nglofile's review against another edition
2.0
An odd little book, and I can't quite determine if I liked it or not. It begins well, and I initially liked the writing, but the longer the book goes on, the more a sense of disillusionment manifests itself.
This is a tale of both fancy and creepiness, yes, but the erotic dreams the boy has as a pre-teen and the relationship he has as a teen were just disturbing. Is this a European convention? If the characters were older, the tone and story would still be mind-bending. Why insist on dealing with youths? The last chapters seem like something out of a Twilight Zone episode, and in this context that's not a compliment.
audiobook note: Jim Dale is amazingly talented, and I can't help but jump in line for anything he records. However, the Scottish brogue given to the title character (and therefore used prodigiously throughout the book) was not wholly effective.
This is a tale of both fancy and creepiness, yes, but the erotic dreams the boy has as a pre-teen and the relationship he has as a teen were just disturbing. Is this a European convention? If the characters were older, the tone and story would still be mind-bending. Why insist on dealing with youths? The last chapters seem like something out of a Twilight Zone episode, and in this context that's not a compliment.
audiobook note: Jim Dale is amazingly talented, and I can't help but jump in line for anything he records. However, the Scottish brogue given to the title character (and therefore used prodigiously throughout the book) was not wholly effective.
cluckingbell's review against another edition
4.0
This may be getting an extra star because I love Jim Dale (the audiobook voice). And Scotland. There are some odd anachronisms that are probably even more jarring or confusing if you are reading it and paying attention to the text instead of being swept along by the narrator (of "Pushing Daisies")—I don't know if that's owing to bad editing or an irresponsible translation. Overall, though, I found it a quirky fairy tale in both tone and content, and I love modern fairy tales (as opposed to modernized fairy tales (and I realize that the story takes place in the 19th century, but it was written in modern times)).
Spoiler
—and it does resolve more abruptly and with a stronger note of realism than I might prefer (though I certainly don't expect or demand an HEA)katluze's review against another edition
5.0
Es uno de mis libros favoritos. Te hace sentir muchas cosas en tan pocas páginas que aterra. Mathias posee ese Don que pocos autores tienen de plantearte un mundo entre la ficción y la realidad sin limitarlo con una franja.
leyma_01's review against another edition
5.0
Realmente el libro me lo leí por primera vez hace aproximadamente cuatro años y me lo he leido porque tras haber estudiado me apetecía estar en el sol.
Creo que es un libro que se disfrutaría mucho más en una época fría, con un café y una mantita mientras empiezas a leer y recordar con nostalgia sentimientos que se ven reflejados de manera muy bonito en este libro :)
Creo que es un libro que se disfrutaría mucho más en una época fría, con un café y una mantita mientras empiezas a leer y recordar con nostalgia sentimientos que se ven reflejados de manera muy bonito en este libro :)
sofipesaresi3's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
naphthalene's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
blow_'s review
adventurous
dark
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25