croggon's fantasy novels but after reading this and really enjoying her style I will definitely look into her other books.
rebeccajane's review
4.0
I really liked this book. Hauntingly beautiful comes to mind when describing this book. I haven't read the book Wuthering Heights but I've seen the 2009 version so I saw the similarities in this book and knew that it couldn't end well knowing it was inspired by such a dark story. I felt much the same as when I read When You Were Mine by Rebecca Serle, a modern version of Romeo and Juliet but from Rosaline's point of view, I knew it simply couldn't end well but I was helpless to stop it. Safe to say I felt a darkness when reading Black Spring.
unreliablebooknerd's review against another edition
5.0
The writing was incredibly wonderful. I want to reread again next time.