This is not going to be the next HP-there may not be another one of those for a hundred years, to be honest. It was important to the plot that this struggle not seem overly facile, but I think that about 250 pages in the middle might have been condensed to about 125 and it still might have been a bit saggy. The task that the heroine needed to accomplish was so obvious to readers that watching her struggle through the problem was dull and frustrating.
Unfortunately, we also both agreed that the middle section could have been edited down significantly to make a tighter story. We had a hard time putting the book down for the last 100 pages or so, and by the last page, I was out of breath.
Both my wife and I read this book, and we both ended up satisfied with the ending, which was very very exciting. The writer has a light touch, and although I felt on occasion that she gave away too much too quickly in the beginning, overall she was very readable. The historical details are quite interesting, and nicely done. I haven't read much recent YA fiction set in China (although technically, this is a made-up country, not China itself, the tone is very Chinese with occasional bits of Japanese influence thrown in), although the current Temeraire series (see Temeraire Vol 1-3 Box Set With Bonus Poster)has a very very charming Chinese dragon in it, and one novel takes place in China. So, not much there that you haven't seen before.but the trappings, and the journey itself are quite nice. This plot works for Harry Potter, for Star Wars, and for Snow White. This in itself if not a reason not to read the book-there is definitely some comfort in understanding exactly what you are getting when you pick up a book-mysteriously gifted young person unfairly kept down by circumstances out of their control, young person's potential finally recognized by those around them, a dire secret keeps young person's full capacity from saving them from a certain doom, young person goes on a journey of personal discovery to become who they really are. Alas, this novel is certainly good, but not great: the story is exceedingly predictable. It is a coming of age story, like many great works of fiction in the young adult fantasy genre. This is a very engaging novel about a young girl who is forced to live her life as a young man in order to fulfill her destiny.
0 kommentar(er)
