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wren47's review against another edition
Was a very interesting premise, but I put it down one day and just never returned to it. No rating since abandoned. I will likely try again sometime this year.
christinedodgen's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
5.0
kara_bianca_reads's review against another edition
5.0
Well, I don't think I've beaten the dreaded reading slump but I've finished a book this month, so that's something. This book was absolutely amazing (WHY AM I STILL IN A READING SLUMP WHEN ALL THE BOOKS IVE BEEN READING HAVE BEEN SO GOOD?) and I laughed so much, and was so absorbed within the world. The characters are so interesting and complex, the dual(?) narration only adds to the character and world building and this is just so complexly hilarious. I can't wait for the sequel, and I hope the TV adaption works out well. I definitely recommend this books to sci-fi comedy lovers, Douglas Adams style. So hilarious! Loved it!
madlovenovelist's review against another edition
4.0
Actual rating 3.75 stars.
This story had everything that I loved. The paranormal, a mystery, a strong female lead, a dry comic wit, interesting characters, a supernatural secret service, and plenty of weirdness. The biggest draw-back was its propensity to excessive info-dumping. In the form of diary entries, letters, re-tellings... and they went on for pages. You would get some sort of background information, flashback, or journal entry every 5 pages or so. It really bogged down the pacing of ‘The Rook,’ and frankly, had me losing interest many, many times. The subject matter was interesting and slightly relevant to the plot, but altogether longwinded and far too common in the narrative. I feel like this novel could have been 150pages shorter and been one heck of a read.
Consequently I had started this novel twice and abandoning it before getting 50 pages in because it was, well ... scattered. At my third attempt, I pushed through as many pages as I could before I was again bombarded with all-too-many info-dumps. It wasn’t until I got just passed the halfway point (pg 260 or thereabouts) that I felt like the plot had a direction and a driving force for protagonist Myfanwy and pulled the story into focus.
I have a bit of a thing with amnesia as a storytelling device. It’s an overused trope and can either be executed poorly, or brilliantly. Thankfully ‘The Rook’ falls into the latter category. This wasn’t a ‘I bumped my head and my memories are slowly coming back’ type plot, but a part of a paranormal mystery.
Daniel O’Malley has a quaint writing style with a dry sense of humour. He has a gorgeous way of painting a picture for character descriptions, and I thoroughly enjoyed – and got lost – in the narrative. Again, my only grip is – edit! Edit lots! I’m uncertain if all the information we get in ‘The Rook’ was relevant to the storyline. Is all that superfluous information going to be resolved in the sequel ‘Stilletto,’ or was it just that Daniel was so immersed in the world of ‘The Rook’ that all the details felt like they were important?
The paranormal powers were so imaginative, scary and hilarious. So many obtuse and unique abilities to rival the X-Men.
There are a lot of characters in ‘The Rook’ too. Even with all the copious explanations and backstories, I didn’t start to identify all the cast separately until after the halfway point.
The main plot of the story is that Myfanwy is basically an impostor, impersonating her pre-amnesia self as the timid paranormal agent (or rook) and discover the identity of which of her workmates was responsible for the attack. An attack which was a failed murder attempt. It is all about deduction, investigation, and following instinct; not to mention dealing with all the strangeness of the paranormal around her. Working out who to trust. ‘The Rook’ is definitely up there as one of my favourite reads.
The characters are all colourful and fully realised – how can they not be with all the narrative O’Malley dedicates to each. The storyline is intriguing and was the driving force in me picking up this title. At 482 pages long – and the formatting is at a maximum to fit a lot of words on each page without it looking crowded means this is a long book. Which brings me back to the pacing… ‘The Rook’ felt waaaay too long.
But when all is said and done, O’Malley has written a marvellous novel and I will definitely be continuing on with the series, I’ve since seen the television show adaptation (airing on Hulu or Starz depending on your location.)
I’d love to recommend this novel to all, but knowing the issues I had with the pacing, I don’t think everyone will have the patience to see it through to the end. But if you can handle a slower paced story and love paranormal detective stories, then ‘The Rook’ has a lot to offer.
This story had everything that I loved. The paranormal, a mystery, a strong female lead, a dry comic wit, interesting characters, a supernatural secret service, and plenty of weirdness. The biggest draw-back was its propensity to excessive info-dumping. In the form of diary entries, letters, re-tellings... and they went on for pages. You would get some sort of background information, flashback, or journal entry every 5 pages or so. It really bogged down the pacing of ‘The Rook,’ and frankly, had me losing interest many, many times. The subject matter was interesting and slightly relevant to the plot, but altogether longwinded and far too common in the narrative. I feel like this novel could have been 150pages shorter and been one heck of a read.
Consequently I had started this novel twice and abandoning it before getting 50 pages in because it was, well ... scattered. At my third attempt, I pushed through as many pages as I could before I was again bombarded with all-too-many info-dumps. It wasn’t until I got just passed the halfway point (pg 260 or thereabouts) that I felt like the plot had a direction and a driving force for protagonist Myfanwy and pulled the story into focus.
I have a bit of a thing with amnesia as a storytelling device. It’s an overused trope and can either be executed poorly, or brilliantly. Thankfully ‘The Rook’ falls into the latter category. This wasn’t a ‘I bumped my head and my memories are slowly coming back’ type plot, but a part of a paranormal mystery.
Daniel O’Malley has a quaint writing style with a dry sense of humour. He has a gorgeous way of painting a picture for character descriptions, and I thoroughly enjoyed – and got lost – in the narrative. Again, my only grip is – edit! Edit lots! I’m uncertain if all the information we get in ‘The Rook’ was relevant to the storyline. Is all that superfluous information going to be resolved in the sequel ‘Stilletto,’ or was it just that Daniel was so immersed in the world of ‘The Rook’ that all the details felt like they were important?
The paranormal powers were so imaginative, scary and hilarious. So many obtuse and unique abilities to rival the X-Men.
There are a lot of characters in ‘The Rook’ too. Even with all the copious explanations and backstories, I didn’t start to identify all the cast separately until after the halfway point.
The main plot of the story is that Myfanwy is basically an impostor, impersonating her pre-amnesia self as the timid paranormal agent (or rook) and discover the identity of which of her workmates was responsible for the attack. An attack which was a failed murder attempt. It is all about deduction, investigation, and following instinct; not to mention dealing with all the strangeness of the paranormal around her. Working out who to trust. ‘The Rook’ is definitely up there as one of my favourite reads.
The characters are all colourful and fully realised – how can they not be with all the narrative O’Malley dedicates to each. The storyline is intriguing and was the driving force in me picking up this title. At 482 pages long – and the formatting is at a maximum to fit a lot of words on each page without it looking crowded means this is a long book. Which brings me back to the pacing… ‘The Rook’ felt waaaay too long.
But when all is said and done, O’Malley has written a marvellous novel and I will definitely be continuing on with the series, I’ve since seen the television show adaptation (airing on Hulu or Starz depending on your location.)
I’d love to recommend this novel to all, but knowing the issues I had with the pacing, I don’t think everyone will have the patience to see it through to the end. But if you can handle a slower paced story and love paranormal detective stories, then ‘The Rook’ has a lot to offer.
greenmtgirl's review against another edition
5.0
I lovelovelove this book. Weird, fun, addictive. I was afraid having a protagonist with no memory would be tedious, but she quickly grows a new, engaging, sympathetic personality. I hope this guy writes more books, soon.
leaballerina's review against another edition
5.0
Hilarious, exciting, and totally believable. I loved this novel and I'm already halfway through the companion book, Stiletto.
kristenkong's review against another edition
5.0
Little x-men, dash of buffy, and a whole lotta awesome- great read!
A+
A+
darthval's review against another edition
3.0
This book has a lot going for it. Vivid and intriguing world building? Check. A mysterious plot that can hold the reader's interest? Check. Well crafted characters? Check. Nail biting action scenes? Check. Pacing . . . well, not so much.
This book has an interesting take on the "Down the Rabbit Hole" fantasy trope. Rather than being a regular Jane who finds her way into a world of magic, the protagonist in The Rook finds herself living a magical life she does not remember as a result of amnesia. The fact that she identifies herself as an identity independent of the previous occupant of the body further enhances the concept.
The issue, however, is that there is info dump overload in the form of letters and manuals left for the new Rook Thomas from her predecessor. These sections tend to drag and pull the reader out of an otherwise well-written narrative.
The character of Myfanwy is clever, despite the challenges faced by her lack of knowledge. I like her eager attitude toward moving forward and doing to the right thing. The amnesia angle allows her to act outside of the status quo giving her the ability to innovate in this mysterious world. The powers and abilities of Myfanwy and her contemporaries lend a fantastical element that is faintly reminiscent of comic book fantasy.
Hopefully, as this series progresses, there will be less need for the author to vomit out back story so the plot can progress in a more satisfying manner. There is enough here to suggest that future books will be quite entertaining.
This book has an interesting take on the "Down the Rabbit Hole" fantasy trope. Rather than being a regular Jane who finds her way into a world of magic, the protagonist in The Rook finds herself living a magical life she does not remember as a result of amnesia. The fact that she identifies herself as an identity independent of the previous occupant of the body further enhances the concept.
The issue, however, is that there is info dump overload in the form of letters and manuals left for the new Rook Thomas from her predecessor. These sections tend to drag and pull the reader out of an otherwise well-written narrative.
The character of Myfanwy is clever, despite the challenges faced by her lack of knowledge. I like her eager attitude toward moving forward and doing to the right thing. The amnesia angle allows her to act outside of the status quo giving her the ability to innovate in this mysterious world. The powers and abilities of Myfanwy and her contemporaries lend a fantastical element that is faintly reminiscent of comic book fantasy.
Hopefully, as this series progresses, there will be less need for the author to vomit out back story so the plot can progress in a more satisfying manner. There is enough here to suggest that future books will be quite entertaining.
bohemianasl's review against another edition
5.0
This is a thrilling ride from start to finish. This is a clever whodunnit with a likable protagonist, a cast of colorful characters, and some fantastic plot twists that leave you stunned and delighted all at once. I actually laughed out loud in several places and the scene with the duck literally made my jaw drop. Fantastic!
laura_de_leon's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars
My Top 10 Reasons for liking The Rook:
10) It's a good thriller, with secret agents, characters with questionable loyalties, and multiple action sequences. Myfanwy (she explains that it rhymes with Tiffany) can really kick butt!
9) The world building was very complete, and although the basic concept isn't at all new (people among us with special powers, and a secret branch of government to deal with the problems among them), I did feel like this was a new approach.
8) Crazy cool bad guys. Having special powers helps make more than run of the mill evildoers.
7) The setup (Myfanwy waking up unaware of who she is, and making sense of the life her body had been living) was quite clever, and I felt it pulled together through the book.
6) The method of communicating Myfanwy's back story worked well for the characters in the book and me as a reader.
5) I loved Myfanwy and I love the person that wakes up in Myfanwy's body, trying to figure out who she is and what happened to her. And when you have someone that starts out as a blank slate, character growth is practically guaranteed!
4) The supporting characters were a great part of the book. Myfanwy's assistant Ingrid was so unflappable, and reminded me of someone that I used to work with. The other members of the Chequy, their American counterparts, the people Myfanwy meets outside of work... they all contribute to the book.
3) Humor that made me laugh out loud because it popped up in the most unexpected places.
2) All the pieces came together into a darn good story.
1) Superheroes, acting like adults! Complete with politics, personalities, job conflicts, and (don't forget) butt kicking! What's not to like?
I really enjoyed reading this book, and hope there are more to come.
My Top 10 Reasons for liking The Rook:
10) It's a good thriller, with secret agents, characters with questionable loyalties, and multiple action sequences. Myfanwy (she explains that it rhymes with Tiffany) can really kick butt!
9) The world building was very complete, and although the basic concept isn't at all new (people among us with special powers, and a secret branch of government to deal with the problems among them), I did feel like this was a new approach.
8) Crazy cool bad guys. Having special powers helps make more than run of the mill evildoers.
7) The setup (Myfanwy waking up unaware of who she is, and making sense of the life her body had been living) was quite clever, and I felt it pulled together through the book.
6) The method of communicating Myfanwy's back story worked well for the characters in the book and me as a reader.
5) I loved Myfanwy and I love the person that wakes up in Myfanwy's body, trying to figure out who she is and what happened to her. And when you have someone that starts out as a blank slate, character growth is practically guaranteed!
4) The supporting characters were a great part of the book. Myfanwy's assistant Ingrid was so unflappable, and reminded me of someone that I used to work with. The other members of the Chequy, their American counterparts, the people Myfanwy meets outside of work... they all contribute to the book.
3) Humor that made me laugh out loud because it popped up in the most unexpected places.
2) All the pieces came together into a darn good story.
1) Superheroes, acting like adults! Complete with politics, personalities, job conflicts, and (don't forget) butt kicking! What's not to like?
I really enjoyed reading this book, and hope there are more to come.