fizzy_lizard's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? It's complicated
3.75
13delathauwere's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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? Yes
4.25
acarman1's review against another edition
4.0
A full blooded retelling of the Norwegian fairy tale--East of the Sun, West of the Moon--a story very similar to the Greek myth of Cupid and Psyche and to the Grimm Fairy Tale Beauty and the Beast. In it we follow young Echo, the half-orphan daughter of a bookseller, whose attempt to rescue a white wolf in a trap goes very wrong and leaves her with a face full of scars. One day she meets the white wolf again and is deceived by him into coming and living with him in a magical house for a full year. But as time goes on and they grow closer, she also begins to suspect that he isn't being entirely truthful with her. She decides that she must figure out a way to save him from his enchantment but it is difficult to do so, when you don't know who is holding all the cards. Who is the mysterious Queen of the Wood who has enchanted the House? Who are the friend Echo meets in the library--a carefree young man named Hal and an adventurous girl named Mokosh? Who can she trust? Meyer does an excellent job fleshing out characters into well rounded individuals with agendas and motives of their own, a curious mix of the self-absorbed and the heroic. Fans of northern European mythology, fans of winter literature, or even just people who enjoy a good fantasy will love the book.
alba_1994's review against another edition
It just lost its pace in de middle, the characters also felt a bit flat
28porkandbeans's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-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
3.5
alyssakwriter's review against another edition
4.0
I’m always a sucker for a retelling of East of the sun, West of the Moon. This one was so good! I love the authors take on the folk tale and I think she did a great job of making her story unique.
anniedo's review against another edition
3.0
I read this in its entirety during a 12.5 hour flight. I could not put it down. The emotional turbulence caused by this book was worse than the actual plane turbulence.
I was drawn to the premise and the inspiration drawn from some of my favorite fairy tales (Tam Lin, Beauty and the Beast, and East of the Sun West of the Moon). Echo North is definitely well written. It feels original, and yet the elements of the originals are all there.
While I didn't find any of the characters compelling on their own, my god, the tenderness of the romance in this killed me. I was SO invested in this love story. I also enjoyed all the other themes about self-worth. Up until the final chapters, this was a strong 4 or 5 star read for me.
And then this one little fucking detail completely derailed ALL OF IT for me.
I was fuming. My poor family sitting next to me on the plane had to listen to me whisper-rant and squawk incomprehensibly about how mad I was.
It's like, the most frustrating thing that one can experience in reading. How can you write this beautiful, sweeping, complex, and fantastic story and have it be ruined with a couple of pages?????
I begrudgingly give this 3 stars.
I was drawn to the premise and the inspiration drawn from some of my favorite fairy tales (Tam Lin, Beauty and the Beast, and East of the Sun West of the Moon). Echo North is definitely well written. It feels original, and yet the elements of the originals are all there.
While I didn't find any of the characters compelling on their own, my god, the tenderness of the romance in this killed me. I was SO invested in this love story. I also enjoyed all the other themes about self-worth. Up until the final chapters, this was a strong 4 or 5 star read for me.
And then this one little fucking detail completely derailed ALL OF IT for me.
I was fuming. My poor family sitting next to me on the plane had to listen to me whisper-rant and squawk incomprehensibly about how mad I was.
It's like, the most frustrating thing that one can experience in reading. How can you write this beautiful, sweeping, complex, and fantastic story and have it be ruined with a couple of pages?????
Spoiler
I'm talking about how Echo got over the fact that Hal was going to straight up betray her, and knowingly condemn her to an eternity of imprisonment and misery--for his own freedom. TWICE. Folks, I may be painfully single and inexperienced irl, but I know that that is not fucking okay. That's not true love. That's selfish, and awful, and wrong. It was so so so agonizing to read. It was unnecessary! It tainted every other wholesome moment that they shared! Just..WHY?!?!?!?I begrudgingly give this 3 stars.
irinak's review against another edition
5.0
A small part of me is a little surprised I liked this better than Wind Daughter, especially since villain/heroine romances are usually my jam, but somehow, I liked this one better? It could so easily be very deritative, but it still manages to have its own voice and with a magic system I don't recall seeing anywhere else (THE LIBRARY. I NEED IT NOW). I could nitpick that it's a little weird Echo takes that much time figuring out the Wolf and Hal are the same person, but they *do* have different voices and personalities so I can buy her not figuring it out until the last minute. But overall, it has a fairy tale quality with a soft magic system where not everything is explained, a lot of stuff stays mysterious, but in this case, it totally works and leaves a sense of wonder to the reader.
There's also the theme of how forgiveness isn't something that's deserved but rather given freely, and how ultimately, you're not responsible or at fault for how people will react to it, for better and for worse. And I think that today, it's something that's all the more important to keep in mind in a world that seems intent on being unforgiving.
Overall, if you're looking for a book with a Naomi Novik feel for a younger reader, I think this is perfect!
There's also the theme of how forgiveness isn't something that's deserved but rather given freely, and how ultimately, you're not responsible or at fault for how people will react to it, for better and for worse. And I think that today, it's something that's all the more important to keep in mind in a world that seems intent on being unforgiving.
Overall, if you're looking for a book with a Naomi Novik feel for a younger reader, I think this is perfect!