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soniagracelm's review
4.0
Reviewed on Fantasy-Faction!
http://fantasy-faction.com/2015/mistwood-by-leah-cypess
http://fantasy-faction.com/2015/mistwood-by-leah-cypess
izzys_internet_bookshelf's review
3.0
3/5
At first I was somewhat bored by the book but the more it went into the plot, the more intrigued I was. Sadly though, my library doesn’t have the next two books in the series. This one I believe was a great setup and you could never really tell who to trust. Besides from the seriousness the book know when to have some humorous moments that did make me laugh.
At first I was somewhat bored by the book but the more it went into the plot, the more intrigued I was. Sadly though, my library doesn’t have the next two books in the series. This one I believe was a great setup and you could never really tell who to trust. Besides from the seriousness the book know when to have some humorous moments that did make me laugh.
stephxsu's review
4.0
MISTWOOD is an exquisitely written, beautifully rendered high fantasy YA debut that will make it an instant favorite of fans of Kristin Cashore. The beauty and complexity of Isabel’s story literally took my breath away and left me begging for more.
Leah Cypess wastes no words in her writing. Instead, every sentence provides a wealth of material about the story: setting the scene, describing Isabel’s inhuman-like thoughts and her struggles. It is fascinating to watch Isabel change over the course of this novel. The change is subtle yet carefully crafted, and just when you thought you had things figured out, Cypess comes along and throws you for a loop that is unexpected but, on second thought, completely appropriate and wildly appreciated. As I’ve said in previous reviews, I like when books outsmart me, and I was delighted that all my predictions were blown out of the water in a totally plausible manner.
The secondary characters were not as well developed as Isabel, which can oftentimes lead to confusing conversations. Likewise, the plot can always get rather confusing at times: I found myself having to read slowly in order to fully understand the intricacies of particular scenes. Not that I didn’t enjoy doing it, however. All the enjoyable twists and turns—and yes, even the confusing bits—ensured that I didn’t want this book to end.
Overall, MISTWOOD was a book that started off strong and just got better by the ending. The publicity line for the book, comparing it to works by Kristin Cashore, Tamora Pierce, and Megan Whalen Turner, doesn’t lie. This is an incredible debut accomplishment, and I’m hoping for many more books written by Leah Cypess in the future.
Leah Cypess wastes no words in her writing. Instead, every sentence provides a wealth of material about the story: setting the scene, describing Isabel’s inhuman-like thoughts and her struggles. It is fascinating to watch Isabel change over the course of this novel. The change is subtle yet carefully crafted, and just when you thought you had things figured out, Cypess comes along and throws you for a loop that is unexpected but, on second thought, completely appropriate and wildly appreciated. As I’ve said in previous reviews, I like when books outsmart me, and I was delighted that all my predictions were blown out of the water in a totally plausible manner.
The secondary characters were not as well developed as Isabel, which can oftentimes lead to confusing conversations. Likewise, the plot can always get rather confusing at times: I found myself having to read slowly in order to fully understand the intricacies of particular scenes. Not that I didn’t enjoy doing it, however. All the enjoyable twists and turns—and yes, even the confusing bits—ensured that I didn’t want this book to end.
Overall, MISTWOOD was a book that started off strong and just got better by the ending. The publicity line for the book, comparing it to works by Kristin Cashore, Tamora Pierce, and Megan Whalen Turner, doesn’t lie. This is an incredible debut accomplishment, and I’m hoping for many more books written by Leah Cypess in the future.
aliceboule's review
2.0
I had difficulty reading Mistwood . I started reading it mid 2013 but stopped only to pick it back up yesterday. Something about Isabel and Rokan and Clarisse just didn't attract me..
Above all things Mistwood is about a girl discovering herself amongst the ruins of her past. Isabel is the Shifter but she can't remember everything that the Shifter is. For someone of my age, I suppose, the discovery was a tad bit too childish. Isabel is a child with the memories of a thousand year old being, and I just think that the story could have been better.
I believe that if I had picked up Mistwood a couple of years ago I would have found and given it better than 2 stars, but at this moment.. It is hard to do so.
Above all things Mistwood is about a girl discovering herself amongst the ruins of her past. Isabel is the Shifter but she can't remember everything that the Shifter is. For someone of my age, I suppose, the discovery was a tad bit too childish. Isabel is a child with the memories of a thousand year old being, and I just think that the story could have been better.
I believe that if I had picked up Mistwood a couple of years ago I would have found and given it better than 2 stars, but at this moment.. It is hard to do so.
justlily's review against another edition
3.0
When I started reading this book, I thought for sure it was going to be four stars, maybe even five. The writing is great, descriptive without being long-winded, attention grabbing right from the start. And I mean, how awesome is the premise? An immortal shapeshifting creature bound to protect the royal family. I loved the tension this caused, the fact that Isabel wasn't bound by her feelings but by this force that gave her no real choice.
Except about a third of the way through the book, that stopped being what the book was about at all. You don't get an awesome immortal shapeshifter. You just get Isabel. Which, hey, there's nothing wrong with normal girls, girls are great. But if I wanted to read about that, I wouldn't have picked a book that advertised having a friggin awesome shapeshifter.
I think I'll probably still read the next in the series but I'm left pretty disappointed based on what I THOUGHT I was going to get.
Except about a third of the way through the book, that stopped being what the book was about at all. You don't get an awesome immortal shapeshifter. You just get Isabel. Which, hey, there's nothing wrong with normal girls, girls are great. But if I wanted to read about that, I wouldn't have picked a book that advertised having a friggin awesome shapeshifter.
I think I'll probably still read the next in the series but I'm left pretty disappointed based on what I THOUGHT I was going to get.
amethystbookwyrm's review
4.0
This and my other reviews can be found at http://amethystbookwyrm.blogspot.co.uk/
The Shifter is an immortal who lives in Mistwood forest, who is strong, has amazing instincts, and can change her form, she is bound to protect the kings of Samorna when they need help. Isabel remembers nothing when Prince Rokan takes her back to his castle, nothing about who she is and what her powers are. Isabel protects Rokan even though she knows he is keeping the reason he needs her help from her. When the truth comes out and everything changes, Isabel faces a choice which threatens the person she is meant to protect.
Mistwood is a very good YA fantasy book which is full of secrets, lies, loyalty and romance. It is really descriptive but was very slow to start and struggled to pick up for the first third of the book.
I liked Isabel when she was more human, having and struggling with her feelings, but when she was acting more like The Shifter I just could not connect with her as she lacked emotions. I liked Rokan as he was nice but not perfect and made mistakes.
I like that this is a standalone book and has a good but final ending. I would recommend Mistwood to fans of Kristen Cashore and those who have enjoyed Leah Cypess’s other books.
The Shifter is an immortal who lives in Mistwood forest, who is strong, has amazing instincts, and can change her form, she is bound to protect the kings of Samorna when they need help. Isabel remembers nothing when Prince Rokan takes her back to his castle, nothing about who she is and what her powers are. Isabel protects Rokan even though she knows he is keeping the reason he needs her help from her. When the truth comes out and everything changes, Isabel faces a choice which threatens the person she is meant to protect.
Mistwood is a very good YA fantasy book which is full of secrets, lies, loyalty and romance. It is really descriptive but was very slow to start and struggled to pick up for the first third of the book.
I liked Isabel when she was more human, having and struggling with her feelings, but when she was acting more like The Shifter I just could not connect with her as she lacked emotions. I liked Rokan as he was nice but not perfect and made mistakes.
I like that this is a standalone book and has a good but final ending. I would recommend Mistwood to fans of Kristen Cashore and those who have enjoyed Leah Cypess’s other books.
brandypainter's review
3.0
Review originally posted here.
The author did a good job of portraying to the reader Isabel's feelings of distrust, confusion and anxiety. It was very hard to identify with or decide which of the characters were worth trusting and liking. Isabel was torn through most of the novel and so is the reader. Confused by feelings she shouldn't have and memories she doesn't understand, Isabel is relying on instincts that aren't entirely reliable. She has no one she could completely trust because everyone is lying to her and she knows it. I enjoyed the way all the characters were written with such ambiguity. There were unlikable characters abounding, some with very little to recommend them, but the choice Isabel faces in the end is not an easy one (understatement of the century). I was a little bothered by the resolution. I agreed with Isabel's choice but not the reason that she made it. I felt that it really did a disservice to her character. Although the pieces are all there to lend some layers to her decision, I don't feel they were brought together as well as they could have been. This opinion is also due to the fact that I had a hard time believing the romantic thread of the story.
The book is full of mystery and intrigue. It made for good edge of your seat reading, waiting to find out how it would all come together in the end. The language used in the book is concise but renders the setting and Isabel's feelings beautifully. It would make a really good read aloud for upper elementary students.
The author did a good job of portraying to the reader Isabel's feelings of distrust, confusion and anxiety. It was very hard to identify with or decide which of the characters were worth trusting and liking. Isabel was torn through most of the novel and so is the reader. Confused by feelings she shouldn't have and memories she doesn't understand, Isabel is relying on instincts that aren't entirely reliable. She has no one she could completely trust because everyone is lying to her and she knows it. I enjoyed the way all the characters were written with such ambiguity. There were unlikable characters abounding, some with very little to recommend them, but the choice Isabel faces in the end is not an easy one (understatement of the century). I was a little bothered by the resolution. I agreed with Isabel's choice but not the reason that she made it. I felt that it really did a disservice to her character. Although the pieces are all there to lend some layers to her decision, I don't feel they were brought together as well as they could have been. This opinion is also due to the fact that I had a hard time believing the romantic thread of the story.
The book is full of mystery and intrigue. It made for good edge of your seat reading, waiting to find out how it would all come together in the end. The language used in the book is concise but renders the setting and Isabel's feelings beautifully. It would make a really good read aloud for upper elementary students.
_camk_'s review
3.0
With an interesting concept, the book could have been so much more.
However, Cypess turned the plot into what could have been seen on any TV drama.
Also, the romantic aspect of the book was foreseeable but then rushed into one paragraph.
I won't read the stand-alone companion novel but if she brought out an actually sequel to this, I will probably read it.
However, Cypess turned the plot into what could have been seen on any TV drama.
Also, the romantic aspect of the book was foreseeable but then rushed into one paragraph.
I won't read the stand-alone companion novel but if she brought out an actually sequel to this, I will probably read it.
lrnunez's review
1.0
I really liked Isabel, but hated all the other characters in this book, especially the Prince. My hatred for that wimpy, sorry excuse of a man/prince destroyed any hope of me even somewhat liking this book. I wish I could take Isabel and put her in another story. In fact it was because I loved her so much that I was able to even make it to the end of this book. Total disappointment!
bookgirl4ever's review
3.0
Isabel is a Shifter, who originated from the mist in the woods and whose purpose is to protect at all costs the king of the land. Prince Rokan finds her in the woods and enlists her to protect him as he rises to be king, however, a plot to assassinate him emerges and Isabel finds she has a conflict of interest. In fact, Isabel doesn't remember much of her past experience as a Shifter and finds that her identity is not what she expected.
Very enjoyable. Recommend for junior and senior high.
Very enjoyable. Recommend for junior and senior high.