Here are some shorter musings on some recent YA fantasy reads.
Blanca & Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore
I've been meaning to try Anna-Marie McLemore's books for quite some time. People have raved about her the last few years, but I've just never had the chance or a book that interested me quite as much as this one. (We all know how I feel about fairy tale retellings.) I can see why she is beloved by some people. Her writing style is just not for me. Her writing is ethereal and winding, but for me it came at the expense of the characters. I was never able to fully connect with them in anyway because of the loftiness of the prose. This is just one of those not the right fit things. I did finish it despite my disaffection, but it didn't leave me with a strong impression at all.
Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand
Sawkill Girls has an intriguing premise. The setting of the island and the mystery of missing girls is done well. I don't typically enjoy thrillers, but as this is more of a fantasy thriller, I found it to be more my speed in terms of plot. Until something at the end, which I can't go into details about because it's a major spoiler. I get why it works with Legrand's themes, but it was disappointing in terms of reader satisfaction for me. The girls were interesting and very different. I liked the way they came together as a team even though there were things that should have been insurmountable. The themes of feminism and patriarchy Legrand was working with are important, and while I see some of what she was trying to do with them, some of it didn't quite make sense to me. This is an issue I had with the one other YA novel of hers I tried. I think maybe for me personally she just works better as a MG author. (I love her MG books. And I'm still going to read Furyborn.)
A Skinful of Shadows by Frances Hardinge
A Skinful of Shadows is a historical fantasy that takes place during the reign of Charles I in England and focuses on the time prior to the Glorious Revolution. The heroine Makepeace was raised by Puritans, but she has the power to commune with the dead, which is obviously problematic in such a time and place. I loved the historical setting and details. However, I found myself underwhelmed by the book as a whole. It dragged for the first half, and once the pace picked up, I found myself not as invested as I wanted to be. Makepeace and James were both nice characters. I just didn't care much. I'm still trying to figure out if that's a problem with me or the book or both. I'm sad this is the second Hardinge book in a row I've felt this way towards since so many of her other books are favorites of mine.
Blanca & Roja by Anna-Marie McLemoreI've been meaning to try Anna-Marie McLemore's books for quite some time. People have raved about her the last few years, but I've just never had the chance or a book that interested me quite as much as this one. (We all know how I feel about fairy tale retellings.) I can see why she is beloved by some people. Her writing style is just not for me. Her writing is ethereal and winding, but for me it came at the expense of the characters. I was never able to fully connect with them in anyway because of the loftiness of the prose. This is just one of those not the right fit things. I did finish it despite my disaffection, but it didn't leave me with a strong impression at all.
Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand
Sawkill Girls has an intriguing premise. The setting of the island and the mystery of missing girls is done well. I don't typically enjoy thrillers, but as this is more of a fantasy thriller, I found it to be more my speed in terms of plot. Until something at the end, which I can't go into details about because it's a major spoiler. I get why it works with Legrand's themes, but it was disappointing in terms of reader satisfaction for me. The girls were interesting and very different. I liked the way they came together as a team even though there were things that should have been insurmountable. The themes of feminism and patriarchy Legrand was working with are important, and while I see some of what she was trying to do with them, some of it didn't quite make sense to me. This is an issue I had with the one other YA novel of hers I tried. I think maybe for me personally she just works better as a MG author. (I love her MG books. And I'm still going to read Furyborn.)
A Skinful of Shadows by Frances HardingeA Skinful of Shadows is a historical fantasy that takes place during the reign of Charles I in England and focuses on the time prior to the Glorious Revolution. The heroine Makepeace was raised by Puritans, but she has the power to commune with the dead, which is obviously problematic in such a time and place. I loved the historical setting and details. However, I found myself underwhelmed by the book as a whole. It dragged for the first half, and once the pace picked up, I found myself not as invested as I wanted to be. Makepeace and James were both nice characters. I just didn't care much. I'm still trying to figure out if that's a problem with me or the book or both. I'm sad this is the second Hardinge book in a row I've felt this way towards since so many of her other books are favorites of mine.
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