Author: Jonathan Stroud
Publisher: Hyperion Books
Genre: Fantasy
Page Count: 483
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Cover Rating: 3.8 out of 5. Not bad, but not terrific, either; I like the drawing style, and it does depict a scene from the book without being spoiler-y.
Inside flap:
Halli Sveinsson has grown up in the House of Svein, hearing the legends of the heroes as all his forefathers did. Theirs is a peaceful society, where the violence of the past has been outlawed and disputes are settled by the Council.
But young Halli has never quite seemed to fit in with the others. For starters, he is neither handsome nor tall, like his siblings. He's stumpy and swarthy, with a quick mind and an aptitude for getting into trouble. Bored with everyday chores and sheepherding, he can't help playing practical jokes on everyone, from Eyjolf, the old servant, to his brother and sister. But when he plays a trick on Ragnar of the House of Hakon, he goes too far, setting in motion a chain of events that will forever alter his destiny. Because of it, Halli will have to go on a hero's quest. Along the way, he will encounter highway robbers, terrifying monsters, and a girl who may be as fearless as he is. in the end he will discover the truth about the legends, his family, and himself.
My expectations: High. I enjoyed reading The Bartimaeus Trilogy, and I loved Jonathan Stroud's writing style.
My expectations were met.
My expectations were met.
About the book: This is a good Fantasy novel. The characters were strong, the setting was excellent, and it was well-written.
Jonathan Stroud's writing style wasn't as funny as The Bartimaeus Trilogy, due to the story being more serious overall, but it was still good.
Jonathan Stroud's writing style wasn't as funny as The Bartimaeus Trilogy, due to the story being more serious overall, but it was still good.
- Plot:
There were unexpected twists and turns in the plot, which I enjoyed (I love a good plot twist). The ending was very surprising as well, which is another plus for the plot--the events throughout were exciting and it didn't lag much at any point.
- Characters:
Halli Sveinsson was an amusing character, at the beginning, always playing jokes and goofing off. He was great for the story, filled-out and 3-dimensional.
Aud is now one of my favorite female characters. She's strong, determined, and stubborn, and likes having her own way with things. She doesn't let tradition and custom get in her way, which stands out more in a society where people are expected to live by certain rules.
Hord was a good villain. He has the right motives, and the drive to make the villain part of him work for the story and make it seem realistic.
- Setting/Elements:
I love the world-building in this book. I could picture the land that Halli lives in well, with its traditions, customs, myths, stories, legends, and all the cultural differences that you'd expect in a real society.
I like the way that stories were incorporated into the book before chapters, the stories from Halli's world that he grew up learning. It gave the book another element, and while I was sometimes frustrated that they broke up scenes where I just wanted to know what happened next, they were interesting.
Other: Violence, such as murder and fighting.
Do I recommend this book? Yes!
