2014 Hub Reading Challenge discussion
Printz Award
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Midwinterblood
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Tahleen
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Feb 04, 2014 09:49AM
I just read this yesterday. I thought it was incredibly complex and well told, but I kind of felt unsatisfied at the end despite being deserving of its medal. Has anyone else read it yet?
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I agree. I really liked the story and loved the narration, but I wished I had had more information at the end, or that I had the time to re-read the sections in chronological order. It took me a long time to get into this story, too, even though I liked the creepy feel of it.
I really enjoyed it, but was a bit confused that it's considered YA, given that most of the characters are adult. The students who read it in my school (6-8 grade) loved it though.
I read this pre-challenge, but am DEFINITELY going to reread it for the challenge because of its wild complexity and amazingness.
Kefira wrote: "I really enjoyed it, but was a bit confused that it's considered YA, given that most of the characters are adult. The students who read it in my school (6-8 grade) loved it though."Kefira, that's good to know your students like it--I work mostly with middle schoolers too. I completely agree with you about the YA designation though; not sure why it was published as such, but I guess it worked out in the end?
So, I read this book and the only way I can describe it is the following...if you love the movie "Memento", the tv series "Lost" and you like witches, ghosts, folklore, Viking mythology, and historical fiction, you will LOVE this book. It's probably one of the weirdest books I've read in a VERY long time and I loved it!
I just finished it today and while I really liked it, and thought it was beautifully written, I agree with Kefira and Tahleen, it really didn't read YA to me. Is there an opposite of the Alex Awards? I want to read it again so I can pick up on all the references and hints I know are there. Can't decide if I should do it "backwards" or not.
Just finished it. I really liked it, but I too wish there was more. This is definitely a book I will need to reread to fully understand everything that happened. I also agree with the comments that this seemed like more of an adult book than YA. I can see why a YA audience would be attracted to a story like this, but I still think it should be more geared towards adults.
Devera wrote: "So, I read this book and the only way I can describe it is the following...if you love the movie "Memento", the tv series "Lost" and you like witches, ghosts, folklore, Viking mythology, and histor..."Devera, your comment has me hooked to want to read it now! You hit on a movie and tv series that stuck with me for a long time and I still think about the twists and turns .. now, very excited to pick up this read and see if it works for me! Thanks!
This wasn't my favorite book, but I respect that the author did something different from the norm. I read to the end, and was glad I did, because it became clear what the plot was after the fact. The book was creepy and weird like people say, and had parts that were beautiful. I liked the mystery, but wasn't satisfied at the end. It's not my favorite style of writing, and reminded me of Green Angel by Alice Hoffman.
I really liked this book, probably one of the most interesting and well written "teen" books I've read in a while. I do agree that it doesn't seem geared towards teens, but I can see a lot of them enjoying it. also has appeal for both male and female readers
Wow, the complex layers of story and symbolism in this book left me breathless. I'm going to need some time to process it before I can pick up another book. I understand why some people are wondering why it is marketed as a YA book. I'm not sure myself. But it doesn't stand out as not YA for me either. I can actually think of several teens to whom I'll suggest this book.
Hmmmmm.... I just finished the book and while it was a quick, easy read that kept me hooked enough to want to know what happened next, I definitely didn't love it. While I, as others have mentioned, can appreciate the creativity in the writing format, the one word that comes to mind is weird. I just thought it was weird. How is that for an intellectual response? :)
I am embarrassed to say that I hadn't even heard of this book before the Printz award. I didn't like Revolver at all, but the description of Midwinterblood sounded intriguing and I definitely wanted to read it. I was not disappointed! I loved it and couldn't stop thinking about it for days!! I think it's better to read it all at one go because I kept flipping back to previous sections to find that hint or that character that was mentioned. I also really liked the titles of the sections. I was a little unsatisfied and saddened at the ending, but I don't think you are supposed to know everything. I was deeply moved by the story and would love to read an in-depth interview with Marcus Sedgwick to see if he gave away any clues (he seems like he would be a cool person to know). I scoured the Internet when I finished the book to try to find answers without much success. The strangeness and uniqueness of the story intrigued me. This was definitely my favorite book that I read for the challenge, but I don't know how many other people (especially students) would feel the same way. I will definitely try to get students to read this book.
One of the Hub Monday Polls asked about where you would want to take a vacation and Blessed Island was a choice. I picked it, but was worried that I would be sacrificed if I stayed there too long. If you weren't sacrificed, I think it would be a cool place for a long (forever) vacation. :)
I just finished this book as my last book for the challenge and I have to agree that it was well written, but I wanted more at the end. It is a complex story that took me a little into the 2nd story to realize that they were going backwards with the stories intertwining the characters, but I enjoyed trying to relate to the previous story. This is on a state reading list for my students next year. I don't think I'll have any trouble selling it.
