The Wise One (The Scottish Scrolls, 1) by K.T. Anglehart

Sep 10, 2020 A_ bookbound _soul rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 4-5-stars, arc-booksirens, awesome-cover, buddy-read

4 stars!

It was fun buddy reading this book with you, Parul !

"I want every child to know the world is full of light before they discover there’s such a thing as darkness,’ she’d say".

The Wise One was a fun, witchy read! It follows the adventures of McKenna who discovers the truth about herself and her mother on her 17th birthday. After the reveal she sets out on a journey alongside Nissa, a friend full of spirit and who always sees the bright side. During the course of her journey strange ...more

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Sep 03, 2020 Genny rated it it was amazing

This is the perfect YA novel for someone who is interested in Celtic folklore (with a twist). The setting was painted so beautifully and I find myself wanting to visit Ireland and go on a Wise One tour!

The book starts with Mckenna waking up on her 17th birthday to a really vivid dream about a witch burning at the stake. You think that sets the scene for the rest of the book, but then you're almost immediately pulled back to the modern-day world where she shares a comfy, fairly normal life with ...more

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Sep 13, 2020 mari rated it it was ok

First of all, thank you NetGalley for providing me an ARC and giving me the chance to read it. It’s been a pleasure.

The Wise One follows the story of McKenna, a 17 year old teenager that starts experiencing weird and magical things that belong to those stories of fairytales. She then sets off on a journey which purpose is both discovering herself and investigating as well as trying to find someone she never thought she’d ever meet. Now, accompanied by a new friend Nissa and a stranger, McKenna ...more

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Oct 29, 2020 Cielo rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2020-releases, lgbtqiap-rep, fantasy

The Wise One is a story filled with magic, strong female characters, historical details and the desire to find out the truth once and for all. Its ethereal and mystical vibe transports the readers straight to Ireland, where McKenna will arrive by ship to finally know the story behind her mysterious and absent mother, and the magical powers hidden deep within her.

This book is set in 1991, something that immediately makes it stand out from most Fantasy books since it’s not an usual time period aut The Wise One is a story filled with magic, strong female characters, historical details and the desire to find out the truth once and for all. Its ethereal and mystical vibe transports the readers straight to Ireland, where McKenna will arrive by ship to finally know the story behind her mysterious and absent mother, and the magical powers hidden deep within her.

This book is set in 1991, something that immediately makes it stand out from most Fantasy books since it’s not an usual time period authors tend to choose (it’s usually in the present or back in the 1800s, and seeing something different for once it’s really interesting and I really enjoyed that aspect of the story!). Also, the story unravels between Massachusetts and Ireland, and you can definitely see the author did a thorough research on both settings since the amount of details (especially the Irish ones) are very accurate, so I found myself learning a lot while reading this book.

Adding to that, despite having some Irish terms and phrases, it’s not confusing at all. The author takes her time to slowly build the story so the reader can get familiarized with the terminology, and it’s a fun reading and learning experience rather than having to guess or skim through things you don’t understand.

I instantly connected with the main character, Mckenna: her fiery temper, determination and short fuse. She’s weary of her surroundings and gaining her trust is no easy task, which I found very realistic considering the situation she was in and what she has been through. She’s very loving and has a great sense of humor. Nissa, her best friend in the story, was the perfect complement to her as she was, in a way, the water to Mckenna’s fire: always trying to lead her to the right path when Kenna’s attitude threatens with getting them in trouble. But beyond being a mediator, Nissa is also strong and quirky and funny, overall a very positive character to include in the story.

And about Cillian… I’m so intrigued about him. I would’ve liked to see a bit more of him in this book, but I understand his development is something that will continue in the next books, and not the point of focus of this one. However, I liked him and I’m very excited to see what he’ll be up to in the sequel.

The parental figures (and lack of them, in Nissa’s case) also play a big role in the story. Mckenna is the daughter of a gay marriage, and I adored Séan and André’s characters, always being so caring of their daughter, but being their own persons beyond just the fathers of Mckenna and reading about their worries and struggles. John and Brigit weren’t related to any of the characters but also played parental figures to Mckenna and Nissa, and they made me laugh in more than one occasion.

The historical details included in the book were one of my favorite things about reading The Wise One. Anglehart did a great job at mixing reality with fiction in her book, and something about The Wise One made me feel as if I was reading a (very interesting!) history book. There were elements of politics and real stories of witch hunts included, but the best part of it all is that everything flows smoothly and the author only added things that would serve to the purpose of the plot. As I read this book I couldn’t help but notice all the documentation that had to be done in order to write it.

This book has such an ethereal and mystical vibe to it, I loved the scenes of Mckenna taking lessons with Esme; it was one of my favorite parts of the book. The story flows smoothly and the pace is just right; one of those books you can definitely read in one go, preferably on a cozy autumn night. Also, it’s worth to notice that there’s a very beautiful and powerful message of protection of the environment that I really liked seeing in the book.

The things that make me rate this book 4 stars are more personal preferences than anything. While I don’t enjoy books with big chunks of narrated paragraphs, I found that this book was more dialogue than narration and some details could’ve been explored more in depth with a little more narrative. Also, how Séan and Abby handled Mckenna’s disappearance didn’t seem very realistic to me, and seeing them take some actions about it rather than let it be would’ve been better for me.

The Wise One is a very strong debut about friendship, self-discovery and finding the truth. I definitely recommend this one, especially to readers of The Cruel Prince and Lady Midnight. I can’t wait to read the sequel! ...more

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Sep 05, 2020 Steph Elias rated it it was amazing

The Wise One is a fantastic YA fantasy book about a young girl named McKenna and how she comes to terms with not only who she is, but also what she is. The storyline is great with lots of magic and a bit of mystery. I loved the settings and the characters. It was just a really well-written book all around with a major cliffhanger for an ending. I can't wait to read the next book! ...more

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Sep 09, 2020 Aly Manno rated it it was amazing

The Wise One is very easily the best book I’ve read in a long time, and the book I devoured in the least time once I got my hands on the copy! Anglehart’s light story-telling takes you on the best kind of ride, the kind where you don’t even think to ask “are we there yet?”, because the wind is in your hair and the journey is just as good as the destination. The story in itself is youthful yet timelessly relevant, because among other important themes the author touches on, it is also a story abou ...more

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Sep 01, 2020 Sarah rated it it was amazing

I got this book as an ARC. And I feel so lucky that I did. The Wise One needs to be on all of the must read lists for 2020. I’m so moved by the storytelling, the setting and the characters K.T. created. I consumed this in a day, I couldn’t tear myself away. Not only did the author suck me into this breathtakingly visual book about magic, witches and faeries, but they stuck in so many life lessons that humans of all ages need to be reminded of. Don’t be a bully, love is love, protect our beautifu ...more

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Oct 16, 2020 Aly rated it liked it

Shelves: netgalley, 2020, romance, ya, fantasy, paranormal, october-2020, urban-fantasy

When McKenna turns seventeen, strange things start to happen to her. Birds are communicating with her, she can feel what others are feeling, and she has a compulsion to know her birth mother to help explain everything. She journeys to Ireland and begins to learn about the country, her heritage, and the large role she will play in the future of the world.

This takes place in the 90's, so there are no cell phones and less technology. This is good because McKenna and her friend Nissa are able to sn ...more

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Sep 07, 2020 Cynthia A rated it really liked it

This was a fun read with, I felt, a creative take on modern mysticism and a relevant backdrop of radical environmentalism. The author does a lovely job of taking you along for Mckenna's journey, with a page-turning international road-trip amidst beautifully described scenery and adventure. ...more

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Oct 14, 2020 Elizabeth rated it liked it

“We always have choice, boireannach glic—no destiny is written. We’re all born with gifts; all we can do is harness them, and walk the path that feels the truest. Stay grounded, stay centred” (235).

On the day of her 17th birthday, Mckenna begins experiencing strange dreams accompanied by a new magical connection to a stranger named Nissa. She comes home to her fathers holding a deep secret that her mother was a witch. With the possibility of her mother being alive, Mckenna embarks on a voyage to “We always have choice, boireannach glic—no destiny is written. We’re all born with gifts; all we can do is harness them, and walk the path that feels the truest. Stay grounded, stay centred” (235).

On the day of her 17th birthday, Mckenna begins experiencing strange dreams accompanied by a new magical connection to a stranger named Nissa. She comes home to her fathers holding a deep secret that her mother was a witch. With the possibility of her mother being alive, Mckenna embarks on a voyage to discover her whereabouts with Nissa by her side. Every encounter along the way will test Mckenna and unshackled powers to find the truth.

“There was a sudden chill in the air, and a rush of cold swept across her body. She looked down at her arms—they were covered entirely in goosebumps, as though wrapped in bubble paper” (126).

I loved that the setting is in the 90’s with glimpses of other centuries. The novel’s pacing is subsequent with it being the first in a saga/trilogy/series. Slow paced with some rapid moments filled with information until things really pick up in the last chapter. Due to this I did feel bored at times, but the history pushed me through. I admire the fact that K.T. Anglehart did research on the historical topics, both of folklore and geographically. Also, I really appreciate that the sources are included at the end. Gives the reader more insight to the topics presented especially if novice to the subjects. The prose, when describing nature, is beautifully written. There were a few editing instances such as the sentence structure and grammar. Nothing too severe.

“A lake of mystic topaz stood silent and still beneath smooth mountains, gradient green as though stroked by a paint brush. Beckoned by a light wind, the water drifted ever gently, almost shily towards the bordering hills. Not a sound emanated from the elements. It was a space for thinkers and observers. No one else deserved to be in its presence” (162).

Even though the main premise is Mckenna coming-of-age, I did appreciate Nissa and Sean’s own journeys of truth. It's interesting to see this small family of three to grow so much character wise and quantity wise in 200+ pages. I’m also interested to see where things go with Cillian and how his brother's eventual appearance comes into play in the sequel. Overall, an enjoyable YA fantasy filled with history, witches, fairies and family.

“A Wise One has lived many lives as a witch before this one, and carries the burden of these past existences with them into their next life, and every life after that” (158).

Thank you to BookSirens and K.T. Anglehart for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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Sep 05, 2020 Alex rated it liked it

Shelves: 7-8-and-9

Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of The Wise One in exchange for an honest review.

The Wise Ones is a fun low fantasy read, its just being targeted at the wrong audience.

Following 17 (I think, she might have been 16) year old Mckenna after she learns that the woman she'd assumed to have been a surrogate to her gay fathers was actually a witch as she travels from Boston to Ireland and gets wrapped up in a centuries old prophecy, The Wise One hits all the hallmarks of middle a middle ...more

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Oct 11, 2020 Alaina rated it liked it

Shelves: supernatural, 2020-ng, fantasy, paranormal, 2020-arcs, october-2020, fiction, young-adult

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Wise One was a pretty cute and quick book to dive into. In it, you will meet McKenna who slowly, but surely, discovers more about herself throughout the book. Now I have no idea how I would handle any of the information that she received but I am happy with how she handled everything. Especially with all the secrets that came out in each chapter.

Even though this book had it's cute moments.. it also had it's boring ones. ...more

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Oct 04, 2020 Lucia rated it really liked it

Shelves: favorites, the-best-from-ya-fantasy

I’ve received The Wise One from the author in exchange for a review. Thank you very much for the ebook.

The Wise One is a book somewhere between YA and Teen for me. Nevertheless, if you want to read a perfect witchy story inspired by Celtic folklore and visit some ancient places in Ireland, this is for you. Honestly, I know that the Irish atmosphere had a huge some influence on me (because I love everything related to this country), still I enjoyed this book a lot and I highly recommend it.

The p I’ve received The Wise One from the author in exchange for a review. Thank you very much for the ebook.

The Wise One is a book somewhere between YA and Teen for me. Nevertheless, if you want to read a perfect witchy story inspired by Celtic folklore and visit some ancient places in Ireland, this is for you. Honestly, I know that the Irish atmosphere had a huge some influence on me (because I love everything related to this country), still I enjoyed this book a lot and I highly recommend it.

The plot, characters, mysteries, twists, and magic work so well in the story. The plot is little bit slower, but this is the first book from the series, so it also serves as a perfect introduction into the urban fantasy world of witches and other creatures. The main events were happening in 1991, but there are also some flashbacks from the past. They tied the story together and I really love the idea of past lives, so for me the present-past feature worked incredibly well and I’m pretty sure we are not done with mysteries from the past. As a bonus, you will learn some interesting stories about some places in Ireland (+ history) and how they are related to the main story. Also, I appreciate the author’s work and research here. As someone who studied and visited some of the mentioned places, I could spot a lack of research easily. There was none.

Atmosphere was another thing that was super enjoyable for me. Some parts were truly atmospheric and very well described – I felt like I am there with the main characters standing in front of the ancient monument or middle-age castle (well, I was there last year). Simply, you are going to visit Ireland at least through pages thanks to this book.

One would expect some stupid teenagers as the main characters who are going to drive you mad with their stupidity. Well, it didn’t happen here, I’ll tell you that. Ok, there is some naivety as always with such young people but wait till the end. We follow our main character McKenna as she discovers that her nightmares aren’t just nightmares and there might be another secret behind them, but her dads want to protect her and her real mother too. And with that her witchy journey has started. Following her journey and how step by step she uncovered her past and present, how she learnt about her abilities and the hidden world of witches, it was super interesting. This revealing process was quite slow (also they travel a lot from a place to place) so don’t expect any crazy action but personally I didn’t mind lack of it. The mysteries and hundreds of questions kept my mind pretty busy even without more dangerous action stuff. Also, ancient scrolls, some kind of a prophecy, past lives, witchcraft - that’s all my cup of tea.

There are also great secondary characters, Cillian – a mysterious boy, Nissa - McKenna’s best friend (I adore their friendship) and two perfect cinnamon rolls, McKenna’s fathers Andre and Seán. Plus, some other mysterious figures, witches, faeries (oh yes, they played a huge role, but I won’t tell you more. At the end, some reckless things will make sense).

The writing style was also great, and it only added to my overall enjoyment. I’m interested in the story, I want to know more, I want to see family together, friends being friends, more character development and maybe some changing a side moment. This is one of those series I truly want to read the second book as soon as possible because that quick ending left me gaping and wanting more. Personally, I see a huge potential in the next books, so giving The Wise One four stars is a great start for a new series. ...more

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Nov 14, 2020 Julia rated it it was ok

I know I usually do spoiler-free reviews but I just have to talk spoilers with this one so if you don't want to be spoiled I will leave you with this statement: this book was so weird and actually disgustingly gross at times (I don't mean graphically I just mean with the actions of the characters) and honestly it was a complete waste of my time. The only reason I gave it two stars instead of one was because I really enjoyed the Irish aspect of it and I liked the witchy magic vibes. Ok so if you I know I usually do spoiler-free reviews but I just have to talk spoilers with this one so if you don't want to be spoiled I will leave you with this statement: this book was so weird and actually disgustingly gross at times (I don't mean graphically I just mean with the actions of the characters) and honestly it was a complete waste of my time. The only reason I gave it two stars instead of one was because I really enjoyed the Irish aspect of it and I liked the witchy magic vibes. Ok so if you don't want spoilers head on out and if you do, get ready for a rant.

I know I usually start with the positive things, but there are just so many negatives that I am going to start with that. First of all, the entire premise of the book is that McKenna goes on a journey to find her mother, but she never actually finds her in this book. Which makes no sense to me especially because the author wastes so much time bringing McKenna on other journeys that literally do nothing for the plot so she totally could have cut that out and had her meet the mother. The other thing was that the plot was all over the place. For example, at one point McKenna goes to a lake and sees a horse emerge from it. She rides the horse into the lake and it shows McKenna some weird visions and then disappears. And I was just sitting there like "Why did that just happen? Like what was the point of that random horse?" And it's never brought up again! It just happens for literally no reason. It felt like the author was trying to fit so much of the Irish folklore into the book that it just ended up making absolutely zero sense.

Ok let's talk relationships. First of all, McKenna meets this girl named Nissa and drags her along on this epically dangerous adventure, but let's just pretend that's fine. McKenna and Nissa had so much chemistry. Like so much. And then they get compared to being like sisters, over and over. Which is like fine, but if you want them to be like sisters, maybe don't make them have so much chemistry. Then they meet this guy who's like 24. I immediately knew he was going to be the love interest. Keep in mind that McKenna is 17. Not only is it illegal, it made no sense! They had zero chemistry and I honesly hated him. And like Nissa was right there! That was just completely toxic and honestly gross.
Moving on to McKenna's dads. They were literally the best characters at the beginning. They were so cute together and just the best. And then guess what happens? If you guessed that one of the dads goes to Ireland chasing after McKenna and ends up reconnecting with McKenna's mother and then they do you-know-what in the middle of the night on a public monument (!) for no reason then you'd be correct. Like seriously, why did that happen. Like ok, I can get over the McKenna Nissa thing but then you have this perfectly good gay couple and then you make one of them get back with his ex (a woman) for no reason and by cheating. Am I alone in saying this feels a little homophobic?

Ok let's talk about McKenna for a second. Not only is she totally childish and acts like she's 12 instead of 17, she also has all this completely random knowledge. Like about bird species and she sees the bridges in the town as symbols of socio-economic inequality. I mean come on, what 17 looks at a bridge and goes "Oh yeah that totally represents the classism and inequality in this town"? Like seriously? Ok, this one is not McKenna but Cillian (toxic, illegal love interest guy) walks past a fireplace and the author writes, and I quote, "he walked by the gaping fireplace (or primitive oven)". Like what??? Why would Cillian think of the fireplace as a primitive oven?? It just makes zero sense to include that.

Returning to the dads, McKenna having two dads is constantly refered to as what makes her different and quirky. I literally wrote in my notes: "like get ur own personality traits girl". Having gay dads does not make you different, actually it has nothing to do with you, but it was a big part of McKenna's personality which was kinda gross and toxic if you ask me.

Ok I have so much more to talk about but they are just like little nitpicky things so let's move on to the positives: I really liked the Irish setting. I have never read a book set in Ireland before and reading this one I just felt like I was really there. If you don't know, I actually spend every summer in Ireland visitng my family so this was super nice and felt like home to me. I also loved the witchy-ness. At one point, McKenna is getting lessons from this witch who is teaching her about spirituality and nature and magic. That was super fun so I really appreciated that.

Overall, this book wasn't completely horrible but it was a complete waste of my time. If it sounds interesting to you, I would definitely say pick it up, but if it doesn't don't waste your time. ...more

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Nov 12, 2020 The Bookend Diner rated it liked it

One of my favorite things about reading is that with each book, I am picked up out of my comfortable chair and transported to different places around the world. I’m invited into homes and let in on secrets. I’m allowed to learn the histories of different peoples and the folklore that is passed down from generation to generation.⁣
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The Wise One was all of the above for me. I was in the mood for a little magic and it provided just that. Sometimes when I’ve read a YA book, I’ve felt like I was readi ...more

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Oct 09, 2020 ELLIE rated it really liked it

I loved this book! All around a great read. It does make you want a sequel though...

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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Oct 19, 2020 Caitlin rated it really liked it

✨The Wise One✨

Thank you to netgalley, the publisher and K.T. Anglehart for providing an e-arc.

Summary: Mckenna has always been different and on her 17th birthday a nightmare of being burned at the stake awakens her dormant abilities, abilities that her two dads knew about but didn’t tell her. Mckenna is forced to confront her abilities and is forced to set off to find her mysterious mother. Mckenna has to face some harsh realities all the while trying to harness her powers, will she be able to ...more

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Sep 18, 2020 Vince M rated it it was amazing

Ok, I haven't binged read a book since Harry Potter 7 yeaaaars ago. This made me do that. I read it in two sittings, and if I could've, I would've read it in one.
It was a breeze to read, with fun characters and a really intriguing storyline. Loved Nissa. She's adorable. I thought it'd be a little too young for me at first but it hooked me pretty fast. AND THE TWISTS...I'll say no more.
But it ends quickly too! For me that's good though because I love the feeling of wanting to read the next book r ...more

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Sep 04, 2020 Sandy rated it it was amazing

Loved this book, the way the author describes the different settings makes you feel you are actually there and you feel you really know the characters and get attached to them . Amazing storyline from beginning to end, I was transported to a different world yet many modern day topics are touched...definetely worth reading and re-reading! Looking forward for more material from this young promising author!
- Sandy

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Sep 20, 2020 Erin Mackey rated it it was amazing

I loved reading this book! You connect with the characters right away and are engaged to the very last page. The author makes the scenery come to life in vivid color and you place yourself there with the characters. It made me even more excited to visit Ireland for our anniversary trip in a couple of years! I will definitely add this author to my regular reading list and I can't wait for my next read from them. ...more

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Sep 17, 2020 Nancy rated it it was amazing

Oh my gosh. This is one of the books where I was so disappointed that I finished it! I'd been crawling under the covers every night with this book, and I looked forward to it every night! Hopefully, Book 2 will come along soon. I love McKenna but I think my favorite character might be Nissa, a sweet little underdog who is the perfect supporting character to McKenna. Hopefully, we saw more of her in a future book! ...more

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Oct 01, 2020 Ilana Costello (patel) rated it really liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Sep 12, 2020 Cathy Martorana rated it it was amazing

If you are as Fascinated as I have Always been by Irish myth and folklore and it’s breathtaking countryside you will love this book !

Pure enchantment as you Embark on an Adventurous journey of Irish Myths ,Tales and magic .

Where mystical fantasy world becomes reality as you are transported in the magical fantasy world of Faeries, changelings and witches!
Must read! Looking forward to book 2!

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Oct 17, 2020 Sibella rated it it was ok

Review also appears here: https://reviewsofyabooks.blogspot.com/

Introduction

There's something wrong with McKenna. She's always thought so, but after her 17th birthday, things start getting even weirder than they usually are. She's having vivid dreams, and seems to be influencing things. When she goes to her fathers for answers, they are forced to tell her the truth. Her birth mother, a mystic, left to protect her, and she is a Wise One.

They don't offer any other details, so McKenna knows that sh ...more

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Oct 04, 2020 Allison rated it it was amazing

Shelves: finished-fantasy

I was given an e-copy of The Wise One for a fair and honest review. So, honestly, K T Anglehart better be working on Book 2, because I’m in serious book withdrawal. The friendship between McKenna and Nissa felt so real, I wanted to be on their crazy journey with them. Almost every other character, I must have questioned their motives at least once. I love characters that have depth; are a blend of good and bad, doing the right things for the wrong reasons and the wrong things for the right reaso ...more

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Sep 10, 2020 Jennifer Ma rated it it was amazing

From the captivating first chapter to the surprise ending twist, K.T. Anglehart really reeled me in. I love quick-paced YA books, and I was instantly left wanting to learn more about the mystery that is McKenna’s mother, the High Priestess’s intentions and what it meant to be a wise one. The author truly succeeded in bringing her readers on a magical journey alongside Mckenna and Nissa on their quest for answers. And what I loved most about it was that it wasn't just about discovering secrets, ...more

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Oct 31, 2020 Riccardo Caimano rated it it was amazing

KT Anglehart’s debut novel is a thrilling adventure that expertly blends magic, environmentalism, and folklore. I really enjoyed the fast pace, it made for a very exciting read.

You can tell a lot of thought and research was put into the world of The Wise One. KT’s descriptions of the locations made me crave a trip to Ireland with a guide like Cillian! I can’t wait to find out where the story will take Mckenna and Nissa next.

Highly recommend for any magic lover out there! One of my favourite bo ...more

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Sep 08, 2020 Irim Sarwar rated it liked it

First, let's get a few technical points out of the way:

*The past tense of 'to wind' is *wound*, not 'winded'
*The geographical feature is 'plain' not 'plane'
*Check your verb tenses
*Check your sentence fragments - there were full stops where there needed to be commas

Things like this sound small, but they disturb the flow of writing and throw the reader out of the book's world, especially if it happens a number of times.

This book suffered by comparison because I read Madeleine L'Engle's 'A Wrinkle First, let's get a few technical points out of the way:

*The past tense of 'to wind' is *wound*, not 'winded'
*The geographical feature is 'plain' not 'plane'
*Check your verb tenses
*Check your sentence fragments - there were full stops where there needed to be commas

Things like this sound small, but they disturb the flow of writing and throw the reader out of the book's world, especially if it happens a number of times.

This book suffered by comparison because I read Madeleine L'Engle's 'A Wrinkle in Time' right before it, so things I might have let slide because it's a 'Young Adult' book were set in glaring opposition to another young adult book written for *a younger audience*.

This book lurched from action point to action point without building Mckenna's world, character, or her relationships. It needed more time embodying her life in Massachussetts with her fathers, at school, her burgeoning friendship with Nissa, and some of the action points stretched credulity: there was absolutely no way anyone was getting anywhere without a passport, even 10 years before 9/11 - and frankly, the time spent applying for and getting her passport and working out a plan would have told us a lot more. The way this particular plot point was dealt with, the way people were used - particularly someone who was struggling in the moment - left a really bad taste in my mouth.

So, there needed to be more of what Gilbert Ryle referred to as 'thick description' - filo pastry layers of little everyday moments, reactions, routines, and interactions that build up the people and the world - and really, go to 'A Wrinkle in Time' to see how that's done. It felt like the author was far too anxious to get through the plot to really build it properly from the base up, like you would a good recipe. I also wonder if she thought that maybe her audience would get bored with that - I'd suggest that the enduring popularity of 'A Wrinkle in Time', Susan Cooper's 'The Dark Is Rising' series, and the 'Hunger Games' would tend to indicate not.

One of the things that series like 'The Dark Is Rising' and Lloyd Alexander's 'The Prydain Chronicles' drive home is the necessity of grounding and steeping your fantasy in its proper mythology - and this book definitely needed to do that; Celtic mythology is so layered and rich.

In addition, and this is an ongoing issue for me with writers, please, please, PLEASE do not use dialect you are not intimately familiar with - or at the very least, have a native speaker read it through and correct it. I have lived in the UK for 24 years, and not a single Scot I know uses 'ken' every time they mean understand. I've most commonly heard it in 'beyond my ken', 'dinnae ken', '(Dae) ye ken', especially at the end of a sentence - and it's mostly used in eastern and southwestern Scotland, and no Irish person I know (Northern or Republic of) sounds like any of the Irish characters in the book. It's so easy to take a few words, put them in and think you've done it, but ways of speaking are so nuanced that it doesn't work. You need to know the colloquialisms and the rhythm, and this wasn't it.

I do think work in these areas would make this series a good read; there's definitely a skeleton worth working with here, but I think it needs to be imagined and incarnated much more deeply. ...more

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Oct 07, 2020 Louis C rated it liked it

Shelves: 3-star-books

First of all, thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an EARC.

“AND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GO AROUND LIVING AS IF EVERYTHING IS NORMAL. AS IF YOU ARE NORMAL.”

The wise one follows Mckenna, a girl who just turned seventeen. Almost her entire life she had dreams, weird ones. That, and she lives together with her two dads, not knowing who her mother is. But she wants to know, feeling that could explain her dreams and soon other powers.

Mckenna ends up going on a search for her mother First of all, thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an EARC.

“AND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GO AROUND LIVING AS IF EVERYTHING IS NORMAL. AS IF YOU ARE NORMAL.”

The wise one follows Mckenna, a girl who just turned seventeen. Almost her entire life she had dreams, weird ones. That, and she lives together with her two dads, not knowing who her mother is. But she wants to know, feeling that could explain her dreams and soon other powers.

Mckenna ends up going on a search for her mother together with Nessa, who doesn’t know both of her parents. There are a handful of characters as well, who slowly get introduced in the book. Even though I liked both these girls, I felt very much they had a selection of emotions and weren’t that complex. While introducing more characters, I think it is there where it got a bit messy for me. A lot of new POV’s got introduced, and for a short time. At some point, there was just too much jumping around for my taste. Even though it gave information a reader needs, I wished the information could have been given in an other way so that it didn’t feel like things were too obvious and more of a mystery that would fit the atmosphere better.

Speaking of characters, I wanted to like the two dads, but as soon as the mother came into the picture, I felt like there was going to be a second storyline that very much is going to feel like the dad versus the mom, since the other dad still gives the impression he likes the mom. Besides that, it is never stated he is bi, only saying he doesn’t like labels, and even though that’s valid, it only adds more to my feeling this is going to be something bigger further into the story.

The story itself goes fast, and sometimes I thought it would better if it slowed down. A lot of things go right, and get an explanation afterwards why it went right. There is barely ant conflict that went out of hand, besides the friends drama, and I do think that’s a missed chance, especially when you introduce folklore into a story.

Overall, it is the classic chosen one story, but it is almost so well hidden I didn’t mind reading about it. The book uses folklore, myths and legends from Ireland and Scotland, but in simple matters, so even people who aren’t too familiar with it would get it. At the end, there is even a list of books for people who are interested in reading more about it. I love the fact so much research came into this book.
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Nov 23, 2020 Alicia marked it as dnf

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I don't think I'm going to rate this one. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it, but I know that this book wasn't for me. I ended up DNFing @38%.

While I was reading, the first hint that this book wasn't going to be for me was that I didn't really find myself wanting to pick it up. In fact, I actually put it down and didn't touch it for about 4 days after starting it.
Let's talk about Mckenna, th Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I don't think I'm going to rate this one. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it, but I know that this book wasn't for me. I ended up DNFing @38%.

While I was reading, the first hint that this book wasn't going to be for me was that I didn't really find myself wanting to pick it up. In fact, I actually put it down and didn't touch it for about 4 days after starting it.
Let's talk about Mckenna, the main character. I found her to be unlikable and rude. She felt really hypocritical at some points, and also very back-and-forth in personality. She wasn't a character that I cared about or connected with. I also found that she was quick to lash out, and she judged things and people really quickly without waiting to learn more. I disliked her relationship with her dads because I thought she was rude and disrespectful. Yes her dad was hiding a part of her past for her, but it hadn't impacted her life until that point, and her dad didn't even know that it would. It was handled badly by both characters, but Mckenna's reaction felt extreme.
She stole money out of their safe, and left with this girl she barely knew to go to Ireland and try to find her mom.
Um what? This seemed extreme and crazy to me, and it was kind of a 0-100 moment where all of a sudden they were just leaving.
This was another issue I had with the book. It's a fantasy novel, but I barely got to any of the fantasy elements and I thought it was incredibly unrealistic. The part that really got me was the old couple helping them to get to Ireland. John, this old man they met a couple of hours ago, freaks out on the person checking names of passengers on the ship, and makes it seem as if the list is missing two names. NO ONE ever comes to check the validity of this claim, and so the two girls get to go to Ireland without passports and without paying.
The part that made me finally DNF this book was when it went to jump back into the past. It was going to show Mckenna's dad, Sean, when he met her mom and their relationship. I didn't care about this. I felt like it was taking away from the story which was supposed to be about McKenna.

Overall, I wanted to like this one. The description initially drew me in and had me eager to read it. Unfortunately I really didn't like the main character, and I couldn't believe the events of the story. ...more

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