A Few Quick Reviews

I waited very impatiently for this to come in from my library holds, and it was very much worth the wait. I absolutely loved this book! It was one I couldn't put down. I wanted to read it for the setting - the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, near the Seney Wildlife Refuge, one of my favorite spots in all Michigan. If you have ever been there, you are familiar with the Seney stretch, and just how far you are from cities and well, other people.

The characters are amazing, and I loved how this story is told. It begins in the now, present day, with Helena as a married woman with two daughters. Her father, who had kidnapped her mother and held her prisoner for fourteen years or so, has escaped from prison. And Helena, raised by the Marsh King himself, knows his ways better than anyone, and has the skill set to match his. She knows she is the one who will have to catch him, that no one will be able to beat him on his own turf. As the chase wears on, the reader learns about the years in captivity through Helena's memories - and while her mother was a true prisoner, Helena's experience was different. The Marsh King is her father, and while he was not a good man, she spent twelve years of her life learning from him, and trying to impress him. She wanted to follow in his footsteps, and was starving for any affection from him. While he was abusive, callous, and a kidnapper, he did seem to care about Helena, as much as he was able to care about another human being, or at least that is my opinion, as he did take the time to teach her the things important to him. And when Helena and her mother were free, Helena had to adjust to an entirely different world, one that was confusing and had many rules - and people. This whole book was fascinating, riveting, and fast paced; as I said, I couldn't put it down. I highly recommend it.

Caraval was another great read - entirely different, but definitely worth reading. It was fun, like a crazy mixed up Alice in Wonderland meets Willy Wonka meets...something not so nice. While this crazy kaleidoscope of magic and fantasy and game play is all supposed to be part of the show, with everyone either a player or an actor, there is maybe a bit more going on than meets the eye. Scarlett is a little annoying at first, but she grows on you, as the game takes over and she is further from her horrible father, who is a perfect villain. I loved all the magic and color and imagery in this imaginative story; I loved the setting and the characters, and I really enjoyed every bit .

 I can't wait for the second book in the series, Legendary, to come out - I am looking forward to reading more in this world, and about these characters.