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chelsea2020's review
5.0
This is by far one of my favorite takes on Mythology yet!! Also, it was stunningly refreshing and different from anything I've read before. It was incredibly original and I thoroughly enjoyed every word of it. Though, I must admit, Mason's family wholly and completely both pisses me off and scares the ever loving crap out of me. Except for Roth, though he had me going there for only a moment. I can not WAIT to find out what happens next in "Descendent."
shhchar's review
4.0
Imagine every myth, every goddess, god, and beast--rolled into one. What do you get? This book. The basis mythology is Norse, but there is Greek and Egyptian too. It was an AMAZING read for someone like me, who loves mythology.
Starling's protagonist is Mason Starling, a teenager who goes to the exclusive Gosforth Academy in NY. She's also a champion fencer, and her dad is extremely rich with an underground train that brings the family to and fro. Nice life? Not so much, when a tree comes crashing into the brand new Gosforth gym and with it comes a naked Fennrys Wolf--a regular-looking kid like her, except he can't remember anything besides that interesting name and some creatures that look like demons from Hell, Mason's life changes for the worst.
I really didn't expect to fall in love with this book. The cover is kind of bland in my opinion, but the words really made me understand it. Oh boy, I devoured this book. (As much as I could while still devoting six waking hours to school..) No chapter was boring, and the action scenes were well placed out so that it wasn't all action and no development. Fenn got more interesting as time went on, and I really rooted for Mason and Fenn. All the side characters were equally as important as the main characters, and Mason's family was the most interesting dysfunctional bunch of them all!
The only reason I have a star knocked off--it's really close to be five stars--was that things came way too easy to the characters. Fennrys forgot some vital piece of information? He remembers it exactly when he needs to! It was extremely unrealistic, and it happened more than once. But as you see, it didn't matter that much to me and I got over it!
Oh my goodness, WHAT A CLIFFHANGER!!!! It feels like I'll have to wait forever until the next one, which isn't even on Goodreads yet!! *sigh*
I recommend this to ANYONE who likes mythology. Unless you have an extreme distaste for it, I think you'll really enjoy this book!
Starling's protagonist is Mason Starling, a teenager who goes to the exclusive Gosforth Academy in NY. She's also a champion fencer, and her dad is extremely rich with an underground train that brings the family to and fro. Nice life? Not so much, when a tree comes crashing into the brand new Gosforth gym and with it comes a naked Fennrys Wolf--a regular-looking kid like her, except he can't remember anything besides that interesting name and some creatures that look like demons from Hell, Mason's life changes for the worst.
I really didn't expect to fall in love with this book. The cover is kind of bland in my opinion, but the words really made me understand it. Oh boy, I devoured this book. (As much as I could while still devoting six waking hours to school..) No chapter was boring, and the action scenes were well placed out so that it wasn't all action and no development. Fenn got more interesting as time went on, and I really rooted for Mason and Fenn. All the side characters were equally as important as the main characters, and Mason's family was the most interesting dysfunctional bunch of them all!
The only reason I have a star knocked off--it's really close to be five stars--was that things came way too easy to the characters. Fennrys forgot some vital piece of information? He remembers it exactly when he needs to! It was extremely unrealistic, and it happened more than once. But as you see, it didn't matter that much to me and I got over it!
Oh my goodness, WHAT A CLIFFHANGER!!!! It feels like I'll have to wait forever until the next one, which isn't even on Goodreads yet!! *sigh*
I recommend this to ANYONE who likes mythology. Unless you have an extreme distaste for it, I think you'll really enjoy this book!
seiraaa's review
3.0
This book was okay. The writing was nice but, sometimes certain words were used out of context. Like gustily, and stuff. I just remember gustily 'cause only that stuck in my mind. When you read too many YA novels(I have easily read more than 100), it gets kinda predictable. Love triangle, mythology everything falls flat and the author has to much more than what she did in this book to impress.
Forbidden love. Forbidden love has become a kind of prerequisite for YA. There was forbidden love in this one also, and a weak love triangle.
A year ago, I would've given this 5 stars. Now, it's 2.5 stars.
Forbidden love. Forbidden love has become a kind of prerequisite for YA. There was forbidden love in this one also, and a weak love triangle.
A year ago, I would've given this 5 stars. Now, it's 2.5 stars.
amybraunauthor's review
5.0
Even though this was very much a YA fantasy romance and even though it was kind of predictable at some points (especially when you know your mythology), I still really enjoyed it. The writing was solid, the action vivid, the characters interesting and easy to relate to, and the surprising engaging. Mason and Fennrys have a great relationship and though I admit it was definitely a "love-at-first-sight" trope, I didn't mind it. A couple characters like Heather and Cal surprised me with their shifts in attitude, but for me what kept me reading was the growing romance and the unraveling mystery of Fenn's past. I definitely think this trilogy is off to a good start, especially with a major cliffhanger ending. It really could go anywhere from here, and there are a lot of unanswered questions that I can't wait to see solved.
sailorkchick's review
3.0
A good novel, fast-paced with more story than character building.
I've started in on the second novel and it's become apparent that the author has a very big picture in mind, which is a little vague in the first novel, at least for the first three-quarters of it. This means that although I do like the characters and the plot, it's moving very fast and not leaving enough room for me to grow attached to the characters which is something that I love to do.
I would recommend this book to any Percy Jackson/mythology fan like myself. I am enjoying the second novel and can't wait to find out what happens next.
I've started in on the second novel and it's become apparent that the author has a very big picture in mind, which is a little vague in the first novel, at least for the first three-quarters of it. This means that although I do like the characters and the plot, it's moving very fast and not leaving enough room for me to grow attached to the characters which is something that I love to do.
I would recommend this book to any Percy Jackson/mythology fan like myself. I am enjoying the second novel and can't wait to find out what happens next.
hollyollyoxenfree's review
5.0
When I picked up Starling , I had no idea what to expect. I was intrigued by the idea of a book including the Norse gods, because typically I haven't found them used in stories as commonly as the other gods, and I was really excited for something new. Norse mythology has always interested me, so I hoped this book would live up to my expectations of greatness. And boy, did it ever. Just as a warning, this review may contain a few mild spoilers, although nothing that I feel ruins the story or the events within it.
First of all, the world Lesley Livingston has created for these characters is spectacular. Naturally I'm a little impartial to books set in Manhattan after living there for so long, but the idea of it as this central location for the convergence of not just the Norse gods, but the Egyptian and Greek gods as well, made me really happy. Where better to potentially stage the end of days than Manhattan??? This world building Livingston designed for her characters is great. The use of multiple belief systems creates such a new and unique spin on mythology, and I constantly found myself drawn into the story, and trying to guess who belonged with which gods, and who certain characters were made to represent. It was so wonderful!
Speaking of characters, Lesley did a great job of creating fascinating and relatable characters. First we have Mason, a student at the academy whose world revolves around fencing. As soon as you realize she is a skilled fencer, you realize that she has serious fighting skills, which automatically sets up for a strong heroine who can defend herself, instead of a helpless damsel in distress. I love a strong heroine, so I was really excited to read about her. Despite coming from a very well-to-do family, I didn't find Mason to be particularly snooty about it, and I really enjoyed her as a main character.
Playing opposite Mason, we have the Fennrys Wolf. As I have not read Lesley Livingston's other series, I didn't realize this was a bit of a spin-off, so I had no preconceived notions about Fenn's character. And personally, I loved him. An amnesiac who only remembers his name? Could be a recipe for a disaster! But Livingston handles it well, and getting to know Fenn was really enjoyable for me. I enjoyed his interactions with Mason, and I also enjoyed his time alone in the city trying to figure out who he was and where he came from.
I found myself constantly second guessing who was good and who was bad in this story. These shifting loyalties kept me on my toes, and I found some of the characters to be quite unpredictable, which I really enjoyed. I like it when things are more grayscale than black and white, and there are definitely some characters who fall into the shady category. The supporting characters were great, and I can't wait to learn more about their backstories, which I hope comes throughout the rest of the series. Also, having multiple POVs really helped us see more of the supporting characters, which was a nice touch as well.
The choice to include multiple belief systems, which I briefly touched on earlier, was shocking and wonderful all at the same time, especially because it was completely unexpected for me. It creates such a mind-boggling concept, but I found myself easily adjusting to it, and really enjoying it. I have always appreciated books with mythology in them, and having multiple mythologies in one story was better than I could have ever asked for or imagined in my wildest dreams. The clash between the belief systems is pure perfection.
I loved this story so much more than I thought I would. It was so unexpected and well executed, that I feel it definitely deserves to join the ranks of my 5 star ratings. Congratulations to Lesley Livingston for creating a world that was truly original and inspiring! I can't wait to read the next book!!!
First of all, the world Lesley Livingston has created for these characters is spectacular. Naturally I'm a little impartial to books set in Manhattan after living there for so long, but the idea of it as this central location for the convergence of not just the Norse gods, but the Egyptian and Greek gods as well, made me really happy. Where better to potentially stage the end of days than Manhattan??? This world building Livingston designed for her characters is great. The use of multiple belief systems creates such a new and unique spin on mythology, and I constantly found myself drawn into the story, and trying to guess who belonged with which gods, and who certain characters were made to represent. It was so wonderful!
Speaking of characters, Lesley did a great job of creating fascinating and relatable characters. First we have Mason, a student at the academy whose world revolves around fencing. As soon as you realize she is a skilled fencer, you realize that she has serious fighting skills, which automatically sets up for a strong heroine who can defend herself, instead of a helpless damsel in distress. I love a strong heroine, so I was really excited to read about her. Despite coming from a very well-to-do family, I didn't find Mason to be particularly snooty about it, and I really enjoyed her as a main character.
Playing opposite Mason, we have the Fennrys Wolf. As I have not read Lesley Livingston's other series, I didn't realize this was a bit of a spin-off, so I had no preconceived notions about Fenn's character. And personally, I loved him. An amnesiac who only remembers his name? Could be a recipe for a disaster! But Livingston handles it well, and getting to know Fenn was really enjoyable for me. I enjoyed his interactions with Mason, and I also enjoyed his time alone in the city trying to figure out who he was and where he came from.
I found myself constantly second guessing who was good and who was bad in this story. These shifting loyalties kept me on my toes, and I found some of the characters to be quite unpredictable, which I really enjoyed. I like it when things are more grayscale than black and white, and there are definitely some characters who fall into the shady category. The supporting characters were great, and I can't wait to learn more about their backstories, which I hope comes throughout the rest of the series. Also, having multiple POVs really helped us see more of the supporting characters, which was a nice touch as well.
The choice to include multiple belief systems, which I briefly touched on earlier, was shocking and wonderful all at the same time, especially because it was completely unexpected for me. It creates such a mind-boggling concept, but I found myself easily adjusting to it, and really enjoying it. I have always appreciated books with mythology in them, and having multiple mythologies in one story was better than I could have ever asked for or imagined in my wildest dreams. The clash between the belief systems is pure perfection.
I loved this story so much more than I thought I would. It was so unexpected and well executed, that I feel it definitely deserves to join the ranks of my 5 star ratings. Congratulations to Lesley Livingston for creating a world that was truly original and inspiring! I can't wait to read the next book!!!
persynile's review
5.0
Oooof that cliff hanger is ROUGH! What a wild train ride so glad I have three next book ready to go!
christajls's review
4.0
Originally posted at More Than Just Magic
I’m an avid speculative fiction fan (in case you haven’t noticed) and a lover of Canadian fiction so I can’t believe it has taken me this long to pick up a Lesley Livingston novel!
Starling is a unique story. It takes traditional Nordic myths and legends and places them smack dab in the present day. I am a sucker for myth re-tellings but I have so rarely come across ones that focus on Nordic mythology. This book felt like a breath of fresh air, in an otherwise Greek God dominated market. An original and captivating story meant right off the bat I was fascinated with Starling.
What maintained my interest throughout the reading of this novel however wasn’t just the mythological element. Starling, is a fast paced read with lots of great action and adventure. I love a good fight scene and/or battle and this book is full of them. It made for a lot of heart thumping moments during which it was impossible to pry the book out of my hands. All these action packed sequences were intertwined with a great mystery and the twists and turns kept coming.
Speaking of the mystery — Starling, has a fairly unpredictable plot. In this case it was both a blessing and a curse. On one hand it made this story incredibly interesting with some great surprises. It kept me guessing which I always appreciate. However, at the same time a few of those twists made me go “wait…where did this come from?” and even flipping back through the book didn’t clear it up for me. I’m hoping some of these issues will be resolved in subsequent books, so I’m not really counting this as a criticism. Just a note from a concerned reader.
And then there’s Mason. I really wanted to like her, and sometimes I did. Other times however, I felt like she just had things happen to her, but didn’t actually do all that much herself. I really would have liked to see more independent, proactive actions from her. It wasn’t until the end of the book that I thought her real potential really shone through. Hopefully that means she’ll keep growing as a character the more the story unfolds.
I will definitely keep reading this series. Lesley Livingston has such a fun fresh way of writing and I want to see more of that. And if that weren’t enough I am incredibly curious to find out where she takes this story next and how some of my questions get answered. This may have been my first Lesley Livingston novel, but it certainly won’t be my last.
Final recommendation: Fans of myth and fairy tale re-tellings are going to enjoy this original new addition to the genre.Also a great read for paranormal fans who are tired of vampires and werewolves.
I’m an avid speculative fiction fan (in case you haven’t noticed) and a lover of Canadian fiction so I can’t believe it has taken me this long to pick up a Lesley Livingston novel!
Starling is a unique story. It takes traditional Nordic myths and legends and places them smack dab in the present day. I am a sucker for myth re-tellings but I have so rarely come across ones that focus on Nordic mythology. This book felt like a breath of fresh air, in an otherwise Greek God dominated market. An original and captivating story meant right off the bat I was fascinated with Starling.
What maintained my interest throughout the reading of this novel however wasn’t just the mythological element. Starling, is a fast paced read with lots of great action and adventure. I love a good fight scene and/or battle and this book is full of them. It made for a lot of heart thumping moments during which it was impossible to pry the book out of my hands. All these action packed sequences were intertwined with a great mystery and the twists and turns kept coming.
Speaking of the mystery — Starling, has a fairly unpredictable plot. In this case it was both a blessing and a curse. On one hand it made this story incredibly interesting with some great surprises. It kept me guessing which I always appreciate. However, at the same time a few of those twists made me go “wait…where did this come from?” and even flipping back through the book didn’t clear it up for me. I’m hoping some of these issues will be resolved in subsequent books, so I’m not really counting this as a criticism. Just a note from a concerned reader.
And then there’s Mason. I really wanted to like her, and sometimes I did. Other times however, I felt like she just had things happen to her, but didn’t actually do all that much herself. I really would have liked to see more independent, proactive actions from her. It wasn’t until the end of the book that I thought her real potential really shone through. Hopefully that means she’ll keep growing as a character the more the story unfolds.
I will definitely keep reading this series. Lesley Livingston has such a fun fresh way of writing and I want to see more of that. And if that weren’t enough I am incredibly curious to find out where she takes this story next and how some of my questions get answered. This may have been my first Lesley Livingston novel, but it certainly won’t be my last.
Final recommendation: Fans of myth and fairy tale re-tellings are going to enjoy this original new addition to the genre.Also a great read for paranormal fans who are tired of vampires and werewolves.