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Brightly Woven

by Alexandra Bracken (Goodreads Author)

393 · rating details · 2685 ratings · 574 reviews

When Wayland North brings rain to a region that's been dry for over ten years, he's promised anything he'd like as a reward. He chooses the village elder's daughter, sixteen-year-old Sydelle Mirabel, who is a skilled weaver and has an unusual knack for repairing his magical cloaks. Though Sydelle has dreamt of escaping her home, she's hurt that her parents relinquish her s...more

Hardcover, 354 pages

Published June 1st 2010 by EgmontUSA (first published March 23rd 2010)

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Apr 06, 2011

Anila rated it

Recommends it for: EVERYONE

Recommended to Anila by: Interesting Reader's Society

Shelves: fangirl-alert, i-haz-opinion-on-this, galleys-are-win, clone-the-guy-i-want-one, favorite-2011-reads

Review as of second reading:

I've said it before and I'll say it again: This book is like chocolate.
But this time, I'll elaborate.

You know that first piece of chocolate, the small piece you take because it's a treat and maybe you haven't had it in a while and you want to savor it? And you roll it around in your mouth a little, let it get all melty, experience the taste as fully as possible. You try to eat the rest of it- the bar, the bag of chocolate chips, ...moreReview as of second reading:

I've said it before and I'll say it again: This book is like chocolate.
But this time, I'll elaborate.

You know that first piece of chocolate, the small piece you take because it's a treat and maybe you haven't had it in a while and you want to savor it? And you roll it around in your mouth a little, let it get all melty, experience the taste as fully as possible. You try to eat the rest of it- the bar, the bag of chocolate chips, those little Dove eggs- slowly, and for a while it works. If you're weird like me you drink tea with your chocolate so that your mouth is always warm enough to soften it before you chew and it spreads over your tongue and makes a layer of deliciousness that you wash down with yet more tea. But eventually the lure of the sugar and cocoa is too strong. You eat more, more, more and you eat it faster, faster, faster- tea forgotten, savoring forgotten, seeking only to consume as much of it as possible as fast as possible because somehow you got the idea while you were eating it that the chocolate will go away if you don't eat it now and so it is absolutely imperative that you do so. Even when you realize you're almost out, that the bag is almost empty or the bar mostly devoured, you can only slow down a little bit. And finally, when it's all gone, you sit and blink a bit and try to figure out where it all went. Realization hits, followed shortly by contentment, followed even more closely by a wish that there was more and a knowledge that there is not and so you must enjoy what you had.

That is pretty much exactly what Brightly Woven is like for me- has been twice now. Chocolate. I try to savor it, really, I do. I can't. After a certain scene I just have to keep reading, homework or sleep be damned, until the end. I love the characters. I love the plot. I love the world and its peculiar politics. None of that has dimmed after a year and a re-read. I am still wholly, totally, completely smitten with this book.

My only complaint is that there is not more. This isn't just a fangirl thing, by the way- many other reviewers who don't love it the way I do have commented about a lack of explanation to the worldbuilding, and this time I could see the places where more explanations belonged. The foundation and framework were there. If there is ever, ever a sequel (pretty please? Can there be?) I'd like to see it explore a little more of the peculiar magic and religion of Palmarta and its neighbors.

Full disclosure: The narrator is a 16 year-old redhead with dreams of grandeur. I first read this as a 16 year-old redhead with dreams of grandeur and a peculiar love of TDH wizards. The love interest is a tall, dark, handsome wizard. It's no wonder I get absorbed in this story so quickly, even a second time.

Aside to a particular audience: Rachel, Fate, are we making those trading cards this summer? Because I still have dibs on North. Finders keepers.

Original review and edits:
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Jun 05, 2010

Cara rated it

Recommended to Cara by: Ash

Shelves: 2010, fantasy, awesome-covers

That cover is just marvelous honestly. Just one look at it made me so excited to read this book. I mean the detail in it is just on point. The reflection of lightning on her face, you can just feel the magic already. You just know (and hope) that what's inside will give you as much of a thrill.

Sydelle Mirabil has lived in Cliffton her whole life, but has always felt she needed to get out to see what lies out of her little town. She gets that opportunity sooner than expected when a yo...moreThat cover is just marvelous honestly. Just one look at it made me so excited to read this book. I mean the detail in it is just on point. The reflection of lightning on her face, you can just feel the magic already. You just know (and hope) that what's inside will give you as much of a thrill.

Sydelle Mirabil has lived in Cliffton her whole life, but has always felt she needed to get out to see what lies out of her little town. She gets that opportunity sooner than expected when a young wizard, Wayland North, comes to town in a whirlwind of much needed rain. The town had been in a drought for years and to show their gratitude Sydelle's father tells North he can have anything he wants for his great service to the town. Strangely he choses that Sydelle accompany on his journey to the capitol to stop the oncoming war. But why her? Well you are going to have to read it to find out.

I was so wrapped up into this journey that Syd and North were on, my mind would wander to their story while I'd be doing other things. I'd imagine the book sitting where I left it just begging to be picked up again. Well, I of course couldn't resist. I had lots of nostalgia reading this book because it reminded of books that I use to love to devour. Tons of action, peril, mishaps and nice moments between the two main characters. I liked the take on wizards, though I would have liked if it had been explored more and if there is a sequel I think it would be. What sealed the deal was the romance, which is really the core of the book.

I see other reviewers seem kind of disappointed with the book and I was wondering why. I'm guessing they had certain expectations. This really isn't geared toward hard core fantasy fans that love world building and feeling immeresed in a totally new world. Don't get me wrong I did get a good sense of the world, but it didn't have dictionaries of words or list of character names. I love those kind of books too, but for this story I was glad it wasn't bogged down with all that. It kept true to the growth of the characters and the events happening around them be important catalyst, but not overshadow them.

So go ahead and get trapped into this book's trance of colors, power, magic and most of all sense of adventure with traces of real human warmth that oddly come from wizards too.(less)

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May 29, 2010

Valerie rated it

Recommended to Valerie by: Ash

Shelves: fantasy

Finished this book in one day around 3:30 in the morning. Closed the cover, sighed with a smile and felt all gooey inside. Haven't read a romance like this in so long if ever, and the adventure had me turning page after page into the night.

Sydelle is a girl who is chosen by a young wizard to accompany him to Provincia and carry a message that might save their kingdom from a disastrous war. Having little choice in the matter Sydelle goes but not without some resentment. Having never ...moreFinished this book in one day around 3:30 in the morning. Closed the cover, sighed with a smile and felt all gooey inside. Haven't read a romance like this in so long if ever, and the adventure had me turning page after page into the night.

Sydelle is a girl who is chosen by a young wizard to accompany him to Provincia and carry a message that might save their kingdom from a disastrous war. Having little choice in the matter Sydelle goes but not without some resentment. Having never left her small town of Cliffton she is in for the journey of her life. Full of adventure, magic, romance, and terrible curses. It's a perfect recipe for a great read.

Sydelle as a character is rash and stubborn but in a way that is good. She is very into doing the right thing (being noble I guess) and not being a burden of any sort. If I were her and North told me to stay behind while he did something dangerous I would say "Okey dokey" and have some lemonade but Sydelle isn't like that, and if she were than the book would definitely not be as exciting with her just sitting pretty. The pacing of the story was good with a wizard duel and some near misses with the bad guy. I guessed at what Sydelle’s powers were about halfway through but you don’t get the full picture until later on.

The romance in the story was excellent and I was pleasantly surprised at how much was in it. I could just feel myself get all warm and fuzzy as I read some of the parts where they are together. Wayland North does not make a good first impression on Sydelle but that is overturned eventually. And they don’t say over the top cheesy lines all the time either. Okay maybe a few borderline ones. The writing flowed simply and easily, no trouble to follow. It didn’t do a ton of description or background but that didn’t bother me. Some fantasy authors do a whole lot of description and background to the point where it feels like a textbook to me. Some people like it but it’s not something I gravitate towards.

There could possibly be a sequel to this book and I would probably read it but I think it could stand on its own just fine. Just as a side note North is supposed to stink because he doesn’t bathe very much troughout the story apparently. Now I need sanitizer when someone does not wash his hands after going to the restroom, so in my mind he is nice and clean by the end. Nowhere was it put that he still stinks so…

Would definitely read again. (less)

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Jan 17, 2011

Erica (daydreamer) rated it

Shelves: cover-love, 2010-reads, absolute-favorites, swoon-worthy-male-love-interests, beautiful-writing, favorite-covers, favorite-romance, would-love-if-it-were-a-movie, 2011-reads, love-the-title, made-me-laugh, needs-a-sequel, love-love-it, best-endings, best-characters, strong-heroines, i-own, i-recommend-it, weaving, release-in-2010, ya

I can hardly contain my excitement over this book! It was amazing! Purely brilliant. Alexandra created a fantastical magical world full of mystery and intrigue that tugged at me, pulling me into the story and refusing to let go. Alexandra wrote beautifully. The words were-how else can I describe it?- woven intricately together to conjure up such vivid scenes and pictures.

The characters were written to perfection. Sydelle was amazing. I loved her fiery disposition, yet her quiet, gen...moreI can hardly contain my excitement over this book! It was amazing! Purely brilliant. Alexandra created a fantastical magical world full of mystery and intrigue that tugged at me, pulling me into the story and refusing to let go. Alexandra wrote beautifully. The words were-how else can I describe it?- woven intricately together to conjure up such vivid scenes and pictures.

The characters were written to perfection. Sydelle was amazing. I loved her fiery disposition, yet her quiet, gentle care and love she gave to others (and I love her name, and that North made his own nickname for her :). I loved North, might even have a little crush on him *sheepish grin* (second time reading, make that a MAJOR big crush on him:). I loved his sarcastic humor, and just his whole personality, (roguishly he may be sometimes).Their love was perfect. It didn’t need kissing to spur it on, (although that’s not always a bad way to go). Even after everything they went through, their love still persisted, which is a sure sign of true love.

The writing was impeccable, and the dialogue was perfect. The story was so colorful, weaving around me. I was captivated from the brilliance of the words and story. The story was so creative, and thought out perfectly. It was astounding.

Brightly Woven is one of my new favorite books of all time. It was one of the most amazing books I’ve ever read. And one thing that I really liked, was that there was no profanity or sexual stuff or vulgarity in it-a real rare find in a book nowadays. Having a book without that kind of stuff shows that a story can be truly great, and that it can captivate readers without the need to use sex or anything like that. A great talent if you ask me, but not a hard one to do. I don’t know Alexandra, or if this was her intention, but thank you for a clean, beautiful love story. We need more of those in the world. I’m so excited to read what she has next.

And can I just say how beautiful the cover is? And the title, I love it. Yeesh, the spine alone is enough to reel me in. Looks pretty good on my bookshelf. *little uncontrollable giggle.* And I need to say that this book NEEDS a sequel. There's so much more to the story, and I don't want to leave this world and the characters Alexandra created, I love it too much.(less)

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May 04, 2010

Tatiana rated it

Shelves: fantasy, ya

I don't think I've ever given up on a book so quickly - PAGE 2, I swear, I give every book a fair chance, but I disliked the writing from the first page - it was so strangely immature, so empty, so cliche, as if written by a 14-year old, with no finesse or artistry, no spark. Some of my friends really liked it, but it didn't work for me at all. I am not willing to push myself further to see if it gets better...

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Mar 15, 2011

Arlene rated it

Recommends it for: Fans of high fantasy such as Graceling and Finnikin

Recommended to Arlene by: TBR Reduction Challenge #6 - Nic

Shelves: fantasy, read-2011, witches-wizards, ya-fantasy, books-i-own

“I don’t do well without you,” North said. “Who I was before – I never want to be that person again. But I told you when I took you away from here that when everything was over, it would be your choice. You would get to choose where you wanted to go and who you wanted to be.” There was a pleading look in his eyes. In that moment, he looked as if I had stripped him of his cloak and magic. I could knock him back into that darkness with a single blow.

Alexandra Bracken’s Brightly Woven w...more“I don’t do well without you,” North said. “Who I was before – I never want to be that person again. But I told you when I took you away from here that when everything was over, it would be your choice. You would get to choose where you wanted to go and who you wanted to be.” There was a pleading look in his eyes. In that moment, he looked as if I had stripped him of his cloak and magic. I could knock him back into that darkness with a single blow.

Alexandra Bracken’s Brightly Woven was the perfect book for me. It takes a special kind of novel that pulls me away from the here and now and catapults my imagination into a suspended reality and undefined time and place. I found myself resisting to leave when I came across the final paragraphs. Bracken’s pages are filled with awesome; her characters are fierce, passionate and loyal; and the plot captures magic, romance and mystery in just the right blend to create a fantastical journey from beginning to end. Beautiful! Absolutely beautiful!

After a 10 year drought, the rains came to Sydelle Miribel’s desert village along with a young stranger dressed in wizard robes. Sydelle suddenly finds herself pulled from her family and friends and taken on a quest to stop a war that seems inevitable. Her part in this journey is not quite clear, as Wayland North is forced to keep secrets from her in order to protect who and what she is. When the story comes to an end game, Sydelle discovers what she is capable of and must make a choice between two divergent paths leaving North hoping for a future that isn’t his to decide.

Many times I rant about authors being unable to tell a complete story in one book and shoving sequels into shallow story lines. With Brightly Woven I’m at a quandary. I feel Bracken did a masterful job of plotting and concluding this story, but simply put… I want more. I’d love to see a sequel to this story (view spoiler), but if that’s not where Brightly Woven is intended, I’ve been given enough information to draw my own conclusions and still place this book at the top of my bookshelf along with my other faves. This story was truly fantastical!

Thank you Nic for challenging me to read this. Great choice for what I was hoping to experience in a YA fantasy read. MUAH!

Favorite quotes
“I’m trying to feel sorry for you, really I am. If you wait just a moment, I’m sure the tears will come.” North

“Yes, my beautiful, beautiful darling! As my beautiful, beautiful darling wishes.” North

Protect those who are weak in the world. Guide those who think themselves lost, for as long as you are above, all paths will be straight and all hearts will be strengthened.(less)

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Jun 12, 2011

Katie rated it

Shelves: signed-books, books-i-own, favorites, bea11

Every once and awhile, I read a book that completely takes over my mind. I think about it at night while I’m trying to sleep and I contemplate what’s going to happen next constantly as I go about my day. It basically manages to squeeze into every thought I have until I’m able to pick it back up again. Brightly Woven is a perfect example of said mind-control.

The story has a wonderful balance of adventure, magic and self-discovery. I would’ve never imagined a young adult novel possible o...moreEvery once and awhile, I read a book that completely takes over my mind. I think about it at night while I’m trying to sleep and I contemplate what’s going to happen next constantly as I go about my day. It basically manages to squeeze into every thought I have until I’m able to pick it back up again. Brightly Woven is a perfect example of said mind-control.

The story has a wonderful balance of adventure, magic and self-discovery. I would’ve never imagined a young adult novel possible of holding all three with such addiction, but Alexandra has certainly done it.

The journey between the two main characters, Sydelle and North, was kept the main priority throughout the entire story. There was no floating away from the plot to sneak in bits of romance- the author managed to do that without straying. I also enjoyed the small yet cleverly created magical elements- such as the rover beetle, an insect that keeps track of somebody- that made the story so much more unique.

I was impressed with the characters as well. Instead of acting as a damsel in distress, Sydelle was a kick-ass heroin who was always thinking of ways to get back up after she was knocked down. North, though he doesn’t bathe enough, got some laughs and swoons out of me. I particularly enjoyed reading his intoxicated scenes. It was nice to have the occasionally humor with all the gasping and squealing I was doing.

Filled with beautifully written magic, battles, a stinky-yet-charming wizard and a well-plotted journey, Brightly Woven has officially managed to snag a spot on my all-time favorite list. I have never wanted a book to be a movie so much before, considering how incredible and amazingly detailed all of the big magic scenes were. So, if you happen to be somebody in the movie biz and you‘re reading this, I’ve got advice for you- THIS IS YOUR NEXT BLOCKBUSTER. DO IT. NOW.

And the same advice follows for people who are searching for something amazing to read- THIS IS YOUR NEXT FAVORITE BOOK. DO IT. NOW.(less)

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Mar 16, 2011

Ari rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, magic, adventure

Such a beautiful, beautiful darling.. oh, I mean, story ;))

One word: lovely!
2 words: loved it!
3 words: Thank you Arlene!

Once in a while I find myself lost in a beautiful story, with great characters I get to know and love so much, that I find it difficult at the end to let it go.. and yes, this is the case. I know, I'm a complete romantic with no cure - I take that as a compliment ;)

The main reason I loved this book so much was probably because of North....more

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Nov 12, 2010

Amelia, the pragmatic idealist rated it

Shelves: 2010, ya-kids-teen, all-kinds-of-fantasy, egmont, disappointing, annoying-protagonist

If Brightly Woven was an amusement park ride, I'd say it would be a wooden roller coaster - it's fun and exciting at times, but the ride is very bumpy, rickety, and you wonder how in the world the coaster got a license to operate in the first place.

Most of the time, I try and at least pretend to be objective. But every once in awhile a book comes along that totally unleashes the inner opinionated Amelia, and this was one such book. In a nutshell, I didn't enjoy this book. It wa...more
If Brightly Woven was an amusement park ride, I'd say it would be a wooden roller coaster - it's fun and exciting at times, but the ride is very bumpy, rickety, and you wonder how in the world the coaster got a license to operate in the first place.

Most of the time, I try and at least pretend to be objective. But every once in awhile a book comes along that totally unleashes the inner opinionated Amelia, and this was one such book. In a nutshell, I didn't enjoy this book. It was hard to get into the plot of the story because the writing was really disjointed and distracting. I loved North, but Sydelle was only so-so. She's like the typical YA heroine in the anthem of "girls are macho too!" but unlike a lot of other YA heroines, she's a little on the stupid side. North would do something to protect her and she'd go "I can take care of myself because GIRLS RULE!" and then she'd do something totally stupid and lo and behold would need North AFTER ALL. Go figure! My little feminist friend (seriously, she is little: 4'10) doesn't even like her, because when a character screams about being independent and smart and capable, she needs to be able to actually DO SOMETHING on her own. But I digress. I mean, at least Katsa from Graceling wasn't an idiot! Like I said, I liked North, but he seemed a little out-of-character. A wizard who is totally direction impaired and needs the map-reading skills of a girl who's never even left her own town? Yeah right. Also, he's all of 18 years old, yet he talks like he's an old man. O_o

So to wrap up: this book was okay, not the brilliant debut novel by a young 20something that I was expecting. That title still belongs to you, Mr. Paolini! I was disappointed, and I wish I hadn't actually bought a copy. But hey, there are loads of 4-and-5 star reviews out there, so others definitely like it. I will say that I appreciated this Brightly Woven being a clean read. That really is something nowadays, to write a clean novel. So that was very much appreciated. But it wasn't enough for me. It's not bad, but the weakest link is definitely in the writing. Honestly, it read like a 2nd or 3rd draft. Don't shoot this to the top of your TBR list, in my opinion. (less)

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Aug 21, 2010

Ash rated it

Wow, I’ve waited way too long to write a review for this. From the very beginning I was beyond excited to read this. It was even compared to Howl's Moving Castle! So I couldn't wait to finally get my hands on this. Plus the cover looks so cool.

Quick Overview: Sydelle's small village has been plagued with a seven year drought. Then one day, out of nowhere, the rain comes. Along with the rain comes a young wizard named Wayland North. Sydelle's father, the village elder, offers him anyt...moreWow, I’ve waited way too long to write a review for this. From the very beginning I was beyond excited to read this. It was even compared to Howl's Moving Castle! So I couldn't wait to finally get my hands on this. Plus the cover looks so cool.

Quick Overview: Sydelle's small village has been plagued with a seven year drought. Then one day, out of nowhere, the rain comes. Along with the rain comes a young wizard named Wayland North. Sydelle's father, the village elder, offers him anything he asks for as thanks for bringing the rain. North chooses Sydelle. She serves as North's assistant on his journey to deliver a message of the coming war. Sydelle is not happy about how North seems to be keeping secrets from her, about both himself and about why other wizards seem to have a strange interest in her.

I think most of the negative reviews for this book are because of all the hype that was revolving around it. Sometimes it can be good, but then sometimes it makes you have unfair expectations. In reality I am rating this a 3.5, but I just saw so much potential in this. It could be that there was too much editing, but I think what was most lacking in this book was further description, mostly with transitions between scenes. A lot of times you had to catch up with what was happening in the story. Characters would do something and you had to go through some thinking to understand the characters thought process. Sometimes you would be in climax mode when some action would happen and then before you know it things are already resolved. It’s bit like a roller coaster. I seriously think that if some description of the places and characters thinking were added then this would have been gold.

I really liked that the story was so easy to read. A lot of times fantasy books will be spiced up with some formal medieval-esque language, or with their own lingo which requires handy little dictionary in the back. North is such a funny character even if he does have his overly mature moments (never thought I’d be saying that about a boy). Sydelle is sometimes so hard headed that it turns into being plain stupid, but I have to admire that she doesn’t take anything lying down. Plus, I don’t want to give anything away but I really appreciate the fact that any possible love triangle is dealt with minimal drama and tears. I HATE and don’t understand the need to make big drawn out soap-opera-esque tear fests out of love triangles. A major (MAJOR!) plus.

This was a good and mostly quick read. With a little more description it would’ve been easy for me to get sucked into the story. As it is though it’s still a really interesting and action filled story with a good dose of romance. I’ll definitely be looking out for a sequel (please!) and other books by this author.
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Apr 14, 2010

Andrea! rated it

Shelves: fiction

Creative, magical, unpredictable. Was ridiculously easy to get lost in. Really wanted to skip sleep altgether to continue reading it, but alas, I couldn't. And now that I've finished it, I want MORE!

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Apr 21, 2010

Kat Kennedy rated it

Shelves: just-plain-bad, kat-s-book-reviews

This book came so highly recommended and its accolades were sung so virulently that I ignored my usual rule (either I buy it at Kindle or I get it from the library. I don't buy "books" per se anymore) and ordered the hardcover from Amazon, sure that I would love it.

I actually found it kind of meh. Everything about this story is cute and nice, which is good praise for the author, but there's nothing spectacular about it.

Many parts of the book were lovely, diffe...more

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Mar 26, 2011

marlene rated it

Shelves: 2011, top-11-books-of-2011

**4.8**

This book was written as a gift from the author Alexandra Bracken to a friend. Well, let me tell you, this was one hell of a gift.
I adore this book!

I just loved everything about it. The plot, the pacing, the different type of magic, the mysterious parts, the world it takes place in, and most of all - the characters. The characters made this story come alive to me. Sydelle was a great lead character, strong and independed. And Wayland North.. Oh, North. I thi...more

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Oct 27, 2010

Jen rated it

Shelves: books-i-own, paid-full-price, read-in-2010

Picture me, circa 1998. It's Christmas morning. My parents hand me a gift. It's rectangular and I feel my heart start to beat faster because I know exactly what it is. I tear through the wrapping paper and my gleeful suspicions are confirmed:

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: THE OCARINA OF TIME.

Cue monumental squee like no 13-year-old had ever squeed before. I fell into a zombie-like state for the next month that was only paused for my hand to find the bag of Baked Lays BBQ chips. Link was awesome. Zelda w...morePicture me, circa 1998. It's Christmas morning. My parents hand me a gift. It's rectangular and I feel my heart start to beat faster because I know exactly what it is. I tear through the wrapping paper and my gleeful suspicions are confirmed:

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: THE OCARINA OF TIME.

Cue monumental squee like no 13-year-old had ever squeed before. I fell into a zombie-like state for the next month that was only paused for my hand to find the bag of Baked Lays BBQ chips. Link was awesome. Zelda was awesome. Hyrule was awesome. I was completely enraptured and invested in the story and felt a sense of longing and sadness when it was over.

Where is this going, you psychotic, tangential freak? you might ask.

Well, I'm trying to tell you that enveloping myself in Brightly Woven was like enveloping myself in the world of Hyrule, but with a whole lot more wizards! Not that these stories have multitudes of similarities, but the feeling was there. Nothing else existed when I was reading this book. I felt nostalgic and magical and tip-toed around each page because I had no idea where Ganondorf, er, Dorwan would show up next. And get this: THERE'S NO WATER TEMPLE!

Sydelle, like Link, lives in a small village with a few acquaintances here and there. She mostly minds her own business and is well-to-do and happy in her own little corner of the world.

Enter Wayland North, a wizard who scoops her up out of nowhere and is like, "hey, you and me are taking off, kay?" And then they do. I knew right off the bat that I was going to like North. He's got a few quips up his sleeve and sure, he's flawed. He's got a bit of a drinking problem and isn't too proud to stumble around making a fool of himself. Ohhh, but North has a dark secret. And I do love my endlessly flawed characters with dark secrets.

Sydelle and North's story unfolded rather rocky-like. Sydelle was not a North fan whatsoever. He took her away from her family and her comfort zone with zero explanation. I'd be feeling the negativity, too. But the banter that results from it is actually hilariously cute at times, and you wonder if the attraction wasn't there from the very beginning. The slowly developing love story between the two is vulnerable and poignant and so beautiful to witness.

Alexandra Bracken is such a gifted writer that she didn't have to incorporate a bunch of badly placed no-no scenes. Did I mention she was in college when she wrote this beautiful book? I'm shocked I'm able to write a semi-coherant review, let alone an entire 400 page book. And it's GOOD! I did have a problem following along with the different territories/countries and their involvement in the master plot, but I was able to overlook it because of my satisfaction with the characters and their unique personalities and development.

I'm hoping for a sequel, even though the story ended nicely. And, like Zelda, my heart dropped when I had no more pages to turn. I cannot wait for more from Ms. Bracken.(less)

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Jun 14, 2010

Natalie (Mindful Musings) rated it

Shelves: favorites

For those of you who are book bloggers, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about when I say this: Have you ever read a book that causes your heart to break when you turn the last page because it's over? What about one that has you wanting to call your best friend at 3 in the morning in order to tell her all about it? Well, guys, I'm happy to say that Brightly Woven did all this for me and more.

First of all, I couldn't believe that this was Alexandra Bracken's first novel. It's so inc...more

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Jan 09, 2010

Claire rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: 7th to high school fantasy/quest/adventure

Shelves: a-7th-and-8th-grade-middle-school-t, high-school-and-beyond, book-fair-2011

Sydelle is a 16 year old weaver living in a parched land that has become a pawn in a power play for the kingdom. She has hoped to apprentice with a master weaver in the City- now as war lands on her doorstep and she is whisked (literally) away from her family and mountain by a wizard, she is prickly and doesn't want to leave her home.
Coming to understand that she possesses a small magic, she realizes she can help the wizard who is beset on all sides by enemies as he races to get the intel...more

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May 14, 2011

Amelia Robinson rated it

Shelves: 2010-2011-reading, best-action, best-books-ever, best-character-set, best-humor, best-original-idea, best-plot, best-romance, fantasy, recommended, reviewed, best-main-character, best-writing, own

Originally posted on The Authoress: Book Review and More.

Ever had that feeling that a book gives you—where you know for sure that you’re totally in love with it, yet your head is so jumbled with its brilliance that even the day after you’ve finished reading it, you still can’t pinpoint the exact thing that made you love it? I feel like I can’t do it justice, even if I tried.

First, the main character. Completely awesome gal. Seriously. Worthy of a country girl. She m...more

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Jul 24, 2010

Kristi (The Story Siren) added it

Shelves: books-i-own, signed-books

How fun was this book! It has a little bit of everything; magic, adventure, romance and mystery.

Fantasy is my favorite genre, it always has been, so Brightly Woven already had that going for it before I even started. I went into the book expecting to love it. And for the most part I did.

It was beautifully written, simplistic, but engaging. It was easy to get lost in this story, and the writing played a critical role in that. The plot was just as intricate as the woven str...more

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Oct 06, 2011

Parvathy rated it

Recommends it for: People who love wizards, magic and fictional worlds

Recommended to Parvathy by: goodreads

I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand the author has done a great job in creating a new world and characters associated with it and on the other had there is not much of a great story to go by it. The first 50 pages of the book was a drag and I didn't really care much for the characters.But the book becomes interesting after that. The story begins at a fictional village called Cliffton, in the fictional country of Palmerta which has been suffering from a drought for the past 10 year...moreI have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand the author has done a great job in creating a new world and characters associated with it and on the other had there is not much of a great story to go by it. The first 50 pages of the book was a drag and I didn't really care much for the characters.But the book becomes interesting after that. The story begins at a fictional village called Cliffton, in the fictional country of Palmerta which has been suffering from a drought for the past 10 years. To add to there misery there is a talk going on about a war with the neighboring country. The female lead Sydelle Mirabell is a quiet, beautiful girl who has exceptional skills at weaving. She believes all the stories about wizards and there great deeds,the power of their goddess Asteria and dreams of leaving Cliffton someday. It is at this point that a young wizard Wayland North enters there village and brings an end to the drought that have been claiming them for the last 10 years. That is not all he is the only one who can bring an end to the talk of war that is threatening them and bring peace through out the country.But he asks for only one thing in reward and that is none other than Sydelle. Surprised at being the wizards choice and reluctant to leave her home in the company of a stranger Sybelle is angry and annoyed at Wayland for putting her through the whole thing. She keeps on questioning his choice for which he simply shrugs and says he needed an assistant. But as the story progresses Sybelle learns that there is something a miss about Wayland and he knows something about her which makes her the target of every wizard she comes across. Engaging and exciting this book with its simple story is not exactly what we call a light read. There parts of this book that may be a little bit of a drag but the book itself is highly enjoyable. You would come to love the characters as the story progresses. If you are looking for something that is quick to read and without a complicated storyline I would recommend this book.(less)

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Aug 09, 2011

Carla rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011, wounded-hero, young-adult, favorite-books

I was so excited to read this one (I don't even remember why) and in a way it delivered, because I enjoyed it a lot - although I'll admit some parts disappointed me, like, we never get to see North put to use his new and quite improved cloak (I had such high expectations for this scene); and Sydelle’s kidnapping and following escape needed a lot more development –it was just too easy. Also, sometimes I felt like the author forgot her readers wouldn’t know everything about her characters, or at l...more

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Mar 16, 2011

Cinnamon rated it

Shelves: 2010, arc, own, young-adult, magicians, fantasy, reviewed, 4★-delightfully-scrumptious

This review may also be found on A Thousand Little Pages.

I was hurriedly walking out of the school library at the conclusion of a particularly boring lecture on how to research online -- sheesh, we're sophomores; how do you think we survived school without knowing how to conduct research? -- when I happened to see this book propped up on a shelf. I glanced at it, continued striding past, and suddenly changed my mind 3 seconds later and screeched to a halt. My unfortunate friend proce...more

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Feb 20, 2011

Jenny rated it

Shelves: 2010, fantasy, young-adult

I was initially attracted to Brightly Woven because of its gorgeous cover. But fantasy is one of my favorite genres to read and this book has pretty much everything—great characters, action, adventure, romance, mystery…

Both Sydelle and North grow a lot over the course of their journey. Initially Sydelle really hated North for taking her away from her family and village but over the course of their journey she starts to learn more about him and values everything that he does. Their jo...more

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Jun 02, 2010

Kailia rated it

After hearing so much about this book, I just had to pick it up. Lucky for me, I won it. And after reading it, I am pleased to say that I am not dissapointed at the least.

This book had everything. From adventure to magic to romance to danger to mystery and everything else in between. There was a lot I loved about this book and little I didn't like. As a debut author, I was very pleased at how well Ms. Bracken can write. The writing in this book played a key part in how well it ...more

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May 13, 2011

Joe Mo rated it

Shelves: fantasy, 2010, own, believable-boy-girl-relationship, reviews

2.5/5
A mysterious wizard, who calls himself North appears in Sydelle's home, bringing rain with him, after a long, exhausting 10 years of drought.
Ultimately, Syd's life is about to change forever, she just doesn't know it yet.
North whisks her away from her friends & family to work as his assistant.
She's hurt, she's angry, but most of all, confused. Maybe being away from her home isn't so bad after all?

Our redheaded heroine, Sydelle finds out some very aston...more

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Mar 26, 2010

Erica rated it

Shelves: 2010-debut

Brightly Woven is a stay-up-reading-late-into-the-night worthy book! I was up half the night reading it, as I couldn't stand to put down the perfection Brightly Woven is. It is one of my absolute favorites!

Some fantasy can be overbearing, but Brightly Woven was a perfect mix of everything a good book needs. Bracken drew me in with page one, and didn't let me go until the last page. Brightly Woven really puts a new spin on wizards and the magical abilities that come with a world like ...moreBrightly Woven is a stay-up-reading-late-into-the-night worthy book! I was up half the night reading it, as I couldn't stand to put down the perfection Brightly Woven is. It is one of my absolute favorites!

Some fantasy can be overbearing, but Brightly Woven was a perfect mix of everything a good book needs. Bracken drew me in with page one, and didn't let me go until the last page. Brightly Woven really puts a new spin on wizards and the magical abilities that come with a world like that. The world that Brightly Woven was set in, was absolutely enchanting. It was the perfect place to escape! With the first SENTENCE, Ms. Bracken had already made the real world disappear, and taken me to Sydelle's world.

The writing is Brightly Woven is absolutely fantastic. It's pure magic. There were so many scenes where I was just captivated. Bracken managed to paint vivid pictures in your mind. The romance in Brightly Woven is pretty magical itself. It was absolutely adorable!

The characters were fantastic! All the character continued to grow as the story went on! All the characters had numerous layers, and every time you thought you'd figured out a character, you discovered something else about them. Another thing I loved about the characters was that none of them were perfect, they all had some flaw. I loved North. He was so swoon-worthy. Sydelle was a wonderfully developed character. She wasn't weak and frail.

Brightly Woven is a book for everyone. It's filled with a magical world, is original, has wonderful characters, and phenomonal writing. I can't even express my words for this book with a simple review, it is that amazing. If you like fantasy, definately read this! If you're not a fan of fantasy, still give this a try, as it is mind-blowing! This is a book that will stick out in your mind, and remain memorable. I desparately am awaiting a sequel, as I am dying for more of North and Sydelle's story!

***I also feel I must mention Brightly Woven stunningly, beautiful cover. I am in love with it! It's gorgeous. (less)

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Oct 05, 2011

Claire rated it

Recommends it for: anyone

Shelves: read-in-2011

I really loved this book. I rarely come across a book that I could read over and over again. This is definately one of those books. Plus, the cover is very pretty.
The authors writing is very different. What I liked about it is that in just one senctence you can imagine everything around the character. It took a little bit to get used to, but once I did, it really makes a fabulous read. So discriptive and imaginative.
The characters are likable. I liked how Bracken incorporated...more

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May 01, 2010

Liz rated it

Shelves: favorites

I didn't know what to expect when I first started reading this book, but all I know is that I could NOT put it down! The world that Alexandra Bracken creates is so vivid, magical, beautiful and alluring. The relationship between the two main characters, Sydelle Mirabel and Wayland North is not your typical one. North is a mysterious, sarcastic and infuriating hero who takes Sydelle Mirabel on a journey. He convinces Sydelle that he needs her, but won't tell her anything . Sydelle, on the othe...more

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Oct 26, 2011

Tiffany rated it

Shelves: 2010-books-i-read, books-i-own, favorites, 2011-books-i-read

WOW!!! What a book! I have to say I completely loved loved this novel! It was exciting, thrilling, shut the world out book, clean and completely hot! Let me tell you Wayland North and Sydelle what do I need to say more!

I always check out books from the library. There are many that I love and some that I give 5 stars to. But there are a few that I read that go on my "I HAVE TO OWN" list and this book has now been placed on that list. I really loved this book!
...more

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Nov 29, 2011

Michelle rated it

Shelves: fantasy, adventure, magic, teen

Sydelle's village has been suffering from a ten year drought. Finally the wizard, Wayland North, brings rain to their village and in return the village elders offer him a reward. He chooses to take Sydelle with him. He is actually on a very important mission and needs her help. The king was recently poisoned and he brings proof that it was not the neighboring country that they are about to go to war with but one of their own wizards that poisoned the king. However, that wizard will do anyth...more

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Dec 28, 2011

Bailey (IB Book Blogging) rated it

High fantasy at its core, BRIGHTLY WOVEN is sure to delight lovers of the genre! Full of magic and myths galore, I couldn't put it down for even a second! I fell in love with Sydelle and North and their adventures. I am so sad that it took me this long to dive in! It is a fantastic YA debut and a must read for all YA fans.

Sydelle's life is anything but eventful. She lives in the dreary and dry Cliffton that hasn't seen rain in a long, long time. While out with her friends on a...more

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About Alexandra Bracken

Alexandra Bracken wrote Brightly Woven as a birthday present for a friend, and the story grew and flourished during a year of unpredictable, wild weather. A native of Arizona, she is a recent graduate of the College of William and Mary, where she majored in History and English. She now lives in New York City.

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Quotes from Brightly Woven

“He's just like a stallion. Wild and kicking on the outside, but a heart soft as satin on the inside. Just waiting for the right girl to break him in.” — 61 people liked it

“I'm trying to feel sorry for you,really I am",North said."If you wait just a moment I'm sure the tears will come.” — 56 people liked it

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