Fantasy, Young Adult, Magic (duh)
Reads like: A Six of Crows
Pages: 384
(Review statistics are always out of 5 - for a description of each please visit the About Me page)
1. Story 4
2. Action 3.5
3. Page turner 3.0
4. Overall 3.5
UNPOPULAR OPINION AHEAD>>>> :(
HEAR ME OUT.......
Listen ladies and gentle balls: I waited so long to get my hands on a copy of this book. I had been following the news and hype and FINALLY stumbled upon it at my local bookstore. (Reasonable price increased total excitement).
I am 100% sure that I am in the minority here but I did not quite find myself reverentially moved as most people seem to be. Its not that I hated it, I didn't.
It just didn't live up to its hype as I expected and something just didn't connect as strongly as I have had with other books in the same genre.
Sigh.
Synopsis:
Kell is one the last magicians, a traveler. Kell can travel through parallel universes connected by a magical city.
Grey London - without magic and ruled by the mad King.
Red London - where magic is revered and where Kell was raised alongside the heir to the empire.
White London - where people fight to control the remaining magic
Black London - A London Kell should never enter.
Also includes must have feature coat and an insane little pirate called Lila.
Final Thoughts:
The world building, story concept, prose and atmosphere were fantastic. The synopsis is intriguing to young and old alike. I just COULDN'T for the life of me connect to the characters. The relationships towards each other and to me, the reader, just fell very flat. An emotional connection to the characters is very important when I am reading - It cant all just be about the idea of the novel. Imagination alone maketh a book not.
The characters essentially keep you reading, it keeps you invested, it makes me care what happens and in which direction the story goes. I mean what else could be the problem? I had the story in my mind fully absorbed in the world this author created, I was in awe about this fantastic concept. But zero pulse from this book or from me while I was reading it. I kept on putting the book down. YOU ALL KNOW when you are forcing yourself to go back and read a book , something is not right.
Either way I am a believer in giving each book its own chance, we are all a bunch of assorted nuts and a novel I love, you could hate. Give it a chance and give me your thoughts.
Did anyone else feel that way about the characters? Let me know your thoughts/crucify me/throw holy water in the comments.
Edit: I heard book two is better...?