relixx's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lissajean7's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars
Haunting is the word I would use to describe the story. It is a strange mixture of frivolity and depth - A sweet love story juxtaposed with aching questions about who God is and if he exists and where you can find him, even the 'gods' don't know. A god (in the ancient Greek sense - an immortal with powers) is lonely and leaves his land to live as a mortal. A girl, a weaver and dancer, sacrifices herself to save her aunt. The story is of the two of them trying to thwart fate and allow her to survive. The storytelling style is extremely difficult to read. I love Ms. Levine's other works, but this one was hard. She uses a dueling first person present tense narrative (One perspective the god Olus, the other the girl Kezi. BOTH saying "I look" "I go" "I worry" back and forth). It's very jarring. So jarring that I couldn't get past it. I'm glad I read it, and I liked the characters and the setting and the idea, but every chapter my brain had to reset (and some chapters were only a page long!). So, it was fun, it was thoughtful, and it would be interesting to discuss with people, but I probably won't read it again.
Haunting is the word I would use to describe the story. It is a strange mixture of frivolity and depth - A sweet love story juxtaposed with aching questions about who God is and if he exists and where you can find him, even the 'gods' don't know. A god (in the ancient Greek sense - an immortal with powers) is lonely and leaves his land to live as a mortal. A girl, a weaver and dancer, sacrifices herself to save her aunt. The story is of the two of them trying to thwart fate and allow her to survive. The storytelling style is extremely difficult to read. I love Ms. Levine's other works, but this one was hard. She uses a dueling first person present tense narrative (One perspective the god Olus, the other the girl Kezi. BOTH saying "I look" "I go" "I worry" back and forth). It's very jarring. So jarring that I couldn't get past it. I'm glad I read it, and I liked the characters and the setting and the idea, but every chapter my brain had to reset (and some chapters were only a page long!). So, it was fun, it was thoughtful, and it would be interesting to discuss with people, but I probably won't read it again.
pandacat42's review against another edition
I think the ideas had potential. Love at first sight is not my thing. Seemed superficial. I kind of wanted a different ending as well. Something similar, but different. Thought the challenges could have been deeper as well.
jillselwyn's review against another edition
5.0
I loved how short this book was, honestly forgot how short it was too. This was yet another childhood fave that I’m rereading because I wanted to write a full review for it. Basically Gail Carson Levine just dominated my entire childhood. It was completely hers and I’m so blessed to have been able to get some of my faves (sadly not including this one) signed last year by her.
Anyway, I will never get over this book. I forgot that the world and mythology of this story was all completely original, as are the majority of her books. But my goodness, I forgot just how well done and well established and explored the religion and mythology was in this book!
I also loved how while we had one pantheon securely proven in the book, Kezi and her families beliefs were questioned the entire novel, and for this to not even be 300 pages - that is so well done. I think this is certainly a book all young girls should read (again - most of Levine’s books should be) and I remember why this book so easily became a favorite when I was like eight years old.
I love the creepy and unsettling trials that Kezi and Olus had to go through, and though it had been over a decade since I even looked at this beautiful book, I remembered there was something frightening about it. For it to still be unsettling today is a feat. And I stand by what I’ve said for my other recent reviews of Gail Carson Levine’s books, they stand the test of time. You can be just learning to read, in your teen years, in your twenties (like I am), fifty, even 100 years old, and find something you enjoy in her books.
I also realize as I’m typing this in my notes app on my phone, that a large part of my love for this novel is likely due to also being terrified of small spaces like Olus is for a majority of the book, and constantly questioning religion as an agnostic Jewish raised woman. So I thank Gail Carson Levine for her imagination, without which I don’t know where I’d be today.
Anyway, I will never get over this book. I forgot that the world and mythology of this story was all completely original, as are the majority of her books. But my goodness, I forgot just how well done and well established and explored the religion and mythology was in this book!
I also loved how while we had one pantheon securely proven in the book, Kezi and her families beliefs were questioned the entire novel, and for this to not even be 300 pages - that is so well done. I think this is certainly a book all young girls should read (again - most of Levine’s books should be) and I remember why this book so easily became a favorite when I was like eight years old.
I love the creepy and unsettling trials that Kezi and Olus had to go through, and though it had been over a decade since I even looked at this beautiful book, I remembered there was something frightening about it. For it to still be unsettling today is a feat. And I stand by what I’ve said for my other recent reviews of Gail Carson Levine’s books, they stand the test of time. You can be just learning to read, in your teen years, in your twenties (like I am), fifty, even 100 years old, and find something you enjoy in her books.
I also realize as I’m typing this in my notes app on my phone, that a large part of my love for this novel is likely due to also being terrified of small spaces like Olus is for a majority of the book, and constantly questioning religion as an agnostic Jewish raised woman. So I thank Gail Carson Levine for her imagination, without which I don’t know where I’d be today.
jkneebone's review against another edition
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
In Ever, we meet Olus, the Akkan god of wind, and Kezi, a mortal girl from Hyte who loves knotting rugs and dancing. Olus, at seventeen, is the youngest god by several centuries. He's fascinated by mortals, and decides to leave Akka in order to live among them without being detected. He ends up herding goats on Kezi's father's land. Kezi, like all others in Hyte, worships Admat, the one all-knowing, all-present god. She lives happily with her mother and father, until her mother falls ill and her father makes a foolish oath: if her mother is spared, he will sacrifice the first person who congratulates him on her recovery to Admat. Although Kezi knows about the oath, she is the first to offer her congratulations, in order to save her ignorant aunt from making the same mistake.
With only a month to live, Kezi meets Olus, who has been watching her family and knows about the oath and Kezi's impending sacrifice. Olus has a plan to try and save Kezi, and Kezi doesn't want to spend her last month around her sad family, so they run away to Akka, where they have to undergo various challenges to overcome the destiny fate has assigned to them.
I remember enjoying Ever back when I first read it, although not as much as I liked Ella Enchanted or Fairest. I decided to re-read it on a whim, hoping for similar warm fuzzy vibes as I got from my Fairest re-read a few years ago, but Ever sadly did not live up to my memory. It's very fable-esque, and sometimes I can get behind simplicity for that reason, but in this case it did not fully work for me. Kezi and Olus fall in love super fast while barely knowing each other, and Kezi leaves her family alone for the entire month before she has to be sacrificed because she doesn't like that they are sad.And then they don't even know that she becomes immortal - they spend the rest of their lives thinking she was sacrificed, and they didn't even get to spend an extra twenty-seven days with her!
I think that Gail Carson Levine is doing some interesting things here, especially with regard to the differences in belief between Hyte and Akka - even Olus becomes unsure whether or not Admat exists, and he and Kezi must both question their faith as the time for her sacrifice grows nearer. I also liked how Kezi and Olus both have to face their fears over the course of the story, and felt that Levine had some interesting things to say about fate and decision-making. Ultimately, though, those themes weren't developed enough for me to feel like they were the focus of the story, and even for a simplistic, sweet romance I felt it was slightly lacking. I'd recommend Ella Enchanted or Fairest instead.
With only a month to live, Kezi meets Olus, who has been watching her family and knows about the oath and Kezi's impending sacrifice. Olus has a plan to try and save Kezi, and Kezi doesn't want to spend her last month around her sad family, so they run away to Akka, where they have to undergo various challenges to overcome the destiny fate has assigned to them.
I remember enjoying Ever back when I first read it, although not as much as I liked Ella Enchanted or Fairest. I decided to re-read it on a whim, hoping for similar warm fuzzy vibes as I got from my Fairest re-read a few years ago, but Ever sadly did not live up to my memory. It's very fable-esque, and sometimes I can get behind simplicity for that reason, but in this case it did not fully work for me. Kezi and Olus fall in love super fast while barely knowing each other, and Kezi leaves her family alone for the entire month before she has to be sacrificed because she doesn't like that they are sad.
I think that Gail Carson Levine is doing some interesting things here, especially with regard to the differences in belief between Hyte and Akka - even Olus becomes unsure whether or not Admat exists, and he and Kezi must both question their faith as the time for her sacrifice grows nearer. I also liked how Kezi and Olus both have to face their fears over the course of the story, and felt that Levine had some interesting things to say about fate and decision-making. Ultimately, though, those themes weren't developed enough for me to feel like they were the focus of the story, and even for a simplistic, sweet romance I felt it was slightly lacking. I'd recommend Ella Enchanted or Fairest instead.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
crystal_reading's review against another edition
4.0
Again Gail Carson Levine wrote a beautiful book that captures imagination. The main characters are in a predicament and must overcome many challenges to find a solution. I enjoyed the book, but it wasn't as magical as Ella. I think that may be just because I don't tend to like the god/goddess stories as much as faery.
ninjaduck2000's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
hannahhannahbanana's review against another edition
2.0
Not the best book, well written, but had a weird story line that was kind of hard to follow
iamleighbot's review against another edition
4.0
Quick review - Beautiful imagery, based on mythology, reflective and sad and hopeful all at once
sandraagee's review against another edition
4.0
Gail Carson Levine has yet another story to add to her already-charming collection of tales. Ever tells the story of Olus, the god of the winds in Akka; and Kezi, a mortal from nearby Hyte who loves dancing and weaving rugs, and must become a human sacrifice to fulfill her father's oath. Despite Kezi's looming death the two fall in love and must undergo a series of quests so that Kezi can become immortal. Questions about the religion and faith are raised throughout the narrative and no answers are given, leaving the reader to explore these issues for themselves.
Ever is a bit different from Ella Enchanted and Fairest - while the story has the same feel as these other fractured fairy tales, this is a tale from Levine's own imagination. Ever also contains unique narration as Kezi and Olus take turns telling the story.
Ever is a bit different from Ella Enchanted and Fairest - while the story has the same feel as these other fractured fairy tales, this is a tale from Levine's own imagination. Ever also contains unique narration as Kezi and Olus take turns telling the story.