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Astrid Lethewood #1
Indigo Springs
Indigo Springs is a sleepy town where things seem pretty normal . . . until Astrid's father dies and she moves into his house. She discovers that for many years her father had been accessing the magic that flowed, literally, in a blue stream beneath the earth, leaking into his house. When she starts to use the liquid "vitagua" to enchant everyday items, the results seem innocent enough: a "chanted" watch becomes a charm that means you're always in the right place at the right time; a "chanted" pendant enables the wearer to convince anyone of anything . . .
But as events in Indigo Springs unfold and the true potential of vitagua is revealed, Astrid and her friends unwittingly embark on a journey fraught with power, change, and a future too devastating to contemplate. Friends become enemies and enemies become friends as Astrid discovers secrets from her shrouded childhood that will lead her to a destiny stranger than she could have imagined . . .
But as events in Indigo Springs unfold and the true potential of vitagua is revealed, Astrid and her friends unwittingly embark on a journey fraught with power, change, and a future too devastating to contemplate. Friends become enemies and enemies become friends as Astrid discovers secrets from her shrouded childhood that will lead her to a destiny stranger than she could have imagined . . .
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 27, 2009
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2164 people want to read
About the author
A.M. Dellamonica
48 books296 followersI live in Toronto, Ontario and make my living writing science fiction and fantasy; I also review books and teach writing online at UCLA. I'm a legally married lesbian and in my spare time I take pictures with Toronto Photo. My wife's name is Kelly and we have two cats, Lorenzo and Chinchilla, born in spring of 2014.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
December 18, 2017
A.M. Dellamonica’s Indigo Springs: The Bisexual Magic Novel You’ve Been Waiting For
You don’t hear much about Toronto-based author A.M. Dellamonica’s novel Indigo Springs, which is surprising because it is just a gem of a book. It has so many of the literary things that I am constantly looking for, and I have no idea why I didn’t find it sooner. Amazing, unique world building? Dynamic bisexual main characters whose sexuality is named and not a big deal? Complex and interesting narrative structure? Where have you been hiding, Indigo Springs, oh wonderfully imaginative, queer fantasy novel?
Indigo Springs is based on a tried-and-true formula that there is magic hidden beneath our everyday, and that this magic might have dangerous and unexpected consequences. I personally love the idea that pulsing under our daily reality is a secret magical world—and I don’t think the popularity of Harry Potter and the like have taken up all the narrative possibilities of this trope. In Indigo Springs, for example, magic takes a tangible, liquid form: bright, bright blue, actually, a stream flowing underneath the fireplace in an old house in rural Oregon that unsuspecting protagonist Astrid inherits from her father....
See the full review here: http://wp.me/p2tLy0-p0
You don’t hear much about Toronto-based author A.M. Dellamonica’s novel Indigo Springs, which is surprising because it is just a gem of a book. It has so many of the literary things that I am constantly looking for, and I have no idea why I didn’t find it sooner. Amazing, unique world building? Dynamic bisexual main characters whose sexuality is named and not a big deal? Complex and interesting narrative structure? Where have you been hiding, Indigo Springs, oh wonderfully imaginative, queer fantasy novel?
Indigo Springs is based on a tried-and-true formula that there is magic hidden beneath our everyday, and that this magic might have dangerous and unexpected consequences. I personally love the idea that pulsing under our daily reality is a secret magical world—and I don’t think the popularity of Harry Potter and the like have taken up all the narrative possibilities of this trope. In Indigo Springs, for example, magic takes a tangible, liquid form: bright, bright blue, actually, a stream flowing underneath the fireplace in an old house in rural Oregon that unsuspecting protagonist Astrid inherits from her father....
See the full review here: http://wp.me/p2tLy0-p0
September 29, 2011
Dellamonica seems like she had the best of intentions for her first novel, but she didn't do herself any favors by using a confusing, flashback-heavy narrative style and a half-baked hodgepodge mythology.
My biggest complaint, however, is that all the characters seemed incredibly flat. Astrid, the witch-heroine of the novel, exists only to be good, meek and misunderstood. Will, the tale's receptacle, doesn't serve a purpose at all. Sahara, the supposedly alluring-but-troubled charmer at the root of the story's difficulties, is such a raging, selfish bitch it's absolutely unbelievable that anyone would put up with her for an afternoon, let alone a lifetime. The two most interesting characters are Astrid's dad, who is dead, and her mom, who is under a magic-induced delusion. And we don't get nearly enough of either.
Needless to say, I will not be returning for the sequel.
My biggest complaint, however, is that all the characters seemed incredibly flat. Astrid, the witch-heroine of the novel, exists only to be good, meek and misunderstood. Will, the tale's receptacle, doesn't serve a purpose at all. Sahara, the supposedly alluring-but-troubled charmer at the root of the story's difficulties, is such a raging, selfish bitch it's absolutely unbelievable that anyone would put up with her for an afternoon, let alone a lifetime. The two most interesting characters are Astrid's dad, who is dead, and her mom, who is under a magic-induced delusion. And we don't get nearly enough of either.
Needless to say, I will not be returning for the sequel.
November 13, 2009
That magic has unexpected, even perilous, consequences is not a new theme. It far predates my first encounter with it, which was Edward Eager's charming 1954 children's book Half Magic. In Indigo Springs, however, Dellamonica brings this theme to vivid--cobalt blue, in fact--contemporary life.
Unfolded in a narrative structure that at first seems fractured but reveals itself to be beautifully knitted together, Indigo Springs is the story of what happens when Astrid Lethewood and two friends discover the transformative powers of a magical spring once guarded by Astrid's father. Hint: An early allusion to the "sorcerer's apprentice" is not misplaced. The novel is also an exploration of the ties that bind families and friends, and the ways in which secrets and power can unravel those ties, or tighten them. In a style that is both lucid and rich in compelling images, Dellamonica describes a world in which reality teeters on the rim of the unreal and an alchemical war plays out in the blogosphere and on YouTube. Key characters change--or are changed--in remarkable ways, but the heart of the story is Astrid's awakening. Highly recommended.
Comment
Unfolded in a narrative structure that at first seems fractured but reveals itself to be beautifully knitted together, Indigo Springs is the story of what happens when Astrid Lethewood and two friends discover the transformative powers of a magical spring once guarded by Astrid's father. Hint: An early allusion to the "sorcerer's apprentice" is not misplaced. The novel is also an exploration of the ties that bind families and friends, and the ways in which secrets and power can unravel those ties, or tighten them. In a style that is both lucid and rich in compelling images, Dellamonica describes a world in which reality teeters on the rim of the unreal and an alchemical war plays out in the blogosphere and on YouTube. Key characters change--or are changed--in remarkable ways, but the heart of the story is Astrid's awakening. Highly recommended.
Comment
January 11, 2015
This book deserves more stars than I can give it. There's nothing wrong with it, but most of it was just not a good fit for me. Still, I enjoyed it enough to finish it and will at least read the sample of the sequel, and given how much this book was Not For Me, that says something.
This is a story about some people who find out magic is way more than they can handle, basically. I liked the book's truly unusual and excellent magic; it makes intuitive sense and it's both wondrous and terrifying, exactly as magic should be. That, for me, was the heart of the story, and the reason I might want to read more in this series. This is an impressive, creative, fascinating world, and the way the narrative reveals bits and pieces keeps the suspense high without feeling forced or frustrating at all. So. There's a lot to like and admire here.
But I still couldn't rate it higher. (I rate on enjoyment, not quality; Ethan Frome is and will always be a one-star book to me.) So let's talk about that.
First, this is what I call a tick-tick-tick book. The first chapter takes place about three-fourths of the way through the actual plot, and for a while there's an every other chapter system: one from the first chapter's timeline followed by one from the timeline that starts at the beginning. That means you start out knowing things are going to go horribly, horribly wrong, and most of the book is about finding out how the disaster takes place. This is a perfectly fine way to tell a story, but I hate it. It's like ratcheting up on a roller coaster, hearing the tick-tick-tick of the machinery, and knowing soon, soon. I hate that feeling. I hate it. And I had to live with it for a lot of this book.
Second, a love triangle is a huge part of the story, and I -- I am so done with love triangles. They come in three kinds: the one where no one should end up with anyone else and you want to yell at the characters for spending time with each other, the kind where it's obvious what the eventual pairing should be and you want to yell at the characters for not figuring that out faster, and the kind that should end in a threesome (but usually won't), so you want to yell at the characters to just climb in bed together already. I'm not going to say which one this story is, only that the author didn't manage anything creative and new here. I spent a lot of time wishing the characters would just grow up and move on and deal with the real problems. It kept me from liking them.
Third, and this is the warnings part of this review,
Those were the big problems for me, although there are some other questions I have, like about characterization -- let's just say that it's really tough to write a book like this with consistent characterization, so I finished the book still without much of a feel for who the main characters were -- and about the strangely closed-in, stifled feeling of the book, where the plot affects the entire world but much of the story takes place in a single house or a locked room. But, in the end, this story is trying to do a lot of things, and it does many of them not just well but differently and well. And that makes it worth reading. (Even though it upset me and set my teeth on edge. A lot.)
This is a story about some people who find out magic is way more than they can handle, basically. I liked the book's truly unusual and excellent magic; it makes intuitive sense and it's both wondrous and terrifying, exactly as magic should be. That, for me, was the heart of the story, and the reason I might want to read more in this series. This is an impressive, creative, fascinating world, and the way the narrative reveals bits and pieces keeps the suspense high without feeling forced or frustrating at all. So. There's a lot to like and admire here.
But I still couldn't rate it higher. (I rate on enjoyment, not quality; Ethan Frome is and will always be a one-star book to me.) So let's talk about that.
First, this is what I call a tick-tick-tick book. The first chapter takes place about three-fourths of the way through the actual plot, and for a while there's an every other chapter system: one from the first chapter's timeline followed by one from the timeline that starts at the beginning. That means you start out knowing things are going to go horribly, horribly wrong, and most of the book is about finding out how the disaster takes place. This is a perfectly fine way to tell a story, but I hate it. It's like ratcheting up on a roller coaster, hearing the tick-tick-tick of the machinery, and knowing soon, soon. I hate that feeling. I hate it. And I had to live with it for a lot of this book.
Second, a love triangle is a huge part of the story, and I -- I am so done with love triangles. They come in three kinds: the one where no one should end up with anyone else and you want to yell at the characters for spending time with each other, the kind where it's obvious what the eventual pairing should be and you want to yell at the characters for not figuring that out faster, and the kind that should end in a threesome (but usually won't), so you want to yell at the characters to just climb in bed together already. I'm not going to say which one this story is, only that the author didn't manage anything creative and new here. I spent a lot of time wishing the characters would just grow up and move on and deal with the real problems. It kept me from liking them.
Third, and this is the warnings part of this review,
Those were the big problems for me, although there are some other questions I have, like about characterization -- let's just say that it's really tough to write a book like this with consistent characterization, so I finished the book still without much of a feel for who the main characters were -- and about the strangely closed-in, stifled feeling of the book, where the plot affects the entire world but much of the story takes place in a single house or a locked room. But, in the end, this story is trying to do a lot of things, and it does many of them not just well but differently and well. And that makes it worth reading. (Even though it upset me and set my teeth on edge. A lot.)
December 20, 2019
Couldn't get into the book.
It opens with a government agent type going to a prison cell containing two apparently dangerous women. One of the women (Astrid) seems to time slip, going verbally from past to present to future to back again, which makes it difficult to figure out what's happening.
It seems like there's been a sort of magic apocalypse and at least one of these women either was partially responsible or knows a magical terrorist (Sahara), and agent-guy's job is to get information about this terrorist.
After the opening, then the book goes back to the beginning and introduces Astrid all over again as a young woman who has sort of a crush on Sahara, who has come to stay with Astrid after breaking up with her boyfriend. It's apparent pretty early on that Sahara is kind of a user who knows that she can push Astrid around.
I might be a bit too old to love this book. I got impatient with Astrid's passive acceptance and pain about how Sahara treats her and her lack of insight about their relationship. It feels a lot like the mess my just post-college life was- kind of aimless, stuck in relationships that weren't a great idea but that I'd been in since college. Ugh- it all seemed like a good idea at the time but it's painful to look back on now.
The magic reveal is interesting, but a bit slow. It almost doesn't feel magical because Astrid doesn't display much emotion or wonder about anything, just has an instinct for secretiveness that it's clear will end badly.
I stopped because I didn't really care for any of the characters and the book felt sort of shapeless- I couldn't get a line on a plot or any momentum. You know the deadly phrase: I don't care what happens to these people.
It opens with a government agent type going to a prison cell containing two apparently dangerous women. One of the women (Astrid) seems to time slip, going verbally from past to present to future to back again, which makes it difficult to figure out what's happening.
It seems like there's been a sort of magic apocalypse and at least one of these women either was partially responsible or knows a magical terrorist (Sahara), and agent-guy's job is to get information about this terrorist.
After the opening, then the book goes back to the beginning and introduces Astrid all over again as a young woman who has sort of a crush on Sahara, who has come to stay with Astrid after breaking up with her boyfriend. It's apparent pretty early on that Sahara is kind of a user who knows that she can push Astrid around.
I might be a bit too old to love this book. I got impatient with Astrid's passive acceptance and pain about how Sahara treats her and her lack of insight about their relationship. It feels a lot like the mess my just post-college life was- kind of aimless, stuck in relationships that weren't a great idea but that I'd been in since college. Ugh- it all seemed like a good idea at the time but it's painful to look back on now.
The magic reveal is interesting, but a bit slow. It almost doesn't feel magical because Astrid doesn't display much emotion or wonder about anything, just has an instinct for secretiveness that it's clear will end badly.
I stopped because I didn't really care for any of the characters and the book felt sort of shapeless- I couldn't get a line on a plot or any momentum. You know the deadly phrase: I don't care what happens to these people.
August 18, 2020
(originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog)
The story is told in a unique way. Astrid is talking to some kind of hostage/police interviewer while she is being detained for suspicion of commiting crimes. The interviewer, Will, tries to find infomation about an enemy, Sahara, who is currently reaking havok with a cult following. He wants info on Sahara, who is close to Astrid, but what he (and we) get is the story of Indigo Springs and what we know as the reemurgence of magic into the world. The story is thus told in the past and present and we get to piece together the situation.
The characters were good. I enjoyed Astrid. She is flawed: somewhat weak willed and easily succumbs to the pressure of others around her. I liked watching her grow and the person she becomes by the end of the book. Sahara is perfectly wicked, although she's portrayed as human enough to garner some sympathy. A breakout character, for me, would be Will, the interviewer, because even though he has a pretty specific role in the story (to interview Astrid and thus extract the story) he really develops as a character. By the end I felt like I knew as much about him as any other character.
The most awesome thing about this book is the magic. Magic is literally blue liquid and can enchant objects. This leads to all sorts of fun (such as a flying carpet) but it is also dangerous. If people come into contact with the liquid it can corrupt and infect them. I found everything about this system well thought out, utilized well and really just plain cool.
I really really, liked this book. I enjoyed reading it all the way through. Never once did my interest wane and I found myself staying up into the wee night to finish it (which is something that rarely happens for me). It has everything I love about what urban fantasy can be. There's characters and a world we can identify with, but there's also the worldbuilding as intricate as an epic fantasy. I cannot wait for the sequel, Blue Magic, to be released next year.
The story is told in a unique way. Astrid is talking to some kind of hostage/police interviewer while she is being detained for suspicion of commiting crimes. The interviewer, Will, tries to find infomation about an enemy, Sahara, who is currently reaking havok with a cult following. He wants info on Sahara, who is close to Astrid, but what he (and we) get is the story of Indigo Springs and what we know as the reemurgence of magic into the world. The story is thus told in the past and present and we get to piece together the situation.
The characters were good. I enjoyed Astrid. She is flawed: somewhat weak willed and easily succumbs to the pressure of others around her. I liked watching her grow and the person she becomes by the end of the book. Sahara is perfectly wicked, although she's portrayed as human enough to garner some sympathy. A breakout character, for me, would be Will, the interviewer, because even though he has a pretty specific role in the story (to interview Astrid and thus extract the story) he really develops as a character. By the end I felt like I knew as much about him as any other character.
The most awesome thing about this book is the magic. Magic is literally blue liquid and can enchant objects. This leads to all sorts of fun (such as a flying carpet) but it is also dangerous. If people come into contact with the liquid it can corrupt and infect them. I found everything about this system well thought out, utilized well and really just plain cool.
I really really, liked this book. I enjoyed reading it all the way through. Never once did my interest wane and I found myself staying up into the wee night to finish it (which is something that rarely happens for me). It has everything I love about what urban fantasy can be. There's characters and a world we can identify with, but there's also the worldbuilding as intricate as an epic fantasy. I cannot wait for the sequel, Blue Magic, to be released next year.
April 10, 2012
This unique contemporary fantasy is probably going to be one of my top reads for the year.[return][return]When Astrid inherited her father's run-down old house, she expects a life of small-town drudgery. With her step-brother and her old friend Sahara as housemates, she's simply eager to have everyone she loves together in the same house. Then she finds her father had a secret: the house hides a well of pure, blue magic. Her father had a knack for enchanting everyday objects with this magic, and used them to brighten the lives of strangers even as he was regarded as the town drunk and eccentric. However, Astrid's friend Sahara has no intention of doing the same old-same old. Sahara wants to find out where the magic comes from. She wants to know what it can do. And she doesn't mind using her enemies--and-friends--to get what she wants.[return][return]This book hooked me right away. It follows a narrative structure like one of my very favorite books, The Sparrow, and alternates between the past and the present. From the events in the present, it's immediately clear that everything has gone horribly wrong. It's disturbing, fascinating, and beautiful all at once. I had to read on as fast as possible because I needed to find out what happened. Really, the events of the past were even more important than what would happen in the future. And when everything converged... wow. There's not a single stock character in this book. Astrid is a complicated and conflicted heroine, and Sahara is a force of nature who reminds me of a few people I've known in my own life. Not only is this book a keeper, but I intend to buy the sequel as soon as it comes out next year.
December 10, 2009
In Indigo Springs, a small town in Oregon, a magical apocalypse is brewing, and three young people are right smack-dab in the middle of it. Astrid, the book’s protagonist, has inherited a lovely old blue house from her ne’er-do-well father. She doesn’t even have all the moving boxes unpacked when her manipulative friend Sierra, fleeing a broken relationship, shows on her doorstep, cat in hand (because hey, nothing says “hey, let’s catch up on old times!” like “hey, let me move in rent free!”) Astrid, however, seems thrilled to see Sierra (because she had a huge crush on her in high school) and is all like, “Hella to the yeah! Mi casa, su casa! Take the nicest bedroom! Can I rub your feet? How about a muffin? Can I get you a muffin?”
The house is also home to sweet and sexy Jacks, son of the local fire chief and Astrid’s step-brother. Jacks doesn’t like Sierra (which made me like him immediately) but he *does* like Astrid (who kinda likes him back, because he’s totally hot in that scruffy Oregon backpacking whitewater rafting guy who lets his chocolate lab ride in the back of his 1990 Toyota pickup with the peeling-off Phish stickers kind of way) … so you can see where the sparks are going to start to fly.
(Read the rest of the review.)
The house is also home to sweet and sexy Jacks, son of the local fire chief and Astrid’s step-brother. Jacks doesn’t like Sierra (which made me like him immediately) but he *does* like Astrid (who kinda likes him back, because he’s totally hot in that scruffy Oregon backpacking whitewater rafting guy who lets his chocolate lab ride in the back of his 1990 Toyota pickup with the peeling-off Phish stickers kind of way) … so you can see where the sparks are going to start to fly.
(Read the rest of the review.)
May 13, 2012
Indigo Springs by A. M. Dellamonica
This is a tale of a small town populated by small town people who stumble upon magic and the consequences there of.
I grew up in a small town so there was some familiarity with Indigo Springs. The characters were equally familiar. My biggest problem with the book was that none of the characters were endearing. I didn’t find one single character that I truly liked. The shallowness and banality of the characters was probably intended as I suspect they were not meant to be liked.
The plot was interesting and the premise of where has all the magic gone was well played. The lure of power and the greed illustrated was a sad commentary on human nature. The book sets up a sequel, it will be interesting to see where this unusual story goes.
This is a tale of a small town populated by small town people who stumble upon magic and the consequences there of.
I grew up in a small town so there was some familiarity with Indigo Springs. The characters were equally familiar. My biggest problem with the book was that none of the characters were endearing. I didn’t find one single character that I truly liked. The shallowness and banality of the characters was probably intended as I suspect they were not meant to be liked.
The plot was interesting and the premise of where has all the magic gone was well played. The lure of power and the greed illustrated was a sad commentary on human nature. The book sets up a sequel, it will be interesting to see where this unusual story goes.
February 6, 2014
I really struggled to get through this. Multiple times I found myself wanting to just put it down and not pick it back up again. However, I try to never quit on a book. The main female characters were soooo annoying and frustrating. Sahara's selfishness was just overwhelming and Astrid's unyielding devotion to her despite being treated like crap just kinda pissed me off. Anyhow, I liked the magic storyline and the rest of the characters.
Read
April 8, 2010I loved Indigo Springs for its compelling and messy and original magic, for that magic's apocalyptic consequences, for its characters, and for taking treating straight and gay relationships in more or less the same way, without fuss though not without awareness of the different social contexts of each.
October 29, 2017
(solid 3.5)
This is a hard book to review, mostly because I'm so conflicted. Do I like the book? I like parts of it. Very much! And then there are aspects of the book I'm just very . . . confused on, so much so that it brings my rating (and enjoyment of the novel) from 5 to 3.5.
Book content warnings:
transphobia (??)
When it comes to fantasy apocalyptic novels, Indigo Springs is the most original book I've ever read, by far. It begins with our protag, Astrid, already in police custody and being questioned by our 1st-person PoV character. Through him--and Astrid--we learn how the world fell into (magical) chaos.
Besides that, the book has bi representation! Astrid is bisexual and actually says the word. :O I know, right? Thought it's upsetting that both her women love interests turn out to be villains (:////) and only her male love interest turns out to be the 100% amazingly pure good character (make that really upsetting, because the main villain is the evil, manipulative, sex-crazy bisexual stereotype).
And then we come to why I'm very, very confused about this book: Astrid's mom and whether this book is transphobic or contains trans rep. Honestly? It's probably neither, and that's what makes me so frustrated. I wish this whole issue was left out entirely.
Astrid's mom is introduced as a very unstable character who lives within a delusion, which is the actual book the word uses. This delusion includes calling Astrid a boy, thinking of themself as the character of a book they love (a detective), and . . . thinking they're male. They also peculiarly grow bristly hair that keeps on growing despite how they pluck them every night (I'm using "they" pronouns for this character because nothing was ever, ever clear about this character or their actual preferred pronouns until the very end, and even then, I was left confused).
It became clear that this delusion was the cause of magical contamination. Contamination that is generally understood to be bad, and harmful, and could turn people insane.
After learning this . . . it's hard not to go back to Astrid's mom and think--especially after learning Astrid's mom discovered the concept of gender dysphoria and wanted to start taking testosterone--trans people = insanity according to this book ?? ESPECIALLY after Astrid siphoned the magical contamination out of her mother and all this dysphoria was gone! Her mother was even wearing a bra again, and how happy Astrid was at that!!
But then at the very end,
Anyway, besides those issues, this book is so original and well written. The climax falls a little flat and is over too soon, but I've never read something so creative. I'll probably read on.
This is a hard book to review, mostly because I'm so conflicted. Do I like the book? I like parts of it. Very much! And then there are aspects of the book I'm just very . . . confused on, so much so that it brings my rating (and enjoyment of the novel) from 5 to 3.5.
Book content warnings:
transphobia (??)
When it comes to fantasy apocalyptic novels, Indigo Springs is the most original book I've ever read, by far. It begins with our protag, Astrid, already in police custody and being questioned by our 1st-person PoV character. Through him--and Astrid--we learn how the world fell into (magical) chaos.
Besides that, the book has bi representation! Astrid is bisexual and actually says the word. :O I know, right? Thought it's upsetting that both her women love interests turn out to be villains (:////) and only her male love interest turns out to be the 100% amazingly pure good character (make that really upsetting, because the main villain is the evil, manipulative, sex-crazy bisexual stereotype).
And then we come to why I'm very, very confused about this book: Astrid's mom and whether this book is transphobic or contains trans rep. Honestly? It's probably neither, and that's what makes me so frustrated. I wish this whole issue was left out entirely.
Astrid's mom is introduced as a very unstable character who lives within a delusion, which is the actual book the word uses. This delusion includes calling Astrid a boy, thinking of themself as the character of a book they love (a detective), and . . . thinking they're male. They also peculiarly grow bristly hair that keeps on growing despite how they pluck them every night (I'm using "they" pronouns for this character because nothing was ever, ever clear about this character or their actual preferred pronouns until the very end, and even then, I was left confused).
It became clear that this delusion was the cause of magical contamination. Contamination that is generally understood to be bad, and harmful, and could turn people insane.
After learning this . . . it's hard not to go back to Astrid's mom and think--especially after learning Astrid's mom discovered the concept of gender dysphoria and wanted to start taking testosterone--trans people = insanity according to this book ?? ESPECIALLY after Astrid siphoned the magical contamination out of her mother and all this dysphoria was gone! Her mother was even wearing a bra again, and how happy Astrid was at that!!
But then at the very end,
Anyway, besides those issues, this book is so original and well written. The climax falls a little flat and is over too soon, but I've never read something so creative. I'll probably read on.
February 7, 2018
Read in one day. I love the premise: magic as a toxic spill. The double timeline works well with Astrid's mixed up sense of time and foreseeing, though I care very little about Will. A compelling story with at least two twists I didn't see coming. I shall add Blue Magic to my TBR list.
January 28, 2018
Found this one odd.
November 16, 2019
Reread attempt in 2019, and this book was way too weird for me. Too bad I didn't read the sequel when I was into it, huh? It's super strange how time changes you as a reader.
What follows is my original four star review. I've dropped my rating to reflect that I couldn't get through it now.
Originally posted here.
I came to this book with absolutely no expectations. Prior to reading it, I knew nothing about the book or its author. The only reason I ever picked it up was because I won a copy of the second book in the series from Goodreads' First Reads program. At first, I thought that was bad luck, and I was annoyed with myself for even entering to win the second book in a series I'd never read. Well, now, I just want to pat myself on the back for being so awesome.
This book was just so incredibly cool. Dellamonica has created magic as I've never seen it before. The worldbuilding is so incredibly cool. As crazy as it is, there's a sort of normalcy to it that calls to mind magical realism. The Unreal, and the liquid magic, are just so incredibly unique and astounding. Oh, and, it's apocalyptic. So many things that I love are in this book!
The story alternates between past events and present ones. In the present, where we start, Will, a crisis negotiator, arrives to interrogate Astrid Lethewood. She was arrested and then apparently moved to this special facility because of her mental instability. The first chapter captured me immediately, with Astrid's craziness and everything being said making me want to know more.
I'm not usually one to cast roles for a potential movie as I'm reading a book, but I can see Astrid as no one but Summer Glau, and I do think this could make a completely amazing television show. Although I'm not sure that Summer necessarily fits what Astrid is supposed to look like, she plays crazy and intelligent better than anyone else. Astrid comes off as a sort of a weak, quiet character, possible insanity aside. Really, though, she has so much power.
In the past, we learn about how she discovered the truth of her father, Albert. He left her a big house, although he was a wastrel during most of his lifetime. In it, she finds a bunch of what appears to be junk, but then she discovers that all of those items are chantments, enchanted magical objects. One can turn a number two pencil into gold shavings. Another can make you more beautiful.
Astrid begins to recover lost memories and learns more about the magic and her father, with her friends, Jacks and Sahara at her side. Sahara is so perfectly her character. I have such a vivid mental image of her in my head as well. These three are all so well-characterized. The other figures in the story, I have less of a handle on, even Will, though you see from his perspective for about half of the book. Everything is bound up in Astrid's universe, which mostly consists of three people.
Indigo Springs may be the best urban fantasy novel I've read to date. It's vibrant, magical and edgy. I am so excited to start on Blue Magic soon.
What follows is my original four star review. I've dropped my rating to reflect that I couldn't get through it now.
Originally posted here.
I came to this book with absolutely no expectations. Prior to reading it, I knew nothing about the book or its author. The only reason I ever picked it up was because I won a copy of the second book in the series from Goodreads' First Reads program. At first, I thought that was bad luck, and I was annoyed with myself for even entering to win the second book in a series I'd never read. Well, now, I just want to pat myself on the back for being so awesome.
This book was just so incredibly cool. Dellamonica has created magic as I've never seen it before. The worldbuilding is so incredibly cool. As crazy as it is, there's a sort of normalcy to it that calls to mind magical realism. The Unreal, and the liquid magic, are just so incredibly unique and astounding. Oh, and, it's apocalyptic. So many things that I love are in this book!
The story alternates between past events and present ones. In the present, where we start, Will, a crisis negotiator, arrives to interrogate Astrid Lethewood. She was arrested and then apparently moved to this special facility because of her mental instability. The first chapter captured me immediately, with Astrid's craziness and everything being said making me want to know more.
I'm not usually one to cast roles for a potential movie as I'm reading a book, but I can see Astrid as no one but Summer Glau, and I do think this could make a completely amazing television show. Although I'm not sure that Summer necessarily fits what Astrid is supposed to look like, she plays crazy and intelligent better than anyone else. Astrid comes off as a sort of a weak, quiet character, possible insanity aside. Really, though, she has so much power.
In the past, we learn about how she discovered the truth of her father, Albert. He left her a big house, although he was a wastrel during most of his lifetime. In it, she finds a bunch of what appears to be junk, but then she discovers that all of those items are chantments, enchanted magical objects. One can turn a number two pencil into gold shavings. Another can make you more beautiful.
Astrid begins to recover lost memories and learns more about the magic and her father, with her friends, Jacks and Sahara at her side. Sahara is so perfectly her character. I have such a vivid mental image of her in my head as well. These three are all so well-characterized. The other figures in the story, I have less of a handle on, even Will, though you see from his perspective for about half of the book. Everything is bound up in Astrid's universe, which mostly consists of three people.
Indigo Springs may be the best urban fantasy novel I've read to date. It's vibrant, magical and edgy. I am so excited to start on Blue Magic soon.
April 28, 2012
This is one amazing read !
I had trouble at first between the narrative structure, the story is happening at three different moments in times simultaneously, the different points of view, all these characters... it was confusing. Especially since Astrid didn't seem to be quite all there in the, hum, present. Sometimes names change. Sometimes Astrid is talking about the present time in the past, and sometimes she is talking about the past like it was happening right now.
But once I got into it (took maybe 40 pages), I was hooked.
It's a very interesting view on magic, on what it is, on the consequences of using (and misusing) it. I really like the world Dellamonica created. I first thought it was an urban fantasy novel, but after reading it, I can say there is nothing urban about it. I guess, if one should want to label it, it's contemporary fantasy. With the world as we know it ending.
Magic which had been contained for so long, is breaking free and reshaping the world. Will is a police negotiator and he is charged with interviewing a young woman Astrid who is at the center of that magical breakout. And as he talks with her, we learned what happened. How three twenty something living together in their small rural town were going to, unintentionally, change the world, the people, the land. While Will is interrogating Astrid, her best friend Sahara is public enemy #1 and leading a cult of magic users (more magic junkies I think). It's riveting seeing how the past and the present are coming together bit by bit. How Astrid and Sahara go from being ordinary people to these women labeled as murderers, terrorists,...
One thing I really enjoyed was that Astrid was bisexual( there is not enough lesbian or bisexual heroine in fantasy, and Astrid was not bi only as a selling point, as a token, I love that). The whole thing happens, or mostly the whole thing, because she is in love with Sahara and so scared of losing her she can't say no to her. At the same time, there is Jack, the son of her mother-in-law, who's in love with her, and who she is using like a crutch. It's easy to see Sahara as cruel and manipulative but Astrid has her own flaws. She is overtaken by everything she discovers but she is not blameless. And I liked it. She is weak, little-lost-girl weak at the beginning, and the whole book is about bringing her to the point where she can stand up, on her own.
I can't wait to read the second novel. I want to know what's in store for her. For Will. For Jacks. For Patience – who is one of my favorite characters of the book. I didn't see her coming.
I had trouble at first between the narrative structure, the story is happening at three different moments in times simultaneously, the different points of view, all these characters... it was confusing. Especially since Astrid didn't seem to be quite all there in the, hum, present. Sometimes names change. Sometimes Astrid is talking about the present time in the past, and sometimes she is talking about the past like it was happening right now.
But once I got into it (took maybe 40 pages), I was hooked.
It's a very interesting view on magic, on what it is, on the consequences of using (and misusing) it. I really like the world Dellamonica created. I first thought it was an urban fantasy novel, but after reading it, I can say there is nothing urban about it. I guess, if one should want to label it, it's contemporary fantasy. With the world as we know it ending.
Magic which had been contained for so long, is breaking free and reshaping the world. Will is a police negotiator and he is charged with interviewing a young woman Astrid who is at the center of that magical breakout. And as he talks with her, we learned what happened. How three twenty something living together in their small rural town were going to, unintentionally, change the world, the people, the land. While Will is interrogating Astrid, her best friend Sahara is public enemy #1 and leading a cult of magic users (more magic junkies I think). It's riveting seeing how the past and the present are coming together bit by bit. How Astrid and Sahara go from being ordinary people to these women labeled as murderers, terrorists,...
One thing I really enjoyed was that Astrid was bisexual( there is not enough lesbian or bisexual heroine in fantasy, and Astrid was not bi only as a selling point, as a token, I love that). The whole thing happens, or mostly the whole thing, because she is in love with Sahara and so scared of losing her she can't say no to her. At the same time, there is Jack, the son of her mother-in-law, who's in love with her, and who she is using like a crutch. It's easy to see Sahara as cruel and manipulative but Astrid has her own flaws. She is overtaken by everything she discovers but she is not blameless. And I liked it. She is weak, little-lost-girl weak at the beginning, and the whole book is about bringing her to the point where she can stand up, on her own.
I can't wait to read the second novel. I want to know what's in store for her. For Will. For Jacks. For Patience – who is one of my favorite characters of the book. I didn't see her coming.
October 28, 2010
It's the well-crafted, nuanced characters that really make Indigo Springs work. Astrid is an introverted twenty-something in a small Oregon town, desperately in love with her best friend Sahara, a flighty force of nature who has just reappeared in Astrid's life after a bad breakup on the other side of the country. Jackson is an Earthy, grounded hippie who has nursed a crush on Astrid for years, but knows that her affections lay elsewhere. When the three of them discover magically enchanted objects left behind by Astrid's father, the mystery of those objects' origins begins to unravel, ALONG WITH THE VERY FABRIC OF THE UNIVERSE.
Indigo Springs had been called Eco Fantasy, but I'm a little hesitant to label it that way, because the term conjures images of some kind of Fern Gully fairy tale, where magic saves the world from global warming or some such. In this book, magic IS the blight, set loose upon the world after careful stewardship gives way to greed, love and other human frailties. It's a unique take on mixing the fantastic with the mundane world, and gives Indigo Springs an incredible sense of urgency.
Early on, the book actually started to remind me of Katherine Dunn's brilliant Geek Love. The lovestruck narrator, the private world set apart from the rest of society, the growing sense of inevitable tragedy (no spoiler here -- Indigo Springs opens with Astrid in a government cell, being interviewed by those trying to prevent a magic epidemic from spreading). But while Dunn's book traded in circus freaks and shock value, Indigo Springs has a much gentler core. The magic feels so real because the people do.
Indigo Springs is self-contained, and comes to a satisfying conclusion, but leaves SO MUCH left to be explored. The good news is, a sequel is on the way. Sign me up for Blue Magic as soon as it hits the stands!
Indigo Springs had been called Eco Fantasy, but I'm a little hesitant to label it that way, because the term conjures images of some kind of Fern Gully fairy tale, where magic saves the world from global warming or some such. In this book, magic IS the blight, set loose upon the world after careful stewardship gives way to greed, love and other human frailties. It's a unique take on mixing the fantastic with the mundane world, and gives Indigo Springs an incredible sense of urgency.
Early on, the book actually started to remind me of Katherine Dunn's brilliant Geek Love. The lovestruck narrator, the private world set apart from the rest of society, the growing sense of inevitable tragedy (no spoiler here -- Indigo Springs opens with Astrid in a government cell, being interviewed by those trying to prevent a magic epidemic from spreading). But while Dunn's book traded in circus freaks and shock value, Indigo Springs has a much gentler core. The magic feels so real because the people do.
Indigo Springs is self-contained, and comes to a satisfying conclusion, but leaves SO MUCH left to be explored. The good news is, a sequel is on the way. Sign me up for Blue Magic as soon as it hits the stands!
July 4, 2012
The first few chapters of Indigo Springs by A. M. Dellamonica was a little confusing but by the third chapter I was totally hooked. After Astrid's father dies, he leaves her a house that is full of enchanted objects. Astrid begins to uncover the mysteries behind her father as well as unlock memories that have been buried for years. With the help of her brother by marriage, Jacks, and her friend, Sahara, the three embark to uncover the mystery behind the dangerous,blue, magical substance called vitagua.
The story is told from two points-of-view from two different people. The first is told from an investigator named Will. The magic that Astrid unlocks wreaks havoc on their community. It's like a whole epidemic has taken over the town and beyond. Astrid is held in a bunker below ground. Will has come to interview her to find out any information on the fugitive, Sahara. The second point-of-view is told from Astrid. She reflects and tells Will the events that has led up to the present day circumstances.
Indigo Springs is a well-written novel, full of imagination and complex characters. It is a thoroughly fascinating look into the temptation of power and the consequences of using it for one's own advantage. I was completely caught up in the world that Dellamonica created. This is a book that I would definitely recommend. You won't want to put it down until you reach the end.
The story is told from two points-of-view from two different people. The first is told from an investigator named Will. The magic that Astrid unlocks wreaks havoc on their community. It's like a whole epidemic has taken over the town and beyond. Astrid is held in a bunker below ground. Will has come to interview her to find out any information on the fugitive, Sahara. The second point-of-view is told from Astrid. She reflects and tells Will the events that has led up to the present day circumstances.
Indigo Springs is a well-written novel, full of imagination and complex characters. It is a thoroughly fascinating look into the temptation of power and the consequences of using it for one's own advantage. I was completely caught up in the world that Dellamonica created. This is a book that I would definitely recommend. You won't want to put it down until you reach the end.
August 3, 2010
Indigo Springs tells the story of Astrid, a seemingly ordinary woman, who, after the death of her father, buys and moves into his old house with her step brother and best friend. Her first few days there, she discovers items that possess incredible abilities: a kaleidescope that can see through walls, a knife that can turn anything to dust, lipstick that makes any who wear it instantly more beautiful. It isn't long however that Astrid, Jacks and Sahara discover that these relics come at a terrible price, and that Astrid's father was not the man he seemed to be.
Beautifully written, this apocalyptic fantasy takes a hard look at the cost of power and the toll it takes on already strained relationships. The characters are deep, complicated and, first and foremost, human; each one with their own set of quirks and neuroses. Character development is elegantly done, in spite of the length of the book: the story is told partially in retrospect, keeping the reader guessing as to fate and even identity of certain characters.
Indigo Springs is a definite must read for any fantasy enthusiast, and I highly recommend it for beginners of the genre as well.
Beautifully written, this apocalyptic fantasy takes a hard look at the cost of power and the toll it takes on already strained relationships. The characters are deep, complicated and, first and foremost, human; each one with their own set of quirks and neuroses. Character development is elegantly done, in spite of the length of the book: the story is told partially in retrospect, keeping the reader guessing as to fate and even identity of certain characters.
Indigo Springs is a definite must read for any fantasy enthusiast, and I highly recommend it for beginners of the genre as well.
January 20, 2016
I liked a lot about this book, like the chantments and the whole backstory for magic. I like how Albert's chantments were symbolic and one of the ways the narrative shows how far Astrid has progressed beyond her father's skills is when her chantments become completely divorced from the meaning of the object their linked to .
But I hate the Sahara character type (selfish and manipulative, but somehow the main character loves them and it takes the whole book to get untangled from their web) and reading about them makes me almost anxious. I put the book down for almost a month to read other things after Sahara showed up. I'm glad I finally pushed through, but she was hard to get past for me. Also, something bad happens to the cat.
It reminds me vaguely of The Souther Reach trilogy, with the magic contaminating the forest and people, except it ends on a more positive note.
But I hate the Sahara character type (selfish and manipulative, but somehow the main character loves them and it takes the whole book to get untangled from their web) and reading about them makes me almost anxious. I put the book down for almost a month to read other things after Sahara showed up. I'm glad I finally pushed through, but she was hard to get past for me. Also, something bad happens to the cat.
It reminds me vaguely of The Souther Reach trilogy, with the magic contaminating the forest and people, except it ends on a more positive note.
April 7, 2014
I wanted to love this book. I really did. And maybe I was just not in the right state of mind for reading this book when I did. The concept was so great and unique, and there were LGBT characters in the book which is always a plus for me. But reading this book was a tug of war. I'd be totally bored reading it then it would pull me back in with some hook, then it would bore me again. I think one of my issues were with the characters, I just couldn't relate to most of them. Like Sahara, who was the center of Astrid's little unrequited love battle but she was unlikeable to me from the first page. And the others too were so forgettable, I had a hard time connecting with them. Astrid is the only exception, and then only barely. But the ending did leave me curious about the sequel, and the book had a pretty good conclusion. But I may not take the time to bother with it. This book was an A+ idea, but a C- experience for me.
January 26, 2010
Advertised as an apocalyptic fantasy, "Indigo Springs" is an interesting first novel from A.M. Dellamonica.
Through flashbacks, we learn the story Astrid and her friend, Sierra. Astrid has inherited a house from her grandfather that sits on top of a magical spring that can embue every day objects with magical powers. Sierra sees the potential and we see how her rise to being a fringe leader rises and falls, leading to unintended consequences and the potential downfall of civilization as we know it.
The story has a nice hook, but there were moments I found myself drifting in and out of interest. It's a nice start with some good ideas, but it's not quite as great as it could have been.
Through flashbacks, we learn the story Astrid and her friend, Sierra. Astrid has inherited a house from her grandfather that sits on top of a magical spring that can embue every day objects with magical powers. Sierra sees the potential and we see how her rise to being a fringe leader rises and falls, leading to unintended consequences and the potential downfall of civilization as we know it.
The story has a nice hook, but there were moments I found myself drifting in and out of interest. It's a nice start with some good ideas, but it's not quite as great as it could have been.
March 23, 2014
As I was finishing this book, I ran to this quote by Joseph Heller: "I don’t think the ‘what’ distinguishes a good novel from a bad one but rather the ‘how.’"
I wouldn't say this book was bad. The plot was okay, but the storytelling and style of writing really didn't work for me. I can't even quote a line to ponder upon from the book. I'm actually having a hard time finding something nice to say about this book, so I'm just gonna conclude my review here. It probably just didn't match up with my personal preferences.
I wouldn't say this book was bad. The plot was okay, but the storytelling and style of writing really didn't work for me. I can't even quote a line to ponder upon from the book. I'm actually having a hard time finding something nice to say about this book, so I'm just gonna conclude my review here. It probably just didn't match up with my personal preferences.
January 20, 2012
I think the premise for this book is really interesting, but...more than a third of the way through it, and I still find that I am just FORCING myself to keep reading. I tend to like character-driven books much more than I do plot-driven books, and this one definitely feels more plot-driven to me; I just can't connect with any of the characters at ALL. I think the writing is good, and I want to like it, but...I think I'm done.
March 11, 2010
Indigo Springs begins in medias res. A man named Will is in an underground military holding facility to speak to Patience and Astrid, who has some sort of strange ability. Bad things have happened.
dnf
July 11, 2015I was all what? Oh I do not care. This book is weird. DNF
April 16, 2020
Indigo Springs takes the concept of magical realism to the next step, not just making the magic realistic in its function but to a degree, actually somewhat scientific, too. Add to that a cast of characters that is wonderfully diverse and surprisingly not heteronormative, and you’ve got the makings of a novel that can take the genre world by storm.
It certainly blew me away!
The story itself is told in two interlinking parts. The first is told from the perspective of Will, assigned by the military to get information out of Astrid Lethewood. The second is told from the perspectiveof Astrid herself, as though she’s revealing the story piece by piece to Will as he asks for detail and explanation. As both parts are told, the reader begins to get a more complete picture of the situation at hand. Astrid was the guardian of magic and the maker of magical objects, though somewhat new and unsure about the whole thing, and through happenstance her two friends become exposed to the liquid magic known as vitagua and its effects on the world. What sounds innocent enough turns dark and menacing quickly as it becomes clear that Astrid’s long-time friend and crush, Sahara, went mad with power over the magic and eventually formed a cult around herself, one which is wreaking havoc across America. Magic’s secrets have been exposed, the country is in chaos over it, and that brings us back around to why Will is questioning Astrid in the first place. It’s a complex story that’s surprisingly hard to sum up in a short description, and I know I’m not doing it justice by trying. It really is best experienced firsthand, so that the reader can pick up on all the little subtleties and nuances and details that unfortunately have to be left out here.
For me, while the book was a thrilling and fascinating read, it was also somewhat of an uncomfortable one. I could see some of myself in Astrid, but more importantly, I could see an old friend of mine in Sahara. From How Astrid felt about Sahara to how Sahara grasped desperately at power — especially power over other people — and wouldn’t let go, it was like a fictional and ramped-up retelling of parts of my life. This certainly made for a relatable read, if an uncomfortable one at times.
Dellamonica’s writing style was a real treat to experience. The pacing was fast and smooth, and you never had a chance to get bored even when there was a lack of action on the pages. especially interesting was seeing Astrid when she was holding too much of the vitagua in her body, and watching her get confused about where on the timeline she was standing. Not sure why that in particular fascinated me, but it did. Dellamonica also has a clear talent for not only writing interesting and diverse people, but also writing them realistically. It’s hard for me to think of another book I’ve read lately where a character’s ethnicity or their sexuality featured but wasn’t a driving force behind the character and their development. Dellamonica wrote these people as people, with their flaws and foibles and concerns, and didn’t try to make them into less or more than they were.
As far as books about magical realism go, this has to rank pretty high on the list, if it’s not holding the top spot entirely. There wasn’t much I could find to dislike about Indigo Springs, and it was one of those books that I fell into and didn’t want it to let me go. From start to finish it was a wonderful book, and my only regret is that I took so long to get around to reading it. I highly recommend taking a chance on Indigo Springs. Even if magical realism isn’t normally your thing, the characters and the situations they find themselves in will captivate you enough to likely change your mind. Definitely worth it!
It certainly blew me away!
The story itself is told in two interlinking parts. The first is told from the perspective of Will, assigned by the military to get information out of Astrid Lethewood. The second is told from the perspectiveof Astrid herself, as though she’s revealing the story piece by piece to Will as he asks for detail and explanation. As both parts are told, the reader begins to get a more complete picture of the situation at hand. Astrid was the guardian of magic and the maker of magical objects, though somewhat new and unsure about the whole thing, and through happenstance her two friends become exposed to the liquid magic known as vitagua and its effects on the world. What sounds innocent enough turns dark and menacing quickly as it becomes clear that Astrid’s long-time friend and crush, Sahara, went mad with power over the magic and eventually formed a cult around herself, one which is wreaking havoc across America. Magic’s secrets have been exposed, the country is in chaos over it, and that brings us back around to why Will is questioning Astrid in the first place. It’s a complex story that’s surprisingly hard to sum up in a short description, and I know I’m not doing it justice by trying. It really is best experienced firsthand, so that the reader can pick up on all the little subtleties and nuances and details that unfortunately have to be left out here.
For me, while the book was a thrilling and fascinating read, it was also somewhat of an uncomfortable one. I could see some of myself in Astrid, but more importantly, I could see an old friend of mine in Sahara. From How Astrid felt about Sahara to how Sahara grasped desperately at power — especially power over other people — and wouldn’t let go, it was like a fictional and ramped-up retelling of parts of my life. This certainly made for a relatable read, if an uncomfortable one at times.
Dellamonica’s writing style was a real treat to experience. The pacing was fast and smooth, and you never had a chance to get bored even when there was a lack of action on the pages. especially interesting was seeing Astrid when she was holding too much of the vitagua in her body, and watching her get confused about where on the timeline she was standing. Not sure why that in particular fascinated me, but it did. Dellamonica also has a clear talent for not only writing interesting and diverse people, but also writing them realistically. It’s hard for me to think of another book I’ve read lately where a character’s ethnicity or their sexuality featured but wasn’t a driving force behind the character and their development. Dellamonica wrote these people as people, with their flaws and foibles and concerns, and didn’t try to make them into less or more than they were.
As far as books about magical realism go, this has to rank pretty high on the list, if it’s not holding the top spot entirely. There wasn’t much I could find to dislike about Indigo Springs, and it was one of those books that I fell into and didn’t want it to let me go. From start to finish it was a wonderful book, and my only regret is that I took so long to get around to reading it. I highly recommend taking a chance on Indigo Springs. Even if magical realism isn’t normally your thing, the characters and the situations they find themselves in will captivate you enough to likely change your mind. Definitely worth it!
December 23, 2018
This was a book that felt like it had the potential and set up to be interesting, but fell woefully flat.
Astrid moves back home after her father wills the house to her. Living in it is Jacks, her stepbrother. Sahara, Astrid's childhood friend, also moves back after discovering that Sahara's boyfriend Mark has cheated on her.
We learn Astrid's story through her narration to Will. Will has been sent to Astrid because Sahara has gone mad with magic, and is threatening worldwide devastation, while Astrid stays locked up in a prison cell with Patience, a ghost. Astrid relates how she discovered the blue magic (vitagua) and experimented with the power and the world behind it.
It's a slow-moving book despite the constant hints of the world gone mad outside Astrid's prison cell. In the past, the focus is on the relationships - Jacks constantly avoiding his father, Astrid keeping Sahara and Jacks together, Sahara going power-mad and Astrid pretending not to see it. I found myself utterly bored by what was happening - okay, there is the usual group of Cool.
But I couldn't find myself caring. Perhaps because Astrid strikes me as so reactive rather than proactive (to be fair, at the end, we see her changing). Perhaps we can see this as a story about Astrid and Sahara and their doomed love story. I just wished I cared more.
Astrid moves back home after her father wills the house to her. Living in it is Jacks, her stepbrother. Sahara, Astrid's childhood friend, also moves back after discovering that Sahara's boyfriend Mark has cheated on her.
We learn Astrid's story through her narration to Will. Will has been sent to Astrid because Sahara has gone mad with magic, and is threatening worldwide devastation, while Astrid stays locked up in a prison cell with Patience, a ghost. Astrid relates how she discovered the blue magic (vitagua) and experimented with the power and the world behind it.
It's a slow-moving book despite the constant hints of the world gone mad outside Astrid's prison cell. In the past, the focus is on the relationships - Jacks constantly avoiding his father, Astrid keeping Sahara and Jacks together, Sahara going power-mad and Astrid pretending not to see it. I found myself utterly bored by what was happening - okay, there is the usual group of Cool.
But I couldn't find myself caring. Perhaps because Astrid strikes me as so reactive rather than proactive (to be fair, at the end, we see her changing). Perhaps we can see this as a story about Astrid and Sahara and their doomed love story. I just wished I cared more.
May 18, 2020
I really wish I could give this book a 3.5. I don't have time right now for an in-depth review, but while I truly enjoyed many aspects of the main character's grey morality and the magic system and the world system... incredibly uncomfortable with some seemingly transphobic ideology surrounding one character. As a trans dude, twas incredibly uncomfortable to read. But I will give the sequel a shot, especially given how the book ends. I hope the author got feedback on this issue and it's handled better in the next book.
August 22, 2018
What the whatitty-what??? I can say this is a sci-fi/fantasy book, but I can't go much beyond that. From beginning to end I was confused. There's too much going forward and backward in time, which becomes very confusing when the main character isn't always sure what time she is in. But mostly, I just didn't get a feel for the world the author was trying for. I really don't understand how "vitagua" works. This was just a very muddled book for me.
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