thewoollygeek's review against another edition
5.0
A slow start to this but I think intentionally as it works youinto the story and once there, you don’t want to stop. Great world building, wonderful characters, such a breeze to read as it sucks you right in and you don’t want to leave. I loved the MC Tula, such an emotive, well written character. Great book and can’t wait for more.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
narahquinn's review
3.0
I enjoyed this story, especially in that it can be interpreted in a couple of different ways (a story about Chimera and also as a parallel to society and racism/segregation and politics) which makes it both a nicely written story about a sheltered girl trying to find her way in the world and also as a story with a deeper and often darker message about our society and people and how we all treat others.
Tula is a likeable teenage character and as she has lived an exceptionally sheltered life with just her mother and she behaves as you would expect a naïve teenage girl to behave. She is trying to rely on herself for the first time ever - she is trying to navigate what she has always been told by her mother along with what she feels is right and at almost every turn she is taken advantage of,
I don't want to give too much away, I did have my suspicions about who her father was after first meeting the character - I was very briefly, but cleverly made to question if I'd got it entirely wrong at the point it was confronted!
It ends well, but comfortably leads to a continuation in the series and I definitely think it would be a good book for somewhat younger readers to approach social and political issues with the topics that run deeply through it.
One of my favourite quotes from it was "Cleansing . . .How can something so cruel and wicked, sound like a pure, simple thing . . ."
If I were able to give half stars I would give an extra half - but I can't, sorry! I must also thank NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this.
Tula is a likeable teenage character and as she has lived an exceptionally sheltered life with just her mother and she behaves as you would expect a naïve teenage girl to behave. She is trying to rely on herself for the first time ever - she is trying to navigate what she has always been told by her mother along with what she feels is right and at almost every turn she is taken advantage of,
I don't want to give too much away, I did have my suspicions about who her father was after first meeting the character - I was very briefly, but cleverly made to question if I'd got it entirely wrong at the point it was confronted!
It ends well, but comfortably leads to a continuation in the series and I definitely think it would be a good book for somewhat younger readers to approach social and political issues with the topics that run deeply through it.
One of my favourite quotes from it was "Cleansing . . .How can something so cruel and wicked, sound like a pure, simple thing . . ."
If I were able to give half stars I would give an extra half - but I can't, sorry! I must also thank NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this.
thereadingraccoon's review
4.0
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this copy of Aphra’s Child by Lesley Glaister for review.
This is a YA fantasy of a similar world where humans unhappily co-exist with chimera (their lab created slaves) and a young girl who is a hybrid of each and stuck in the middle.
Tula starts off very sheltered and naive in the beginning and that was probably the biggest struggle for me as a reader. It feels like she is constantly being taken advantage of the first 80% of the book and I was waiting for another calamity or result of her poor judgement to happen. The story is paced very well and there is some good character development and world building going on. It felt a little middle-grade instead of YA to me. The small bit of romance is very chaste and except for a very disturbing scene at a restaurant most of the violence is pretty tame.
I give this one 3.5 stars. I wished for a little more edginess out of our main character and I personally prefer a little more romance. I think it could have benefitted from some more tension and heart pounding action in the middle. It was a little too much of “someone stole my belongings again” and begging strangers for help.
This is a YA fantasy of a similar world where humans unhappily co-exist with chimera (their lab created slaves) and a young girl who is a hybrid of each and stuck in the middle.
Tula starts off very sheltered and naive in the beginning and that was probably the biggest struggle for me as a reader. It feels like she is constantly being taken advantage of the first 80% of the book and I was waiting for another calamity or result of her poor judgement to happen. The story is paced very well and there is some good character development and world building going on. It felt a little middle-grade instead of YA to me. The small bit of romance is very chaste and except for a very disturbing scene at a restaurant most of the violence is pretty tame.
I give this one 3.5 stars. I wished for a little more edginess out of our main character and I personally prefer a little more romance. I think it could have benefitted from some more tension and heart pounding action in the middle. It was a little too much of “someone stole my belongings again” and begging strangers for help.
nietzschesghost's review
4.0
With a barely-there synopsis, you would think that this would be quite the gamble for most readers, but given how reliable critically-acclaimed author Lesley Glaister is I figured it was an odds-on favourite. Don't let the limited blurb put you off as some books simply work best when the reader goes in blind. However, if you think you've happened upon a lighthearted, fantasy world then you are very much mistaken. As with all of her novels, Glaister infuses it with issues that reflect those in our own societies.
Although the pacing is quite slow at the beginning it still works well as I feel you often need some time to adapt to the writing style and pick up on how the world works, once you become accustomed to both, the pace picks up. Glaister's worldbuilding could rival anyone's, even the greats of the fantasy genre, her characters are beautifully painted and interesting, and I look forward to both the world and the characters evolving over the upcoming books. Despite being based in a richly imaginative world, the author manages to make it both believable and wonderful, and the contrast between the light and dark in this fictional universe is masterfully executed. It features a sprawling fantasy world, suspense, and a smattering of romance, there is certainly something for everyone here. The portrayal of the conflict between humans and chimeras echoes that between classes, races and sexualities in the real world. This is one of the most refreshing fantasy titles I've had the pleasure to read recently, and the message it holds about being true to yourself no matter the consequences is one I can completely get behind.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable young adult debut, but with more substance than most. I really had a hard time putting this down, it was utterly immersive. This was a great read, and it has already gotten me anticipating the next book in the Chimera series. Glaister is a highly underrated author whose gift for engaging plots deserves a wider readership. Tighter editing could have perhaps sharpened up some of the prose, but apart from that, I loved it!
Many thanks to Stirling Publishing for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Although the pacing is quite slow at the beginning it still works well as I feel you often need some time to adapt to the writing style and pick up on how the world works, once you become accustomed to both, the pace picks up. Glaister's worldbuilding could rival anyone's, even the greats of the fantasy genre, her characters are beautifully painted and interesting, and I look forward to both the world and the characters evolving over the upcoming books. Despite being based in a richly imaginative world, the author manages to make it both believable and wonderful, and the contrast between the light and dark in this fictional universe is masterfully executed. It features a sprawling fantasy world, suspense, and a smattering of romance, there is certainly something for everyone here. The portrayal of the conflict between humans and chimeras echoes that between classes, races and sexualities in the real world. This is one of the most refreshing fantasy titles I've had the pleasure to read recently, and the message it holds about being true to yourself no matter the consequences is one I can completely get behind.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable young adult debut, but with more substance than most. I really had a hard time putting this down, it was utterly immersive. This was a great read, and it has already gotten me anticipating the next book in the Chimera series. Glaister is a highly underrated author whose gift for engaging plots deserves a wider readership. Tighter editing could have perhaps sharpened up some of the prose, but apart from that, I loved it!
Many thanks to Stirling Publishing for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
jantine's review
3.0
I received a free copy through netgalley in return for a honest review.
This book did portray the society, with the rift between humans and chimera, pretty well in my opinion. If anything, this book was a wonderful read because of that.
The plot was not as great as I hoped it to be. Tula reminded me of a bouncing ball; often I could not grasp what she would do now, or why. She just went along, going with the flow,doing what people told her to do - except for when that could be a smart move. That made that I had a hard time liking her until almost at the end of the book.
This book did portray the society, with the rift between humans and chimera, pretty well in my opinion. If anything, this book was a wonderful read because of that.
The plot was not as great as I hoped it to be. Tula reminded me of a bouncing ball; often I could not grasp what she would do now, or why. She just went along, going with the flow,doing what people told her to do - except for when that could be a smart move. That made that I had a hard time liking her until almost at the end of the book.
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