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patchworkbunny's Reviews (2.12k)
It's hard to review these books as individual novels as I read all three in one go. I did really enjoy them though.
I love Kelley Armstrong's werewolves and this was no exception with the addition of an adolescent werewolf, going through his first change. Although not the main subject of the trilogy, I thought Derek was one of the stronger characters. Reading this knowing about the 'Otherworld' probably makes you see situations differently, like the knowledge of the pack and the cabals. I really hope Chloe and Derek appear in one of her other books. They're definiately set up to cross paths.
The books are getting thicker but they still keep me gripped. There's something that draws you into James' writing without him having to resort to deaths and mysterious events on every page.
It took me ages to get int. I think the main reason for this is it seems to be several unrelated plots at the start. Of course they do come together and I loved the ending. Just keep going til at least page 200 if you feel you're struggling with it.
I was really looking forward to this book but today I decided to give up on it after about 2 months of avoiding it! I liked the parts abour Crippen but so much seemed to be the lives of the people around him or the people that were on the boat when he tried to escape.
The relationship between Grace and Cleo is starting to get on my nerves for some reason. Quite obvious from the start what this one's going to be about but overall I enjoyed it.
Previous to this book, the author had only written non-fiction books and with that in mind, I think this change of direction was a good way to write a book about happiness. It is quite a simple writing style. The author himself said he wanted to write a series of fables, and they do feel a lot like the style of fables. Though with translations I am never sure if it's come across correctly!
It is a very short book. This edition on Goodreads has the page count wrong, it is only 167 pages (without the excerpt from the next book). It did leave me with a smile at the end.
It is a very short book. This edition on Goodreads has the page count wrong, it is only 167 pages (without the excerpt from the next book). It did leave me with a smile at the end.
Unfortunately this book suffers from a case of bad marketing. It is not a Twilight-esque story as the cover and reviewer quotes might make you think. This is not a bad thing but I think some readers may be expecting something different. Also, I wish that they didn't say out-right that it's about vampires. Would have been better just cited as a 'supernatural thriller' and then it might have been exciting trying to work out what was in the ice.
OK rant over! I quite enjoyed this anyway. Reminded me of Michael Crichton's work with some psuedo-sciencey explanations for vampirism. I especially enjoyed the Antartic location (which is what drew me to the book despite that marketing gone wrong).
OK rant over! I quite enjoyed this anyway. Reminded me of Michael Crichton's work with some psuedo-sciencey explanations for vampirism. I especially enjoyed the Antartic location (which is what drew me to the book despite that marketing gone wrong).
A perfect example that not all Booker nominated novels are hard going, I found this a beautifully easy read. I loved the characters and the descriptions of wartime London. It makes you think how it really was a time of huge change for women. The downside to this book is that it goes backwards in time so we discover more about the characters' pasts but nothing about their future. I was left wanting to know what happened to them all.
Like others have said, it just doesn't stand up to Altered Carbon. The character development seems to have gone second to descriptions of the technology or politics, which does have it's place but doesn't help the book flow. In a normal sequel, you'd be a bit more comfortable with the characters already but in Kovacs' world, this doesn't work. Kovacs is the only character (as far as I can tell) that is in both books. I had trouble understanding why he did what he did at the end - Morgan writes it down to the wolf gene splice and maybe that's good enough for some but I didn't 'feel' enough for the characters to get it. And there's a really cheesey and somewhat pointless virtual sex scene.
I would say it's one for the die hard sci fi fans rather than someone (like me) that dips into the genre now and again. Though I probably enjoyed the last third of the book more.
I would say it's one for the die hard sci fi fans rather than someone (like me) that dips into the genre now and again. Though I probably enjoyed the last third of the book more.