Nameless (Tales of Beauty & Madness, #1)

Mar 31, 2013 Melanie rated it 1 of 5 stars

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DNF. Mini-mini review (There are mini reviews, then there are mini mini reviews which are like 3 paragraphs long) Stopped at 31%

It has come to my great despair to not finish this book. I have heard several great thoughts and reviews of Strange Angels so I assumed this would be just as good or even better. Well..maybe not. Originally, I started to read this book about a month ago, I stopped within 5 pages due to its mind fumbling writing and slow pace. At...more

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Apr 14, 2013 Khanh rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: alternate-universe, dystopian, high-school, magic, mystery, steampunk, ya, boring-main-character, alternate-retelling

I really am torn as to what rating to give this book. It's an interesting concept, I loved the writing. However, after having finished the story, I still have no idea what the big reveal is and what it means, the book is that confusing. So, excellent writing, excellent atmosphere, interesting characters, wtf-world building, and a plot that makes my head spin. This is supposed to be a retelling of Snow White; if so, there must be a pretty big wiggle room for writers' creativity. Had I not known i...more I really am torn as to what rating to give this book. It's an interesting concept, I loved the writing. However, after having finished the story, I still have no idea what the big reveal is and what it means, the book is that confusing. So, excellent writing, excellent atmosphere, interesting characters, wtf-world building, and a plot that makes my head spin. This is supposed to be a retelling of Snow White; if so, there must be a pretty big wiggle room for writers' creativity. Had I not known it from the start, and if not for the blatant references in the book (random-as-fuck craving and choking on the apple? Come on now.) I would not have a clue that this had anything to do with Snow White.

Despite my preference for light reads that do not make me think, I do enjoy the challenges of a complex book, and I like to think I'm not so far beyond overlooking the obvious. I don't need everything spelled out for me, but there are books in which it's necessary for the author to let the reader know the world into which they're being plunged into. It is not necessary to do so in a verbose and Dickensian manner. I've had enough of A Tale of Two Cities and Great Expectations from 10th grade AP English to last me a lifetime, thank you very much, but I do appreciate a good description. I love exploring new worlds, and when the author has seen fit to define a new genre (I say so because as stated above, I am confused as hell), it needs some descriptions. It needs some hints in the writing as to what the new world is like.

Ms. St. Crow has created a new genre of which I've never read. I would like to coin a new term for it, that of steampunk-dystopian-Godfather mafia. It's not just about vampires, although it is strongly hinted that the Families (did I say Godfather before? You think I was kidding? Nope) are vampires. The world is referred as being...post-Reeve. What the heck does that mean? What are the Twisted? What are Jacks? What are Minotaurs, if not actual minotaurs? Why are there trashcan-gobbling machine-monsters in the street? There are more questions than answers, and although the world-building is extraordinary, there is never enough information given to actually define the world itself. Some authors do a great job of giving us information without making it look like we're reading an encyclopedia; I would have actually appreciated a prologue or footnote or an actual encyclopedia, because the entire time I was reading this book, I had no idea what these strange new creatures are in this new world the author has built.

As for the characters; Nico. Oh, my. What a dream character. I was so angry when it seemed that the story was making him out to be the bad boy. Camille (Cami) was another story. I was torn between sympathy for her, feeling like one does not belong is not a good thing. She also has a terrible stuttering problem, which I hate to admit, got on my nerves a lot. I know I sound like a terrible person for saying that, I probably am. She is such a spoiled-poor-little-rich-girl, though, and I found my sympathies for her deteriorating rapidly. She has this wonderful family, who, although not biological, clearly loves her, worships her, and gives her anything she desires, yet she persists with this oh-woe-is-me routine, and frequently plunges herself into TSTL situations. She also sympathizes with those who are not deserving of it, making excuses for them. Cami is a very hard character to like. The others in the book are much more relatable.

I was satisfied with the ending, although it seems rushed, and again, too much information s omitted for me to truly enjoy the book. However confusing it is, and however much is left to the imagination, it is still one of the better books I've read lately.(less)

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Apr 09, 2013 Tanja Voosen rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favourite-covers, crestfallen-expected-more, worst-books-of-all-time

Ich hab das heute im Bus gelesen und bin mehrmals eingeschlafen. Das Buch war so schlecht, das ich das erst mal verarbeiten muss :O

Edit: Rezension - Lesen auf eigene Gefahr! xD

http://tanjaisaddictedto.blogspot.de/...

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May 26, 2013 Skyden rated it 3 of 5 stars

Oooh what to say? I struggled to rate this book because there were definitely aspects of it that I loved and some that I hated altogether.

I fell in love with St. Crow's Strange Angels series and have been desperately hoping that each new YA book she writes will somehow come close to that series. It seems I'm doomed to disappointment, or at least I am with this particular series and the Romances of Arquitaine series.

Unfortunately, it seems Ms. St. Crow creates a more compelling story when she is...more Oooh what to say? I struggled to rate this book because there were definitely aspects of it that I loved and some that I hated altogether.

I fell in love with St. Crow's Strange Angels series and have been desperately hoping that each new YA book she writes will somehow come close to that series. It seems I'm doomed to disappointment, or at least I am with this particular series and the Romances of Arquitaine series.

Unfortunately, it seems Ms. St. Crow creates a more compelling story when she isn't busy creating/re-creating a world. This book, like the Arquitaine series, takes place in a twisted version of our world. It's like the author sat down and thought "what if this happened". In Arquitaine it seemed to be a re-imagined version of some Medieval European time frame (in Aquitaine perhaps?) full of courts, royalty, knights (similar to the romantic Arthurian kind) and the added twist of magic. In Nameless, we find that the setting is most likely during our current time frame--or a few decades ahead. In this universe, much as it seemed to in Arquitaine, magic has also appeared and run amok. People have the ability to use/practice charms, and those who have the talent or "Potential" for this type of gift run the risk of becoming Twists. As was true of the Arquitaine series, the author spends a great deal of time re-imagining the world and throwing odd words (mostly french) at readers as well as describing things like Twists, Jacks and the Reeve without fully explaining them.

Twists, apparently, are people who have mild or low potential for charms or magic (though charms and potential are very loosely explained in the books), who have either undergone a great amount of strain/anguish or anger. They "twist" which causes them to sprout feathers or other such odd animal parts. Once twisted they are considered dangerous or, more to the point, dirty. Jacks were never explained and the Reeve was the revolution when people suddenly began to recognize potential and charms as well as the first few appearances of Twists.

St.Crow mixes reality with her fiction, speaking about familiar cars and even mentioning Tesla. It's as if our past took a different path. Now, had this been all, it would have been alright (I think). Especially if things were explained a little more carefully. Unfortunately we add in the Families that sound vaguely like vampires who "Borrow" blood from others and having Living and Unbreathing members with roles to play in society. They are similar to mobsters or elite rich, running society (though this is a vague idea in the novel) and generally existing in their own snobby little world. There are also Fae as well, though they aren't as powerful as they generally are portrayed in other fantasy novels. On top of all this, the story itself is a retelling of Snow White and, after meeting one of the other characters, we'll likely have a retelling of Cinderella as well.

Overall, the idea was there. The potential was glimmering before me but I lost it along the way in reading this book. If there hadn't been a great deal of random things I didn't understand (Jacks and Twists to name a few), it would have been salvageable.

I found it hard at times to read, as it felt like there was so much going on in the "world" that I didn't know. Much of that information impacted the story, so my "not knowing" made things really confusing. I also felt like this could have created two very amazing stories if parts of the book were separated out into different books altogether.

Re-tell Snow White in one book, and expand on the amazing characters the Families could represent in another! In this story we catch a taste of the Families, and while we really only get to know two members of their kind, they could be so much more!

To give the book credit, however, I did enjoy the the meshing of the old Snow White tale with this version. It was cleverly done. The hair pin, the Hunter, the shawl/lace bodice, apples, mirrors and even the choking necklace make appearance (in one fashion or another) in the book in some interesting and unique ways.

But, in the end, after all was said and done and the "happily ever after" came with the "prince", I still felt like something had been left out. I needed more story and less gibberish I didn't understand. I think that it's a unique talent to create another world, but part of that talent is helping the reader to understand what the things in your world do/are. If you can't explain them well enough, they should either fade to the background of your story as nothing but novelties, or shouldn't exist. It's confusing and frustrating to read a story where bits of the world are important but incomprehensible or inadequately detailed/explained.

Overall, an okay read, but not nearly as amazing as I was hoping for. It seemed like there was sooo much potential to be amazing and that all sort of fizzled out as the book wound on. :(
(less)

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May 21, 2013 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was an interesting take on the Snow White tale. Gone are the seven dwarves and the jealousy because Snow White is too beautiful...they are replaced with the Seven, a group made up of leading (vampire) families who rule the city, and with a queen who eats the hearts of her daughters to remain young.

Camille was found by the side of the road by her adoptive father when she was six years old, her body battered and poorly clad. Despite being a different race (she - human, he - vampire), he open...more

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Apr 18, 2013 Mee rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: must-reread

A different perspective on Snow White. Definitely a page-turner and the concept of the story is unlike I've ever read.

But. Reading this book was clearly a challenge. The author begins by making us imagine this world filled with Jacks, Minotaurs, Twisted etc and not giving any explanation to what they actually are. It wa confusing to just second-guess all the new terms in the book, and later on i just found myself giving up deciphiring them entirely. It disappointed me when I came to the last pa...more

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Apr 17, 2013 Hannah Cobb rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-fantasy

This is a fairy tale retelling dipped in horror, with a spattering of romance thrown in. St. Crow's writing style is dark, descriptive, and compelling, but readers expecting another Dru Anderson (St. Crows Strange Angels series) will be unpleasantly taken aback by self-conscious, stuttering Cami. This Snow White is not the sword-toting, armor-wearing princess fantasy readers have come to expect. She doesn't hunt vampires--she lives with them. In fact, Camille Vultusino was adopted by the head of...more

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Apr 11, 2013 Paradoxical rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-reading-list, books-otherwise

...Okay. I need to get this out.

WHYYYYY.

What promised to be a beautiful book filled with danger and excitement and a stunning world just flopped right before my eyes. I kept reading and reading, and as I crept through the book I kept thinking to myself, it has to get better by now. It has to. ONLY NOPE. Some of the descriptions were pretty. Not that they made all that much sense. The situation that Cami finds herself in had real potential to be interesting! Only for Cami to be severely underutil...more

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Apr 03, 2013 Rose rated it 2 of 5 stars

The description of this book led me to believe I was in for a traditional fantasy novel but I found myself reading a decidedly young adult book, plonked in a fantasy world. Once I realised this I adjusted my expectations accordingly and once I worked out some of the varieties of different species (which wasn’t entirely explained and very confusing at first) I began to enjoy the world.The rich mythology surrounding 'the family' was obviously well planned and explained well.

However, I didn’t like...more

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Mar 23, 2013 Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, dystopia, fantasy

Camille Vultusino should want for nothing. Her papa, Enrico Vultusino, is one of the living Seven Families and gives her nothing but the best. Enrico’s son, Nico, would give his life to protect Cami from anything that tried to harm her. But Cami doesn’t know who she is. Found bloody and abandoned in the middle of the snow when she was six years old, Cami has no recollection of her parents, her home or anything in her life before Papa found her. Now ten years on, Cami has two best friends (Ruby a...more Camille Vultusino should want for nothing. Her papa, Enrico Vultusino, is one of the living Seven Families and gives her nothing but the best. Enrico’s son, Nico, would give his life to protect Cami from anything that tried to harm her. But Cami doesn’t know who she is. Found bloody and abandoned in the middle of the snow when she was six years old, Cami has no recollection of her parents, her home or anything in her life before Papa found her. Now ten years on, Cami has two best friends (Ruby and Ellie), loyal fey maid and servants to cater to her every whim.

But Papa’s mortality is leaving him and Nico is unstable and getting in fights left and right. Girls are going missing by the dozens all over the city and Cami is scared. One of the garden boys, Torin Beale, comes into her life and offers her comfort when her emotional security is fading away. But not everything is as it seems. Mirrors hide their secrets and when is an apple more than just fruit? Cami’s past is coming to haunt her and her only hope is remembering who she was before it is too late.

Growing up I only knew the Disney version of fairy tales. My mother was traumatized by the Grimm Brother’s versions as a child and forbid us to read them. It’s only now, as an adult, that I’ve read the morbid tale in its original state.

Lili St. Crow had done an incredible job at weaving the traditional story in with a new dystopian version of Snow White. She has used so many of the elements found in the Grimm tale in Nameless whilst creating a unique dystopian world for her retelling to be set. Blood-sucking families representing the dwarfs? Somewhat ingenious.

Whilst the character of Snow White has never been one of my favourites I thought that St. Crow captured her vulnerability and naivety perfectly in Cami. Victim to the core with good intentions never quite being thought through, Cami was the epitome of Snow White to me. Ellie and Ruby as Cinderella and Red Riding Hood respectively are equally representable of their classic fairy tale counterparts. Ruby captivated me – Her feisty and take charge attitude contrasted well with Cami’s passiveness and I can’t wait to see what happens next for the trio.

For me, one of the best parts of a fairy tale is the romance and I found it somewhat lacking in Nameless. The roles of Nico and Tor in Cami’s life felt somewhat confused and I have to admit the ending didn’t satisfy the romantic in me.

Family, abuse, blood-ties and self-worth are all issues faced in this novel and dealt with in interesting ways. This is not the Snow White story you would be familiar with however I thought it was a great addition to the genre.

This is a dark and twisted fairytale retelling that would appeal to people who don’t mind a scary rendition of a childhood classic.(less)

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Feb 12, 2013 Phoebe rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: People who like dark twists to fairytales.

Shelves: dystopian, vampire, supernatural-variety

More like a rating of 3.5 stars but it was more of a 4 than a 3.

Nameless is the first novel in the new series Tales of Beauty and Madness by the New York Times' bestselling author Lili St. Crow. This story is a dystopian/fantasy retelling of Snow White, which immediately caught my attention.

I loved the storyline of this book; it was dark and it had so many twists and turns that were never expected. The representations of the characters were so well done that, even though you could tell who was w...more More like a rating of 3.5 stars but it was more of a 4 than a 3.

Nameless is the first novel in the new series Tales of Beauty and Madness by the New York Times' bestselling author Lili St. Crow. This story is a dystopian/fantasy retelling of Snow White, which immediately caught my attention.

I loved the storyline of this book; it was dark and it had so many twists and turns that were never expected. The representations of the characters were so well done that, even though you could tell who was who from the original story, you really got to see them in a whole new light. That being said however the relationships in the book were for me a little under-developed. You got a history of a relationship but I didn't exactly feel (or read) many emotions throughout the book.

The main character Cami was a girl with problems, and that is definitely an understatement. She was abused and tormented as a child, and then grew up in a family where she felt she didn't belong. Then there is Nico, the adopted brother and love interest, who really did care about Cami but also was a selfish self-serving brat. I don't think the relationship between these two characters was conveyed very well as it kind of fell flat as Cami, the narrator, didn't express her feelings for him so you had to imagine they were there, along with this attraction. I kind of got a big brother/little sister relationship from this, excluding the non-brotherly/sisterly scenes of course. Tor was another character that Cami has a strong relationship with, but was, in a way, betrayed by. Tor was to me the most interesting character in the book as he had an unknown history and a strange connection Cami. That might sound cliche but he was also innocent at the same time so you couldn't really determine what side he was actually on.

The storyline of the book was also really addictive. It had in it self-esteem and family problems, abuse, pressure and difference, all of which are issues that most teens face everyday. The book starts on a high straight away and doesn't ever slow down or get boring. The world created in this book was also amazing, it was so original and the history, which was fiction blended with non-fiction, was so interesting that I can honestly say I have never read anything like it. Initially I found it confusing due to all the different names and terms used but I soon got used to them. So overall I found this book very different, in a good way, but at times slightly confusing.(less)

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Feb 10, 2013 Leesa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ok, seriously, this a really good book! I was so surprised because I found the introduction to be a little jarring and it was hard to adjust to a different world/universe with little explanation. Eventually everything falls into place and this bizarre post-apocalyptic / futuristic magical world falls into place. This is a retelling of Snow White and the seven dwarves, who's best friends are interpretations of Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood and dwarves are replaced by vampires. When you pu...more

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Dec 04, 2012 Melissa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Nameless --

Love. Love. Love. Love. This book was by far the best spin on Snow White. I could not have been more in love with the way this book was written. This book pulled you in, and has you mesmerized from page one.

Camille is amazing. She is self conscious, she puts everyone before herself, strong, and beautiful. There is also Nico who is strong, sexy, overprotective, sweet, unpredictable and totally in love with her. She may not think so at first but as her nightmares get worse, she realizes...more

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May 19, 2013 Sandy Shen rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: ANYONE!

Shelves: vampires, young-adult, love, love-fifty, magic

Title: Nameless #1
By: Lili St. Crow
Rating: 4.7 stars

QUICKIE REVIEW

Nameless was an addictive story of mystery, intrigue, and love. Well, sorta. I loved the uniqueness of the characters even though the idea of the story was quite common. I loved how Camille was taken seriously all the time even though she seemed to literally throw herself into danger. Not exactly too bright either. Nico was pretty hard-core but often vacant. I'd have liked more of him. His relationship with Cami was sort of half-

...more

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Apr 18, 2013 Joy (joyous reads) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Truth be told, I opened this review with: this is not your ordinary retelling of a beloved fairy tale, then deleted it altogether because even that line seems like a tired old phrase used to describe every single retelling that's ever grazed our shelves. I also wrote, this is Snow White like you've never seen her before, but then I read the book's jacket and it has the exact same quote from someone or other.

If you ask me to give you a little rundown of this book, then I'll have to decline becaus...more Truth be told, I opened this review with: this is not your ordinary retelling of a beloved fairy tale, then deleted it altogether because even that line seems like a tired old phrase used to describe every single retelling that's ever grazed our shelves. I also wrote, this is Snow White like you've never seen her before, but then I read the book's jacket and it has the exact same quote from someone or other.

If you ask me to give you a little rundown of this book, then I'll have to decline because it's beyond me. Complicated, dark and gothic, shockingly beautiful and irrevocably unique. But I must warn you that the writing takes a bit of getting used to. There was a wide-spread usage of jargons that are entirely intrinsic to the novel as a whole. And yet, I didn't question it nor did I complain about it. The author substituted words that have been used and misused in every paranormal YA I've ever read. Words like: vampires, sucking blood and the process of which vampires die in a way that almost gives them the benefit of a soul is unheard of. Then I find myself thinking, how do you even know the Seven Families are vampires? It could be another species of mythical creatures altogether, for all I know. That's the beauty of this imagined world though, it's wide open to interpretation and pliable enough to cater every reader's imagination.

The romance. Oh the romance. There were two boys. It was weird. That's all I'm going to say about that. I think if I say any more, I would ruin it. But the second I realized the love triangle was impossible, I kind of wished it was. And that's saying a lot because love triangles fill me with abhorrence and disgust. But not here. I look forward to Camille's interactions with both boys on every page.

The world building is insane; a dichotomy of old world and the future, an ambiance that was romantic and dark, lush and forbidden - hard to explain and even harder to paint. It's a twisted world perfectly immortalized by the author's words.

Nameless may be a retelling of Snow White but St. Crow stripped it off anything that may deemed it fairy tale. Prince charming does not exist and the Princess was a stuttering mess. Bring your patience and an appreciation for the weird if you're thinking of reading this book.(less)

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Apr 12, 2013 Julia Fitri rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. How to say this.

I liked it, and loved some parts of it. The mythology is awesome (the snow white twist), the world-building complicated and layered...which was the problem for me. It was too layered and the author sort of just dumped information on us and hoped we understood. Sure you can relate some events in this world to our world for ex; the REEVE or the magical revolution as the, I'm guessing, Industrial Revolution.

I'm still half-convinced there was a prequel or something. No?

Anyway, the wo...more How to say this.

I liked it, and loved some parts of it. The mythology is awesome (the snow white twist), the world-building complicated and layered...which was the problem for me. It was too layered and the author sort of just dumped information on us and hoped we understood. Sure you can relate some events in this world to our world for ex; the REEVE or the magical revolution as the, I'm guessing, Industrial Revolution.

I'm still half-convinced there was a prequel or something. No?

Anyway, the world called New Haven, is controlled by the Seven Families, like I said, they're kind of like the vampire mafia. And there are Jacks (which I'm not really sure what, maybe shapeshifters) and the Twists (people that has their Potential twisted by hate or rage) and then there are the fae.

Cami, or Camille, our heroine was a foundling, an orphan found in the snow by the head of the Vultusino family. She is adopted into the family and grew up along with his son, his heir, Nico.

Keep in mind that this is a version of Snow White so you already know the gist but I'm not saying that there are new elements in this story: for instance, the vampires, like Papa Vultusino and Nico, ghouls, mere-humans, magic users like Cami and Cami's friends Ruby (Red Riding Hood) and Ellie (Cinderella). There will be an evil queen, there will be the huntsman etc.

The pace of the story is okay, I guess, the pacing is pretty fast, you get to know everybody also pretty fast and you get the story, also pretty fast. It's twisted and dark and kind of harrowing at times as your imagination finally grab a hold of the world.

It kind of reminded me of Labyrinth in a way, you know, that movie with David Bowie as the Goblin King?

I was disappointed that we didn't get more Nico though, I was interested on how he went from heir to Head of the Family. Why he was often gone.

And I'm intrigued by how Lili St Crow created the difference between Nico and Tor, how they switched placed in the middle but then we totally see who was on Cami's side and not so much.

Well, will I read this book again? yes, yes I would. Is it flawless? Nope.

But still, an interesting (though not so original, at least on the White Queen part) read. (less)

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Apr 10, 2013 Turtles rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-modern

I was so pleased when I started reading this that the author stuck to her Lilith Saint Crow style, than her toned down Lili St. Crow - as she did with Strange Angels series. It was a good mix between the two, and I entirely enjoy her vibrant writing. The story set up is interesting, we've got a girl named Camille who was found on the road one night by a neo-vampire leader. She's raised as part of The Family and goes about her life. There's side characters, best friends, (kind of) a love interest...more

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Dec 16, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Camille is part of one of seven the most powerful and wealthy Families that rule over New Haven. It wasn't always that way. She was found when she was 6 years old, cold, mute, abused, scarred, and injured in the snow. The Vultisino, the leader of this particular Family, adopted her as his own daughter. Cami is now sixteen and no longer mute, although she still has a stutter that makes it difficult for her to speak. She goes to school, has two friends: Ruby and Ellie, and grew up a pampered heire...more Camille is part of one of seven the most powerful and wealthy Families that rule over New Haven. It wasn't always that way. She was found when she was 6 years old, cold, mute, abused, scarred, and injured in the snow. The Vultisino, the leader of this particular Family, adopted her as his own daughter. Cami is now sixteen and no longer mute, although she still has a stutter that makes it difficult for her to speak. She goes to school, has two friends: Ruby and Ellie, and grew up a pampered heiress. Her life is enviable, but she knows she doesn't really belong there. She has no idea who she was before age 6, what her real name is, or when her real birthday is. She doesn't really belong with her Family or with her friends. The plot thickens when Tor, a mysterious boy who works in the garden, has the same scars as her. He is the first clue she's had to unlocking the secrets of her past, but maybe some secrets are best left alone.

Nameless is a very unique fairy tale retelling that has its own alternate version of our world. Lili St. Crow just throws us into the deep end of her world, with offhand mentions of bizarre things such as Twists, minotaurs, Family, charmers, and mere-humans. It's quite disorienting and confusing at first, but as the book goes on, things are subtly explained and the picture becomes clear. This world is a magical alternative universe that broke away from our world just after World War I, which is widely known as the Reeve or magic revolution. In 1920, the Deprescence hit. The country and farm land turned into the Waste and money couldn't save people from mutating into jacks or Twists or eaten by some nasty creature. I love the alternative reality and history of the world and how it shares similarities with our own world, but manages to be so different. I also loved the small fairy tale references, like how Ruby lives on Perrault Street, named after Charles Perrault, the French author who wrote his own versions of folk tales. I haven't seen a world that integrated many fairy tales and magic into it work so well since Bill Willingham's Fables.

The characters are just as strong as the world building. Cami, although timid and soft spoken, is a strong, smart character. She has been through a lot in her life and has the scars to prove it. Unlike a lot of other YA protagonists, Cami isn't self pitying or annoying, although the potential to be so was there. She just wants to know where she truly belongs, where she came from, and who her real family is. It's completely understandable to want to know those things and feel like an outsider if these questions aren't answered. She ventures into danger sometimes, but with a real decision to do so instead of stumbling into it obliviously. I think her self awareness and strength to make decisions like that, even if I disagree with it, make Cami one of my favorite YA protagonists. Nico is the other character that really surprised me. For much of the book, he's the stereotypical vampire badboy that are pretty popular in fiction recently. He leaves Cami often to party with his friends and holds a lot of anger at the world. Underneath it all, he truly cares for Cami and uses that anger as a shield. I was relieved to see a real, complex character rather than the abusive, annoying shells that are usually written about.

Nameless is one of the best Snow White retellings I've ever read. It has it all: twists and turns, mystery, alternative reality and history, magic, love, and self discovery. I highly recommend this to fans of fairy tale reimaginings and dark fantasy.(less)

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May 26, 2013 Adrienne ツ rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: annoying-main-characters, ebooks, mystery-suspense, owned, stand-alone, ya-fantasy-romance, fairytale-retellings, meh

I don't have a lot of thoughts on this book so I'm just gonna keep my review short. It has only a two-star rating because although the story was very dark and intriguing it had a very slow pace and I couldn't help dozing off a few times. It just didn't hold my attention.

Quick Overview
Cami was found in the snow at six years old and adopted by the well-known Vultusino Family. She stutters when she talks and only opens up to her best friends, Ruby and Ellie, and her step-brother Nico (who may or m...more

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Apr 02, 2013 Jessie Potts rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, young-adult-for-adults, razorbill

What it's about: This brand new series is unique and slightly crazy. It's a sort of retelling of Snow White with some extra twistedness. I mean, the series is called Tales of Beauty and Madness and the structure and retelling follow that line of thought. Plotwise, Camille was 6 when a powerful and political man discovered her alone in the snow. She has scars but doesn't remember her past. There's a love triangle with one dark boy who has scars of his own.

Why you should read it: I enjoy twisted a...more

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Apr 15, 2013 Andrea rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-april-2013, read-in-2013

Up to chapter 5 and this book is just HORRIBLE. I mean I can tell there's a story under there somewhere and it might even be interesting, if I could only make an iota of sense out of anything that is written!

St Crow has set up a magical world and jumped in with terminology from the get-go with words than have no context, no explanation, no meaning with the reader. “Ellie would use her Babbage-net connection—St. Juno’s required one and logged student times, and the principal Mother Heloise knew s...more

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Jun 06, 2013 Kimmy Siddiqui rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book seemed very interesting at first. It pulled me in and I really wanted to know more about Cami and what happened to her, but after those first few pages the book dragged on...and on...and on. I felt like it was very anticlimactic, but I kept in reading to see what happens. The ending seems rushed kind of. The author built up all this tension and it was gone in two pages. This was an okay book, but i feel like it could have been better. I really like Cami's character. I thought it was cu...more

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May 31, 2013 Ellen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Snow white... never thought this tale would come from this beloved fairytale and truthfully I do think that the author does a very good job of rewriting the classic fairytale. The story was original and very interesting. Granted the first chapter (not the prolouge) was the hardest to read as it introduced the reader to an alternate world.
My only problem was the amount of language. The book has it on almost every page. I would have enjoyed this book more if there wasn't so much. F-bombs s-words j...more

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May 27, 2013 Elizabeth Milligan rated it 1 of 5 stars

When you decide to write a book, just because YOU know what the fuck your talking about doesn’t mean the rest of the world does. In the book Nameless the author does just that. She throws you in head first without explaining anything to you. It’d be one thing if there was a book before hand that gave you insight, and I skip it but no. Its the first in a series and I have to say, not too good. The plot would have been good, but the writing and lack of background detail really annoyed me. I still...more When you decide to write a book, just because YOU know what the fuck your talking about doesn’t mean the rest of the world does. In the book Nameless the author does just that. She throws you in head first without explaining anything to you. It’d be one thing if there was a book before hand that gave you insight, and I skip it but no. Its the first in a series and I have to say, not too good. The plot would have been good, but the writing and lack of background detail really annoyed me. I still have no idea what the fuck half the shit in the book was. Even more annoying than that was how the book skips around. The end and being of one chapter don’t wave together. End of the chapter the main character Cami is screaming and freaking the fuck out and the being of the next she’s at school fussing about a hair pin….what the fuck… Umm. So she just screamed freaked the fuck out and then is at school like nothing happened. No, shit happened and I for one would love to know what happened. Also at the end there is something called a Heartstone. doesn’t explain that. so I assume its a symbol of Nico’s ( Secondary character who is in love with Cami? not really sure.) acceptance of Cami. I just don’t know or care. The book lacks the feelings a re-telling of Snow White should have. (BTW I forgot to way it’s a re-telling of Snow White that lacks imagination of any kind.) If your wondering why I read a lot of re-tellings of fairy tales its because I like them. Some are good (Midnight Pears, Snow, Devoured) and others like this one lack the magic the originals have. But the plot of the story would have been amazing if it were to be written better. Oh and something else that bugged me, the book changers point of view from first to third at random moments. If your writing a book, novel, short story, ect. Keep to your point of view or else I will hunt you down and hit you in the head with an English Creative Writing book, until you fix it all. Understand? Good. Cause If I read one more book and its “OH how I miss him” one moment to “She doesn’t like the way he looks at her, so cross.” I will go mad.

***This is not my full review for that you and my full thoughts on the book you'll have to go to my Tumblr.
My Tumblr (less)

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May 04, 2013 Word Traffic rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: mafia, magic, paranormal-mix

~~There's a Nico in this story! :D~~

3 stars.

Rather good for a fairy tale re-telling.

I liked the mafia theme, the fancy style and how intense Nico was.
What I didn't like was the beginning which was overloaded with in-world terminology like 'Twists' or 'Dead Harvest'... It was difficult to focus on the story, but once you got used to it, it was okay, I guess.

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Oct 22, 2012 Briana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Nameless is the most gripping and original take on “Snow White” that I have read. The Disney version, with its silly dwarves and cute woodland critters, makes it tempting to approach the tale with something whimsical and light-hearted in mind, even in spite of the more gruesome aspects of the plot. Or, unless you are Tolkien, the presence of dwarves alone can become problematic. Serious, solemn dwarves have not been done better, though other authors such as C. S. Lewis have of course written the...more Nameless is the most gripping and original take on “Snow White” that I have read. The Disney version, with its silly dwarves and cute woodland critters, makes it tempting to approach the tale with something whimsical and light-hearted in mind, even in spite of the more gruesome aspects of the plot. Or, unless you are Tolkien, the presence of dwarves alone can become problematic. Serious, solemn dwarves have not been done better, though other authors such as C. S. Lewis have of course written them well.

Lili St. Crow laughs in the face of any complications. First, she takes the story of “Snow White” and chooses to be inspired by it, rather than simply modernizing it or fleshing it out. Thus, the family that takes Cami in is not a group of dwarves, silly or serious, or even a fraternity or whatever crazy sort of half-knit group one might suspect to see in a retelling. Rather, Cami is adopted by the Family—a literal family of beings that are part mafia, part vampiric, and part truly decent people. Things get serious, and creative, fast in Nameless.

As one might expect from all the hints about Family, there is some great original world-building happening in Nameless. In the beginning things are a bit hazy, with a plethora of unexplained references to jacks, minotaurs, Family, the Twist, mere-humans, et cetera. Eventually something of a solid picture begins to form. And eventually one realizes Nameless is set in an alternative future of our world, which came from an alternative past. It sounds as if things were the same until sometime around the Industrial Revolution, when something happened that leaked a bit of magic into the world. Then things went crazy. It is all laid out for readers interested in connecting our history with the history of the characters.

The one aspect that might be characterized as a weakness is Cami herself. She is on the whole a fantastic character, well-written and quite admirable in many respects. She gets into trouble she could easily have avoided, but unlike a number of YA protagonists, this is not simply because she is foolish or thinks she knows better than all her friends and ignores her advice. Cami chooses with open eyes to walk into danger because she truly thinks it will help. That conclusion may have come from some poor reasoning, but it still sets Cami apart as a strong young woman.

Before this climactic scene, however, Cami likes to dwell in self-doubt. She is not really Family. She does not really belong. No one really loves her. I grant this thought-process could have been much worse; there is certainly a line of “annoying self-hating character who blindly believes everyone hates her in spite of constant indisputable evidence” that St. Crow does not cross—but only barely. Cami also comes across as a little too dependent and even young at times, but, again, St. Crow stopped just short of making this a truly annoying issue. On the whole, Cami is awesome.

As is the book. The world has magic, but this is not high fantasy. Perhaps in some ways it is like magical realism. Magic is permeating our world, but it is slightly subtle and somewhat normal. People are magic, but the plot is not. There is certainly no cheesy enchanted food here; things are much more real. The effect is a slightly creepy, deliciously mystery atmosphere that fits St. Crow’s story perfectly. And I want more!

(Interestingly, Cami’s best friends have elements of Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood about them that are fun to catch. Will the next books be about them?)(less)

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May 24, 2013 Gina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is basically a creative retelling of the tale of Snow White, but with vampires (though they are not CALLED vampires in this story), and fae. The concept was very original. The characters were well-rounded. The story line moved at the perfect pace. The ONLY drawback I saw was that their world was just different enough that I had a hard time fully understanding everything that was going on. A lot of it was the terminology used. A good example is that basically this story is about vampires, wi...more

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May 10, 2013 Hope rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I bought this book from Kobo just after it was released. I really liked the premises of this story. I don't think I've ever read anything Lili St. Crow, i thought i would give this one a try.

Where do I start with this review?

There were so many things that bothered me about this book. First, the author introduces this brand new world of vampires (they are just called something else that I can not remember now) and they are divided into Families. There are other magical creatures and places ment...more I bought this book from Kobo just after it was released. I really liked the premises of this story. I don't think I've ever read anything Lili St. Crow, i thought i would give this one a try.

Where do I start with this review?

There were so many things that bothered me about this book. First, the author introduces this brand new world of vampires (they are just called something else that I can not remember now) and they are divided into Families. There are other magical creatures and places mentioned. My problem with this was that no background story was given, no explanation as to what was what. What was given as a background was very brief and skimmed over. The author just assumes that I will know what the new term she came up with means.

Cami's was a weak character, she was scared of everything and very much sheltered. Yes as a child she was traumatised beyond normal and that is evident. I believe author was trying to portray Cami as someone who suffered a great trauma and she is getting over it but also a strong character. The thing is Cami never struck me as a strong character, rather the opposite. She was scared of everything, I expected her to run at any moment. Her insecurities about her place in family, even though Papa Valtusino and Nico have never said or done anything otherwise. Which means she is also insecure. It would have been alright if this happened once or twice in the story and it was dealt with, but rather Cami thought of it pretty much every five minutes which translates to every page of the story. Bit annoying when you have to read over and over about her insecurity and her place in the Family.

This was suppose to be a retelling of The snow White fairytale. However I could not help and notice the similarity between this book's villain and Snow White and The Huntsman character played by Charlize Theron, the evil stepmother. How both of the characters attained their youth was very similar. Is this just me???

Last issue I had with this book, NOTHING HAPPENS for the better part of the story. There was no plot for more than half of the book other than Cami wondering what her dreams meant and going to school. At the end of the book we see some action happen, nothing serious.

Overall this was a just not a good read for me and I did not like it. Writing was not bad, but there were too many things that did not work. There was nothing happening for the better part of the book. Weak character and weak supporting characters. World development non existent and what was there was confusing. Too tell you the truth I regretted buying this book.

I give this book 1/5 STARS - HAPPY READING!!! (less)

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Apr 09, 2013 Sheree rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy-sci-fi, 2013-100-plus-challenge, own, read-in-2013, reviews

I'm really not sure what to say about Nameless, halfway through I was ready to throw it aside. I still didn't get the world and was only half sure I understood what was going on. Ok I lie ... I had no idea. BUT at the same time it was strangely addictive. Have you ever had a book like that? One you wanted to put down ... but just couldn't!

Nameless is jarring, confusing, bizarre, disjointed and dark and addictive ... so I kept reading

There's the Seven Families (nudge) and Borrowing and Potential...more

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May 08, 2013 Catherine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: good-for-teen-girls, selective-recommendations, good-supernatural-fiction

Lili St Crow has a real way with words! She did it with each of the Strange Angels books, and now she's done it again with Nameless. What a rush! I started read Nameless (the first in The Tales of Beauty and Madness series) yesterday afternoon, and finished it at 12.10 this morning after having tea and attending a 2.5 hr meeting!
A take on the story of Snow White, this is about Camilla (Cami), who, at the age of 6 was found and taken in by the Head of one of the Seven Families who rule New Haven...more

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Nameless (Tales of Beauty & Madness #1)

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