Release date: 20th October 200
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Goodreads synopsis:
Nobody Owens, know to his friends as Bod, is a perfectly normal boy. Well, he would be perfectly normal if he didn't live in a graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor the world of the dead.
There are danger and adventures for Bod in the graveyard: The strange and terrible menace of The Sleer; a gravestone entrance to a desert that leads to the city of ghouls; friendship with a witch, and so much more.
But it is in the land of the living that real danger lurks, for it is there that the man Jack lives and he has already killed Bod's family.
A fascinating story of love and friendship realized in the most unlikely of place.
My thoughts:
I never expected to love The Graveyard Book as much as I
did. I bought it when it was the Kindle Daily Deal and then read it, probably
about a year later, completely on a whim. I love how whimsical and unusual it
is; how Bod growing up in a graveyard has made him both so unlike yet so like
other kids his age. The whole cast of ghostly (and otherwise) characters were
really brought to life (ha) by Gaiman’s writing: the characterisation was
perfect and different enough that it was easy to distinguish. I loved the
little asides of what was written on each of their gravestones. The plot was clever; revealing enough of
itself to allow you an idea what was going on and keeping enough back to retain
your interest. Gaiman’s writing is completely different to anything I’ve
experienced before and while it took a little getting used to I found myself
really enjoying his unique way with words. I got a little choked up when
reading the ending which, embarrassingly, was while I was on the tube.
---
The House of Hades (Heroes of Olympus #5) by Rick Riordan
Release date: 8th October 2013
Publisher: Puffin
Goodreads synopsis:
The stakes have never been higher. If Percy Jackson and Annabeth fail in their quest, there'll be hell on Earth. Literally.
Wandering the deadly realm of Tartarus, every step leads them further into danger. And, if by some miracle they do make it to the Doors of Death, there's a legion of bloodthirsty monsters waiting for them.
Meanwhile, Hazel and the crew of the Argo II have a choice: to stop a war or save their friends. Whichever road they take one thing is certain - in the Underworld, evil is inescapable.
Wandering the deadly realm of Tartarus, every step leads them further into danger. And, if by some miracle they do make it to the Doors of Death, there's a legion of bloodthirsty monsters waiting for them.
Meanwhile, Hazel and the crew of the Argo II have a choice: to stop a war or save their friends. Whichever road they take one thing is certain - in the Underworld, evil is inescapable.
My thoughts:
It took me a little while to get into House of Hades; partly
because there were a lot of initial Leo chapters and he is my least favourite
character and partly because I was reading it in dribs and drabs which is not
how this book deserves to be read. Once I finally got into it, I loved it. I
enjoyed the contrast between those still on the ship and Percy and Annabeth in
Tartarus. It was so interesting to see more of Tartarus and how it and those in
it operate. I loved seeing Bob. Whilst not my favourite book of the Heroes of
Olympus series, House of Hades builds on already strong characters with an
equally strong plotline that was extremely well paced. One of my favourite
things about Rick Riordan’s writing is how inclusive it is: he is always keen
to show that everyone, no matter what they think of themselves, has something
to offer and is a valuable person to those around them. Anyone can be a hero. As
far as messages in stories go, it’s a pretty good one. The main thing that came
out of this book for me was my love, my
empathy, and my desire to see a happy ending, for Nico.
---
Skulduggery Pleasant (Skulduggery Pleasant #1) by Derek Landy
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
Release date: 30th September 2007
Goodreads synopsis:
These two alone must defeat an all-consuming ancient evil.
The end of the world?
Over his dead body.
My thoughts:
Skulduggery Pleasant is a book I have been aware of for a
long time, but never had the particular desire to pick up and read. Since becoming a blogger and hearing more about it, I've wanted to read it more and just never gotten around to it until now. I was pleasantly
surprised by Skulduggery Pleasant. Skulduggery and Valkyrie are both strong characters full of
personality. I especially liked Valkyrie, who took everything that happened
around her in her stride and is resilient, independent and yet very, very
human. A fantastic role model. The dialogue is that snappy, humorous time that,
while slightly unrealistic, is always enjoyable to read and I loved the clever and unusual names everyone gave themselves. There wasn't an overabundance of world-building or focus on details and the plot was engaging
and well-paced, with a surprising amount of violence for a middle
grade book. I enjoyed Skulduggery Pleasant enough to want to read the second one.
Ooh, I really want to read The Graveyard Book! It looks so cool :D
ReplyDeleteYaay! More middle grade, please!
ReplyDeleteSooo happy that you love The Graveyard Book! It's one of my favourites.
ReplyDelete