Scan barcode
midnightcomets's review against another edition
5.0
5/5 stars
"Sherlock Holmes said that the most stimulating case is when all the chances are against you"
WHAT WAS THAT?
DO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW MANY DAYS I HAD WITHOUT JOINING A NEW FANDOM?
I read many books, ones I liked or even loved but a lot of time passed (since Lady Midnight I think) since I actually became obsessed with a book. Ksenia Ankse's imagination runs wild, creating a magnificent world where nothing is as it seems, a plot that was as wild and beautiful as roses. This book blew my mind in the most amazing way, I laughed, cried, smiled and wiped my damp eyes, I screamed until my throat hurt and my heart fell on the floor like seeds that after all the heartbreak became flowers, created by the happy ending.
Lilith Bloom is not your ordinary twelve year old girl. She's much more. She's a dreamer and a believer, she's more clever than her parents and all adults in this story and she loves. She loves everyone, despite what she thinks she feels about them. She has seen some pretty strange things in her life. The thing is...nobody believes her, thinking she's suffering from mental illness.
"Much not. I'm a grown woman stuck in a little girl's body which is rather unfortunate"
That's who she is. Mature but not a pessimist, with hope filling her heart. And when the time comes, she proves her maturity, by sacrificing herself for everyone else, proving that not only she isn't loony but she also is much more than what everyone thought she is. There's a quote in this book that only by itself makes it a masterpiece:
"Lilith had little time to understand the meaning of these three words. Life, love, death. She did know that there was no life without death but also no life without love. Did that mean that there was no love without death, though? That you had to die to realize how much you loved someone?"
After all this ranting, all this smiling and all this fangirling about Lilith's relationship with her pet dog that has the ability to talk or her kisses with the mute boy, Ed, who taught her more than anyone else could, there's only one thing left in my mind. Tim Burton HAS to discover this and make a movie immediately.
totally recommended
~Mary
"Sherlock Holmes said that the most stimulating case is when all the chances are against you"
WHAT WAS THAT?
DO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW MANY DAYS I HAD WITHOUT JOINING A NEW FANDOM?
I read many books, ones I liked or even loved but a lot of time passed (since Lady Midnight I think) since I actually became obsessed with a book. Ksenia Ankse's imagination runs wild, creating a magnificent world where nothing is as it seems, a plot that was as wild and beautiful as roses. This book blew my mind in the most amazing way, I laughed, cried, smiled and wiped my damp eyes, I screamed until my throat hurt and my heart fell on the floor like seeds that after all the heartbreak became flowers, created by the happy ending.
Lilith Bloom is not your ordinary twelve year old girl. She's much more. She's a dreamer and a believer, she's more clever than her parents and all adults in this story and she loves. She loves everyone, despite what she thinks she feels about them. She has seen some pretty strange things in her life. The thing is...nobody believes her, thinking she's suffering from mental illness.
"Much not. I'm a grown woman stuck in a little girl's body which is rather unfortunate"
That's who she is. Mature but not a pessimist, with hope filling her heart. And when the time comes, she proves her maturity, by sacrificing herself for everyone else, proving that not only she isn't loony but she also is much more than what everyone thought she is. There's a quote in this book that only by itself makes it a masterpiece:
"Lilith had little time to understand the meaning of these three words. Life, love, death. She did know that there was no life without death but also no life without love. Did that mean that there was no love without death, though? That you had to die to realize how much you loved someone?"
After all this ranting, all this smiling and all this fangirling about Lilith's relationship with her pet dog that has the ability to talk or her kisses with the mute boy, Ed, who taught her more than anyone else could, there's only one thing left in my mind. Tim Burton HAS to discover this and make a movie immediately.
totally recommended
~Mary
ec_tyche's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
preciouslittlebook's review against another edition
5.0
5/5 stars
"Sherlock Holmes said that the most stimulating case is when all the chances are against you"
WHAT WAS THAT?
DO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW MANY DAYS I HAD WITHOUT JOINING A NEW FANDOM?
I read many books, ones I liked or even loved but a lot of time passed (since Lady Midnight I think) since I actually became obsessed with a book. Ksenia Ankse's imagination runs wild, creating a magnificent world where nothing is as it seems, a plot that was as wild and beautiful as roses. This book blew my mind in the most amazing way, I laughed, cried, smiled and wiped my damp eyes, I screamed until my throat hurt and my heart fell on the floor like seeds that after all the heartbreak became flowers, created by the happy ending.
Lilith Bloom is not your ordinary twelve year old girl. She's much more. She's a dreamer and a believer, she's more clever than her parents and all adults in this story and she loves. She loves everyone, despite what she thinks she feels about them. She has seen some pretty strange things in her life. The thing is...nobody believes her, thinking she's suffering from mental illness.
"Much not. I'm a grown woman stuck in a little girl's body which is rather unfortunate"
That's who she is. Mature but not a pessimist, with hope filling her heart. And when the time comes, she proves her maturity, by sacrificing herself for everyone else, proving that not only she isn't loony but she also is much more than what everyone thought she is. There's a quote in this book that only by itself makes it a masterpiece:
"Lilith had little time to understand the meaning of these three words. Life, love, death. She did know that there was no life without death but also no life without love. Did that mean that there was no love without death, though? That you had to die to realize how much you loved someone?"
After all this ranting, all this smiling and all this fangirling about Lilith's relationship with her pet dog that has the ability to talk or her kisses with the mute boy, Ed, who taught her more than anyone else could, there's only one thing left in my mind. Tim Burton HAS to discover this and make a movie immediately.
totally recommended
~Mary
"Sherlock Holmes said that the most stimulating case is when all the chances are against you"
WHAT WAS THAT?
DO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW MANY DAYS I HAD WITHOUT JOINING A NEW FANDOM?
I read many books, ones I liked or even loved but a lot of time passed (since Lady Midnight I think) since I actually became obsessed with a book. Ksenia Ankse's imagination runs wild, creating a magnificent world where nothing is as it seems, a plot that was as wild and beautiful as roses. This book blew my mind in the most amazing way, I laughed, cried, smiled and wiped my damp eyes, I screamed until my throat hurt and my heart fell on the floor like seeds that after all the heartbreak became flowers, created by the happy ending.
Lilith Bloom is not your ordinary twelve year old girl. She's much more. She's a dreamer and a believer, she's more clever than her parents and all adults in this story and she loves. She loves everyone, despite what she thinks she feels about them. She has seen some pretty strange things in her life. The thing is...nobody believes her, thinking she's suffering from mental illness.
"Much not. I'm a grown woman stuck in a little girl's body which is rather unfortunate"
That's who she is. Mature but not a pessimist, with hope filling her heart. And when the time comes, she proves her maturity, by sacrificing herself for everyone else, proving that not only she isn't loony but she also is much more than what everyone thought she is. There's a quote in this book that only by itself makes it a masterpiece:
"Lilith had little time to understand the meaning of these three words. Life, love, death. She did know that there was no life without death but also no life without love. Did that mean that there was no love without death, though? That you had to die to realize how much you loved someone?"
After all this ranting, all this smiling and all this fangirling about Lilith's relationship with her pet dog that has the ability to talk or her kisses with the mute boy, Ed, who taught her more than anyone else could, there's only one thing left in my mind. Tim Burton HAS to discover this and make a movie immediately.
totally recommended
~Mary
kcera's review against another edition
DNF, but more because I just didn’t make time for it overdrive returned it before I could renew it.
I think I spent a good portion of this book confused, but in a vaguely good way. I loved the vibe. I 100% want to try again, but I think I want to have the actual book in hand to finish it. I need to absorb as much as I can.
It’s gorgeous concepts with such interesting characters. It feels a bit juvenile, but is that necessarily bad?
I will be back. I think I only got like... 50 pages in? Maybe less? They were in the garden.
I think I spent a good portion of this book confused, but in a vaguely good way. I loved the vibe. I 100% want to try again, but I think I want to have the actual book in hand to finish it. I need to absorb as much as I can.
It’s gorgeous concepts with such interesting characters. It feels a bit juvenile, but is that necessarily bad?
I will be back. I think I only got like... 50 pages in? Maybe less? They were in the garden.
jaxreadshere_21's review
4.0
The feel of this book was a quirky mix of Alice in Wonderland and Sherlock to me, and I adored it. The writing style and character of the magical realism reminded me of Neil Gaiman and Lemony Snicket; it was just the right amount of sass, childhood innocence, and creepy magical charm. I fell instantly in love with Lillith and Panther, even though Lillith's decisions about trying to alert everyone to the truth sometimes frustrated me. At first the ending felt too neat to me, but by the time I reached the very last sentence, I was satisfied. I'm definitely interested to read something else by Ksenia Anske now.
preciouslittlebook's review
5.0
5/5 stars
"Sherlock Holmes said that the most stimulating case is when all the chances are against you"
WHAT WAS THAT?
DO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW MANY DAYS I HAD WITHOUT JOINING A NEW FANDOM?
I read many books, ones I liked or even loved but a lot of time passed (since Lady Midnight I think) since I actually became obsessed with a book. Ksenia Ankse's imagination runs wild, creating a magnificent world where nothing is as it seems, a plot that was as wild and beautiful as roses. This book blew my mind in the most amazing way, I laughed, cried, smiled and wiped my damp eyes, I screamed until my throat hurt and my heart fell on the floor like seeds that after all the heartbreak became flowers, created by the happy ending.
Lilith Bloom is not your ordinary twelve year old girl. She's much more. She's a dreamer and a believer, she's more clever than her parents and all adults in this story and she loves. She loves everyone, despite what she thinks she feels about them. She has seen some pretty strange things in her life. The thing is...nobody believes her, thinking she's suffering from mental illness.
"Much not. I'm a grown woman stuck in a little girl's body which is rather unfortunate"
That's who she is. Mature but not a pessimist, with hope filling her heart. And when the time comes, she proves her maturity, by sacrificing herself for everyone else, proving that not only she isn't loony but she also is much more than what everyone thought she is. There's a quote in this book that only by itself makes it a masterpiece:
"Lilith had little time to understand the meaning of these three words. Life, love, death. She did know that there was no life without death but also no life without love. Did that mean that there was no love without death, though? That you had to die to realize how much you loved someone?"
After all this ranting, all this smiling and all this fangirling about Lilith's relationship with her pet dog that has the ability to talk or her kisses with the mute boy, Ed, who taught her more than anyone else could, there's only one thing left in my mind. Tim Burton HAS to discover this and make a movie immediately.
totally recommended
~Mary
"Sherlock Holmes said that the most stimulating case is when all the chances are against you"
WHAT WAS THAT?
DO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW MANY DAYS I HAD WITHOUT JOINING A NEW FANDOM?
I read many books, ones I liked or even loved but a lot of time passed (since Lady Midnight I think) since I actually became obsessed with a book. Ksenia Ankse's imagination runs wild, creating a magnificent world where nothing is as it seems, a plot that was as wild and beautiful as roses. This book blew my mind in the most amazing way, I laughed, cried, smiled and wiped my damp eyes, I screamed until my throat hurt and my heart fell on the floor like seeds that after all the heartbreak became flowers, created by the happy ending.
Lilith Bloom is not your ordinary twelve year old girl. She's much more. She's a dreamer and a believer, she's more clever than her parents and all adults in this story and she loves. She loves everyone, despite what she thinks she feels about them. She has seen some pretty strange things in her life. The thing is...nobody believes her, thinking she's suffering from mental illness.
"Much not. I'm a grown woman stuck in a little girl's body which is rather unfortunate"
That's who she is. Mature but not a pessimist, with hope filling her heart. And when the time comes, she proves her maturity, by sacrificing herself for everyone else, proving that not only she isn't loony but she also is much more than what everyone thought she is. There's a quote in this book that only by itself makes it a masterpiece:
"Lilith had little time to understand the meaning of these three words. Life, love, death. She did know that there was no life without death but also no life without love. Did that mean that there was no love without death, though? That you had to die to realize how much you loved someone?"
After all this ranting, all this smiling and all this fangirling about Lilith's relationship with her pet dog that has the ability to talk or her kisses with the mute boy, Ed, who taught her more than anyone else could, there's only one thing left in my mind. Tim Burton HAS to discover this and make a movie immediately.
totally recommended
~Mary
ian's review
4.0
The novel follows Lilith Bloom on her trip to attend the Bloom family reunion being held at her Grandfather's estate in Berlin. Lilith is not your average 12 y/o girl, even before you consider the fact that she has a talking dog. Her dialogue is witty and sharp, and I loved being in her head.
Despite the fast paced, almost frantic action, there is not a lot of actual plot development until after the 50% percent mark. During the first part of the book, the action goes like so: Lilith visits the garden, learns some minor thing, returns to the house and accuses her Grandfather of murder. Rinse and repeat for six or seven garden visit scenes. I think the entire thing could have been condensed down to one MAYBE two visits to the garden, where she learns the entire set of secrets. As it was, I ended up skimming about 50 pages of material after about her third visit to the garden.
The plot really takes off at the point that Lilith is visited by the psychologist. After this I couldn't put it down until I'd finished. The ending is a bit predictable and the wrap up chapter is suitably cheesy.
Overall I give it 4 stars, taking off a star for the fact that I judge it to be about 35% longer than it needs to be.
Despite the fast paced, almost frantic action, there is not a lot of actual plot development until after the 50% percent mark. During the first part of the book, the action goes like so: Lilith visits the garden, learns some minor thing, returns to the house and accuses her Grandfather of murder. Rinse and repeat for six or seven garden visit scenes. I think the entire thing could have been condensed down to one MAYBE two visits to the garden, where she learns the entire set of secrets. As it was, I ended up skimming about 50 pages of material after about her third visit to the garden.
The plot really takes off at the point that Lilith is visited by the psychologist. After this I couldn't put it down until I'd finished. The ending is a bit predictable and the wrap up chapter is suitably cheesy.
Overall I give it 4 stars, taking off a star for the fact that I judge it to be about 35% longer than it needs to be.
tomasthanes's review
5.0
I love stories that are carefully crafted (as this one is). Like a perfect rose, each petal perfectly in place, the colors and curves exactly what they should be.
Rather than playing "She loves me, she loves me not" and pulling each exquisite petal off to see how the story was constructed, (which would be contemptible, wayward, squalid, abject, unbearable, gruesome, odious, sordid, turbid, and innocuous), I will simply tell you that, despite the warnings from the author (@kseniaanske) on Twitter, I really enjoyed the book and kept reading.
The Bloom family was sufficiently quirky and German. Since I'm mostly German (or Swiss), this was rather enjoyable.
Oh, and Panther. A cat in a dog's body, a whippet of extraordinary breeding (though a runt by someone's definition), and expressive to a fault.
Another thing that I liked were the seemingly random but completely relevant quotes from [b:The Hound of the Baskervilles|8921|The Hound of the Baskervilles (Sherlock Holmes, #5)|Arthur Conan Doyle|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1355929358s/8921.jpg|3311984]. This book was used in the same way that Dorothy from Kansas used a Bible to determine her next step: open it at random and put your finger on the page, then read and follow whatever is beneath your finger tip. By the way, following this methodology can be dangerous if the choice is really important, but then you knew this.
Rather than playing "She loves me, she loves me not" and pulling each exquisite petal off to see how the story was constructed, (which would be contemptible, wayward, squalid, abject, unbearable, gruesome, odious, sordid, turbid, and innocuous), I will simply tell you that, despite the warnings from the author (@kseniaanske) on Twitter, I really enjoyed the book and kept reading.
The Bloom family was sufficiently quirky and German. Since I'm mostly German (or Swiss), this was rather enjoyable.
Oh, and Panther. A cat in a dog's body, a whippet of extraordinary breeding (though a runt by someone's definition), and expressive to a fault.
Another thing that I liked were the seemingly random but completely relevant quotes from [b:The Hound of the Baskervilles|8921|The Hound of the Baskervilles (Sherlock Holmes, #5)|Arthur Conan Doyle|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1355929358s/8921.jpg|3311984]. This book was used in the same way that Dorothy from Kansas used a Bible to determine her next step: open it at random and put your finger on the page, then read and follow whatever is beneath your finger tip. By the way, following this methodology can be dangerous if the choice is really important, but then you knew this.