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Chime

3.59 of 5 stars 3.59 · rating details · 5,762 ratings · 1,539 reviews

Before Briony's stepmother died, she made sure Briony blamed herself for all the family's hardships. Now Briony has worn her guilt for so long it's become a second skin. She often escapes to the swamp, where she tells stories to the Old Ones, the spirits who haunt the marshes. But only witches can see the Old Ones, and in her village, witches are sentenced to death. Briony...more

Paperback, 361 pages

Published June 7th 2012 by Bloomsbury (first published March 17th 2011)

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Aug 31, 2011 Lora rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: g-ya-hist

If you know me then you know I love books set in this period. For that reason and others, I believed I would enjoy this. I wanted to enjoy this, I truly did. The premise sounded good; the prologue, however strange, intrigued me. But it didn't take long for me to realize that I wouldn't be able to read over 300 pages of Briony's narrative. It is undoubtedly the strangest I've ever come across. So strange, in fact, that I'm not sure I can describe it properly. It's like an odd mix of pessimism, se...more

41 likes · like · see review

Mar 02, 2013 oliviasbooks rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, witches-sorcerers-magic, historical-fiction, historical-fantasy, ghosts-dead-people, love-story-romance, gods-demons-angels-immortals, other-creatures, stays-with-me, to-re-read, favorites, read-2011, beautiful-writing, favorites-of-2011, hug-them-lick-them-favorites, yabc-quarterly-challenge-9, re-read-2013, read-2013, a-z-challenge-2013

***Read for the first time from August 04 to 07, 2011***
How happy I am that I spontaneously gave in and ordered this odd, little jewel ....
It was dark, strangely compelling and utterly beautifully written ... and completely different from what I had expected.

It’s the turn of the century in rural England. The Industrial Revolution with its affluence of metal and electricity has forced most of the Old Ones, elemental spirits, bogs, brownies, fairies and the like, to disappear. But in Swampsea and...more

33 likes · like · see review

Dec 21, 2011 Joe rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: national-book-award-finalist, ya-book-club, young-adult, borrowed-library

After the whole Shine/Chime National Book Award Debacle, there was no way my book club could ignore Franny Billingsley's Chime. We had already read Shine and were completely confused and underwhelmed by it. Perhaps the National Book Award committee was wrestling with similar feelings, and that is what led to the gaffe. I dunno. I'm still confused.

The first couple distinctions between these books are glaringly obvious by page 12 of Chime.

1. Franny Billingsley can write circles around Lauren Myr...more

47 likes · like · see review

Mar 26, 2011 Tatiana rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: those who appreciate everything odd

Recommended to Tatiana by: starred reviews

Shelves: ala-ya-2012, ya, national-book-award

This book received a starred review from basically every professional reviewing publication - School Library Journal, Booklist, Kirkus - and here I am, unable to even finish it.

While I acknowledge Chime's originality and high quality of writing, I believe this is a novel that will appeal to only a very specific type of reader who is looking for some eccentric fantasy. The whole cast of characters, the world, the interactions are all what you call "quirky," but many (I) would call bizarre. The ma...more

35 likes · like · see review

Aug 15, 2011 Catie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011, ya, fantasy, paranormal

It’s hard to describe my reading taste precisely. Describing my favorite writing style is a bit like playing Goldilocks: too simple and it feels shallow, too overdone and it feels exaggerated. Either way the writing ends up falsifying the characters and story for me. With nothing that feels real, no point of reference, I can’t put myself in the shoes of the characters. I can’t buy in. Somewhere in the middle is the writing that speaks right to me. It feels beautiful and descriptive without feeli...more

29 likes · like · see review

Jul 04, 2011 Ashleigh Paige rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: the-decent-shelf-of-meh

Also appears on The Screaming Nitpicker.

Two months and three days. That's how long it's been since Stepmother died and Briony will not let herself forget it, just like Briony won't let herself forget that she's a witch and that her powers harmed both Stepmother and her twin sister Rose. Her plans once involved going elsewhere for school, but now she has resigned herself to staying in the Swampsea, caring for her younger sister, and pretending she can't hear the Old Ones begging her to write stor...more

8 likes · like · see review

Dec 21, 2012 Bookphilia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, 99-problems-and-a-witch-aint-1, monsters-and-mayhem

Alright, so I was going to do a proper review, but I just can't. I'm punned out, folks.

Besides I fear I love this book too much to be silly about it. And I have to say, when I first started I wasn't sure if I loved it or hated it. I was struck by how Briony was so annoyingly self-loathing. But then there was the pity and how she pathetically claimed she felt nothing because of witchery.

I found myself appreciating her character much more when she and Eldric created this secret society of awesom...more

4 likes · like · see review

Apr 10, 2011 Marg K. rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 3-star-rating

This was a rather unique book that may not appeal to everyone's tastes. I will admit that it took me a bit of time to become fully engaged in the story and to appreciate the unique writing style and unusual characters. The writing was certainly of high caliber, and as I read on, I could see the thought and care that went into the crafting of each line.

As beautiful as I thought the lyrical/poetic prose was, I still had a bit of a difficult time immersing myself in the story, particularity for th...more

8 likes · like · see review

Mar 11, 2011 Minli rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, favourites, book-soulmate, awesome-writing, made-me-cry, made-me-laugh, mythic, adorable, book-club

I loved Chime so much I do not have words. I stayed up late to finish it, and I re-read parts of it the next morning. Don’t let the cover fool you, it’s not a paranormal romance, nor is it about a goth girl playing Victorian dress-up…it simply does not do justice the sheer poetic loveliness of the novel. Chime feels like a retelling without being based on a fairytale: the whole timbre of the book is tale as old as time, but set in 1910s England. The closest comp titles I can think of are Juliet...more I loved Chime so much I do not have words. I stayed up late to finish it, and I re-read parts of it the next morning. Don’t let the cover fool you, it’s not a paranormal romance, nor is it about a goth girl playing Victorian dress-up…it simply does not do justice the sheer poetic loveliness of the novel. Chime feels like a retelling without being based on a fairytale: the whole timbre of the book is tale as old as time, but set in 1910s England. The closest comp titles I can think of are Juliet Marillier’s Wildwood Dancing, Laini Taylor’s Lips Touch Three Times and Elizabeth Bunce’s A Curse Dark As Gold. All of those books I love passionately, and I can happily add Chime to that list.

Seventeen-year-old Briony Larkin has a secret and feels like she ought to be hanged. That secret might have something to do with her stepmother’s death and her sister’s childhood accident, or maybe the fact that she’s a witch. Life in her small town of Swampsea is dominated by forbidden visits to the swamp, known to be mystical and dangerous; that is, until Mr. Clayborne arrives to drain it in the name of progress. His son, Eldric, quickly strikes a friendship with Briony, bonding over incorrect Latin, a “Bad Boy” fraternity, and various other goofy antics. Not only do things begin to change, Briony’s murky memories are brought to the surface to be confronted by truth and perspective.

At some point I will elaborate on the idea of book soulmates. Chime is mine—it feels like it was written just for me. My taste skews more towards fairy and folk tales, and I live for stories set on the cusp of the industrial age. The main character, usually female, must have agency. And the boy too, especially one who isn’t spineless and/or brooding, with a real personality. And writing, oh writing. It must be good writing, obviously—sometimes an unexpectedly funny turn of phrase, vivid imagery, an effortless smoothness that every writer knows only comes after countless revisions.

In a writer not as skilled, Briony’s shattered confidence and self-image could easily come off as pitying and unbearable. I never get that feeling while reading in Billingsley’s beautiful prose; Briony is headstrong, protective, and often hilarious. Ultimately, Chime is a novel about the facets of a person, about self-loathing, about love, about art. About monsters, too, and the shape they come in—and about mothers and manipulation and morality. It has beautiful moments, moments where you stop breathing, moments where you sit back and gaze at the pretty words, moments where a sigh is practically written into the page.(less)

14 likes · like · see review

Jul 05, 2012 Lori (Pure Imagination) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

Just a small warning: this review is bound to be full of praise, fangirly gushing, and positive adjectives. I will not apologize for this...

This book was absolutely gorgeous. Every word was an indulgence along the same lines as chocolate. And just like chocolate I wanted to savor it and gobble it up at the same time.
I knew from the first page that Chime was something special. Something completely different than other books I have read and that knowledge only intensified as I continued to read....more Just a small warning: this review is bound to be full of praise, fangirly gushing, and positive adjectives. I will not apologize for this...

This book was absolutely gorgeous. Every word was an indulgence along the same lines as chocolate. And just like chocolate I wanted to savor it and gobble it up at the same time.
I knew from the first page that Chime was something special. Something completely different than other books I have read and that knowledge only intensified as I continued to read. The writing was completely incredible. I was a little awestruck. Franny Billingsley has a amazing gift and I hope that she continues to share it for a long time to come.

Chime is about the very wicked girl named Briony. She's so wicked because she's an Old One, a witch. This is a secret she has kept for years. Briony hates herself. She doesn't love anyone. Shes incapable of crying, and she tells you these things countless times, but you as the reader can see all the things that Briony can't. You will probably figure out the truth about her long before she does, but watching the story unravel and the puzzle pieces fit together is the beautiful thing about this book.

Briony tells you her story and her recount of the events is honest and witty. Her relationship and romance with Eldric was well developed.The banter between the two of them was fantastically done. It had me smiling many times. Rose, Briony's twin sister played a very big role in the story and I though she was a great addition to the already wonderful cast of characters.

The world in which Chime takes place is perfectly created. I saw no flaws in it whatsoever. The Swampsea and the Old Ones were unique. I won't say that I have read lots of Fantasy, but I will say I have read my fair share and the world in Chime is one of my all time favorites. It left me dying for more!

I'm going to stop now because I could probably continue gushing for a long time to come. I just want to say that you must read this book! I hope you love it half as much as I did. (That would still be a lot!) I will definitely be reading Billingsley's past books and devouring anything that she writes in the future.
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5 likes · like · see review

Apr 25, 2011 Erica (daydreamer) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: wizards-witches, release-in-2011, i-own, ya, 2011-reads, best-characters, enchanting-reads, love-love-it, pleasantly-surprised, strong-heroines, beautiful-writing

Keep your secrets, wolfgirl. Dance your fists with Eldric’s, snatch lightning from the gods. Howl at the moon, at the blood-red moon. Let your mouth be a cavern of stars.

This is the story of wolfgirl, a witch living in her dark lies she keeps hidden from the world, and lionboy, a boy-man with golden hair and lightning eyes, who sees through wolfgirl’s hardened exterior. Chime tells the strange story of these two, and the unlikely bond that slowly forms between them, despite Briony’s witchy life...more Keep your secrets, wolfgirl. Dance your fists with Eldric’s, snatch lightning from the gods. Howl at the moon, at the blood-red moon. Let your mouth be a cavern of stars.

This is the story of wolfgirl, a witch living in her dark lies she keeps hidden from the world, and lionboy, a boy-man with golden hair and lightning eyes, who sees through wolfgirl’s hardened exterior. Chime tells the strange story of these two, and the unlikely bond that slowly forms between them, despite Briony’s witchy life and her detestable background. Briony can tell no one her story, she promised her Stepmother, and the penalties of being a witch is death. But Eldric, this boy-man with his lion smile and lion leap and fidgety hands, confuses her mind. Stepmother told her to make sure she hates herself, because she is a witch, but when she’s with Eldric, she doesn’t hate herself, she laughs, she finds enjoyment. But she can never forget what she is. With her dark secrets pressing inside her, her second sight allowing her to see what others can’t, and her twin sister Rose who’s not quite right in the head, a constant reminder of the wicked things she’s done.

Chime was strangely intriguing. The writing was kindof unusual. At first, I wasn’t so sure how I liked it, but then it started to grow on me, and I found I was eagerly devouring every precious word, and really appreciating this rather unique, strange, simplistic prose.

I really liked Briony, her voice, her view and interpretation of things. She was a nice, fresh heroine, not dependent on others, fends for herself, and takes care of her twin sister, Rose. I liked the relationship between these sisters. Briony often wishes she didn’t have to take care of Rose, that she could go far away, but she really does love Rose. And though Rose acts like a child, she’s trying to protect Briony. Rose lives in a world of her own, after an incident that happened when she was young that affected her mind. She says that Briony has no birthday, though they’re twins, and she won’t let Briony listen to the clock chime twelve. And she won’t tell Briony why, she says they’re secrets, which she has lots of, that she won’t tell anyone. She prefers not to. But her secrets are unveiled at the end, and Briony realizes how much her life really has been a lie. I thought it was rather brilliant the way Billingsley connected everything in the end, and everything started to make sense.

I really loved reading this book. It was strange, but in a compelling way that pulled me into the mushy sloughs of the Swampsea, running alongside wolfgirl and lionboy as they grew, and found themselves, and found love, something Briony never thought possible. It was a very enjoyable read, though I can’t say that everyone will like it.

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May 05, 2011 Kelly Leigh marked it as did-not-finish · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

After 88 pages I gave up because I had no clue whatsoever about what was happening.

Chime was odd to say the least. It was peculiar from the get-go, but intrigue carried me on. But 88 pages in, my clueless feeling still intact, said intrigue was chased away by confusion, which was eventually bested by boredom. It's a shame really, because I do enjoy the author's writing. It's quirky. I do enjoy being dropped into a story, having to deduce along the way what's happening. In other words, info-dump...more

3 likes · like · see review

Jun 25, 2011 Hirondelle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

"If I were an author, I´d write about people who sit on the floor. About people who look at mouse droppings and don´t care. About people who only feel a black hole inside."

This is a very good book, though it does not start too pleasantly. Bryony is full of hate and guilt, and we must go along with her and figure out the whys of it. The writing is beautiful and sharp, there are many layers here of plot and clues, some of the characters are fascinating and the setting interesting (though with some...more

7 likes · like · see review

Jan 07, 2013 Raquel Martin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012

I broke a personal rule and bought this book on my Kindle (which I usually reserve for reading only while traveling) because I met Franny in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, where I live, and thought she was delightful. Being an ex-lawyer, I also loved hearing how she gave up her legal career on a whim and moved to Spain to start writing. The ultimate product of that decision was Chime. My adult love affair with fantasy started with Lord of the Rings (25+ readings!), moved on to Harry Potter (6+ r...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jun 16, 2011 Kathryn (Beastie Books) rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own-arcs

The idea behind Chime was a very original one and had a lot of potential. Unfortunately it wasn't my cup of tea.

There was so much going on in this book that it was hard to keep up. The plot seemed choppy and there were a lot of different things going on. Between finding out who killed Briony's step-mom, who was trying to kill her, and everything else, some things got lost. I found myself looking back at previous pages to see if I'd missed something because I would frequently get lost.

The charac...more

7 likes · like · see review

Apr 27, 2011 Isalys rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, owned, ya, for-review, fantasy, favorites

This may be one of the most challenging reviews I've ever had the joy of writing simply because this book is so wonderfully unique and cleverly written that it's nearly impossible to put into words why it's so unique and clever. It's one of those "you have to just trust me and read it for yourself" books to truly understand the complexity of this story.

Chime is the story of a wicked girl named Briony who does wicked things, who loves no one and feels no emotion. She is a witch you see, an Old On...more This may be one of the most challenging reviews I've ever had the joy of writing simply because this book is so wonderfully unique and cleverly written that it's nearly impossible to put into words why it's so unique and clever. It's one of those "you have to just trust me and read it for yourself" books to truly understand the complexity of this story.

Chime is the story of a wicked girl named Briony who does wicked things, who loves no one and feels no emotion. She is a witch you see, an Old One which is a secret that she's kept all her life. No one must know for if they find out, she will be hanged. Briony has also taken responsibility to care for her twin sister, Rose, who has the qualities of an autistic learner. I can, in all honesty, say that these are two of the most brilliantly written characters that I've ever read.

Briony is nothing if not unabashedly honest. She has such a strong and unintentionally witty voice. Her internal conversations, in which she refers to herself in the third person were fascinating. She was always reminding herself that she was not "allowed" to feel normal things because she was not a normal girl. Rose, her twin, was also a favorite character of mine. It was so interesting to see an author write about a character with a learning disability and still make her lively, playful, innocent, and interesting. Like her sister, she was too honest and she took everything literally which made for some very funny conversations between the sisters. The third most interesting character in the mix was Elric, Briony's eventual love interest. She referred to him as the boy-man which was perfect for him. He was adult and worldly enough to be part-man, but mischievous enough to be part-boy.

The setting of the book was like a character in itself. The swampsea was a place of mystery and magic where witches go to do "witchy" things. In the swamp, you will meet the Old Ones and creatures capable of manipulating the elements. One would have to be VERY careful when traversing the swamp because if not, it will gobble you up.

This is not a light read. You cannot just flit through this book. You need to sit down and spend time with it. Let your mind sift through and absorb all the deliciously creepy details.

I don't know if I'm doing this book justice with this review, but the best way for me to describe this book is by saying it's like one of those 1,000-piece puzzles. It's chock full of interesting bits that don't make much sense at first, but once you finish, you have a beautifully crafted masterpiece that was worth the time it took to put it all together.

This was my first Franny Billingsley novel but it won't be my last now that I know what a genius she is! My name is Isalys and I am a new Franny Fangirl! (less)

8 likes · like · see review

Aug 03, 2012 Rayne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Rayne by: Cillian Beyond Birthday

Shelves: fantasy, ghosts, historical-fiction, mystery, romance, witches-and-wizards, you-go-girl, young-adult

This novel is an exquisitely written and wonderfully constructed story with a chilling atmosphere, an original premise, a fantastic setting and a self-destructive and achingly realistic protagonist and a very believable and likeable love interest. My only problem with the novel was the pace, and not for lack of things going on. I just didn't get suck into the story from the get-go and that's why it took me so long to get through it. But, as a whole, this novel is simply marvelous. I look forward...more

2 likes · like · see review

Dec 12, 2012 Emily rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: People who like being confused by books

Recommended to Emily by: A friend

My rating: 2 stars

So I was just wandering through my school's book fair when I see this book. My friend had told me that she had read it and that it was awesome, so I was like, ok and i bought it. BAD MISTAKE. This book was soo confusing. I couldn't relate to the main character, Briony, at all. She was always so dramatic and hating herself. She hated other people. She hated her twin sister, Rose. She hated the town she lived in, and she hated the swamp where her town was located next to. Oh, and...more My rating: 2 stars

So I was just wandering through my school's book fair when I see this book. My friend had told me that she had read it and that it was awesome, so I was like, ok and i bought it. BAD MISTAKE. This book was soo confusing. I couldn't relate to the main character, Briony, at all. She was always so dramatic and hating herself. She hated other people. She hated her twin sister, Rose. She hated the town she lived in, and she hated the swamp where her town was located next to. Oh, and she hated herself being a witch.

“I hated myself, but I also loved myself in a hateful way.”

That was a sentence about Briony hating herself. It gets annoying to a point or whining.

I read reviews that said that the book was really good,I'm like, "Why am I still reading this". Halfway into the book, I'm still confused and wondering why I'm reading this book. I guess it is because I was waiting for something good to happen. Nothing. Did.
an example of confusingness.

“When Rose takes to screaming, she starts loud, continues loud, and ends loud. Rose has a very good ear and always screams on the same note. I'd tested her before I burnt the library, and our piano along with it.
Rose screams on the note B flat.
We don't need a piano anymore now that we have a human tuning fork.”

What does a "human turning fork" mean???

I was really disappointed with this book because it had such a good idea for a storyline. It was just not executed well (sorry Franny). It was a boring book. Oh, and the language was off! This takes place in the early 20th century, but the author is using words like "milady" and talking modernly directly after it. It was weird. Chime had a really good moral at the end. (view spoiler) In the middle of the book I had suspected this, but I had my doubts. This was one highlight of the book. My personal favorite characters are Eldric and Rose. Eldric is a standard "good boy" from England who moved to Swampsea to be with his father. Eldric thinks himself a "bad boy", but has chivalry which is amusing considering that the male antagonist, Cecil, drinks (?) arnenis because it improves his keeping it PG, ummm "pleasingness to girls". That was bad because it makes him want to get drunk and do other stuff... So, then there is Rose, Briony's identical twin sister who she believes she hurt with her witchiness when they were younger. Nowadays, it would be considered Autism. Rose has an awesome personality even though she can be unruly at times. So I am getting lazy now and you can read someone else's review that is better.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Mar 27, 2011 Angela rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, ya, historical, sci-fi-fantasy, mystery-suspence, romance, favey-faves

I received a free arc copy of this book from Penguin Group (USA). Thank you.

Normally, after I've read a book, I sit down and write the review in a passionate rush. Whether I loved a book or frankly hated it, my fingers just itch like crazy to get all my feelings out at once. After reading Chime, I had a completely different experience. My mind just needed time to process. To allow the story to wash over me. Much like coffee, my brain needed a lil time to percolate. And while I still am not sure...more I received a free arc copy of this book from Penguin Group (USA). Thank you.

Normally, after I've read a book, I sit down and write the review in a passionate rush. Whether I loved a book or frankly hated it, my fingers just itch like crazy to get all my feelings out at once. After reading Chime, I had a completely different experience. My mind just needed time to process. To allow the story to wash over me. Much like coffee, my brain needed a lil time to percolate. And while I still am not sure I am ready, I figure I better give it a go. Melodrama ftw. Let's do this thing!

a description: There once was a girl named Briony who lived in the Swampsea where the Old Ones lived. And she could see them and they could see her. And she kept this a secret. She kept a lot of secrets; secrets about how her step-mother died; secrets about how her twin sister Rose became ill; witchy secrets that if told might kill her; secrets that were buried deep within her soul. There once was a girl named Briony, the wolf-girl, who met a boy with a lion's smile who would make her feel again and maybe bring those secrets out.

a gushing review: First and foremost, Chime is a beautifully written novel. Each word picked for not only its meaning, but its sound. Each phrase carefully crafted to grab our attention, keep us hooked, move us, delight us. I'm failing here to describe the simple beauty of this novel, and I'm not sure one can completely understand unless they've read it. What struck me about this novel was the attention to detail. Ms. Billingsley makes each word count, creating a magic through her carefully crafted story that only a true wordsmith can accomplish.

This attention to detail; this dedication to a well told story gives this novel an amazing setting. Think Tim Burton's Legend of Sleepy Hollow with its almost otherworldly feel and magical yet sinister setting. Ms. Billingsley invites us to enter a world where the Boogy Man is real and witches run wild.

Into this setting, each character is placed lovingly. Their pain, joy, and sorrow felt. Told in the first person, Briony shares with us her life, her misgivings, her hopes, her dreams, her heart, her sorrow. At first, one could view Briony as an emo whiner, yet as the story progresses and we weigh her actions against her inner turmoil, we find that she is a heroic protagonist who is trying to take care of those she loves, including herself. Eldric complements Briony completely and grows through the story, going from a carefree bad boy with a lion's grin to a loving, protector willing to do anything to help those whom he adores.

And what of the plot? What of the story telling? It is seamless in my humble opinion, twisting and turning from point A to point Z in a satisfying way, the conflicts which arise are organic and the characters dealing with them in realistic ways. The mystery of this story churns just under the surface, presenting itself over time, and alerting the reader to the reality that all is not as it seems, and that our protagonist might not know fiction from non-fiction any more. While I was able to guess at a few of the "big reveals" it took me more than half the novel to even begin to understand what was going on, and even then I couldn't grasp it all. Yet, it wasn't a frustrated confusion, more of an enlightenment over time.

The ending of the novel left me wanting more and I am DYING to get my hands on the next book!

To be honest, I am in love with this novel. I have nothing negative to share. It was the perfect book at the perfect time. One of those reads you find to be an absolute joy and are sad to put down. I highly recommend this novel. (less)

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Sep 24, 2011 April rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: for-review, ya, fantasy, historical-fiction, own

Chime was my first Franny Billingsley book, but it definitely won’t be my last. If you are looking for a lush, old-meets-modern folk tale full of magic and plot twists, I cannot recommend Chime highly enough.

Read the rest of my review here

2 likes · like · see review

Oct 30, 2011 Melissa rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: crcpl, creepy, fantasy, young-adult, ztlib, unioto

This is really a 2.5 star book. I grabbed it from the library to preview for my own because I'd heard a lot of buzz about this one. It was, in fact, named to the National Book Award shortlist the day I finished it. But that doesn't actually mean it's any good. The whole thing felt "off" to me.

**SPOILERS from here on out**

The mixture of "normal" speech in the narrator's head, formal speech within her family and several friends, and the public dialect was really and truly jarring. The author didn...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 17, 2012 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: awesome-protagonist, favorites

I should start this off by pointing out that this book took me approximately two weeks to read. Since I'm usually a pretty fast reader, anything that takes me more than a few days to finish is usually a red flag that something is amiss. Yet I loved, loved this book by the end. So why did it take me so long to finish it?

Simple. The pacing.

The first half of this books drags, and I mean drags, by. Briony is a sharp and witty narrator, and the prose itself is amazing. As in, I had to stop highlight...more

4 likes · like · see review

Jul 20, 2012 Keertana rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, rainy-day-re-reads, swoooon, beautiful-prose

Briony Larkin has grown up hating herself. Before her stepmother passed away, she told Briony a secret: Briony is a witch. Briony is wicked. Briony is responsible for hurting her sister Rose. Briony is guilty. Briony must not tell her father. Briony must not tell anyone. If Briony tells, she will be hanged. Thus, Briony believes in her own inherent evil - she despises herself. Yet, when Eldric, a boy who is as different from her as sun and moon, arrives from London, Briony starts to question eve...more Briony Larkin has grown up hating herself. Before her stepmother passed away, she told Briony a secret: Briony is a witch. Briony is wicked. Briony is responsible for hurting her sister Rose. Briony is guilty. Briony must not tell her father. Briony must not tell anyone. If Briony tells, she will be hanged. Thus, Briony believes in her own inherent evil - she despises herself. Yet, when Eldric, a boy who is as different from her as sun and moon, arrives from London, Briony starts to question everything she's ever been told. Slowly, secrets begin to surface - secrets about Briony. Secrets about her life. Secrets she doesn't know.

Chime is dark, haunting, and utterly original. Billingsley's writing style can be strange at first, but it soon grew on me. I found myself devouring the pages, unable to stop reading until late into the night.

Briony, despite her own self-loathe, is an intelligent and self-reliant new heroine, able to fend for herself. Furthermore, she does everything she can to take care of her twin sister, Rose. Rose lives in her own world, acting like a child after an accident that affected her mind when she was young. She tells Briony that she has no birthday although they are twins, doesn't allow her to listen to the clock chime twelve, and has a plethora of secrets of her own. Although Briony often doesn't want to take care of her sister, she does anyway, showing an admirable sense of loyalty. Briony has so many notable characteristics that one cannot help but love and sympathize with her even though she despises herself. She is intriguing and, as the narrator, provides a refreshing new perspective.

Briony and Eldric's blossoming romance was captivating and - dare I say it - something that had not been done before. Eldric calls himself a resident "bad boy,"; yet, he is unlike any other "bad" boy we have come to know in YA literature. Eldric is a gentleman who is kind, honest, friendly, and funny. He becomes Briony's friend first and Briony, believing that she in incapable of love, does not see him as anything more than that for much of the novel. It is evident to the reader that Eldric likes Briony very much; however, as the novel is told from Briony's perspective, we cannot help but doubt him and question Briony's own feelings towards him as she does not know them herself. Eldric is so easy to fall in love with and, despite his evident weaknesses and flaws, has become one of my favorite male characters in YA literature.

To be honest, I was originally very skeptical about reading Chime. The cover is gorgeous and I wanted to like it so badly, but most reviewers had simply been unable to read it because of the writing style. I didn't want to be one of those readers. Thankfully, I was sucked in my the writing and thoroughly enjoyed it. Everything about this book is unique - its characters, its plot, its romance. Although it seems like just another paranormal romance, it is so much more. It is thought compelling, strange, and beautifully written. Certain scenes are written with such poise that they stand out, immediately making this novel one with writing that may not necessarily be poetic or beautiful, but certainly striking.Billingsley's talent for writing is evident throughout the story as she never makes Briony come across as whiny or annoying for hating herself - she truly develops and adds depth to her personality. Some authors are simply good, Franny Billingsley however, has true talent.

Chime may not be a novel that everyone may necessarily like, but it is haunting and deserves to be read. If you are looking for something that will completely blow your mind away, leaving you pondering the novel long after you are finished with it, read Chime. You won't regret it.

You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings (less)

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Mar 18, 2011 Literary Cravings rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What would you do if you knew you were different and somehow responsible for the bad things that happened to your family like the death of your step mother and your sister’s accident that left her damaged?

This is what Briony has to deal with as she hides her secret from everyone knowing that if the truth about who she really was came out she would be headed straight to the gallows. But when a deadly illness hits her town and her home, Briony knows she has to make the ultimate choice that could...more

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Nov 18, 2011 Alyssa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favourites

I'm not sure if there are words to express how much I loved this. Well maybe one: atmosphere. Franny Billingsley certainly knows how to set a mood and create a world. It's a fantastic world with its own set of verbs and noises/onomatopoeia. The entire time I read the book I thought of nothing but sneaking through snickleways and wading through the slough (it helped that it's been a bit overcast and rainy too).

And don't get me started on Briony and the epic-ness of her voice! There was so much s...more

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Sep 28, 2011 Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH THAT I AM BUYING IT BEFORE I EVEN FINISH READING IT. The author has a magical, unbelievable grasp of language...I wish everyone talked like Briony.

OK, so I finished this book and I adored it although, again, I'm not even sure what was happening half the time. Franny Billingsley is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.

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May 01, 2013 Anna (Gatsby's Girl) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is definitely different from anything else I've ever read before. Very odd realistic-fantasy in a world much like ours, when cars and movies were new notions, but magic still existed. I honestly loved Briony most of the time. But the reduction of one star was the fact that sometimes it was hard to really know what was happening. You just get kind of thrown into this strange world, without ANY real explanations, so it took me quite awhile to get into the swing of things. But once you get abo...more

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May 20, 2013 ala rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is lovely and sweet and charming, although I wasn't sure at first. The author does such a good job of setting up a grim mood, and I wasn't sure if I was up to it. It reminds me of when I was about 8, and I made my dad stop reading the Witch of Blackbird Pond after the first chapter. It wasn't until I was 13 that I made it far enough in to find out there was a love story and a happy ending... Well, being a good deal older now, I pushed through Chime on the first try, and I am happy to r...more This book is lovely and sweet and charming, although I wasn't sure at first. The author does such a good job of setting up a grim mood, and I wasn't sure if I was up to it. It reminds me of when I was about 8, and I made my dad stop reading the Witch of Blackbird Pond after the first chapter. It wasn't until I was 13 that I made it far enough in to find out there was a love story and a happy ending... Well, being a good deal older now, I pushed through Chime on the first try, and I am happy to report there is a lovely HEA.

Chime is the story of Briony who has a well-developed case of self-hatred, depression and guilt. Her step-mother, who she adored, recently died. She hardly speaks with her father. And she dutifully takes care of her twin sister who had a brain injury (or something) that impairs her mental functioning. Everything is very convincingly bleak and dreary. But, as I've already given away that there is a HEA, I guess I can also say that the story becomes about growth and self-acceptance and forgiveness and redemption. It's also about negative conditioning and abuse.

So see, not really depressing at all. Although the beginning had me fooled. Actually, Briony persists quite a while in being quite a gloomy character. But she is also a wonderfully witty narrator, with a self-deprecating sense of humor, and this lightens some of the angst. I loved, for instance, how she describes first meeting Eldric, the son of her father's friend.

The barge had arrived. I looked for Mr. Calyborne's son among the passengers. I hoped he wouldn't be one of those grubby stone-throwing boys. But they all are, aren't they? I base my knowledge of boys on Tiddy Rex, nine years old, with the requisite grubby hands, but not altogether a bad sort.

At least I needn't talk to Eldric. I believe boys are not much for conversation. If Eldric bothered me, I'd just mention Mucky Face. He's the resident river spirit and just loves boys. But to eat, Eldric dear. To eat.
"There he is!" said Mr. Clayborne. "See, on the left -- tall, fairish hair?"
"What a good-looking boy!" said Father.
But I didn't see any version of Tiddy Rex, grubby hands or no.
"There!" Mr. Clayborne pointed. "Coming down the gangway. Surely you see him now? Light hair, well built."
"Oh," I said. I hadn't known he'd be so big. He was an enormous child. An enormous giant of a child, all six or seven feet of him.
"There's my bad boy," said Mr. Clayborne, waving Eldric over. He made it sound as though it were quite a good thing to be a bad boy.

Nor had I known he'd be so old. He was a University boy...

Briony goes on to describe herself and her odd family.

Rose and I wore identical frocks... We'd had them for ages and they made us look about twelve rather than seventeen. But Rose likes looking twelve: She also wore a pinafore and a pink ribbon. She wears them every day.
"I don't care to shake hands with that boy," said Rose. She has only one way of speaking, and it is loud.
Oh, Rose! Now Eldric would look at us and pity our shattered, fragile family and our shabby, childish clothes; and I'd be obliged to hate myself, and to hate him too, although I've had a lot of practice and it's not terribly burdensome. Hating, I mean.
I hate myself.

Eldric had certainly noticed us now, his eyes first on Rose, now swiveling to me, now back to Rose; assuring himself, as everyone did, that we were that interesting freak of nature, the identical twin. What did he think as he looked at our angel faces? What would he think if he knew what lay beneath the face of the angel named Briony?
"I don't care to shake hands with that boy."
Father gave up; I saw it in his shoulders. You can never win with Rose. He must have forgotten that while he was talking to God.
"Please allow me to introduce my daughter, Rosy."...
"How do you do?" Eldric smiled. He had golden lion's eyes and a great mane of tawny hair.
"I knew it," said Rose. "I knew it."
"Knew what?" said Father.
"I'm not rosy," she said, which is true. The two of us are alabaster girls, lovely to look at, or so we hear.
How could I bear it, Eldric living with us, this non-child, this boy-man? I'd have to keep on my Briony mask. I'd have to keep my lips greased and smiling. I'd have to keep my tongue sharp and amusing. Already, I was exhausted.
"And you?" said Eldric. After a heartbeat of silence, I glanced up. Eldric was looking at me, this golden London boy, looking at me with amber eyes. "What am I to call you?"
"You may call me Briony," I said, "which makes it awfully convenient because so does everyone else."
After a hiccough of silence, Eldric laughed. Then so did the others, except Rose. And me, of course. I don't have much laughter left. I've looked after Rose for years and years, and she drained me dry long ago.

Let me stop before I copy the entire chapter. But this is what the writing is like. Full of showing not telling. Briony herself would be an almost intolerably depressing character were it not for her continuing humor. For instance, as Briony contemplates making a deal to save her sister from the swamp cough:

Despite her cough, Rose was in unusually good spirits. That was irritating. If I'm to trade my life for Rose's, I'd appreciate her exhibiting a touch of melancholy. Also acceptable would be despair.

And the lovely part of Briony's narration is that in its honesty, it conveys the full range of teenage angst. While on the one hand she is depressed and determined to hate herself, she also wants love and nurture. (Actually not so sure this is strictly a teenage phenomenon!) For instance:

He heaped his greatcoat around me. I protested, as one must do; I even opened my eyes for extra politeness. But he insisted he was warm in his slouchy tweeds. He defied me to find a trace of blue in his lips.

This is what I want. I want people to take care of me. I want them to force comfort upon me. I want the soft-pillow feeling that I associate with memories of being ill when I was younger, soft pillows and fresh linens and satin-edged blankets and hot chocolate. It's not so much the comfort itself as knowing there's someone who wants to take care of you.

While Briony strives for honesty, you also get a sense of her blind spots. This is a subtle trick for an author to pull off -- to make you think a character is being 100% honest yet is lacking some perspective that makes the story not quite reliable.

If I have any complaints with the book, I think he actual mystery was a little simplistic. Not only did I totally see it coming, I also didn't think all the loose ends were wrapped up. (view spoiler) Also, although I enjoyed Briony's growth and transformation to self-acceptance and forgiveness, I thought it was a bit of a cop-out (view spoiler) But maybe that's the difference between a YA and an adult book...

Anyhow, I definitely recommend Chime. Great writing, imaginative folk-lore inspired alternate England, a sweet tale of transformation, love etc. Don't be put off by initial gloom -- rather take it as a tribute to the author's ability to set the the mood. (less)

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May 20, 2013 Maeve S rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Chime by Franny Billingsley, I face 3 stars for this novel because it is a good book but not the best, the novel is a bit confusing, and in some parts don't make sense at all, but overall the book was good. My hook on this book was when I was ready this book was the first page when Briony keeps saying I should be hanged.

Briony is the main character in this book she says she is a witch and is worried about that because in swamp sea they hang witches. Briony is a teenager with a twin sister named...more

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Apr 04, 2013 Gina rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, paranormal, recommend-for-libraries, recommend-for-high-school-curriculu, ya, romance, fantasy

I've discovered a wonderful thing ... my local public library has audio books available to borrow. You download each one for a week, and since I don't have much time lately to curl up in The Big Cozy Chair to read, I can upload a borrowed audio book onto my iPod and listen in the car, while I'm making dinner, etc. Since I've discovered this, I've listened to quite a few audio books, but by far the most intriguingly narrated has been CHIME.

I won't waste your time with the synopsis - if you've re...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
All Challenges Al...: Chime by Franny Billingsley	6	3	Apr 22, 2013 07:59pm
Crazy for Young A...: Chime by Franny Billingsley → Start Date: April 16th, 2013	44	17	Apr 21, 2013 06:15pm
What did you think of the book? (esp. the characters)	4	12	Mar 27, 2013 03:24pm
Am I the only one who wants a second book with more Eldric and Briony?	6	26	Dec 27, 2012 02:58pm
YA fantasy/ paranormal	3	17	Sep 09, 2012 08:30am

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About Franny Billingsley

While Billingsley's first novel, Well Wished (1997), was warmly received by critics, a year ago she was a virtual unknown within a publishing climate that regarded fantasy as a specialty genre. Today, her name is on the lips of booksellers and reviewers throughout the country.

Franny Billingsley was not always a writer. She graduated from Boston University law-school in 1979, and worked for 5 years...more

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“If you say a word, it leaps out and becomes the truth. I love you. I believe it. I believe I am loveable. How can something as fragile as a word build a whole world?” — 100 people liked it

“It's one thing to keep secrets. It's quite another to lie.” — 61 people liked it

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