OK, here is my review.
The short version is that I loved this book in the end.
LOVED, LOVED, LOVED IT!
:yeah: :yeah: I did have a bit of a tough time getting there, though.
I said yesterday that NavPress seemed to be just missing on their fiction by a hair. The truth is that I’m really excited about Nav’s YA fiction. I think it’s better than most of the CBA is doing. I still think it misses by a hair. There were a lot of little, niggling things in this book that could have easily been fixed with a good edit. There was one bigger issue that could have been fixed without too much trouble. I’m scratching my head trying to understand why a publisher would take a story as good as this one, with characters as adorable as these, and a writer as talented as Briggs, and settle for almost when spectacular was within its grasp. It’s a little frustrating.
Even more because I have always loved NavPress, have always trusted their theology, and have always appreciated their excellent magazines and nonfiction books. (Just as an aside, in case any NavPress people are reading this–are you sure you want to keep “bugger” in the book?)
And yet, The Book of Names rose to greatness, despite it’s rough beginning, making me ravenous for the next step in the Barlow boys’ adventure. So I have high hopes for the trilogy.
If you want more, read my full review.
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tags: book review, d. Barkley Briggs, sally apokedak, the book of names, YA fantasy
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What an outstanding review, Sally. You nailed it. :high5:
Becky
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nice review Sally.
It’s funny though you said you couldn’t connect with the boys, and yet I connected with them for that reason.. the lostness.. the confusion.. lol something i could relate to! ;p
I know, Amy. I kind of hate to even write book reviews. Because for every book I hate, there are many people who love it, and for every book I love, others hate it.
So when I write my reviews, I always and tempted to say, “I believe” and “I think,” and “in my opinion,” before every line. I fight the urge because any one reading my review understands it’s just my opinion.
And I feel a need to give people my true opinion, even though I’m a writer and I hate to slam other writers, because when I give my true opinion then I collect readers who agree with me often and trust my opinion and the readers who disagree with me go find another reviewer to check with. And that, I think, is good for the book business in the long run. I want to have readers who like the same kinds of books I like, come and read my reviews, and buy books.
And they do. I see from my Amazon reports that they do buy books I talk about here.
But none of that makes it any easier for me to give less than glowing reviews. I wish I loved every book I read without any reservations. It would make life so much more enjoyable.
I’m glad you connected with the boys early on. They are really fine boys. I loved them once I felt like they were in danger and fighting to overcome evil.