mhoffrob's review against another edition
4.0
Delightful YA fantasy novel, set on a mgical island controlled by Lord Prosper, and his family. Centered around Mae, who grew up on the island after the death of her father, the Lord's steward. She has a very different life than the Lord's grandchildren, her friends andpeers, and worries what will become of her when the Prospers realize that she is 18, and their promise to care for her will have been fulfilled. As the yearly First Night celebration nears, the family gathers and plots, and her friendships and rivalries take on new and different meanings as the realize how the magic that benefits them all is generated, and whose expense. Well crafter characters and plotline, enjoyable read.
storiesatstarfall's review against another edition
3.0
Star Rating: 3.25
I will give Samantha Cohoe this: she comes up with wonderful concepts for her books. This is the second time that I've been intrigued by the premise of one of her books—and the second time I've found the story somewhat lacking.
While the writing style is most suited for younger YA audiences, the trade off is that the characters come off underdeveloped. All interactions felt very surface level, so I found myself not truly invested in their objectives. Mae goes through a journey of being meek and naive and intentionally ignorant to the problems around her to taking control of her life herself, but I found it too little too late. All of the Prosper family members are incorrigible in their own rights, which meant I did not find myself truly rooting for anyone.
I also felt this story would have done better without any kind of romantic storyline. The romance subplot sways between two characters: Miles, Mae's forever crush who doesn't know she's alive despite being allegedly friends at one point, and Ivo, her new fiance arranged by the family. Neither of these are good. Miles is clearly using Mae and does not care, so it's frustrating to read her being unable to read the obvious signs and ignoring them entirely.
Ivo, however, is an interesting character. He is probably the only character with actual good intentions and put at a true crossroads of what to do with what he knows. My quibble, however, is that he is posed as a love interest... that's seven years older than Mae. I know the author strives for keeping with historical elements in her work, but this does not translate well to a current audience. Given the teen audience, and likely younger teen audience that would click with her writing style, I don't find it okay to prop up a better love interest that's so much older than the main character, who JUST turned 18. Historically accurate? Yes. But morally acceptable? Not in the present day, where this results in grooming—especially when Ivo is inferred to have watched and liked Mae for far longer.
As for pacing, it fluctuated. The whole of the story is essentially one day, on First Night. I found the pacing made this feel like the longest day ever, but the later half to third of the book flew by for me because interesting things were really kicking in.
Overall, I did find this to be an improvement of sorts to Cohoe's debut, but despite the interesting concept and plot, the execution fell a bit short for me. In a period where YA authors are exercising their word economy and pacing while still weaving elaborate and deft worlds, I find that Cohoe has a ways to go. Once she does though, I'll be quite excited, as conceptually her works are very interesting. I wish her the best moving forward in her career!
Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an advanced copy for review!
I will give Samantha Cohoe this: she comes up with wonderful concepts for her books. This is the second time that I've been intrigued by the premise of one of her books—and the second time I've found the story somewhat lacking.
While the writing style is most suited for younger YA audiences, the trade off is that the characters come off underdeveloped. All interactions felt very surface level, so I found myself not truly invested in their objectives. Mae goes through a journey of being meek and naive and intentionally ignorant to the problems around her to taking control of her life herself, but I found it too little too late. All of the Prosper family members are incorrigible in their own rights, which meant I did not find myself truly rooting for anyone.
I also felt this story would have done better without any kind of romantic storyline. The romance subplot sways between two characters: Miles, Mae's forever crush who doesn't know she's alive despite being allegedly friends at one point, and Ivo, her new fiance arranged by the family. Neither of these are good. Miles is clearly using Mae and does not care, so it's frustrating to read her being unable to read the obvious signs and ignoring them entirely.
Ivo, however, is an interesting character. He is probably the only character with actual good intentions and put at a true crossroads of what to do with what he knows. My quibble, however, is that he is posed as a love interest... that's seven years older than Mae. I know the author strives for keeping with historical elements in her work, but this does not translate well to a current audience. Given the teen audience, and likely younger teen audience that would click with her writing style, I don't find it okay to prop up a better love interest that's so much older than the main character, who JUST turned 18. Historically accurate? Yes. But morally acceptable? Not in the present day, where this results in grooming—especially when Ivo is inferred to have watched and liked Mae for far longer.
As for pacing, it fluctuated. The whole of the story is essentially one day, on First Night. I found the pacing made this feel like the longest day ever, but the later half to third of the book flew by for me because interesting things were really kicking in.
Overall, I did find this to be an improvement of sorts to Cohoe's debut, but despite the interesting concept and plot, the execution fell a bit short for me. In a period where YA authors are exercising their word economy and pacing while still weaving elaborate and deft worlds, I find that Cohoe has a ways to go. Once she does though, I'll be quite excited, as conceptually her works are very interesting. I wish her the best moving forward in her career!
Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an advanced copy for review!
sarag19's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 out of 5 Stars
***ARC received from Wednesday Books and NetGalley in exchange for honest review, opinions are all my own. Thank you!***
I will admit, I have not read Shakespeare’s The Tempest so I can’t comment on how this is inspired by that story so I’m just going to go off what I have read.
Mae is an interesting character, I both liked and disliked her throughout the book. She has never left the island and doesn’t ever want to leave the island, her home is there it is where she feels like she most belongs. Mae is also interested in learning magic and the only way she can do that is from within the Prosper family but she struggles with how she is going to accomplish that. A lot of Mae’s issues drive from the fact that she seems to have never left this island and all her experience comes from the limited interactions she has with the Prosper family that don’t treat her very well. Sometimes she is strong only to wilt within the same page, its frustrating but its expected. Mae is a character that really just wants to please people. I wish that we had gotten more interactions between Mae and Ivo, there are hints at a budding friendship in their background but its gone by the time the book starts. They also have the more interesting dynamic since Ivo seems to be the one that cares the most about Mae for who she is.
The two character other than Mae we spend the most time with is Coco and Miles. I liked Coco and Miles to a point they treat Mae well but there is a separation between them of the girl on the island and the rich family that lives there. We get hints that Coco and Miles both like and dislike Mae, there is a lot about how the characters really feel about Mae that is left up to the interpretation of the reader. I found that Coco both likes and tolerates her friend while Miles seems to only be interested in how he can use Mae for his own purposes. Yes there is a bit of a romance but it feels forced and heavy handed and I think the story would have been better served without it but this may have been me being more partial to Ivo than Miles who I found infinitely more interesting who wasn’t in this story nearly enough.
One of the best parts of this story though is the family drama, its a family with too much wealth and too little care for other people’s feelings and it made for some fun moments. There was a point when I told myself this is just soap opera drama and normally thats not my thing but I fully enjoyed it when you compare it to Mae who seems to really want to join this family. Like Mae, maybe this family isn’t worth your effort? Each character that gets page time has their own unique personality and unique backstory that while not fully fleshed out makes them at least more than just one dimensional rich people around to be cruel or kind to our protagonist.
I wish the world had been explored a bit more. They touch on magic and the other families on other islands and how aether has changed this but its never fully explored as the store is more driven by the family drama. Its a rich world that we only get a taste of what could have possibly been.
As for the ending… Well, I’m going to interpret that as I want for happiness.
***ARC received from Wednesday Books and NetGalley in exchange for honest review, opinions are all my own. Thank you!***
I will admit, I have not read Shakespeare’s The Tempest so I can’t comment on how this is inspired by that story so I’m just going to go off what I have read.
Mae is an interesting character, I both liked and disliked her throughout the book. She has never left the island and doesn’t ever want to leave the island, her home is there it is where she feels like she most belongs. Mae is also interested in learning magic and the only way she can do that is from within the Prosper family but she struggles with how she is going to accomplish that. A lot of Mae’s issues drive from the fact that she seems to have never left this island and all her experience comes from the limited interactions she has with the Prosper family that don’t treat her very well. Sometimes she is strong only to wilt within the same page, its frustrating but its expected. Mae is a character that really just wants to please people. I wish that we had gotten more interactions between Mae and Ivo, there are hints at a budding friendship in their background but its gone by the time the book starts. They also have the more interesting dynamic since Ivo seems to be the one that cares the most about Mae for who she is.
The two character other than Mae we spend the most time with is Coco and Miles. I liked Coco and Miles to a point they treat Mae well but there is a separation between them of the girl on the island and the rich family that lives there. We get hints that Coco and Miles both like and dislike Mae, there is a lot about how the characters really feel about Mae that is left up to the interpretation of the reader. I found that Coco both likes and tolerates her friend while Miles seems to only be interested in how he can use Mae for his own purposes. Yes there is a bit of a romance but it feels forced and heavy handed and I think the story would have been better served without it but this may have been me being more partial to Ivo than Miles who I found infinitely more interesting who wasn’t in this story nearly enough.
One of the best parts of this story though is the family drama, its a family with too much wealth and too little care for other people’s feelings and it made for some fun moments. There was a point when I told myself this is just soap opera drama and normally thats not my thing but I fully enjoyed it when you compare it to Mae who seems to really want to join this family. Like Mae, maybe this family isn’t worth your effort? Each character that gets page time has their own unique personality and unique backstory that while not fully fleshed out makes them at least more than just one dimensional rich people around to be cruel or kind to our protagonist.
I wish the world had been explored a bit more. They touch on magic and the other families on other islands and how aether has changed this but its never fully explored as the store is more driven by the family drama. Its a rich world that we only get a taste of what could have possibly been.
As for the ending… Well, I’m going to interpret that as I want for happiness.
morganbrabender's review against another edition
3.0
Another work read. I think I would’ve liked this more as a high schooler (the intended audience). I didn’t love the characters, so it was hard for me to be invested. The concept was intriguing and I’ve never read a retelling of the Tempest!
abond17's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
chasingholden's review against another edition
3.0
Bright ruined things pulled me in instantly upon seeing the cover, which reminded me somehow of The Great Gatsby and all the lovely things from the 1920's after stopping to read the synopsis I was really excited for this one. Bright Ruined Things aspires to be seen as a retelling of Tempest , which is one of the last and underrated, unknown plays of Shakespeare. When paired together I was prepared for something amazing between these pages. Unfortunately I was slightly disappointed.
Mae lives full time on the only island left where The Prosper family has all the glitz and glamour and magic is still very much alive.. But their wealth comes from the labor of spirits. Spirits produce the fuel from the wells, maintain the properties and even provide music that's constantly on the air.. Mae's desperation to be accepted by the infamous Prosper family is in turns pitiful and brave, suggests that the reader will be quickly turning these pages to find what happens next.
The characters started off as easily identifiable and somewhat likeable however I found myself becoming impatient and frustrated, especially when a line or two of amazing prose is stumbled upon and I'd think it was finally taking a turn for the better, only to find out that amazing line led to a dead end.
The concept is something I would love seeing reworked as I think so many elements of Bright Ruined Things have potential that just was not realized in this draft. With some work it could be turned in to one of the years must reads. As it stands now its just average.
Thank you to netgalley for providing an advanced e-copy for me to read and leave my honest opinion. I really do hope that this concept will be reworked to live up to the obvious potential buried underneath the averageness of this attempt.
Mae lives full time on the only island left where The Prosper family has all the glitz and glamour and magic is still very much alive.. But their wealth comes from the labor of spirits. Spirits produce the fuel from the wells, maintain the properties and even provide music that's constantly on the air.. Mae's desperation to be accepted by the infamous Prosper family is in turns pitiful and brave, suggests that the reader will be quickly turning these pages to find what happens next.
The characters started off as easily identifiable and somewhat likeable however I found myself becoming impatient and frustrated, especially when a line or two of amazing prose is stumbled upon and I'd think it was finally taking a turn for the better, only to find out that amazing line led to a dead end.
The concept is something I would love seeing reworked as I think so many elements of Bright Ruined Things have potential that just was not realized in this draft. With some work it could be turned in to one of the years must reads. As it stands now its just average.
Thank you to netgalley for providing an advanced e-copy for me to read and leave my honest opinion. I really do hope that this concept will be reworked to live up to the obvious potential buried underneath the averageness of this attempt.
cbarcenam's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Torture and Abandonment
alise410's review against another edition
What is happening? Too confusing and weird. The book could have been better if everyone wasn't so annoyingly mysterious
elenareadsbooks_'s review against another edition
4.0
Let me start by saying I liked this book. I read it in less than 24 hours.
The plot intrigued me, I liked the characters yet I wish some things were explored more in depth.
This book is good. It has magic, a family secret and a mysterious island. I liked seeing Mae grow more and more confident each chapter and I liked finding out all the secrets with her!
The plot intrigued me, I liked the characters yet I wish some things were explored more in depth.
This book is good. It has magic, a family secret and a mysterious island. I liked seeing Mae grow more and more confident each chapter and I liked finding out all the secrets with her!
annsbibliotherapy's review against another edition
4.0
This is the perfect blend of reality and magic, the integration of reality and the spirits was seamless, they truly seemed like characters they weren't malicious or evil and I found myself hurting each time something happened to one of them .
The story telling put me into a magical island in the 1920s and I loved it. The story telling was so vibrant and detailed I could imagine the smell of the ocean coming onto the island, I could see the estate as it would have been through Maes eyes and I could feel the emotions that were put onto the page.
Mae was an orphan, living every day in fear of what could happen if the Prospers remembered that the promise to her father had a time limit, she would do anything to keep from having the only world she's ever know taken away from her, she never imagined there was even a possibility that would include marrying a Prosper, just not the one she wanted.
There were twists and turns in this one that kept me guessing till the very end what would happen with our group of characters, and the spirits too of course.
I enjoyed the audio book version of this immensely, the narrator has a true gift when it comes to bringing words on a page to life and I look forward to listening to other stories she's lent her talents to.
This is a solid 4.5 book in my opinion.
The story telling put me into a magical island in the 1920s and I loved it. The story telling was so vibrant and detailed I could imagine the smell of the ocean coming onto the island, I could see the estate as it would have been through Maes eyes and I could feel the emotions that were put onto the page.
Mae was an orphan, living every day in fear of what could happen if the Prospers remembered that the promise to her father had a time limit, she would do anything to keep from having the only world she's ever know taken away from her, she never imagined there was even a possibility that would include marrying a Prosper, just not the one she wanted.
There were twists and turns in this one that kept me guessing till the very end what would happen with our group of characters, and the spirits too of course.
I enjoyed the audio book version of this immensely, the narrator has a true gift when it comes to bringing words on a page to life and I look forward to listening to other stories she's lent her talents to.
This is a solid 4.5 book in my opinion.