Hélène Louise's Blog, page 15
July 2, 2018
City of lies – Sam Hawke
I’m clearly of two minds about this book. I really liked some aspects of the story, and the writing was passionate and thorough. But on the other hand there were some grating details, which annoyed me especially because I wasn’t always entertained by the story.
The beginning was enjoyable. I liked that the three main characters were young, united by friendship and family ties, without any impeding romance. I also appreciated that they were kind and thoughtful, ready to be adults facing their responsibilities. I loved the author’s choice to put forward characters disadvantaged by chronic illness, or neurological difference associated with anxiety and OCD. The society exposed, peaceful and industrious, with a feminine filiation and a family unit where the father is replaced by a male relative of the mother, was interesting and well depicted. The characters different colourings, and various sexual inclinations were delicately indicated without taxing insistence.
But if the introduction was easy to read and promising, I struggled during all the middle of the book. This part was all about a specific situation, which was well rendered I suppose, the atmosphere was good to be honest – but I was bored. I even skimmed though some parts. I usually don’t mind long and precise narrations, I even frequently favour them, but this time I wasn’t charmed, and for this reason the flaws (or what I perceived as such) became more and more noticeable.
I have some grievances about this book; in fact I probably wouldn’t have mind so much about them if I’ve had loved the whole story, but I didn’t, so here we are:
The secondary characters were introduced too quickly in the beginning and I couldn’t track of all them afterwards, as long the book was (but I have to admit that my immediate memory isn’t that good…)
Why on earth (or any other world of your choice) is there not any healer guild ? There are hospitals, and healers, who seems to be important persons, but no healer guild. So weird.
The city is described as peaceful, centered on arts, crafworks and intellectual pursuits. No weapon is accepted within the city and the atmosphere is mundane, with small politic intrigues, but no brutal animosities. Especially, poisoning one’s rivals or opponents doesn’t seem to be the custom. Still the Heir is guarded nearly all around the clock by a master of poison, disguised as their personnel advisor. This situation is necessary for the intrigue, but I couldn’t help finding it unatural and unbelievable.
The double narration : each chapter of the story is alternatively told by the master of poisons and her sister, using the first person. Unfortunately I could never know who was speaking before encountering a helpful hint: the voices sounded exactly identical to me, which is a shame as the two characters have distinctive and endearing personalities. In my opinion choosing the first person for the narration was an error, the third one, even with an alternative point of view, would have been more subtle and effective. And it would have made another (maybe subjective) problem less annoying: there were frequently some over explanations of psychological evolutions, when the show don’t tell was good and should have been enough.
For my satisfaction the final part was as good as the start, with some nice revelations and character development!
To conclude I’ll like to point out that the magic part, if central, is nearly inexistant in this first book of The Poison Wars series. I actually don’t mind at all, but it could be a deception for some readers. For all its action the atmosphere was rather sedate, and if it was a good point for me, I’m not sure that it’ll meet some readers expectations after reading the publisher’s presentation.
June 25, 2018
A study in shifters – Majanka Verstraete
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(I thank Netgalley and Monster House Books LLC for sending me the ARC in exchange for my honest review)
I was quite excited to read this book: shifters, murders’ investigations, Sherlock Holmes’ legacy, a YA read, all these themes are just what I like. But alas if I appreciated the story, the narrative’s choices and flaws annoyed me so much that I decided to stop at the third of the book. As a matter of principle I always try to read a book so far before giving it up, but I don’t force me to finish it if I believe my opinion settled.
The story is interesting and intriguing and I liked the idea of a mysterious half humans half animals population – shifters – hidden in plain sight, with powerful auto-controled families. And if the half-blood status of the heroine wasn’t very original, I liked the edge it gave to her life. Her relation with her mother was interesting and well exposed, credible and touching.
Alas plenty of details grated on me and I couldn’t read on.
The narrator is permanently referring to her inner jaguar, nearly in each sentence, explaining how the invisible animal is reacting to the present situation. This narrative decision bogs down the story, and it got on my nerves till the very beginning.
There are shifters…everywhere in the story. Jaguars, snakes, horses, leopards, spiders, otters. Well theoretically. At the third of the book I still haven’t seen anyone in fur or scales, only very basic humans with generic personalities linked to their animal species. A bit boring and repetitive so far – but of course it may have been more riveting afterwards, I wouldn’t know.
Marisol is supposed to be as brilliant and socially akwark as her great great great grand-father, Sherlock Holmes. But alas it doesn’t show at all, and the repetitive affirmations didn’t convince me. For instance she sees or understands some things absolutely evident but that nobody in the story has seen or understood, which is absolutely unbelievable! In a way it likes telling us that someone is a maths genius by explaining that they can solve basic first degree equations is less than five minutes. Hum. Marisol’s exposure as a person with poor social skills is very awkward too, lot of telling, unconvincing showing. She seems to be a polite introvert, but never someone with Asperger syndrome (as implied).
All in all it’s a shame as the story had potential in my eyes, but in the end it wasn’t for me. But I’m now quite demanding with my reads, so I still recommend you this book if the themes intrigue you, and if you aren’t such a quibbler as I am!
ebook, 300 pages
Expected publication: June 26th 2018
by Monster House Books
A story in shifters – Majanka Verstraete
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(I thank Netgalley and Monster House Books LLC for sending me the ARC in exchange for my honest review)
I was quite excited to read this book: shifters, murders’ investigations, Sherlock Holmes’ legacy, a YA read, all these themes are just what I like. But alas if I appreciated the story, the narrative’s choices and flaws annoyed me so much that I decided to stop at the third of the book. As a matter of principle I always try to read a book so far before giving it up, but I don’t force me to finish it if I believe my opinion settled.
The story is interesting and intriguing and I liked the idea of a mysterious half humans half animals population – shifters – hidden in plain sight, with powerful auto-controled families. And if the half-blood status of the heroine wasn’t very original, I liked the edge it gave to her life. Her relation with her mother was interesting and well exposed, credible and touching.
Alas plenty of details grated on me and I couldn’t read on.
The narrator is permanently referring to her inner jaguar, nearly in each sentence, explaining how the invisible animal is reacting to the present situation. This narrative decision bogs down the story, and it got on my nerves till the very beginning.
There are shifters…everywhere in the story. Jaguars, snakes, horses, leopards, spiders, otters. Well theoretically. At the third of the book I still haven’t seen anyone in fur or scales, only very basic humans with generic personalities linked to their animal species. A bit boring and repetitive so far – but of course it may have been more riveting afterwards, I wouldn’t know.
Marisol is supposed to be as brilliant and socially akwark as her great great great grand-father, Sherlock Holmes. But alas it doesn’t show at all, and the repetitive affirmations didn’t convince me. For instance she sees or understands some things absolutely evident but that nobody in the story has seen or understood, which is absolutely unbelievable! In a way it likes telling us that someone is a maths genius by explaining that they can solve basic first degree equations is less than five minutes. Hum. Marisol’s exposure as a person with poor social skills is very awkward too, lot of telling, unconvincing showing. She seems to be a polite introvert, but never someone with Asperger syndrome (as implied).
All in all it’s a shame as the story had potential in my eyes, but in the end it wasn’t for me. But I’m now quite demanding with my reads, so I still recommend you this book if the themes intrigue you, and if you aren’t such a quibbler as I am!
ebook, 300 pages
Expected publication: June 26th 2018
by Monster House Books
June 20, 2018
Quand Vauvert s’invite à l’école !
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L’année passée j’ai eu le plaisir et l’honneur de voir deux fois mon roman « Vauvert » mis à l’honneur par deux jeunes lectrices dans leur collège ou lycée. Comme vous le devinez j’ai été très fière et émue de voir qu’un de mes livres avait été choisi spontanément (oui elles n’ont été ni menacées ni soudoyées ^-^) comme livre préféré à présenter !
Voici leurs ressentis 
Ma bonne étoile – Clara Richter
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J’ai été très heureuse de découvrir enfin ce premier livre de Clararichterauteur, roman qui m’a frappée par ses nombreuses qualités fondamentales (certaines petites choses m’ont gênée et comme je suis une pinailleuse maniaque je ne vais pas vous les épargner – mais elles sont venielles au regard du reste)
Tout d’abord, le cadre. Soupir d’aise. La France enfin ! (je ne suis pas chauvine plus que ça hein, mais ces romans high school ça pèse à force). La Bretagne ! Quiberon ! Saint Malo ! Et même un petit tour ailleurs… (no spoil)
Ensuite, l’écriture, parfaite : élégante, fluide, naturelle. Du genre qui permet une parfaite immersion dans l’histoire, sans efforts.
Les thèmes : je les ai trouvés très courageux et traités avec beaucoup de rigueur, sans complaisance ni concessions. Ma lecture a d’ailleurs été parfois éprouvante (certainement d’autant plus que je suis une mère). La question centrale est très bien posée et étudiée : peut-on vraiment comprendre quelqu’un qui a vécu des horreurs sans nom ? Nos propres épreuves ont-elles une quelconque légitimité en comparaison ? Peut-on espérer aider vraiment une personne tellement éprouvée à accepter la vie qui lui reste ? Un autre point est également très bien mené, celui du deuil, de son cheminement, de l’acceptation de l’absence, du besoin de comprendre, de la possibilité de s’octroyer le droit d’aimer la vie et de profiter de ce qu’elle continue de nous offrir, à nous, les survivants.
La romance est touchante dans son essence, et jamais simplifiée. Je ne l’ai cependant pas appréciée sa juste valeur, la romance développée en détail n’étant plus un genre que je sois capable de lire. Elle sonne cependant très juste et j’ai aimé le réalisme pragmatique du traitement du désir et de la consommation d’une relation pour une très jeune personne.
J’ai beaucoup aimé l’évolution psychologique de la jeune fille, capable de remettre en question ses jugements (sur sa mère, la famille d’accueil des deux jeunes Syriens), de passer au-delà des vexations causées par sa relation en dents de scie avec Elyas (dont les tourments ne font pas un petit ami de tout repos !) et de lui rester fidèle, toujours là pour lui.
Dans le domaine des réticences je n’ai pas compris la violence physique d’Alix, ni surtout qu’Elyas semble l’admirer pour ça. Le personnage du père est un peu oublié je trouve, il existe surtout en opposition à la mère qui s’effondre, j’aurais aimé un peu plus d’éclairage sur lui. Et pour finir la seule chose qui m’a vraiment fait tiquer tout au long du roman, le personnage de la meilleure amie, que j’ai trouvé à la fois improbable pour sa personnalité clichée et encore plus pour sa relation avec Aylan, à la fois invraisemblable et même déplacée à mes yeux (leurs âges respectifs, l’inadéquation entre le vécu de l’un et la superficialité de l’autre). Mais je ne peux m’empêcher de chipoter, je vous avais prévenus…
Pour finir, un roman que je vous recommande chaudement, solide, très bien informé et d’une sensibilité pleine d’intelligence.
320 pages 14,90 €
paru le 10 janvier 2018
Editeur Dreamland
June 19, 2018
Illusion – Stephanie Elmas
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(I thank Netgalley and Endeavour Media for sending me the ARC in exchange for my honest review)
I grew quite enthralled by this unassuming story, which unfolded slowly and effortlessly. The writing is elegant and simple, for an evocative tale, rather old fashioned in a good kind of way.
The characters are all endearing or atrocious, with interesting villains, and if the story tells about some sinister deeds, the writer never insists with atrocious descriptions and details – the facts speak by themselves.
The magic is very limited in this story, and always veiled by illusions, so you mustn’t hope for a fantasy world. For myself I loved the atmosphere, which strongly reminded me, for all the dissimilitudes of the stories, of « A little princess » by Frances Hodgson Burnett.
The main quality of this rather classical story is its smoothness and reading pleasure. Another one is in an original main character, who’s never the narrator, always lurking in the periphery like a benevolent djinni and whose physique is so unusual that it verges on monstrosity. How many writers would have resisted to picture him as a formidable figure of paramount masculinity? Stephanie Elmas did so, picturing a wonderful caring character, resourceful mysterious and generous, but also quite bizarre…
The narrative is quite colourful too, with hints of exoticity, as a very unusual pet. And if the male main character suffers from instalove (he’s probably a fantastic juge of character at first sight ^-^), the reader will be happy to understand that the object of his love behaves in a much more credible way in the circumstances she meets. I particularly appreciated how she reacts while suffering from a horrible situation, with courage and resilience, but without any improbable and out of character reckless temerity…
The denouement is satisfying, told in a mysterious and vaporous atmosphere…
A lovely tale, romantic and riveting, which doesn’t elude the realities of dreadful situations, but doesn’t dwell at length on them either, keeping a feel good vibe, letting the reader confident that the end would satisfying, positive and, even, happy.
June 18, 2018
Witchmark -C.L. Polk
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(I thank Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for sending me the ARC in exchange for my honest review)
This book was just a perfect read for me! I loved it so much that I’ve already pre-ordered the paper book (no hard cover version, a shame, but such a magnificent cover!) and will certainly reread it before reading the next one.
The atmosphere was great, with a definitive European world war vibe in an imaginary fantasy world. A little bit like steampunk, but… without the steampunk. There is definitely a delicious vintage shade in the writing, which reminded me of A.J.Cronin’s books (particularly of « Shannon’s way », where the main character is also a doctor). If I had to chose an only word to describe « Witchmark », it’d be elegant. The writing is elegant, the characters’ interactions are credible and touching, the story itself is clever and delicately woven. The modern themes (egality between men and women – jobs wise, different skins’ colourings, homo or bisexual relationships) are carefully blended in the story, with discrete explanations, for a beautiful unaffected result.
And other way to describe the book is romantic. Not romantic in a romance kind of way, even if there is a romance in the book, but the poignant romantic way of a broken destiny – without the usual narrative abuses, with finesse.
The general idea about how magic exist and is known in the world is at once simple and clever. It’s realities have given the opportunity of a dramatic situation for our hero, Miles, skilfully used to tell us a fascinating story. The facts are not brutally throwed in our way, but on the contrary brought slowly in the story, for a riveting read. For all its finesse, this book isn’t a challenge to read, it was quite a page-turner for me!
The main character, who tells the story, is one of the book’s strong points. I loved how the author shows that sensibility and empathy can be associated with strength of character, and how these very traits can simultaneously be an advantage for a healer and a suffering.
Miles’ voice is very good. It’s not so easy to make loveable a character who speaks in the first person in the narrative, but C.L.Polks manages it beautifully. I loved his melancholic strength, his decency, his warm-hearted nature.
If the bases of the story were interesting, its unravelling was also quite good, with a surprising revelation in the end. The romance was also pleasant, sweet and delicate, just like the narrator. If you need some steamy sexe action in your romances, you’ll be disappointed! If you prefer, as I do, subtlety, you’ll probably like it as I did. And, if you don’t care for romance at all, you shouldn’t be bothered by it, as it’s rather discreet in the whole book.
To conclude a very good surprise, I’m looking forward reading the sequel, which isn’t so frequentfor me nowadays!
Paperback, 272 pages
Expected publication: June 19th 2018 by Tor.com
June 15, 2018
Crossroads of Bones – Luanne Bennett
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(I thank Netgalley and the author for sending me the ARC in exchange for my honest review)
I enjoyed this book very much. I love urban fantasy and this series Katie Bishop seems really promising. To be honest I was bewildered by one point or maybe two (see bellow) but as the book is, if I understood well, self-published, some kind of tiny flaws are acceptable in my point of view.
The narration is quite good, for a comfortable and interesting read. I loved the context, Savannah, a small business, a tattoo shop, an independent and amiable main character, an extraordinary young woman with an ordinary life (well, almost!). The story is interesting, with a lot of hidden in plain sight magic – voodoo, demonic spirits and various kind of shape-shifters.
The story presents a very good mix of action (not too much, not non-stop one, yes!), mysteries and mundane situations – which I particularly like in fantasy or science-fi contexts.
I was a little overwhelmed by the slang and familiar speech in the dialogues (I was hypnotized by all the « them » used as demonstrative adjectives!) but I must admit that I prefer classical dialogues, too bad for local colour… I had sometimes the vague impression of conventional persons shaming, as all the the wealthy and privileged characters were systematically judged as nasty and unworthy at first sight. It shocked me as the heroin is a nice person, not inclined to be judgmental without any reasons. It’s probably for a lack of exposure of the characters (one scene or two showing and not telling their unpleasantness would have been interesting), the author knowing these people’s personalities and jumping to the conclusion, forgetting that the reader hasn’t got the right clues to forge their own opinion. The last thing that bothered me quite a lot, before understanding my problem, was with Sugar. Till the very beginning Sugar is presented as a trans genre woman, still in a man body, but named « she » by everybody « out of respect for her ». So far so good, sexual identity is not always linked to the right body and a person should always be listened for knowing best. But if the pronoun « she » was always used in dialogues, and Sugar being respected (she’s an important character, with and an endearing and dynamic personality) the narration keeps describing her as a man. I couldn’t understand it: Sugar identifies as a woman, the narrator is okay with that, so why insisting and speaking about her as a he, a man? I decided finally that it must have been an involuntary clumsiness, writing « man » where « man’s body » would have been correct, and insisting on the whole portrait of a large man wearing woman clothes, abundant make-up, and wigs, to be sure that the reader never forgets that Sugar isn’t a traditional woman, with a comfortable feminine body to wear (actually it worked for me, Sugar’s image is quite vivid in my mind!).
All in all a book I warmly recommend « Crossroads of bones » to all readers who like good urban fantasy, without any excess of sexe, violence and boring action, but personality and a well thought context, effective and fun.
June 6, 2018
Untamed – Madeleine Dyer
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(I thank Netgalley and Ineja Press for sending me the ARC in exchange for my honest review)
A solid read with numerous good points, some just so-so world-building et some writing tic that nearly drove me crazy!
The very strong aspect of this book is clearly the atmosphere and the pleasurable read: this book was easy to read, quite a page-turner. The characters’ personalities are really credible, which is rather rare in YA science-fi / fantasy / dystopia: most of the times, to charm the reader, the written gives modern thoughts and behaviour to their characters, for an indifferent result, usually poor in my point of view. In « Untamed » the reader feels the alternative reality, there are no convenient extrapolations. The romance (no spoil, see the cover) is well done, suiting the dire situation. I like the likeable characters and disliked the others ones, who were cleverly exposed. The mysteries, for which the reader receive many tips, were interesting and arresting.
But if read this book easily, I wasn’t so much convinced by the back-ground, outlined much too quickly, without much – if any – thought about global coherence. It seems to me that the author was impatient to write her story and satisfied herself with a rapid sketch, and handy explantions, even absurd sometimes. All in all the story was much more fantasy than science-fi, and perhaps would been more convincing, at least for me, told in a fantasy world. Some books manage to hold the two vibes (for instance the superb « Dreamsnake » by Vonda N. McIntyre), but it’s difficult and dicey.
The story is supposed to happen in our world (or not?) in two centuries, but the cars, the clothes seem to be the same, etc. In fact the main difference was in the existence of augmented humans (the Enhanced) who are transformed, and immediately so, by drinking some potions; er… chemical augmenters. I would much have concur with some injectable drugs, but well. The worst (the point I couldn’t accept at all) what the immediate (and very convenient) transformation that happened on the person just after having drinking some augmenter. But as it was a sensitive point of the story, I admit that it couldn’t be altered. But still. So un-scientific!
There were also some bizarre situations: for instance the Untamed raid the Enhanced’s cities, just walking in, masking their main difference (no spoil, so vague, I know) and nobody notice them. The Enhanced are perfectly groomed, tall, beautiful and the Untamed are filthy, ragged, having living in the wild with no bathroom (in the desert) and nobody notice them? Smell them? (sorry to be crass!)
Another example: the Untamed are kind of nomads, living of robbery, with no structure, in tiny groups, and have lived so for centuries, but they know how to read and write. Well, it’s not impossible, just improbable.
To finish with my petty recriminations: the writing. The style is simple and direct, in the present tense, first person, and suits the narrator, a young girl, afraid, incertain and living drastic times. But… who reread this book? How could they not notice the so numerous repetitions, used to express anxiety, by deglutition? I was so obsessed by two specific sentences that I had to count – to ask my Kindle to count. The poor dyspeptic girl « swallowed hard » 26 times in the book and « gulped » 56 times. Passing the half of the book I was cringing like mad at each « I gulp », seeing turkeys everywhere « gobble, gobble, gobble »… Sorry to be so mean, but seriously? (as would say my daughters) To begin with, expressing anxiety by swallowing is rather weird and poor; and to finish, « I gulp » is such an ugly sentence… cringeable; or cringe-making maybe.
To conclude an intense story, with authentic characters and a very good reading addictivity, and nice mysteries, but nor completely appropriate for quibblers as I, and a book in which repetitions should have been cut out.
Published January 10th 2017 by Ineja Press (first published May 20th 2015)
L’enfant atypique – Alexandra Reynaud
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Je suis une admiratrice de longue date de l’auteur, dont j’apprécie la clarté et l’équilibre des propos. J’ai lu et beaucoup aimé ses deux précédents livres, des témoignages mêlés d’informations pratiques sur le sujet principal : l’enfant surdoué ou (très pour le livre) haut potentiel pour « Les tribulations d’un petit zèbre » ou l’adulte Asperger (à très haut potentiel également) pour « Asperger et fière de l’être ». J’étais ainsi ravie de lire ce nouveau livre, que j’attendais avec impatience, et j’en profite pour remercier les éditions Eyrolles ainsi que l’auteur pour l’envoi de cet exemplaire, que j’ai pu découvrir en avant-première.
Le titre m’intriguait. Le terme « atypique » me semblait vague, même sous-titré par les termes « hyperactif, haut potentiel, dys, asperger… faire de sa différence une force ». Puis, en lisant le livre, j’ai rapidement compris le parti pris de l’auteur : ne pas partir d’un trouble ou d’une différence neurologique identifiée, mais d’un signe distinctif, vague peut-être mais parfaitement identifiable pour le parent : un enfant qui ne rentre manifestement pas dans le moule.
Bien entendu cette décision de présenter ainsi cet ouvrage ne retire rien à l’importance de l’identification de ces caractéristiques chez l’enfant. Afin de mieux le comprendre, de faire le tri, d’obtenir une reconnaissance, une aide scolaire, un aménagement des temps de travail et d’examens. Mais ici Alexandra Reynaud a décide de se placer d’un point de vue pratique, afin d’offrir une aide aux parents démunis, sans se soucier des étiquettes. Une aide claire, bienveillante, positive. Pas de remède miracle, mais un apaisement et des petits « trucs », parfois tout simples, pour une amorce de solution. Bien entendu les problèmes traités dans ce livre ne concerneront jamais en totalité une même personne ! Et d’ailleurs l’auteur le rappelle souvent, commençant son paragraphe par « Certains atypiques ». Le lecteur piochera au fil des pages les thèmes qui lui sembleront pertinents.
La présentation physique de cet ouvrage est très agréable, pour une lecture fluide, du début à la fin, ou un feuilletage, en se référant aux thèmes et sous-thèmes qui défilent, par exemple : « La norme est une construction » (statistique / collective et sociale / familiale), « ça coince à la maison », des difficultés à communiquer », « ne pas se croire inapte au bonheur »… Le livre est très coloré ! Les chapitres, les encarts, les petits dessins, c’est très gai et doux à l’œil, apaisant à consulter.
Le texte en lui-même s’articule selon plusieurs axes : le point sur la question, des encarts « bon à savoir », des témoignages de parents ou d’anciens enfants atypique (ancien enfant, mais toujours atypique !), des idées-outils, dans des encarts roses, des tests, des exercices et, à la fin de l’ouvrage, des aides à découper, toujours en couleur (l’émotiomètre, l’échelle de la gêne ou de la douleur, des bons pour colère…).
Si vous suivez comme moi le blog de l’auteur et / ou que vous êtes déjà bien informés sur la question, vous serez certainement heureux de découvrir cette nouvelle approche, souple et pratique. Si vous êtes novices, cet ouvrage vous ouvrira des pistes tout en vous donnant déjà les bons outils pour éviter de paniquer, d’étiqueter trop vite (votre enfant ou ceux dont vous avez la charge, professionnellement ou dans un cadre familial).
Pour conclure un très bel ouvrage, à la forme attrayante et ludique, au fond bien informé, qui intéressera autant les parents et les enseignants que les personnes qui se découvrent un profil atypique et veulent plonger dans leurs souvenirs pour mieux comprendre l’adulte qu’ils sont devenus.
Aux Editions Eyrolles, parution le 7 juin 2018
176 pages – 14,90 €
