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270th out of 607 books
—
1,998 voters
Watersmeet (Watersmeet #1)
From her birth, Abisina has been outcast--for the color of her eyes and skin, and for her lack of a father. Only her mother's status as the village healer has kept her safe. But when a mythic leader arrives, Abisina's life is ripped apart. She escapes alone to try to find the father and the home she has never known. In a world of extremes, from the deepest prejudice to the...more
Hardcover, 352 pages
Published
April 1st 2009
by Amazon Childrens Publishing
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Watersmeet was a fascinating and truly impressive debut novel. Abbott's writing style is very easy to read. The fantasy world that is created contains many mythical creatures- fairies, trolls, dwarfs, fauns, and centuars, but at the same time it deals with the same issues we face in today's society- discrimination, prejudice, tolerance and acceptance.
The main character Abisina deals with many of those issues throughout the novel. Abisina is a terribly flawed character, but I think that is what m...more
The main character Abisina deals with many of those issues throughout the novel. Abisina is a terribly flawed character, but I think that is what m...more
I appreciated Watersmeet very much. Most of the books I've been reading for this course have dealt with intense subjects (suicide, anorexia, school shootings, etc.) and, honestly, I needed a break. This book provided it. Before reading these books for class, the only YA titles I'd seek out were fantasy. When reading adult books started to weigh me down, the simplistic nature of Eragon, or another similar title, would lighten the load enough to keep me from wanting to quit reading altogether. The...more
It seems that lately I've been reading books in which some (or all) of the plot involves the subject of prejudice. Watersmeet was no exception. The lead character, Abisina, experiences it on a daily basis. Why, you may ask? It's because her dark hair and skin keep her from embodying the image of Vran (the man who spread his settlement into free territory and cast out the "monsters"). So, Abisina is treated as an outcast, her only refuge is her mother, the village healer. While her life certainly...more
This book is gripping from the very beginning for fans of fantasy worlds. There is racism even in fantasy and this books shows how easily we can give into our fear of what we don't know or understand. Abasina is an outcast in the village she lives in because her skin and hair are dark. But because he mother is the village healer, they allowed her life to be spared instead of throwing her over the wall as a baby. But she wonders if she should have been left for dead rather than endure the awful w...more
This story contained some of the more traditional creatures in literature: centaurs, minotaurs, dwarfs, fauns & fairies - NO vampires. Very refreshing to read a more traditional fantasy at the YA level, but it still contained some very important themes to this age group - racial prejuidices and the treatment of people who are different is one major theme throughout the book. Abisina grows up in a village who only values people who have blonde hair and blue eyes, so with her brown hair and gr...more
Watersmeet is the story of Abisina, the daughter of her village's healer and, with her dark hair and skin, reviled by the blue-eyed blonde-haired Aryan stereotypes in charge. Abisina is one of the Outcast, and was only spared because of her mother's limited influence as healer. When the village welcomes Charach, one of the religious leaders of her people, the subtle simmering evil boils over and results in the wholesale slaughter of the Outcast. Abisina flees her village in pursuit of her unknow...more
This is a fairly enjoyable fantasy about a girl who lives as an outcast in her village and the tragedies and triumphs that befall her as she attempts to escape the increasing danger there and to find her father.
I would have enjoyed it more except that it seemed a bit as if the author sat down with a list of themes she wanted to make sure the reader 'got' and built a story to illustrate them, in a not very subtle way. We have the hatred and violence that stem from bigotry and prejudice and blindl...more
I would have enjoyed it more except that it seemed a bit as if the author sat down with a list of themes she wanted to make sure the reader 'got' and built a story to illustrate them, in a not very subtle way. We have the hatred and violence that stem from bigotry and prejudice and blindl...more
1 like · like · see review
In the village of Vranille, where perfection is a requirement, Abisina is an outcast. When Charach comes to Vranille, Abisina must flee from her village to keep her life. She embarks on a dangerous journey over the mountains to find Watersmeet and, potentially, her father. To survive the journey, she must overcome years of fear and prejudice and learn to accept help from others.
Toward the end of the book, it seems as though the author is trying to tie everything up quickly to make the story work...more
Toward the end of the book, it seems as though the author is trying to tie everything up quickly to make the story work...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I enjoyed Watersmeet even though I didn't think I would. It's a pretty straightforward, simple fantasy book, yet I enjoyed it for the most part. Abisina is treated horribly in her village for her hair and skin color. The people of the village are religious fanatics that live meager lives, and are more than ready to kill some innocent children. The jacket coves this information, but doesn't tell us too much more. What entails is an interesting journey with unlikely companions. I enjoyed the trave...more
Abisina is born an outcast in a world of men where only blond hair and blue eyes are acceptable. At war with centaurs and dwarves and all non-humans, the Vranians are set on conquest. When Abisina escapes and journeys to find her mysterious father, she must face her fear and hatred of dwarves and centaurs in order to survive. This epic fantasy starts out more promising than it ends. The building of grudging respect and finally friendship between Abisina and a dwarf is the strongest aspect of the...more
Watersmeet provides a trip back to more traditional fantasy fiction. It features a strong, believable heroine, Abisina and creatures you don't normally see in YA - centaurs, fauns, etc. Watersmeet is truly unique in the way it is so simple. Unlike most YA novels nowadays which try to be twisty and complicated, it has no big twists. That doesn't mean it isn't worth reading. I think YA readers (and any readers, this one will appeal to all) will be refreshed by the simplicity and straightforwardnes...more
This novel was creative and took a fresh new spin on supernatural creatures. I enjoyed the use of centaurs, minotours, drwarfs, trolls, fairies and fauns. Abbott used great writing created a strong female heroine that gave the book a hopeful outlook. I loved the way the novel made me scared, angry and happy at different times.
The heroine, Abisina's feelings change a lot and it can get confusing. I wish the author had went more in debt about specific and/or important feelings instead of jumping...more
The heroine, Abisina's feelings change a lot and it can get confusing. I wish the author had went more in debt about specific and/or important feelings instead of jumping...more
I picked up WATERSMEET, because I loved the cover with the piercing green eye and the plot sounded promising. I'm a big fan of fantasy, and love trying out new authors in the genre.
Abisina is an outcast in her town of Vranille, because she has dark hair and green eyes, not the ideal of blonde hair and blue eyes. The only reason she wasn't left to die as an infant is because her mother is the town's healer. Abisina is used to the ill treatment of her town, being at the end of lines hoping for a s...more
Abisina is an outcast in her town of Vranille, because she has dark hair and green eyes, not the ideal of blonde hair and blue eyes. The only reason she wasn't left to die as an infant is because her mother is the town's healer. Abisina is used to the ill treatment of her town, being at the end of lines hoping for a s...more
Wow! This is the best book I have read in a while. I think it has a lot to teach us about the wrongs of prejudice and the extents of courage and love. The main character has been raised to hate everyone who is not an exact pattern of a man they have idolized in her culture, Vran. This includes hating herself since she is despised by her own people because of the color of her skin and hair. She has to learn very quickly to adapt and accept those who are not of her race or else die when she sudden...more
i really enjoyed this book. i do not recommend it for young teens.
it paints a picture of a very Harsh life led by an 'outcast'. A young girl is an 'outcast' because her looks are different from the preached norm/beautiful (think Hitler). All other whom are different, species wise, are also 'outcasts'. Other species in this book are quite varied--centars, fauns, trolls, dragons, dwarfs, shapechangers....you get the picture. sorry, no vampires.
there is a very strong theme of: there is one person...more
it paints a picture of a very Harsh life led by an 'outcast'. A young girl is an 'outcast' because her looks are different from the preached norm/beautiful (think Hitler). All other whom are different, species wise, are also 'outcasts'. Other species in this book are quite varied--centars, fauns, trolls, dragons, dwarfs, shapechangers....you get the picture. sorry, no vampires.
there is a very strong theme of: there is one person...more
Watersmeet is a bit slow at the start and a tad long, but man is it worth it! Abisina's tale is unique and imaginative, in the fashion of Lord of the Rings. Centaurs, dwarves, fairies and more light it up brilliantly, and the human characters are delightfully woven in. I really have not read a book this imaginable in a long time.
Abisina's time in Vranille was touching and realistic. I felt what it was like to be her, and could easily see the cruelty of the town and the love of her mother, all th...more
Abisina's time in Vranille was touching and realistic. I felt what it was like to be her, and could easily see the cruelty of the town and the love of her mother, all th...more
This book pretty much sucked me in immediately, and I was completely hooked for the first half, when it had sort of a dystopian feel to it. But it kind of lost me once Abisinia makes it to her destination and the story becomes almost pure, traditional fantasy. None of the new characters introduced, with the exception of Rueshlan, were developed much at all, and while I found Abisinia's fear and anger and indecision realistic, I also found it...kind of annoying. And it made her big battlefield sp...more
You could classify this book as a typical fantasy adventure novel, where the main character befriends some sort of magical creature and they travel together. However, you would be wrong. "Watersmeet" has these elements, yes, but the story is told in such a way that it reaches out to all your senses, unlike most other fantasy books. Also, instead of the main character being perfect, Abisina has some fears she has to conquer. The irony is that she has been shunned most of her life because of other...more
Abisina is like an out cast cause her eyes are sooooooo perttyful, and shes tan ohh and shes got no dad. And the only reason shes "safe' is becuase the village needs her mom because shes the village healer. so all of a sudden the leader changes and so do the rules abisina's used to, and so shes off to find her dad the man thats been missing for all her life. and along the way finds her own prejudices and eventually finds the courage needed to fight the evil she encountered in Charach her home vi...more
I liked this book. It is a fantasy quest by a girl to find her father. In her journey, she meets several creatures. In my mind, the book is divided into three separate sections. The first takes place in Abisina's home village before she is forced to leave. This was by favorite part of the book. The second section, she meets a family of dwarfs. This is my least favorite section. The final section, takes place in her father's kingdom "Watersmeet" where all the creatures live happily togehter. The...more
I liked this one. It was an interesting "other world" type of book. The themes of societal unity and caring for one another were well expressed. I read it because it is a YA book and I wanted to see how I felt it would fit into my PreK-6 school. I know several 5-6th grade readers who would enjoy this story, and there is nothing objectionable in the book for a younger reader. The language is a bit challenging but we always have readers at the elementary level who want challenge. At 350+ pages it...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
To see my full review:
http://bookvacations.wordpress.com/20...
This is one of those novels that I definitely think our young adult population should be reading as it addresses many important issues, such as discrimination, bullying, tolerance, and forgiveness. I certainly don’t expect to come across such phenomenal themes when I pick up a novel, but that’s exactly what I got in Abbott’s Watersmeet, and I really enjoyed it.
Abisina has had a very hard life, and yet, for the most part, she is relati...more
http://bookvacations.wordpress.com/20...
This is one of those novels that I definitely think our young adult population should be reading as it addresses many important issues, such as discrimination, bullying, tolerance, and forgiveness. I certainly don’t expect to come across such phenomenal themes when I pick up a novel, but that’s exactly what I got in Abbott’s Watersmeet, and I really enjoyed it.
Abisina has had a very hard life, and yet, for the most part, she is relati...more
I enjoyed this story although I had a bit of trouble getting into it. The story also ends a tad abruptly and I was disappointed with the cliche bit of the ending as well. I liked the dwarves, some of the other characters weren't very well drawn in the story. I suppose they didn't get enough screen time in this book and will get more in the next one. I didn't really notice the lack until afterwards when I was trying to remember details and couldn't. The atmosphere was great, the world building (a...more
I sort of struggled over how many stars I would give this book, three or four. In the end, I decided to go with three, because I felt like it most accurately described how I ended up feeling about the book.
The almost-four-stars of it first: Abbott is obviously a skilled writer. Her descriptions were good, her characterization consistent, and the writing flowed. The dialog was mostly good (very few clunkers!) and as a fantasy, it mostly works. The writing here simply isn't the problem. My issues...more
The almost-four-stars of it first: Abbott is obviously a skilled writer. Her descriptions were good, her characterization consistent, and the writing flowed. The dialog was mostly good (very few clunkers!) and as a fantasy, it mostly works. The writing here simply isn't the problem. My issues...more
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The idea behind the book was good but the writing couldn't stand up to the challenge that the writer seemed to be making for herself. The book attempts to deal with issues like racial prejudices and blind faith but the writing is just not developed enough to really explore these subjects. I would have loved to see more subtlety and less in-your-face "symbolism" but Abbott didn't seem capable of it.
Throughout the entire read, I kept waiting for more from this book, but I never got it. Suffice it...more
Throughout the entire read, I kept waiting for more from this book, but I never got it. Suffice it...more
3 likes · like · see review
nice one! this is an epic fantasy with all the creatures that fit so well into the genre. Although i think this could stand alone, there is sure to be a sequel.
Sina, a young girl in a generic medieval village is an outcast because she looks at all different from the rest of the blond and blue-eyed villagers. But then this story could fit into Puritan New England, for all the fear and prejudice poisoning these people. Any excuse to make one of their own an outcast and these people are on it. The...more
Sina, a young girl in a generic medieval village is an outcast because she looks at all different from the rest of the blond and blue-eyed villagers. But then this story could fit into Puritan New England, for all the fear and prejudice poisoning these people. Any excuse to make one of their own an outcast and these people are on it. The...more
Abisina lives in a repressive community, following the laws/religious codes of Vran, which declare her an outcast. The only reason she wasn't exposed to the elements at birth was her mother's powerful position as the village healer. But another charismatic leader is about to come to power, and his rise is bad news for all the outcasts - human and other.
Events cause Abisina to seek her father, in the far village of Watersmeet. But her journey causes her to face her own prejudices, and realize she...more
Events cause Abisina to seek her father, in the far village of Watersmeet. But her journey causes her to face her own prejudices, and realize she...more
Reviewed by coollibrarianchick for TeensReadToo.com
W-A-T-E-R-S-M-E-E-T. The word easily rolls off my tongue. The cover with the picture of the girl caught my attention first. She has the look of a scared, caged animal. I want to know what Watersmeet is. As I usually do with fantasy books, I dove into this book with gusto. Any book that can keep me interested from beginning to end and not drag is a good thing.....
First time novelist Ellen Jensen Abbott has impressed me with her book, WATERSMEET.
T...more
W-A-T-E-R-S-M-E-E-T. The word easily rolls off my tongue. The cover with the picture of the girl caught my attention first. She has the look of a scared, caged animal. I want to know what Watersmeet is. As I usually do with fantasy books, I dove into this book with gusto. Any book that can keep me interested from beginning to end and not drag is a good thing.....
First time novelist Ellen Jensen Abbott has impressed me with her book, WATERSMEET.
T...more
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Ellen Jensen Abbott grew up in the foothills of New Hampshire’s White Mountains—often disappearing for a whole day to build forts, pretend, and read in the fields and forests around her house. She has degrees in English and education from Brown and Harvard Universities. When she is not dreaming up stories about Seldara, she teaches English at a boarding school in Westtown, PA. Ellen, her husband,...more
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Jul 17, 2012 10:33am