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West

(East #2)

Edith Pattou (Goodreads Author)

3.86 · Rating details · 1,481 ratings · 315 reviews

From the author of the beloved high fantasy East, a thrilling tale of true love, magic, adventure, and revenge.

When Rose first met Charles, he was trapped in the form of a white bear. To rescue him, Rose traveled to the land that lay east of the sun and west of the moon to defeat the evil Troll Queen. Now Rose has found her happily-ever-after with Charles—until a sudden st ...more

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ebook, 528 pages

Published October 23rd 2018 by HMH Books for Young Readers

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Nov 11, 2018 Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽ rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, scandinavia

I really enjoyed Edith Pattou's first fantasy novel, East, which is an award-winning YA retelling of "East of the Sun and West of the Moon," a Norwegian folk tale that kind of mirrors the Snow Queen folk tale, except with More. Trolls.

description

Actually, in Pattou's world trolls are attractive and look like humans, except they have hard, woody skin. Anyway, you do NOT want to mess with the Queen Troll and her magic, but at the end of East (spoiler for East)(view spoiler) ...more

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Sep 05, 2016 Daley rated it it was amazing

I have to wait until 2018??????? Omfg EAST is one of my favorite books - I can't believe she's writing this ...more

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Feb 20, 2018 Melanie (TBR and Beyond) marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: most-anticipated-2018, tbr-fantasy

Been waiting over 10 years for this to happen!!! One of my all-time favorite books. I can't wait! ...more

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Sep 05, 2019 Sara Saif rated it liked it

Shelves: its-a-tie, 2019

That was a completely unnecessary and unsatisfying sequel.

It's true that stories don't usually end with the characters being reunited and getting married. They have their whole lives ahead of them and anything can happen. But in this case, I preferred the story to end at 'and they lived happily ever after', the first time.

West was mostly a huge waste. It was fraught with misfortune for the characters but I was unable to fully invest in the story because the whole plot seemed deliberately enginee

...more

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Jul 11, 2020 ✩ Yaz ✩ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: retellings, five-starred-reads, historical-fiction, fantasy, favorites, romance, young-adult

5 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Parting with a book you have grown to love is such a bittersweet feeling, and I was happy and sad by the time I turned the last page because it means Rose’s journey has ended.

And here I thought I was worried about West ruining the story for me since I thought East could’ve been a stand-alone despite its rushed ending. The rating probably lowered my expectations of this book but how... HOW is this less than a 4⭐️?!

• The setting was as vivid and lush as it was in the first book. Edit ...more

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Oct 19, 2016 skadoosh rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fairytales-and-retellings, fantasy, pov-multiple, series, 2018-releases, read-2018

!!!!! Wasn't expecting a sequel, but can't wait to see where Pattou takes this! ...more

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Mar 23, 2018 Madison rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: middle-grade, young-adult, fantasy, fairytales

West is a delightful fantasy novel, gorgeously pieced together with adventure and folklore it is sure to please fans of East and new readers alike.

East (though it will always be North Child to me) is one of my most favourite books. I love its beautiful writing, elegant and so very imaginative in its simplicity. I love the fairytale remix. I love the strength of Rose, her curiosity, wandering spirit and determination. I love the short chapters written from the perspectives of multiple characters West is a delightful fantasy novel, gorgeously pieced together with adventure and folklore it is sure to please fans of East and new readers alike.

East (though it will always be North Child to me) is one of my most favourite books. I love its beautiful writing, elegant and so very imaginative in its simplicity. I love the fairytale remix. I love the strength of Rose, her curiosity, wandering spirit and determination. I love the short chapters written from the perspectives of multiple characters which detail the story. I love the White Bear and I love Rose’s love for him. And so, when a sequel was announced, some 15 years after the publication of East, to say I was excited might have been a huge understatement. And yet, sometimes a new title after so many years, an extra part of a story which you thought completed, can sometimes be a disappointment. Fear not, because West is every bit as beautiful, magnificent and wondrous as East. It continues Rose and the White Bear’s story as if the ink on the pages of East had only freshly dried. It carries the same heart, the same creative storytelling in its unique and simple way. It doesn’t undo any of the happy ending of the first book, but simply continues the story. And it has made this reader very, very happy.

I am so glad that West gives me the opportunity to share afresh my love for East and Edit Pattou’s writing, to share with a new generation of young (and young-at-heart) readers Rose’s stunning story of adventure, determination and love. The release of West is the perfect time to read or reread East.

In East, Rose had to travel east of the sun and west of the moon to rescue her White Bear. Now she and Charles have started a family. By when a sudden storm destroys the ship Charles is sailing on and he is reported dead in mysterious circumstances Rose sets out once again to rescue him.

West is a combination of everything I love in a beautiful fantasy novel. It combines legends and fairytales and weaves them through Rose’s story. It is both adventurous and full of surprise twists. I honestly felt a little sorry for Rose for the constant stream of challenges thrown her way and yet she never, ever gives up. She is the epitome of a strong and determined character and joining her on her journey and quest is a delight. West also features the importance of family. Neddy once again shares his perspective in short chapters throughout the book, as does Rose’s mother and Rose’s adopted young charge. And of course, no fairytale retelling would be compete without romance. The strong connection between Rose and Charles is challenged, but their determination and devotion to one another is clear. We readers also also treated to a second love story - that of Rose’s brother Neddy.

Magic, quests, challenges and games, ancient folklore and legends, the gorgeous and historic scenery of the northern Scandinavia, the wonderfully detailed characters and Edith Pattou’s unique and beautiful writing style, all work together to make West a pleasure to read.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library

There’s a sequel?!!?!? There’s a SEQUEL!!!! I love, adore and cherish East (though it will forever be North Child in my heart, as that is my preferred title), so when I discovered that Edith Pattou had created a sequel, my mind was blown. Seriously, I just stared at my screen and freaked out. If it is anything like East, West is sure to be simply amazing. I cannot wait to read it. ...more

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Nov 27, 2018 Jen (The Starry-Eyed Revue) rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2018, audiobooks, fairytales-revisited, reimaginings-retellings, fantasy, library

I have to admit, I almost gave up on this one in the beginning. I waited until it was almost due back to the library before even starting it, though that was partly because I had to wait for my hold on the first book to come in, too. Still, this sequel just starts off uncannily similar to East, and though I ended up loving that book, I didn't want to read the same book again, just set a few years later. However, I'm glad I stuck with it because, though the plots are comparable, and both books sh ...more

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Jun 17, 2020 Olivia rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, fairytale

1) Fantasy is my home. 💜

2) "Gingerbread hair" is a very happy simile.

3) I have no quarrel with the word "bairn" but there are other synonyms for "infant" and it may behoove you to use some of them every now and then. ...more

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Jan 20, 2019 Hilda rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: romance, fairy-tales-or-retelling, fantasy, young-adult

Stories often end with a marriage and those expected words happily ever after. Stories should be like that perhaps, but life is not. In truth, my story with the white bear was very far from being over after we got married.

I loved East. Loved it to pieces. This was also very good. Except it felt like the same story and so many characters and I was just tired of the same thing. I don’t know what I expected. It just didn’t work for me.

Still, I highly recommend this series.

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Apr 13, 2018 Olivia Williford (LivTheBookNerd) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: for-review, arcs, 2018-releases, 2018-reads

Rating 4.5 stars

FULL REVIEW: https://livthebooknerd.blogspot.com/2...

I was graciously sent an ARC of West by Edith Pattou for an honest review. West is one of my most anticipated releases of 2018. The first book, East, came out about 15 years ago and it is one of my all-time favorite books. It's so beautiful. All thoughts and feelings surrounding this book are my own. Thank you HMH for sending me an ARC.

~~

Reading West was so much fun. It gave me so many nostalgic vibes. I absolutely adored ...more

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May 21, 2018 Megan rated it really liked it

Shelves: arcs, do-it-for-the-tweens, blurbs-and-opinions, adulting-but-younger, childhood-nostalgia

I feel I should preface this with the fact that East has been my actual favorite book since I read it when it came out in 2003. I've read it enough times that my hardcover copy is falling apart with love, and I had large swathes of it memorized when I was younger.

Needless to say, I was extremely excited when I found out about West. I really hate reading things digitally, and don't currently have a way to do so except on my laptop, but I immediately downloaded this book because I needed it in my I feel I should preface this with the fact that East has been my actual favorite book since I read it when it came out in 2003. I've read it enough times that my hardcover copy is falling apart with love, and I had large swathes of it memorized when I was younger.

Needless to say, I was extremely excited when I found out about West. I really hate reading things digitally, and don't currently have a way to do so except on my laptop, but I immediately downloaded this book because I needed it in my hot little hands asap.

It...didn't quite live up to the hype in my head.

That's not to say it was bad. It was truly enjoyable and is absolutely an engaging and beautiful follow up to East. It digs deeper into the magic and the lore of the world Pattou has created for her fairy tale/mythology hybrid, fleshing out the secret underworld of the trolls and bringing in interesting new magic. It expands on the deeper themes of the first book, family and persistence and love despite and because of danger. It's a beautiful, sweeping adventure and a comforting, small story about love. And I really do love it.

But there is a very odd quirk to the pacing that left me feeling disjointed a lot of the time, and there's almost too many things happening all at the same time. There's a sickness and a kidnapping and a magical attack, trolls and snakebites, amnesia...all in one book. And even though it's 500 pages, it's still...too much. Too quickly. I'm grateful for the attempt to bring Neddy and the rest of Rose's family into a greater part of the story, but it draws the focus away from Rose and her struggles and her plotline which should be the core of the book. The two plots don't really converge, and while I was glad to know that Neddy was chasing Rose across the world again, there wasn't really a need to show him always being one step behind. It was a distraction, and I was disappointed that I didn't like it more.

But the new characters, the new villains, the new magic all had me desperately in love with this world again, missing Rose and her white bear even as I was reading about them again. I immediately wanted to reread East, to be taken back again to the story I love and have loved so much for so long. It's a good companion, a worthy sequel, a comforting trip down memory lane. ...more

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Sep 02, 2018 Brooke rated it it was amazing

Shelves: kindle-reads, giveaways-won

4.5

You know the adventure books you read as a kid; the ones that completely took you away to another land and for a few brief moments reality fused into a magical world of make believe. That is what Pattou has written. “West”, is the stunning sequel to her first masterpiece, “East”.

When Rose first met Charles, he was trapped in the form of a white bear. To rescue him, Rose traveled to the land that lay east of the sun and west of the moon to defeat the evil Troll Queen. Now Rose has found her ha ...more

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Oct 01, 2018 Lily rated it liked it

"ARC received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review."

I loved the first book, however, I do not feel that it needed a sequel. The entire book felt redundant and stilted in the way it jumped perspectives every two or three pages never really allowing the reader to settle into a POV. I do not feel like this book added to the story of Rose and her bear at all so much as it just repeated what had already been told in a slightly different way... it kind of felt like really well-written fan f ...more

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Nov 13, 2018 christina rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-series, ya-fantasy

Overall I thought this was a really cute continuation of East. If you really enjoyed the first installment, this book follows a similar story format: The main character once again goes on an adventure to rescue her now husband. Was this sequel necessary? No not really... book 1 was pretty well wrapped up. However, if you loved the characters and world building in East, I would recommend this book.

------------------------

East, #1 ★★★★☆
West, #2 ★★★☆☆

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Feb 19, 2019 Abigail rated it really liked it

Shelves: retellings, fantasy, rtc, shippy-ness, 2019-february-reading

Awwww happy ending

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Apr 08, 2020 Laura Scribner rated it it was ok

I was really looking forward to this book. I loved East so much! But West just left so much to be desired. Her blind devotion to her White Bear without even a hint of conflict with her devotion to her baby really irritated me. And I hated that she left Winn behind at all; what a way better story it would’ve been, if she set off with her baby all like “alright little dude; we’ve got to rescue your dad... again!”

Also, I’m with Eugina. I want to know Winn’s birth direction.

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Dec 16, 2018 Andi rated it it was ok

While I still remember the incredible feelings I had while reading East as a teenager, West was eh at best, utterly forgettable and unneeded at worst.

East had the basis of "East of the Sun and West of the Moon" to go off of, and I believe having that framework gave Pattou the solid foundation she needed to write a mysterious and gripping adaptation. West has none of that framework and it shows. It's a very simple plot - chase the bad guys, get the kids back. The plot is just a long string of wea While I still remember the incredible feelings I had while reading East as a teenager, West was eh at best, utterly forgettable and unneeded at worst.

East had the basis of "East of the Sun and West of the Moon" to go off of, and I believe having that framework gave Pattou the solid foundation she needed to write a mysterious and gripping adaptation. West has none of that framework and it shows. It's a very simple plot - chase the bad guys, get the kids back. The plot is just a long string of weakly-connected nodes of events. The writing honestly reads like a middle schooler's creative writing assignment, lacking both life and whimsy until the last 100 pages or so. It feels like there was a first draft that was cleaned up a bit then immediately sent out by the publisher. The sentences flew by, but that's because there was absolutely no depth to the writing, or to any of the characters - except for Rose/Nyamh, in the last 100 or so pages. And Sib, every now and then, but her mysterious ways and briefly tragic thoughts never end up going anywhere. I wasn't charmed by any of the relationships in the story and I was annoyed by Charles. Most of the PoV's were unnecessary. There were so many chapters that were seriously just a page long and did nothing more than express an inconsequential blip of one character's thoughts, then it would cut to another PoV. It felt like fluff to up the page count. The Neddy/Sib arc was.... cute? Sib was mysterious? But they were completely unnecessary to the story, and they took up at least a third of the page count.

The writing was also 100% telling. The tone was so bland I felt like I was reading my Linear Algebra textbook at times.

It also just felt so - lazy? The conflict between the queen and the humans is supposed to be based on a chess game. We get like, two paragraphs of actual chess out of a 500-page book, and though I'm sure Pattou knows chess at least as well as the average person (decently okay, and if not, nothing a quick YouTube video couldn't fix), it seemed to me like the author has never so much as seen an actual game of chess played in her life. It's clear that the chess game controlling the world's disasters was just a gimmick stuck in there for the #aesthetic, it's not an actual breathing plot device. There's also the matter of Charles, who is so lifeless I wouldn't even call him a shell of a person. He's not cute either, because his lifelessness leaves Rose to shoulder the entire burden of his life plus their relationship all on her own. That's not an example of female empowerment, that's an example of a woman I feel deeply sorry for. At least in East, Charles has his moments of overcoming the queen's influence, though he's still the wettest of noodles when it comes to him and Rose (I think the story would've been stronger if they hadn't gotten together in the end, but that's an issue for a decade ago). Plus, important family members from East DIE in West. They die and are literally never brought up again. None of the characters develop. Everything from East is just reiterated and played for nostalgia. This entire book just feels so hollow.

Honestly, the book relied on nostalgia left over from East to give itself any charm at all. It just highlights the fact that East was a standalone, and should have remained a standalone. While East left the reader feeling bittersweetly satisfied, yet also mysteriously bereft, West left me feeling irritated and exhausted even though the story ended on such a sticky sweet note (despite thousands of people having just died horrific deaths, like, a week before the day the story ends).

I can tell Pattou wants to write even more sequels, but I sincerely wish she wouldn't. Part of East's charm was its mystery and its story that felt complete yet also half-told. I can tell that Rose/Nyamh means a lot to the author, as do the characters that make up Rose/Nyamh's family, which is probably why she keeps wanting to delve into their lives. And that's really what matters, that Pattou gets enjoyment out of writing these books. But West was a huge letdown and was just so unnecessary. If more is written in this series, I won't be reading any of it. ...more

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Nov 17, 2018 RumBelle rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-fantasy-and-sci-fi

DNF read approximately 50%

Let me say a few things about why I gave this such a low rating, and begin with I did not finish it, I read only half and there is a possibility (slim in my opinion) that the latter half could have been fantastic, though I doubt it.

I read East when it first came out about 15 years ago and absolutely loved it. East of the Sun and West of the Moon is one of my all time favorite fairy tales, and I enjoy retellings of it immensely. Pattou's version ended well, and in my vi DNF read approximately 50%

Let me say a few things about why I gave this such a low rating, and begin with I did not finish it, I read only half and there is a possibility (slim in my opinion) that the latter half could have been fantastic, though I doubt it.

I read East when it first came out about 15 years ago and absolutely loved it. East of the Sun and West of the Moon is one of my all time favorite fairy tales, and I enjoy retellings of it immensely. Pattou's version ended well, and in my view completely. No unresolved issues, no threads left hanging. It did not need a sequel, that being said though, this seemed like a new tale where the story continued with the characters from East, but went in new directions and explored new ideas.

That, sadly, was not the case. This book was, in my humble opinion, almost the exact same story, written in an incredibly stilted way. Rose's now husband vanishes, and it is discovered that he has been captured by, wait for it, Trolls, who have taken him, I know it sounds unbelievable, back to the same palace Rose rescued him from in the first book! Add to that, and this is something I truly loathe in terms of plot devices, Charles has lost his memory, so he spend the majority of the book not knowing who his wife and child are. He, miraculously, gets his memory back literally two pages before the end in some sort of flash (that is never explained) in his second marriage to Rose. It was just ridiculous.

In addition, every page it seemed like was a new "chapter" told in a different character's point of view. It was so jarring reading a book written that way. The POV shifted so much, half the time you had no idea who was talking, plus in some cases the "chapters" were only a paragraph long. The writing style was just horrible.

I have to say, when I heard this book was coming out I was so excited. I loved East, and the idea of a continuation story, that I believed would be new and original, made me so happy. I was looking forward to this book so much, and was incredibly disappointed. 15 years to come up with a new book and all we got was the exact same story, just longer, and written in a ridiculous manner. ...more

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Nov 30, 2018 Faye rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I had loved East, so when I saw that Ms. Pattou was writing a sequel I had mixed feelings. Excitement-because I had loved everything about East. Dread--That my love of East would be ruined.

I had both low and high expectations. But somehow this book managed to live up to both.
I have re-read East a couple of times so you could say that I am biased. I was sad at first that Rose and her White Bear couldn't just be happy and live a modest life, yet Rose, being adventurous by nature would have never ...more

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Jan 01, 2019 Mary Van Almsick rated it liked it · review of another edition

I didn't like this as much as I liked East. I don't feel like this book stands on it's own. If I hadn't read East first, this book would have been confusing. There were some interesting parts, but it seemed like I was reading a slightly different version of the same story. ...more

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May 20, 2019 Sarah rated it it was ok

I should preface this by saying that East is one of my absolute favorite books, so much so that I've returned to it every few years from the time I first it read it about 12 years ago. Its feeling of emotional weight and consequences; the array of locales, each as thrilling and as different as the one that preceded it; and little things like the three dresses have stayed powerfully with me for all this time. And the entire storyline with the nightshirt has remained, in my mind, the single most s ...more

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Mar 04, 2020 Hope Garmon rated it it was amazing

Shelves: children-ya-fiction, books-on-holiday

This is my first review on goodreads. The idea of going back and reviewing books from the past stresses me out, so I'll only review going forward. I'm happy that my first review could be of a book I enjoyed so much.

I was introduced to East by a good friend several years ago and, due to it being a quick read, I've probably read it more than any other book. I was so excited to see she had written a sequel.

I love the way she writes the story from several different character's perspectives. I love ...more

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Dec 31, 2018 Kasia rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Absolutely fantastic!
What a nice surprise this duology was. I picked this series up on a whim, basing it off the synopsis and quite a few of raving reviews from trusted allies here on Goodreads, and thank goodness I did!

The characters were all fantastically wonderful in their own little way, the plot really thickened in West and I was so here for it!

(view spoiler) ...more

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Sep 01, 2018 Sharon marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Whatttt the heck??? It has been 15 years since the 1st book came out, and now there's a sequel?? I did NOT know about this, but I'm glad that GR notified me about this book because I would've never known otherwise. I'm excited to see where Rose's adventures will take her~~ ...more

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Oct 26, 2018 Joanna Meyer rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018-tbr

Over a decade in the making, this wonderful book was hard to put down. The further adventures of Rose and her white bear are not to be missed. <3

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Jun 16, 2018 Megan rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: fans of East of the Sun, West of the Moon

Shelves: vikings, dragons, young-adult, historical-fiction, retellings, fantasy, strong-women, adventure, magic

*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

When I was younger, several years younger, I read East on a whim. It was a paperback copy from the library, and I loved it. It has stayed in my mind for years as one of my favourite retellings, deep and imaginative and filled with imagery you just can't forget. Browsing NetGalley and coming upon West was like finding an old friend - grown up, changed, but so familiar and lovely. Actually getting a ...more

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Jan 30, 2019 Carly rated it really liked it

I enjoyed the first book a lot more but this one was still really good.

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Nov 05, 2018 April Sarah rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: owned

3.5 stars? (Subject to change - I'm conflicted) ...more

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Sep 30, 2018 Tabor rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, female-protagonist-in-fantasy, ya-fantasy, fantasy-written-by-women, arc, young-adult

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review

Five years ago, I read East and fell completely in love with the novel. It was spellbinding, mysterious and at its heart was a good retelling of a fairy tale. So you can imagine my excitement to read an advanced copy of the sequel, and how it really hurts me to write the following: I am disappointed in this sequel.

West follows Rose and her white bear several years after the first book. In that time, Rose and Charles have had a baby, who they I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review

Five years ago, I read East and fell completely in love with the novel. It was spellbinding, mysterious and at its heart was a good retelling of a fairy tale. So you can imagine my excitement to read an advanced copy of the sequel, and how it really hurts me to write the following: I am disappointed in this sequel.

West follows Rose and her white bear several years after the first book. In that time, Rose and Charles have had a baby, who they lovingly refer to as Winn, and the book also featured Estelle, Sib, and some of Rose's family. The book really starts with Rose's mother, Eugenia, having a potent dream that foretells Charles' death and other sinister events. Of course, this comes to pass as Charles and Rose make their way to her family's home. Traveling separately, Charles seemingly perishes in a shipwreck. Rose does not believe this and sets out to track down her husband in an unfolding journey that isn't nearly as charming as the first one.

Please be advised there are spoilers up ahead. Rose is able to find Charles, but she also discovers that the Troll Queen, who was killed in the last book, is not dead. Instead, she seeks to retake everything that Rose took from her, including Charles and Winn. As result, the book primarily follows two threads; one involves Rose and Charles, who does not remember the past one hundred years and subsequently his life with Rose. This seems to be the result of the Troll Queen's magic. And the second follows Estelle and Winn, who both are kidnapped by the Troll Queen. Rose must track down her son and in the process stop the Troll Queen's nefarious plans before Charles permanently forgets about his family.

It is an interesting, but overall it lacks emotional depth. And, I assume that this is partly due to the fact that this book is oriented towards children/young adults (This is based on the fact that the first book was geared towards this audience). Therefore, Rose's life as a mother and wife is, for lack a better term, very G-rated. I think this story would have been much more powerful if Pattou had delved into Rose's heartbreak and grief over what happened to Charles. And more importantly, her anxiety and determination to find her son. Instead, it focuses on other perspectives that don't really add to the story and distance the reader away from Rose and her new journey. This is further enhanced by Rose's choice to be called Nyamh throughout the story and makes her seem different from the beloved character we remember.

I read a remark at the back about how this story was for the people, who grew up with East, and I really wish Pattou had a written a story for these women, who now have their own families, new worries, and who need a grown-up fairy tale that speaks to these issues. ...more

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Edith Pattou

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Edith Pattou is the author of several fantasy novels, including East, an ALA Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults. She is a graduate of the Francis W. Parker School, Scripps College (B.A., English), Claremont Graduate School (M.A., English) and UCLA (M.L.I.S.). She is married to Charles Emery, a professor of psychology at The Ohio State University. They have one child, a daughter.

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