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The Forgotten Book
Emma is used to things going her way. Her father is headmaster of her prestigious boarding school, her friends take her advice as gospel, and she's convinced that a relationship with her long-time crush is on the horizon.
As it turns out, Emma hasn't seen anything yet. When she finds an old book in an abandoned library, things really start going Emma's way: anything she writes in the book comes true.
But the power of the book is not without consequences, and Emma soon realizes that she isn't the only one who knows about it. Someone is determined to take it from her--and they'll stop at nothing to succeed.
A new boy in school--the arrogant, aloof, and irritatingly handsome Darcy de Winter--becomes Emma's unlikely ally as secrets are revealed and danger creeps ever closer.
As it turns out, Emma hasn't seen anything yet. When she finds an old book in an abandoned library, things really start going Emma's way: anything she writes in the book comes true.
But the power of the book is not without consequences, and Emma soon realizes that she isn't the only one who knows about it. Someone is determined to take it from her--and they'll stop at nothing to succeed.
A new boy in school--the arrogant, aloof, and irritatingly handsome Darcy de Winter--becomes Emma's unlikely ally as secrets are revealed and danger creeps ever closer.
Audio CD
First published February 13, 2017
About the author
Mechthild Gläser
10 books339 followersMechthild Gläser wurde im Sommer 1986 in Essen geboren. Auch heute lebt und arbeitet sie im Ruhrgebiet, wo sie sich ihrem Studium widmet und ab und an unfassbar schlecht Ballett tanzt – aber nur, wenn niemand hinsieht. Sie hat früh mit dem Schreiben begonnen und ihr Laptop steht noch immer auf der rosafarbenen Schreibtischunterlage, auf der ihre ersten Geschichten entstanden. Inspiration findet sie überall, am besten jedoch bei einer Tasse Pfefferminztee.
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Rough translation: Mechthild Gläser was born in Essen in the summer of 1986. She lives and works in Ruhrgebiet, where she is dedicated to her studies and now and then dances ballet badly – but only when nobody is watching. She started writing at an early age, and her laptop is still on the rose-coloured desk pad on which she wrote her first stories. She finds inspiration everywhere, but best with a cup of peppermint tea.
---
Rough translation: Mechthild Gläser was born in Essen in the summer of 1986. She lives and works in Ruhrgebiet, where she is dedicated to her studies and now and then dances ballet badly – but only when nobody is watching. She started writing at an early age, and her laptop is still on the rose-coloured desk pad on which she wrote her first stories. She finds inspiration everywhere, but best with a cup of peppermint tea.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 532 reviews
December 10, 2022
🍂 4.8 Stars, my dear.. Damn this book lures me since that pretty cover!! 😆 The plot is also enjoyable! that I have to adventure in this boarding school alongside my friend Emma. 'Stolzenburg School', there I met a mysterious book, that if anything Emma write down, it will become true..
You're curious, right? Yeah.. Inside here, there is something mysterious, magical, murder? and ancient myths that kept me interested *gasp* and hooked me in this autumn feels, until I graduated with a happily weepy heart! LOL
Pride & Prejudice Romance in Fantasy
Rude, so rude.. Darcy de Winter 😡 is HOT! *Geeeeeeezz* omg I'm so giddy whenever Emma & Darcy fight! and you know how much I'm a biggie fan of love-hate romance in fantasy? and when it combines in Gothic Romance, it's just PREFECT!
Arrogant Hero, yes!
Lovely Heroine, Oh yes!
Slow-burned Romance, yes!
Hate-Love, Hate-Love, yes yes yes! 😁
Lovely. Jane Austen. fans, you better not gonna miss this!! 🍂
March 31, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
"When a girl is destined to be a heroine, Fate will lead her to the very thing that makes that heroism possible."
🆗✔️ Plot - I enjoyed the plot of this book, it was a perfect palette cleanser after reading dark books and epic fantasies. It was fun, fast-paced and short. I haven't read Pride and Prejudice, I think I would have enjoyed it more if I liked Pride and Prejudice.
🆗✔️ Characters - I enjoyed all the characters, for such a short book they felt developed enough but not as well fleshed out of course...
✔️ Worldbuilding/Magic system - THE DARK ACADEMIA VIBES ARE REAL IN THIS ONE UHH!! I loved Stolenzburg so much it was such a delight
🆗✔️ Romance - For a classic romance retelling, this sure has less romance than I expected. It was good, I guess but nothing groundbreaking and swoooonworthy. (Though, it's enemies to lovers and guy falls first)
✔️ Writing - The writing style is amazing and smooth!! I enjoyed Emma's narrative a lot.
--------------------------------------
Rating system
❌= I did not like it
🆗= It was ok, I have nothing against but it doesn't stand out
✔️ = It was great and I wouldn't change anything about it
❌🆗 = Somewhere between I did not like it and ok
🆗✔️= Somewhere between ok and great
"When a girl is destined to be a heroine, Fate will lead her to the very thing that makes that heroism possible."
🆗✔️ Plot - I enjoyed the plot of this book, it was a perfect palette cleanser after reading dark books and epic fantasies. It was fun, fast-paced and short. I haven't read Pride and Prejudice, I think I would have enjoyed it more if I liked Pride and Prejudice.
🆗✔️ Characters - I enjoyed all the characters, for such a short book they felt developed enough but not as well fleshed out of course...
✔️ Worldbuilding/Magic system - THE DARK ACADEMIA VIBES ARE REAL IN THIS ONE UHH!! I loved Stolenzburg so much it was such a delight
🆗✔️ Romance - For a classic romance retelling, this sure has less romance than I expected. It was good, I guess but nothing groundbreaking and swoooonworthy. (Though, it's enemies to lovers and guy falls first)
✔️ Writing - The writing style is amazing and smooth!! I enjoyed Emma's narrative a lot.
--------------------------------------
Rating system
❌= I did not like it
🆗= It was ok, I have nothing against but it doesn't stand out
✔️ = It was great and I wouldn't change anything about it
❌🆗 = Somewhere between I did not like it and ok
🆗✔️= Somewhere between ok and great
June 11, 2020
Ahoy there me mateys! I wanted to read this book ever since I saw the wonderful cover. I requested it from NetGalley as an eArc and was denied. And then I kept forgetting about this book (Hardy har har!). But no matter, I have finally managed to read this and I am glad that I did.
This book has been described as a Jane Austen inspired YA fantasy involving a magical book. It certainly has pride & prejudice and emma vibes. The author is German and so I was also interested in it because I love reading translated books for the different perspectives.
This book follows Emma who attends the boarding school where her father be the headmaster. She is determined to take charge of her destiny and make the most of the upcoming school year. Then she finds a magic book that makes things she writes come true. So she of course uses it and it's a bit of a mess.
I really did enjoy reading this even though not everything worked for me. I liked Emma and her friendships with the other girls at school. I liked the magic book itself, how it worked, and the mysteries that needed to be solved. There were secret tunnels which are always awesome. I loved many of the Austen-esque vibes. The ending also worked very well for me.
I did not like that the students at the school seemed to have no real oversight and the education seemed more like a joke. There were an awful lot of parties, sweets, and sneaking out at this boarding school. Not all of those things are bad but just seemed unrealistic. Also the two boy visitors (and love interests) just ran amuck doing whatever, wherever. Unrealistic for two 18 to 20-ish year old boys to have that much freedom in a school dang it! Did not like the kinda creepy Darcy and Emma relationship. And Emma's father let her run wild and get away with everything. Loving aye but a horrible parent. Not a fan. And of course I guessed the villain early on.
I know that be a lot of problems but this was a quick read and there was a lot of fun in it. I rolled me eyeballs quite a bit but was engrossed and had to know how it ended. So no regrets from me and I would pick up some of the author's other works. Arrrr!
This book has been described as a Jane Austen inspired YA fantasy involving a magical book. It certainly has pride & prejudice and emma vibes. The author is German and so I was also interested in it because I love reading translated books for the different perspectives.
This book follows Emma who attends the boarding school where her father be the headmaster. She is determined to take charge of her destiny and make the most of the upcoming school year. Then she finds a magic book that makes things she writes come true. So she of course uses it and it's a bit of a mess.
I really did enjoy reading this even though not everything worked for me. I liked Emma and her friendships with the other girls at school. I liked the magic book itself, how it worked, and the mysteries that needed to be solved. There were secret tunnels which are always awesome. I loved many of the Austen-esque vibes. The ending also worked very well for me.
I did not like that the students at the school seemed to have no real oversight and the education seemed more like a joke. There were an awful lot of parties, sweets, and sneaking out at this boarding school. Not all of those things are bad but just seemed unrealistic. Also the two boy visitors (and love interests) just ran amuck doing whatever, wherever. Unrealistic for two 18 to 20-ish year old boys to have that much freedom in a school dang it! Did not like the kinda creepy Darcy and Emma relationship. And Emma's father let her run wild and get away with everything. Loving aye but a horrible parent. Not a fan. And of course I guessed the villain early on.
I know that be a lot of problems but this was a quick read and there was a lot of fun in it. I rolled me eyeballs quite a bit but was engrossed and had to know how it ended. So no regrets from me and I would pick up some of the author's other works. Arrrr!
January 11, 2018
I give this book 4 out of 5 Magical Stars! I really enjoyed this book! First off, the cover is absolutely GORGEOUS! This was slow at first but once I got into it, I couldn’t get enough of its magic!

This book was a retelling of not one but two Jane Austen books and I couldn’t help myself but to try and figure out who was compared to whom at certain points. When I first saw this book on NetGalley, I crossed my fingers and toes that I would get approved for this title.

I mean what bibliophile wouldn’t be allured by a story with a magical book, throw in some romance,and have a setting of a beautiful castle?

I loved the characterisationin this book besides I felt a couple characters were underdeveloped. I loved the subtle mystery and definitely loved the setting! I am definitely looking forward to what this author has in store for us next!
To find the rest of this review and others please visit touchmyspinebookreviews.com

This book was a retelling of not one but two Jane Austen books and I couldn’t help myself but to try and figure out who was compared to whom at certain points. When I first saw this book on NetGalley, I crossed my fingers and toes that I would get approved for this title.

I mean what bibliophile wouldn’t be allured by a story with a magical book, throw in some romance,and have a setting of a beautiful castle?

I loved the characterisationin this book besides I felt a couple characters were underdeveloped. I loved the subtle mystery and definitely loved the setting! I am definitely looking forward to what this author has in store for us next!
To find the rest of this review and others please visit touchmyspinebookreviews.com
Want to read
July 18, 2017Yeah, I'll read it. These covers are stunning, and also, I quite liked The Book Jumper.
January 4, 2018
Updated (January 4, 2018) with full review:
My reaction: I was on the fence for the first 5 or 6 chapters of this book, but really ended up enjoying it (and polishing it off in a day!). Initially I kept trying to figure out which character was supposed to represent which Austen character (as I knew the book was Austen-inspired) and I was seeing all the parallels. This was kind of distracting for me, especially considering that it pulled from both Emma and Pride & Prejudice, which seemed discordant, since it wasn't following one story or the other, but a mishmash.
However, once the magical book was introduced, this became its own story (just with elements of Austen).
Best aspect: The fantastical, magical aspect of the story. The premise of a book that makes whatever is written in it come true was explored in interesting (and sometimes bittersweet) ways. I loved the connection to fairy tales and folklore, and the messages in this story about the power of words, and the danger of trying to make wishes come true (that could end up having unforeseen consequences!). It certainly showed magic to be a double-edged sword. Plus, the whole idea of this magical book totally gave me Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets vibes!
If I could change something... I'd flesh out some of the side characters. Charlotte and Hannah seemed very similar to me, and apart from their alignment with their Jane Austen counterparts () I didn't feel like they had much personality. I also felt like Darcy fell into stereotype, and could have been explored more. I was okay with the romance but I wasn't crazy about it — while I liked their initial bickering dynamic, I thought it moved quite suddenly to an "Oh, I'm in love with him" realization without a smooth transition.
I'd also tighten up the middle of the story; it felt a little drawn-out, where for a while they kept getting clues but not getting any closer to solving the mystery! (However, I liked the mystery itself, which was very intriguing and kept me hooked, and when the reveals happened, they were well done and unexpected.)
If you haven't read it: and you want to read a story set in a boarding school with magical elements (a la Hex Hall or Vampire Academy), but tinged with a haunting, bittersweet mystery, then this book could be what you're looking for.
If you have read it: did I miss something, or did the storyline involving () get totally dropped?
Just one more thing I wanted to mention: I liked Emma's voice. She was a little immature and made mistakes, but she wasn't irritatingly immature; she realized when she made mistakes and was willing to admit it.
Final verdict: 4 shooting stars. This is the sort of book that both makes you want to believe in magic and fear it at the same time. Definitely recommend!
Disclaimer: I received this as an ARC for review from the publisher.
---------------------------------------
Initial reaction: Polished this one off in a day, and really enjoyed it! I liked Emma's voice, and the mystery was engaging and kept me hooked. The premise of the book that makes whatever is written in it come true was explored in interesting (and sometimes bittersweet) ways. This is the sort of book that both makes you want to believe in magic and fear it at the same time.
Fuller review to come, but I definitely recommend it!
My reaction: I was on the fence for the first 5 or 6 chapters of this book, but really ended up enjoying it (and polishing it off in a day!). Initially I kept trying to figure out which character was supposed to represent which Austen character (as I knew the book was Austen-inspired) and I was seeing all the parallels. This was kind of distracting for me, especially considering that it pulled from both Emma and Pride & Prejudice, which seemed discordant, since it wasn't following one story or the other, but a mishmash.
However, once the magical book was introduced, this became its own story (just with elements of Austen).
Best aspect: The fantastical, magical aspect of the story. The premise of a book that makes whatever is written in it come true was explored in interesting (and sometimes bittersweet) ways. I loved the connection to fairy tales and folklore, and the messages in this story about the power of words, and the danger of trying to make wishes come true (that could end up having unforeseen consequences!). It certainly showed magic to be a double-edged sword. Plus, the whole idea of this magical book totally gave me Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets vibes!
If I could change something... I'd flesh out some of the side characters. Charlotte and Hannah seemed very similar to me, and apart from their alignment with their Jane Austen counterparts () I didn't feel like they had much personality. I also felt like Darcy fell into stereotype, and could have been explored more. I was okay with the romance but I wasn't crazy about it — while I liked their initial bickering dynamic, I thought it moved quite suddenly to an "Oh, I'm in love with him" realization without a smooth transition.
I'd also tighten up the middle of the story; it felt a little drawn-out, where for a while they kept getting clues but not getting any closer to solving the mystery! (However, I liked the mystery itself, which was very intriguing and kept me hooked, and when the reveals happened, they were well done and unexpected.)
If you haven't read it: and you want to read a story set in a boarding school with magical elements (a la Hex Hall or Vampire Academy), but tinged with a haunting, bittersweet mystery, then this book could be what you're looking for.
If you have read it: did I miss something, or did the storyline involving () get totally dropped?
Just one more thing I wanted to mention: I liked Emma's voice. She was a little immature and made mistakes, but she wasn't irritatingly immature; she realized when she made mistakes and was willing to admit it.
Final verdict: 4 shooting stars. This is the sort of book that both makes you want to believe in magic and fear it at the same time. Definitely recommend!
Disclaimer: I received this as an ARC for review from the publisher.
---------------------------------------
Initial reaction: Polished this one off in a day, and really enjoyed it! I liked Emma's voice, and the mystery was engaging and kept me hooked. The premise of the book that makes whatever is written in it come true was explored in interesting (and sometimes bittersweet) ways. This is the sort of book that both makes you want to believe in magic and fear it at the same time.
Fuller review to come, but I definitely recommend it!
October 28, 2017
This was definitely a new twist on Pride and Prejudice for me. I've seen zombies, but I've never seen magical books.
Emma discovers an ancient tome in her boarding school's abandoned library and soon finds that everything written in it comes true. Whether she likes it or not, the things she writes can't be un-written (believe her, she's tried to cross them out), and while some situations she finds herself in are unbelievable (like the lion in the middle of the forest in Germany), some are very gruesome. When a flip comment affects the health of those around her she starts to take it more seriously. Darcy is in this one, and while Emma doesn't have any siblings, she does have best friends at boarding school that fill the Jane and Charlotte roles.
Emma is a great character, and the main flaws I found with her were in her maturity. I'll chalk that up to the fact that I'm not 16, and she definitely acts her age. It's also important to remember that they're in Germany, and the drinking/dating ages are different than they are in America. Certain situations (Darcy's age, for example) could be a little uncomfortable otherwise. I wish he was maybe 17 or 18?
Emma discovers an ancient tome in her boarding school's abandoned library and soon finds that everything written in it comes true. Whether she likes it or not, the things she writes can't be un-written (believe her, she's tried to cross them out), and while some situations she finds herself in are unbelievable (like the lion in the middle of the forest in Germany), some are very gruesome. When a flip comment affects the health of those around her she starts to take it more seriously. Darcy is in this one, and while Emma doesn't have any siblings, she does have best friends at boarding school that fill the Jane and Charlotte roles.
Emma is a great character, and the main flaws I found with her were in her maturity. I'll chalk that up to the fact that I'm not 16, and she definitely acts her age. It's also important to remember that they're in Germany, and the drinking/dating ages are different than they are in America. Certain situations (Darcy's age, for example) could be a little uncomfortable otherwise. I wish he was maybe 17 or 18?
January 1, 2018
*I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway* 3.5/5 When I read the summary for this book, I was super excited to read it- a magical book and a boarding school in Europe, what could be better? I had a really hard time getting into it at the beginning- Emma came off as a shallow, whiny teenager at the beginning and I hated her voice, but as the book got more plot heavy, I either got more used to her voice or she got less annoying. All in all, I think this is one of those 2017 reads you shouldn't miss.
April 3, 2022
welcome to another episode of me telling you about books I loved when I was younger :D
Honestly, I still know the whole story/plot, because I've reread it A LOT. Mechthild Gläser did such a good job with this book, the story keeps being interesting the whole time, the characters are freaking cool and it has a dark, mysterious touch which I LOVE. Also, the mc is called Emma AND my name is Emma - that alone is a big plus factor ;)
Now that I'm writing this review I want to reread it again and I know I will at some point!
:))
Honestly, I still know the whole story/plot, because I've reread it A LOT. Mechthild Gläser did such a good job with this book, the story keeps being interesting the whole time, the characters are freaking cool and it has a dark, mysterious touch which I LOVE. Also, the mc is called Emma AND my name is Emma - that alone is a big plus factor ;)
Now that I'm writing this review I want to reread it again and I know I will at some point!
:))
May 17, 2018
3.5
Roommate: "Pride and Prejudice."
Me: "Say no more!"
*reads synopsis*
"Just kidding! Say more! What?"
Despite the slightly odd description, I gave this book a try and found it rather charming. It reminded me of a Kerstin Gier book, minus Gier's super immature heroines. (Yay!) Is it just the nature of German YA to sound similar? IDK, GO READ THE BOOK AND TELL ME.
I loved the heroine, Emma. She's spunky & sunny and somehow breaks the usual YA heroine mold. She felt like a real extrovert. She also uses her brain and figures things out fairly fast. I love her relationship with her friends (I'm always going to be a sucker for strong female friendships) and with her Dad. Pretty cute.
The fairy tale/fantasy element also added immensely to the story. It took a bit to get going but, especially as the book neared its climax, it really developed things. Very creative and imaginative!
Yet the very imaginative and creative nature of the faun and the book leaves me extra frustrated with the thing that drew me to The Forgotten Book in the first place...the P&P retelling. Or the Jane Austen references in general. They weren't needed. This author has plenty of originality to tell her own story. No Darcy needed. Copying the romance from P&P just made things predictable. I like the way author tweaked his first proposal. That seemed more realistic....but still kind of stupid (and unlikely). Darcy and Frederick echoed their literary counterparts too closely. They lost the originality of the other characters.
I will keep an eye out for more from this author! Thank you for sharing, Michelle!
Roommate: "Pride and Prejudice."
Me: "Say no more!"
*reads synopsis*
"Just kidding! Say more! What?"
Despite the slightly odd description, I gave this book a try and found it rather charming. It reminded me of a Kerstin Gier book, minus Gier's super immature heroines. (Yay!) Is it just the nature of German YA to sound similar? IDK, GO READ THE BOOK AND TELL ME.
I loved the heroine, Emma. She's spunky & sunny and somehow breaks the usual YA heroine mold. She felt like a real extrovert. She also uses her brain and figures things out fairly fast. I love her relationship with her friends (I'm always going to be a sucker for strong female friendships) and with her Dad. Pretty cute.
The fairy tale/fantasy element also added immensely to the story. It took a bit to get going but, especially as the book neared its climax, it really developed things. Very creative and imaginative!
Yet the very imaginative and creative nature of the faun and the book leaves me extra frustrated with the thing that drew me to The Forgotten Book in the first place...the P&P retelling. Or the Jane Austen references in general. They weren't needed. This author has plenty of originality to tell her own story. No Darcy needed. Copying the romance from P&P just made things predictable. I like the way author tweaked his first proposal. That seemed more realistic....but still kind of stupid (and unlikely). Darcy and Frederick echoed their literary counterparts too closely. They lost the originality of the other characters.
I will keep an eye out for more from this author! Thank you for sharing, Michelle!
February 6, 2021
Wow! Let me just say, wow. I have never read a book like this, and I have to say, I really enjoyed it.
Okay, the reason I took 1 star off is because I didn't care much for the quality of the writing. There were a lot of run-ons, unnecessary information, and parentheses. At first, this annoyed me quite a bit, but then I got used to it and I started to enjoy it.
The plot was very unique. It was about a girl who found a book. And whatever you wrote in the book came true. I know, I know, that does sound very stereotypical. But, that's not even the best part. The author brings in so many more elements such as fairies, fauns, and weaves it into a very intriguing mystery.
I loved the ending so much. It made me happy, and yet sad that the book was done.
The character development was...eh. I wouldn't say that I liked any of the characters a lot. None of them had any personalities that stood out. If I had to pick a favorite character, it would be Darcy. Despite not being the main character, you could actually catch a glimpse of his personality and see him grow. I did not see much growth in Emma (the main character). (Another reason I took one star off)
All in all, this book was enjoyable mainly for the plot. The plot was the part which made me keep the pages turning.
Thank you Mechthild Gläser, great book! I think I will check out more of your books. :)
Okay, the reason I took 1 star off is because I didn't care much for the quality of the writing. There were a lot of run-ons, unnecessary information, and parentheses. At first, this annoyed me quite a bit, but then I got used to it and I started to enjoy it.
The plot was very unique. It was about a girl who found a book. And whatever you wrote in the book came true. I know, I know, that does sound very stereotypical. But, that's not even the best part. The author brings in so many more elements such as fairies, fauns, and weaves it into a very intriguing mystery.
I loved the ending so much. It made me happy, and yet sad that the book was done.
The character development was...eh. I wouldn't say that I liked any of the characters a lot. None of them had any personalities that stood out. If I had to pick a favorite character, it would be Darcy. Despite not being the main character, you could actually catch a glimpse of his personality and see him grow. I did not see much growth in Emma (the main character). (Another reason I took one star off)
All in all, this book was enjoyable mainly for the plot. The plot was the part which made me keep the pages turning.
Thank you Mechthild Gläser, great book! I think I will check out more of your books. :)
November 24, 2019
Ein Coverkauf, der sich als genüsslich magischer Snack entpuppte. Ein verwunschenes Buch, ein efeuumrangtes Internat und nette Charaktere, die versuchen eine alte Legende aufzudecken. Das Setting am Rhein in der Stolzenburg war mal eine schöne Abwechslung und der angenehm lockere Schreibstil lies mich quasi durch die Seiten fliegen und mit Emma Geheimgänge, alte Bibiotheken und Fabelwesen aufspüren. Perfekt für einen entspannt gemütlichen Leseabend.
March 5, 2018
This book was so good and nearly as good as its companion novel. The book is so magical and whimsical and I'll definitely be looking out for more books by this author.
February 23, 2019
Gets a star for just its gorgeous looking cover. It’s so bright and colourful and detailed and amazing. Whoever designed the cover should get a medal. Beyond the beautiful cover and the hint of magic and romance was what made me read this book. Okay, it was mainly the amazing cover. Does the book live up to the cover. Uhh… not really? I mean, it’s not that bad, but I’ll explain why I didn’t like it as much as I wanted to.
First off, I have not read Austen’s Pride and Prejudice(though I’ll get to it one day), which means I am not able to make comparisons. This book is set in 2017 in this boarding school in Germany where our main protagonist, Emma fins this magical book that lets her do her bidding. Now this is my first issue, Emma. Emma, despite how much I want to like her as a character, I really struggled to connect with her. She sort of the typical, whiny teenage girl who has gotten pretty much whatever she wanted. She’s also really beautiful. Now, when she finds this book, instead of throwing it away like a sensible person does because of the magical powers, she instead uses it to her own purposes for a good chunk of the book, doing whatever she wanted with people, which just makes it very uncool.
Darcy was this arrogant rich kid and suddenly, he’s nice and secretly had a crush on Emma and Emma likes him back? The story was actually very interesting, but it really could have been done a lot better. I simply didn’t really connect, or couldn’t connect with the characters very well and did not really care for any of them. And was I the only one who did not find the ending surprising at all, but rather more of a dull monologue of events. At first, the excerpts from the magical book was interesting, but quickly got boring and while some parts was important to the story, I didn’t really feel like reading them.
The story line really doesn’t go anywhere until the last third of the book and even then, it still feels too long for this relatively short book. Disagree with me if you want, everyone has opinions and I’m only stating mine. Love the cover though. 3.5/10
First off, I have not read Austen’s Pride and Prejudice(though I’ll get to it one day), which means I am not able to make comparisons. This book is set in 2017 in this boarding school in Germany where our main protagonist, Emma fins this magical book that lets her do her bidding. Now this is my first issue, Emma. Emma, despite how much I want to like her as a character, I really struggled to connect with her. She sort of the typical, whiny teenage girl who has gotten pretty much whatever she wanted. She’s also really beautiful. Now, when she finds this book, instead of throwing it away like a sensible person does because of the magical powers, she instead uses it to her own purposes for a good chunk of the book, doing whatever she wanted with people, which just makes it very uncool.
Darcy was this arrogant rich kid and suddenly, he’s nice and secretly had a crush on Emma and Emma likes him back? The story was actually very interesting, but it really could have been done a lot better. I simply didn’t really connect, or couldn’t connect with the characters very well and did not really care for any of them. And was I the only one who did not find the ending surprising at all, but rather more of a dull monologue of events. At first, the excerpts from the magical book was interesting, but quickly got boring and while some parts was important to the story, I didn’t really feel like reading them.
The story line really doesn’t go anywhere until the last third of the book and even then, it still feels too long for this relatively short book. Disagree with me if you want, everyone has opinions and I’m only stating mine. Love the cover though. 3.5/10
June 30, 2022
“It is a truth universally acknowledged that returning home after a long absence is one of the best feelings in the world.”
Where do I even begin? I went into this with a bit of dread: Gläser's previous book, The Book Jumpers, had such a promising concept but fell quite short of everything. The Forgotten Book's summary, on the other hand, smacks of a messy disaster. We have a Jane Austen reimagining of sorts, an old castle-turned-boarding school with secret passageways and mystery worthy of the gothic genre, teenage angst and quarrels and a magic book filled with history and fairy tales. To my surprise, this was a well-balanced and gripping tale that truly managed to bring these many elements together in what feels like a wholesome story.
Given how this book deals with so many elements, it is difficult to review it as a whole. Let's start with the Jane Austen aspect: this is neither a retelling nor does it automatically suggest a Jane Austen fan would enjoy this book. At best, Gläser has plucked a handful of Austen's characters and dropped them into an entirely new setting. We do also get a few iconic scenes and those familiar with Austen's works will surely pick them out. To be fair, this connection to Austen doesn't add anything to the story, but I think Gläser treated the characters so well that it simply felt like a really nice homage.
The only issue I have with the Austen characters, and almost my only complaint about the book as a whole, is that I wish it had been restricted to only Pride & Prejudice's characters. To give a quick overview:
Emma = Emma Woodhouse
Darcy = Mr Darcy
Toby = Mr Bingley
Charlotte = Jane Bennet
Frederick = Wickham
Gina = Georgiana Darcy
Emma's father = Mr Woodhouse
Emma and her father are just about the only characters from Emma, whereas all other characters and related scenes are from Pride & Prejudice. Personality-wise, I found Emma to be closer to Elizabeth Bennet than she is to the original Emma, and let's be honest here, we all want to see Elizabeth and Darcy together. Emma's friend Hannah could arguably be Harriet but there's just too little to back that up. I think it would have been much better had the author stuck to Elizabeth and dropped all the Emma related elements.
That aside, though, I loved how Gläser treated these characters in the new setting. Unlike other contemporary retellings I have read, these characters do feel like a modern variant, though they are ones that are true to their original. It's unsurprising that Darcy was my favourite: while he comes across as condescending and arrogant, he's actually a really nice guy and a loving brother. I also really enjoyed Emma, even if I do believe she should have been Elizabeth. She is one of the best-developed voices of a teenager I've come across: she sways between hey I'm just a kid and I am all so grown up. She makes a lot of stupid mistakes but she is willing to admit her own faults. She can be snarky and out of line but she's a genuinely good friend. I like that she cared about the school itself, that the younger students felt welcome and that she looked out for her father.
Now that we've taken a look at the characters, what is it that they're actually up to? Emma is the daughter of the headmaster at a prestigious boarding school. She loves her school, the grounds and the ruins that aren't far off. While she doesn't strike me as a bookworm, she does seem to love mysteries and the history behind the castle. She has a long-term crush on former student Frederick who now still works as a groundskeeper. At the start of the new term, two older boys come to stay on the grounds: Darcy, whose family owns the castle grounds, and his friend Toby. Rumour has it that Darcy's twin sister Gina went missing under mysterious circumstances while both of them were still students. Of course, Emma and Darcy start off on the wrong foot, Toby and Charlotte have a thing for each other and Frederick is up to no good - if you've read Pride & Prejudice you'll have an inclining of where these characters are headed.
However, if you have indeed read Austen's book, don't be fooled to think that you know where the plot is going. The mystery around the castle, the ruins and Gina's disappearance are a plot wholly in its own right and it keeps you guessing to the very end. Some things are obvious, for other things you know there's just something off and for others you just don't know what hit you when the reveal comes.
Emma finds a mysterious journal that seems to hold entries from a variety of people dating as far back as the castle's existence. The narration cleverly jumps between Emma's account and the journal entries, revealing bits of the past that only gradually flow into the story's present timeline. This journal doesn't only hold historical value, though, as it is nothing short of being a magic book. Emma becomes more and more engrossed with the journal as she slowly unlocks how it actually works. She finds herself among stories of fairies and fauns, magical origami and silver leafs made of ink and words. Not only is she trying to piece together the castle's history, but she's also trying to figure out how Gina and the other inhabitants of the castle fit into the picture.
As far as the mystery goes, this was such an engrossing book, I could hardly put it down. When my husband came to bed and announced "lights off" in the middle of my reading, I had such trouble settling down to sleep that I even ended up dreaming about this book. In all honestly, while I've probably made a big deal about the Jane Austen aspects, it really comes down to how nicely the actual story was developed. While romance was a theme throughout the book, it was more of a background prop but it felt wholesome - the banter was witty and had me laughing more than once.
This book was originally written in German and there are a few awkwardly worded lines where you can tell that this is a translation. However, I enjoyed the German setting even if it didn't have any major impact on the plot. A few downside points, although I consider them all minor, would be that I wish the book had mentioned earlier on that this was set in 2017 (the year in which the book was published). Thanks to the journal, it often referred back to past dates, including quite recent ones. Had it been clear from the start that this was set in 2017, I wouldn't have found myself confused over which are Emma's entries and which are of the book's previous owner. I also felt that there was extremely little school life going on given that it was set in a boarding school. The way the story played out, they could have just been visiting this castle for a holiday or something. I also felt that the dragonflies - although a super nice and magical addition to the book - were never properly explained.
In any case, if you have been put off by Gläser's previous book, do give this one a chance. I thought it was a lot better and successfully pulled off a unique blend of YA elements. It's not perfect, but it's definitely worth giving it a shot, especially if you are someone who enjoys both Jane Austen and fantasy (I am not sure how non-fantasy-reading Jane Austen fans would handle it, though).
Read
June 17, 2021Ich bin dann mal... angeekelt?
Die Story ist so vergesslich, dass ich dazu gar nicht erst was schreiben werde. Weil ich schon gar nichts mehr darüber weiß. Bis auf eine Sache.
Emma ist gerade 16 geworden. Ihre beiden Loveinterests... nicht. Der eine ist Student und arbeitet auf ihrem Internat nebenher als Gärtner und findet es eine prima Idee, Emma als erstes Date in die lokale Bar mitzunehmen und so viel Bier zu spendieren, wie sie will. Der andere ist ehemaliger Schüler des Internats, der zu Besuch kommt. Ehemalig? Jepp. Er ist 20. Er hatte das Internat schon verlassen, bevor sie überhaupt dort angefangen hat. Der Freund, den er dabei hat, bandelt dann auch gleich mit Emmas bester Freundin an.
PSA: Wenn ein Mann in seinen 20ern an euch interessiert ist, obwohl ihr noch minderjährig seid, dann ist das so, weil sich Frauen seines Alters schon nicht mehr mit seiner Scheiße abgeben wollen und er sich jemanden suchen muss, der da noch nicht so den Durchblick hat. Es gibt keinen anderen Grund. Ihr habt nichts gemeinsam.
Die Story ist so vergesslich, dass ich dazu gar nicht erst was schreiben werde. Weil ich schon gar nichts mehr darüber weiß. Bis auf eine Sache.
Emma ist gerade 16 geworden. Ihre beiden Loveinterests... nicht. Der eine ist Student und arbeitet auf ihrem Internat nebenher als Gärtner und findet es eine prima Idee, Emma als erstes Date in die lokale Bar mitzunehmen und so viel Bier zu spendieren, wie sie will. Der andere ist ehemaliger Schüler des Internats, der zu Besuch kommt. Ehemalig? Jepp. Er ist 20. Er hatte das Internat schon verlassen, bevor sie überhaupt dort angefangen hat. Der Freund, den er dabei hat, bandelt dann auch gleich mit Emmas bester Freundin an.
PSA: Wenn ein Mann in seinen 20ern an euch interessiert ist, obwohl ihr noch minderjährig seid, dann ist das so, weil sich Frauen seines Alters schon nicht mehr mit seiner Scheiße abgeben wollen und er sich jemanden suchen muss, der da noch nicht so den Durchblick hat. Es gibt keinen anderen Grund. Ihr habt nichts gemeinsam.
July 10, 2021
Diese Geschichte war genau das, was ich gebraucht habe. Sie war magisch und romantisch, humorvoll, aber auch ein wenig düster. Sie war wunderbar leicht erzählt und führte den Leser dennoch gehörig an der Nase herum. Sie handelte von einem Internat - hoch oben auf einem alten Schloss voller Geheimgänge. sie handelte von mysteriösen Ereignissen, einem magischen, uralten Buch, einem Mädchen, das ihrem Leben entfliehen wollte und einem Faun, der sich nichts sehnlicher wünschte, als am Leben zu sein. Sie handelte von Liebe, von Freundschaft, von Verlust, dem Zauber der Magie und dem Erwachsenwerden und auch, wenn sie nicht ganz an meine Altersklasse gerichtet war, konnte sie mich vollends verzaubern. Ich habe jede Minute des Hörbuchs in vollen Zügen genossen und konnte es kaum erwarten, zurückzukehren in die von Mechthild Gläser geschaffene Welt aus uralten Geschichten und grenzenloser Fantasie.
Einzig die häufig doch noch sehr naiv handelnden Protagonisten und das in meinen Augen etwas zu hurtig abgehandelte Ende haben dem letzten Stern zwei seiner Zacken gekostet. Dennoch freue ich mich schon jetzt wahnsinnig auf das nächste Buch der Autorin.
4.5 funkelnde Sterne ✨
Einzig die häufig doch noch sehr naiv handelnden Protagonisten und das in meinen Augen etwas zu hurtig abgehandelte Ende haben dem letzten Stern zwei seiner Zacken gekostet. Dennoch freue ich mich schon jetzt wahnsinnig auf das nächste Buch der Autorin.
4.5 funkelnde Sterne ✨
June 17, 2017
Emma besucht das Internat auf Schloss Stolzenburg. Beim Aufräumen der Bibliothek stößt sie zufällig auf eine alte Chronik des Schlosses. Beim Lesen merkt sie jedoch, dass es sich um eine Art Tagebuch handelt und dass Eintragungen in das Buch in Erfüllung gehen. Emma benutzt dies natürlich auch gleich, um selbst einige Wünsche in Erfüllung gehen zu lassen. Anfangen möchte sie mit dem unmöglichen Darcy de Winter, der sich aufführt, als gehöre ihm das Schloss. Emma merkt jedoch bald, dass ihre "Wünsche" aber nicht richtig ausgeführt werden und sich auch unnatürliche Sachen zutragen. So macht sie sich daran, herauszufinden, was es denn mit dem Buch auf sich hat. Und mit dem Faun, von dem im Buch ständig die Rede ist.
Gleichzeitig versucht sie auch etwas über Darcys Schwester Gina zu erfahren, die vier Jahre zuvor verschwunden ist. Dabei kommen sich Darcy und Emma näher, doch das macht Darcy auch nicht sympathischer. Glaubt Emma zumindest...
Ich muss zugeben, das Buch war ein reiner Coverkauf. Aber die tollen Farben und der ungewöhnliche Buchtitel haben mich dazu verleitet.
Dass sich dahinter dann noch eine süße Geschichte verbirgt, war dann ein reiner Glückstreffer. Leider habe ich von der Autorin nämlich noch nichts gelesen, obwohl ich auch "Die Buchspringer" noch ungelesen im Regal stehen habe. Dies wird sich aber nun ändern.
Die Autorin nimmt uns mit auf das Schloss Stolzenburg, ein ehrwürdiges und traditiosnreiches Internat. Mit ihren 16 Jahren ist die Protagonistin Emma sehr selbstständig und gewissenhaft. Ihr Engagement für die Schule ist beispielhaft. Sie hilft, wo es geht, hat gute Noten und ist beliebt. Dies macht sie in meinen Augen schon etwas zu perfekt. Bis Darcy de Winter plötzlich auftaucht und Emma mal so gründlich aus dem Konzept bringt.
Die beiden sind wie Feuer und Wasser. Der eine kann nicht mit dem anderen und so ergibt sich so mancher herrlicher Schlagabtausch.
Durch das traumhafte Setting (Schloss, eingebettet im Wald mit anschließender Klosterruine, gelegen am Rhein) ergibt sich zauberhaftes Bild. Man gerät schon fast ins Schwärmen, wenn man an das Internat denkt. Denn hier scheint es einfach perfekt zu sein. Emma zumindest hat nichts auszusetzen und auch die anderen Schüler sind allesamt stolz, hier zur Schule zu gehen. Tradition wird großgeschrieben.
Mit viel Geschick lässt die Autorin auch eine Liebesgeschichte einfließen, die an "Stolz und Vorurteil" von Jane Austen erinnert und so ergibt sich eine Mischung aus Romantik, Komödie und Fantasy. Gepaart mit der Jugend der Protagonisten ist eine locker-flockige Geschichte entstanden, die durch ein paar "düstere" Fantasy-Elemente noch einen gewissen Kick bekommt.
Auch wenn es einige langgezogene Szenen in dem Buch gab, überwog der Unterhaltungswert. Die Jane Austen-Erinnerung ist übrigens gewollt. Die Autorin wollte zum 200. Todestag der berühmten Autorin eine Adaption der Figuren und Motive aus deren Büchern zaubern und greift deshalb die Romane auf.
Die Idee des Buches konnte mich sehr überzeugen, allerdings gab es einige Stellen, die meiner Meinung nach nicht so recht in die Geschichte passten und deswegen das Buch unnötig in die Länge zogen. Dafür war mir das Ende etwas zu schnell und hätte bestimmt noch einige Seiten mehr vertragen können.
Man merkt jedoch deutlich, dass das Buch eher an jüngere Leser gerichtet ist. Die Geschichte wirkt süß und klebrig, jedoch im positiven Sinne. Sie zeigt mir deutlich, dass man so auch mal dem Alltag entfliehen kann und man sich einfach auch mal etwas Zucker gönnen sollte. Deswegen kann ich mit ruhigem Gewissen sagen, dass mich die Geschichte einfach sehr gut unterhalten hat und mich die witzige und vor allem erfrischende Art der Autorin für ein paar Stunden ins Reich der Fantasie schicken konnte.
Fazit:
Eine süße Geschichte rund um ein vergessenes Buch, dass Wünsche wahr werden lässt.
Gleichzeitig versucht sie auch etwas über Darcys Schwester Gina zu erfahren, die vier Jahre zuvor verschwunden ist. Dabei kommen sich Darcy und Emma näher, doch das macht Darcy auch nicht sympathischer. Glaubt Emma zumindest...
Ich muss zugeben, das Buch war ein reiner Coverkauf. Aber die tollen Farben und der ungewöhnliche Buchtitel haben mich dazu verleitet.
Dass sich dahinter dann noch eine süße Geschichte verbirgt, war dann ein reiner Glückstreffer. Leider habe ich von der Autorin nämlich noch nichts gelesen, obwohl ich auch "Die Buchspringer" noch ungelesen im Regal stehen habe. Dies wird sich aber nun ändern.
Die Autorin nimmt uns mit auf das Schloss Stolzenburg, ein ehrwürdiges und traditiosnreiches Internat. Mit ihren 16 Jahren ist die Protagonistin Emma sehr selbstständig und gewissenhaft. Ihr Engagement für die Schule ist beispielhaft. Sie hilft, wo es geht, hat gute Noten und ist beliebt. Dies macht sie in meinen Augen schon etwas zu perfekt. Bis Darcy de Winter plötzlich auftaucht und Emma mal so gründlich aus dem Konzept bringt.
Die beiden sind wie Feuer und Wasser. Der eine kann nicht mit dem anderen und so ergibt sich so mancher herrlicher Schlagabtausch.
Durch das traumhafte Setting (Schloss, eingebettet im Wald mit anschließender Klosterruine, gelegen am Rhein) ergibt sich zauberhaftes Bild. Man gerät schon fast ins Schwärmen, wenn man an das Internat denkt. Denn hier scheint es einfach perfekt zu sein. Emma zumindest hat nichts auszusetzen und auch die anderen Schüler sind allesamt stolz, hier zur Schule zu gehen. Tradition wird großgeschrieben.
Mit viel Geschick lässt die Autorin auch eine Liebesgeschichte einfließen, die an "Stolz und Vorurteil" von Jane Austen erinnert und so ergibt sich eine Mischung aus Romantik, Komödie und Fantasy. Gepaart mit der Jugend der Protagonisten ist eine locker-flockige Geschichte entstanden, die durch ein paar "düstere" Fantasy-Elemente noch einen gewissen Kick bekommt.
Auch wenn es einige langgezogene Szenen in dem Buch gab, überwog der Unterhaltungswert. Die Jane Austen-Erinnerung ist übrigens gewollt. Die Autorin wollte zum 200. Todestag der berühmten Autorin eine Adaption der Figuren und Motive aus deren Büchern zaubern und greift deshalb die Romane auf.
Die Idee des Buches konnte mich sehr überzeugen, allerdings gab es einige Stellen, die meiner Meinung nach nicht so recht in die Geschichte passten und deswegen das Buch unnötig in die Länge zogen. Dafür war mir das Ende etwas zu schnell und hätte bestimmt noch einige Seiten mehr vertragen können.
Man merkt jedoch deutlich, dass das Buch eher an jüngere Leser gerichtet ist. Die Geschichte wirkt süß und klebrig, jedoch im positiven Sinne. Sie zeigt mir deutlich, dass man so auch mal dem Alltag entfliehen kann und man sich einfach auch mal etwas Zucker gönnen sollte. Deswegen kann ich mit ruhigem Gewissen sagen, dass mich die Geschichte einfach sehr gut unterhalten hat und mich die witzige und vor allem erfrischende Art der Autorin für ein paar Stunden ins Reich der Fantasie schicken konnte.
Fazit:
Eine süße Geschichte rund um ein vergessenes Buch, dass Wünsche wahr werden lässt.
August 1, 2019
Es scheint als konnte sich Mechthild Gläser nicht für Pride and Prejudice oder Emma entscheiden. Wobei von Emma meines Erachtens nur der Name sowie die Charakteristik von ihrem Vater war. Rundherum basiert Emma und das vergessene Buch auf den Charakterzügen und Geschichte von Pride and Prejudice, mit einem Zusatz von Fantasy/Magical Realism Element. Das Buch ist ganz nett und liest sich von alleine. Und auch die Chronikeinträge zwischen den Kapiteln fand ich sehr gelungen. Die Frage stellt sich aber schon, wieso es dann in Pride and Prejudice eingepackt werden musste, ohne diese bekannten Elemente wäre es wohl eher was Eigens geworden. Mich selber hat es aber nicht gestört, da ich P&P immer wieder gerne lese, aber ja einiges an Spannung fällt aber natürlich weg damit.
Jane Austen July 2019: Read a modern retelling of a Jane Austen book.
Jane Austen July 2019: Read a modern retelling of a Jane Austen book.
September 11, 2021
Lustig, wenn sich die Sprecherin der Hörbuchs und der angegebene Titel des Buches nicht einig sind.
Was ist es nun? Emma und das vergessene Buch? Emma, der Faun und das vergessene Buch?
Mich hat das Cover schon stutzig gemacht, welches dem der Geschichte des Faun so ähnlich ist.
Am Ende kommt der Faun zwar vor, spielt aber nur eine untergeordnete Rolle.
Insgesamt ist sich die Geschichte scheinbar unsicher, in welches Genre sie sich einsortieren soll.
Elemente von New Adult (die zarte Liebesgeschichte) und Fantasy gepaart mit Grusel und einem typischen Internatsgeschehen - für meinen Geschmack etwas viel auf einmal.
Ein paar Genre weniger, dafür aber ausgeprägter wären mir lieber gewesen.
So empfand ich auch die Geschichte um das Buch herum schon spannend, diese Story wurde aber immer wieder durchbrochen von den anderen Elementen und hat mir die Geschichte ein bisschen kaputt gemacht.
Das Ende wiederum war toll, kam aber leider irgendwie etwas plötzlich und hätte für meinen Geschmack gern ein paar Seiten mehr vertragen können.
Was ist es nun? Emma und das vergessene Buch? Emma, der Faun und das vergessene Buch?
Mich hat das Cover schon stutzig gemacht, welches dem der Geschichte des Faun so ähnlich ist.
Am Ende kommt der Faun zwar vor, spielt aber nur eine untergeordnete Rolle.
Insgesamt ist sich die Geschichte scheinbar unsicher, in welches Genre sie sich einsortieren soll.
Elemente von New Adult (die zarte Liebesgeschichte) und Fantasy gepaart mit Grusel und einem typischen Internatsgeschehen - für meinen Geschmack etwas viel auf einmal.
Ein paar Genre weniger, dafür aber ausgeprägter wären mir lieber gewesen.
So empfand ich auch die Geschichte um das Buch herum schon spannend, diese Story wurde aber immer wieder durchbrochen von den anderen Elementen und hat mir die Geschichte ein bisschen kaputt gemacht.
Das Ende wiederum war toll, kam aber leider irgendwie etwas plötzlich und hätte für meinen Geschmack gern ein paar Seiten mehr vertragen können.
May 5, 2019
The premise, extremely interesting: A girl who goes to a boarding school finds a magical book that has the power to bring to life anything she writes down: I immediately felt Harry Potter vibes. Add in a Jane Austen Retellings, I'm there! But something about this book fell flat. The plot dragged and as someone who loves Pride and Prejudice, I felt the comparison felt forced. The author should have used these characters as inspiration but then created more rather than model off the original. The ending felt rushed in the sense that suddenly reveals were happening.
April 26, 2018
I don't read books in the YA fantasy genre, but I loved the cover on this one and found the premise intriguing, so I thought I'd give it a go. It started slow. I thought I'd made a mistake. Then it grabbed me and took off! I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery and magic, the light romance, and the pacing after the initial delay. Glaser's novel makes me think that I could enjoy more YA fantasy.
September 27, 2019
I like the beginning, it was little mystery and magic. But when I come to the middle, it has just been destroyed by too much love drama and high school drama. And I had hard to find some Jane Austen relative chapter, the only relative was the main character name is Emma and That is. I was really disappointed because I love "the book Jumper" so I thought that I also like this book.
March 4, 2017
Zauberhaft, auch wenn man den Jane-Austen-Bezug mit der Lupe suchen muss.
February 10, 2019
3.5
This was an interesting take on Pride and Prejudice! And the magic was amazing! But there were some aspects I didn't quite like.
Full Review to Come!
This was an interesting take on Pride and Prejudice! And the magic was amazing! But there were some aspects I didn't quite like.
Full Review to Come!
July 5, 2019
This review was originally posted on The Moonlight Library
With a secondary character named Darcy De Winter, who is a rich snobby boy with a sister named Gina and who immediately dislikes our heroine, Emma, you would think that this book has something to do with a Pride and Prejudice retelling, right? Especially since the blurb says "Jane Austen reigns supreme" at the boarding school.
But no. Because of this reference, and the name choices, I really thought this would be a much closer retelling of Pride and Prejudice than it actually was. So if you're expecting a P&P retelling, stop right there. It's not. It has elements of it, and it's certainly influenced by it, and if you love the love story between Elizabeth and Mr Darcy (or even Jane and Bingley, which have their respective characters as well, and whose romance I also enjoyed), then you'll probably like this enemies-to-lovers romance as well - but it is, in my opinion, not a 'retelling'.
The supporting characters, although some of them vaguely inspired by P&P characters (but not all of them, which I was disappointed at, when Charlotte and Mr Collins didn't show up, and neither did Caroline, whose inclusion in this P&P-inspired story would have been highly entertaining) were entertaining. Darcy broods about as any Byronic hero, and watching him and Emma come to terms with their feelings was fun. It felt natural and unrushed, moving through the stages of friendship. The realisation may have been sudden, but the build up was not, and who can blame a 16 year old girl for realising very suddenly that maybe she has feelings for someone she thought she hated?
Now that that is out of the way, I am able to mention that false retelling aside, this was a really wonderful book. I thought the main aspect of a magical book where what you write in it comes true was really original, and blended well with the other Austen-inspired storylines. I loved Emma as a character: her curiosity, determinism, and drive, which was occasionally pushed aside in favour of her choosing to make really dumb - but entertaining - decisions. She's 16, so she's allowed to make mistakes. The setting was gorgeous - a German castle turned into a boarding school, with creepy catacombs and hidden entrances. The writing itself was really lovely, and that's gotta be a bonus because this was translated from the original German. The narration was good as well, and I enjoyed listening to Erin Spencer deliver the story.
I feel like this is a bit of a hidden gem, maybe a somewhat underrated book because it's not originally written in English or set in the UK or US. At the time of writing it has less than 1200 ratings on Goodreads, and less than 300 reviews. But it's a very solid YA fantasy, with twists I enjoyed, a lovely story that was well written and strongly narrated, and a bonus that it's set in a non-English speaking country with loads of European diversity.
With a secondary character named Darcy De Winter, who is a rich snobby boy with a sister named Gina and who immediately dislikes our heroine, Emma, you would think that this book has something to do with a Pride and Prejudice retelling, right? Especially since the blurb says "Jane Austen reigns supreme" at the boarding school.
But no. Because of this reference, and the name choices, I really thought this would be a much closer retelling of Pride and Prejudice than it actually was. So if you're expecting a P&P retelling, stop right there. It's not. It has elements of it, and it's certainly influenced by it, and if you love the love story between Elizabeth and Mr Darcy (or even Jane and Bingley, which have their respective characters as well, and whose romance I also enjoyed), then you'll probably like this enemies-to-lovers romance as well - but it is, in my opinion, not a 'retelling'.
The supporting characters, although some of them vaguely inspired by P&P characters (but not all of them, which I was disappointed at, when Charlotte and Mr Collins didn't show up, and neither did Caroline, whose inclusion in this P&P-inspired story would have been highly entertaining) were entertaining. Darcy broods about as any Byronic hero, and watching him and Emma come to terms with their feelings was fun. It felt natural and unrushed, moving through the stages of friendship. The realisation may have been sudden, but the build up was not, and who can blame a 16 year old girl for realising very suddenly that maybe she has feelings for someone she thought she hated?
Now that that is out of the way, I am able to mention that false retelling aside, this was a really wonderful book. I thought the main aspect of a magical book where what you write in it comes true was really original, and blended well with the other Austen-inspired storylines. I loved Emma as a character: her curiosity, determinism, and drive, which was occasionally pushed aside in favour of her choosing to make really dumb - but entertaining - decisions. She's 16, so she's allowed to make mistakes. The setting was gorgeous - a German castle turned into a boarding school, with creepy catacombs and hidden entrances. The writing itself was really lovely, and that's gotta be a bonus because this was translated from the original German. The narration was good as well, and I enjoyed listening to Erin Spencer deliver the story.
I feel like this is a bit of a hidden gem, maybe a somewhat underrated book because it's not originally written in English or set in the UK or US. At the time of writing it has less than 1200 ratings on Goodreads, and less than 300 reviews. But it's a very solid YA fantasy, with twists I enjoyed, a lovely story that was well written and strongly narrated, and a bonus that it's set in a non-English speaking country with loads of European diversity.
Want to read
May 18, 2018Won this in a Goodreads giveaway. Review to come when completed! 😘
February 17, 2019
DNF - I heard that it was a retelling on Pride and Prejudice. I felt this the whole time. I just couldn't get into it! 😭
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