Reviews

Fairy Oak - O Encanto das Trevas by Elisabetta Gnone

fragoline's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

mariar1811's review against another edition

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adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

ddan's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

cnd's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

thehatingcouple's review

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4.0

4,5 estrellas

archxtectts's review

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5.0

Este libro es un niño a medio engendrar: transparente, sutil; entre lo cotidiano y lo poético.

mina07's review against another edition

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dark funny hopeful sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

becca99's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

rodanoar's review

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4.0

2024 Re-read

Without a doubt, this book primarily serves as a setup for the third act. Although the introduction of the village's past through the Old Book felt slightly forced, it was easy to follow and laid substantial groundwork for the next volume. The ending provided a compelling cliffhanger suitable for a middle-grade audience. I can't recall exactly, but I'm sure the anticipation drove me wild back then 🤪

Similar to the previous novel, the author aimed to convey messages nestled within this cozy village setting. This time, the themes focused on perseverance, unity, and the importance of not succumbing to prejudices.

The characters seemed to possess more depth than in the first installment, and the plot hinted at a slightly darker tone. The subtle shift was enough to alter the overall mood, an effect that was particularly palpable in the anticipation leading up to the final book.

What I find most intriguing is that as I've aged, I've drifted away from the character Vanilla. As a child, she was my favorite twin, and I identified strongly with her. However, upon rereading, I found myself resonating more with Pervinca (or Lavender in English, which is an odd translation, I suppose?). Currently, I empathize with both characters, but who knows how this might change in the future? It's fascinating to see how our interpretations of literature evolve over time.

As I mentioned before, the Old Book was a good move, but it felt somewhat contrived. It's hard to imagine a book speaking in such an informal tone.

Regarding the writing (which could be attributed to the author or translator), I noticed some inconsistencies. For instance, Feli's full Portuguese name (and the names of other fairies too) was different in this book, which I found somewhat jarring. Moreover, I missed her humorous and whimsical expressions. They seemed to be scattered throughout the book rather than being a solid feature. However, I understand how this could contribute to the book's darker tone. I just missed them a lot.

illogicalhope's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-paced

5.0