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East #2
West
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 storm destroys his ship and he is presumed dead. But Rose doesn’t believe the shipwreck was an act of nature, nor does she believe Charles is truly dead. Something much more sinister is at work. With mysterious and unstoppable forces threatening the lives of the people she loves, Rose must once again set off on a perilous journey. And this time, the fate of the entire world is at stake.
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 storm destroys his ship and he is presumed dead. But Rose doesn’t believe the shipwreck was an act of nature, nor does she believe Charles is truly dead. Something much more sinister is at work. With mysterious and unstoppable forces threatening the lives of the people she loves, Rose must once again set off on a perilous journey. And this time, the fate of the entire world is at stake.
528 pages, ebook
First published October 23, 2018
About the author
Edith Pattou
8 books784 followersEdith 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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 396 reviews
November 12, 2018
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.
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).
Fifteen years later, Pattou has finally followed up East with this sequel, appropriately titled West. West picks up three years after the end of East. Rose has married Charles (aka the White Bear), they have a baby boy they call Wynn, and life is pretty good ... until Charles is lost at sea in a suspiciously odd storm. Rose refuses to believe Charles is dead, even though they get a direct report from someone who says they saw him die, and hands over his wedding ring to Rose.
So Rose leaves baby Wynn with her family in Norway and takes off to try to track down her husband. Trolls ensue.
West isn't a bad story, but it's basically a theme and variation on the first book, East. Though the details are different, it tracks the same basic plot a little too closely. Add to that the rather simplistic writing, kind of on a middle grade level, and West just never really engaged me.
It was clean as a whistle, though.
Full review to come. I received a free copy of this book through the publisher and Netgalley. Thanks!
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).
Fifteen years later, Pattou has finally followed up East with this sequel, appropriately titled West. West picks up three years after the end of East. Rose has married Charles (aka the White Bear), they have a baby boy they call Wynn, and life is pretty good ... until Charles is lost at sea in a suspiciously odd storm. Rose refuses to believe Charles is dead, even though they get a direct report from someone who says they saw him die, and hands over his wedding ring to Rose.
So Rose leaves baby Wynn with her family in Norway and takes off to try to track down her husband. Trolls ensue.
West isn't a bad story, but it's basically a theme and variation on the first book, East. Though the details are different, it tracks the same basic plot a little too closely. Add to that the rather simplistic writing, kind of on a middle grade level, and West just never really engaged me.
It was clean as a whistle, though.
Full review to come. I received a free copy of this book through the publisher and Netgalley. Thanks!
January 22, 2022
Been waiting over 10 years for this to happen!!! One of my all-time favorite books. I can't wait!
May 16, 2017
I have to wait until 2018??????? Omfg EAST is one of my favorite books - I can't believe she's writing this
July 11, 2020
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. Edith has woven fairytales, mythologies, history and folklore to create this rich setting for the story that was nothing short of exhilarating.
• The plot was layered in multiple stories and I’m pleased to find that we get to see Estelle’s and Sib’s POV in this one. The multiple POVs truly add much to the story without prolonging their chapters.
• The world-building is vibrant and the stunning imagery is still present in this book. I can truly visualize Rose’s entire journey while I flick through the pages as if I was an invisible companion with her.
• The story itself was spellbinding and Edith’s whimsical writing is immersive. The story is filled with magic and splendor and it tells a tale of courage, love, familial bonds and sacrifice.
• The characters were fantastic and I adored every single one of them. I was very glad to see that most characters were fleshed out since it added more dimensions to them, and they had their moments under the spotlight in the book. I must say that Rose had joined my list of my all-time favorite heroines. She truly is a well-written character with her own set of characteristics that makes her very unique from many heroines I’ve read about. The only heroine that comes to mind that could be compared to her is Vasya Petrovna from The Bear and the Nightingale whom happens to be a favorite of mine too.
• The romance is not a dominant theme in this book, however Love is. Rose’s entire journey is revolves around her love for her child, her husband, her family and her loved ones. This journey is a test of how strong her love is. I’m very happy to see the tender moments between Rose and the White Bear and this time I am truly invested in them as a couple since I get to see more of the White Bear than I did previously.
• The troll queen makes a very compelling Villain since she is multidimensional. You can’t help but feel sorry for her at times since chooses to evilness not out of the thirst for blood, her selfishness consumes her which dictate her actions. She has no regard to the consequences of her actions thus she is left with doing whatever necessary, evil or not, to get what she wants.
• If you are a fan of retellings, give this beautiful book a shot and you shall forever be grateful.
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. Edith has woven fairytales, mythologies, history and folklore to create this rich setting for the story that was nothing short of exhilarating.
• The plot was layered in multiple stories and I’m pleased to find that we get to see Estelle’s and Sib’s POV in this one. The multiple POVs truly add much to the story without prolonging their chapters.
• The world-building is vibrant and the stunning imagery is still present in this book. I can truly visualize Rose’s entire journey while I flick through the pages as if I was an invisible companion with her.
• The story itself was spellbinding and Edith’s whimsical writing is immersive. The story is filled with magic and splendor and it tells a tale of courage, love, familial bonds and sacrifice.
• The characters were fantastic and I adored every single one of them. I was very glad to see that most characters were fleshed out since it added more dimensions to them, and they had their moments under the spotlight in the book. I must say that Rose had joined my list of my all-time favorite heroines. She truly is a well-written character with her own set of characteristics that makes her very unique from many heroines I’ve read about. The only heroine that comes to mind that could be compared to her is Vasya Petrovna from The Bear and the Nightingale whom happens to be a favorite of mine too.
• The romance is not a dominant theme in this book, however Love is. Rose’s entire journey is revolves around her love for her child, her husband, her family and her loved ones. This journey is a test of how strong her love is. I’m very happy to see the tender moments between Rose and the White Bear and this time I am truly invested in them as a couple since I get to see more of the White Bear than I did previously.
• The troll queen makes a very compelling Villain since she is multidimensional. You can’t help but feel sorry for her at times since chooses to evilness not out of the thirst for blood, her selfishness consumes her which dictate her actions. She has no regard to the consequences of her actions thus she is left with doing whatever necessary, evil or not, to get what she wants.
• If you are a fan of retellings, give this beautiful book a shot and you shall forever be grateful.
September 5, 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 engineered to be as miserable as possible for the characters. It felt forced.
Second, it was saturated with point of views. There were six characters who were narrating the story and while that itself was a problem, it was compounded by the fact that most of the either ended abruptly or contained nothing of value. Moreover, the writing was flavorless. Things like, he said this, I did that, we ate food, we slept. It was incredibly bland and that affected the story overall in that I could not take it seriously and enjoy it like I did East.
The story would have been better served with a third person narrative.
The author chose a really weird way of expanding the mythology via Sib and the Norns. This book had Norse elements like Niflheim and the Norns but also trolls and faeries and the strange wind magic. None of these things correlated in any discernible fashion and that is also true for the whole plot in general. It was an odd and disjoint collection of events which was dragged in a lot of places.
I also found the world 'bairn' insufferable to read.
This is sad, man! This sequel almost ruined the beauty of the first book for me.
December 28, 2018
!!!!! Wasn't expecting a sequel, but can't wait to see where Pattou takes this!
July 1, 2018
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.
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.
November 27, 2018
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 showcase Rose's determination and willingness to make sacrifices for the good of those she loves, this sequel veers off into [even stranger] new territory while also focusing a bit more on characters we've already come to know...and some we haven't. The mood in East tended toward forlorn and lost, but the tone in West was straight up melancholy and it felt like friends were few and far between on this part of Rose's journey. But it was worth it in the end. I especially loved Estelle's last line in the epilogue. 😉
June 18, 2020
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.
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.
October 1, 2018
"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 fiction of the author's work without being good enough to be the legitimate sequel of such a stunning and fantastic book as East. If anyone asked me if they should read this book, I would just recommend they reread East instead.
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 fiction of the author's work without being good enough to be the legitimate sequel of such a stunning and fantastic book as East. If anyone asked me if they should read this book, I would just recommend they reread East instead.
January 21, 2019
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.
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.
December 16, 2018
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.
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.
December 13, 2018
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 reimmersing myself in Edith Pattou's writing style. She writes so beautifully. It's very much like a traditional fairy tale. In East, Rose has to travel east of the sun and west of the moon to rescue her White Bear, Charles, from the Troll People. West follows Rose and the White Bear's story soon after their happily ever after. However, their lives are soon turned upside down when Charles's ship goes missing and he is reported dead. Rose is convinced that he isn't dead, so she goes on another adventure to find her White Bear.
West is a lovely combination of lyrical writing, a plot imbued with Scandinavian legends/myths/fairytales, fantastical adventures, and lovely characters that you cannot help but love. Rose is a such strong, independent, and inspiring character. It was so nice to get to spend time with her again. She's one of my all-time favorite characters.
I absolutely adored the multiple perspectives throughout this book. It was so nice to get to read from Neddy, Rose's Mother and Father, and Charles' perspectives. It was also so nice to get to know Rose's children. I love their family dynamic. I also really love how the characters have developed since the ending of East.
East will always hold a special place in my heart. Though West isn't as good as East, it is well worth the read. I'm so excited to have gotten to read it. Thank you so much HMH and Edith Pattou for sending me an ARC. I cannot wait for my finished copy to come in.
Don't forget to pick up the new edition of West too! I will be posting pictures of my preorders on my Insta-stories this next week once they come out.
~~~
I'VE JUST BEEN ACCEPTED TO READ AN ARC COPY OF THIS BOOK!!!!!!! I'M SO FREAKING EXCITED!!!!
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 reimmersing myself in Edith Pattou's writing style. She writes so beautifully. It's very much like a traditional fairy tale. In East, Rose has to travel east of the sun and west of the moon to rescue her White Bear, Charles, from the Troll People. West follows Rose and the White Bear's story soon after their happily ever after. However, their lives are soon turned upside down when Charles's ship goes missing and he is reported dead. Rose is convinced that he isn't dead, so she goes on another adventure to find her White Bear.
West is a lovely combination of lyrical writing, a plot imbued with Scandinavian legends/myths/fairytales, fantastical adventures, and lovely characters that you cannot help but love. Rose is a such strong, independent, and inspiring character. It was so nice to get to spend time with her again. She's one of my all-time favorite characters.
I absolutely adored the multiple perspectives throughout this book. It was so nice to get to read from Neddy, Rose's Mother and Father, and Charles' perspectives. It was also so nice to get to know Rose's children. I love their family dynamic. I also really love how the characters have developed since the ending of East.
East will always hold a special place in my heart. Though West isn't as good as East, it is well worth the read. I'm so excited to have gotten to read it. Thank you so much HMH and Edith Pattou for sending me an ARC. I cannot wait for my finished copy to come in.
Don't forget to pick up the new edition of West too! I will be posting pictures of my preorders on my Insta-stories this next week once they come out.
~~~
I'VE JUST BEEN ACCEPTED TO READ AN ARC COPY OF THIS BOOK!!!!!!! I'M SO FREAKING EXCITED!!!!
August 20, 2021
East captivated my imagination when I first read it, and I recall thinking it was the perfect standalone. Years later, I find out she wrote a sequel, publishing it only recently. So I reread East to remember details heading into my reading of West.
Honestly, I'm so glad I didn't read this one until years later. I wouldn't have liked it when I was younger. But there's a certain maturity and selflessness that one has to develop in order to have a successful marriage, and those attributes shine in West. I just wouldn't have appreciated those traits and the marriage aspect of this book as a teen, or even young twenty year old without gaining that life experience myself. This book's writing aged with the maturity of the readers who first loved East. And I'm so glad Pattou came back to Rose's world again for us. I'll be buying this duology.
I'd rate this book a PG.
Honestly, I'm so glad I didn't read this one until years later. I wouldn't have liked it when I was younger. But there's a certain maturity and selflessness that one has to develop in order to have a successful marriage, and those attributes shine in West. I just wouldn't have appreciated those traits and the marriage aspect of this book as a teen, or even young twenty year old without gaining that life experience myself. This book's writing aged with the maturity of the readers who first loved East. And I'm so glad Pattou came back to Rose's world again for us. I'll be buying this duology.
I'd rate this book a PG.
July 8, 2018
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.
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.
September 3, 2018
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 happily ever after with Charles, until a sudden storm destroys his ship and he is presumed dead. But Rose doesn’t believe the shipwreck was an act of nature, nor does she believe Charles is truly dead. Something much more sinister is at work. With mysterious and unstoppable forces threatening the lives of the people she loves, Rose must once again set off on a perilous journey. And this time, the fate of the entire world is at stake.
I’m not one to normally pick up high fantasy, because sometimes the world building can be so complex and confusing for me. However, even though this series is considered high fantasy, it is more fairytale-like and has that classic storybook feel like beauty and the beast. When I read, “East” a few months ago, I completely fell in love with the rich setting and lovely characters! “West” is much of the same way. It’s a great, fast paced, beautifully written sequel. Pattou’s writing is effortless and she takes you on a vivid adventure! Love this duology so much! I think I did (very slightly) prefer, “East”, but overall these are wonderful together!
Thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Book Group for sending me an advanced readers copy! You can buy West on October 23rd! In the meantime read Pattou’s first wonderful book, “East”!
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 happily ever after with Charles, until a sudden storm destroys his ship and he is presumed dead. But Rose doesn’t believe the shipwreck was an act of nature, nor does she believe Charles is truly dead. Something much more sinister is at work. With mysterious and unstoppable forces threatening the lives of the people she loves, Rose must once again set off on a perilous journey. And this time, the fate of the entire world is at stake.
I’m not one to normally pick up high fantasy, because sometimes the world building can be so complex and confusing for me. However, even though this series is considered high fantasy, it is more fairytale-like and has that classic storybook feel like beauty and the beast. When I read, “East” a few months ago, I completely fell in love with the rich setting and lovely characters! “West” is much of the same way. It’s a great, fast paced, beautifully written sequel. Pattou’s writing is effortless and she takes you on a vivid adventure! Love this duology so much! I think I did (very slightly) prefer, “East”, but overall these are wonderful together!
Thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Book Group for sending me an advanced readers copy! You can buy West on October 23rd! In the meantime read Pattou’s first wonderful book, “East”!
December 1, 2018
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 been satisfied to have a quiet existence. In some ways I agree that this book lacks the magic of its predecessor, but in other ways I think that the magic is stronger. Rose's love for her small family is tested, she must risk everything, fighting for the ones that she loves, knowing that she might be forced to give them up. Her heartaches cut to the bone. But Rose isn't the girl that she was when she first loved the White Bear, she has grown, matured, and become more independent, learning from her mistakes.
I think that while different than East, West compliments it well, exploring different relationships while delving deeper into existing storylines. West is a satisfying sequel, the stakes are higher, and the characters have grown. The things that I am tempted to say that I didn't like are what make it stronger. If you read East, I think this is definitely worth a read.
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 been satisfied to have a quiet existence. In some ways I agree that this book lacks the magic of its predecessor, but in other ways I think that the magic is stronger. Rose's love for her small family is tested, she must risk everything, fighting for the ones that she loves, knowing that she might be forced to give them up. Her heartaches cut to the bone. But Rose isn't the girl that she was when she first loved the White Bear, she has grown, matured, and become more independent, learning from her mistakes.
I think that while different than East, West compliments it well, exploring different relationships while delving deeper into existing storylines. West is a satisfying sequel, the stakes are higher, and the characters have grown. The things that I am tempted to say that I didn't like are what make it stronger. If you read East, I think this is definitely worth a read.
January 7, 2019
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.
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East, #1 ★★★★☆
West, #2 ★★★☆☆
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East, #1 ★★★★☆
West, #2 ★★★☆☆
April 8, 2020
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.
Also, I’m with Eugina. I want to know Winn’s birth direction.
February 20, 2019
Awwww happy ending
October 20, 2019
Sigh.
You know how, with one recent exception, I always say no book is perfect except for East?
Well, apparently that includes its sequel.
This...thing...is about as far from perfect as you can get.
The thing is, if this was a mere disappointment, or badly written, or just 100% mediocre, I could rate it 3 stars and move on, just another weak sequel to something I loved. But the writing and effort were way too quality-laden for what boils down to fixing what wasn't broken in the first place.
You know how a lot of people felt all the additions to the live-action Disney Beauty and The Beast were just trying to fill in plot-holes and "problems" from the animated film? Well, this sequel boils down to that for East.
Don't believe me? Consider this list of things a handful of people have complained about with the original.
1) Rose and Charles didn't have a lot of development in their relationship because he was a bear most of the time in East.
2) Neddy didn't "add" anything because he didn't have an arc of his own, just being a side POV to his sister's story.
3) The Troll queen died too easily
4) We didn't get to know Rose's mom well enough and so she and her superstitions were one-dimensional.
And here's how they were all addressed in West.
1) Charles gets memory loss and he and Rose have to fall in love all over again. (No, not joking, I'm serious; he forgets her early on and doesn't remember her until like the second to last chapter.)
2) Neddy gets his own half-baked love story that mostly consists of his love interest going "No, Neddy, we can't, it's impossible, and I can't tell you why" until the end when she's like "Okay, I'll tell you why, here's my big reveal, but that's okay because I'm totally over it now and we can be together, let's get married". Riveting, ain't it?
3) The Troll queen is ALIVE, being the villain again, until she gets defeated with a dramatic over-blown scene where she's definitely dead this time near the end.
4) Oh, guess who has a POV now? For no logical reason?
Now, all four of these are things I have seen in various reviews. So maybe the people who wrote those complains were appeased by the little fixes in this book. But here's the thing, most hardcore fans, all those girls who write Edith Pattou those letters she mentions getting over the years since writing East? We don't give a crap about any of that, we never even THOUGHT that. To me, like I've said, East is flawless. And if we fans DID care, why would we be waiting years for a fixer book? Wouldn't we have moved on by now?
These fixes really felt like the author was taking back everything I loved about the original, all it's gorgeous fairy-tale simplicity which is exactly what makes it complex. Now it's a loose retelling of the Edda complete with edgy girl power bits.
But in trying to make Rose extra strong, her character, only 3 years later chronologically (even if this book is written so long after the original) is almost nonexistent besides her brave characteristics. I mean, aside from the little that carries on from the original what do we actually KNOW about Rose in West? She's a mother now, she loves her husband, she loves her family, and... she's determined? Even the old stuff, like how much she loves weaving, barely matters until the last quarter of the book where she randomly has to make 3 cloaks out of elements (she totally cheats on a couple of those, by the way). I also hated the way she reacted to Charles losing his memory. At first she wouldn't tell him the truth because she was scared it would break his brain or something, but even when she got over that she STILL didn't tell him -- she was literally going to re-marry him under false pretenses. Forget it being bad luck, it's kind of a jerky thing for her to do. Charles is under the impression that she was married to somebody else and would be Winn's (their child) stepmother. But then he remembers and everything's okay, no mention of her totally misleading him? Please. This makes her better than the Troll Queen HOW? Oh, I guess because Rose doesn't actually want to kill every softskin/human on the planet, that makes her better (because, yeah, that's the queen's oh-so-believable motivation in this one)... Whatever.
Then there's the little fact of Rose being a bit mary-sue in this one just from how the other characters treat her. In the last book her purple eyes were important to the plot, because of the snow glare. In this one, people just randomly comment on how pretty her eyes are because reasons. One guy actually nicknames her after them. Gag. This is just so pandering.
And let's just talk about Charles for a second shall we? His development went nowhere! We are learning about his happy family life at the beginning, we even get an interesting bit about how he becomes something of a part-time court musician in France and is content not to be a king and just having a normal life. Then the memory loss nonsense. Okay, so then he only remembers being royal as a little boy, and it seems like we're going to get this deep look into how he's repressed that he does actually want his old royal life back (without Rose, he would want to be a prince again, etc...); then that peters out entirely.
And by gosh is this character a bloody damsel in distress (I'm thinking he should be the one in the moon dress)! I can think of maybe ONE scene in the whole book where he fights or does something useful... Sort of with the snake fighting. Okay, there is the bit with him helping take care of Winn at the end which is useful, so I'll count that. That makes two... But literally this guy lives to be rescued. It's like, dude, we saw Rose rescue him in the last book, couldn't you make him do SOMETHING brave in this one? This guy needs so much rescuing that at one point a magical being with very little connection to him has to turn him back into a polar bear so he doesn't freaking drown. Oh, boy. Just... Wow.
Then there's Charles and Rose's magic super baby. Winn. But, wait, you say, wasn't their first son's name Tuki? Yes, yes it was... But because retconning it doesn't take and Estelle, who lives with them after her mother dies off page, calls him Winn that's his name now. Until the end where it's totally Tuki again, except they still call him Winn. This was so convoluted and pointless. Just call the stupid baby Tuki. And oh because the Troll Queen kidnapped him super Tuki/Winn learns to speak earlier and calls Rose Maman (Mother in French). Which is, you know, cute, but here's the thing: Charles literally hears his baby call Rose Maman and doesn't put two and two together. He thinks Winn is saying her name. I could let this go if Charles wasn't FRENCH. He's freaking FRENCH. He was going to be king of FRANCE. And so is the word Maman. How does he not know what this means??????? Did he have sea-water in his ears?
Oh, and to sum up my feelings on the whole Rose/Charles re-do love story in this book, let me just hiss bitterly at this GEM of a line: And in truth, I had fallen in love all over again, but this time with the man, not the white bear.
Boo. Just boo.
You mean to tell me that for the last 3 years Rose was only in love with her human husband as a bear? I thought, going by the beginning, she just called him that because it was what she knew him as when they met, I didn't take it as she didn't love him as a PERSON. That's just creepy.
Oh, and before I leave off, let me just say Rose cutting off her pink finger? Just...what? I know this was supposed to be edgy but by God it misses the mark.
Moving right along with my complaints, let's now talk about the elephant in the room as far as I'm concerned.
My personal favorite East character, my literary crush during my late teenage years: Neddy.
(Needs a moment to compose self, takes deep breaths)
I'm not even sure what to say here. On the one hand, more Neddy is always a good thing, and comparatively he is the one who keeps his character from the original the most, and I will say his POVs were still my favorite, but by gum was his storyline all over the place.
It's like Pattou didn't know what to do with this guy for a whole book so he's just sent to various places like a bouncing ping pong ball and falls into whatever problems the side plot vaguely needs him to.
First he's with Rose traveling (wouldn't that have been cute, if they'd stuck together the whole book?) then he has to run back home to check on her baby, who isn't there for very long, then he gets the sweating sickness and almost dies, then he's better, then his love interest Sib keeps avoiding him for undisclosed-till-the-end reasons... When reading about your favorite character of all time becomes a chore rather than pleasurable, I think you can safely assume the author's done something wrong. Just everything he went through in this book seemed so pointless. Like we knew nothing was going to happen to him (he literally doesn't have a scratch on him at the end of this book, it's even commented on that he's the only character with no scars), even though his death was teased; and we knew eventually Sib was going to stop being stupid and marry him (Me through half this book: Honey, if you don't want him, I'll take him!) there was just no oomf to this plot.
And the only unfixable bad thing that happens to him through the entire book is the one I HATED and felt was the most pointless. Sara dies.
She freaking DIES.
That's right, the beloved sister whose life was so important in East which was why Rose had to go away with the White Bear in the first dang place dies of a sweating sickness three years later and it's over in a manner of a few pages. Worse, it's just used to further Neddy's story. Everybody, even the mother who loves Sara best, this was her favorite daughter after Elise, remember, underreacts to this death. Literally it feels like she was only killed off so that Neddy would see someone he knew and who the audience actually vaguely cared about "on the other side" when he thought he was dying. Oh, and so he could have a bonding moment of Sib comforting him.
Just no. No, Pattou, no.
Now lets talk about Sib, shall we?
Why the bloody heck did she not have her own POV? I mean Estelle had less to do with the plot, save for the short time she was kidnapped along with Winn by the trolls, and she gets a full-time POV, but Sib who is way more important, whose magic saves Rose's butt on at least two occasions, whose backstory actually turns out to be interesting except for the fact that it was infodumped at the last minute, and who ends up married to Neddy, doesn't?
I feel I would have liked her a whole lot more if I could have just gotten into her head. Because no one else viewed her objectively enough for her not to be annoying in their POVs. Rose was a little in awe of her, even. And don't get me started on lovesick Neddy who just looks at her and basically starts having a heart-attack. She's so special to him that he wants to start writing poems again. And does.
All that stuff about her being kidnapped by fairies is fascinating and makes a lot about her less annoying but it just came too late for me to care much. I LOVE the idea of Neddy falling in love with a (sort of) changeling girl and not knowing if she's going to age at the same time as him and stuff, BUT because it was saved as a big reveal, this whole premise was wasted. Instead we got Twilight/telenovela levels of "But we can't"/"But I love you"/"You can't, you can't love me"/"Stay away from me, I'm no good for you," crap. And the actual reveal feels like that tacked on bit in Once Upon a Time when that girl randomly reveals that her dad was the Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. Total throw away dialogue. Also very awkward that it was in conversation considering so much else of this book is prose-related "telling" so it feels unnatural that a plot point this big is shown through dialogue.
Oh, and let me back up to another retcon this book tries to pull at the end. You remember how it was bittersweet that Rose and Charles live in France not Norway at the end of East? Well, forget about that sweethearts, because they move back to Norway and everybody's happy, the bloody end.
Jesus Christ. Just wow.
So, the troll queen. Whyyyyyyyyyyyy? Why make a character so complex a dull villain set on revenge with literally no other stakes in ANYTHING? That's all I have to say about that.
And all that is the reason I had to rate it 2 stars. I spent most of the book mumbling "Don't make me say it, please don't make me say it..." But here it is. Two things I never wanted to say about a sequel to my favorite YA novel.
1) Once upon A Winter's Night was a better fairy-tale retelling than this
2) Haunting the Deep was a better YA sequel than this.
Sigh.
However, I can't say I hated it entirely because it does have a handful of good points. Here they are.
1) the intro is brilliant. I think Pattou was a genius to begin this book the way she did -- with the box from the first book having a false bottom, thus giving the tale a logical reason to continue. I LOVED this. When I read this first prologue I was convinced I was going to adore this book. It's just so dang good.
2) I smiled so big at the bit at the end where Rose's mom wants to become a mother/daughter fortune teller duo. That is SO her, and so hilarious. I love it.
3) The continued running gag of Rose's mom not bringing her handkerchief to weddings. This will never not be funny.
4) Estelle is cute in this, and probably the most relatable character apart from Neddy. I almost shipped them, actually because of this. Of course the age difference made it weird but still.
5) The brief look at Rose's family life prior to the plot going cray-cray for cocoa puffs.
6) The callbacks to the first book. These were sweet, usually.
So do I regret reading this? Nah. It was entertaining enough. Is it a worthy sequel? Oh hell no.
You know how, with one recent exception, I always say no book is perfect except for East?
Well, apparently that includes its sequel.
This...thing...is about as far from perfect as you can get.
The thing is, if this was a mere disappointment, or badly written, or just 100% mediocre, I could rate it 3 stars and move on, just another weak sequel to something I loved. But the writing and effort were way too quality-laden for what boils down to fixing what wasn't broken in the first place.
You know how a lot of people felt all the additions to the live-action Disney Beauty and The Beast were just trying to fill in plot-holes and "problems" from the animated film? Well, this sequel boils down to that for East.
Don't believe me? Consider this list of things a handful of people have complained about with the original.
1) Rose and Charles didn't have a lot of development in their relationship because he was a bear most of the time in East.
2) Neddy didn't "add" anything because he didn't have an arc of his own, just being a side POV to his sister's story.
3) The Troll queen died too easily
4) We didn't get to know Rose's mom well enough and so she and her superstitions were one-dimensional.
And here's how they were all addressed in West.
1) Charles gets memory loss and he and Rose have to fall in love all over again. (No, not joking, I'm serious; he forgets her early on and doesn't remember her until like the second to last chapter.)
2) Neddy gets his own half-baked love story that mostly consists of his love interest going "No, Neddy, we can't, it's impossible, and I can't tell you why" until the end when she's like "Okay, I'll tell you why, here's my big reveal, but that's okay because I'm totally over it now and we can be together, let's get married". Riveting, ain't it?
3) The Troll queen is ALIVE, being the villain again, until she gets defeated with a dramatic over-blown scene where she's definitely dead this time near the end.
4) Oh, guess who has a POV now? For no logical reason?
Now, all four of these are things I have seen in various reviews. So maybe the people who wrote those complains were appeased by the little fixes in this book. But here's the thing, most hardcore fans, all those girls who write Edith Pattou those letters she mentions getting over the years since writing East? We don't give a crap about any of that, we never even THOUGHT that. To me, like I've said, East is flawless. And if we fans DID care, why would we be waiting years for a fixer book? Wouldn't we have moved on by now?
These fixes really felt like the author was taking back everything I loved about the original, all it's gorgeous fairy-tale simplicity which is exactly what makes it complex. Now it's a loose retelling of the Edda complete with edgy girl power bits.
But in trying to make Rose extra strong, her character, only 3 years later chronologically (even if this book is written so long after the original) is almost nonexistent besides her brave characteristics. I mean, aside from the little that carries on from the original what do we actually KNOW about Rose in West? She's a mother now, she loves her husband, she loves her family, and... she's determined? Even the old stuff, like how much she loves weaving, barely matters until the last quarter of the book where she randomly has to make 3 cloaks out of elements (she totally cheats on a couple of those, by the way). I also hated the way she reacted to Charles losing his memory. At first she wouldn't tell him the truth because she was scared it would break his brain or something, but even when she got over that she STILL didn't tell him -- she was literally going to re-marry him under false pretenses. Forget it being bad luck, it's kind of a jerky thing for her to do. Charles is under the impression that she was married to somebody else and would be Winn's (their child) stepmother. But then he remembers and everything's okay, no mention of her totally misleading him? Please. This makes her better than the Troll Queen HOW? Oh, I guess because Rose doesn't actually want to kill every softskin/human on the planet, that makes her better (because, yeah, that's the queen's oh-so-believable motivation in this one)... Whatever.
Then there's the little fact of Rose being a bit mary-sue in this one just from how the other characters treat her. In the last book her purple eyes were important to the plot, because of the snow glare. In this one, people just randomly comment on how pretty her eyes are because reasons. One guy actually nicknames her after them. Gag. This is just so pandering.
And let's just talk about Charles for a second shall we? His development went nowhere! We are learning about his happy family life at the beginning, we even get an interesting bit about how he becomes something of a part-time court musician in France and is content not to be a king and just having a normal life. Then the memory loss nonsense. Okay, so then he only remembers being royal as a little boy, and it seems like we're going to get this deep look into how he's repressed that he does actually want his old royal life back (without Rose, he would want to be a prince again, etc...); then that peters out entirely.
And by gosh is this character a bloody damsel in distress (I'm thinking he should be the one in the moon dress)! I can think of maybe ONE scene in the whole book where he fights or does something useful... Sort of with the snake fighting. Okay, there is the bit with him helping take care of Winn at the end which is useful, so I'll count that. That makes two... But literally this guy lives to be rescued. It's like, dude, we saw Rose rescue him in the last book, couldn't you make him do SOMETHING brave in this one? This guy needs so much rescuing that at one point a magical being with very little connection to him has to turn him back into a polar bear so he doesn't freaking drown. Oh, boy. Just... Wow.
Then there's Charles and Rose's magic super baby. Winn. But, wait, you say, wasn't their first son's name Tuki? Yes, yes it was... But because retconning it doesn't take and Estelle, who lives with them after her mother dies off page, calls him Winn that's his name now. Until the end where it's totally Tuki again, except they still call him Winn. This was so convoluted and pointless. Just call the stupid baby Tuki. And oh because the Troll Queen kidnapped him super Tuki/Winn learns to speak earlier and calls Rose Maman (Mother in French). Which is, you know, cute, but here's the thing: Charles literally hears his baby call Rose Maman and doesn't put two and two together. He thinks Winn is saying her name. I could let this go if Charles wasn't FRENCH. He's freaking FRENCH. He was going to be king of FRANCE. And so is the word Maman. How does he not know what this means??????? Did he have sea-water in his ears?
Oh, and to sum up my feelings on the whole Rose/Charles re-do love story in this book, let me just hiss bitterly at this GEM of a line: And in truth, I had fallen in love all over again, but this time with the man, not the white bear.
Boo. Just boo.
You mean to tell me that for the last 3 years Rose was only in love with her human husband as a bear? I thought, going by the beginning, she just called him that because it was what she knew him as when they met, I didn't take it as she didn't love him as a PERSON. That's just creepy.
Oh, and before I leave off, let me just say Rose cutting off her pink finger? Just...what? I know this was supposed to be edgy but by God it misses the mark.
Moving right along with my complaints, let's now talk about the elephant in the room as far as I'm concerned.
My personal favorite East character, my literary crush during my late teenage years: Neddy.
(Needs a moment to compose self, takes deep breaths)
I'm not even sure what to say here. On the one hand, more Neddy is always a good thing, and comparatively he is the one who keeps his character from the original the most, and I will say his POVs were still my favorite, but by gum was his storyline all over the place.
It's like Pattou didn't know what to do with this guy for a whole book so he's just sent to various places like a bouncing ping pong ball and falls into whatever problems the side plot vaguely needs him to.
First he's with Rose traveling (wouldn't that have been cute, if they'd stuck together the whole book?) then he has to run back home to check on her baby, who isn't there for very long, then he gets the sweating sickness and almost dies, then he's better, then his love interest Sib keeps avoiding him for undisclosed-till-the-end reasons... When reading about your favorite character of all time becomes a chore rather than pleasurable, I think you can safely assume the author's done something wrong. Just everything he went through in this book seemed so pointless. Like we knew nothing was going to happen to him (he literally doesn't have a scratch on him at the end of this book, it's even commented on that he's the only character with no scars), even though his death was teased; and we knew eventually Sib was going to stop being stupid and marry him (Me through half this book: Honey, if you don't want him, I'll take him!) there was just no oomf to this plot.
And the only unfixable bad thing that happens to him through the entire book is the one I HATED and felt was the most pointless. Sara dies.
She freaking DIES.
That's right, the beloved sister whose life was so important in East which was why Rose had to go away with the White Bear in the first dang place dies of a sweating sickness three years later and it's over in a manner of a few pages. Worse, it's just used to further Neddy's story. Everybody, even the mother who loves Sara best, this was her favorite daughter after Elise, remember, underreacts to this death. Literally it feels like she was only killed off so that Neddy would see someone he knew and who the audience actually vaguely cared about "on the other side" when he thought he was dying. Oh, and so he could have a bonding moment of Sib comforting him.
Just no. No, Pattou, no.
Now lets talk about Sib, shall we?
Why the bloody heck did she not have her own POV? I mean Estelle had less to do with the plot, save for the short time she was kidnapped along with Winn by the trolls, and she gets a full-time POV, but Sib who is way more important, whose magic saves Rose's butt on at least two occasions, whose backstory actually turns out to be interesting except for the fact that it was infodumped at the last minute, and who ends up married to Neddy, doesn't?
I feel I would have liked her a whole lot more if I could have just gotten into her head. Because no one else viewed her objectively enough for her not to be annoying in their POVs. Rose was a little in awe of her, even. And don't get me started on lovesick Neddy who just looks at her and basically starts having a heart-attack. She's so special to him that he wants to start writing poems again. And does.
All that stuff about her being kidnapped by fairies is fascinating and makes a lot about her less annoying but it just came too late for me to care much. I LOVE the idea of Neddy falling in love with a (sort of) changeling girl and not knowing if she's going to age at the same time as him and stuff, BUT because it was saved as a big reveal, this whole premise was wasted. Instead we got Twilight/telenovela levels of "But we can't"/"But I love you"/"You can't, you can't love me"/"Stay away from me, I'm no good for you," crap. And the actual reveal feels like that tacked on bit in Once Upon a Time when that girl randomly reveals that her dad was the Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. Total throw away dialogue. Also very awkward that it was in conversation considering so much else of this book is prose-related "telling" so it feels unnatural that a plot point this big is shown through dialogue.
Oh, and let me back up to another retcon this book tries to pull at the end. You remember how it was bittersweet that Rose and Charles live in France not Norway at the end of East? Well, forget about that sweethearts, because they move back to Norway and everybody's happy, the bloody end.
Jesus Christ. Just wow.
So, the troll queen. Whyyyyyyyyyyyy? Why make a character so complex a dull villain set on revenge with literally no other stakes in ANYTHING? That's all I have to say about that.
And all that is the reason I had to rate it 2 stars. I spent most of the book mumbling "Don't make me say it, please don't make me say it..." But here it is. Two things I never wanted to say about a sequel to my favorite YA novel.
1) Once upon A Winter's Night was a better fairy-tale retelling than this
2) Haunting the Deep was a better YA sequel than this.
Sigh.
However, I can't say I hated it entirely because it does have a handful of good points. Here they are.
1) the intro is brilliant. I think Pattou was a genius to begin this book the way she did -- with the box from the first book having a false bottom, thus giving the tale a logical reason to continue. I LOVED this. When I read this first prologue I was convinced I was going to adore this book. It's just so dang good.
2) I smiled so big at the bit at the end where Rose's mom wants to become a mother/daughter fortune teller duo. That is SO her, and so hilarious. I love it.
3) The continued running gag of Rose's mom not bringing her handkerchief to weddings. This will never not be funny.
4) Estelle is cute in this, and probably the most relatable character apart from Neddy. I almost shipped them, actually because of this. Of course the age difference made it weird but still.
5) The brief look at Rose's family life prior to the plot going cray-cray for cocoa puffs.
6) The callbacks to the first book. These were sweet, usually.
So do I regret reading this? Nah. It was entertaining enough. Is it a worthy sequel? Oh hell no.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 19, 2018
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.
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.
January 1, 2019
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.
October 27, 2018
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
February 22, 2021
4☆
"Would you like to play?" I had once asked the strange, beautiful girl with a voice like rocks.
I looked back over all those years. And realized once and for all that those words had been both my undoing and my salvation.
I had lost a kingdom, but gained a life.
A life with Rose.
After three years of living in peace, Charles and Rose face chaos again when the Troll Queen seek revenge (I knew she lives.. 🙄). The queen's wrath was focused on their son, Winn, who was kidnapped along with their adopted daughter Estrelle. With Charles stripped off his memories of Rose, and the entire family in danger of a sickness, Rose went to another perilous journey to save those she loves.
This book is full of adventures, from lands and seas, to islands and mountains, you name it, this book has it. The overall story is still amazing, but somehow I got a bit tired and frustrated of the hide and seek games. I know Rose is a strong heroine, and that she doesn't need magic to fight her adversaries, only fierce determination and will. However, I knew that already from her story in East, and so maybe that's the reason why I got quite bored reading her story here. Regardless, it was still a good sequel if one is up for endless travels and adventures and perils.
"Would you like to play?" I had once asked the strange, beautiful girl with a voice like rocks.
I looked back over all those years. And realized once and for all that those words had been both my undoing and my salvation.
I had lost a kingdom, but gained a life.
A life with Rose.
After three years of living in peace, Charles and Rose face chaos again when the Troll Queen seek revenge (I knew she lives.. 🙄). The queen's wrath was focused on their son, Winn, who was kidnapped along with their adopted daughter Estrelle. With Charles stripped off his memories of Rose, and the entire family in danger of a sickness, Rose went to another perilous journey to save those she loves.
This book is full of adventures, from lands and seas, to islands and mountains, you name it, this book has it. The overall story is still amazing, but somehow I got a bit tired and frustrated of the hide and seek games. I know Rose is a strong heroine, and that she doesn't need magic to fight her adversaries, only fierce determination and will. However, I knew that already from her story in East, and so maybe that's the reason why I got quite bored reading her story here. Regardless, it was still a good sequel if one is up for endless travels and adventures and perils.
March 5, 2020
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 the continuing adventure. I appreciate getting to know the White Bear as a human. I enjoyed the side side story lines. I think the thing I love most about her writing style is it's uncomplicated. The story doesn't get lost in overly wordy descriptions. The environment of the story FEELS beautiful without having to spell it out.
*Spoiler*
My only complaint (though it wasn't enough to take away a star) was the Troll Queen. I don't typically appreciate a villain being killed off just to learn, "Oh, well, they weren't REALLY dead." I can appreciate the fact that the three characters have a long history and it amps up the drama, but I feel like she's a gifted enough writer to have given us someone else and made it just as effective.
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 the continuing adventure. I appreciate getting to know the White Bear as a human. I enjoyed the side side story lines. I think the thing I love most about her writing style is it's uncomplicated. The story doesn't get lost in overly wordy descriptions. The environment of the story FEELS beautiful without having to spell it out.
*Spoiler*
My only complaint (though it wasn't enough to take away a star) was the Troll Queen. I don't typically appreciate a villain being killed off just to learn, "Oh, well, they weren't REALLY dead." I can appreciate the fact that the three characters have a long history and it amps up the drama, but I feel like she's a gifted enough writer to have given us someone else and made it just as effective.
December 31, 2018
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!
I loved the short chapters of this book, it really made time fly! Edith's acknowledgement at the end tells me she is a very kind and genuine person, which makes sense because she wrote an awesome book!
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!
I loved the short chapters of this book, it really made time fly! Edith's acknowledgement at the end tells me she is a very kind and genuine person, which makes sense because she wrote an awesome book!
December 29, 2021
I wanted to give this book 3 stars because some of the plot points felt very similar to the last book and I hate the memory loss trope, but the author's writing is so hypnotic that despite the slower pacing and book length I read this book in less than I day and absolutely devoured the story, so it wouldn't feel right to give it less than 4 stars.
Want to read
September 1, 2018Whatttt 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~~
June 16, 2018
*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 copy to read was like Christmas.
I had forgotten that Pattou's storytelling is done in a choppy, plain way. It takes a bit of patience to get into her books, but it's well worth the time. She lays out her tales like brickwork, and they stick with you. Once you get into them, it's like reading an old fairytale - which is appropriate, as this is the sequel to a retelling.
West is a strong sequel, full of twists and turns. The characters are just as good as before, and are developed into stronger versions in this tale. Especially Rose. I mean,
I also love the glimpses of Norwegian culture that we get! Definitely give this a try if you like faerytales or Norwegian stories.
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 copy to read was like Christmas.
I had forgotten that Pattou's storytelling is done in a choppy, plain way. It takes a bit of patience to get into her books, but it's well worth the time. She lays out her tales like brickwork, and they stick with you. Once you get into them, it's like reading an old fairytale - which is appropriate, as this is the sequel to a retelling.
West is a strong sequel, full of twists and turns. The characters are just as good as before, and are developed into stronger versions in this tale. Especially Rose. I mean,
I also love the glimpses of Norwegian culture that we get! Definitely give this a try if you like faerytales or Norwegian stories.
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