Vodnik

Jul 19, 2012 Krista (CubicleBlindness Reviews) rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was looking for something different to read, with adventure and magic. That is exactly what I got here.

Characters: Tomas has burn scars down the side of his body. He has never had much luck keeping friends. More of a homebody that enjoys playing video games and watching movies. When moving home to Slovakia he encounters his families gypsy blood line, and several fantastical creatures. The Vodnik being my favorite character, then Tomas.

Plot: When a fire burns down their house. His parents decid...more I was looking for something different to read, with adventure and magic. That is exactly what I got here.

Characters: Tomas has burn scars down the side of his body. He has never had much luck keeping friends. More of a homebody that enjoys playing video games and watching movies. When moving home to Slovakia he encounters his families gypsy blood line, and several fantastical creatures. The Vodnik being my favorite character, then Tomas.

Plot: When a fire burns down their house. His parents decide that it’s financially better for them to move back home to Slovakia than stay in the U.S. The insurance money will go further there. Tomas, who has never had much luck keeping friends discovers he has even more problems in Slovakia. He is bullied and tormented and pulled into a world of magic and folklore that has plagued his family and the country of Slovakia for years. When the two begin to mix and it’s his family that is at stake. He steps up and faces his nightmares head on.

Originality: There are not any stories out there that I have read that is a fantasy adventure in Slovakia. It was a brilliant idea, and it’s history and atmosphere brings about a perfect setting for a quest. Tomas gets a job as a tour guide in a castle. He has experiences with prejudices against his gypsy family and is bullied for just being who he is. There is an amazing fantasy world built on Slovak folklores and mythologies with fairies, dragons, water and fire magic.

Writing: I enjoyed getting lost in this story. The mixture of cultures, history and magic with mystery really made for a great adventure. There were so many layers to this story that as the plot unravels the pacing escalates. If this were a song I would state the author has “perfect pitch” it was very well put together.

Krista’s Rating: I have been reading so many books with paranormal romance in it that my summer reading stack was screaming for something different. This book was put on my radar at the perfect time. It had magic, adventure, a new setting and history of a country that is overlooked and under appreciated (in my opinion of course) A character that had a lot of heart and care for others. But constantly having to fight to overcome prejudices. The creatures that he runs into during this story are at times funny, sometimes scary. But always interesting, unique and make for an amazing adventure.

Post written for and posted on http://yabookreads.com/blog/2012/07/0...(less)

1 like · like · see review

Mar 10, 2013 Matthew Galloway rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book would immediately be fascinating because it focuses on Slovak mythology -- an area I knew very little about -- but luckily the book is also well written, has believable characters, and the exact right amounts of humor, action, and creepiness.

The protagonist felt very real to me -- his fears and angst and insecurities were all firmly based in his history and well thought through. The ones he overcame never felt like, "poof, the plot dictates this issue is done with so let's move on," as...more

like · see review

Apr 12, 2012 Charlotte rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

Vodnik is an immensely enjoyable journey to a place where old, strange, crazy magic fills the streets of a medieval city. It's part mystery, part the story of a boy finding magical powers (while dealing with culture shock), part an exploration of ancient stories, and altogether engrossing.

When Tomas was an ordinary American teenager of 16, his house burned down around him. Miraculously, he survived unhurt--not like the time when he was a child in Slovakia, when someone (or some thing) almost dro...more Vodnik is an immensely enjoyable journey to a place where old, strange, crazy magic fills the streets of a medieval city. It's part mystery, part the story of a boy finding magical powers (while dealing with culture shock), part an exploration of ancient stories, and altogether engrossing.

When Tomas was an ordinary American teenager of 16, his house burned down around him. Miraculously, he survived unhurt--not like the time when he was a child in Slovakia, when someone (or some thing) almost drowned him, and another someone/thing badly burned him. After that first accident, his parents whisked him away from Slovakia to the United States, and tried to pretend it had just been normal bad luck. After this second brush with death, however, they decide to return to Slovakia, for purely practical reasons, even though they fear that the strange events of Tomas' childhood aren't safely buried in the past.

And they have very good reason to be afraid. The city of Trenčín is a rather busy place, malevolent supernatural being-wise. There's the titular Vodnik, whose home is in the old castle high above the city, who imprisons (or lovingly preserves, depending on who you ask) the souls of its victims in teacups (the city has an unusually high rate of deaths by drowning). There's a watery ghost girl, who haunts Tomas' dreams, a fire víla, and Death herself (a practical person, busily going about her work).

Real life isn't more peaceful. The residents of Trenčín despise Tomas's people, the Roma (aka gypsies), and aren't exactly subtle in expressing this, and with his dark skin, it's impossible to blend in. But their bullying prejudice pales in comparison to the threat that hangs over the head of Tomas' cousin Katka. Unless Tomas and Katka can make a deal with Death, and outwit the water víla, there will be no happy ending...

It's a wild trip for Tomas as he unravels the mystery of what happened to him long ago, anxiously peruses his handy supernatural self-help book for those in the business of Death, tries to stay alive, and slowly finds out what he's really capable of. It's funny, with flashes of dry wit that made chuckle. It's gripping, with some truly spooky moments. It was a treat, as well, to spend time with the magical beings of Slovakian folklore--it was refreshing to have a somewhat blank supernatural slate, and there was real uncertainty about which of the various beings were allies, and which enemies.

Tomas is a great character to spend time with--I found him to be completely convincing and very likable. He has a lot on his plate. Not only must he deal with the standard angst of teenage life (made more angsty, in his case, by his badly scarred arm from the childhood fire), and the standard middle grade/YA fantasy angst of facing down supernatural creatures, but he's also faced with culture shock and racial prejudice for the first time. Plus his family's return to Slovakia forces them to confront buried family history-- lots secrets that were never told. And then on top of that, there's the fate awaiting his cousin; it's harsh that the first time he gets to form a close relationship within his extended family, it's threatened more than a little. And so there's a lot of depth to Tomas' experience, making it much more than a smack down with bad elemental spirits.

I highly recommend it. Though it's labeled YA, the lack of a romance sub-plot (Tomas thinks about girls, and there's hinting about a future romance, but it's not happening yet here), makes it very friendly to upper middle grade readers, boys in particular. Adding to its boy friendliness are references to Star Wars and the Princess Bride, some jousting, and self-defence lessons from medieval knight reenactors, a desperate fight with a water dragon, a little cartoon death dude (shown on the cover) that keeps popping up, and Tomas' convincingly young-teen attitude. In short, I'd give this to an 11 or 12 year old boy in a heartbeat, even faster if said boy was a Princess Bride fan (I know several 11 year old boys who are). Which isn't to say that older readers wouldn't enjoy it lots too--I know I did!(less)

1 like · like · see review

Mar 30, 2012 Catherine rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a fantastic young adult fantasy book! It has mythical creatures (including Death and a Slovakian version of the vampire), interesting characters, teenage angst, and plenty of pop culture references. The storyline was very gripping (I read the 300+ page book in two days), the climax was exciting, and the resolution was completely satisfying. Bryce has a very witty, slightly sarcastic writing style that I really relate to; I was grinning as I finished the book.

Synopsis: 16-year-old Tomas a...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 28, 2012 Trevor Green rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: all-time-favorites

Every once in a while, I read a book that ends up being the equivalent to a tall, icy glass of water. Or better yet, Sprite. Just refreshing. I can think of several in my own reading experience (just to name a few): Harry Potter, Fablehaven, and most recently, Vodnik by Bryce Moore. Now don't mistake me, I'm not comparing these books to each other, or even grouping them up under some category, I'm simply saying they all gave me the same sense of excitement; the feeling that I was reading somethi...more Every once in a while, I read a book that ends up being the equivalent to a tall, icy glass of water. Or better yet, Sprite. Just refreshing. I can think of several in my own reading experience (just to name a few): Harry Potter, Fablehaven, and most recently, Vodnik by Bryce Moore. Now don't mistake me, I'm not comparing these books to each other, or even grouping them up under some category, I'm simply saying they all gave me the same sense of excitement; the feeling that I was reading something new. With Harry Potter I was blown away in part because it was one of the first true Urban Fantasies I had read (not to mention a million other things, love that series). Fablehaven was bursting with simple imagination and adventure, something I really needed at the time I read it. Vodnik smacked me in my face and showed me that true wit, sarcasm, earnest story-telling, multi-layered plotting, grit, and fairy tales can all inhabit the same book.

I was truly impressed with Vodnik. If I were to explain it to someone (which I suppose I am, right at this moment), I would say it's a mix of middle-grade teen lit, crossed with Urban Fantasy, crossed with some kind of Societal Awareness piece. While magic is prominent in the book (and quite cool by the way), the story stands on its own as a really interesting tale of a kid who gets plopped down in a far off country, with strange people, weird food, and unfamiliar fairy tales. To me, Urban Fantasy is all about learning to deal with sudden displacement or change, usually because of finding some magic world, getting cursed, or discovering a goblin living under your basement stairs, etc. Vodnik could do all of this without once bringing magic into play, so when it does, it's just icing on the already delicious cake.

One of the things that I most enjoyed was the fact that the book never shies from tough subjects. One of the main themes through the book is the racism aimed at a group of people in Slovakia known as Roma (what we here might know as "Gypsies") While written for a younger audience, it's best to be prepared for some relatively hardcore racism and hate focused at the protagonist, a young kid named Tomas, dished out in a way that most readers will find impactful without crossing the line to cringe-worthy. The way he deals with such a huge change from his (relatively bigotry free) experience as an American is pretty interesting.

Where Vodnik truly shines, however, is in its characters. If I were to bring up one bad thing about, say Fablehaven, it would be that the characters lack depth and interesting development. Not so with Vodnik. Because it's written in first person past-tense, its very important that the reader identify and recognize the narrator. From page one, I could hear Tomas loud and clear. The secondary characters of Katka, her father Lubos, and all the magical creatures are also well defined, realistic, and likable.

Unlike many Fantasy novels for younger readers, Bryce did a lot to keep everything moving at a good pace, infusing the story with a lot of details. He doesn't just rely on a simple premise to carry the book through, but places myriad obstacles, pieces of information, and riddles in front of his protagonist. An adult reader can very easily pick up this book and find themselves interested, the same as any 15 year old. The world needs more books like Vodnik, and I for one am glad that people like Bryce keep popping up.

I highly recommend this book, and pray to the book gods that there are more to come. Here's to a great entry in Urban Fantasy!(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 20, 2012 Kevin Albert rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book is a very interesting read. To be honest, I didn't know what to expect with Vodnik. It's a YA fantasy set in Slovakia dealing with Slovakian legends. Since I've never been to Slovakia and I don't know anything about Slovakian folk tales, I was worried I wouldn't able to relate. In actuality, Vodnik tackles a search for identity, acceptance, racism, culture shock, teenage angst, and even, love. These are all universal concepts. The story has a very unique set of monsters and magic that...more

1 like · like · see review

Dec 06, 2012 Ji Mei ^_^ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure-fiction, fantasy-fiction, real-life-fiction

I thought this book was creative and well-written. I could practically imagine Trencin and the main character's life living in Slovakia. I usually don't put in summaries, but I'll give you a taste of what this book is about. There is this boy, Tomas, who was living in America. When his house burns down, him and his parents move to their home country, Slovakia. There, Tomas discovers more about the mysterious reasons he has a burn despite almost drowning as a child and why he sees things others d...more

like · see review

Apr 28, 2012 Kara-karina rated it 5 of 5 stars

4.5/5
With very little fuss and zero hype, Vodnik managed to make an impression of a unique, wry and clever story, which I absolutely loved!

There is just so many yummy parts in this book I don't know where to start...

First of all, for anyone interested in cultures beyond British/American this is a must read. Bryce's description of Slovakia and Slovaks' way of life is superb. I might not know anything of Slovakia, but I know Eastern Europe and I grew up in a very similar environment to the one de...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 05, 2012 April Steenburgh rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, urban-fantasy

Ten years ago, something bad happened to Tomas in Slovakia. Something he doesn't quite remember, but that left horrible burns on his body and prompted his parents to move the family to America. But a house fire leaves the family in a poor financial situation and they move back to Slovakia with Tomas, now 16, who sees things that could not, should not be. Tomas is a reclusive American boy, who wants nothing more than to watch his movies. He is not at all prepared for fire vilas, water demons, or...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 14, 2012 Valerie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mg

I was hesitant to try this one, afraid it might just be a vampire book in disguise. What a dark and delightful surprise it was to step between these pages, and to follow Tomas, our mysterious hero, on a series of adventures we never would have expected. Tomas is Romany, and as a storyteller, he does a pretty fine job. Because he's our narrator, it takes a while to understand that he has survived a drowning. And that it left him with terrible burn scars... That's where the story starts to get int...more

1 like · like · see review

Sep 10, 2012 Casey Hudson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: american-teen

Tomas seems like a normal teenager. Well, except for the two fires he lived through—the two fires so massive that they would have killed anyone else. Plus, when he moves from the United States to Slovakia, he begins to see and hear things no one else can. And, of course, there’s the castle. And don’t forget the three bullies who terrorize him just because he’s Roma. Okay, maybe he’s not so ordinary.

In this tale, Moore manages to wrap up mystery, fantasy, and intrigue with a humorous little bow....more

like · see review

Oct 15, 2012 Erin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: solid-ya

I wish there were a half-star rating system, because this book is easily 3 1/2 stars for me. It's a solid read with some fairly minor issues, enjoyable characters, and a mythology that really makes it feel like a fantastical quest to achieve an insurmountable goal and maybe pick up some cool abilities along the way--which, truthfully, it is. Perhaps my favorite part of the book lies in the characters and how they're handled; the kids act like kids, the adults act like adults, and the non-humans...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 11, 2012 Paula rated it 5 of 5 stars

I read a lot of Young Adult fiction and I very much appreciated the uniqueness of this book. It's always amazing to learn about great cultures and histories that somehow I missed out on. What DID they teach us in our history classes back in the day?

I especially liked the mini book within the book, "Death in the Modern Day". Instructions for modern reapers include, "Robes are dry-clean only. We have a standing account with Paul's Dry Cleaning, a little place in New York over in Chinatown. Failur...more

1 like · like · see review

May 15, 2012 Lexie Robinson Austin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Vodnik was a fabulous read, a rollicking fun adventure into the world of Slovak folklore. Having personally been to Slovakia, I felt that Moore did a great job in conveying the atmosphere of the country. I really felt like I was back there, walking in an old castle. The Slovakian folklore was a blast- it was like reading Percy Jackson without actually knowing any of the mythology beforehand. However, the absolute best thing about this book was Tomas’ voice and sense of humor. It was fresh, funny...more

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 28, 2012 Sonya rated it 4 of 5 stars

When I first read the synopsis of Vodnik I thought well this is something new and immediately I wanted to read it. The Plot was original using Slovakian legends to tie in a fish out of water slash self discovery story of the main character Tomas. As a young child after a horrific accident Tomas leaves Slovakia to live in America. In America Tomas is a fish out of water he doesn’t fit in, and when he returns to his native country of Slovakia at age 16, after his family loses their home in a terri...more When I first read the synopsis of Vodnik I thought well this is something new and immediately I wanted to read it. The Plot was original using Slovakian legends to tie in a fish out of water slash self discovery story of the main character Tomas. As a young child after a horrific accident Tomas leaves Slovakia to live in America. In America Tomas is a fish out of water he doesn’t fit in, and when he returns to his native country of Slovakia at age 16, after his family loses their home in a terrible fire. He discovers he doesn’t fit there as well. Not to mention the culture shock Tomas encounters when he first arrives. The plot also includes a deal with death, social issues like racism, unemployment, refugee like conditions for the Roma (gypsies) is touched upon as a tie to the racism arc. They live denied of opportunities many degenerate into a life of crime while some crawl in a bottle and drink themselves into oblivion. Which just re-enforces the Slovaks low opinion of Roma which is addressed quite often.

I loved the format of the book— at the beginning of each chapter there is an excerpt from from the guide book of the dead. Giving the reader a little detail about magical creatures in Slovakia. I enjoyed Vodnik immensely the bridge between the old world and new set against the backdrop of a medieval castle. I liked the conflict “the bigget gang” added, after Tomas has a horrible encounter with them. That made me so angry, he’s forced to learn to protect himself thus becoming stronger, and has the has the added benefit of making Tomas better equipped to face the Vodnik. I thought the story was original, the setting was amazingly quaint and old world. I was introduced to Slovakian legends which I thought was cool. The pacing was ok there were moments when the story stalled for me but overall I enjoyed the experience.

I don’t have much negative things to say my issues are minor and don’t affect your enjoyment of the book. Just moments I found personally I didn’t like. For one thing the pacing overall was good except for those moments when the story lulled. The constant mention of the racism the Roma experienced was annoying after a while, show don’t tell and tell. The instances where the writer shows how the Roma are poorly treated conveys the point. I’m not saying he shouldn’t tell but not so much that Tomas comes off as a whiner or an angry kid. He mentions the racism element in almost every chapter. I would recommend this book for fantasy buffs the Slovakian legends will be something new compared to our legends here in the United States. Or anyone looking for something original to read—age group 12 and up. Since there is no cursing or mature scenes in the book. I gave Vodnik a four out of five.

http://sonythebooklover.com/2012/04/v...(less)

1 like · like · see review

Sep 19, 2012 Natalie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: europe, young-adult, cultural, paranormal, for-boys

After a terrible accident, Tomas and his family left Slovakia and moved to America. Ten years later, Tomas is 16 and they are moving back. When Tomas gets there strange things start happening. He is seeing all kinds of crazy creatures. Turns out Tomas is a Rasputin, someone who has survived a magical attack, and he can see Slovakian mythological characters. He meets a Vodnik - a water monster that steals peoples souls and puts them in a teacup. He also meets a Vila - a fire demon. Both claim tha...more

like · see review

Mar 02, 2012 Becky rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Becky by: Bryce Moore

Shelves: action, adventure, fantasy, favorites, page-turner, supernatural, young-adult, racism

My husband won an ARC of this book, and we've both loved it. I won't include any spoilers for you, but I'll just let you know that I've never read anything like this. I don't give out 5 star reviews willy nilly. I 100% enjoyed this book! It was the complete package for me.

The simple fact that it's set in Slovakia, and revolves around Slovak folklore sets it apart from other books. The setting feels real because it IS real. The magic is exciting and new.

This book is COMPLEX; moreso than I was exp...more

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 16, 2012 YA Reads Book Reviews rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: nichole

Originally featured on www.yareads.com, reviewed by Nichole

Tomas doesn’t remember his parents’ reason for leaving Slovakia when he was six, so he thinks his biggest challenges when his family moves back might include culture shock and getting to know his long-lost cousin. And he hopes that his badly scarred arm won’t be a cause for teasing, as it was in the States.
Slovakia, however, holds far more dangerous challenges for Tomas, as he discovers when a vodnik straight out of Slovak fairy tales tr...more Originally featured on www.yareads.com, reviewed by Nichole

Tomas doesn’t remember his parents’ reason for leaving Slovakia when he was six, so he thinks his biggest challenges when his family moves back might include culture shock and getting to know his long-lost cousin. And he hopes that his badly scarred arm won’t be a cause for teasing, as it was in the States.
Slovakia, however, holds far more dangerous challenges for Tomas, as he discovers when a vodnik straight out of Slovak fairy tales tries to drown him and add him to his teacup collection. Between the vodnik’s drownings in town- for which Roma like Tomas are blamed- a water ghost’s threats, and a fire vila’s mysterious warnings, this adventure turns out to be a lot more than Tomas had bargained for. And then there’s his cousin’s big secret, which leads to a dangerous race against time and Death herself. When peril closes in, can Tomas’s newfound magical skills help them defeat the vodnik and even cheat Death?
Tomas is no ordinary teenager. He has scars coating his arm and chest, has no friends whatsoever, and lives in his room all day watching classic movies. All of this changes on the day his house catches on fire, and he miraculously survives even while flames beat at his body for who knows how long. Coming away with no injuries, Tomas’s parents decide to move to back to Slovakia, where Tomas was born.
Once Tomas arrives in Slovakia he soon becomes close friends with his long lost cousin, Katka. Together, they host tour guides at the local castle, trying to lead normal lives. Soon, though, Tomas and Katka realize that there is much more to Slovakia than they once thought. It soon becomes apparent that Slovak fairy tales are coming to life, and only Tomas can see them. Tomas and Katka must fight to defeat the vodnik, a fairy tale who drowns people to collect their souls for his teacup collection. Things are not as simple as they may seem, though. On a long and treacherous journey, Tomas and Katka must fight for what is important, and save the souls of their fellow Slovaks.
When I first started Vodnik I was pleasantly impressed. It just seemed like a book that I was going to love. Tomas’s character was a little strange, but I appreciated the overall feel of the novel. I was fascinated that a character could be immune to both fire and water damage, and I was curious about how Bryce Moore would play off of that.
My fascination only lasted so long, though. Within the first hundred pages the novel started to become rather cheesy. The story focused on a specific fairy tale, the vodnik, who drowned people to put their souls in his teacup collection. The vodnik’s teacups were his pride and joy, and I could not help but feel that that idea took away from the novel. It almost seemed as if this novel would be great for teenage boys. However, I am not sure if this book would appeal to anyone above the age of sixteen.
Throughout every book I always analyze the characters. That is the biggest thing for me. My favorite books have brilliant characters with unique personalities and their own perks and flaws. For me, Vodnik failed to bring amazing characters to the table. For one, I could not stand Tomas. Now, it is going to be difficult for anyone to get into a book when they dislike the main character. But it did not end there. Thinking back on it, I cannot recall a character that I fell in love with. In fact, for the most part, I did not really like any of the characters. The only character that stood out at all was the vodnik, as he had a humorous and spunky personality.
One thing I did notice was that this book has the same feel as Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Now, I absolutely hated the Percy Jackson series, so there could potentially be a lot of fans of this novel. I would recommend that any young teenager give this book a chance. There should be nothing in this novel that would concern parents or teachers. There is some magic in the book, but I really do not think that that was a huge part of it. Overall, though, I do not believe that this novel would appeal to anyone over the age of sixteen. This book has a silly feel to it that the younger generation, and fans of the Percy Jackson series, would greatly appreciate.(less)

like · see review

May 25, 2012 Snail in Danger (Sid) Nicolaides marked it as decided-not-to-read

Shelves: children-ya, fantasy-fiction, fairy-tales-myths-legends

I was pleased to see someone doing something with Slovak mythology, so when I came across a mention of this book's sequel I immediately grabbed this from the library. (I'm not Slovak myself but I have lived in regions of America that were heavily settled by people from Slavic countries.) I just wasn't getting into this, and the partial roman à clef-ness distracted me. (The main character's father is an aspiring writer married to a Slovak woman; the author is married to a Slovak woman who comes f...more

like · see review

Dec 31, 2012 Stephanie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-ya-debuts, ya-mg

It's set in Slovakia! There is little to no romance! There is an emphasis on family loyalty (but not TOO much family loyalty)! There are many mysteries that weave in and out of the story only to be RESOLVED at the end! It's a standalone!

Those are a few reasons of why Vodnik stood out as a special book, and of why I loved it.
Vodnik is about a boy, Tomas, and his parents who move to Slovakia after losing everything in a house fire. Tomas is scarred, not from the house fire but from a fire from whe...more It's set in Slovakia! There is little to no romance! There is an emphasis on family loyalty (but not TOO much family loyalty)! There are many mysteries that weave in and out of the story only to be RESOLVED at the end! It's a standalone!

Those are a few reasons of why Vodnik stood out as a special book, and of why I loved it.
Vodnik is about a boy, Tomas, and his parents who move to Slovakia after losing everything in a house fire. Tomas is scarred, not from the house fire but from a fire from when he was small. His mother was originally from Slovakia, but they moved for reasons that Tomas is unclear on, involving his long-gone grandmother, and his traumatic almost-burning-to-death. Tomas starts seeing people made out of water and fire and old women with scythes and it's all very strange, but he is more concerned with his family's many secrets and refusal to talk about anything, as well as Katka, a girl he meets and befriends immediately. Tomas discovers that his ability to see the fantastical inhabitants of Slovakia may help him deal with his "real-world Slovakia" problems.
There's a small cast of characters, Tomas and Katka being the most important. I loved how both of them are really smart and capable but still seem like TEENAGERS, because they ARE. They have quirks and immature moments. The various related family members were cool too. There was a gang of bullies who were incredibly one-dimensional: they may be my one complaint with this book.

DID I MENTION I LOVED THE SETTING? Not only Slovakia in general, but having a run-down castle (Katka's father owns it and runs tours) as base of operations for the characters was totally great. I liked that we didn't spend too much time on Tomas' reasonable aversion to moving to a completely different country, and that he grows to like it fairly quickly. Because even with its problems, it's obviously an interesting place to live.

The fantastical bits, eg all those water and fire people and the creature known as the vodnik (who becomes very important very quickly in the story), were crazy and scary and great. They were all three-dimensional characters, too, with different sides to them and complex histories of their own. That was refreshing.

And, like I mentioned, lots of mysteries in this book. There was a good balance between giving us hints and connections without spelling everything out for us. Many of the twists and explanations were unexpected, but not without foundation in preceding chapters.

I gave Vodnik five out five stars for being a well-crafted, fleshed out story with loveable characters (even the murderous ones).

(review also posted on my blog, bahnree.blogspot.com)(less)

like · see review

Apr 27, 2012 Karen Sandler rated it 5 of 5 stars

The best part about Vodnik is that it's set within a country and culture I've never read about before. There is much cool new (to me) folklore in the story, far beyond the typical vampire/werewolf/shapeshifter memes. The story is fast-paced, the humor is laugh-out-loud funny, and it's just creepy enough that at least one night I had some pretty whacked-out dreams as a consequence of reading it so late. If you want an exciting, adventurous book that's completely out of the ordinary, you gotta rea...more

1 like · like · see review

Sep 21, 2012 Denisa Cundick rated it 5 of 5 stars

Moore's Vodnik is entertaining, smart and fast paced. I'm from Slovakia, in fact, I'm from Trencin, the town where the book takes place. It was really fun for me to read about my hometown through the eyes of Tomas, a Slovak-American teenager. What I really liked was that reading about the town was like being there. I could almost see the old neighborhoods, the main square and the castle.
The main characters were likable and easy to identify with. Tomas is a regular teenager with normal teenager k...more

like · see review

Aug 15, 2012 Alethea rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-dac-alethea

I like a book that gets better as it goes along. This started out as a 2 and ended up a 4.5. There are no half stars, so I rounded up. Full review here: http://www.readnowsleeplater.com/2012...
Author interview/podcast: http://www.readnowsleeplater.com/2012...

I will admit, I was a little sidetracked by the cover when I first received this book. There's just something too unreal about Tomas's face and the cutesy reaper logo on his shirt. He's a little too smirky. When I finally started the book,...more I like a book that gets better as it goes along. This started out as a 2 and ended up a 4.5. There are no half stars, so I rounded up. Full review here: http://www.readnowsleeplater.com/2012...
Author interview/podcast: http://www.readnowsleeplater.com/2012...

I will admit, I was a little sidetracked by the cover when I first received this book. There's just something too unreal about Tomas's face and the cutesy reaper logo on his shirt. He's a little too smirky. When I finally started the book, there were all these references to movies and American culture that I felt were a bit gratuitous and designed to draw in the reluctant reader. I put the book down for a while.

When I started it a second time (months later), I couldn't put it down! I could understand the culture shock that Tomas was going through, having gone back to my homeland after spending a few years in America. I found myself trying to sound out the Slovak as I went along. Vodník definitely gets points for originality--this is pretty uncommon territory for mainstream young adult novels.

I really enjoyed the storytelling and characterization in this novel. After a few chapters it became apparent to me that this was much more than an attempt to be different--Moore really engages the reader not just with geek references and creepy folktales, but also with family dynamics. The way Tomas interacts with his parents, his cousin Katka, and Uncle Lubos grounds this fantastic story and made him relatable despite the far-out mythology surrounding him.

I wasn't entirely sure what to think about the Gypsy intolerance (due to which Tomas, being quarter-Roma, receives quite a bit of bullying). I felt the messages were really mixed, with "bullying is bad" and "we're better than other, regular Roma" boiling up to the top but dealt with almost as a side issue. (Though frankly, if you've made a date with Death, all your other problems will probably pale in comparison.) If Goodreads has half-stars this would be a 4.5 due to this ambiguity.

All in all, Vodník is a pretty balanced, action-packed, well-researched and intriguing read. This would be a great addition to any classroom or home library, and I hope readers will overlook the ghastly cover.

*I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.(less)

like · see review

Dec 09, 2012 Kim Baccellia rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm a huge fan of YAs that include diversity. Tu books is one of my favorite publishers. Love the twist on multicultural urban legends that come to live. If you're wondering, a Vodnik is kind of like a vampire who collects his 'victims' in tea cups. He's also a trickster. The protagonist's subtle humor and his attempt to 'save' his seriously ill cousin while making a deal with 'death' make this a must read!

YA Books Central review: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yaficti...

like · see review

Apr 01, 2013 Julia rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like · see review

Feb 27, 2013 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars

With a great combination of humor and suspense, Vodnik is a great read. The supernatural elements are fresh and interesting, and the inclusion of Slovakian folklore makes for new takes on supernatural creatures. Tomas is both a great narrator and an interesting main character. It’s nice to see a supernatural novel that neither runs on the now cliché supernatural tropes or a romance. Vodnik is a fun read, and it gets four out of five stars.

like · see review

Feb 04, 2013 Sandy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Tomas and his parents move back to Slovakia, where his mother is from after their house burns down. Once there, he starts seeing things-or rather, seeing Slovakian fairy tale characters. With the help of his cousin, he starts to piece things together from his past, from his family’s past, in order to save his cousin’s life.
Parts of the book were pretty obvious, but the mix of Slovakian myth and legend was interesting.

like · see review

Jun 10, 2012 Sarah Savas rated it 1 of 5 stars

I had read some great reviews on this including some from people I knew personally, but I couldn't completely finish it. I thought the plot would be intriguing but I really just wanted it to be over. Several reviews called it "darkly funny". Though the Vodnik was quick witted, I didn't think the book was particularly funny. I was curious enough to jump to the end and see where the story finally came together.

like · see review

Oct 18, 2012 Matt rated it 4 of 5 stars

I liked this book, it is about a boy called Tomas, when his house burns down he somehow lives and, must move to Slovakia. He meets his cousin and learns she only has a year left to live. He also works at the castle, and is taunted for being a roma. There Tomas must face his fear of water to beat a vodnik. Eventually he uses his Rustin powers to destroy the vodnik and up hold his bargain with death.

like · see review

Sep 21, 2012 Tracy rated it 5 of 5 stars

A wonderful, colorful, character/fantasy book. I like the mix of folklore, family loyalty, friendship in a book which is a combination of a coming of age, fantasy, mystery/suspense story. I loved it and I felt all of these elements blended well together. I look forward to the next book!

like · see review

topics	posts	views	last activity
Huntsville-Madiso...: Bryce Moore Interview	1	7	May 24, 2012 10:58am
Book Giveaways: INT Giveaway of Vodnik by Bryce Moore (YA)	1	16	May 11, 2012 12:58pm

title link	preview: Vodnik
avg rating	preview: Vodnik Goodreads rating: 4.03 (106 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13418583-vodnik?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348872421l/13418583.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13418583-vodnik?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Vodnik by Bryce Moore[/url]

Vodnik

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (2)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Bryce Moore

Books by Bryce Moore

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Vodnik