Book Review: Serafina and the Black Cloak

Serafina is a young woman who is living secretly with her father in the basement of the grand Biltmore Estate. She must always stay hidden and she spends her time sleeping by day and creeping by night. There is something unusual about Serafina, which turns out to be her saving grace when fighting against the Man in the Black Cloak, a mysterious creature who roams the corridors of Biltmore in the dark, kidnapping a child each night. No one knows what happens to these children, and Serafina takes it upon herself to save the children. Her secret is revealed, paving the way for a sequel!

The plot of this story intrigued me from the start. Adult readers and keen younger readers will likely figure out Serafina's secret early on, but that doesn't detract from the excitement of the story. This book makes me want to learn more about the history of Biltmore Estate and I'm sure I'll eagerly read the sequel(s?). 

The one thing that truly bothered me about this book is the inconsistency with vocabulary and style in regard to the time period and region in the characters' dialogue. The elegant Mrs. Vanderbilt states in a very contemporary fashion: "That's not the norm." Serafina started the book using a country vernacular, coming across as an uneducated street urchin "Gotcha, ya nasty varmints!" to speaking more elegantly in the middle of the book, and back again. Consistency  in the flow and style of the characters' speech would have improved the reading immensely for me.

All of that aside, I did enjoy this book and would recommend it for the 12-15 year old set. There are some frightening moments and descriptions of violence that may be disturbing to younger readers. I would advise parents to use caution when introducing this book to their younger children.

Book Review: The Alchemist

This literary gem has left me with...mixed feelings. Upon finishing this work, I felt elated and as though nothing could stop me from accomplishing my dreams! (This is a fantastic goal of literature, by the way.) But, it only lasted a few minutes. Then I got to thinking about what *really* happened in the story.

This is an old tale, which has been told many times over the years, all over the world. Young person has a dream. Young person gives up everything to pursue the dream. Young person is met with challenges. Young person regroups for awhile and decides what was left behind was worth it after all. Young person has an impulsive moment and chases after the dream again.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

This is an encouraging tale that can help one to understand that their treasure may not be in faraway places after all. It's an encouraging tale to keep one's dreams alive and to be aware that the dream may come true in an unexpected manner.

One thing that definitely rubbed me the wrong way in this book is the author's characterization of Fatima. In a story that is supposed to be filled with deep, spiritual meaning, the main character sees a beautiful woman and falls in love with her instantly. She falls in love with him too and basically tells him -- go ahead, follow your dream, and I'll be here pining away for  you-- because that's what desert women do.

Gag me with a spoon. I'll not say more on that topic.

What I like about this book is how it explores the idea of interconnectedness. Of "the universe conspiring to give you what you want." Perhaps because I'm currently in a place of stepping out into new territory, following my own dream, this book came along at an excellent time as if "the universe" was gently whispering to me to go ahead and follow MY dream. An omen of sorts, as is shown throughout the book.

To sum up, I liked this little book. As a fable, as a parable, it neatly accomplishes its purpose. It may be a little too simple to explain the way life actually is-- but isn't that the point of a parable? A simple story to explain a greater truth. A story to give you something to think about.

HOT OFF THE PRESS!! Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet

With her latest release, Charlie N. Holmberg is quickly making herself one of my very favorite people in the world and I wish we could be friends and drink coffee together and laugh over things that don't make sense to anyone else. (If you're reading this, Charlie, please don't think I am a crazy stalker. I'm actually a very nice person.)

In "Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet" an exceptionally gifted baker named Maire is faced with some unusual and extraordinarily challenging circumstances. She has the ability to infuse her baked goods with emotions and qualities. Lavendar infuses hope into her pastries. Berries provide wisdom and cocoa is used in concoctions for love. It's not simply the ingredients that provide the magic, but the thoughts that Maire entertains as she is preparing each batch of batter or dough. Maire is living a quiet, happy life with a kind couple who have taken her in. She cannot remember anything of her childhood but seems to have made herself a comfortable life. Until one terrible day, marauders come to her village, destroying much and capturing people to be sold as slaves. Maire finds herself in a cart, in chains, and sold to a most unusual individual who knows about her abilities and has her baking for his "customers." During the course of her enslavement, things begin to change and Maire finds out some mysterious truths with the help of her friend Fyel who is able to help trigger her memory, piece by piece.

Holmberg's writing is simply delicious. She brings her characters and settings to life in a remarkable way. She weaves the theme of baking in the way she describes her character's emotions. "...swirls in my stomach, like I've swallowed a dance." She provides just enough description of the physical appearance of the world in order to allow the readers' imagination to take off with the rest. I often find that other authors make their words the goal of their story, but Holmberg crafts her words in such a way that the words themselves get out of the way of the storytelling. It makes me wonder of Holmberg has infused her words with some sort of magic, the way Maire infuses her delicacies.

This review has also been posted on my Goodreads profile.

Book Review: The Night Circus

A brief synopsis:

Every night, a mysterious circus appears as if by magic. No one can predict how long it will be around, and no one can predict where it shall next appear.  Two magicians, pitted against each other in a contest they know little about, each coming up with more fantastical experiences than the other. How do they win the contest? They do not know. As they get to know one another, they begin to question their motivation for winning at all.

"You may tell a tale that takes up residence in someone's soul, becomes their blood and self and purpose. That tale will move them and drive them and who knows what they might do because of it, because of your words. That is your role, your gift." -the man in the gray suit

The words of one of the novel's own characters sums up the experience of this novel so perfectly, I feel anything I might add would serve to be self-indulgently repetitive and so much dimmer and paler. 

As unexpected and unpredictable as the nightly appearance of the mysterious circus itself, this story is a thoroughly satisfying feast at the table of literary pleasures. If you are a reader who enjoys tales about magic, tales about characters that you grow to love dearly, and tales that draw you in so deeply that you feel the setting of the story has materialized around you, then this is the book for you! I am saddened to have to return this treasure back to my local library. This is one to add to my personal collection!

This review is also posted on my Goodreads profile.

Book Review: The Dovekeepers

What a gloriously soul-wrenching masterpiece! I stumbled upon this book while playing my favorite game at the library, in which I randomly choose an aisle and go treasure-hunting. I had not heard of this book or this author, and I won't lie; I was first drawn to this book due to the photograph on the cover of the young woman with eyes that looked into my very soul.  In this haunting tale centered around four women dwelling in the Jewish stronghold of Masada during the Roman siege, Hoffman draws the reader in word by word in such a fashion as to render everything else in life meaningless. I found, by necessity, that I simply had to put the book down every couple of chapters to come up for air and contemplate life. Ordinarily I prefer a book that I can dive into for hours on end, but this required so much of my emotional energy that it was impossible to dive in for too long. This was a tale to be savored bit by bit. Upon completion of the book, I sat on my couch in silence for a good ten minutes before getting up and resuming my life. This book is dark. This book is light. This book is heartbreaking and it is triumphant. A testament to the human spirit in the face of unimaginable conditions (although Hoffman has imagined them fully and beautifully.) The book does contain some adult themes, so I would not recommend it for teens, except under their parent's approval.