"Looking at this wanton damage I could not avoid a mental picture of the process that had caused it. I tried not to imagine the muscular arms raised, spread-eagled and tied, ropes cutting into wrists, the coppery head pressed hard agains the post in agony, but the marks brought such images all too readily to mind. Had he screamed when it was done?"
"I could no more stop myself rising to his touch than I could stop myself bleeding when he cut me"
"I lie here feeling that I will die without your touch, but when you touch me I feel as though I will vomit with shame and loathing of myself"
If I could give this book 10 stars I would. I mean where where these books hiding? This is just book one and I'm emotionally wrecked :/ I can't think of a book more vivid and clear to the eyes and mind than this one. I started with some of my favourite quotes/parts of the book, to show you the writing, the words used to describe such awful and outrageous scenes/events.
A writer has his/her words only to make the reader see what is inside their head, to see what he/she wants us to see and to feel exactly what he/she wants us to feel. If they use the write words then they're talented and I have to say that Diana Gabaldon is more than talented in using words, playing with them and creating such images in the reader's mind.
I seriously can't tell you how I felt at the end of the book, I was enjoying reading ti with all the fighting scenes between Claire and Jamie but when I reached the last part "To Ransom A Man's Soul", I felt my hands shaking because what I was reading was horrible, what Jamie went through all his life and at the end on the hands of Black Jack Randall was more than anyone can imagine. I wonder how this will shape his character in Book 2 which I'm going to start reading soon, hopefully.
I loved the dialogues between the characters, it showed you their personality and how then it became more mature or reckless. From the dialogues you feel the development of the characters, especially Jamie's. Also Claire, how she fell in love with Jamie and refused to go back to her husband, her first true love because she felt something else with Jamie and couldn't let go of that feeling, couldn't leave him and live with the feeling being away from him.
Of course I have to praise the historical facts used this book, it was full of history, what was happening between England and Scotland and what would happen later. I learned to so many facts, words, rituals and more from this book and that's why I'm becoming to appreciate huge books because they hold a lot of knowledge and information. I used to get intimidated by huge books, but not anymore. I'm enjoying them.
If you haven't started yet with this series, then I advise you to start reading it now. But I have to warn you that it has sexual scenes, rape, language, violence and more. So read it at your own risk.
3.5 Stars
You know the feeling after you finish a book and you don't know whether you liked this book or not? I mean you love the plot but you feel something is missing but then you feel the story is complete. You love the writing and the language used in the book but it feels like the author didn't do a lot of effort to make you live the story like it was real. That's what I'm feeling right now about this book. But anyways I loved it and I think everybody from all ages must read this book because it talks to everyone, from young adults to adults and parents to be specific. Parents must read this book so they can prevent their teen children from going to a dangerous path if the signs presented themselves, like what happened to Evie Boyd.
The story is about Evie Boyd who is 14 years old, feeling lost and un-noticed after her parents got divorces, her father living with a young woman, her mother trying her luck with a new man and her friend having a quarrel with her over something silly. Evie meets Suzanne who is part of a cult run by Russell Hadrick who is welcoming lost girls not that much older from her and making them feel special, control their minds with his charisma, and making them do stuff that doesn't seem ok to others but to them, they can't see or feel it. They are lost and think they've found their right path or way with Russell but they were all wrong.
Evie wanted to find love and confidence with Russell but Suzanne gave her that. She felt getting close to her day after day. Even when she left the ranch for days, she came back for Suzanne and not Russell.
I don't want to spoil the story for you but I loved the ending of this book and found it very special and unique.
You know when you start reading a book, you feel it's slow & going no where in the first few pages!? Well, that's how i felt about it in the beginning but because of the crazy reviews i read about this book i kept reading it til i reached a point where i couldn't stop & i just kept reading falling in love with the plot, the characters, the setting & everything in between.
I'll not talk about the story for it's pretty clear in the synopsis but i'd rather talk about the characters & what they've represented. Science & religion. Power & money, high class & lower class, freedom & suppression, desire & shame, love & friendship.
The characters & their lives can be interpreted in so many ways, it just depends on the reader & how he/she sees the story.
I loved Cora's character & how she couldn't deal with her little boy because maybe there is something wrong with him & she doesn't see it?! Will's character was also very well written, struggling with his desire & afraid to sin as he's the Reverend & a married man to a loving wife who seems stupid or naive but she is the opposite. I also loved Martha's character, she's something hehe, but hated Luke. Such an arrogant man :/
This book is highly recommended
This book was full of lessons and meanings. I loved every word written and related to some of the incidents the characters faced or went through. I had this book few months ago and don't know why I didn't start reading it, but i'm glad i'm done with it with a happy face.
18 year old Kate is full of vengeance and anger. She will not have peace till she avenges her father's death. She meats The Coltons, Jesse and Will will help her with her vengeance on one condition, that she gives them the gold. Will the plan run as planned or will they face outlaws, guns, and death?!
The story talks about forgiveness and letting go of the past even though it's difficult but one can try to have peace. It's all about being content from the inside and being surrounded by the people you love, family and friends. Money can make your life easier but it will not bring you happiness if you lose your loved ones and it will not make you feel content when you're surrounded with money but not family or friends.
It's about being humans and helping each others no matter what our colour, religion or past. I felt this novel was talking about our world now and how we are living it full of hate because we have different opinions, colour and religion.
I really wish this book can be taught in schools so that young people can learn to live in peace and harmony.
I LOVED THIS BOOK AND I CAN STOP THINKING ABOUT IT.
One of the best crime books I've read this year. All the events were so shocking that I didn't see them coming at all. Even when I thought that I've realised what will happen next, I was wrong all the time. I love those kinds of books that let you think you've got the story, but then you realise you were totally wrong, and shocked.
Jenna Gray runs away from her home, looking for a fresh start away from everything that happened to her in the past. She is scared and cautious, not wanting to let anyone in her life afraid they'll know who she really is and what's she's done. But it seems that no one can run away from their past no matter where they go or how far.
I'm not going to talk a lot about the story, or write the names of the characters involved in the plot because I don't want to ruin anything for those who are planning to read it. I'm just going to say that all the characters were carefully written and built, especially Jenna. You'll see how her character will shock you in the story, you'll not see it coming, and if you, you're more clever than I :P The writing style is very easy to read and smooth, you'll feel as if you're watching a movie not reading because the words makes all the scenes so vivid.
I have to say that Victoria Schwab has a wild imagination. After finishing reading her 3rd book, I admit she's amazing.
A city divided into two halves, one is under the hand of Callum Harker who keeps monsters as pet and weapons and the other half is under the hand of Henry Flynn who has 3 adopted children with a secret that must be hidden from those who might use it in a ..... ?! I'll keep that to your imagination.
Katherine is daughter of Callum Harker & August is the son of Henry Flynn find themselves running together for their lives and trying to save their city with everything then can, only to be betrayed by those who are close to them and never saw it coming.
All the characters in this book are amazing, even though there is a slight similarity between August and Kell (Shades of Magic) but still the story is original and unique. Creating 3 races of monsters (Malchai, Corsei, and Sunai) helped the story also, she didn't just mention them and leave those races for the readers to fill in the blanks, no. She actually created a solid background for them and also a song which I liked and kept on singing it even after I finished reading the book.
When I started reading the story, I kind of felt lost or somehow bored and thought "Oh no, this book will disappoint" but I kept on reading and good thing I didn't stop because I literally couldn't keep it down. It was a very good story and can't wait for book 2 to come out because that ending made like "You've got to be kidding me!" and a huge exclamation mark on my forehead!
The first book I finished in September and I'm proud to say that I've read this book for it is a literary MASTERPIECE. If I was an academic teacher, i'd teach this for my student because it represents everything related to Art & Literature.
I'm really overwhelmed, I can't explain what I'm feeling right now after finishing reading this book. I'm sure I loved it and it's amazing but it has this effect on me which I can't explain. It's a hreat-breaking story of love, art, survival, treason, adultery, self-search and more.
"Just be careful of him. You don't just happen upon a painting like that Odelle"
This book left me taking notes and thinking all the time. It's about the story of Olive, Teressa, & Isaac and how each of them interfered in the other's fate. When you think that people use you but it might be the other way around. When you want to be seen but can't and use someone else's name just to reach your goal and when you can't see the real love of the honest people because you're blinded by your love to others who don't deserve it.
I loved the writing style of this book, it is much better than The Miniaturist. It is so smooth and easy to comprehend and fall in love with. I'm feeling really sad because I finished this book in one day. I just couldn't keep it down, events and cliffhangers kept coming/happening at the end of each chapter/part.
I loved Olive's character ALOT, and hated her mother Sarah. I don't know how I feel towards Isaac because of what he went through in his life but of course that doesn't mean you can deceit and play with people's feelings. Now, comes Teressa who I believe is the centre character if the story even though you don't feel it in the story but you'll get what I mean when you finish this book and start thinking of the whole story in your head.
Who was The Muse? Olive, Isaac or Teressa? I won't really say because there is no name mentioned in the book but it's open to the reader's imagination. And I will not discuss the matter because I don't want to spoil things for you.
A HIGHLY RECOMMENDED BOOK.
