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rhrie38's review
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I liked the ending more than the start. However most of the time I was just feeling meh about things. The prose is wonderful and I like clares poems though.
pinklilly122's review
3.0
I received an arc copy of this book from First to Read in exchange for my honest review.
The Raident Road is a tough review for me.
Clare is a 15 year old girl who returns to her birthplace and discovers she is the gaurdian of a special tree that leads to a fairy realm. In order to protect the tree and her old friend Finn, she has to learn to embrace the "strange" and remember things she has forgotten.
I really liked the idea behind this book, I thought it was fantastic actually. I'm a big fan of fae stories and this is a pretty unique take on it.
However, I still had a really hard time connecting with the book. The writing was very dream like, which left me feeling disconnected with the characters. I didn't feel the emotions from Clare, even when they were being described. This made my interest in the story hard to maintain and it took me quite a while to finish.
I think if this type of writing style is something you like, you would love this book. It just didn't quite do it for me though.
The Raident Road is a tough review for me.
Clare is a 15 year old girl who returns to her birthplace and discovers she is the gaurdian of a special tree that leads to a fairy realm. In order to protect the tree and her old friend Finn, she has to learn to embrace the "strange" and remember things she has forgotten.
I really liked the idea behind this book, I thought it was fantastic actually. I'm a big fan of fae stories and this is a pretty unique take on it.
However, I still had a really hard time connecting with the book. The writing was very dream like, which left me feeling disconnected with the characters. I didn't feel the emotions from Clare, even when they were being described. This made my interest in the story hard to maintain and it took me quite a while to finish.
I think if this type of writing style is something you like, you would love this book. It just didn't quite do it for me though.
libreroaming's review
3.0
A lyrical and surrealistic story of a girl who seeks to keep the connection between her world and the Timeless world of fairies. Catmull has a gifted turn of phrase and really dives into the non-linear somnambulism of a world whose Making is that of literal dreams. The one thing that kept me from really enjoying it was that, the same way you struggle to explain a dream's logic after being awake, there's a disconnect of hows and whys and wherefores that might put off a lot of readers. In the end I finished it more for interest of the prose than concern for the characters.
tiamushka's review
5.0
Wow, what a gorgeous dream of a book. I don't usually read books about fairies, but I just couldn't resist the beautiful cover. The imagery, the poetry, the words were all so haunting. I understand why this book wouldn't be for everybody , but its one of those books that you feel was meant for you to read, at the right time and the right place.
the_other_adele's review
dark
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? It's complicated
4.75
trisha_thomas's review
2.0
This book just dabbled too much in magic realism and not enough in fantasy and fae for me to enjoy the story or characters.
missprint_'s review
3.0
I don't have a lot to say about this one. It seems lovely and evocative and ostensibly like a very me book. But I found that it also read very young. This book is one of those fuzzy ones that is YA because the character is around 15 but really it should be a middle grade novel. Everything about the narrative voice screams MG to me and while that's fine it's just not what I wanted from this one so I decided to set it aside and move on to other books.
taun's review
4.0
A beautifully atmospheric book with a lilting writing style & gorgeous use of prose & poetry. The author’s use of imagery is stunning & effective, pulling you straight into the mind & world of the characters.
I very much loved this story of Clare, who returns at last to her native Ireland with her father, who’s ready to put the beloved ashes on the mantle to their final rest. Their home, a hewn cavern with rock walls, dirt floor, & a yew tree growing up through it, is too old to date, and just the beginning of this magical fairy tale, inspired by Celtic lore.
Clare, remembering her earliest days, creeps into the crevice of the Yew tree and into the in-between of her world & Fairy. Finn, her always companion is there waiting. Together, they fight the corruption of evil Balor, as he tries to destroy the link between their worlds.
Personal note: no offensive language, innuendos, or mature themes. Some dark events that may not be okay for sensitive readers.
I very much loved this story of Clare, who returns at last to her native Ireland with her father, who’s ready to put the beloved ashes on the mantle to their final rest. Their home, a hewn cavern with rock walls, dirt floor, & a yew tree growing up through it, is too old to date, and just the beginning of this magical fairy tale, inspired by Celtic lore.
Clare, remembering her earliest days, creeps into the crevice of the Yew tree and into the in-between of her world & Fairy. Finn, her always companion is there waiting. Together, they fight the corruption of evil Balor, as he tries to destroy the link between their worlds.
Personal note: no offensive language, innuendos, or mature themes. Some dark events that may not be okay for sensitive readers.
raciethereader's review
2.0
I got a free galley if this book through Penguin's First to Read program. I found tge flowery writing and fairy tale 3rd person POV kept me from ever engaging with the characters or finding the story compelling. The writing is reminiscent of Neil Gaiman so if you love his books, you might want to give this a try.