Review: "The Peculiar" by Stefan Bachmann

Don’t get yourself noticed and you won’t get yourself hanged.

After the Smiling War, a devastating war between faeries cut off from the Old Country and humans, England developed into a society where humans and fae grudgingly co-exist and fae magic is kept at bay by iron and smoke. Part human and part fae, Bartholomew Kettle and his sister Hettie are changelings, peculiars living in hiding in the faery slums of Bath. When Bartholomew witnesses the kidnapping of the changling boy across the street, he breaks the cardinal rule of changlings: Don’t get yourself noticed. Now he, aided by Arthur Jelliby, a member of Parliament and an unexpected and reluctant human ally, must solve the mystery of the recent changling kidnappings and try to save the world from faery destruction.

A blend of steampunk, fantasy, mystery and gothic adventure, "The Peculiar" is an ambitious middle grade novel. Fortunately, Bachmann has done a superb job balancing the various elements and weaving them into a cohesive whole. The world he has created is complex, astonishingly creative, and fascinating. The background is nicely set up in a short prologue, immediately introducing readers to the unique England Bachmann has created. Beautifully written descriptions of places, people, creatures and things pepper the book and add richness to the story. The main characters, Mr. Jelliby and Bartholomew, are endearing in their reluctant quest to help each other, and the villain is appropriately devious.

My only criticism of "The Peculiar" is that I felt the action stagnated towards the end of the novel. Since this book’s climax occurs in the last few chapters, it felt like the book was driving and driving
towards a finish it just couldn’t deliver. Despite assuming that this was the first book in a series and expecting a cliffhanger, I still found the ending abrupt and unsatisfying. It was jarring enough to end my interest in seeing the series to its conclusion.

Although written for middle grade readers, this is a captivating novel with teen and adult appeal. Bachmann was sixteen when he began writing "The Peculiar" and only eighteen when he finished it, making the tense plotting, creative world building and beautiful descriptive writing even more impressive. It will be exciting to see how he develops as a writer and storyteller when this saga is completed.

Book Source: My local library
Reviewer: Kimberly

Recommended Ages: 9+

Recommended for Readers of:

Review: 'The Twisted Tragedy of Miss Natalie Stewart' by Leanna Renee Hieber

WARNING: This review contains spoilers if you have not yet read "Darker Still", 

the first volume of Natalie Stewart's story.

But just as the witches in Macbeth proclaim:
"Something wicked this way comes,"
there's no avoiding it.
But that doesn't mean I have to submit.

Jonathan, Lord Denbury, has been freed from the painting and the demon possessing his body forced out by the combined efforts of Natalie and her friend, Mrs. North.  The painting has been destroyed.  Not everything is resolved, however,  and Jonathan is wanted by the police for actions his body committed while possessed.  Natalie hopes that the painting's destruction signaled the end of the supernatural chapter of her and Jonathan's lives.  But when Natalie and Jonathan discover that there is a new darkness brewing in the City That Never Sleeps they must muster the courage and fortitude to stop a madman from trapping the souls of the dead.

Add another well-written, suspenseful novel to the newer cannon of YA Gothic literature.  Hieber continues to weave Natalie's story while introducing new characters and new supernatural elements that  readers will hope to see in future novels.  Natalie continues to grow into her newly discovered voice, as well as into her supernatural abilities, and must learn to balance her independence and family obligations.  Her struggle makes Natalie a character that teen girls can relate to even though her adventures are anything but ordinary.  Another strength of this novel is the historical detail, the setting is as important as the characters.  Nineteenth-century New York City is beautifully depicted in all its industrial glory which makes Hieber's novels a wonderful introduction to that time period.  Romance, mystery and supernatural evil abound in Hieber's newest novel, giving readers everything they could ask for in a book.  Highly recommended.

Release Date: November 1, 2012

Book Source: Sourcebooks, courtesy of Lauren Walker - Thank you Lauren!
Reviewed by: Rebecca

Recommended Ages: 14+ for some creepy scenes

Recommended for Readers of:

Review: 'Ironskin' by Tina Connolly

The frothy structures were still perfect on the south end of the building, on the carriage house

On the north the house had war damage. It had been bombed, and now only the skeleton

remained, the scraggly black structure sharp and jagged, mocking its former grace and charm.

Just like me, Jane thought. Just like me.

The Great War is over, the Fey defeated.  Jane Eliot is a teacher without a position due to her status as Ironskin, scarred by fey magic which is only contained by the iron mask she wears.  When a governess position opens on a lonely country estate for the odd daughter of an eccentric artist, Jane hopes that this time things will be different - that her mask will not lead to an untimely dismissal.  But her new employer has some very dark secrets that endanger not just Jane and her charge, but all of England.

Connolly's novel is a wonderfully dark and compelling YA title written in the style of Jane Eyre.  While to nod to Bronte is apparent, Ironskin is an original work of Gothic fiction sure to be a hit with teens looking for a darker read.  The plot has some interesting twists and, like many Gothic novels, there are unanswered questions at the novel's conclusion.  The world of Ironskin mixes the elements of the early 20th century with fantasy to create a unique world.  Jane is an interesting mix of the typical Gothic heroine and a more modern YA heroine; unsure of herself yet strong and independent.  Edward, the Rochester figure, is wonderfully damaged by his life experiences but somehow remains a good, if flawed, man who is worthy of Jane's affection.  The only criticism I have regarding this novel is Jane's remoteness.  She has been hurt so often in her life that she keeps her emotions very tightly wrapped, which can make relating to her somewhat difficult.  However, this element of Jane's character also makes her more real, so I can't really complain.

Ironskin would be perfect for classroom instruction (teaching the Gothic novel) or book clubs as there are many elements of style and story to generate discussion.

Visit Tina Connolly's website here.

Book Source: Tor Books (Thank you!)
Reviewer: Rebecca

Recommended Ages: 15+ Adult themes, Gothic horror

Recommended for Readers of:

Review: Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber

This novel has all the elements a reader could want: danger, romance and a "good vs. evil" conflict - all wrapped up in deliciously Gothic trappings.  Seventeen-year-old Natalie Stewart is unable to speak due to a childhood trauma, so has spent the last several years at the Connecticut Asylum where students are blind, mute, deaf or some combination of the three.  She has now graduated and returned home to live with her father who loves her but is at a loss as to what should be done with her due to her "illness".  Natalie has learned that "for unfortunates like me, firstly, a girl and, secondly, a mute girl, life is made up of different types of prisons...".  However, her prison is unlocked when a mysterious painting is brought into her life; a painting that seems almost alive.

This is an AMAZING novel guaranteed to have readers up far past a reasonable bedtime.  Since Natalie does not speak the story is told in a series of journal entries which gives this text an intimate peek into the main character's thoughts and emotions.  Hieber has done an solid job of creating characters of substance, even those that only walk across a few pages.  The reader is drawn into the society and city of New York in the 1880s with all it's texture and grit.  Anyone familiar with New York City will recognize landmarks such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art (just a few years old at the time of this novel) and the Angel of the Waters in Central Park.  While the homage to Wilde's Picture of Dorian Gray is evident, Darker Still is a wholly different novel that will resonate with readers.  Highly Recommended.

Recommended for Readers Of:
Oscar Wilde, Maggie Stiefvater, Kady Cross, Lia Habel

Rating: 5 Stars
Teen Gauge: 14+

Chills, Thrills & Daniel Radcliffe!

U.K. Edition 2011

Harry Potter is all grown up and graduated to a wonderfully gothic looking film.  In February 2012 The Woman In Black will open just in time to scare the pants off all those lovers for Valentine's Day!  After being creeped out by the trailer (and discovering that the film is based on a novel) I decided to read the original text.  Susan Hill's The Woman in Black was first published in 1986 and lead to one of the longest running West End plays to ever thrill and audience.
The plot is rather simple: A young lawyer, Arthur, is sent out from London to a small villiage to handle the post-mortem affairs of one of the firm's odder clients.  When he arrives in the village he discovers that there is a bit more to the woman's affairs than he expected and soon encounters a vengeful spirit tied to a mystery more than 50 years old.
A few pages into the first chapter of Hill's masterpiece, I realized that I had seen the play many years previously at the Alley Theatre in Houston - without realizing that the script was based on a novel.  I remember the play as being wonderfully atmospheric and spine-tingling and was certainly not dissapointed in the original story.  Ms. Hill has a way of describing a scene while still allowing the reader to use their imagination:

 "Tonight, I smelled at once, and with a lightening heart, that there had been a change in the weather. All the previous week, we had had rain, chilling rain and a mist that lay low about the house and over the countryside...Inside the house, the lamps were lit throughout the day and the walls of larder, outhouse and cellar oozed damp and smelled sour, the fires sputtered and smoked, burning dismally low."

(Chapter 1).

Like the very best of gothic fiction, The Woman in Black is both mentally engaging and wonderfully dark.  I was unable to put this novel down and finished in about a day. Highly recommended.  This is one of my new favorites and I can't wait for the movie!

Recommended for Readers of: