Hey all, Dani here.
So far so good on getting these posts up on a regular basis. Yay. Also, is this where I point out that I think it’s cool that WordPress is now congratulating me on any blogging streak? Like every day that a post goes live it sends me a notification like “You’re on a 3 day streak” or “You’re on a 6 day streak” and then encourages me to keep writing and keep posting. Somehow that little achievement notification makes me happy…so that’s cool.
Anyway, I can’t believe that I’m like a week and a half into posting again. It honestly feels really good to be back on the blog, and I’m really hoping that this continues. I obviously don’t think that the posting every single day thing will continue, but for the moment it’s working for me. Once I get a bit more caught up on things I might try to figure out a consistent but relaxed schedule. Right now I just have so many books, both from NetGalley and just casual fun reading books, that I need and want to get reviewed on here, and that means posting every day for a bit.
I’m also hoping that I can keep up on blogging at least a few days ahead of time. It’s nice not to stress out in the evenings about getting the next day’s post ready. Plus Damian and I are on vacation next week, so if I can get my posts up ahead of time I can actually just relax and enjoy the relaxing cabin getaway.
All right, let’s jump into today’s review.
Best-selling author David Elliott examines the timeless themes of balance, transformation, and restoration in this evocative tale about a girl who will stop at nothing to reverse a curse that turned her seven brothers into ravens.
And these are the sons
Of good Jack and good Jane
The eldest is Jack
And the next one is Jack
And the third one’s called Jack
And the fourth’s known as Jack
And the fifth says he’s Jack
And they call the sixth Jack
But the seventh’s not Jack
The seventh is Robyn
And this is his story
When Robyn and his brothers are turned into ravens through the work of an unlucky curse, a sister is their only hope to become human again. Though she’s never met her brothers, April will stop at nothing to restore their humanity. But what about Robyn, who always felt a greater affinity to the air than to the earth-bound lives of his family?
David Elliott’s latest novel in verse explores the unintended consequences of our actions, no matter our intentions, and is filled with powerful messages teased from a Grimms’ fairy tale. Stunning black-and-white illustrations throughout by Rovina Cai.
My Thoughts:
Rating: 4 stars
This is a story in verse. I feel like that needs to be stated up front. And this is also not a lengthy story, just under 200 pages. So because it is short and because it is in verse, it does not take all that long to read it, at least not when interested in the story.
There were times when this story just couldn’t hold my attention. Some of the chapters read almost lyrically and I found myself drawn into the words and the tale, but other chapters felt more like I was going through the motions.
I don’t know, this one definitely had its ups and downs, but I enjoyed more than I didn’t. I also liked the intentions behind thoughts and actions and then the consequences of those actions and how it rippled out to the other characters.
Because with the chapters we don’t simply follow April and Robyn, but also a bit with their parents and their other brothers, and seeing those other perspectives, and getting a sense for the feelings of others helped to grow and develop our understanding of the whole story.
And the illustrations are lovely. If I had only read the e-galley I received from NetGalley, instead of a little bit from the proof and a little from the finished copy, I might not have realized that. So many of these digital proofs are missing the illustrations or maps or other visual references in books, and in some ways that makes you miss out on some of the important information.
Anyway, overall I enjoyed this book, but I definitely wouldn’t call it my favorite novel in verse.
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All right, well I do believe that is all from me for today. Thanks for stopping by and I’ll be back soon with more geeky content.
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